Question about travel card zone 3-5.?

Oyster knows the all routes between stations.

You will be charged an extension fare unless you avoid zone 1 and use the pink oyster readers to prove your route.

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/14871.aspx

Zone 5 Travel Card

The rule is that you are supposed to pay for any zones you pass through, regardless of whether you stop at them.

For some journeys it's possible to avoid inner zones by not taking the best route, and yet suffer very little inconvenience. In other cases this would require a quite ludicrous detour, but technically be possible. I sometimes wonder what assumptions they make in these cases. I learned some years ago that there is a maximum time allowed for a journey, after which an excess fare is charged.

If you decide to try strategic travelling, keep an eye on the amount charged at the exit barrier or ask for journey record printout. I get one after any ambiguous circumstances.

You need to pay for every zone you pass through. If it's obvious to the Oystercard system that you can't have done the journey you did without going outside the zones you paid for, it will charge you and you won't be able to use the card again until you pay.

The zones you pay for are the only ones you are allowed to pass through. You need to get an extra ticket to pass through zones 1 & 2.

As long as you tap in and out in zone 3 to 5 it doesn't matter if you go via Timbuktu.

The Oyster card works on a computerised system. The system doesn't know if you go via zone 1 or 2 unless you tap out at one of the stations in that zone.

Even if you have to show your card to an inspector as long as you explain that you are passing through to zone 3 to 5 it will be fine.

Underground or rail journeys via Zone 1 and 2 must be paid for, but you may use your Oyster Travelcard on any bus regardless of zone boundaries.

www.tfl.gov.uk

Zone 3 Travelcard

You will have to pay extra