The secret hack to help holidaymakers avoid extra Heathrow travel charge
THRIFTY travellers have revealed a hack to dodge a hike in tube fares between central London and Heathrow airport.
On Sunday off-peak discounts between zone one and the airport were scrapped recently on both the underground and Elizabeth line, leaving passengers with a cost increase of almost 60 per cent.
The rise sees prices go from £3.50 to £5.50 on the tube, and from £10.80 to £12.80 on the Elizabeth line during off-peak hours.
However, the change only affects journeys starting in, or travelling through zone one.
Anyone able to start their trip to the airport in zones 2-6, without going through zone one, will still get a reduced fare at off-peak times.
Luckily, for those starting their journeys in central London, there is also a way around paying the extras.
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Bloggers have revealed a crafty way for people heading to Heathrow to dodge the increase, just by adding an extra stop to their journey.
By getting off one stop before the airport at Hatton Cross, then tapping back in and travelling from there to the airport, you will avoid having to pay the price hike.
This is because Hatton Cross is now part of the Heathrow free travel zone, which, as its name suggests, offers free travel between each of the three airport terminal stops.
Just by doing this, passengers could save themselves £2.10 on a tube trip to Heathrow from central London.
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The same trick works on the Elizabeth Line as well, with passengers able to hold onto £3 just by getting off at Hayes and Harlington and then tapping back in.
Passengers trying the trick at either station must tap out at the ticket barriers in order for it to work.
The hack was revealed by blogger , who said passengers may also have to wait a little while after tapping out to make sure they make their saving.
He said: "You'd have to exit the station for long enough to convince TfL's software you were making two journeys, or better still go straight back in using a different contactless card.
"But you'd be saving £2.10 by taking a break here, which in normal times might be deemed pennypinching but we no longer live in normal times."
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