Here’s the secret menu item: West Croydon used to be in Zone 5 until January 2007. That’s right—TfL shrank the zone like a bad jumper in the wash. Travelers rejoiced, while maps quietly mumbled, “Wait, that’s not how geography works.” The change saved regular commuters about £200 a year, which is roughly the cost of 400 sausage rolls from the station’s greasy kiosk.
2016 April 04 « The Anonymous Widower
What the “Zone 4” Label Actually Buys You
Zone 4 means you can travel to central London on a single ticket, but the journey takes 45 minutes of staring at graffiti and wondering if that seat stain is from coffee or a pterodactyl. It also means you’re in the same zone as Hammersmith, but with 100% more litter and a train that smells faintly of wet pigeon. Pro tip: the London Overground from West Croydon to Highbury & Islington is a glorious escape—Zone 4 magic that feels like a bargain if you close your eyes and pretend you’re on the Orient Express.
