Oystermess

Ooh, my first post on here for a while (but as I said before, I don't live in London at the moment so my tube experiences go as far as buying Smarties).

Anyway, an Oystercard question which myself and a couple of others were discussing in the pub last night when Geoff got out his brand new pre-pay Oystercard that he'd just purchased.

First, let me set the scene.

I live outside Zone 6 and use Thameslink to get into London. Thanks to the new capping which is being introduced to pre-pay Oystercard fares, I worked out that if I use a PPOC (get used to the acronym people) inside zone 6, then LU will charge me up to the price of a 1-6 Travelcard if I make multiple journeys (I think I've got that right).

So, I could buy a paper ticket to Boundary Zone 6 and then use a PPOC inside the LU zones. But Geoff pointed out that in order to buy a ticket to boundary Zone 6 and then use a PPOC inside that, I would need to be physically able to board the train at the first station inside Zone 6 on Thameslink (which is Elstree and Borehamwood).

But the trains I get from my station don't stop there. The line is split into two services - slow and fast. My station is serviced by fast trains which run fast (duh) from St. Albans to West Hampstead. I would have to change at St. Albans and get a 'slow' train to London which calls at Elstree. I am led to believe that if I did that then a PPOC would be accepted on Thameslink between Elstree and wherever I get off.

I'm trying to work out if it would be cheaper to buy a paper ticket from my station to Boundary Zone 6 and then use a PPOC on the tube OR keep using a paper travelcard from my station for the whole thing.

Does anyone have any idea what I'm talking about?