Transferring between London Rail Stations via Tube on a Single Ticket

Yes the tube journey between stations is included. On the only occasion I have used this, I purchased paper tickets from my station of origin and used that at the tube station barriers to gain access and exit.

I don't know what ticketing media you have, but if it is a traditional ticket the ticket will have a plus symbol or cross symbol which indicates a journey including the link between the stations.

If the symbol is missing you are not including the connection between the stations.

In addition to tube you can use the Elizabeth Line, the new cross London train, from Farringdon and Paddington.

Some newer ticket media may represent the cross London inclusion differently.

Has anyone done a similar journey?

I suspect many thousands do it every day. If you bought it as a through ticket via Farringdon you will not need another ticket for the tube transfer.

Some newer ticket media may represent the cross London inclusion differently.

How does it work if one doesn't have a paper ticket? A QR code on the phone wouldn't work for getting through the gateline at Farringdon or Paddington. Someone would need to issue a paper ticket, presumably at Gatwick? It's a good question that I don't have the experience of to answer.

In some ways I'm a bit surprised that the through ticket says to transfer by tube, unless it is a day when the Elizabeth Line is closed for engineering work.
Or maybe this is a misunderstanding of the debate of 'when it is a tube line, a tube line?' (the answer concerns the Elizabeth Line).

A test booking shows that the indicated itinerary is Thameslink to Faringdon, then Elizabeth Line to Paddington, in which case QR codes will work the gates at Paddington, and I don't think you go through a gateline at Faringdon. But if you do the QR codes will work as it is National Rail to National Rail.

The maltese cross on a paper ticket is there as a manual indicator to ticket examiners of the validity of the ticket, in case the magnetic coding fails.

In overall terms this is why if you buy a ticket involving cross London travel on the tube it normally has to be collected in paper form from a machine prior to travel. Looking for tomorrow an Advance Ticket from Gatwick to Bath is only £1 more than one from Paddington to Bath, on the same train from Paddington.

But a flexible ticket on doing some checks is a lot cheaper bought as Gatwick to Paddington (£24.30) + Paddington to Bath (£43.80) compared to £89.90 as a through ticket (Super Off Peak Single).
Even cheaper is to do Gatwick to Paddington contactless for £13.50.

Another cheaper way to do the journey, on walk up flexible fares, is to take the Gatwick to Reading train (direct, not through London), change at Reading for Bath.- £43.10 Super Off Peak Single (bought split ticket Gatwick to Reigate/Reigate to Bath, stay on the train at Reigate ). By contrast the cheapest Advance (train specific) fare I can see for tomorrow via London is £41.50.

Bought as an Off Peak Single Gatwick to Bath (no split) Gatwick to Bath via Reading is £77.10- so a huge saving from the split.

So the non London route seems to be the better route in terms of flexibility vs cost

But if you do the QR codes will work as it is National Rail to National Rail.

That goes some way to explaining it if the tube is taken out of the equation. Cheers!

I suggest taking the direct train from Gatwick to Reading where you change for the express train to Bath. Much easier than going via London.

You can buy the tickets on the day and the following link will show you the fares and schedules:>https://www.buytickets.scotrail.co.uk

So, you should be able to do the journey for £43.10 (Non Railcard price) with off peak single Gatwick to Reigate plus Super off peak single Reigate to Bath. (You stay on the same GWR train from Gatwick to Reading).

Note that, if wanting to go via London, a cheaper but slower way to do it if you don't have a railcard (which the split ticket websites don't tell you, because they can't sell it) is to go contactless Gatwick to Reading (using the Elizabeth Line all the way from Farringdon to Reading). That is £22.10 Off Peak or £46.10 Peak (Monday to Friday from 0630 to 0930 and from 1600 to 1900- those are the touch in times at Gatwick), swipe out of the barriers at Reading,
then
Reading to Bath ticket Super Off Peak Single £33.90 (Fare Code YU) or Off Peak Single £46.90 (Fare Code YC) or Anytime Day Single £86.70

Fare Code YC- Not departing Reading before 09:39 or between 17:03 and 18:56 (Monday to Friday)
Fare Code YU- Not departing Reading before 10:30 or between 15:29 and 19:01 (Monday to Friday- valid any time Saturday and Sunday).

In my experience, and unless something has changed recently, journeys of this type that include a section on the London Underground are not available digitally, and the physical ticket has to be collected from a suitable ticket machine (using the collection code provided by the train company at the end of the booking process). There will be many such machines at Gatwick Airport station. These tickets have a magnetic strip compatible with the London Underground barrier system.

Like other contributors have suggested, it'd probably be a good idea to look at alternative routes (such as via Reading).