Entering Moorcroft should be free
I don't mind paying 200cr to jump to T2. I do mind, however, paying 200cr to jump to Moorcroft when the "party" there are actually players who just finished T1 and don't have the means to get to T2, and just hang around Moorcroft for hours at a time. It's really annoying. What's the point of "Join Party" if you end up in one of these "groups" so many times? If I could wait for them to leave, returnto Haven, then rejoin, that would be fine. But as it is I'm stuck with having to start a fresh group.
I hear if you travel from the start of the first Tier all the way to the end of the latest Tier you have access to, that Tier becomes free to start in. Don't take my word for it as I've yet to accomplish this. I've only very recently heard of it.
If it is true then it may be gate specific. Meaning if you accomplish it on the first Clockwork gate in the Arcade then it will only be free for that gate until you repeat the process for the other gates.
I just think it's weird spending 10 energy to go down to Moorcroft and then having the elevator that goes to B9 cost another 10 energy. Strange way to have things cause the way it's labeled makes it seem like it'll be only 10 energy to do a level in T2, when really it costs 20.

I believe franpa is right. I didn't have to pay a crown cost to access the current first three gates tier 2 area, but I did for the last one. I am not sure if you have to walk down them all each but apparently you definitely have to walk from tier 1 to tier 2 at least once to gain free crown access (and I don't remember if it cost energy or not, I'll have to check again tomorrow).
I will test the free crown thing, thanks.

I've tested it out and the info on it is in this section: http://wiki.spiralknights.com/Character#Gate_Progress
Does it reset (start costing again) for the gate when a new Stratum becomes available for the gate?
I hate it when I enter Mooncroft, pay 200crowns and all I receive is lag and I'm just there alone. It's really frustrating to just lose 200 crowns and can't play. I suggest you charge the 200 crowns when we start going down into the depths from Mooncroft.