NR Stations Issuing Oyster Cards
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This page updated 15 February 2021.
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Latest Comments
- Anna December 21, 2020 at 9:31 am on Route Validators (Pink Readers)Mike, it's unbelievable! Thank you so much! Merry Christmas!
- Anna December 18, 2020 at 12:33 pm on Route Validators (Pink Readers)Hi Make! I've read almost every message but for my route it's not clear. I'm
- Yash Kapoor November 21, 2020 at 11:51 pm on Peak, Off Peak and CapsThis question has been moved to our new forun at https://oysterfares.com/topic/crossharbour-to-watford-junction/.
- Vanessa November 17, 2020 at 10:33 pm on Peak, Off Peak and CapsHi Mike, Oh right, I see! I normally leave work at 17:00 so yes it
- Vanessa November 17, 2020 at 6:07 pm on Peak, Off Peak and CapsHi, I am travelling from Northolt station at 05:40 Monday to Friday and get out
- Jan November 14, 2020 at 4:01 pm on About OysterHi Mike, one more question please. Is it possible to buy an empty oyster card,
- Marco November 14, 2020 at 8:35 am on Maximum Journey TimesHi Mike, Thanks for the quick answer I have a couple of other questions: Is
- Nick November 14, 2020 at 2:52 am on Peak, Off Peak and CapsMike, Ah disappointing that the smaller stations were excluded from that early off-peak cap time.
- Marco November 13, 2020 at 5:47 pm on Maximum Journey TimesHi, I have two examples: 1: 10:00 touch in at Bayswater; 10:30 touch out at
- Alex November 11, 2020 at 1:31 pm on Daily Caps and Travelcards (2020)Hi I am an adult and need to travel from my home address which is
- Jan November 10, 2020 at 4:35 pm on About OysterHi Mike, cheers for the info! St Pancras is perfect for me, I'll give a
- Jan November 10, 2020 at 4:14 pm on About OysterHello Mike, Do you know if the Tube ticket machines are able to process Oyster
- yasmin November 10, 2020 at 2:46 pm on Daily Caps and Travelcards (2020)Hi, I willl be taking one bus to mile end station first, and then taking
- David November 10, 2020 at 10:14 am on Peak, Off Peak and CapsI have re-read the points and realise that it is only 3 minutes, not five
- David November 10, 2020 at 10:11 am on Peak, Off Peak and CapsMike, Would the 5 minute grace period apply to these tap ins at the start?
- Frank November 9, 2020 at 3:43 pm on NR Stations Issuing Oyster CardsHello Mike. The railcards were for two different persons. I was adding a Disabled Railcard
- Nick D November 8, 2020 at 11:29 am on Peak, Off Peak and CapsHi Mike, I’m moving to Taplow soon so am researching fares and caps on the
- Tom November 6, 2020 at 8:42 pm on When not to use OysterHi Mike, One more for the list: If travelling on Great Northern at the weekends/bank
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342 Responses
I have an overseas visitor for a week in June 2011
He will need to travel from Turnpike Lane to Brompton Road
early in the morning
How much will an Oyster card cost and will he need an identity?
Many thanks
Hi,
No proof of identity is required. All you need is £5 for the deposit and enough pay-as-you-go credit for your journeys. The deposit will be refunded when you hand the card back in at the end of the week. The single fare from Turnpike Lane to Knightsbridge is £2.90 in the peak and £2.50 off-peak.
I want to go from luton airport to east croydon station. what is the chiper way? I want to buy also a oyter card for 7day for travellind daily in london.
I’d like to recommend you visit the Rail UK forum at http://www.railforums.co.uk. There is a section there called Fares, Ticketing and Routeing. If you can give as much detail about your travel plans then there are people there who will help all they can. I’m also on there and may well contribute to the discussion.
I went to my local railway station, Wallington to buy a senior railcard which could be linked to my Oyster card but was told they don’t do it although I had recently been told in a phone call that I could. The station rang East Croydon station who said they did not do it either but I notice EC is on the list above
East Croydon can do many things that most National Rail stations can’t, but unfortunately adding railcard discounts isn’t one of them. You’ll need to go to an Underground station.
Thanks for reminding me that I need to update this page though.
Can I use an oyster card when travelling from harrow on the hill to marylebone on chiltern railways?
Yes, definitely.
Hi,
I will be travelling from Bookham to Wimbledon for my gamesmaker shifts. Will I be able to use my oyster on this journey? I think zone 6 starts at ewell? So can I just buy a ticket to there, and will I need to get out and swipe the oyster card for the rest of the journey to Wimbledon?
Thanks,
Steve
Hi Steve,
Yes, Oyster starts at Ewell (East or West). If you have a travelcard on your oyster and a daily ticket to Ewell then the train doesn’t need to stop there, let alone you get out. If you have PAYG credit though you will have to get out and touch in.
hi, i noticed that east croydon station is listed as a station that can load travelcards onto an oyster card. i’m planning to get an 18+ oyster card, will i be able to load a monthly travelcard onto this oyster card and if so, does the 30% discount apply
Yes it will.
Hi Mike,
My husband has just purchased a Z1-5 annual travelcard from London Victoria and they gave him a paper travelcard. Is it possible to transfer his annual travelcard from a paper copy onto his Oyster card if he brings them both to one of the stations listed above? Also it says on his travelcard that it allows him travel between London Victoria and London Zones 1-5, does it mean that he cannot travel from Zone 5 to London Bridge instead of London Victoria? Thanks for your help.
Hi Faith,
I believe that the stations listed should be able to swap the travelcard onto an Oyster card. I’d probably try East Croydon first as that’s a Southern station. Don’t worry about the travelcard saying London Victoria; they always quote a named starting station but are valid for travel throughout the zones covered.
Hi,
We will be in London in a few weeks time; how much does a 7day ticket cost to use the underground and buses for zones 1 & 2 please? We already have an oyster card so we simply need to top up
Thanks
Hi Sharlet,
A weekly zones 1-2 travelcard costs £30.40.
Thanks a lot 🙂
Hi, I normally travel between Enfield Chase and Moorgate, but sometimes travel from Moogate to Potters Bar, interchanging to get a fast train at Finsbury Park. I only have about 3 minutes between the change and I cannot purchase a ticket at Moorgate station as coming up from the Northern Line there is no ticketing office, is not a ticketing office, and to obtain one at Finsbury Park you have to exit the station (3 mins there / 3 mins back and queue for a ticket) by which time I have missed the fast train. Is there an easy way to get a paper ticket extension for zones 5-6 without having to get off the train to get one or missing the train?
Hi Jane,
Can you confirm what you currently have; i.e. is it a season from Enfield Chase to Moorgate or a travelcard season, and if the latter which zones are covered.
Hi. I live in Worcester, West Mids, and will be travelling around London for a weekend in August. I have bought an OysterCard online. I would like to add my 16-25 railcard entitlement to it. Is it at all possible to do this before I go? If I have to do it down there, which station out of Kings Cross and Angel would be least busy?
Hi Adam,
You’ll have to wait until you get here. Angel may be quieter, but it doesn’t take more than a few seconds to do and Kings Cross are more likely to know what they’re doing. It must be the Underground ticket office though.
Hi Mike,
I am looking to travel daily from east Croydon to Caledonian rd via Londoin Bridge off peak return.
Can I do this on my pay as you go Oyster or would it be cheaper to but a monthlt Travelcard ?
Thanks in advance
Hi Brendan,
If all travel will be off-peak then PAYG will be cheaper than a travelcard.
Dear Mike,
I am wondering if you have any advice on attempting to claim refunds on delayed and cancelled NR journeys where you have used a monthly Oyster and monthly NR season ticket combination.
I contacted SW trains after a period of delays and cancellations and this was their response..
I am very sorry to learn of the problems you are having with your Oyster Card. Oyster Cards are a TfL issue and we do not compensate for delays on our services as we do not have any records of purchases from TfL. We will compensate passengers who purchase their Oyster Cards from the two outlets that TfL allow us to sell their cards from which are Wimbledon or Richmond station.
How on earth can we get refunds on NR delays if neither tfl or SW trains will take responsibility?
Many thanks in advance if you have any advice on this one!
Lindsay
Hi Lindsay,
This is the relevant quote from the swt website:
Assuming that the season ticket hasn’t expired more than 28 days ago I would write to them and ask them to consider your case in accordance with their statements on their website.
From SouthEastern’s website
http://www.southeasternrailway.co.uk/tickets-and-fares/ticket-types/138/
“After August 2013 you will no longer be able to top-up your Oyster card from the seven Southeastern station ticket offices that previously provided this service. You will still be able to top-up using the ticket vending machines. The stations are: Beckenham Junction, Cannon Street, Charing Cross, Elmers End, Greenwich, Lewisham, New Cross and Woolwich Arsenal.”
Cheers Matt,
I’ll look to update this page over the weekend.
Regarding the comment above about claiming for a delayed journey with a travelcard on oyster. I have had numerous ‘disagreements’ (for want of a better term) about what SouthEastern will accept.
Most recently, they have been happy with a copy of my Annual Gold card (which I get for having an annual oyster travelcard) as this confirms the price of my ticket, and what zones it is valid for.
They have never raised an issue with asking if I lived close to a SouthEastern station, although my postal address will confirm this.
I suspect that SouthWestern will apply similar (illogical) arguments as to SouthEastern.
Good luck.
Hi Mike
I’m travelling from Mill Hill Broadway to Luton tomorrow and back again on sunday…can I use my oyster card for this journey?
regards
Ruth
Hi Ruth,
Sorry, no. Luton is well outside the Oyster area.
Dear Mike, I have booked a hotel near east croydon railway station. Oyster card is accepted there for travel to london?
Plus this oyster card covers all the zones or do i have to select the zone? if i wish to travel in zones where there are most London attractions which zone do i have to select? I am not sure if I understand difference between Oyster and Travel card. Can I use only one card and can you tell price of best choice for me?
responses would be greatly appreciated.
Hi Juraj,
An Oyster card is a medium used to hold tickets, and optionally pay-as-you-go credit. The tickets are period travelcards for at least a week. If you use pay-as-you-go the system will charge you for the journeys you make up to the relevant cap for the day, but you do need to ensure that you touch in and out on every journey. A paper travelcard will cost slightly more than the relevant Oyster cap, but is valid to provide 2 for 1 entry to many attractions, whereas the Oyster isn’t.
Thank you for explaining me differences between Oyster and Travel but please I need answers to other questions as I really can’t find answers on line. I have booked a hotel in east croydon (railway station) and I want to be able to visit famous attractions in London. So to summarize again my questions:
1) Do I need to buy travel card from Victoria (starting point) to East Croydon and with this I can travel everywhere within 5 zones or I need to buy card from Victoria to zones 1-5. When I used calculator on official page of railway it has suggested me this two options: Victoria to E.Croydon or Victoria to zones 1-5, prices are also different and now I am confused
2) Can I use both options to travel in any direction using all ways of transportation within zones 1-5
Thank you
Hi Juraj
OK, I understand what you’re on about now. You’ve been looking at weekly season tickets. The cheaper one which names East (or West) Croydon as one end is only valid on National Rail trains between Croydon and London Victoria. This actually includes quite a few different routes, but crucially it does not include Underground or DLR or buses or National Rail outside of the routes between Croydon and Victoria. It will be issued as a paper ticket as it cannot be loaded onto an Oyster card. The expensive one is a zones 1-5 travelcard season and gives you unlimited travel on all National Rail, Underground and DLR within zones 1-5 as well as buses and trams throughout Greater London. Because it is a travelcard it can be loaded onto an Oyster card, but it costs the same as the paper version which is probably easier to use for the 2 for 1 offers.
To summarise, for travel using all ways of transportation within the five zones you need the Victoria to zones 1-5 travelcard.
Hi Mike, you may have heard that South West Trains have stopped selling monthly and longer period travelcards (including, crucially, Annual Gold Cards) on Oyster cards from Wimbledon and other stations in the travelcard zones. For me this is a complete pain because I have a zone 2-4 annual ticket then use PAYG when I go into zone 1. I know I can get an annual travelcard loaded on at an Underground station for example, but you don’t get the same benefits (in particular you don’t get the six free weekend passes for SWT). Is there any way of buying a paper annual travelcard from SWT (to get the free passes) then load the travelcard onto an Oyster card? I suspect I know the answer, but thought I would check with the expert! Many thanks, George
Hi George,
Thanks for the heads up. It’s annoying because when I was trawling through the site yesterday I stopped at this page and made a mental note to change it. And no, you can’t transfer a paper ticket to Oyster unfortunately.
Thanks, Mike. It’s incredibly annoying and feels like a real step back. The reason they gave was cost and feasibility of retaining the IT kit needed. I guess it was a purely commercial decision: they’re not required to provide this service as part of their franchise and they figured that there are only people who want to buy their gold cars from them and on an Oyster card.
Hi,
I’m from Canada. I will buy my oyster card(Pay as you go) in advance. I will be arriving at Heathrow, but I will leave from Gatwick airport. I want to know if I can get refund for the unused credit on my oyster card at East Croydon station?. I will pay cash for the train from East Croydon to Gatwick.
Thanks
Hi Daniel,
I’m not sure about East Croydon. It can do more than most National Rail stations, but I’m not convinced refunds is one of it’s tasks. However, West Croydon is run by London Overground which may make it more likely.
The February issue of Modern Railways carries a report that TfL/DfT/TOCs are in negotiations to make Oyster valid at Gatwick Airport “by the end of 2014”. No further details are provided
Hi Simon,
They’ve been there before and no agreement was reached. It would be good if they did, but personally I’d prefer to see all of Heathrow bought within the zones first.
Hi
I am travelling to London in a few weeks and will be coming into Euston however i need to get to East Croydon.
Can I use my oyster card to get the train from Victoria to East Croydon or will I need to purchase another ticket?
Thanks
Hi Vicki,
Your Oyster card will be fine.
My 13 year old grandson is coming to London to visit from Australia in June. Is it possible to buy a junior Oyster card or can he travel free if we arrange a photocard for him and of so, how do we go about it?
Many thanks
Hi Sue,
Interesting question. It doesn’t say you can’t buy a zip Oyster card, but I’m not sure if the online process allows sending the card overseas. You might be better off with a visitor Oyster card and get a 50% discount added at a TfL travel centre. I can’t see any way of getting a 13 year old to travel free, sadly.
Hi Mike, my Dad is coming to visit me in London. His train gets in to Victoria. Will he be able to buy an Oyster Card and then link it to his Senior Rail Card in the (from my experience) less busy national rail station ticket office; or will he only be able to do this in the very busy Underground station ticket office?
Many thanks
Hi Alex,
It’ll have to be the Underground ticket office. The TfL travel centre may be able to do it, but I’m not sure. The National Rail ticket office will not be able to do it.
Sue
See http://www.tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-payments/students-and-children/11-15-zip-oyster-photocard?intcmp=10883#on-this-page-2 (Non-UK customers under How do I apply?
Thanks Ralph,
I’d scanned down that page but must have missed that bit.
Hello Mike,
could I use Oyster card or Travelcard when I’ll travel by train from Illford Railway station into the centre of London.
Thanks
Hi Ivo,
Yes, either will work, Oyster will cost less.
Hi Mike,
Do I understand correctly that when I use the Travelcard so I have to pay an additional fee for travel from Ilford to the central London ?
I’m a little confused, because I have read on the website The National Rail that I can use Travelcard for travel by Tube, Docklands Light Railway (DLR) and National Rail services and I do not pay additional fee.
I have bought Travelcard ( 7 day ) for 1-4 zones
Thank
Hi Ivo,
Yes, a travelcard covers you for all rail services within the selected zones (except the High Speed link between St Pancras and Stratford International, and Heathrow Airport to Hayes and Harlington).
Hi Mike. I want to buy a tube ticket that lets me use a 2 for 1 voucher. The NR site says West Brompton is operated my the London Overground, but your list shows it as an NR station. Do you know if I can use a 2 for 1 voucher with a ticket purchased from this station?
Thanks.
Hi Jana,
London Overground is a National Rail operator, despite TfLs best efforts to deny the fact. Therefore a ticket purchased there would qualify for the 2 for 1 offers.
Hi Mike,
we have a Travelcard for 1-4 zones and we want to travel to Watford Junction station because my children would like visit Harry Potter studio. Do we need to buy extra ticket for travel from Kenton to Watford Junction and where we can buy fare for this journey?
Hi Ivo,
You can buy the Kenton to Watford Junction ticket anywhere, including at Euston station or online.
Hi Mike.
Thank you very much for your quick replies and advices.
IVO
I bought a ticket to Upminister and I’d planned to use my Oyster card from there to London St Pancras. Since I’ve got a ticket to Upminister when I get there do I touch my Oyster card or I just use the ticket then use the oyster after that.?
Hi Sophia,
You’ll need to touch in your Oyster card at the start of the journey using it, unless you have a travelcard on the Oyster covering the journey you intend to make. See the page Mixing Oyster and Paper Tickets.
Yeah I can’t use the Oyster card as I’m coming from Essex. Ok thank you I’ll check the website out. 🙂
Hi. Will be travelling with a 12 yr old from Stanmore to Swiss cottage. He has no photo oyster card. Can I get him one at Stanmore or will I have to get him an adult oyster & pay adult price,which still seems cheaper than cash child fare
Hi Andy,
You’ll have to get an adult Oyster today. The child photocards have to be applied for online or in a post office and are sent in the post. This usually takes about a week but can be more in busy periods. They suggest allowing two weeks.
Thanks. Can I buy one from Stanmore. What is minimum I can put on an oyster? I understand that there is a £5 deposit also.
Hi Andy,
Yes, you can buy from Stanmore. I believe that at Underground stations you will need £5 deposit and £5 PAYG. Ticket stops often have different limits.
Hi, me and my family are visiting London for 4 days. We have left it too late to pre-order an Oyster card as we are leaving Thursday. The nearest station to where we are staying is Ealing Broadway. Will we be able to buy an Oyster card there and top it up? Also, we will have my two children with us, aged 9 and 11. Will they be able to travel for free or do their Oyster cards have to be pre-ordered? I have searched the net but I find it all very confusing.
Hi Phil,
Yes, Ealing Broadway should be able to issue Oyster cards and top them up. The 9-year-old is free and won’t need a card on the tube and dlr, while the 11-year-old ought to buy a one-day travelcard.
hi mike i need to get my daughter a photo oyster card what do i need to take with me do they do the photo at the office or shall i take one with me ty
Hi Lin,
It depends what type of card your daughter needs. Most of them can be applied for online these days as long as you have a passport to verify the date of birth. Full details are here: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-payments/students-and-children
ty mike she is 17 in december i have tryed on line and they would not take the photo we uploaded so was just goin to the station and get one so feed up with it ty for yr help
OK. They don’t issue these cards at stations. You’ll need to go to a post office if it can’t be done online.
Hello Mike,
I currently have a zone 5 to zone 1 annual seasopn oyster card. I have recently moved so when my oyster card runs out, I will only require a season ticket for the overland train (Southeastern). Will I be able to put my train only season ticket on my oyster card?
Hi Dave,
Sadly no. Oyster only works with travelcard seasons.
I just got an Epsom + Z1-6 Travelcard on my Southern Key card. It seems to operate gates as fast as Oyster, and the journey history shows up on the web page within half an hour, rather than next day for Oyster.
Thanks Matt. Good to see little bits of smartcard integration at work.
Hi Mike,
I got Monthly travel card for zones 2-6, I take over ground to Clapham junction from Canada water. Clapham junction trains have been cancelled cause of a faulty train and announcement has been made that tickets will be accepted in all south west trains.I took a jublee line to Waterloo and to take a south west train but there they didn’t allow to get on the train and asked me to top up my oyster.May be i would have ignored if that happens one in a while but i have to top up pay twice this week for the same reason.
If that is the reason why are they announcing that the ticket will be accepted in all south west trains? Incase if I am paying for crossing Zone one, I would nt have any other option from canada water to take a south west service.
Why should I be paying extra 5 pounds where I am at no fault? Can i claim that back?please advise
Hi Preethi,
This is one of those very grey areas with Oyster. I think you should be able to claim a refund but the helpdesk don’t always agree. However, call them first and see what they say. If they refuse then contact London Overground. Explain that if you had a paper travelcard you’d have been fine so why should an electronic one be different.
Hi Mike,
Today I tried to buy a railcard from West Brompton station, but was told by the ticket office that it was operated by London Underground and not London Overground. They advised me to either visit Shepherds Bush (although the ticket office may be closed de to staff shortge) or Clapham Junction. I remember I have previously bought a railcard here (2 years ago) so perhaps something has changed since?
Hi Ben,
It is possible that something has changed. West Brompton is run by LU since the NR services are only relatively recent.
Hi Mike
I am travelling to London on tour and considering stay at Croydon/ Hounslow ( attractive tarrifs ). Can I use Oyster card for travel by bus /railway / tube station at these locations and then for travel to London city ( tourist attractions).
Thanks in advance
Hi Raghav,
Yes, that is fine.
What train station is the closest to Kensington and oylpmia train station that I can refund my Oyster card
I don’t know for certain, but I’d expect Earls Court to be a good choice. You will need ID and if the last topup was made on a credit card you may well need that card as well.
Have just ordered two visitor oyster cards to use on a visit next week. We are staying at Watford junctiin which I believe I can use the card from. Can you tell me the maximum daily charge for that route? Thank you.
Hi Heather,
The anytime cap is £21.80, while if you can leave it until after 0930 it drops to £16.80. The single fares from Watford Junction to Euston are £7.90 peak and £4.90 off-peak.
Thanks this is a very useful site. Its so hard to get simple answers on the official sites!
My company is moving from Waltham abbey to Bakers Street next week so i’ll need to start commuting 🙁
Im trying to find the cheapest annual ticket from either Rye Park or Broxbourne station. Are you able to give some advice?
Hi Michelle,
First off, Broxbourne will be cheaper than Rye House. You can also get travelcards from Broxbourne on Oyster which may be better if you want to experiment with different routes. How effective that might be depends on where the office is near Baker Street. If it’s to the north then you could try changing at Tottenham Hale, Highbury & Islington and West Hampstead to get to St Johns Wood which then avoids zone 1. You might also want to see if any buses will get you from somewhere in zone 2 as all TfL buses are included with any travelcard. If you do get a Broxbourne to zone 2-8 travelcard on Oyster then if you want to make the off journey via zone 1 it will only cost £2.20 from your PAYG balance.
You might be better off getting a weekly ticket first and trying different options to see if you can avoid zone 1. It appears as though the travelcard prices on Oyster are slightly cheaper than the paper equivalents, which is unusual for out of zone destinations. Finally, the train service to Broxbourne is much better than to Rye House.
Hi there
i m travelling from luton to london st pancras. I have purchased rail ticket upto elstree and borehamwood and i would like to use my oyster card for the rest of the journey till st pancras int. Is it possible to do so?
Hi Bandana,
Yes you can do this. Please see the advice on Mixing Oyster and Paper tickets for the full information.
Is it possible to use a bus pass for a 33% discount when travelling from Luton to Three Bridges station on Thameslink service please? Jacquie
Hi Jacquie,
I think the answer is almost certainly no.
FYI Mike: http://www.southeasternrailway.co.uk/thameslink/january2015/january-tickets/#Exchanging_your_ticket
Thanks Harry.
Hi Mike,
I wanted to renew my South West annual season ticket, zone 1-6 onto an Oyster card and gain the SW Gold Card. I’ve looked through the respones, George 20/01/2014 at 11:53am, and is it still the case that you cannot load the annual season ticket onto an oyster card anywhere along SW network? I’m from Surbiton and last I uploaded my annual season ticket on my Oyster and receive my SW gold card was at Wimbledon. Is there anywhere I can upload on to Oyster card and get a SW gold card? Or can I upload via Tfl can get a SW gold card? Or, can I buy my annual season ticket loaded on my Oyster at a SW ticket machine (I know you can do this at Surbiton) and get my gold card at the ticket office straight after?
In summary, I would like to have my annual season ticket on my Oyster card and have the SW gold card!
Thanks!
Hi Mei,
Unfortunately I don’t think there is anywhere now. I can only suggest calling SWT customer services and asking them if there is a way round the problem.
Heya,
what is the daily cap on a oyster card now? and can i use my oyster between London Vic and East Croydon?
Hi Thea,
There are lots of daily caps on the Oyster system depending on which zones you use. Yes, you can use Oyster between Victoria and East Croydon.
Hi Mike,
Do you know if it is possible to buy a zone 1-7 annual travel card on the oyster card to get the overground trains from Shenfield into London and use the underground, rather than purchasing the National Rail travel card for the same use? Oyster card is approx 2.5k a year compared to 3.8k on National Rail.
Hi Charlotte,
Shenfield isn’t in zone 7. You can put the Shenfield to zones 1-6 travelcard onto Oyster, but it costs the same as the paper version.
heloo. you know how much it cost one week travell from luton to london bridge, or aproximately how i pay each day . thank you
Hi Nick,
Luton to London Thameslink is £98.10/week. Normally that would be valid only on Thameslink trains to London Bridge, but because of the rebuilding work there it is also valid between Kings Cross and London Bridge on the Northern line.
Hello Mike
My husband and I are both now retired and planning to undertake occasional day trips to London together to visit museums, galleries etc. We live in Hitchin, Hertfordshire from where trains arrive at Kings Cross.
As we are both over 60 we were thinking of getting a Senior Railcard each but then we found there was also the option of a Two Together Railcard. We also wondered whether it would pay us to get an Oyster card each. From reading previous posts on your site it appears there can be quite a lot of confusion when purchasing a paper ticket from outside the London area and combining it with an Oyster card. Trying to work out our best option is proving rather difficult so any help or advice you can give would be much appreciated. Thanks.
Hi Rosie,
If you will always travel together then the two together railcard will save you the cost of a second senior railcard. If either of you will travel alone at times then you’re probably better off getting the senior railcards. If you want to link your railcards to Oyster cards then it will have to be individual senior railcards because you can’t link a two together railcard and Oyster cards.
As for London, if your travel will stretch beyond zones 1-2 (apart from the journeys to and from Hitchin) then you are better off getting a Hitchin to Zones 1-6 off-peak day travelcard. At weekends you should get the super off-peak version whatever you are doing in London. The off-peak cap with railcard discount for travel in zones 1-2 plus an off-peak day return from Hitchin to London is slightly cheaper than the off-peak day travelcard, but it’s only 20p so may not be worth the hassle.
I hope that helps a bit.
Hi Mike,
I am having a annual gold card Oyster card for zone 1 to 4 expiring on 13 July 2015. I no more required the card, how much refund I will get for the same and what is the process. Thanks.
Hi Deepak,
Take the card to a tube station. You will be charged at the monthly rate for the time you have used so your refund won’t be pro-rata, but at this stage you will get something back. Take some ID with you as well.
Hi mike,
I’m looking to get to Kingston station from Uxbridge. I know I will be fine with my oyster on the Piccadilly and district line, but I’m not sure whether I can you my oyster on South west trains from Richmond ( towards Waterloo) to Kingston? Is this possible or would I need to buy a travel card? Thank you.
Hi Sophie,
Yes, that’s fine.
hi i’ve booked a hotel in ilford to use as a base for visiting london in april, 2 adults and 3 children under 10. what are the best options for getting into london? I have checked all the tube stations nearest to where we wish to visit and they are all in zone 1. we are going for 4 days.
Hi Stacey,
For the two adults you’d be best off with either Oyster or a contactless payment card. Kids between 5 and 10 have to pay on the train between Ilford and Liverpool Street* but they are free on the Underground. Under 5s are free everywhere.
*Technically you can pay just to Stratford, but if you do I’d recommend changing there to the Central/Jubilee Lines or DLR for a hassle free experience.
thanks for that, if i get oyster card can that be used on the train from ilford to stratford? and am i right in thinking that the whole journey from ilford to centre of london and travelling around london will be capped at less that £7 per day?
Hi Stacey,
Yes, you can use Oyster on the trains from Ilford to Stratford. Ilford is in zone 4 and the adult daily cap for zones 1-4 is £9.20.
I have an Oyster card and an account. I live in Somerset but use my card fairly frequently when visiting family in Kent, or just visiting the capital. I want to use auto top up, but don’t understand why I have to specify a station. Do I have to touch in at that station before each automatic top up is activated? Currently top up on pay as you go.
Hi Rosie,
No, just the first time. Auto topup is a flag on the Oyster card which is set or unset while touching in or out at your nominated station. When you set it you have to also load at least £10. Once set, the automatic topups will be triggered wherever you touch in and your balance is below £10. The topup is requested from your bank after it’s been applied to the Oyster card.
Thank you Mike.
Hi,
I am travelling from Clapham to Enfield Chase via Moorgate, do I swipe my oyster at Moorgate as moving from tube to train or just at start and finish of journey, be at peak time so how much is that on the oyster?
Thanks
Hi Richard,
You don’t need to touch your Oyster on the validators at Moorgate in your case. The single fare finder has the fares.
Hi Mike
Do you have any idea why Wimbledon station has stopped selling Oyster cards, or dealing with any other Oyster transactions (eg. refunds) please?
I asked the passenger assistance chap in the booth right by Wimbledon’s tube platform 4 about getting an Oyster card refund, only to be told that “Wimbledon isn’t an underground station”.
Which I guess is strictly true, as the trains are overground at that point.
Upon investigation in the main ticket hall of the station, I discovered that they don’t sell Oyster cards at the counter, or deal with Oyster card related transactions – since January.
Which is odd because only this week on TFL’s website I selected Wimbledon as my preferred location to collect an Oyster card refund from.
“Curiouser and curiouser!” TFL!
Thanks.
Hi Cherry,
You can collect topups and refunds by touching as part of a journey at any station or tramstop. Unfortunately Wimbledon is run by SWT and they decided to stop offering Oyster services last year. I don’t know the reason why, but it has upset lots of people.
Hi Mike,
New to this site so hope I am leaving this post in the right area.
Me and my Partner travel to St Thomas Hospital via Grays to Westminster stations and we usually buy 2 One day Travel Cards costing £18.60 each and the times we travel vary. Someone told me that if I purchased an Oyster Card the fare would be very much cheaper is this true as I have tried to look into this and find it thoroughly confusing?
Thanks
Hi squiggly,
£18.60 is the off-peak one-day travelcard from Grays, Chafford Hundred, South Ockenden and Purfleet. An off-peak single to Westminster is £6.80 on Oyster and in the peak is £7.80. See the single fare finder. Note that peak the other way includes 1600-1900.
I have oyster card and I need to travel to Paddinton to Ashtead. Since I can travel to Ewell on my oyster(zone 6) How can I add extension fare from ewell east/west to Ashtead on my oyster card or there is any other cheap tickets….I need to return same day.in case of extention fare can I continue in the same tarin or need to get down at ewell
Hi Jiggaw,
The page Mixing Oyster and Paper Tickets should answer all your questions.
Hi,
I have heard that you can redeem rail vouchers (south west trains) on to your oyster card, is this correct? If so how would I go about doing this, does anyone know?
I did ask at the ticket office at Waterloo but they denied any knowledge of this.
Thanks
Steve
Hi Steve,
Yes, you can use Rail Travel Vouchers to top-up an Oyster card. It can be done at Underground station ticket offices or the NR stations listed above. There is sometimes some confusion so you might have to shop around. I’ve personally done it at London Bridge and Kings Cross Underground stations and St Pancras Thameslink ticket office. I was refused at Waterloo Underground station before.
Thanks Mike,
I managed to complete the task after a while and eventually found someone who knew how to do this at Kings X.
Thanks again for your help
Hi!
I have a new job that means I need to travel 5 days per week from Ravenscourt Park to East Croydon. What is the best combination of Oyster and rail tickets and where would I purchase these? It looks like I may need a London Victoria (VIC) to London Zones 1-5 season ticket? Would I still need an Oyster card on top of that? I’d be grateful for any help!
Hi Graham,
You can put the zones 1-5 travelcard on an Oyster card. You can also avoid zone 1 by changing at Earls Court, West Brompton and Clapham Junction. If you touch the pink card reader while interchanging at West Brompton you will only need zones 2-5.
Thanks Mike! That really helps!
Hi…
It says on Wikipedia that Oyster card services would be available in st albans area around may 2015…This is vital to my new job as I live in shepherds bush and would take the overground and interchange at west hampstead…when would this be 100% confirmed by tfl ?
Hi Wayne,
I’m not aware of any firm details at the moment.
For Wayne
There is a fast Southern service Croyden to MiltenKeynes stopping at Sherpards Bush and Watford junction(oyster) and a commuter train Watford to StAlbans or bus (last two non oyster).
Noel
coming from Australia possibly staying a week at Kingston,
can i but a oyster card at Kingston station and is it within zone 6 so i can use the card froM Kingston to the city
Hi Bob,
Kingston is in zone 6 and you can use Oyster from there. You may be able to buy the Oyster card itself there, but if you can’t there are likely to be several shops nearby which will sell them. They (the shops) will also be able to register and protect the card at the time of purchase which the station will not be able to do.
My husband is running the marathon sunday. we are staying near stonecrossing Dartford. Please can you tell us if we can buy an oyster card from this station and is this the cheapest way to travel on saturday when he has to get his no.from excel. Thank you Mary
Hi Mary,
Unfortunately both Stone Crossing and Dartford are outside the Oyster area. His best bet I think is to get an off-peak day return from Stone Crossing to Woolwich Arsenal then use an Oyster card on the DLR to Custom House. He should be able to get an Oyster card at Woolwich Arsenal, or in a nearby shop.
East Dulwich ticket office sells Oyster Cards, but any other transactions have to be done at the TVM.
Hi RJ,
Yes, most NR stations will sell Oyster cards, but you can’t even register them at the time, let alone do anything else. The stations above are the ones which do useful things as well as just relieving you of a deposit.
Please how do I connect from Ilford to Brompton using the bus or three train
Also how much should I put on my oyster card? Thank you.
Hi Edward,
Assuming you mean West Brompton station then there are two routes by train. Firstly, Ilford to Liverpool Street then Underground (Circle line to Victoria* then District to West Brompton). This is £5.40 single in the peak and £4.20 off-peak. The other is Ilford to Stratford then Overground direct to West Brompton which is £2.70 single in the peak and £2.10 off-peak. I don’t think I could honestly recommend trying to do that journey by bus, but if you did then the £4.40 daily bus cap would almost certainly apply.
Im visiting london for 4 nights, im going to be traveling waterloo-bow church for my hotel (vice versa on last day), bow church-custom house dlr return 2 of the days, then i need to get from bow church-watford junction return another day, i am confused about travel within london, and wanted to know if it will be cheaper to get travelcards, or a pay as you go visitor oyster card.
Hi Holly,
For that amount of travel a PAYG Oyster card will definitely be better. A visitor Oyster card costs £3 which is lost, whereas a normal adult Oyster card has a £5 refundable deposit, or just keep it for your next trip to London. Also, when you go to Watford Junction it will be much cheaper (at least half price) to travel via Stratford and Willesden Junction rather than Central London. See http://www.tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-payments/fares/single-fare-finder?From=Bow+Church+DLR+Station&FromId=940GZZDLBOW&To=Watford+Junction+Rail+Station&ToId=910GWATFDJ&PassengerType=Adult. Obviously it will take longer than the fast train from Euston, but it depends whether time or cost is more important to you.
can i use an oyster card /contactless card at Radlett national rail
Hi Graham,
No. The readers at Radlett are for The Key, at least for the moment.
Hi Mike,
Is the train between East Croydon and Victora Station ( 16 min ) included in Zone 1-6 or is this a special line/service/company?
Thanks a lot! Greets from Switzerland!
Hi Simon,
East Croydon to Victoria is fully within zones 1-6 whichever train you get.
Hi Mike,
Rail travel vouchers are no longer allowed on oyster paygo top up at lul stations anymore stopped 31st may as i found out today. As national rail offices also ceasing to do oyster these days apart from the self service machines i was lucky to be able to use the new cross gate station on overground line that still takes rail travel vouchers & tops up oyster paygo at the ticket office. Seems as Boris & tfl are tidying up a few loopholes before retiring to uxbridge?.
Regards.
Hi Moth,
Sadly I think this is a by product of the ticket office closures at Underground stations. I wasn’t aware that they’d stopped it already, but I knew there were problems accepting them at the machines, even with staff assistance. The London Overground stations where they run the ticket office should still accept them though.
I tried to top up my Oyster with a Rail Travel Voucher at Barking yesterday and was told no with no explanation. Today I tried at Bow Road LU station and was told no; but this time the bloke at the window showed me a hand written note saying it had stopped on 31 May. As luck would have it I topped up my Oyster with another voucher on 29 May.
Hi Allen,
Yes, Underground stations no longer accept RTVs. They can still be added at London Overground stations and the few remaining NR stations which do Oyster transactions (eg Marylebone).
Thanks for the info! I had better get to an Overground station pdq before they stop accepting ’em there too. Do you happen to know if Liverpool St is one of ‘the few remaining NR stations’? Noticed that on the c2c web site still says they accept the vouchers at Barking, so have complained to c2c; but expect little joy.
Hi Allan,
I don’t think Overground stations will be able to stop accepting them. They are a National Rail TOC and thus have to accept all valid methods of payment for products they sell, including Oyster top up. Not sure about Liverpool Street. It might depend on who runs the ticket office – one of AGA, LO or TfL Rail (will be Crossrail).
However, you have a point about Barking. If it’s run by C2C and sells Oyster top up at the window then they should accept RTVs.
Indeed they should and I got this from C2C:
“I am sorry to hear that you have been provided incorrect information at Barking station. I can confirm that you can use National Rail Travel Vouchers to top up your Oyster Card at any National Rail stations within the London Zones.
I have forwarded your email to the Station Manager of Barking who will re-brief the staff and provide additional training as required.”
It’s a pity I’m not going back to Barking soon to test this out.
Hi Allan,
Thanks for the update. They did of course mean only stations which perform top-up via the ticket office, but Barking certainly should accept them.
Hi Mike
This Oyster card and Zones 1-6 is all a bit confusing. I hope you can help. We are staying in Croydon and would like to travel into central London. Can we buy an Oyster card that allows us to travel from Croydon (Zone 5) and stop off at any Zones 1-2-3-4? What would it cost to get to Central London and back to Croydon per day. What mode off transport would be the cheapest, train, underground or bus? Thanks.
Hi Clinton,
Sorry for the delay. I’m assuming you are tourists. You don’t want to consider using buses to get from Croydon to Central London as it will take ages. A PAYG Oyster card will cap at £10.90 per day if you use it in zones 1-5. You can get on and off anywhere you want. Just remember to touch in and out at the ends of every journey and the system will work it all out.
Hi Mike,
I am coming to London for weekend trip in August with my disabled wife, she has disabled railcard. How do I best go about getting discounted fares for disabled person plus myself as her companion pls? Do I need to order her a PAYG oyster card now & on arrival at London associate her disabled railcard with Oyster? Then as a companion buy myself a day travelcard?
Also we want to travel by national rail to Brentford whilst we are there, does Oyster card/travelcard cover this or would we need to buy normal rail ticket pls? Thanks for assistance!
Hi Chris,
Buying the Oyster card now will save time at the start of your trip, so yes, that sounds like a plan. Yes, get the disabled railcard added when you arrive. The companion is eligible for 1/3 off a day travelcard. And yes, Brentwood is within the zones and covered by the travelcard or Oyster PAYG.
Hi Mike,
I’ll soon be starting work out at Watford Junction travelling from Turnpike lane – What would you advise is the best ticket or PAYG option for a regular commute?
Many thanks in advance.
Hi Christian,
As with a lot of questions on here, it depends which factor is most important to you: cost or time. Turnpike Lane – Kings Cross – Euston – Watford Junction will undoubtedly be the quickest route, and the most expensive. You can avoid zone 1 by changing at Finsbury Park, Highbury & Islington and Willesden Junction, but that will take longer. Either way, if you are commuting 5 days a week then a travelcard season for either zones 1-W or 2-W will be cheaper than PAYG.
I have to get from turnpike lane station to st Albans city station but when recently making the journey for the first time I discovered that st Albans city doesn’t accept oyseter cards. What is the nearest station to st Albans city station that does accept oyster and how much will the fair be for say an all day train pass on adult oyster card to make this journey.
Hi Jodie,
The last Oyster station on that line is Elstree and Borehamwood. Can you explain what your plans are, i.e. is it a one-off trip or a commute? What time of day will you make the journey(s)? The best advice varies quite a lot with this one.
Hi, for years I have bought an annual season ticket from Beckenham Junction to Zone 1, and had it on an Oyster Card when they came in (which stopped the need to keep renewing the paper ticket when it wore out – about three times over 12m). Now the Oyster card machine has been withdrawn at Beck Junc, I was told I had to use the paper one but could get it put on my Oyster card at an underground station. When I tried to do this (Chancery Lane), I was refused as I ‘hadnt bought my season ticket there’. I also tried to get it put on at Blackfriars Mainline ticket office (twice – but where I am told the ticket office will be closing; incidentally where I had successfully had this done a year ago) – I was told it could not be done and never could have been (duh!?). Looking at your list I tried City Thameslink Holborn end (4 times) (told twice: ‘it can be done, but our machine isnt working, ask at the St Pauls end, other times told it cant be done); Tried City ThameslinkSt Pauls end (twice)(Told: ‘it can’t be done/dont understand what you want; added cash to card as told it wasnt registering as card wasnt in credit, and then told ticket was already on, then when I went back (as tapping in deducted cash!), told ticket was not on and couldn’t be done.
I kept trying at these places as I hoped to find a differetn staff member who did seem to know what to do (the lady at St Pauls Holborn end seemed clued up but professed to have a non working machine).
I keep getting stopped on the bus when I show my season ticket to ask for ID. Is it really impossible to get it transferred these days? Next year, should I buy it at a London Underground station?
Hi Pink,
You might be able to get it transferred over at Marylebone NR station. They are generally very helpful and do still have full Oyster capabilities. I don’t believe that an Underground station can do the transfer, so you might want to complain to Southeastern about the advice given at Beckenham Junction. You could also complain about their decision to remove Oyster capabilities at the few of their stations which had them.
Hi there will my oyster card be valid between West croydon and Ewell east or west stations and can I use a daily travellers on this which zone would I need
Hi Ben,
I’m not quite sure what you’re asking. West Croydon to Ewell East requires zones 5-6 and yes, Oyster covers the full journey. To get to Ewell West you will need to travel via Wimbledon so you’d need zones 3-6. This is because Oyster is not yet valid at Epsom.
We are a family of 2 adults and 2 children ages 16 and 12. We would like to stay in east croydon and visit central London. Can we buy an Oyster card that covers trains and underground? Any idea of the price.
Hi Brian,
Yes you can use Oyster for that. The card costs a £5 refundable deposit. The daily cap is £10.70 for zones 1-5. The 12 year old can either get a zip 11-15 photo card which costs £15 but will be valid until 16 or you can get a child discount flag set on an adult Oyster at a TfL travel centre or zone 1 Underground station. The zip card gives you an off-peak (after 0930) cap of £1.50 while the child discount is half the adult rates.
I wondered as I have a Freedom pass and a senior railcard could I use it from London to Eynsford and back and if so what is the cheapest and quickest route, thanks?
Hi Marilyn,
Yes you can. Use the senior card to buy a boundary zone 6 to Eynsford ticket. Fastest journey is probably Victoria to Bromley South fast train, then the Thameslink train to Eynsford. Journey times may vary depending on the time of day.
Hi
Any chance you can let me know if I can use my Oyster card on train (not tube) between St Pancras and Blackfriars?
Many thanks
Gill
Hi Gill,
Yes, that’s fine.
Hi, 2 of us will be travelling up to London next weekend for the day and parking at Richmond. We are thoroughly confused whether to get a visitor oyster card or general travel card. A friend told me that the oyster cards are better because you can get discounts off shopping and restaurants, but gives you less access to tubes within a set time (you can only use it once in a certain length of time?)
I’ve used travel cards loads and you can get it at all stations, but aren’t they more expensive? I saw a cost for oyster cards and they seemed more than travel cards. HELP I’m so confused!!
Also can I get oyster cards at Richmond, rather than paying extra for them to be posted to me? Having them posted means it will be more expensive than travel cards.
I also don’t know how much journeys will cost. We will be doing the typical tourist stuff so will be quite central. Richmond will be the furthest because of the car park.
I hope all that made sense!!
Hi Amy,
I’ll try and debunk some myths in there. Firstly, don’t buy Visitor Oyster cards. They cost a £3 “activation fee” which is non-refundable, whereas a normal adult Oyster costs a £5 refundable deposit. If you aren’t loading a railcard discount then you can also use a contactless payment card, one per person. If you have a 16-25, senior, forces, disabled or annual gold railcard then you can get the discount applied to an adult Oyster.
Richmond is in zone 4, so Oyster or contactless will definitely save you money. The zone 1-4 daily cap is £9.20 compared to £12 for a travelcard.
Hope that helps.
Hello
I have a monthly travel card Zone 1-3 and am travelling from Wimbeldon Chase to Luton Airport tomorrow morning. Is there a way to pay an extension fee rather than purchase a ticket for the whole journey which is already mainly covered by my existing travel card?
Thanks, Caryn
Hi Caryn,
Yes, buy a boundary zone 3 to Luton Airport ticket before you start. You don’t need to worry about touching out as you pass the boundary, just use the extension ticket to exit at Luton.
Thank you! Can those be purchased at the self serve machines as there are no staff at Wimbledon Chase station.
In addition, my husband has a pay as you go Oyster card – what’s the best option for him from Wimbledon Chase to Luton please?
Hi Caryn,
I’m not sure whether the machines at Wimbledon Chase allow you to buy tickets from another station or not. If they don’t, you could purchase at ticket office in London on your way to/from work tomorrow. Alternatively the fare from Hendon to Luton should be similar to the BZ fare and can be bought online and picked up from the TVM at Wimbledon Chase.
I suggest your husband buys a paper ticket for the whole journey to avoid needing to get off a train at somewhere like Elstree to touch out and then get the next train. His ticket should be purchaseable from the TVM at Wimbledon Chase.
Hi Mike
I need to renew my annual zone 1-5 travel card which is held on an oyster but underground station have stated that I cannot use my rail travel vouchers with them.
How can I get my annual season ticket on an oyster and still use the rail vouchers?
Thanks
Josh
Hi Josh,
Try any of the stations listed at the top of this page. Marylebone, St Pancras and Liverpool Street would be my first choices. Or, purchase it online at the tfl website and pick up at your usual station. The gold record card should be sent in the post.
Hi Mike
my wife and I both have 60+ Oyster cards and we are travelling from East Croydon to Luton Airport next week. Can we use the Oyster cards to cover part of the journey and just buy tickets for the additional portion? Many thanks Graham
Hi Graham,
As long as you travel at a time that the pass is valid (ie after 0930) then yes, you’ll need boundary zone 6 to Luton tickets.
Hi Mike,
i am struggling to calculate the most effective route/cost for travelling from Broxbourne (BXB) to Holborn, which route would be best and also if it was 5 days p/w which annual cost could i go for using Oyster?
Hi Gianni,
You really only have one option for that commute which is to get a travelcard for Broxbourne to zones 1-6 at £3496/year. This can be loaded onto your Oyster card.
Hi Mike,
I’m planning to visit Lavender filed in West Croydon. Can I use my Oyster card to travel from London Bridge station to West Croydon?
Thank you so much
Noora
Yes you can, Noora.
Hi Mike,
Can I top up my oyster card at Heathrow terminal 2 as I want to travel from there to South Bermondsey underground station. Also, can I use oyster card to travel from South Bermondsey to Birmingham new street station? Thank you.
Hi Linda,
I would imagine that there are Underground ticket machines at Heathrow, but I’ve not been there myself so can’t confirm. You definitely can’t use Oyster to Birmingham. Watford Junction is as far as it gets on that line.
Hi Mike,
I travel to London from the Newcastle area to visit family reasonably regularly and I have a Disabled persons Railcard. How do I link this to my Oyster card? Can I do it on line or at a rail office near to where I live?
Thanks,
Phil
Hi Phil,
You’ll need to take both cards to an Underground station. Kings Cross would be as good as anywhere.
Hi Mike,
My son (11 years of age) need to travel to Victoria from East Croydon daily to attend his school. He does not need to use tube at this moment. I bought a ZIP card for him.
Shall I go for pay as you go top-up or monthly/yearly travel card? What is the cheapest option please ?
Thanks !
Hi Animesh,
Unless he makes other journeys outside of his school commute, PAYG is likely to be cheaper. This will be especially true if he touches back in at Victoria before 1600 as his return fare will be just 75p. Even if it’s after 1600 it will only be £1.50 as that is the child off-peak cap. The morning single fare is £2.45. A monthly travelcard is £105.30 which means he’d need 27 full price return trips to make it worthwhile.
Hi Mike,
For a student (18) with a Southern train journey from Ashtead to Victoria (discounted as far as Clapham Junction by Surrey County Council), what is the best type of ticket to get to cover Clapham Junction to Victoria? 18+ oyster? He will be staying in town mid week so qualifies for an Oyster card. And if Oyster 18+ is the way to go, does he have to get off at CLJ to touch-in in same train goes through to Vic. We are Oyster virgins!
Hi Sarah,
Yes, a discounted zone 1-2 travelcard would be the best option. There is no penalty for not touching in within the zones of a travelcard as long as the full journey with that travelcard is within the zones, which would be the case here. If your son was to visit friends in say Woolwich, he would need to touch in at the start of his journey so the system could properly only charge for zones 3-4.
Hi Mike
I currently travel from New Malden (Z4) to Canary Wharf (Z1) via London Waterloo (Z1).
Is there any advantage to buying a Zone 1-4 Travel card from South West Trains as opposed to TFL? I am thinking about delays etc because it is a right pain to claim compensation from South West Trains if you purchase your Travel card from TFL.
Many thanks
Ranjan
Hi Ranjan,
The two products cost the same so it depends on your preferences. Paper tickets tend to wear out if used in lots of barriers.
By the way, Canary Wharf is actually in zone 2. Have you thought about changing at Clapham Junction onto London Overground to Canada Water and then pick up the Jubilee line there? You’d only need zones 2-4 for that journey which would save quite a bit.
My 17 year old son is in London for 3 weeks. Can he get a zip Oyster card from Hackney station, or should we just get an ordinary oyster? He has a yp railcard. Thank you
Hi Liane,
Zip Oyster cards have to be applied for online. The 16+ card costs £20 so it’s quite hard to justify it for only 3 weeks. I’d get an ordinary blue Oyster and get the railcard added at a tube station.
Hi I’m going from Euston to Watford junction to the Harry Potter tour can I use my oyster card
Hi Lisa,
Yes you can.
Hi, I Would Like To Take A Train From Blackfriars To Luton Station. I Was Wondering If I Could Use A Blue Oyster Card In Order To Do So.
Hi Shaye,
No, the Oyster area runs out at Elstree on that line.
Hi I’m travelling to Kingston from sunbury and back and I have a kids oyster can I use it and how much if I can use it
thankyou
Hi Jordan,
No, Sunbury is outside the Oyster area.
Hi,
Can I use the Oyster card to order to go from Blackfrairs to St. Albans?
Thank you
Hi Harout,
No you can’t. Oyster is only valid to Elsetree & Borehamwood on that line.
Hi Mike,
Can i use my oyster card between stansted airport to victoria station (not using Stansted express but national rail) ?
Best regards
Kathya
Hi Kathya,
Sorry, no. Stansted Express is just a part of National Rail and Oyster is not accepted beyond Broxbourne on that line.
Hi
We are travelling to London next week for just 2 days we have 3 adults and 2 children 1 who is under 11 I have a disabled railcard what would be the best and cheapest options for us for ticket wise I am quite confused by the travel card and Oyster card,
Sorry forgot to say we would be travelling from mill hill Broadway so zone 4 and going places like museums, palace and Harrods,
Thank you
Hi Sarah,
This is a tricky combination. Do you have a family and friends railcard which could be used by everyone? If yes then I think using that to get off-peak travelcards at £7.90/adult and £2.30/child will be cheapest. The Under 11 child will need a ticket to travel from Mill Hill Broadway and the F&F discounted travelcard is cheaper than the return they would otherwise need.
If the disabled railcard is the only one available then you can use that to purchase two £7.90 travelcards, one for you and one for a companion. The other adult can use an Oyster or contactless payment card and be capped at the £9.20 rate for zones 1-4. Assuming that the kids haven’t got zip cards then the over 10 would need a child travelcard at £6.00. The under 11 needs a return to St Pancras for £4.30 then travel on the tube and dlr is free.
Hi
I am getting on the Thameslink to Leagrave on Wednesday 28th and I was wandering if I could use my 16+ zip card to get on or do i have to buy a ticket that allows me to get on ?
Hi Ewelame,
Leagrave is well outside the Oyster area so you’ll need paper tickets.
Thank you but how do I get on with the ticket?
Sorry, I’m really not understanding the question here. You’ll need to buy a ticket to allow you to make the journey from wherever you are to Leagrave.
I meant how do i get on the train with the ticket ? Do i give it to someone who checks it or is it like how you use a oyster card ?
Ah. If there are gates at the station you start from then you put the ticket in a slot on the gate which then opens and gives you the ticket back. Keep the ticket as you may need to show it to someone on your journey and/or you might need to insert it in gates to leave at the end. If you do need it at the end then you might not get it back, but the gates will open.
I’m taking a train to Luton from St Pancras and back again, On the mixing deck do i pay for a single and a return journey ticket separately or do I just pay for a return journey on its own? And will a return fare on its own be able to take me there and back ?
Good morning all, I’ve had a quick scan of this forum for more recent posts in regards to “Company Cheques”. Of course London Underground Stations aren’t taking cheques anymore and we’re trying to find ways to supply employees with a means to buy a season ticket (on loan). I had spoken to one of my local newsagents who do issue Oyster and they stated that some of the Overground stations which have ticket offices will still accept cheques. Is this correct?
Thanks in advance 🙂
Hi John,
Just a return which will take you there and back.
Hi Jerome,
Yes, I believe so. Any of the stations above are bound to accept valid methods of payment according to the NRCOC, which still includes company cheques AFAIK.
Mike,
Thanks for the prompt reply and very much appreciated. I have printed that list above and I can mention it to my manager. I work near Wapping/Shadwell, so i can take a stroll there and ask the question but thanks for the clarification, if i hear any differently i’ll be sure to come on here and inform you (And those within the forum) in case the question does pop up again. Again, much appreciated
Jerome
Hi Mike, I will be travelling between pence west and south Kensington with my 2 children, one is 7yrs and the other is 12yrs he has a child oyster card, I don’t have an oyster card. Can you please tell me what tickets i’ll need to buy . many thanks
Hi Jo,
As long as you stay on TfL lines you won’t have to pay for the 7 year old. Penge West to Canada Water on LO, then Westminster on the Jubilee and South Kensington on the District/Circle. If you leave after 09.30 then the 12 year old will pay just £1.50 for the day on his zip card. If you have a contactless payment card then you can use that, otherwise I would get an Oyster card. The cash return fare for that journey is £11.60. The Oyster return fare off-peak is £5.60, or £6.70 if you return between 1600-1900.
Hi, I want to travel from West Hampstead Railway Station to Luton Railway Station using my 18+ Oystercard. Could you give me an estimate of how much it will cost me?
I will most likely be travelling off-peak but could you tell me how much it would be for both on and off-peak, please?
Thank you!
Tammy
Hi Tammy,
You can’t use Oyster at Luton. You’ll need to buy paper tickets.
I had trouble with TFL’s online system so I went to renew an Annual Oyster card (Buses/tram only) at London Bridge underground where I did it last year, this time no ticket office so I went to City Thameslink on your list above as its closest to my work and was advised they do not issue annual oysters and I had to do this online! Give me strength…..
Hi Tony,
It’s quite likely that National Rail stations won’t be able to issue bus and tram season tickets on Oyster cards. You could try at the TfL Visitor Information Centre at Kings Cross or Euston. Alternatively you can get bus and tram season tickets from ticket stop shops. I’m pretty sure you can’t actually order them online because you can’t pick up products on a bus.
Hi Mike,
I ended up telephoning the Oyster helpline and they took my details over the phone and are posting out an annual oyster card, its not ideal but will save me from going here there and everywhere to get one!
Thanks for your response.
Hi, I need to get from Enfield lock to ware and back. I have 16+ oyster n it’ll be during peak time. i cant find a return journey estimate, thanks
Hi Kire,
The single fare finder says £1.55 each way.
Hi, I’d just like to say, Mike, you are a legend for answering all these questions! Thats all
Hi can I add rail vouchers to my Oyster card and if so what london station can I do it please? I know Charing x, London Bridge and Waterloo don’t do it!
Hi Cat,
You should be able to do it at any of the National Rail stations listed above.
I want to go from West Brompton to Gatwick Airport. The ticket price is 12.90 on the web. Can I just use my pay as you go Oyster and will the price be the same?
Hi Mushtaq,
No, you can’t use Oyster to Gatwick just yet. It is due to be introduced there in early 2016.
I’m planning to travel from Uxbridge underground to kings cross station (metropolitan line) how much should I put on my Oyster card?
Hi Lauren,
Single fares are £5.10 peak and £3.10 off-peak, so £6.20, £8.20 or £10.20 depending on your travel times.
please can u tell me some information
my grandaughter is leaving from watford junction to potters bar to go school she has a zip card
how much will she need to put on the card monthly
she is 13 yrs old
Hi Carole,
That’s quite awkward, sadly. Potters Bar is just outside the Oyster area at the moment. They also don’t appear to offer seasons. A child anytime day return via Camden Road is £8.05. You can save a little by getting a Watford Junction to zones 2-9 travelcard on the zip card and buying Hadley Wood to Potters Bar paper tickets for the last bit at £2.25/day. There is a season but then she’d be tied to the stopping trains between Highbury/Finsbury Park and Potters Bar.
You might be better off investigating bus routes or using the train to St Albans Abbey and then bus from there to Potters Bar.
Hello Mike
Can you please advise what is the best connection between luton and Swiss cottage?
I was searching and found that could get by train to borehamwood and from there use oyster cards. Is it visible to use one train – start in luton/finish west hampstead and then jubilee line to swiss cottage? The major question is can i use my ticket on the train and when leaving station in west hampstead oyster card?
I will appreciate your help.
Marta
Hi Marta,
If this is a one-off journey using PAYG on Oyster then you will need to get off the train at Elstree & Borehamwood to touch in. If it’s a regular commute then a paper Luton to zones 2-6 travelcard is probably the best option.
Hi mike,
I live in Luton and commute to London to work daily, I purchase a weekely Luton to London plus zone 1-6 (£124.40) can you tell me does this ticket allow me to travel the local arriva buses in Luton or do I have to buy a separate weekely ticket ?
Thanks in advance
Jason
Hi Jason,
You’ll need another ticket. The travelcard is only valid on TfL bus routes.
Hi Mike,
I have to travel every day from Clapham Junction to Broxbourne.
Which is the best option whithin travel card, oyster card or national rail service that I can choose to reach Broxbourne?
Thanks in advance.
Domenica
Hi Domenica,
It depends whether best means fastest or cheapest. Assuming you mean cheapest, and every day means 5 days a week, then a monthly or longer period Broxbourne to zone 2-6 travelcard will be best. You’ll need to avoid zone 1 by using the Overground service from Clapham Junction to Highbury & Islington. You can then either take the Victoria line to Seven Sisters or Tottenham Hale or carry on on the Overground to Hackney Central and then take the AGA service from any of those stations to Broxbourne. If you buy the travelcard on your Oyster card then you’ll need to touch the pink readers at Highbury & Islington if using the Victoria line or Hackney Central/Downs if changing there.
Hi. If I use my Oyster card from elstree&borehamwood station to Luton how much would it be?
Dear Mike,
I was wondering how much it would cost me monthly/annual ticket from Oval Station to Potters bar Station. I would be going to this destination everyday as my new work starts next month.
Would you prefer to buy monthly ticket or annual please.
Many Thanks
Sara
Hi Mubeena,
You cannot use Oyster north from Elstree and Borehamwood.
Hi Sara,
You need to specify this ticket the other way round – Potters Bar to Zones 1-6. The monthly is £284.20 and the annual is £2960. An annual ticket is worthwhile if you can afford to purchase it without taking out a costly loan.
Hi mike! I would like to know if its possible to go from Blackfriars to Mill Hill Broadway with an Oyster card and how much will it cost.
Many thanks!
Hi Joaquin,
Yes, that’s fine. It’s £3.90 peak and £2.80 off-peak singles.
Hi Mike
I want to get from Kings Cross rail station to Dalston Junction via Highbury and Islington underground. Can I use my Oyster Card for the full journey??? and roughly how much will it cost?
Yes you can use Oyster. The adult single is £2.90 peak or £2.40 off-peak. You need to leave from Kings Cross St Pancras Underground station rather than the National Rail station though.
Hi,can you please tell me how much it would cost from mill hill Broadway to custom house with my oyster,peak and off peak
Hi Jay,
My Oyster Fare Finder says £5.50/£4.30 if you travel via zone 1 or £2.80/£2.20 if you travel via West Hampstead and Stratford.
Hi,
I am travelling from London St Pancras to Elstree and Borehamwood on Tuesday and returning the same day. Would it be cheaper with an oyster card or a day travel card? Thank you.
Hi Zoe,
If you are just making the one return journey then Oyster PAYG will be cheapest.
Hi mike, my boyfriend and I are travelling to London and returning home to Aylesbury the following day. Wou it work out cheaper to get singles to Marylebone and then use Oyster cards as we would only be travelling between zones 1-2 off peak? Do you know how much that would be please?
Hi Liz,
It depends when you are travelling. Oyster cards will cap at £6.50/day if only used in zones 1-2. If you are travelling off-peak in both directions between Aylesbury and London then an off-peak return would be better. If either journey is classed as peak then the singles will be better.
Hi, I need to get to Kilburn high road station from Hoddesdon Rye house, can I use my Oyster card for this route, if so which zones or how much is this for the week? If not how can I purchase a weekly or monthly travel card?
Hi Cengiz,
Yes you can use Oyster. You have a choice of weekly travelcards, either Hertford East to zone 1 or Hertford East to zone 2. The zone 1 version costs £88.20/week while the zone 2 version is £69.20/week. To avoid zone 1 you need to change at (either Highbury & Islington or Hackney Downs/Central) and Willesden Junction. It’s a bit of a double back which will add time, but may be worth it if money is tight. You can buy the travelcards online to pickup at the station from the next day.
Hi,
I need to travel from Goodmayes to St Paul’s 5 days a week for my work. Can you tell me what would be the cheapest way (shouldn’t take long either – no buses)?
Can I use travelcard from Goodmayes to St Pauls?
Thanks
Hi Surabhi,
You’ve highlighted the subjective nature of questions like “what is the best way” nicely. The cheapest way is by bus, but that would take ages. Walking would be even cheaper/longer, but shoe leather may have to be factored in.
Silliness aside, Goodmayes to St Pauls is quite reasonable at £3.90 peak single. You can change at either Stratford or Liverpool Street. If that is all you are doing 5 days a week then a weekly travelcard wouldn’t be worthwhile, but if you use trains/buses outside of your daily commute then it would. You’d need zones 1-4 and it would cover all your journey.
Thanks Mike, to be more specific, what I wanted to know was will point-to-point travel card work in this case (since swipe in would be at Goodmayes & swipe out at St Pauls station)? Or is point-to-point travel card only to travel till Liverpool street?
Hi Surabhi,
A mismatch in terminology. You mean a point-to-point season ticket, which is only valid to Liverpool Street. A travelcard is also a season ticket (unless it’s a one day variety) covering a number of zones.
Hi! How much i need to pay if i want to go from east croydon tu luton airport using my oyster card. Or is cheaper if a buy a ticket? Thank you!
Hi Stefania,
Oyster isn’t accepted at Luton Airport so you’ll have to get a paper ticket.
Do you know whether the ticket office at Thameslink Platforms A & B, St Pancras station would be able to add the Senior Railcard discount entitlement to my [registered] PAYG Oyster Card.
I ask the question because last time I had to renew my Senior Railcard, I queued for almost 30 minutes at the London Underground ticket office to add the discount to my Oyster card. Furthermore, I understand that the ticket office at Kings Cross St Pancras underground station is no longer available, so I would need to find “a visible member of staff” to use a special menu on one of the ticket machines. I fear the worst!
Alternatively, the TFL website at https://tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-payments/adult-discounts-and-concessions/railcards indicates that you can get the discount set at Oyster Ticket Stops and Visitor Centres. Does this apply to all Oyster Ticket Stops, such as the newsagent’s shop outside Putney National Rail Station?
Hi Bob,
Yes, the Thameslink ticket office at St Pancras should be able to do it. I’ve heard much better reports about the visible staff at tube stations, particularly those at main NR stations like Kings Cross. Visitor Centres are also fine. Ticket stops ought to be able to do it, but my experience with anything that doesn’t make the shop owner money is variable, to put it politely.
Victoria couldn’t attach my oyster to my 16-25 railcard in the train station the other day. Said I had to go to an underground station except most underground (victoria included) don’t have people there anymore to do it as its all just ticket machine. USELESS people.
Hi Claire,
Actually the people in the ticket halls of Underground stations are very good at doing this. They use a staff menu on the ticket machines and it takes less than a minute (once you get on a machine). Having said that, Victoria NR is supposed to be able to do Oyster stuff so I’m slightly surprised. Thanks for the feedback.
Hi im going to be traveling from enfield lock to east croydon 4 days a week on a 16 plus oyster for college and its saying on the fare finder for oysters that it will be £3.85 there and £3.85 back but this seems way to cheap considering i’ll be getting on 3 or 4 trains
Hi Isabella,
It’s ok. One of the advantages of Oyster is that you only pay for each zone once. After going into zone 1 you then get to go out again at no extra charge*.
*ok, you might pay a little more if the overall journey is charged at a different scale to the first half, but you’re still only paying for a zone 1-6 journey.
Hi, can I get an Oyster card at Ealing Broadway underground station and how much is it from Ealing Broadway to Barons Court? Thanks a lot.
Also what time do underground ticket offices open?
Hi Hamza,
Yes, you can get an Oyster card at Ealing Broadway. Try the Oyster fare finder to get fares for any journey in London. The link is at the top of almost every page. There are virtually no ticket offices at Underground stations, but the ticket machines are available whenever the station is open. There are staff available to assist if required.
Hi, I am struggling to work out the cheapest and best way to travel to Stratford on a daily basis. I live in South Woodham Ferrers. Should I purchase the annual tickets (from SWF) or would it be cheaper to drive (obviously miles costs) and pay for parking at Shenfield and then purchase an Oyster card?
Hi Andy,
So many unknowns I really can’t begin to answer the question. The weekly season costs £22.50 more from SWF. Ten Oyster peak singles cost the same as the weekly season, so a monthly or longer season will save over Oyster PAYG. Can you drive/park at Shenfield for less than £4.50/day?
How far along the Thames link line from Hendon to Luton can a 60+ Oyster card be used free of charge? Which part of the journey (if any) needs to be paid for, and where should the ticket be bought?
Hi Susan,
The last station that the 60+ is valid at is Elstree & Borehamwood. If you are starting at Hendon then the ticket should be bought from there, or at least before boarding the train.
I want to buy a travel ticket that lets me use a ‘2for1’ voucher.
1. Can I buy the travel ticket from West Brompton station?
2. Can I use a ‘2for1’ voucher with this ticket (purchased from West Brompton station)?
You can buy some travel tickets from West Brompton station but it is deemed to be a London Underground station and tickets issued there will not qualify for London 2 for 1 attraction offers.
Hi MinJung Lee,
Thomas is correct, tickets purchased at West Brompton will not qualify for the 2 for 1 offer.
Where can I get tickets for the 2 for 1 attraction offer?
Let me know the station.
Just about any National Rail station. West Brompton is one of the few that is operated by London Underground. Either Kensington Olympia or Imperial Wharf will be fine, as will Clapham Junction.
Hello Mike!
I am travelling from Gatwick airport and want to get off in East Croydon and buy my Oyster card there and continue with Oyster to Victoria. Do the 2For1 offers then still apply although East croydon is quite far from most attractions?
Hi Ghünter,
It would be wise to check with the attractions that you want to see. It might well be fine, but as you say, East Croydon is quite a way out from most of them.
Good afternoon Mike
Would you be able to tell me if Radlett station is now accepting Oyster cards? Last year the readers and barriers were there but not working. It is such a pain having to get off at Elstree to touch out and then wait for the next train to go one stop to Radlett. Any updates or alternative routes? Thank you in advance
Ann.
Hi Ann,
Radlett isn’t accepting Oyster yet. The pads may indeed be related to “the key” which is the Thameslink/Southern/Great Northern smartcard. If you let me know details of your regular commute/journey I’ll check whether splitting at Elsetree really is the best option.
Can I use my oyster card from Liverpool St to either white hart lane or Northumberland park…many thanks
Hi Dean,
Yes you can.
Hello,
I have moved to luton and my son need an oyster card. Are they available in luton?
Hi Ava,
Luton is way outside the Oyster zones so I would not expect them to be available there. You might be able to get one at the airport, but you’ll need a paper ticket to get to at least Elstree & Borehamwood, but realistically London.
Hello,
I’ll be staying in Ilford IG1 1PN next week. Is Oyster card valid to travel to and from London? Thank you.
Hi Flavio,
Yes you can use Oyster on trains at Ilford.
Hi, I’ve just moved to Radlett and looking to purchase a annual season ticket from Radlett to Blackfriars (where I work). I’m surprised at the difference in fares between just one stop (Elstree Zone 6), it will cost me over £700 to purchase a ticket from Radlett instead of Elstree (next station on the line). Before I stump up £2560 instead of £1852 can you let me know if there’s any alternative travel options?
Hi Oscar,
Sadly I don’t think there is anything cheaper. The annual cost is actually £2608 and covers you using Thameslink trains between Radlett and London Thameslink (basically as far as Elephant & Castle, or London Bridge when that line opens again).
Do you know if Abbey Wood has been added to the list of Oyster enabled ticket offices now that TfL Rail manage the station?
Hi Martin,
No I don’t, but it gives me an excuse to go over there to find out. I would certainly expect it to be added to the list in the near future.
Wife and I will be traveling from Stanmore to Gatwick on October 4. Can this be done with an Oyster card, and how many changes will it entail? (It will be the middle of a seven-week vacation from the States, so we will have a bit of luggage.) Thanks.
Hi Lewis,
Yes you can do Stanmore to Gatwick using Oyster. With luggage I recommend changing at London Bridge as it is a brand new station with good lifts to assist. That is the only change you need.
Hi, can I use oyster to Ashtead?
Hi Christiane,
No, Oyster stops at Ewell East or West on that line.
Hi Can I Use my oyster card to Harold Wood Station from the elm park or dagenham area
Hi Heena,
Yes you can. Oyster is valid all the way to Shenfield on that line, though it costs more to go beyond Harold Wood.
Hi can I use my oyster card to go from Victoria Station to London Stansted Airport? If so, what would the journey be like and how much would it be?
Hi Jia,
No, Oyster doesn’t go all the way to Stansted.
We live in Watford and want to take our 12-year old granddaughter to London for the day, making several tube trips in zone 1/2. We’d normally just use our Oyster cards but she doesn’t have a ZIP or Oyster card. Child discounts have to be bought with the child present and I understand Watford Junction can’t issue them anyway. How is someone from outside London supposed to travel in London for the day with kids?
Hi Derek,
I agree it’s frustrating. Most people will be travelling into London on paper tickets, possibly with a F&F railcard. They’d then get the child discount set in zone 1 before using the tube etc. You might find the cheapest thing for you is a child one day travelcard from Watford Junction.
We will be in Croydon for 3 wks…likely to travel daily into London from East Croydon station…according to all I have read I will need an Oyster card and adding a 7 day travel card to it…is this correct?
Hi Donna,
Yes, that should be ok. You only need a zones 1-5 travelcard to travel from East Croydon.
I bought zone 2-6 monthly travelcard using the adult 18+ Oysters, when I tap in Chafford Hundred it refused to let me in. Then the lady in the station told me it’s invalidated. What shall I do now I bought the monthly just started today. Is there a way to find out that I can buy my monthly travel card that allow me to travel from Chafford hundred to Stratford?
Hi Yin,
Chafford Hundred is outside the zonal area. For technical reasons you cannot put travelcard seasons from the Grays area stations on an Oyster card. I’m not even sure that you can purchase a discounted paper season for that journey using the 18+ Oyster. What you can do is add PAYG credit to your Oyster which will be used to get from Chafford Hundred to the zone 6 boundary. The charge is £2.30 peak or £2.10 off-peak. On the plus side, you don’t need zone 2 to get to Stratford from the east. It’s in both zones 2 and 3 and you only need zone 3.
Hello,
I’ll be in London for a month. I’ll be going to bow road E3 from Illford for the whole month. What isthe fare on Oyster and how many minutes by bus?
Hi Emelda,
Ilford to Bow Church via Stratford is £2.40 peak single or £1.90 off-peak. I’m not an expert on buses but you’d only pay £1.50 each way, even if you need two buses. Bow Church DLR station is very close to Bow Road Undergound but easier to get to from Stratford.
Hi Mike, i have a freedom pass,and i think I’m fine to travel to Kingston at no further cost by NR.My friend how ever has a Oyster 60+ card can they travel to Kingston at no further cost too. Thanks in advance for your reply.
Steve Walsh
Hi Steve,
Both the Freedom Pass and the 60+ Oyster card can be used to travel to Kingston after 0930.
When does Welwyn Garden City and Hatfield railway station start accepting oyster cards?
I was told between January and March time.
And what zone would it be in?
Can one be able to top up an oyster card
Hi Frank,
Extensions to the Oyster system always seem to take longer than planned. My understanding is that usually the sticking point is what level of fares to charge, including how zonal caps and travelcards might interact with existing travelcard fares. I don’t think WGC is likely to happen by March, but later this year is possible. I might be wrong though.
Almost all Oyster stations allow topup at ticket machines, plus you can order topup online to be picked up when making a journey.
Thanks Mike.
It is also being extended to Hertford North.
Would Hertford North be in the same fare zone as Hertford East?
Hi Frank,
Yes Hertford North is coming fairly soon. There are no details about fares or zones at present.
Hi Mike,
Please could you tell me:
1. is Broxbourne and theobalds grove included in oyster zones?
2. What is the monthly travel fare for Broxbourne to silver street?
3. What is the monthly fare from Theobalds grove to silver street?
4. Will theobalds grove to silver street be considered as an overground journey?
5. Any there any other way to cheap commute to these areas?
Hi Nii,
1) Broxbourne is outside the normal zones 1-9, Theobalds Grove is in zone 7.
2) £187.40, point to point paper season ticket.
3) £114.50, again a point to point paper season ticket.
4) I don’t know what you mean by this. The train service is run by London Overground.
5) You won’t get cheaper using rail.
Hi Mike,
I’ve just recently got an Oyster Card from my father (he got it from an Oyster Ticket Stop shop). He bought the card and the PAYG credit on the card is only £1.00 which isn’t good for touching in and out due to its low credit.
I live outside London but not far from the nearest Oyster station (Dartford/Swanley) but according to TfL, I cannot top up my Oyster Card online or at a Oyster Ticket Stop until I’ve completed a journey to calibrate the card and account. Is there a way to top the account up? And can I touch in at any station?
Hi Josh,
You can add more credit at Oyster ticket stops or at the ticket machines at Dartford or Swanley. You could also use your card to make a TfL bus journey with the card going negative. That’s enough to be able to register it because I did the same thing recently.
Chiltern Railways no longer retail Oyster at their ticket offices, although it’s still offered on their TVMs.
This also means that it is now longer possible to utilise their free weekend travel offer anywhere on their network using Oyster (although their Smartcard can now be used for this purpose.)
Thanks Matt, another page to update.
Hi Mike,
we are going to travel from Stanstead airport to Tottenham Hale with Stanstead express and than continue with tube to central London. We are a group of adults and kids from 10 – 15 years old.
Would you know, if we can get Oyster card and add young discout on it at the Tottenham Hale station? I am not sure, if its possible to do it at all tube stations.
Thank you !
Hi Michaela,
Yes, any tube station can add the young visitor discount. Buy the Oyster card from the machine then ask one of the staff to add the discount. Remember that 10 year olds travel free on TfL services.
Hi Mike, this page lists Kew Gardens as having a ticket office, but the NR site below suggests it doesn’t, are you able to confirm has it permanently closed? https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/KWG/details.html
Hi Jon,
The list was obtained from a document released by TfL under FOI. Kew Gardens appears to be run by London Underground, so I doubt the ticket office will re-open. I’ll remove that one shortly.
Hi Mike, I checked some others (mainly LO stations which are also served by LU) and it looks like the Kew Gardens issue applies to these also, are all such stations managed by LU rather than LO? Presumably this wouldn’t be the case with LO only / LO managed stations? Is a list of these available anywhere or are you planning to update this page further? Thanks
Hi Jon,
I will update the page further. I’m trying to remember where I found the current list and will do it as soon as I can get updated information.
I have googled and searched multiple websites, but I cannot discover whether my regular Oyster card is valid for travel into London from St Albans station.
One website post from December 2018 says it was planned to extent the service this far by Nov 2019, but I canot find any confirmation of this.
Please can you tell me a site that gives this kind of info ?
Hi Frank,
This site is one that gives that kind of info: See https://www.oyster-rail.org.uk/2019/10/tap-tap-fly-from-luton-airport/.
You can also check my Oyster Fare Finder which will show fares but say they are for contactless PAYG only.
Hello Mike.
Can one register their oystercard and railcard at a National Rail station?
At Finsbury Park for example
Hi Frank,
If you mean can you add your railcard discount to an Oyster card, then yes, at the stations in the list on this page that should be possible.
Hello Mike.
Added a Senior Railcard and a Disabled Railcard with no problems at the National Rail ticket office at Finsbury Park station.
Took a few minutes or so to do.
Hi Frank,
Thanks for letting us know. I’m not sure why both railcards would need to be added as the benefits for the senior railcard are all included with the disabled railcard.
Hello Mike.
The railcards were for two different persons.
I was adding a Disabled Railcard for a friend and the Senior Railcard for another friend.
Aha, that explains it. Cheers!