Bought an annual travelcard online - big error?

rossjamesparker

I think I may have just committed a MoneySaving blooper.

I just bought a new annual travelcard for my Oyster online via TfL.

Now I realise that last year I bought my annual card at an overground station and got a free Network Gold Card, which I used a couple of times for trips to Southampton.

Have I just lost that benefit?

Quentin

Not according to this:

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/season_tickets/goldcard.html

Gold Cards are annual season tickets with a difference! When you buy an annual season at a station within the Network Area and the origin and/or destination are also in the Network Area, you are automatically issued with a Gold Card.


Annual seasons can be issued as Gold Cards when:

• the origin station is within the area, or
• the issuing station and either the origin station, destination station or both are within the area.

They are also available on Oyster cards that are loaded with a valid Annual Travelcard

rossjamesparker

Thanks for the pointer Quentin. I appreciate that you get a Gold Card if you go into a station and ask for an annual travelcard on an Oyster. This is in fact what I did last year.

However, my situation is that I have just added an annual travelcard to my Oyster online. As such, I never went to a station, and so at no point could I have been given a Gold Card ticket (unless they mail it to me).

Specifically, I wonder if, having bought an annual travelcard online, I am able to go to a station, say "Hey look, I just loaded this Oyster with £1,750 worth of annual travelcard online. If I bought that same thing here at the kiosk, you would have given me a Gold Card. So perhaps you could give me one now please?"

Quentin

Try the Oyster helpline 0845 330 9876

rossjamesparker

I did call that number, they said that they thought I wouldn't be able to get a Gold Card. However, I then found some advice on the TfL site as follows:

Do I get the same benefits with my annual Travelcard/Gold Card as I did with my paper ticket?

Yes. When you charge your Oyster card with an annual Travelcard, you will receive a paper Gold Record Card.

You must keep this Gold Record Card and present it when you want to obtain a discount. When you recharge your Oyster card with an annual Travelcard online/over the telephone, you will be sent your Gold Record Card by post a short while after you collect your online recharge.

For further information on Gold Card benefits please ask at any National Rail station or telephone National Rail Enquiries on 0845 748 4950

Solution Number: 500000002820

AirlieBird

Yes, your Gold Card will be posted to you within a few days of loading your travelcard from your nominated station.