Oyster Travelcard - strange behaviour

peter_the_piper

Probably yes, due to the fact I've not been on London Transport and Tube since the old routemasters so not met the wet Monday problem. Being in the sticks does have its advantages, I'm told.

benjus

This is news to me too... I thought touch in and touch out was only for PAYG users. I normally use PAYG since I'm a cyclist and use public transport irregularly, but on occasions I get a travelcard and don't bother touching it unless I have to open a barrier. My girlfriend always has a travelcard and I don't think she touches in and out every time.

However, I notice that the TfL site doesn't make a distinction between PAYG or travelcard: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/14870.aspx

The Oyster Extension Permits mentioned earlier are only for travelling outside the coverage of your travelcard on National Rail services. They seem like a pointless over-complication to me - I really don't see the point of them. If you travel outside the coverage of your travelcard on the tube, DLR etc. it just deducts the extra amount from your PAYG balance.

benjus

Actually, thinking more about it, this seems a little discriminatory against Oyster travelcard users. If you have a paper travelcard they have to trust you that you're not travelling beyond its validity if they don't put barriers up. Why can't the same apply to Oyster users?

Stigy

benjus wrote: »

Actually, thinking more about it, this seems a little discriminatory against Oyster travelcard users. If you have a paper travelcard they have to trust you that you're not travelling beyond its validity if they don't put barriers up. Why can't the same apply to Oyster users?

It's the same as if a Train Guard or RPI wants to check the ticket though, as with an Oyster Card they'd have to check with a reader to check validity, and with a paper Travelcard they'd use their eyes only. One could argue that it only serves purpose to have all Travelcard users tap their Oyster Cards at un-barriered stations if there is staff persent. This way, it saves staff time in checking all the Oyster Cards individually, and they'd quickly be able to tell if one was invalid for whatever reason, as the beep would be different. Although, as I said earlier, if nothing else, tapping the Oyster Card out without staff, would create a history of where it was last tapped in/out, in case a journey is in doubt by staff.

yorkie2

CNash wrote: »

I found that my Oyster card was showing a negative balance - it had charged me for my earlier Waterloo-Kew journey, despite my Travelcard being valid for the stations I'd traveled to, where in the past it had not done so.

Did you have an OEP (Oyster Extension Permit) loaded on your Oyster Card? That would certainly explain it. Can you obtain a copy of your journey history? (PM it if you like?)

alanrowell wrote: »

My understanding is that except on buses you always touch in & out as otherwise they won't know where you left the system & hence calculate the fare due.

I'm not sure you read the original post. What fare is due on a Travelcard?

yorkie2

vikingaero wrote: »

I think you've answered your own question there! You bought a Zone 1-3 Travelcard, and by not touching out you could have scammed them by exiting at a Zone 6 station, so you have been charged.

You misunderstand how Oyster works.

Are you providing authoritative advice or just an opinion which may be completely wrong? It is unclear from your post. People are asking for advice here, not opinions which do not in any way bear any relation to how Oyster works.

When you touch in using PAYG, the maximum cash fare is deducted, this is then refunded when you touch out.

When you touch in using a Travelcard in a valid zone, nothing is deducted, as it is assumed you are using your Travelcard.

If you wish to go to Zone 6 you should load an OEP, however if you do not load an OEP and touch out in Zone 6, then you will be charged correctly, however if an RPI scans your Oyster card between your valid zone and your destination then they can issue a Penalty Fare. However if using TfL services this does not apply. It was the TOCs who wanted this condition.

yorkie2

benjus wrote: »

Actually, thinking more about it, this seems a little discriminatory against Oyster travelcard users. If you have a paper travelcard they have to trust you that you're not travelling beyond its validity if they don't put barriers up. Why can't the same apply to Oyster users?

Unless something has changed in the last few days (!) the same does apply to Oyster users. I suggest the OP looks at their journey history log, there must be an explanation. An OEP loaded would explain it.

geordieracer

Also we need to remember that the OP never went outside of their zones - so they claim- so something must have gone wrong - especially as he is using a weekly travelcard on his Oyster

yorkie2

geordieracer wrote: »

Also we need to remember that the OP never went outside of their zones - so they claim- so something must have gone wrong - especially as he is using a weekly travelcard on his Oyster

I agree. Unless TfL have suddenly and unexpectedly changed what happens when a Travelcard user touches in (which seems highly unlikely) several replies to this topic are very confused and wrong! The OP may wish to ask on on the Fares & Ticketing forum where perhaps the biggest Oyster expert, MikeWh, will hopefully be able to assist!

geordieracer

yorkie2 wrote: »

I agree. Unless TfL have suddenly and unexpectedly changed what happens when a Travelcard user touches in (which seems highly unlikely) several replies to this topic are very confused and wrong! The OP may wish to ask on on the Fares & Ticketing forum where perhaps the biggest Oyster expert, MikeWh, will hopefully be able to assist!

ive not seen any new literature about it either.. .And OP go and ask him as he knows his stuff way better then me.. I leave it to my staff to work out