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Sharing London Travelcard (Oyster)

Just a quick question.

I obviously understand that a travel card cannot be used at the same time by two people but if both of you travel relatively infrequently, can you share an oyster card travelcard when making different journeys?

I know that with photocards you cannot do it but on plain Oyster cards can you?

When they bring round the sensor to see if you've paid (ticket inspectors), do they know how the card is registered to if it isn't a photocard and there is no discount?

Comments

  • katejo
    katejo Posts: 4,021 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Just a quick question.

    I obviously understand that a travel card cannot be used at the same time by two people but if both of you travel relatively infrequently, can you share an oyster card travelcard when making different journeys?

    I know that with photocards you cannot do it but on plain Oyster cards can you?

    When they bring round the sensor to see if you've paid (ticket inspectors), do they know how the card is registered to if it isn't a photocard and there is no discount?

    By plain Oystercard, i assume you mean Payg (pay as you go). With those you can share a card as you pay for each journey. A ticket inspector just needs to see that the fare has been paid. You can't share a weekly, monthly, annual or discount card which allows unlimited travel within the time/zones.
  • Stigy
    Stigy Posts: 1,581 Forumite
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    You can legally use an Oystercard if using prepay between two of you as it isn't an actual ticket, whereas a travel are is, even being installed in the card. The staff won't be able to tell on the spot who it is registered to, only if you had the card seized would they be able to tell, by contacting TfL's hotline etc. For that to happen, they'd have to suspect misuse, which is pretty hard when an Oystercard with no photo card is involved.

    So to clarify, it's not allowed on a travel card, no.
  • thelawnet
    thelawnet Posts: 2,580 Forumite
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    You can share an Oyster, provided it doesn't have a period travelcard loaded onto it (weekly, monthly, or annual), or a discount due to an Annual Goldcard or similar.

    In the case that two travel on the same ticket (not at the same time obviously) on the same day the card may be capped, and the second user essentially travels for free, but this is allowed.
  • Sorry, I meant for a monthly travelcard!
  • Stompa
    Stompa Posts: 8,348 Forumite
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    Sorry, I meant for a monthly travelcard!

    http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/19799.aspx

    Oyster cards that have a Travelcard or Bus & Tram pass on it are non transferable. They cannot be used by anyone other than the registered owner.
    Stompa
  • Thanks for that.

    Realistically, how can they actually know though?
  • olly300
    olly300 Posts: 14,736 Forumite
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    Thanks for that.

    Realistically, how can they actually know though?

    A monthly or longer period travelcard unlike a 7 day travelcard or PAYG ticket should accompanied by a photocard and it is registered to someone.

    Even if you don't register the card yourself the tube or newsagent staff will complete something on the form for you, and this gets uploaded to the oyster system. You only find this out when you try and log on to the oyster website.

    In most tube stations, train stations and even on the trains, ticket inspectors are often now accompanied by the police so can demand the photocard or be difficult in other ways.

    One of their favourite tricks is to shout at you to try and intimate you into admitting that you have done something wrong. They seem to mostly try this with teenage boys but some of them will try this with anyone especially if:
    1. It's not peak travel hours, or
    2. Their readers are screwed up, or
    3. The gates have a problem, or
    4. You have to do an alternative journey outside your travelcard zones due to travel problems.

    I've been shouted by them before and accused of having an invalid card many times. I just shout back as I'm not being made to feel a criminal when my card is valid, validated and registered to me.

    Inspectors on buses tend to come on in twos and threes without the police, and don't tend to shout at people who have evaded their fare. You tend to only know that someone has evaded their fare as the inspectors surround them and one of them sits down and starts writing.

    Have a look at this story from The Guardian.
    I'm not cynical I'm realistic :p

    (If a link I give opens pop ups I won't know I don't use windows)
  • katejo
    katejo Posts: 4,021 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    olly300 wrote: »
    A monthly or longer period travelcard unlike a 7 day travelcard or PAYG ticket should accompanied by a photocard and it is registered to someone.

    Even if you don't register the card yourself the tube or newsagent staff will complete something on the form for you, and this gets uploaded to the oyster system. You only find this out when you try and log on to the oyster website.

    In most tube stations, train stations and even on the trains, ticket inspectors are often now accompanied by the police so can demand the photocard or be difficult in other ways.

    One of their favourite tricks is to shout at you to try and intimate you into admitting that you have done something wrong. They seem to mostly try this with teenage boys but some of them will try this with anyone especially if:
    1. It's not peak travel hours, or
    2. Their readers are screwed up, or
    3. The gates have a problem, or
    4. You have to do an alternative journey outside your travelcard zones due to travel problems.

    I've been shouted by them before and accused of having an invalid card many times. I just shout back as I'm not being made to feel a criminal when my card is valid, validated and registered to me.

    Inspectors on buses tend to come on in twos and threes without the police, and don't tend to shout at people who have evaded their fare. You tend to only know that someone has evaded their fare as the inspectors surround them and one of them sits down and starts writing.

    Have a look at this story from The Guardian.

    I have an annual gold card. On occasions my card gets checked, particularly when going from overground to tube at Blackhorse Rd. they only scan the oystercard and have never asked to see my photocard. The photo on it was taken in 1988 and i haven't been challenged over it yet!
  • Stigy
    Stigy Posts: 1,581 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    edited 12 January 2013 at 12:06PM
    olly300 wrote: »
    Sounds fair enough to me. TfL offered him a get out of jail free card (or for £250 in this case...). The £250 seems quite a lot, but it depends on what costs they incurred. At least he didn't get convicted at court and gain a criminal record and fine, which, if you take in to account the costs etc, would total to around the £500 mark.

    It's not correct for him to say if he'd lied he'd be off the hook by now, because he probably wouldn't have been. The charge may have been a lesser one, but TfL had their teeth in to him already. Rather than whinging, I feel he should be more greatful.
  • olly300 wrote: »
    A monthly or longer period travelcard unlike a 7 day travelcard or PAYG ticket should accompanied by a photocard and it is registered to someone.

    You no longer need a photocard to get a season ticket on Oyster.
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