Oystercard query?

Freebyman

Hi, Im going to London next week and travelling in via tube and having to change at Finchley Road and Bond Street.

I will have a oystercard and I know that you have to scan it when you go into the station but do you have to scan it when you change lines? Not been on the tube for 30 years and I dont want to pay more than I have to.

Any help greatly received.

Tiglath

No you scan once when you first get on the underground, and again when you get out at the other end. You don't rescan if you're changing lines.

Freebyman

Thanks that makes sense to me, if you read the tfl website it goes on about yellow scanners and pink scanners etc!

rosschris10

hi there

the yellow "scanners" or validators as there called are for entry and exit the pink validators you will find on interchange stations outside Z1 the purpose of these pink ones are for people who change lines from a line that goes into Z1 . for example if you were to change at west brompton on the district line after travelling from say putney bridge and wanted to travel to stratford but didn't want to travel through Z1 you would exit the district line at west brompton and go onto the london overground platforms on the bridge before the ticket barriers there is a pink Validator. A customer would touch the pink validator before going onto the london overground this then tells the oyster card that the person has changed lines. when the person reaches for example stratford and touches out the oyster card now knows that the customer didn't use the jubilee line from Z1 but went around Z1 and will not charge them the Z1 fare

macman

Ensure that you do 'touch out' at your final station (not all stations have barriers) or else you will be charged the maximum daily zonal rate.

zerog

Sometimes you need to touch in and out when changing lines. It sounds like you won't need to this time though.

DigForVictory

Should you find yourself at the right station but headed for the wrong line, ask the staff for help - they were very sweet to me at Paddington. They open doors, no padding/touching in/out needed.

martindow

Would anything untoward happen if someone did touch in at intermediate points? Or can the Oyster system work out that it is really a single journey?

Cycrow

you dont usually get the chance to touch in/out when changing trains as you dont need to go through gates for most changes.

There are some cases where you do need to, especially if you go between national rail and underground

Dave_the_Ginger_Cat

And if you do get it wrong, their website is efficient in giving money back, or the ticket booths after you've been through.

I live and work here and there are some stations which conspire to confuse everyone including locals (I personally hate Clapham Junction and Finsbury Park)

Freebyman

Thanks for everyones help, worked it out kind of easily. Changed my opinion of London as well, will be back in the future with oystercard in hand!