Oystercard and annual gold card discount

katejo

This week I got an email from TFL to tell me that my gold card discount wasn't loaded onto my Oystercard so I wasn't benefiting from the off peak discounts. This took me completely by surprise. I have had an annual gold card since well before the Oystercard scheme started. My actual gold card for zones 1-3 is added to my Oyster and I have the printed gold card to show at network south east stations. I thought that the presence of my annual gold card on the Oystercard automatically gave me the allowed discount when travelling between stations on the Oyster network but apparently it has to be loaded separately.

This is the actual message received I am writing to let you know that our records indicate that your Oyster card is not set with your Annual Gold Card Discount. This entitles you to discounts, which include a third off off-peak pay as you go fares on the Tube, DLR, London Overground and most National Rail services in London.

The rest of the email went on to say that the Oyster network is expanding on Jan 2nd

yorkie2

You can add a Travelcard to your Oyster card without visiting a ticket office, but only a ticket office can load the discount onto your card. In which case, yes it's not automatic and has to be done separately.

If you did visit a ticket office to obtain your Travelcard, then competent booking clerks would also add the discount at the same time.

Note discounts only apply to fares that are considered to be 'off peak'.

katejo

yorkie2 wrote: »

You can add a Travelcard to your Oyster card without visiting a ticket office, but only a ticket office can load the discount onto your card. In which case, yes it's not automatic and has to be done separately.

If you did visit a ticket office to obtain your Travelcard, then competent booking clerks would also add the discount at the same time.

Note discounts only apply to fares that are considered to be 'off peak'.

I am about to renew again (by the end of December). My last renewal in December 2013 was done at a station, not online but no mention was made of the need to load the discount. Yes I do know that it is off peak only. Not even the ticket office staff know the full story. The member of tube staff who has loaded the discount for me today told me that it only applied to network south east, not the tube network. I just wonder how much money I have lost in the past couple of years.

dacouch

Cheap Network Railcard http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/network-railcard-for-1-know-a-gold-card-holder-save-29-rising-10-after-1-1-15-2101431

mr_fishbulb

I got that email from TFL too, but haven't remembered to load my gold card yet.

It amazes me that TFL know that I have an annual gold card, that my card isn't linked to my Oyster, and yet they don't automatically link them. Well actually it doesn't amaze me, because the longer it takes for me to link them, the more it costs me for travel outside of my travelcard zones.

katejo

mr_fishbulb wrote: »

I got that email from TFL too, but haven't remembered to load my gold card yet.

It amazes me that TFL know that I have an annual gold card, that my card isn't linked to my Oyster, and yet they don't automatically link them. Well actually it doesn't amaze me, because the longer it takes for me to link them, the more it costs me for travel outside of my travelcard zones.

I had my discount added and then renewed my annual goldcard a few days later. I then made sure that the renewed/extended Oystercard included the additional discount. I then travelled down to zone 4 for xmas and it only cost me £1 instead of the previous approx £2.