Commuting to London using Annual Train Season Ticket? Get your Oyster discount.

arbster

I've had an annual train ticket for nearly 2 years now. I chose not to include the Tube with my ticket in order to incentivise me to run to work occasionally, but also because it was quite marginal on cost if I don't go to London every day. Of course, that means I have an Oyster card for the London leg of my commute. I was idly browsing the web the other day, when I came across this:

With the Annual Gold Card discount set on your Oyster card you get 1/3 discount on off-peak pay as you go fares and off-peak daily caps on Tube, DLR, London Overground, TfL Rail and most National Rail services in London.

It never occurred to me that it might apply to me, but indeed it does. My annual train ticket from Bedfordshire is an "Annual Gold Card". I had to visit a London Underground ticket office to attach my Gold Card discount to my Oyster card, but now my £2.30 off-peak Tube journeys are costing me £1.50. I'm obviously pleased to be getting the discount, but slightly annoyed I wasn't told about this when I bought my ticket, on either occasion. Given that for the majority of the period I was travelling off-peak 8-10 times per week, that's cost me the best part of £400!

Anyway, in case anyone else is also a commuter into London, check whether you might be eligible. It also might tip the balance on your decision to include Tube with your annual season ticket.

surreysaver

How would they know when you bought your ticket that you had an Oyster Card? And having a Gold Card discount to it attaches additional conditions to the Oyster Card - you cannot lend it to other people, for example. The staff at the booking office where you bought your season ticket would not be aware of or trained on Oyster Cards or these additional conditions, as they are a Transport for London product, rather than a National Rail one, so it would be inappropriate for them to advise you what to do with your Oyster Card.

Perhaps when you obtained your Oyster Card they should have enquired whether you had an annual gold card?

jbuchanangb

It is likewise possible to attache other National Railcards to Oyster cards, including Senior Railcard, Student Railcard for example.

jbuchanangb

Just to add. I went to add my new Senior Railcard to my Oyster at Stratford the other day, only to find the ticket office closed for refurbishment. However member of staff was able to use the self service Oyster updating machine to do the job. He had to log on with his own special Card which opened up menus not available to Joe Public.

The_Groat_Counter

It's worth noting that adding a Railcard or Gold Card to an Oyster card only discounts off-peak single fares, not peak fares which apply to journeys starting 0630-0930 and 1600-1900 Monday-Friday - i.e. when many commuters will be travelling.

The Railcard or Gold Card on Oyster also discounts the Oyster daily cap, but only for journeys that start after 0930 Monday-Friday.

More information from TfL:
www.tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-payments/adult-discounts-and-concessions/railcards

Information from National Rail on the Annual Gold Card:
www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/prc08c7ad3f74ac88236c9cef703a96b.aspx

The_Groat_Counter

jbuchanangb wrote: »

Just to add. I went to add my new Senior Railcard to my Oyster at Stratford the other day, only to find the ticket office closed for refurbishment. However member of staff was able to use the self service Oyster updating machine to do the job. He had to log on with his own special Card which opened up menus not available to Joe Public.

London Underground are closing all their ticket offices, so what happened with you is the new way that such things will be done in the future.