Oyster 'no touch in' after game at Wembley

paulpud

As occasional visitors to London my other half and I have Oyster cards and online accounts so that we can top them up with credit.

Yesterday we went to the England game at Wembley, travelling on the tube from Euston Square to Wembley Park for which we were charged £2.80 each. Coming back after the game, the ticket barriers were held open to allow passengers through quickly and, as a result, our Oyster accounts are showing that there was no touch-in for our return journey and we have been charged £5.40.

I tried the 'apply for an incomplete journey refund' page, but I just get 'You do not currently have any incomplete journeys that are eligible for an online refund application'

Are we entitled to refunds in this situation?

isasmurf

You should get an automated refund if TfL recognise your incomplete journey is from gates being held open after a special event.

See https://tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-payments/replacements-and-refunds/maximum-fare-refunds for more information

paulpud

Thanks.

As it was only yesterday I was going to check again in a few days to see if the status had changed.

jon81uk

If you don't get an automated refund in a few days, call them up for one.

But also just to note that even though the gates were open, you should have still been able to touch in. It speeds the movement of people by keeping the gates open, but the touch-readers are still active.

paulpud

Hardly anyone was touching in and I think the police or staff at the entrance were telling people to just pass through the barriers. We did both actually touch our oyster cards on the pads but it clearly hasn't registered.

ShAnE

For future reference they tend to hold the barriers open to stop the thousands with paper tickets from slowly passing through, nothing to stop you from touching your oyster card on the scanners as you pass through though.

paulpud

I've checked my Oyster account this morning and I do now have an incomplete journey for which I can apply for a refund.

I have to submit the missing information but at the bottom of the page I have to nominate a station to activate the refund which, if successful, will be ready from 30 March 2017 to 06 April 2017.

How does this work for occasional visitors like me? I won't be in London probably for a quite a few weeks now so if the refund isn't activated do I just lose it or will it sit on my account?

jon81uk

sounds like you might need to call them.

The balance is stored on the Oyster Card, hence why you need to "collect" the refund onto the card at some point. But as you say if you aren't going to visit again soon it might not work, so best to call them and see what the options are.

surreysaver

You have the option of having them directly crediting your bank account.

Ballard

I'm pretty sure that there's an option of 'barriers were released to ease congestion' or something similar when claiming a refund so it's something that they're used to.

With regards to the refund, I think that there is a time limit once your refund is booked but they email when it's due to expire and it can be rebooked. If, as another poster has suggested, you can get it paid into your bank account then all's the better.

Shelldean

I live in London but rarely use the trains/tube where you can 'collect' your overcharge from. I called just yesterday for a £2.20 overcharge and when he asked which station I queried this as there is a seven day window to claim it. And I won't be on a train/tube in that time.

He simply took my bank account details, sort code and account number and it will be refunded to my account.

I suggest you do the same.