10 Years Without Routemasters

You can buy Oyster cards from ticket machines now. I bought one a few months ago.

 

Shock - horror - you can even buy them on line. Even from up here in the midlands.

We have visitors Oyster cards which have not got an expirity and no auto top up. You top up at ticket machines or even believe it or not at many Network Rail station booking offices within the TFL area e.g. Crystal Palace

 

You buy them or top up from the machine using credit or debit card.

 

I may be wrong but I think it's only at joint TfL and NW Rail Stations, Crystal Palace is on the Overground. The Oyster system doesn't suit every type of travel though, I went to London to photographer the steam on the Met and spent half a day on the Hammersmith and City without tapping out and my card was debited with £16.50. I think the system makes up some journeys. I wrote to TfL and I eventually got a credit of £14.00.
It's a very convenient way to travel, if I go to London now it's usually 25 mile road trip to Stanmore and on the Underground. Much cheaper than using the overpriced Mainline rail service.

 

We use two campsites in London, Crystal Palace and Abbey Wood. Whilst CP is on the Overground Abbey Wood isnt. In any case you use Oyster on both Southern and South Eastern services to London when the station is within Tfl so top up must be available. I presume SW is the same but dont often travel that direction

 

Buying one is the first step - it seems complicated when you use them, having to click on and off. I've heard some horror tales.

 

I did not know that! Would have been useful this morning…

Simon

 

Really?

 

On one forum I frequent, posts regarding Oyster woes are not uncommon.

 

I'm generally a travelcard user so maybe I have a different experience.

Simon

 

One of the aleged horror stories relates to having too many cards in a wallet and the out reader looking at the wrong one. The scenario is IN reader sees oystercard. OUT reader sees barclaycard and both cards may get charged for same journey with a fail to swipe out penalty on the Oyster. Moral of tale - keep the Oyster separeate.

The other issue I have heard is rushing the swipe in or out. The answer is bugger the que behind and make sure the card was read

 

deleted

 

Does anyone remember the old technology of change machines on the Underground? I Once put two bob coin in one pressed the button and won the jackpot when the machine just kept on chucking out tanner coins, never seen so many LT staff suddenly appear from nowhere. They didn't last long, I wonder why.

Translation for the youthful: two bob = 10p tanner = 2.5p

 

Very easy really it looks and works like a preloaded debit card, you can recharge it with your hard earned cash and check how much is left on it at Underground stations or some newsagents. Much easier than queuing up at booking offices or having the right change for ticket machines.

 

I avoid all that nonsense by travelling in by train on a Travel Card. Excellent value for money at a weekend with my senior citizen card discount off of the super saver fare.

 

Sorry wasn't trying to be patronising just thought you weren't familiar with the system.

 

Mrs V has had an Oyster card on auto top up for many years now, I use contactless debit card. Suits us very well, never ever had to queue and buy a ticket. We've never had any problems. That said I'm not sure about the debit card and the max. daily Oyster card charge. Would the max. daily charge be applied on the debit card? I doubt it.