If you travel from Sutton (or further out) to Whitechapel or beyond using Southern to West Croydon and then London Overground you will probably be overcharged. This is because the oyster system decides that you are likely to have used First Capital Connect to Farringdon followed by Hammersmith and City to Whitechapel. This issue was first highlighted by Barry Doe in RAIL magazine earlier this year.
New Pink Route Validators
I have finally received a reply to my suggestion that TfL need to install a pink route validator at Surrey Quays. Whilst not promising anything specific, it does appear as though there will be some new opportunities to avoid zone 1 in the new year. Here is the reply:
OEP should really be OTEP
I’ve decided that TfL have got the name of the OEP wrong. It should actually be called the Oyster Travelcard Extension Permit (or OTEP). This would avoid the first confusion where people think it extends the oyster system so that they can travel beyond oysterisation into the home counties. It still won’t help with the … Read more
New Pages for Trams and Wimbledon
I recently needed to visit Wimbledon and decided to use the tram to Croydon in one direction for a bit of variety. I was struck by how poor the instructions for touching in and out were, especially when interchanging between train or tube and tram. It seems like they have forgotten to update the instructions … Read more
Oyster online website shut
The Oyster online section of the TfL website has been shut since Friday evening for important maintenance. The closure was publicised beforehand, although it didn’t say it would happen before midnight Friday. While the maintenance is fair enough, what has annoyed me is that all the information pages about Oyster have also been taken offline. … Read more
Maximum Journey Loophole
I picked up this little gem on another website this week. If you have over run the maximum journey time by just a few minutes and you are at an out of station interchange then there might be a way out of the incomplete journey penalty. Thanks to Phil for allowing me to share his story:
OSI may not end journey
Yesterday I discovered another little anomaly with the Oyster system. I ventured out with one of my kids on a circular route taking in the DLR and Overground. We touched in at Crayford and took the rounder service to Woolwich Arsenal. Then it was the DLR to Shadwell with the obligatory sitting in the front seat pretending to drive the train.
Special Offer – Get out of London
I’ve come across a special promotion on the National Rail Enquiries website where adult Oystercard holders (and Freedom Pass holders) can escape from London for very low fares. £5 will get you a day return to many places just outside London while £20 will get you a saver return to places like Cardiff, Liverpool and Great Yarmouth. First Class fares are also available.
Travel one more stop and pay less!
It’s official, travelling a stop further on than you need to can actually reduce the fare you are charged! Following on from the recent story about the missing route validator at Surrey Quays, this morning I went from Crayford to Honor Oak Park via New Cross and Canada Water.
London Bridge OSI fixed
The possibility of proving two points in one trip proved too hard to resist today, so once again I ventured out on the trains. On the way back I exited via the Southern gateline at London Bridge and re-entered via the Southeastern gateline. This time the system correctly charged me just one journey, so it … Read more