The Mayor has today confirmed that a 12-Friday trial of off-peak PAYG fares and caps will begin next Friday, 8th March, and run until Friday 31st May (note 29th March was already off-peak being Good Friday). All PAYG fares will be off-peak all-day, including National Rail contactless fares out to Reading, Luton Airport Parkway and others. The 60+ Oyster and older persons Freedom Pass will also be valid to use all day on Friday during the trial. Only fares which are peak all day every day (Gatwick and Heathrow Expresses and Elizabeth line/Piccadilly line Heathrow to or via zone 1) will remain at peak rate on Fridays.
To further support the trial, TfL and London & Partners, London’s business growth and destination agency, has created a new webpage – https://www.visitlondon.com/things-to-do/off-peak-fridays – where Londoners can see a range of offers available on Fridays during the trial. They have also been working with Business Improvement Districts across London, and key stakeholders, to identify a range of deals to further encourage people to make the most of their Fridays.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said: “I’m doing all I can to support Londoners through the cost-of-living crisis and to support London’s economic recovery. This includes freezing TfL fares for another year to make transport more affordable for millions of Londoners and to encourage more people to use our transport network. But I want to do more.
“Encouraging more people back into the city on Fridays could give a much-needed boost to the hospitality, business and leisure sectors, supporting London’s wider economic growth as we continue to build a fairer, greener and more prosperous London for everyone. So, I’m making a call to all Londoners: to help London keep roaring back – Let’s Do Fridays!”
Jacqueline Starr, Chief Executive Officer at Rail Delivery Group, said: “We want more people to use rail. We’re pleased that train companies are able to work with Transport for London to offer this trial to customers and we hope it will encourage more people onto trains in the capital.”
“We know that people value rail and as seen from our latest research they plan to use it more in the upcoming months.
“It is a greener, more convenient way to travel into and around London. This trial means customers in London can travel at off-peak prices on Fridays by using pay as you go on Oyster or Contactless.”
Bus and tram fares are not affected as they are a flat rate whenever you travel. Paper and smartcard tickets, including day travelcards, will still have peak restrictions on Fridays. There will also be no impact on the prices of season tickets.
My wife is a Oyster 60+ Card holder, and on occasions has to get to Ascot for work, travelling before 9.00.. When she has to travel in Midweek, she will use PAYG from Barking to Feltham, checking out at Feltham, then checking back in with a return train ticket for her onward journey to Ascot.
Next week she will be working at Ascot on Friday, which is a TFL off-peak travel day. She has used her 60+ card before 9.00 on Friday’s using buses, underground and overground. Does anyone know if she would get free travel on the National Rail part of her journey with the from Waterloo or Clapham Junction to Ascot.
I have tried to check using the internet, but have got confused a to the correct answer. Is there any one who knows the answer, or where I can find out this information.
Hi Dave,
Yes, the 60+ Oyster is valid all day on Fridays until the end of this month. I’ve used mine and can confirm it’s ok. However, the free travel will still stop at Feltham. She won’t need to get off to touch out though, as the 60+ is an off-peak season ticket.
Thanks Mike, I thought that would be okay. I did mean to say using her 60+ pass as far as Feltham (Had a Senior Moment). She always gets a add on Return ticket from Feltham to Ascot.