2016 TT-Forums Meet [THIS WEEK - please sign up!]

[Pilot]

EDIT: Speak of the Devil, My Oyster Card has just arrived in the Post!

Do you have a special one or just a standard blue card?

Aye, just the standard blue one.

Anyway, flights are now booked

[orudge]

Shall look into seeing if an oyster card is worth it for 48 hours or not, until the next time I visit London in, probably 5 years assuming previous rate of visiting is kept up

I have an Oyster card, and the time between my visits to London in usually measured in years. Although these days I'd probably just use a contactless credit card instead.

[JamieLei]

I wonder if my disabled railcard is valid on the tube. That'd certainly make things more affordable. Can I buy rail tickets from a normal network station to a tube station, and do it all in one, or will I need to end it at London Termini and then use something else (oyster I assume) onwards? My previous ventures were through London onwards to Chessington, which was all valid throughout the tube, changed at Euston/KGX then tube to Vauxhall and back on the normal network onwards. Never needed to get one to a tube station specifically.

perhaps I should just meet someone else at one of the termini stations so I don't get lost

You can use a Disabled Railcard to purchase a discounted Zones 1-6 Paper Travelcard with your 1/3 off; or you could ask the London Underground staff at any station to log into the staff mode on the Ticket Machines and 'load' your railcard onto your Oyster Card.

A new oyster card costs £5 for the deposit, but you can get that back.

[Dave]

Just a note that the discounted paper travelcard is £8.00 so is still more expensive than unlimited adult (non discount) Oyster travel in z1-2 (£6.50) and z1-3 (£7.60)

Loading your railcard onto your Oyster IS cheaper. It means you get travel in z1-2 for £4.30 and z1-3 for a fiver.

So well worth doing!

Get a ticket to London Terminals, buy an Oyster, get your disabled railcard added to it by a member of staff and put a few quid on it. Then you're away.

[Redirect Left]

Can I not buy one online and get it added at the same time? Seems odd we may be asking people who have these cards due to depression and the oft attached to it anxiety to be talking to people to get it added, the opposite of which is the exact reason why these people may have a card to begin with. Including mine

I'm mostly over it now, so I probably will be able to. But it does seem like an extra bit of money saving initiative they have there


edit; after trawling the website, it seems there is no option to associate a disabled railcard ID with an oyster, so yes, it needs to be done in person. Oh well, got one ordered, £10 credit should get it done with.

[Pilot]

Can I not buy one online and get it added at the same time?

I had a look for this option with the Student Railcard, and I don't think it is possible, and has to be done in person, which is a pain in the arse.

[Chris]

It has to be done in person to ensure that the railcard is valid I think? It is a bit of a pain as my railcard expires each year (NatWest student), so you have to re-add it each year.

[Redirect Left]

It has to be done in person to ensure that the railcard is valid I think?

Ah well. I'll be arriving through St. Pancras. So perhaps if I nip to the booking office they'll do it.

edit: actually might need to go down to the actual underground section, the national rail part might not handle that?

[Nawdic]

It will have to be done at the Underground ticket office.

[Geo Ghost]

It will have to be done at the Underground ticket office.

We still have those?

[Dave]

What ticket offices!

This is what TfL say:

Setting the discount
If you have a 16-25, Senior, HM Forces or Disabled Persons Railcard, you need to get the discount set on an Oyster card. If you don't already have one, you'll need to get an Oyster card and register it.

You can get the discount set at Tube, London Overground, TfL Rail and some National Rail stations. To get the discount set at a Tube station, ask a member of staff to set it for you. You can also get the discount set at Oyster Ticket Stops and Visitor Centres.

[Nawdic]

It will have to be done at the Underground ticket office.

We still have those?

Its been a while.....


Last time I checked at least St. Pancras tube was open.

[JamieLei]

It has to be done in person to ensure that the railcard is valid I think?

Ah well. I'll be arriving through St. Pancras. So perhaps if I nip to the booking office they'll do it.

edit: actually might need to go down to the actual underground section, the national rail part might not handle that?

Any London Underground TVM can do it; ask the staff who will be hovering nearby.

Interesting what you said about the anxiety; I hear that disabled people and people with speech difficulties are actually one of the main beneficiaries of Smart bus ticketing, as they no longer have to speak to the driver to purchase their fare, which may be difficult in many different ways.

[Pilot]

Okay, I've now booked my hotel, and will be staying near St. Pauls. So I'm about a 10/15 minute walk away from where we will be meeting (I think)

[Redirect Left]

Interesting what you said about the anxiety; I hear that disabled people and people with speech difficulties are actually one of the main beneficiaries of Smart bus ticketing, as they no longer have to speak to the driver to purchase their fare, which may be difficult in many different ways.

When I'm traveling by bus, I use the Arriva app, and buy all my tickets on the phone, so I can just wave the phone at the driver like a mute. Partially for this reason.

[Pilot]

Interesting what you said about the anxiety; I hear that disabled people and people with speech difficulties are actually one of the main beneficiaries of Smart bus ticketing, as they no longer have to speak to the driver to purchase their fare, which may be difficult in many different ways.

When I'm traveling by bus, I use the Arriva app, and buy all my tickets on the phone, so I can just wave the phone at the driver like a mute. Partially for this reason.

I remember times where I used to have to practice what I would say to the bus driver several times before I would get on the bus for similar reasons to why you now buy on the mobile.

[JGR]

I'm interesting in coming along on the 9th, but can't confirm things yet though.

[JamieLei]

I'm interesting in coming along on the 9th, but can't confirm things yet though.

Would be great to see you again - been a while!

[Redirect Left]

I'm interesting in coming along on the 9th, but can't confirm things yet though.

I hope you do. I don't recall ever actually meeting you, despite knowing you in various places

[61653]

I'm still hoping to attend, though unable to confirm as yet. Give me a few days for that... I'll probably have to buy a standard, full-price off-peak ticket rather than trying for an advance at this late stage.