Are you tired of those dreaded notifications from your bank telling you how much money TfL has charged you for your travels? Then this useful tip might be of good use to you! If you presently have (or can get) a railcard, you can add it to your Oyster card to receive a 34% discount on off-peak, pay-as-you-go payments.
For many Londoners, once contactless payments from your debit or credit card were possible, the Oyster card became a thing of the past. Now it could be the key to some money-saving magic on the majority of TfL’s rail services, including the Tube, Elizabeth line, DLR, London Overground and National Rail.
In a recent blog post from MoneySavingExpert, writer Petar Lekarski claims he’s “saved £100s” in the years his Oyster card has had a rail card connection. So, excuse us as we scrounge our way through every draw to find our long-lost Oyster card.
Currently, off-peak fares apply when you’re travelling outside the morning’s peak hours (6.30am to 9.30am) and the evening’s peak hours (4pm to 7pm). However, off-peak fares can apply during the evening peak, should you be travelling from a station outside Zone 1 to a station inside Zone 1. There is one exception and that’s if you’re going to Heathrow Airport, which is always charged at a peak fare.
If these travelling habits apply to you, and you possess both an Oyster card and a rail card, be sure to head to an Underground or Overground station and ask a member of staff to apply your railcard discount. It’s recommended to do this at a Zone 1 station but you could also get lucky outside.
The current rail cards on offer that this discount applies to are the 16-25 Railcard, 26-30 Railcard, Disabled Person’s Railcard (this one gives you a 34% discount on peak fares, as well), HM Forces Railcard, Senior Railcard, and Veterans’ Railcard. For more information on getting a railcard, click here to visit the website.