Using rail travel vouchers for Oyster PAYG

[dcsprior]

Hi, I've got £30.60 of rail travel vouchers thanks to East Coast delay-repay. As I try to buy my rail tickets online on the day that cheap advances are released, which vouchers aren't very convenient for (why can't they be like this?), I'd like to add them to my oyster PAYG credit.

Is this a tricky thing to do? I ask as I'll be in a variety of different London stations next week (NR: Euston, King's Cross & Victoria; LU: all of these plus Fulham Broadway) so I can take my pick of which ticket office to go to. Of course if its a simple thing that only takes a few minutes, then it doesn't matter.

 

[tony_mac]

It sounds like it's reasonably easy

http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=78416

 

[bb21]

You should not experience any problem, although if you meet an inexperienced clerk it could take a while.

I've done this at quite a few places and staff have almost all been happy to help. One guy at Elephant & Castle LU didn't know how but he found out over the phone the correct procedure.

The only time I didn't get it successfully done was at King's Cross St Pancras SSL ticket office.

 

[dcsprior]

Thanks everyone, in that case I'll probably just do it wherever the queues are shortest.

 

[dcsprior]

Sorry for bumping an old thread, but I eventually got round to trying this today, without success:

• At Victoria LU (district/circle) line ticket window, was told "They're National Rail vouchers, you'll need to go upstairs to the National Rail ticket office"
• At Victoria NR ticket office, was told "I don't think I can do that" - then after checking with what I'm guessing was her supervisor as it was an older member of staff sitting at desks behind "you'd need to go to East Croydon or Balham to do that"
• At Barking (employee wearing a C2C badge, but at a ticket window inside the underground ticket barriers) - "you can't do that, the only thing they're allowed to be used for is buying an actual ticket" when I asked if he was sure, he said he was

I found another old thread which has an official reference in it LUL's Ticketing and Retail Book 5, Section 5.5 - does anyone know if this rule is still the same?

 

[RJ]

Try the London Overground served stations on the NLL, WLL or Euston to Watford line, London Midland ticket offices inclusive. The FCC ticket office at St Pancras can also handle Oyster prepay transactions.

 

[bb21]

That is really disappointing. Only yesterday I topped my Oyster PAYG up with a National Rail RTV at King's Cross St Pancras's northern ticket hall office. The guy didn't know what to do, however instead of refusing to serve me, he rang I assume his line manager up and happily processed it after the phone call. This is the third time iirc that a member of LU staff has done this, previously at Elephant & Castle and somewhere else.

When they top up your card, the voucher is processed under "National Rail Voucher" just like "Cash" or "Card". The voucher bar code is then scanned and voucher itself printed over. That is all it takes. Shame that some staff just couldn't be bothered to even try and find out.

 

[MikeWh]

Try the London Overground served stations on the NLL, WLL or Euston to Watford line, London Midland ticket offices inclusive. The FCC ticket office at St Pancras can also handle Oyster prepay transactions.

I concur that the FCC ticket office at St Pancras is a good place as I did it there after being refused at several LU stations.

 

[bicbasher]

Have to share the sentiments at the shock of the lack of knowledge about NR vouchers at some stations. I regularly receive expenses as rail vouchers to use for Oyster PAYG with no problem at all adding to my Oyster card at LO stations (including the ELL) and as mentioned in an old thread, the clerk at Queensway LUL went and looked up the manual and added my delay repay voucher from Southern.

However, it appears to be similar sounding mixed messages about adding NR railcard discounts to Oyster at LUL stations, some will and are experienced at it depending on the station, especially if it's connected to a NR one, others won't.

 

[maniacmartin]

I recently emailed TfL about this as a clerk refused to do it at Canada Water. I was told that staff had been briefed, but when I went back a week later they still refused. I too have had problems at Victoria.

 

[island]

Lewisham will do Oyster top-ups from RTVs if the window with an Oyster machine is open (rightmost).

 

[Be3G]

Thanks to the mods for unlocking this thread for me.

I've recently tried to get a National Rail voucher issued by Greater Anglia added to my Oyster card and it was a far from easy process. I went to Woodford station last Friday afternoon as it was en-route for me at the time and the otherwise helpful gentleman in the ticket office initially said LUL don't take National Rail vouchers. I tried to persuade him otherwise so he made a couple of phone calls, then told me that he'd phoned Leytonstone and Epping stations, both of which said NR vouchers are accepted but only as payment against a real, physical ticket.

So, I gave up and tried to get the voucher added at the other end of my journey – Stratford – and am pleased to say the clerk there did it without any fuss.

However, that evening I sent a mild complaint to TfL because it seemed three Central line stations were unaware that NR vouchers could be used for Oyster PAYG. Yesterday I received a response stating the following:

Rail travel vouchers may be exchanged or used in part payment for tickets for any rail journey on the services of the Train Companies.

I am sorry this was not made clear initially by the member of staff at Woodford station.

I think what she's trying to say is what the staff at Leytonstone and Epping said: that the vouchers can only be used against real tickets for NR travel.

Now, in an earlier thread about NR voucher topups, maniacmartin helpfully provided a link to this document (obtained through FoI, but hosted on his own webspace) which, on page 33, unequivocally explains that what I wanted to do was possible. However, before I try to re-engage TfL's customer services to get them to see the light, is anyone aware of perhaps a change of policy which means that document is now invalid? Seeing as so many TfL staff think NR voucher topups cannot be done…

Also, do I take it that that document would be available somewhere in a ticket office for staff members' reference (in the manner of the NFM at NR stations), so if there hasn't been a change of policy, I could suggest staff check it for confirmation that what I want to do is allowed?

 

[Brucey]

I had a mixture of LUL and NR vouchers (from SWT, London Overground, Southern and London Midland) added to my Oyster card at West Ruislip back in August and another Southern voucher credited last week. Both times I was served by the station supervisor. He was happy with the LUL vouchers but had to look up the green National Rail vouchers in a booklet the first time, with a reassuring comment of "I need to look up how to process these as we don't get them often".

 

[CyrusWuff]

Chiltern can do Oyster top ups at both Marylebone and Northolt Park and will quite happily relieve you of your RTVs as payment.

 

[Ralph Ayres]

LU stations can still use NR vouchers to top up Oyster cards (at least until all the ticket offices all close). The document at the end of Be3G's link applies; should be available either online or in hard copy at the ticket office.

 

[Paul Kelly]

I had a green voucher (originally issued by First Great Western) added to my Oyster card at Stratford LU ticket office last week with absolutely no fuss at all; the clerk even joked about how my voucher was only 2 days before its expiry date.

 

[redbutton]

I get this done all the time with First Capital Connect at City Thameslink. I've used vouchers issued by FCC, Southeastern, and Southern.

So, I'd suggest a FCC station if you have one near you.

 

[Be3G]

Thanks for the helpful replies. As mentioned previously, I did eventually get the voucher loaded at Stratford (echoing Indigo2's experience of no-fuss efficiency there), but I thought that before ranting at TfL I should check that it wasn't a case of Woodford, Leytonstone and Epping being right and Stratford being wrong. I shall get back in touch with them now it's clear that I was right all along!

The reason this is an annoying problem for me is because most of my travel these days is local journeys by bus, with tube stations being the nearest Oyster-retailing stations I've got, and even then ‘nearest’ doesn't in any way mean ‘nearby’. Plus the local railway station ticket offices are only open limited hours, with no guards on trains, so these vouchers can be quite difficult to use.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Right, this morning I received another e-mail from TfL, which included the following:

I apologise for the confusion over this issue. I can confirm that National Rail vouchers are acceptable at Underground stations to be used as pay-as-you-go credit on an Oyster card.

I have passed this case on to the Group Station Managers responsible for Woodford, Leytonstone and Epping, so that they can ensure that their staff are aware of the correct policy.

So success, for the time being at least.

 

[maniacmartin]

I wouldn't hold your breath. Every time I'm told that a message will be passed to the Group Stations manager in my neck of the woods, nothing changes.

 

[SF-02]

I had a similar issue written about here - http://railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=93505

I went to the TfL travel advice centre at Euston. They said they couldn't do it though could issue tickets and do oyster top ups. Is that correct or are they the same as any other TfL ticket office? Eventually found a station it could be done. Not too impressive given like the poster above I live an hour from the nearest tube/LO station.

 

[Mojo]

I went to the TfL travel advice centre at Euston. They said they couldn't do it though could issue tickets and do oyster top ups. Is that correct or are they the same as any other TfL ticket office? Eventually found a station it could be done. Not too impressive given like the poster above I live an hour from the nearest tube/LO station.

Other than the TfL Travel Information Centres there are no TfL offices as such; the different modes have their own ticket offices with their own staff and different rules.

TfL Travel Information Centres do not accept vouchers. LU and Overground ticket offices do. Not sure about the DLR ticket office at City Airport (are there any other DLR ticket offices?)

 

[bicbasher]

TfL Travel Information Centres do not accept vouchers. LU and Overground ticket offices do. Not sure about the DLR ticket office at City Airport (are there any other DLR ticket offices?)

Canary Wharf when I last checked has a ticket office on one of the platforms with an Oyster Ticket stop terminal, which wouldn't be useful in this instance.

 

[Brucey]

I've now found myself in the opposite situation.

Tried to add a LUL delay voucher (the blue and pink ones) at a National Rail ("sorry Sir, we aren't part of National Rail") ticket office operated by London Overground. He refused point blank and denied they were part of National Rail after I pointed out the wording on the voucher's reverse.

I didn't want to cause an issue as I found the BTP officers who came and stood behind me after I dared to disagree (calmly and politely) with the ticket office rather intimidating.

Was the clerk correct or just being lazy? I've been refused many ticket sales at this ticket office in the past which I've gone and bought elsewhere, including other London Overground stations where the staff are much friendlier.

 

[maniacmartin]

I wasn't aware that LUL delay vouchers were accepted by National Rail stations. Can you post a scan of the back of the voucher?

 

[njr001]

See attached

 

[bb21]

What ticket were you trying to buy?

 

[Brucey]

What ticket were you trying to buy?

Loading credit onto an Oyster card.

 

[Be3G]

I wasn't aware that LUL delay vouchers were accepted by National Rail stations. Can you post a scan of the back of the voucher?

Yep, this facility has been available for as long as I've been getting the vouchers – the clerk at my local Greater Anglia station had no problem accepting one for use against a travelcard, although he remarked that he doesn't see them often.

Admittedly, I haven't ever seen anything that explicitly says they can be used for Oyster PAYG at a rail station, though I don't see why they couldn't be (as that's an accepted use for them at tube stations).

 

[RJ]

I had a customer with one a few weeks ago. I really wanted to help out but it just so happened that the credit sundry menu on the TiS crashed on all of the terminals that one day, preventing me from being able to process it. My understanding is that they can be used as payment towards any ticket that has validity on London Underground services.

 

[bicbasher]

The last time I had an LU voucher, I ended up going to Leicester Square as I didn't fancy a run-in with the London Overground clerks at Forest Hill.

Although they're fine with NR rail travel vouchers being added to Oyster!