Help with Oyster card

[Harpo3112]

Hi All,
I live in Yorkshire so do not travel regularly to London. However on a previous trip ( years ago) I bought 3 oyster cards, 2 adult and 1 child card. All 3 cards have a credit balance. My daughter is now 18, an is visiting London at end of November. However I do not know which card was hers!
Can I find out which card is the child card and can she transfer balance onto new adult card? Does she have to pay for new adult card or will tfl exchange her old child card for a new adult card?
Thanks, any advice will be appreciated

 

[rebmcr]

Contactless bank cards, as well as Apple Pay & Google Wallet can be used exactly the same way Oyster cards have traditionally worked*, so you are better off refunding the remaining credit and crucially the deposit for all three. This can be done at the larger style of Underground ticket machines, with or without the assistance of a member of staff.

* except that Railcards can only be associated with Oyster cards and provide ⅓ discount on off-peak PAYG fares, this requires a staff member's assistance which is easiest at a large railway station's Underground ticket hall

 

[Harpo3112]

Contactless bank cards, as well as Apple Pay & Google Wallet can be used exactly the same way Oyster cards have traditionally worked*, so you are better off refunding the remaining credit and crucially the deposit for all three. This can be done at the larger style of Underground ticket machines, with or without the assistance of a member of staff.

* except that Railcards can only be associated with Oyster cards and provide ⅓ discount on off-peak PAYG fares, this requires a staff member's assistance which is easiest at a large railway station's Underground ticket hall

Thanks for the reply. How do I get the deposit back?

 

[duncanp]

The only way of finding out what the balance is on each card is without visiting London and tapping each card against a machine is to call TfL Customer Services on 0343 222 1234.

Regarding the "child card", the young visitor discount, which allows a child to travel at reduced fares, is only temporary, for about two weeks. This is to stop a card subsequently being used by an adult to travel at child fares.

So all of the cards will effectively be "adult cards" now, and your daughter can use any of them, without having to buy a new card.

 

[Harpo3112]

The only way of finding out what the balance is on each card is without visiting London and tapping each card against a machine is to call TfL Customer Services on 0343 222 1234.

Regarding the "child card", the young visitor discount, which allows a child to travel at reduced fares, is only temporary, for about two weeks. This is to stop a card subsequently being used by an adult to travel at child fares.

So all of the cards will effectively be "adult cards" now, and your daughter can use any of them, without having to buy a new card.

Thanks,
All 3 cards look identical, and were bought about 5 years ago. I am sure that in January this year my partner and our 2 kids used the cards. One card did appear to charge a different fare so I assumed one was a child card?

 

[duncanp]

Thanks,
All 3 cards look identical, and were bought about 5 years ago. I am sure that in January this year my partner and our 2 kids used the cards. One card did appear to charge a different fare so I assumed one was a child card?

The card which charged a different fare wasn't a "child card" as such, but one with the young visitor discount applied, as per the extract below from the TfL website.

If you're travelling with children aged 11-15, when you arrive in London, you can ask a member of our staff to add a Young Visitor discount to an Oyster card at:

• most Tube stations
• our Visitor Centres
• Victoria National Rail station ticket office

Child must be present when adding a Young Visitor discount. This discount gives your child half adult rate pay as you go discount for up to 14 days.

If you call TfL customer services, they will be able to tell you the balance on each card and arrange a refund for any cards that you decide not to use any more. You could even decide to cancel all three cards and get a refund of the credit plus deposits, and your daughter could use a contactless bank card for future trips to London.

 

[rebmcr]

Thanks for the reply. How do I get the deposit back?

This can be done at the larger style of Underground ticket machines, with or without the assistance of a member of staff.

 

[Harpo3112]

The card which charged a different fare wasn't a "child card" as such, but one with the young visitor discount applied, as per the extract below from the TfL website.



If you call TfL customer services, they will be able to tell you the balance on each card and arrange a refund for any cards that you decide not to use any more. You could even decide to cancel all three cards and get a refund of the credit plus deposits, and your daughter could use a contactless bank card for future trips to London.

Thank you for your help and advice.
I think your advice to cancel all 3 and get refunds is probably wise. It will stop any confusion and we rarely visit London. Once again thanks

 

[30907]

Thank you for your help and advice.
I think your advice to cancel all 3 and get refunds is probably wise. It will stop any confusion and we rarely visit London. Once again thanks

Fair enough - but if your daughter will have a 16-25 Railcard it might be worth getting it added to one of the cards. It shouldn't matter which AFAIK.

Only she will be able to use it though once it is added.

 

[Harpo3112]

Fair enough - but if your daughter will have a 16-25 Railcard it might be worth getting it added to one of the cards. It shouldn't matter which AFAIK.

Only she will be able to use it though once it is added.

Thanks, she does have a 16-25 Railcard. I'll tell her to get it added to her oyster card when she is in London in November.Thanks for all the info and your help

 

[Haywain]

Thanks, she does have a 16-25 Railcard. I'll tell her to get it added to her oyster card when she is in London in November.Thanks for all the info and your help

That will need to be done at an underground station, not a National Rail station.

 

[Harpo3112]

That will need to be done at an underground station, not a National Rail station.

Thanks, I've just read that on TFL website. By adding her Railcard will that reduce tube fares? She is only visiting London from Swindon for the day to go shopping. She has already found a good deal on rail ticket

 

[Autoticketgate]

Thanks, she does have a 16-25 Railcard. I'll tell her to get it added to her oyster card when she is in London in November.Thanks for all the info and your help

If this is what you're going to do then it is also worth noting your daughter should bring one of the Oyster cards you already have instead of cancelling them and getting a new one. (again, doesn't matter which - maybe bring all 3 and check the balances at a ticket machine when she arrives, then just use whichever one has the most money on it)

This is because a few months ago TfL changed the £5 deposit to a £7 non-refundable fee - so if you're only visiting London for a short period of time that can make the railcard discount not worth getting if you have to buy a new card to do it! (See this page)

 

[Haywain]

By adding her Railcard will that reduce tube fares?

It will, other than at peak times. It also plays into daily caps.

 

[30907]

Thanks, I've just read that on TFL website. By adding her Railcard will that reduce tube fares? She is only visiting London from Swindon for the day to go shopping. She has already found a good deal on rail ticket

She needs to approach a member of staff near the machines/barriers - it's pretty quick, unless the station is very busy.