Oyster Card - Still Valid

[Llandudno]

I will be visiting London in a few weeks time, taking advantage of the Rail Sale and attending a county cricket match at Lords.

I have an Oyster Card with about £10 credit left, however, I have probably not used it for about 6-7 years, is the card still valid and can I use it in the normal way when getting on a bus or tube train?

I normally catch the 46 bus (assuming it still runs!) from St Pancras to Lords, it’s a long way around but it’s a fascinating journey through Camden and Hampstead!

Thanks!

 

[Watershed]

I will be visiting London in a few weeks time, taking advantage of the Rail Sale and attending a county cricket match at Lords.

I have an Oyster Card with about £10 credit left, however, I have probably not used it for about 6-7 years, is the card still valid and can I use it in the normal way when getting on a bus or tube train?

I normally catch the 46 bus (assuming it still runs!) from St Pancras to Lords, it’s a long way around but it’s a fascinating journey through Camden and Hampstead!

Thanks!

Oyster card credit does not have an expiry date. Provided the card hasn't been damaged it should still work just fine. You can check whether it's still working correctly, and what credit it has, on a ticket machine at any rail station where Oyster is accepted.

 

[Llandudno]

Oyster card credit does not have an expiry date. Provided the card hasn't been damaged it should still work just fine. You can check whether it's still working correctly, and what credit it has, on a ticket machine at any rail station.

That’s great advice thanks!

I will check the credit beforehand, didn’t realise you could do this at any TVM in the country, excluding Merseyrail no doubt!

 

[mattdickinson]

That’s great advice thanks!

I will check the credit beforehand, didn’t realise you could do this at any TVM in the country, excluding Merseyrail no doubt!

Oyster balances can only be checked at TVMs in and around London.

 

[Watershed]

That’s great advice thanks!

I will check the credit beforehand, didn’t realise you could do this at any TVM in the country, excluding Merseyrail no doubt!

Apologies, I meant to add "at a station that accepts Oyster"!

 

[Wolfie]

I will be visiting London in a few weeks time, taking advantage of the Rail Sale and attending a county cricket match at Lords.

I have an Oyster Card with about £10 credit left, however, I have probably not used it for about 6-7 years, is the card still valid and can I use it in the normal way when getting on a bus or tube train?

I normally catch the 46 bus (assuming it still runs!) from St Pancras to Lords, it’s a long way around but it’s a fascinating journey through Camden and Hampstead!

Thanks!

It is still valid and your credit should still be there. However, it may well be a first generation card which TfL are trying to remove from circulation. I believe that you should be able to get a free replacement if that is the case.

The number 46 bus very definitely still runs, l was on one last night!

 

[N0G83]

I will be visiting London in a few weeks time, taking advantage of the Rail Sale and attending a county cricket match at Lords.

I have an Oyster Card with about £10 credit left, however, I have probably not used it for about 6-7 years, is the card still valid and can I use it in the normal way when getting on a bus or tube train?

I normally catch the 46 bus (assuming it still runs!) from St Pancras to Lords, it’s a long way around but it’s a fascinating journey through Camden and Hampstead!

Thanks!

You could register the card on tfl website, on completion of registering will show balance.

 

[Hadders]

It is still valid and your credit should still be there. However, it may well be a first generation card which TfL are trying to remove from circulation. I believe that you should be able to get a free replacement if that is the case.

The number 46 bus very definitely still runs, l was on one last night!

There's no need to replace a 1st generation Oyster card. My 1st generation card sees very regular use and works absolutely fine.

 

[Wolfie]

There's no need to replace a 1st generation Oyster card. My 1st generation card sees very regular use and works absolutely fine.

You don't have to replace it (at least currently) l agree but TfL are definitely trying to get rid...

"If you travel using a first-generation Oyster card, replace it with a new one to use our TfL Oyster and contactless app and manage your card on the go."

First-generation Oyster cards

Information on how to replace first-generation Oyster cards

tfl.gov.uk

 

[Snow1964]

It is still valid and your credit should still be there. However, it may well be a first generation card which TfL are trying to remove from circulation. I believe that you should be able to get a free replacement if that is the case.

Not quite as easy as getting a free replacement, as TfL expect you to top up to a certain balance.

Many first generation cards were issued without a deposit, but now you need a deposit

And there is nowhere where you can just hand your card over and receive a new generation card in exchange with your balance transferred over. If you don’t want to go online, or create an account, or phone TfL, or live outside London where you can’t touch it on a machine within a month getting the balance transferred is nigh on impossible.

All of this rather suggests TfL are not prepared to make much effort to upgrade the cards, and are expecting the customer to do all the work for no gain if you are an infrequent user.

 

[Harpers Tate]

Not my recent experience. I had no problem last year getting a free replacement card by mail; in transferring the old card's balance over (online) and collecting said balance onto the card when I next touched in. It had to be done within a few days as I recall. But I wasn't required to pay any extra for it or add any more credit. The only thing I had to do extra was to have my old git's railcard discount applied to the new card after arrival in London.

 

[Trackman]

There's no need to replace a 1st generation Oyster card. My 1st generation card sees very regular use and works absolutely fine.

@Hadders as being a fares advisor: I've heard or read if you don't use an Oyster card for 2 years (like the OP) it deactivates on the system and you have to transfer the credit or whatever.
Is this a myth that has been instilled in me?
I've seen someone references to it on the internet but nothing solid from TfL.

 

[Hadders]

@Hadders as being a fares advisor: I've heard or read if you don't use an Oyster card for 2 years (like the OP) it deactivates on the system and you have to transfer the credit or whatever.
Is this a myth that has been instilled in me?
I've seen someone references to it on the internet but nothing solid from TfL.

I’ve never heard of that. AFAIK Oyster credit never expires @MikeWh is our Oyster expert and will be able to confirm.

TfL doesn’t require 1st generation cards to be replaced. As noted above the only thing you can’t do with. Gen1 card is use the mobile phone app but that is hardly likely to be an issue in the OP’s case.

If the OP is mistaken over the balance on their Oyster card then rather than obtaining a new card they would be better off using contactless.

 

[Gloster]

What I remember reading was that if you don’t use it for two years it goes to sleep and you have to do something (probably fairly simple) to get it woken up again. I think I read this when there were still plenty of ticket offices, so what the current situation is I don’t know. The credit doesn’t disappear, but you need to do something before you can use the card again.

 

[Trackman]

I’ve never heard of that. AFAIK Oyster credit never expires @MikeWh is our Oyster expert and will be able to confirm.

Thanks @Hadders.
The credit doesn't expire, but like @Gloster was thinking like me and said after 2 years you have to do something.

 

[Richardr]

How is the card topped up? I had a friend whose card went to sleep because the credit card behind it had expired.

 

[Hadders]

You can top up an Oyster card at a station ticket machine in the London area, online or at selected retailers that offer oyster top-ups.

 

[MikeWh]

Lots of different issues being conflated here.

1) TfL would like to get rid of 1st Generation cards, but aren't prepared to go nuclear and disable them all, so they do still work (apart from with the app).
2) I have heard people mention about needing to activate cards, but I've never experienced that myself. You might have needed to use it at a named station when ordering online, but since faster universal load arrived I think that's now gone.
3) I don't think cards go to sleep, and I'm sure I left my Oyster card several years before going back to it to test weekly capping. I didn't have a problem at all.
4) There is a problem if an Oyster card with auto topup activated can't reclaim a topup from the bank. It's quite possible that they will disable/deactvate a card if the associated credit card expires without new details being provided.

 

[Llandudno]

Thanks for all your replies!

I am more confused than ever now, I honestly thought it was a simple question!

Pleased to hear that the 46 is still running.

I guess I will try my, presumably, first generation Oyster Card on the bus, if that doesn’t work do I just use my bank card and the appropriate price for my journey, £1.65 will be automatically deducted from my bank account?

If I make numerous bus journeys in one day is the £4.95 cap automatically applied?

Do I need to tap out when alighting the bus?

 

[A Challenge]

If I make numerous bus journeys in one day is the £4.95 cap automatically applied?

Do I need to tap out when alighting the bus?

The cap is automatically applied. You do not need to tap out getting off a bus, if you do you may be double charged (someone will be able to correct me if this is wrong, I'm sure, but I thought I'd seen that TfL were planning to exclude using the same route twice from the hopper fare).

 

[Hadders]

Thanks for all your replies!

I am more confused than ever now, I honestly thought it was a simple question!

Pleased to hear that the 46 is still running.

I guess I will try my, presumably, first generation Oyster Card on the bus, if that doesn’t work do I just use my bank card and the appropriate price for my journey, £1.65 will be automatically deducted from my bank account?

If I make numerous bus journeys in one day is the £4.95 cap automatically applied?

Do I need to tap out when alighting the bus?

We sometimes get into discussions on here that appear to make things more complicated than they actually are!

Your 1st generation Oyster card should be fine to use. If it doesn’t work then just use your contactless credit or debit card and you’ll be charged the same amount. The system automatically applies any daily cap.

 

[U-Bahnfreund]

What I remember reading was that if you don’t use it for two years it goes to sleep and you have to do something (probably fairly simple) to get it woken up again. I think I read this when there were still plenty of ticket offices, so what the current situation is I don’t know. The credit doesn’t disappear, but you need to do something before you can use the card again.

As a German I have two oyster cards that I only use when travelling to the UK every few years, I never had to reactivate them or do anything before touching in

 

[MikeWh]

I guess I will try my, presumably, first generation Oyster Card on the bus, if that doesn’t work do I just use my bank card and the appropriate price for my journey, £1.65 will be automatically deducted from my bank account?

It will, but only at the end of the day. You just get one charge per day with contactless.

If I make numerous bus journeys in one day is the £4.95 cap automatically applied?

Yes.

Do I need to tap out when alighting the bus?

No.

You do not need to tap out getting off a bus, if you do you may be double charged (someone will be able to correct me if this is wrong, I'm sure, but I thought I'd seen that TfL were planning to exclude using the same route twice from the hopper fare).

You shouldn't be double charged because the bus computer will know that the card was already touched in and ignore the subsequent tap. As to the hopper fare, they accept that some people will get both out and back journeys for the price of one. It wouldn't be fair to try and stop it because anyone with more that one bus between origin and destination would still get the second one free.

As a German I have two oyster cards that I only use when travelling to the UK every few years, I never had to reactivate them or do anything before touching in

Good to know, thanks!

 

[AndrewE]

Rail Staff (Priv) Oyster cards do need to be re-validated every year to get the quarter fare. I am still using my original one (with its £5 deposit, which I guess will get returned if it is claimed when I become deceased.) In theory the revalidation has to be done within a certain amount of time each year, but after Covid I had no problem getting a LUL person to revalidate mine and the wife's even though the deadline had passed.

 

[Watershed]

Rail Staff (Priv) Oyster cards do need to be re-validated every year to get the quarter fare. I am still using my original one (with its £5 deposit, which I guess will get returned if it is claimed when I become deceased.) In theory the revalidation has to be done within a certain amount of time each year, but after Covid I had no problem getting a LUL person to revalidate mine and the wife's even though the deadline had passed.

They don't have to be revalidated but the discount is only set until the expiry of your Priv. So you have to have the discount expiry date updated before the expiry of your Priv, otherwise you'll be charged the public rate.

 

[AndrewE]

They don't have to be revalidated but the discount is only set until the expiry of your Priv. So you have to have the discount expiry date updated before the expiry of your Priv, otherwise you'll be charged the public rate.

Splitting hairs. If you don't get it revalidated you don't get priv rates, although I agree you can travel - and it will wipe out your credit pdq. If you don't get to London before the expiry date it does not matter, you just have to get it revalidated before you try to use it.

 

[Wolfie]

Thanks for all your replies!

I am more confused than ever now, I honestly thought it was a simple question!

Pleased to hear that the 46 is still running.

I guess I will try my, presumably, first generation Oyster Card on the bus, if that doesn’t work do I just use my bank card and the appropriate price for my journey, £1.65 will be automatically deducted from my bank account?

If I make numerous bus journeys in one day is the £4.95 cap automatically applied?

Do I need to tap out when alighting the bus?

Your Oyster should definitely work. You do not need to tap out when leaving a bus; do not do so! If you make multiple bus journeys the price cap should kick in (or a retrospective adjustment take place) automatically.

 

[CyrusWuff]

Splitting hairs. If you don't get it revalidated you don't get priv rates, although I agree you can travel - and it will wipe out your credit pdq. If you don't get to London before the expiry date it does not matter, you just have to get it revalidated before you try to use it.

If you wait until after the discount has expired, you officially need to complete a new application form and get authority from Rail Staff Travel to have it added again.

Whether LU staff actually enforce this is a different matter entirely, of course.

 

[AndrewE]

If you wait until after the discount has expired, you officially need to complete a new application form and get authority from Rail Staff Travel to have it added again.

Whether LU staff actually enforce this is a different matter entirely, of course.

You are correct, I had forgotten that it was a temporary Covid-lockdown change to the rules. The base rule was that you had to revalidate it showing your new card within the March - to - June overlap of the Travelcard validities, (reminder to self for this year!) and the relaxation was that you could show the previous card and the currrent one to prove continuity of entitlement without any more form filling.

 

[davetheguard]

They don't have to be revalidated but the discount is only set until the expiry of your Priv. So you have to have the discount expiry date updated before the expiry of your Priv, otherwise you'll be charged the public rate.

I'll second that.

When I first had an Oyster, I didn't realise it needed the priv discount reloaded every year. As AndrewE has suggested, my balance certainly did drop "pretty damn quick" as a result!

I've still got that first generation card, and never had any suggestion that I should replace it when getting my discount updated every year by LUL staff.