What counts as registering an Oyster?

[bb21]

I have some Oyster cards which were previously added to my existing account and still show on my account.

When I went to get a Railcard discount added to one of the cards earlier today, it showed that it was not registered so the request to add the discount entitlement was refused by the member of staff, who also clarified that adding a card to an existing account does not count as having registered it.

I therefore went on to TfL's website tonight to find out how to register. Information was scarce. The only reference to it directs me to create an account (attached). Once a new account was created, the only option I was given was to add an Oyster card, which is exactly the same process I carried out previously when adding these cards to my existing account, during which I had to supply information on the most recent journey (within 8 weeks). There is no link specifically for registering the Oyster card.

I am at a total loss here so wonder if anyone else has any idea, or if I missed something glaringly obvious. If adding an Oyster to an account did not count as registration, what does? If so, where is the link on the TfL website to do that? If on the other hand it did count as registering the Oyster, how come mine showed up on the machine as not registered?

Thanks all

 

[CyrusWuff]

Registering an Oyster requires staff assistance and involves entering a photocard number (or the station NLC or Railcard/Priv Card number) and a password (should you need to call the Helpdesk) as a minimum.

Once that's done, they'll be able to set a discount on the card.

If you want to buy a Monthly or longer Travelcard Season you need to do a "full" registration, which entails registering your name and address, and ideally contact details in case you lose the card. I don't know if that can be done through the staff screens on a ticket machine, however.

 

[bb21]

Does this mean it could only be done at a station? I thought photocard number is only required at the stage of adding the discount rather than registration?

I was very specifically instructed by the LU staff that registration can only be done online.

 

[CyrusWuff]

Does this mean it could only be done at a station? I thought photocard number is only required at the stage of adding the discount rather than registration?

I was very specifically instructed by the LU staff that registration can only be done online.

I'm 90% sure that it has to be done at a station, given it sets a flag on the physical card to say it's been registered.

But the TfL website is making me doubt that, given it says you can register a new card online, but suggests you have to make at least one journey and wait 24 hours first.

 

[Snow1964]

I'm 90% sure that it has to be done at a station, given it sets a flag on the physical card to say it's been registered.

But the TfL website is making me doubt that, given it says you can register a new card online, but suggests you have to make at least one journey and wait 24 hours first.

I am confused by that as well, it suggests you can have a registered card, but can’t add anything until you have done a journey

There is also something about needing to have used the card to make a journey within last 8 weeks to be able to create an account, which seems to be another hoop to jump through, especially if you have been working from home, and we’re intending to add a ticket to return to work.

 

[Cdd89]

I am at a total loss here so wonder if anyone else has any idea, or if I missed something glaringly obvious. If adding an Oyster to an account did not count as registration, what does?

I have been through this, and you have to make a journey (then wait overnight), then add it online (giving that journey’s details), then wait overnight again after adding the card online for it to show as registered on TVMs. Did you do this?

If recognised as registered it’ll show that fact at the top left of the screen. If it isn’t registered the staff can register it there and then, by inviting you to enter a password, so I’m not sure why the staff member refused in your case!

 

[bb21]

I have been through this, and you have to make a journey (then wait overnight), then add it online (giving that journey’s details), then wait overnight again after adding the card online for it to show as registered on TVMs. Did you do this?

When the card was first added to my account, I did indeed have to make a journey first, as otherwise it wouldn't let you. That's why I was confused as well why it did not come up as registered. It had been sitting dormant for a couple of years in my account.

If recognised as registered it’ll show that fact at the top left of the screen. If it isn’t registered the staff can register it there and then, by inviting you to enter a password, so I’m not sure why the staff member refused in your case!

I really don't know either. I might try a different station but I don't pass through LU stations that often at the moment and it just makes the whole thing unnecessarily complex.

 

[XAM2175]

I have been through this, and you have to make a journey (then wait overnight), then add it online (giving that journey’s details), then wait overnight again after adding the card online for it to show as registered on TVMs. Did you do this?

If recognised as registered it’ll show that fact at the top left of the screen. If it isn’t registered the staff can register it there and then, by inviting you to enter a password, so I’m not sure why the staff member refused in your case!

I made this discovery last week when adding a Railcard discount - I'd made the requisite journey, then waited overnight, then I added the card to my account and went to a station to add the discount that same afternoon.

In my case though the staff member at London Bridge didn't even blink at the "register card" prompt - he just had me choose a secret answer and then he carried right on.

 

[island]

The "registeredness" of a card is a flag stored on the card. Cards can be registered at LU TVMs with staff assistance, or at Oyster Ticket Stops if you find a capable and willing staff member (and possibly by other methods).

 

[Horizon22]

I imagine this is somewhat related to the ongoing battles many staff have had getting staff to actually accept they can do things like this on Oyster, some of which is documented here

 

[MikeWh]

The "registeredness" of a card is a flag stored on the card.

Agreed. And this does appear to be causing some problems. I have an Oyster card which was purchased at Crayford station and has been registered online, however, whenever I touch it on a TVM it alerts me that I should register it.

Cards can be registered at LU TVMs with staff assistance, or at Oyster Ticket Stops if you find a capable and willing staff member (and possibly by other methods).

Both those options used to be the case, but I'm not sure they are now. This page on the TfL website only talks about registering online. From my chat with a helpdesk operative today it appears that when registered online there is supposed to be a message sent to update the card when next touched on a reader. It doesn't always seem to work though (as in my case). I'm pretty sure that ticket stops lost the ability to do this at a review of data security following the introduction of GDPR. I am following up on this, but I have a number of queries on the go at the moment and some are much more pressing than others.

 

[RJ]

I had the same issue - a card that had been registered for many years and had many discounts added and expired recently needed registering again at a TVM.