What is the exact process for adding a disabled railcard discount to oyster?

[thomasheywood]

I need to get this done but apparently reading some posts on this forum tube station staff don’t add the correct discount, can somebody please post the process in case I have problems, thanks!

 

[LittleRedTrain]

To be fair to TfL staff, I've had to do this several times and only once did the staff member put in the wrong discount.

I'm not sure of the exact process, I know that the staff member uses a special 'staff only' menu on the ticket vending machine to select the appropriate railcard discount and enter the expiry date.

The important thing is that, after getting the staff member to load the discount, tap the card on a ticket machine yourself and make sure that it says 'Disabled Railcard' rather than 'National Railcard' at the top.

If it doesn't, then go back and get them to fix it.

 

[cool110]

The difference between them is that the Disabled Railcard applies to all singles and daily caps, while the other Railcards are off-peak only. So it can be an expensive error if they select the wrong one and you don't notice.

 

[Hadders]

I got my Gold Card discount loaded successfully at Kings Cross St Pancras station last week (at the traditional 'tube' ticket hall).

Approach a member of staff by the gateline and tell them you need your railcard discount loading to your Oyster card. They'll take you to a ticket machine.
The member of staff logs onto the ticket machine
They will ask you to tap your Oyster card on the card reader
The staff member brings up the menu to add discounts to an Oyster card - there are several possible discounts, moist of them staff related.
The discount they need to select is 'Disabled Railcard' not 'National Railcards and Gold Cards'.
The staff member has to input the railcard number and expiry date into the ticket machine
You then touch the Oyster card on the card reader again.
You're all done!

 

[Kieran_MF135]

With me it took me while as had few staff refuse me saying they couldn't add my Railcard as apparently they couldn't add it due to lie and did report and got given goodwill gesture due to it

but I did eventually find a staff member who was able to add it keep in mind they need to choose disbled Railcard on oyster this is due disbled Railcard holders get 1/3 off on both peak and off peak fares.

As while national rail cards only get 1/3 off in off peak time.

 

[Mawkie]

It's worth saying that not all staff have the required training to complete this simple procedure and consequently they won't have the additional access added to their staff pass to bring up the required screens - so they can't do it even if the passenger insists they know how it's done.

As pointed out above, you will often have more success at larger LU stations connected to mainline stations simply because there are a lot more LU staff at those stations and they deal with it much more frequently.

 

[Thames99]

I also have never had problems getting this done at various tube stations large and small. Often the staff seem to quite welcome a chance for a chat and break from their routine.