Season Tickets and not touching in / out

[pethadine82]

I have noticed a few season ticket holders join at ungated station and wait at the platform for about 20 seconds before the train arrives (talk about timing!)
They don't have time to tap in, but once they get to the terminus they tap out on their oyster.

Is this the same as having a paper ticket.

Can you get a penalty fare despite having a valid ticket?

 

[causton]

No strict requirement to touch in/out if you have a season ticket on your Oyster. As long as you're in the zones your Travelcard covers you're okay!

 

[swt_passenger]

No strict requirement to touch in/out if you have a season ticket on your Oyster. As long as you're in the zones your Travelcard covers you're okay!

In practice there is no strict requirement enforced, however TfL's conditions of carriage DO actually require Oyster season ticket users to touch in and out:

6.7 Using a season ticket on your Oyster card or smartcard
6.7.1 When you use Tube, London Overground, TfL Rail and National Rail services, you must touch your Oyster card or smartcard on the yellow card reader at both the start and the end of your journey. If the ticket gates at stations are open you must still touch your Oyster or smartcard card on the yellow card reader.
Provided that the season ticket on your Oyster card or smartcard card is available and valid at the time you travel, you can still use it at stations where there is no yellow card reader or if the reader is not working. You may be asked instead to show your Oyster card (and photocard where needed) or smart card.
https://tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cms/documents/conditions-of-carriage.pdf

 

[wimbledonpete]

I will always tap in, just in case of unforeseen circs or problems (eg I recently fell asleep whilst suitably refreshed, missed Raynes Park and woke up at Norbiton.) Because I had tapped in and had PAYG as well as my season ticket, I was covered. Tapping out - meh, if I've stayed within my zones I can't say I do it religiously.

 

[causton]

In practice there is no strict requirement enforced, however TfL's conditions of carriage DO actually require Oyster season ticket users to touch in and out:

Indeed this is what I meant, sorry, I was talking in practice based on what TfL and TOC staff have told me and my own personal experiences with passengers with season tickets

 

[joendrup]

6.7.1 When you use Tube, London Overground, TfL Rail and National Rail services, you must touch your Oyster card or smartcard on the yellow card reader at both the start and the end of your journey. If the ticket gates at stations are open you must still touch your Oyster or smartcard card on the yellow card reader.

One thing to note is that the DLR is excluded from the requirement to touch the yellow card reader.

Anders

 

[swt_passenger]

One thing to note is that the DLR is excluded from the requirement to touch the yellow card reader.

Only because it has a separate conditions of carriage document, (for some reason), but the same paragraphs are in there too:

6.7. Using a season ticket on your Oyster card or smartcard
6.7.1. When you use DLR services, you must touch your Oyster card or smartcard on the yellow card reader at both the start and the end of your journey. If the ticket gates at stations are open and at DLR stations where there are no barriers, you must still touch your Oyster card or smartcard on the yellow card reader.
Provided that the season ticket on your Oyster card or smartcard is available and valid at the time you travel, you can still use it at stations where there is no yellow card reader or if the reader is not working. You may be asked instead to show your Oyster card (and photocard where needed) or smart card.

https://tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cms/documents/dlr-conditions-of-carriage-may15.pdf

 

[joendrup]

Only because it has a separate conditions of carriage document, (for some reason), but the same paragraphs are in there too:

Interesting - and probably a good thing that this is not enforced as it would result in total chaos at Lewisham if everyone with a season on Oyster tried to touch the yellow reader.

Anders

 

[Stats]

Although the TfL/DLR Conditions of Carriage say you must touch in, they also says that if you are carrying an Oyster card or other smartcard holding a valid season ticket you cannot be charged a penalty fare or prosecuted.

So it's not that it isn't enforced, but rather the CoC don't allow a penalty to be applied.

9.2 If you are travelling on one of our buses without:
• a ticket that is valid and available for the journey you are making
• a validated Oyster card or Oyster photocard showing a record of the start of your journey
• a validated contactless payment card

or you are travelling within the compulsory ticket area on the Underground without:
• a ticket that is valid and available for the journey you are making
• an Oyster card, Oyster photocard or other smartcard containing a valid season ticket
• a validated Oyster card, Oyster photocard or other smartcard, when you are paying as you go, showing a record of the start of your journey
• a validated contactless payment card

you may be issued with a penalty fare or you may be prosecuted