TfL Railcard Strategy with Contactless Cards

[MikeWh]

but I don’t think it’s ever permissible to fail to tap out on PAYG, even if no fare is avoided. (I’m certain it’s against the Oyster T&Cs, not sure whether it would be an offence that could be prosecuted?)

Correct. And it can be prosecuted.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The ideal would be that either
Oyster is offered where ever Contactlees can be used - thus enabling railcard discounted fares
Or
A Contactlees card can have a railcard discount applied to it on the Tfl system.

I would expect "new Oyster" to achieve both of those things. As the new-style card is just an RFID card which stores nothing itself, there is no reason for them not to be treated the same.

 

[gray1404]

Which "new style" Oyster card this is please? Those being issued currently or something to come in the future?

 

[MikeWh]

Which "new style" Oyster card this is please? Those being issued currently or something to come in the future?

In the future. However, the current financial state of TfL may mean that it is further in the future than previously envisaged.

 

[infobleep]

Often dearer (or no cheaper) than Oyster/contactless fare.

Save if you have a discount such as a gold card and are traveling between 16:00-19:00. Then paper tickers cna be cheaper. Although there are times when even peak time Oyster is still cheaper than off peak paper ticket. Clapham Junction to Harrow and Wealdstone is one such example.

 

[Wolfie]

Save if you have a discount such as a gold card and are traveling between 16:00-19:00. Then paper tickers cna be cheaper. Although there are times when even peak time Oyster is still cheaper than off peak paper ticket. Clapham Junction to Harrow and Wealdstone is one such example.

I do have a Goldcard but have still found travel cheaper on my Oyster (the off-peak discount helps) than using paper tickets.

 

[mattdickinson]

One possible solution would be to issue Railcards as ITSO cards, which would then be associated with a payment card. The railcard would then be used to touch in and out, with charging calculated in the back office.

 

[Cdd89]

One possible solution would be to issue Railcards as ITSO cards, which would then be associated with a payment card. The railcard would then be used to touch in and out, with charging calculated in the back office.

Sounds a bit like an Oyster card with a railcard linked and auto top-up enabled.

 

[SynthD]

Several years ago there was the intent to move beyond 16 zones. Is this dependent on moving to the Contactless backend? Is that still (pre-Covid at least) going ahead? It sounded like the least disruptive way forward, that only the oldest Oyster cards couldn't cope with.

 

[matt_world2004]

Which "new style" Oyster card this is please? Those being issued currently or something to come in the future?

TfL talked about it in some document related to the expansion of contactless out to reading. It claimed to be based on TfLs contactless payment technology but it was dependent on the consultation about extending pay as you go ticketing throughout the south east