Oyster refund without starting journey

[CNash]

Is it possible to pick up an Oyster automatic refund without actually starting a journey? My sister received one, but she doesn't live in London so she's sent her card to me and asked me to pick it up - but I don't use Oyster to travel (I have an NR season ticket), so I don't want to consume the balance on the card unnecessarily.

 

[Tetchytyke]

You can ask the Oyster Helpline to issue the refund as a cheque- they did it for me when I used to live in Newcastle- but refunds to be collected on the card have to be at a gateline.

 

[DJL]

Can i not be done at the ticket office and/or machines?

 

[bb21]

No, they are downloaded to the station gatelines.

What I have done before is ask at the relevant ticket office if I could touch in to collect the refund, and then have the entry charge cancelled, and on both occasions the ticket office staff were happy to do that, so it is worth giving that a go.

 

[CNash]

What I have done before is ask at the relevant ticket office if I could touch in to collect the refund, and then have the entry charge cancelled, and on both occasions the ticket office staff were happy to do that, so it is worth giving that a go.

This would be an ideal solution, except that she's had it sent to my local station, which is an NR station with no Oyster facilities in the ticket office. Apparently it can't be changed.

 

[Be3G]

It can, however, be allowed to cancel itself by not being picked up, at which point alternative arrangements can be made (such as the cheque idea earlier).

 

[CNash]

So it won't be "lost" if it isn't picked up by the specified date? Can it then be re-sent to a different station?

 

[MikeWh]

So it won't be "lost" if it isn't picked up by the specified date? Can it then be re-sent to a different station?

Yes, or you can ask for a bank refund. It won't ever be lost.

 

[jimbo99]

You can pick up a refund at a tram stop. So that's "only" £1.45 lost.

 

[bb21]

Just ring the Oyster Helpline (03432221234) when it expires and make an alternative arrangement.

For all the ills of TfL, the Oyster Helpline are actually very good.