Hi folks - quick question.

I will be getting an annual zones 1-3 on my Oyster very shortly - what
are the advantages of having an annual season ticket other than the
reduced cost? Does it entitle you to any discounts etc?
If so, should I go the paper ticket route so that I can "prove" that I
have an annual ticket (given that you can't tell from just looking what
period an Oystercard is for? :-) )

Any advice appreciated

Many thanks

wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi folks - quick question.

I will be getting an annual zones 1-3 on my Oyster very shortly - what
are the advantages of having an annual season ticket other than the
reduced cost? Does it entitle you to any discounts etc?
If so, should I go the paper ticket route so that I can "prove" that I
have an annual ticket (given that you can't tell from just looking what
period an Oystercard is for? :-) )

Any advice appreciated

Many thanks

See
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/fares-tick...r-period.shtml
for the benefits of an annual travelcard. If you get one on Oyster you will
still be given a paper Gold Card as well to get the discounts at National
Rail stations.

Peter Smyth

Hi folks - quick question.

I will be getting an annual zones 1-3 on my Oyster very shortly - what
are the advantages of having an annual season ticket other than the
reduced cost? Does it entitle you to any discounts etc?
If so, should I go the paper ticket route so that I can "prove" that I
have an annual ticket (given that you can't tell from just looking what
period an Oystercard is for? :-) )

Any advice appreciated

Many thanks

See

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/fares-tick...r-period.shtml
for the benefits of an annual travelcard. If you get one on Oyster you
will
still be given a paper Gold Card as well to get the discounts at National
Rail stations.

Peter Smyth


You've timed it badly as the fares go up in January!

Anyway, one word of caution- last year I bought mine online, which was fine
in terms of the Oyster itself but it took several weeks for the accompanying
paper Gold Card to come in the post. So I'd buy it in person at a tube
station as they'll give it to you there and then so you can get the rail
discounts.

wrote:
Hi folks - quick question.

I will be getting an annual zones 1-3 on my Oyster very shortly - what
are the advantages of having an annual season ticket other than the
reduced cost? Does it entitle you to any discounts etc?
If so, should I go the paper ticket route so that I can "prove" that I
have an annual ticket (given that you can't tell from just looking what
period an Oystercard is for? :-) )

Any advice appreciated

Many thanks


I have exactly the same as you, and I did indeed receive a gold record
card (although contrary to the other poster, I recall this came with the
Oyster card... maybe I'm mistaken).

I've never actually used the NR discount because beforehand I had a YP
railcard. Now that has run out and I am 26, I'd like to use the NR
discounts. Does anyone know the extent of the network that the NR
discount covers? It mentions Virgin Trains and Midland Mainline, but
does it cover journeys as far north as Nuneaton or Leicester?

Dan

"Dan Gravell" wrote in message
...
wrote:
Hi folks - quick question.

I will be getting an annual zones 1-3 on my Oyster very shortly - what
are the advantages of having an annual season ticket other than the
reduced cost? Does it entitle you to any discounts etc?
If so, should I go the paper ticket route so that I can "prove" that I
have an annual ticket (given that you can't tell from just looking what
period an Oystercard is for? :-) )

Any advice appreciated

Many thanks


I have exactly the same as you, and I did indeed receive a gold record
card (although contrary to the other poster, I recall this came with the
Oyster card... maybe I'm mistaken).

I've never actually used the NR discount because beforehand I had a YP
railcard. Now that has run out and I am 26, I'd like to use the NR
discounts. Does anyone know the extent of the network that the NR discount
covers? It mentions Virgin Trains and Midland Mainline, but does it cover
journeys as far north as Nuneaton or Leicester?

It covers the same area as the Network Railcard but without the minimum
fare. According to the map at
http://www.railcard.co.uk/network/Ne...0map(2004).pdf
this goes out as far as Long Buckby [1] and Bedford in the north.

[1] Does anyone know if Network Railcards are still valid at Long Buckby now
Central have taken over the service?

Peter Smyth

On 5 Jan 2005 07:59:46 -0800, " wrote:

I will be getting an annual zones 1-3 on my Oyster very shortly - what
are the advantages of having an annual season ticket other than the
reduced cost? Does it entitle you to any discounts etc?
If so, should I go the paper ticket route so that I can "prove" that I
have an annual ticket (given that you can't tell from just looking what
period an Oystercard is for? :-) )

If you're near a National Rail station, or use National Rail for some
of your journey, I'd opt for a paper NR ticket, unless the Oyster
'touch-in/out' convenience is very important to you.

Most operators give discounts when they fail to meet performance
levels - I've had 5% my monthly 'Period Travelcard' every month for a
long time. This is enough to keep me buying from a NR station.

--
Cheers,

Jason.

of your journey, I'd opt for a paper NR ticket, unless the Oyster
'touch-in/out' convenience is very important to you.

Most operators give discounts when they fail to meet performance
levels - I've had 5% my monthly 'Period Travelcard' every month for a
long time. This is enough to keep me buying from a NR station.

What if you renew at a shared TOC station on a line that gives charter
discounts? Do they issue paper or Oysters?
http://www.oystercard.com/buy_toc.php

I have exactly the same as you, and I did indeed receive a gold record
card (although contrary to the other poster, I recall this came with the
Oyster card... maybe I'm mistaken).


I already had the Oyster itself, which was just updated electronically by
the gate at my local tube station after I did the online renewal. But the
paper ticket came something daft like 6 weeks later, during which time I
fortunately didn't need to get the National Rail discount.

On Fri, 7 Jan 2005 20:43:43 -0000, "Dave Plumb"
wrote:

of your journey, I'd opt for a paper NR ticket, unless the Oyster
'touch-in/out' convenience is very important to you.

Most operators give discounts when they fail to meet performance
levels - I've had 5% my monthly 'Period Travelcard' every month for a
long time. This is enough to keep me buying from a NR station.

What if you renew at a shared TOC station on a line that gives charter
discounts? Do they issue paper or Oysters?
http://www.oystercard.com/buy_toc.php

I'd like to know the answer to this too. I've just bought an Z2 annual
travelcard for the first time (just before the price increase and
saved £125 compared to new monthlies!) but decided to buy it from an
South West Trains Station in order to receive additional benefits (6
free weekend return tickets to anywhere on the SWT network), and I
think other operators have similar offers.

The problem is that I could not get this issued on an Oyster as NR
stations are not Oyster equipped (except Wimbledon and Richmond). I
wasn't able to find out if I bought it from Wimbledon/Richmond if I'd
still get the additional benefits (SWT Customer Services didn't seem
to know).

Nicholas

On Fri, 7 Jan 2005 20:43:43 -0000, "Dave Plumb"
wrote:

of your journey, I'd opt for a paper NR ticket, unless the Oyster
'touch-in/out' convenience is very important to you.

Most operators give discounts when they fail to meet performance
levels - I've had 5% my monthly 'Period Travelcard' every month for a
long time. This is enough to keep me buying from a NR station.

What if you renew at a shared TOC station on a line that gives charter
discounts? Do they issue paper or Oysters?
http://www.oystercard.com/buy_toc.php

Can't say for certain, but rumour in my area is that Walthamstow
Central ('one' West Anglia rail), who do issues Oyster cards, didn't
give charter discounts on renewals as most people who renew there are
primarily Victoria line customers rather than 'one' rail customers.

'Experts' in uk.railway advised me that 'one' were obliged to give the
discount if the passenger travelled on the Chingford line, but it
seems it was left up to the customer to mention and prove this. [Which
is all academic now, as 'one' WA don't discount season tickets for
poor performance any more.]

Buying my 'Period Travelcard' at a NR only station does make life
easier - although Oyster-less.

--
Cheers,

Jason.