This is probably a silly oyster-noobie question, but I'm finding the tfl
online advice clear as mud.

I only use oyster on the buses - so what happens when my funds run out?
Firstly, auto-top up doesn't work with buses, and secondly when I
tries to add funds online, it said I would have to activate the added
funds at a Tube or DLR station. Is this right? Can't you add funds online?

Help much appreciated

CC

On Tue, 15 Aug 2006 09:33:25 +0100, Courtney Cong wrote:

This is probably a silly oyster-noobie question, but I'm finding the tfl
online advice clear as mud.

I only use oyster on the buses - so what happens when my funds run out?

You have to go to a Tube station or Oyster Ticket Stop to top it up.
Bus stops usually have a map showing the nearest locations.

In the meantime, you'll have to pay the £1.50 cash fare.

asdf wrote:
On Tue, 15 Aug 2006 09:33:25 +0100, Courtney Cong wrote:

This is probably a silly oyster-noobie question, but I'm finding the tfl
online advice clear as mud.

I only use oyster on the buses - so what happens when my funds run out?

You have to go to a Tube station or Oyster Ticket Stop to top it up.
Bus stops usually have a map showing the nearest locations.

In the meantime, you'll have to pay the £1.50 cash fare.

Its never worked for me. Could this be because I have a season ticket
as well (which is the one that's being used)? Its most tiresome.

Francis

wrote:

asdf wrote:
On Tue, 15 Aug 2006 09:33:25 +0100, Courtney Cong wrote:

This is probably a silly oyster-noobie question, but I'm finding the tfl
online advice clear as mud.

I only use oyster on the buses - so what happens when my funds run out?

You have to go to a Tube station or Oyster Ticket Stop to top it up.
Bus stops usually have a map showing the nearest locations.

In the meantime, you'll have to pay the £1.50 cash fare.

Its never worked for me. Could this be because I have a season ticket
as well (which is the one that's being used)? Its most tiresome.


What specifically has never worked for you - the auto-topup?

If so have you actually signed up for auto-topup via your online Oyster
account? Once you've done this you need to make a journey that either
starts of finishes at your nominated station within the next 7 days.
Once you've done that auto-topup will be configured on your Oyster
card, and from then on each time your Oyster Pre-Pay balance goes below
£5 it'll be credited with either £20 or £40 (whichever you chose
when you signed up for auto-topup) when you travel by Tube or by bus.

Mizter T wrote:


What specifically has never worked for you - the auto-topup?


No. Topping up a specific sum online. I've not tried auto-topup yet
because if adding a specific sum doesn't work, I don't expect the
auto-topup to, though it would be useful.

If so have you actually signed up for auto-topup via your online Oyster
account? Once you've done this you need to make a journey that either
starts of finishes at your nominated station within the next 7 days.
Once you've done that auto-topup will be configured on your Oyster
card, and from then on each time your Oyster Pre-Pay balance goes below
£5 it'll be credited with either £20 or £40 (whichever you chose
when you signed up for auto-topup) when you travel by Tube or by bus.

Yes, I *do* understand all that. Oyster is so rubbish at this part of
things, I have no confidence in it. I had a very annoying experience in
which I tried to renew my season ticket online - again it completely
failed to register and I had to go via a very pleasant person at
Finsbury Park, who spent several hours trying to sort it out. They
advised me to avoid buying tickets online.

Francis

On Tue, 15 Aug 2006 09:33:25 +0100, Courtney Cong
wrote:

This is probably a silly oyster-noobie question, but I'm finding the tfl
online advice clear as mud.

I only use oyster on the buses - so what happens when my funds run out?
Firstly, auto-top up doesn't work with buses, and secondly when I
tries to add funds online, it said I would have to activate the added
funds at a Tube or DLR station. Is this right? Can't you add funds online?

Help much appreciated

CC

Auto top-up does work on buses, from about a month ago. My card was
recently topped up on the 323 - must be the most that route has ever
taken on a single journey, I reckon.

Al Holmes

Al Holmes wrote:
On Tue, 15 Aug 2006 09:33:25 +0100, Courtney Cong
wrote:

This is probably a silly oyster-noobie question, but I'm finding the tfl
online advice clear as mud.

I only use oyster on the buses - so what happens when my funds run out?
Firstly, auto-top up doesn't work with buses, and secondly when I
tries to add funds online, it said I would have to activate the added
funds at a Tube or DLR station. Is this right? Can't you add funds online?

Help much appreciated

CC

Auto top-up does work on buses, from about a month ago.

I remember someone saying here that this was going to happen. Haven't
tried it myself - there are Oyster-enabled newsagents everywhere! You
can find them by area or postcode he
http://www.tfl-ticketlocator.co.uk/


--
Larry Lard

The address is real, but unread - please reply to the group

On Tue, 15 Aug 2006 09:33:25 +0100, Courtney Cong
wrote:

This is probably a silly oyster-noobie question, but I'm finding the tfl
online advice clear as mud.

I only use oyster on the buses - so what happens when my funds run out?
Firstly, auto-top up doesn't work with buses, and secondly when I
tries to add funds online, it said I would have to activate the added
funds at a Tube or DLR station. Is this right? Can't you add funds online?

Help much appreciated

CC
I can find no reference, but I'm sure someone in this group mentioned
fairly recently that auto topup was to be introduced on buses.

Did I imagine it?

Ken wrote:

On Tue, 15 Aug 2006 09:33:25 +0100, Courtney Cong
wrote:

This is probably a silly oyster-noobie question, but I'm finding the tfl
online advice clear as mud.

I only use oyster on the buses - so what happens when my funds run out?
Firstly, auto-top up doesn't work with buses, and secondly when I
tries to add funds online, it said I would have to activate the added
funds at a Tube or DLR station. Is this right? Can't you add funds online?

Help much appreciated

CC
I can find no reference, but I'm sure someone in this group mentioned
fairly recently that auto topup was to be introduced on buses.

Did I imagine it?


See this answer [1] from TfL's useful "oyster help" Q&A website [2]

-----
Question
When using Auto top-up, when is my Oyster card topped up?

Answer
Once activated, your pay as you go balance will automatically be topped
up whenever it falls below £5 and you touch it on any card reader
(Tube, bus, DLR or tram) but not a ticket machine.
-----


[1] specific answer page
http://tinyurl.com/jpefq

[2] oyster help website front page
https://transportforlondon.custhelp.com/

This is probably a silly oyster-noobie question, but I'm finding the tfl
online advice clear as mud.

Understandable. They can be a little inconsistent with their info to say
the least.

I only use oyster on the buses - so what happens when my funds run out?
Firstly, auto-top up doesn't work with buses, and secondly when I tries to
add funds online, it said I would have to activate the added funds at a
Tube or DLR station. Is this right? Can't you add funds online?

You have probably read
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/fares-tick...er/general.asp which
unfortunately is out of date. Auto top-up now works on buses and at tram
stops and the initial auto top-up instruction can be picked up at tram stops
as well as tube and DLR stations (I'm not sure if season tickets and other
PAYG top-up can also be picked up at tram stops).

Of course if you don't ever use PAYG on tube, DLR or trams then that doesn't
really help much. You are probably best of adding funds at one of the very
many Oyster enabled 'Ticket Stop' shops around Greater London.

I believe you can also now order Oyster cards online that are already
enabled with the auto top-up instruction. You might like to look at that.

G.