London Banter - View Single Post - Is pay-per-use Oystercard cheaper than... an annual travelcard?

Chris! · January 5th 06, 12:06 AM posted to uk.transport.london

wrote:
TKD,

Sorry, I thought you can put 1-day Travelcards on prepay. This is what
the TFL website says:-

"During any 24-hour period from 0430 to 0430 the following day, you
will never pay more than 50p less than the equivalent Day Travelcard
price for all your Oyster single journeys in Zones 1-6 or we will
refund the difference. "

I read this as meaning that if I make dozens of journeys within, say
Zones 1 and 2 in 1 day, then my Oystercard would be charged the
equivalent of a 1-day Travelcard for Zones 1 & 2, less 50 pence. Is
that not the same, in all but name, as buying a 1-day Travelcard on
Prepay?

From what I've read on u.t.l befo the oyster readers at most railway
stations can only read (ie check there is a season ticket on) oyster
cards.

On the tube, buses, DLR, tramlink, etc. they can read and write so they
can deduct money from prepay.

Capping works by working out how much to deduct based on previous
journeys that day (this could be £0.00p if a cap is reached)

The "man on the clapham omnibus" does not need to know the
technicalities of oyster so probably wouldn't understand - or desire -
a system which said:
"Once you have spent £X on the tube, bus, etc. in a single day you can
now use national rail services within zones x,y with the same
oystercard, however, you can't use the train services followed by the
tube then bus"

Hence they don't do it

Plus it would mean making national rail fares zonal which is *bad*
because NR is substantialy cheaper than LU zonal fares on (at least)
the Hounslow loop and probably other chunks of the rail network that I
don't use.

Hope this explains something

--
Chris