TKD wrote:
I hold a paper travelcard for zones 1-4 (issued at a national rail
station), and occasionally need to travel to zone 5. Until last
December I always paid the difference in cash before the journey, but
the penal hike of cash fares meant that I have now bought a pay as you
go oyster. At the time of purchase (at Victoria TfL enquiry office) I
asked how I should use it for a such a zone extension - if I touched in
at the start of the journey I would presumably be charged for the Z1-4
section for which I already hold a travelcard. Yet once on the train
there is no way to validate the ticket on passing into Z5. The reply
was to tell staff at my destination station who would then deduct the
correct amount from the card.

Well, yesterday I tried this for the first time, travelling to
Cockfosters. Staff there absolutely refused to deduct the correct
amount, saying I should put the whole journey on the oyster card. I
pointed out (politely) that I was following TfL advice, but that made
no difference. After about ten minutes arguing they let me through the
barrier (so I got a free ride), but this is clearly unsatisfactory.

How should I temporarily extend the range of a paper travelcard using
PAYG oyster?

You can't. You should buy your season ticket on Oyster if you want to use
Oyster PAYG for extensions. Paper tickets and Oyster PAYG extensions are
not intended to work together in the way you desire.


Non-Oyster Underground fares have been put up punitively, but if you
live near a National Rail station you don't have the option of Oyster
for your travelcard. Walking to the nearest place that you can get an
Oyster travelcard on the morning when you need to renew is not exactly
practical, although it may be practical to have some prepay credit on
your Oyster to use when needed.

So people who have to buy an extension ticket in advance are having
their fares put up to £3 or else have to break their journey to use
prepay.

This seems insane for a system that is supposed to make things simple
and convenient, and it's a shameful way to treat people who have
actually paid TfL in advance for their prepay.