I haven't seen this mentioned yet on this group but I'm sure some will
have picked up on thus news from posters and leaflets now floating
around the Tube network.

From the 25 September adult 7 Day Travelcards (7DTC) will only be
available on Oyster, and not on a paper - and as a logical extension
of this (since 15 August) the £3 Oyster card deposit has been waived
*if* a passenger is buying a 7 Day Travelcard.

I think (though it's not made clear in the publicity) that this will
also apply to TfL Ticket Stops (newsagents to you and me) as well as
Underground ticket offices.

This will mean that you won't be able to buy paper adult season tickets
from any TfL outlet. If you're buying from a National Rail station then
you'll get a paper ticket (though a few NR stations do have Oyster
issuing capabilities so I guess you'll have a choice if you buy from
them [1]).

7 Day Bus Passes will still be available as a paper ticket, and if you
want to get one on Oyster then you'll still have to pay the £3
deposit. The deposit will also remain payable if you just want to get
an Oyster card for use with Pre Pay.

This move represents TfL's next big push for the Oyster card system,
and is backed up by a witty and well executed poster campaign across
the Tube and elsewhere (I've seen at least one advertising billboard
poster at an overground station), with the strapline "Faster Smarter
Easier Oyster", and with taglines such as "Blue is the new Pink", "The
correct change", and - to push Oyster's online purchasing facility -
"Why stand in line when you can buy online"

So keep hold of any old TfL season tickets you may have as they're
about to become history, the first casualty of the electronic ticketing
revolution.

For the TfL press release on this changeover go to:
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/press-cent...t.asp?prID=479


[1] Non-exhaustive list of National Rail stations that issue Oyster
http://snipurl.com/oyster_at_NRstations