Transport for London11-15
If your child is:
- Over 10 years and 11 months
- And under 16 on 31 August before the start of the academic year
They can get:
- Free travel at any time on buses and trams
- Child fares on Tube, DLR, London Overground and some National Rail services
Your child needs a valid Oyster photocard to get free travel on buses and trams, to get Travelcard season tickets and pay as you go at child rate.
A £10 administration fee is payable at the time of application.
Can my child get an 11 - 15 Zip Oyster photocard?
You can get an 11-15 Zip Oyster photocard for your child if they are:
- Over 10 years and 11 months
- Under 16 on 31 August before the start of the academic year
The academic year
- The academic year is from 1 September until 31 August
Your child's Zip Oyster photocard is valid until 30 September, after the end of the academic year in which they turn 16.
Child and Under-14 Zip Oyster photocards
If your child has a Child or Under-14 Oyster photocard, these will give them the same benefits as an 11-15 Oyster photocard. They can carry on using it until it expires.
You can apply for an 11-15 Oyster photocard for your child one month prior to the expiry date of their U14 photocard.
If you order a replacement for a lost, stolen or damaged Child or U14 Oyster photocard, your child will be issued with an 11-15 Oyster photocard.
If you order a replacement for a lost/stolen/damaged Zip Oyster photocard your child will be issued with a 11-15 Zip Oyster photocard.
How much does my child save with a 11-15 Oyster photocard?
Bus and tram
Travel free at any time on London's buses and trams showing this symbol
, including sections outside London.
11-15 year-olds who do not have a valid Oyster photocard must pay the full adult cash fare on buses and trams until they get one.
Tube, DLR, London Overground and National Rail
- Pay child rates for 7 Day, monthly or longer period Travelcards and for pay as you go (you cannot buy discounted rate Travelcards online)
- Travel as much as they like in one day in the off-peak in Zones 1-9 for £1.40 using Oyster pay as you go
Travelcards for £2
Children aged under 16 who do not have a Zip Oyster photocard can buy an Off-Peak Zones 1-9 Day Travelcard for £2 if they are travelling with an adult who has a valid:
- Gold Card
- Network Railcard
- Family and Friends Railcard
- HM Forces Railcard
Accompanying adults need to show their Railcard/Gold Card to buy an Off-Peak Zones 1-9 Travelcard for just £2 each for each child. The Railcard/Gold Card holder must have a valid ticket to travel.
They are available from Tube, London Overground and National Rail station ticket offices and Travel Information Centres.
For most of these cards, the reduced price tickets cannot be bought before 10:00. There are also restrictions on minimum fares Monday to Friday.
For more information relating to these restrictions, please visit railcard.co.uk
Children who have turned 16 and still hold a valid 11-15 Zip Oyster photocard
Children over 16 cannot buy Day Travelcards at child rate, even if they still have a valid 11-15 Zip Oyster photocard.
They can use their 11-15 Zip Oyster photocard to pay as they go and get capped at child rate.
How do I apply for an 11-15 Zip Oyster photocard for my child?
I live in a London borough
Apply online or at a Post Office.
Online
If you live in a London borough, and we can verify the information you provide, apply online and your child's 11-15 Zip Oyster photocard will be posted to you.
You, the parent or guardian, need to apply on your child's behalf as we'll need information about both you and your child.
When you apply you'll need:
- Your and your child's machine-readable passport numbers
- A digital photo of your child. It must be a true likeness and they should not be wearing anything that covers their head, unless worn for medical or religious reasons
- Debit or credit card to pay the £10 non-refundable administration fee (cheques not accepted)
At a Post Office
You need to get a pink coloured 11-15 Zip Oyster photocard application form from any Post Office in London.
Fill in the form and make sure it has been signed by both you and your child.
The form should then be taken to the Post Office at least two weeks before you need the Oyster photocard, with:
- A full face passport-type photo of your child. Ink jet quality photos are not accepted. It must be a true likeness and they should not be wearing anything that covers their head, unless worn for medical or religious reasons
- £10 for the non-refundable administration fee (cheques are not accepted)
- Proof of your identity and address, which must be one of the following and dated within the last three months:
- Residential utility bill
- Council tax bill
- Bank, building society or credit card statement
- Council or housing association rent book or statement
- Driving licence (full or provisional) - Proof of age of the child, either:
- Passport
- ID card from a European Economic Area country
- Birth certificate
You must provide the original document as we don't accept photocopies.
We'll send the 11-15 Zip Oyster photocard to you.
I live outside London
UK customer
If you live in the UK, but outside London, you can order your child's 11-15 Zip Oyster photocard online and we will send the card to you, provided we can verify your personal information.
You, the parent/guardian, need to apply on your child's behalf, as we'll need information about both you and your child.
When you apply, you'll need:
- Your and your child's machine-readable passport numbers
- A digital photo of your child. It must be a true likeness and they should not be wearing anything that covers their head, unless worn for medical or religious reasons
- Credit or debit card to pay the non-refundable £10 administration fee
If we're able to verify your details and your child's age online, we'll post the 11-15 Zip Oyster photocard to the address given. Allow two weeks for the delivery of the photocard.
If we're unable to send your card to you, or verify your details or your child's age online, you'll have to collect the photocard from a Travel Information Centre. You can select a Travel Information Centre in the application process. Please allow four weeks for your application to be processed.
Non UK customers
If you're not based in the UK, you'll need to apply online.
We are unable to post Oyster photocards overseas, so you will be asked to select a Travel Information Centre to collect the photocard from (the parent/guardian applying must collect the photocard).
Allow a minimum of four weeks to apply for your card. You can apply a maximum of three months prior to the collection date of the card from the Travel Information Centre.
To apply you'll need:
- A digital photo of the child. It must be a true likeness and they should not be wearing anything that covers their head, unless worn for medical or religious reasons
- Credit or debit card to pay £10 fee
- When collecting your child's photocard from a Travel Information Centre, you will need to present proof of identity for your child. This can be either:
- Valid passport
- ID card from a European Economic Area country
- Birth certificate
Tracking your application
If you have a question once you've applied or want to find out what's happening with your application, you can:
- Check online if you have a web account
- Text your application reference number to 07624 809325. You will receive a response from our SMS service. Standard network charges apply and can vary considerably. Please check with your mobile provider
If the photocard doesn't arrive within two weeks, please call 0845 331 9872, quoting your application reference number.
How does my child use their 11-15 Zip Oyster photocard?
Touching in and out
To avoid paying too much, make sure your child touches their card on the yellow card readers. It's a bit different for each type of transport.
Travelling without an 11-15 Zip Oyster photocard
They don't need to bring their Zip Oyster photocard if:
- They're using a child-rate Day Travelcard
- They pay cash for single or return tickets
At all other times they need to have their Zip Oyster photocard.
Cardholders must always touch in on the yellow reader on buses and trams and additionally touch out when using other services, such as the Tube and National Rail services.
Behaviour Code
11-15 Zip Oyster photocard holders must stick to the rules in our 11-15 Behaviour Code, which they signed up to as part of the application process. If they don't, we can withdraw their concession.
Problems using an Oyster photocard
We can only deal with queries from the parent/guardian who completed the application or the 11-15 Zip Oyster photocard holder. If the Oyster photocard does not work, please call our helpline on 0845 330 9876.
If your child's 11-15 Oyster photocard is worn and more than two years old, you can get another one free by calling the helpline on 0845 331 9872.
PIN number
The PIN number attached to the 11-15 Zip Oyster photocard is on the paper application form. It's the same last four numbers of the form's application reference number. If you apply online, you will be prompted to select the answer to a security question.
You will need this if you contact us with queries about the 11-15 Zip Oyster photocard and also if the card is going to be reported lost, stolen or damaged.
Once you've received your photocard, you can change your PIN online by creating a photocard account and using the 'Change PIN' option.
Expiry date
Your child's 11-15 Zip Oyster photocard will expire on 30 September following the end of the academic year in which they turn 16. To continue getting discounted travel, you can apply for a 16+ Oyster photocard on their behalf up to one month before their 11-15 or Child Zip Oyster photocard expires.
Applying for a new card
If you order a new or a replacement card, the existing photocard will stop working shortly after the new photocard has been issued.
The replacement photocard should arrive before the existing photocard is stopped. If it doesn't, the 11-15 Zip Oyster photocard holder will need to buy tickets until it arrives. We will not refund the cost of these tickets.
Changing the photo on your child's Zip Oyster photocard
If your child is no longer recognisable from the photo, it can be updated online. The photo must be a true likeness of your child. It costs £10 to update the photo online.
