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Pink card readers

Pink route validator Pink card readers on the Tube, DLR, London Overground and National Rail tell us which route you've taken so we can charge you the right amount. Some routes are cheaper than others, for example avoiding Zone 1.

When to use the pink card readers

If you're using Oyster pay as you go and changing at one of the stations below. You still need to touch in and out on the yellow card readers.

To see whether the journey you want to make has a cheaper route use Single fare finder.

There are pink and yellow card readers at:

Blackhorse Road
Canada Water
Gospel Oak
Gunnersbury
Highbury & Islington
Kensington (Olympia)
Rayners Lane
Richmond
Stratford
West Brompton
Whitechapel
Wimbledon
Willesden Junction

What to do: Touch your Oyster card on the pink card reader when changing trains mid-journey. Touch in and out on the yellow readers as normal at the beginning and end of your journeys.

What happens: Oyster knows which route you've taken. It calculates the fare on that route. If you don't validate your route we can't charge you the right fare.