Oyster on National Rail

You can now use Oyster pay as you go on most National Rail services in London.

Where you can use Oyster on National Rail

You can now use Oyster pay as you go on National Rail in London on all trains travelling in Zones 1-9 and on journeys to:

Chafford Hundred
Grays
Ockendon
Purfleet
Watford Junction

Oyster rail services from map (PDF 241KB)

Travelcards loaded onto Oyster cards are still valid on all National Rail services in Zones 1-9.

Where you can't use Oyster on National Rail

Heathrow Express
Heathrow Connect services between Hayes & Harlington and Heathrow
Southeastern High speed services between St Pancras International and Stratford International
Any journey starting or finishing outside Zones 1-9 or beyond Watford Junction or Grays

Oyster pay as you go fares on National Rail

Using Oyster pay as you go on National Rail is cheaper than paying cash. How much you pay depends on which lines you use.

You pay Tube, DLR and London Overground Oyster single fares when you use Oyster on lines that accepted pay as you go before 2010 (except Balham-Victoria).

You pay National Rail Oyster single fares when you use Oyster on National Rail lines that did not accept pay as you go before 2010.

These fares are cheaper than cash fares on National Rail. You pay half, or less than half, the price of a cash Anytime Return.

Pay as you go can be used for Standard Class travel only.

Find out how much you'll pay for a single journey

Peak and off-peak fares

Peak Oyster single fares apply from 06:30 to 09:30 and 16:00 to 19:00 Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays). At all other times, the Off-Peak Oyster single fare applies.

The fare charged is determined by the time at which you touch your card on the yellow card reader at the start of your journey. For example, if you plan to catch a train that leaves after 19:00, but you touch in before 19:00, you will be charged the peak Oyster fare.

Return fares on National Rail

All Oyster pay as you go fares are for single journeys, as they are elsewhere on London transport.

Cheaper fares avoiding Zone 1

If you avoid Zone 1 when using pay as you go on National Rail you'll usually save more money.

Daily price capping on National Rail

If you make lots of journeys in one day using Oyster pay as you go you won't pay more than the price of a Day Travelcard. This is called daily price capping. Price capping applies from 04:30 until 04:30 the following day.

Discounted pay as you go travel on National Rail

5-10 year olds

Children aged 5-10 pay child rate fares on most National Rail services in London.

5-10 Oyster photocard holders travel free on National Rail routes that accepted Oyster pay as you go before 2 January 2010 (except Balham-Victoria)
On all other National Rail routes in London, children aged 5-10 will be charged child-rate Oyster single fares
Journeys made on a combination of these routes by children aged 5-10 will be charged a child-rate Oyster single fare for the whole journey

The 5-10 map (PDF 67KB) shows the routes on which you will be charged a fare

16+ Oyster photocard holders

Children aged over 16 pay adult-rate fares on most National Rail services in London

16+ Oyster photocard holders travel at half rate on National Rail routes that accepted Oyster pay as you go before 2 January 2010 (except Balham-Victoria)
On all other National Rail routes in London, 16+ Oyster photocard holders will be charged adult-rate Oyster single fares
Journeys made on a combination of these routes by 16+ Oyster photocard holders will be charged an adult-rate Oyster single fare for the whole journey

The 16+ map (PDF 68KB) shows the routes on which you will be charged an adult fare

Senior, 16-25, Disabled Persons and Forces Railcard holders

Senior, 16-25, Disabled Persons and Forces Railcard holders can get a third off the adult Off-peak Oyster single fare for most journeys on National Rail in London. They also get a third off the off-peak daily price cap
Disabled Persons Railcard holders can also get discounted travel for one adult travelling with them for the whole journey. The accompanying adult should buy a child Off-Peak Day Travelcard

You need to register your Oyster card with your Railcard details. You can do this at all Tube and London Overground and some National Rail ticket offices.

How to get an Oyster card and add pay as you go credit and Travelcards

You can:

Get and renew Oyster cards from these National Rail stations
Use Auto-top up to add credit to your Oyster card
Collect online purchases of pay as you go credit and/or Travelcards at most National Rail stations
Add Travelcards and top up your pay as you go credit at some National Rail stations

How to use a Travelcard and pay as you go together on National Rail

You can put a Travelcard season ticket on your Oyster card. It will cover your National Rail journeys as well as other public transport.

If you want to travel beyond the zones covered by your Travelcard on National Rail services within London you must set an Oyster Extension Permit on your card before you travel. This means you will use pay as you go once you've gone outside the zone.

Oyster Extension Permits

You can set your permit at any Tube or London Overground station ticket office or touchscreen ticket machine, Oyster Ticket Stops, some National Rail ticket offices or self-service ticket machines
You only need to set an Oyster Extension Permit when you start a journey within the zones covered by your Travelcard and want to travel outside those zones on National Rail
Only set your permit to your card just before you make your extension journey
You must have at least £1.50 pay as you go balance on your Oyster card to set one
A permit stays on your card until you touch out at the end of your journey
When touching out, the permit will be cleared from your Oyster card and the fare for the extension journey will be deducted from your pay as you go balance

If you travel beyond the zones covered by your Travelcard without an Oyster Extension Permit you may be liable to a penalty fare or prosecution.

How to use your Oyster card on your journey

Don't pay too much - touch in and out

When you are using Oyster pay as you go you must touch in on the yellow card reader at the start of your journey and touch out at the end.

When you touch in an entry charge of up to £6.50 will be deducted from your Oyster card.
When you touch out, the charge will be adjusted so that you pay the appropriate Oyster single fare.
If you don't touch in and out the charge is not adjusted and you may pay more than you should.

Stations without ticket gates

If there are no ticket gates at a station, you must use the validators provided. If you don't, you will be charged a maximum Oyster fare.

Pay as you go on National Rail before 2010

On the following routes Tube, DLR and London Overground Oyster single fares will be charged.
5-10 Oyster photocard holders travel free and 16+ Oyster photocard holders travel at half adult rate.

Route	Train company
Amersham to Marylebone	Chiltern Railways
Balham to Victoria	Southern
Finsbury Park to King's Cross/Moorgate	First Capital Connect
Stratford to Liverpool Street	National Express East Anglia
Tottenham Hale/Seven Sisters to Stratford	National Express East Anglia
Upminster/Rainham to Fenchurch Street/Liverpool Street via Barking (but not at Forest Gate/Maryland)	C2C
Walthamstow Central/Tottenham Hale/Seven Sisters to Liverpool Street	National Express East Anglia
Watford Junction to Clapham Junction	Southern
Watford Junction to Euston	London Midland
West Drayton/Greenford to Paddington	First Great Western
West Hampstead to Moorgate/Elephant & Castle/London Bridge	First Capital Connect
West Ruislip to Marylebone	Chiltern Railways

Register with National Rail

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