Oyster card (pay as you go) on National Rail

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The acceptance of Oyster Card (pay as you go) on National Rail in London, England has been limited to a restricted number of National Rail services^[1] since the introduction of the stored-value product on London Underground in January 2004.^[2] In response to an offer, from Transport for London, of funding to the train operating companies that have services within Greater London, there are currently various plans to expand its acceptance across the rail network in London.^[3]

Contents 1 Background 2 Schedule 3 See also 4 References

[edit] Background

The Oyster card was initially launched in 2003 with the facility to hold season-ticket travelcards. These were accepted on both London Underground and National Rail services. In January 2004 a pay as you go product was launched for use on London Underground; but only a limited number of National Rail operators accepted the product on parts of their routes, usually because their tickets were interchangeable with London Underground ticketing, due to long-standing agreements. Transport for London and National Rail publish lists and maps of routes and stations where pay as you go is valid.^[4][1]

In May 2006 Transport for London and the Department for Transport agreed a £20M funding package for train operators to install the equipment necessary to accept pay as you go at all London stations.^[5] The package was not taken up by any train operating companies and in September 2006, the South West Trains franchise was renewed by the Department for Transport with the condition that smartcard ticketing must be in place by 2009.^[6] Also in September it was announced that the metro routes currently operated by Silverlink would come under the control of Transport for London and, from November 2007, Oyster card pay as you go would be accepted on those routes.^[7]

A necessary precursor of the acceptance of Oyster card (pay as you go) on rail services was the introduction of zonal single fares on the National Rail network in London; this was implemented in January 2007.^[8] Also in January, the Mayor of London announced that he required operators to sign up by 31 January 2007 in order to receive the funding package offer.^[9] c2c and Chiltern Railways accepted the deal and on 31 January 2007, a commitment was made by ATOC, in principle, that all other operators would eventually accept the pay as you go product.^[3] According to ATOC, roll-out plans are subject to the installation of suitable ticket gates and back office equipment at all 330 stations.^[10]

[edit] Schedule

As of February 2007, the current arrangement and planned implentation schedule is as follows:

Operator	2004 implementation[2]	Expansion implemented[1]	Expansion planned
c2c	Fenchurch Street to Upminster Liverpool Street to Upminster		2007: Barking to Rainham[11] 2008: Upminster to Grays[11] 2008: Rainham to Grays[11]
Chiltern Railways	Marylebone to Amersham Marylebone to West Ruislip (South Ruislip only intermediately)		2007: remaining stations[12] [13] TBC: to High Wycombe and Aylesbury[14]
First Capital Connect	London Bridge to Kentish Town Elephant and Castle to Kentish Town Moorgate to Kentish Town Moorgate to Finsbury Park Kings Cross to Finsbury Park		2009: remaining stations[12]
First Great Western			2009: all stations[15]
'one'	Liverpool Street to Walthamstow Central (not at intermediate stations) Liverpool Street to Tottenham Hale (not at intermediate stations) Liverpool Street to Seven Sisters (not at intermediate stations) Liverpool Street to Stratford	2006: Stratford to Tottenham Hale[16] 2006: Stratford to Seven Sisters[16]	2008: intermediate stations[17] 2008: Walthamstow Central to Chingford[17] 2009: Stratford to Harold Wood[17] 2009: Seven Sisters to Enfield Town[17] 2009: Seven Sisters to Turkey Street[17] 2009: Tottenham Hale to Enfield Lock[17]
Silverlink	Euston to Harrow and Wealdstone (not at Kilburn High Road and South Hampstead) Gunnersbury to Richmond Stratford to Canning Town (closed 2006)[1]		2007: remaining stations and to Watford Junction[18]
Southeastern			TBC[12] †
Southern			TBC[12] [19] †
South West Trains			2009: all stations[20]

† Southeastern and Southern have agreed to the idea of accepting the Oyster card pay as you go product in principle, but have not given any firm roll-out plans.^[3]

[edit] See also

• Oyster card

[edit] References

1. ^ ^{a b c d} National Rail - Oyster Pay As You Go (PAYG) on National Rail (PDF)
2. ^ ^{a b} Transport for London, Your Guide to Oyster, (2004)
3. ^ ^{a b c} Transport for London - Train operators' Oyster acceptance welcomed
4. ^ "Oyster Single Fares to pay as you go on National Rail Services in London", Transport for London. Retrieved on 2007-03-03.
5. ^ Government News Network (Department for Transport) - Transport Secretary and Mayor of London announce new deal for rail passengers
6. ^ Government News Network (Department for Transport) - Department for Transport announces winner of South Western Franchise
7. ^ Transport for London - Introducing London Overground - a new era for London Rail
8. ^ Publictechnology.net - Smart rail ticketing in London a step closer with new Zonal fare structures
9. ^ BBC News - Rail firms urged to accept Oyster
10. ^ ATOC - ATOC’S position on Oyster pay-as-you-go and the offer by Transport for London
11. ^ ^{a b c} c2c - c2c storms ahead with introduction of Oyster
12. ^ ^{a b c d} ITPro - London railways to use Oyster prepay
13. ^ Transport for London - Mayor welcomes Oyster deal with Chiltern Railways
14. ^ Chiltern Railways - Exciting times ahead for passengers using Chiltern Railways!
15. ^ First Great Western - First Great Western to accept Oyster Pay As You Go
16. ^ ^{a b} Transport for London - National Rail services in London
17. ^ ^{a b c d e f} 'one' - ‘one’ Railway to extend availability of Oyster Pay As You Go
18. ^ Silverlink - Oyster to cover Silverlink Metro by the autumn
19. ^ Southern - Southern to introduce Oyster PAYG
20. ^ The Londoner - South West Trains will accept Oyster within three years