How to ask Oyster Shop staff to add railcard discount

[Realfish]

Had exactly this at the two Hammersmiths a couple or so years back.
Told at H&C have to go to National Rail station... um, no...
Walked over to D&P (the alternative entrance/exit by Tesco Metro), no problem.

Ditto at the former Euston TFL shop a couple of years back. Before I got to the counter, I was intercepted by a queue minder who sent me on my way, telling me they don’t do this any more. He was unable to offer any further advice.
I walked around to Pancakes and got it done there. No problems, no quibble.

 

[Iggy12a]

Just had a phone call from TfL. Apparently it is a known feature (bug) that when a new Oyster is sent out as a replacement for a 1st generation card, the new card is in an unissued state; to activate you have to go to an Oyster Ticket Stop/Shop, and a tube station cannot do it.
I will see if the Ticket Stop can put my railcard discount on too whilst in there.

So finally all sorted. At the Ticket Stop, the assistant soon identified the issue as being that there was no deposit on the card. Once I had handed over my £5, the card was activated. The assistant said he couldn't apply my Railcard discount. But over at Aldgate there was a much more helpful TfL assistant who knew exactly what to do. Then when I went back to my online account, I saw that a £5 web credit had been applied.
It would be helpful if TfL notified you of this procedure to activate a new Oyster being sent out in exchange for a 1st generation card.

 

[island]

There is no deposit on Oyster cards any more so I’m not sure why you would have been told that.

 

[MikeWh]

There is no deposit on Oyster cards any more so I’m not sure why you would have been told that.

Well quite. Perhaps that's why it's ended up as a web credit. Ive asked TfL for comment, but nothing so far.

 

[infobleep]

Just had one part of Paddington refuse to apply a Railcard discount to Oyster and tell me to do it online. I showed him how it's impossible to do it online and that the TfL website says it can be done at tube stations, but he didn't budge. When I said South Kensington did it for me last time he said he'd authorise me travel there!

I then head over to the Praed Street tube entrance where they do it for me with no issues. Really shows how you have to shop around sometimes.

If I had time, I'd have taken them up on the offer to authorise travel to South Kensington and then enjoyed explaining the situation to them.

 

[trebor79]

London Underground ticket offices do seem to have more than their fare share of surly staff.
I've been ranted at twice (literally ranted at) when I've asked them to do perfectly normal things. Both times I've just stood slightly bewildered and said something like "but your colleague talking to people in the queue said you could do this for me", and after a bit more ranting they've silently done as I asked. One one occasion I had to remind him that he hadn't actually handed over the cash from my refund, he then graciously threw it at me.

I'm glad only use the tube infrequently, being from the provinces. It seems as Oyster has expanded in geography, it's become more and more complicated for stuff and punters.

 

[Leisurefirst]

London Underground ticket offices do seem to have more than their fare share of surly staff.
I've been ranted at twice (literally ranted at) when I've asked them to do perfectly normal things. Both times I've just stood slightly bewildered and said something like "but your colleague talking to people in the queue said you could do this for me", and after a bit more ranting they've silently done as I asked. One one occasion I had to remind him that he hadn't actually handed over the cash from my refund, he then graciously threw it at me.

I'm glad only use the tube infrequently, being from the provinces. It seems as Oyster has expanded in geography, it's become more and more complicated for stuff and punters.

Oh, I've had the cash-throwing thing...
Wasn't The Random Cash Thrower Of Old Liverpool Street was it?

 

[Joe Paxton]

Sounds about right!

Back in mid-2004 I got a pre-pay Oyster card and took it to my local newsagent. They loaded a child discount onto it. It charged me 35p on the buses and beeped 8 times on validation, which perplexed the drivers on some of the buses. It was a totally unadvertised product and I wouldn't be surprised if I was the only one using it, it was cheaper than the cash fare and weekly bus pass! It got replaced with a 14-15 card when free travel was introduced in 2005. In hindsight I wonder if the newsagent should even have done that discount. Maybe they just stick to doing top ups these days as that's what they're familiar with.

Interesting re the unadvertised child discount - how did you come across its existence in 2004?

Regarding Oyster Ticket Stops adding the Railcard discount flag, I had no idea they had the technical ability to do so. I've always directed people to get this done at a Tube or London Overground station.

 

[island]

Interesting re the unadvertised child discount - how did you come across its existence in 2004?

The child discount has been an option for a very long time – children who have their free bus travel withdrawn for bad behaviour can be given a card with half price bus travel set.