Over 60's Oyster to Gatwick Airport

[miss_stoat]

Hi forum

Asking for a friend travelling to Gatwick from London Bridge with an over 60's Oyster (not a Freedom pass). Thameslink are saying she'd need to buy a ticket extension from Coulsdon South to Gatwick and any train she board's at London Bridge would have to call at Coulsdon South limiting her choice of trains. She's fairly certain she's travelled to Gatwick before without a ticket extension. Could she be mis-remembering? If she is, does the train have to call at Coulsdon South?

TIA

 

[island]

A 60+ Oyster card is not and has to my knowledge never been valid to travel to Gatwick Airport; an additional fare would need to be paid.

No need for the train to call at Coulsdon South when doing this as it counts as combining a season ticket with a non-season ticket, but the fare is the same from East Croydon and all trains call there, so this could be purchased to remove all possible concern. It'd be cheaper to get off at East Croydon and touch in a normal Oyster (some edge cases involving weekend day returns excepted), but that would necessitate going to the gateline.

 

[miss_stoat]

Thanks for confirming, I have passed this on

 

[Haywain]

An add on ticket, to avoid alighting at East Croydon, can be purchased from any of East Croydon, Coulsdon South or Boundary Zone 6 all at the same price.

 

[BJames]

Indeed. My mum has an over 60s card and we purchase a Boundary Zone 6 to Gatwick Airport extension for her. Tap in on the barriers as normal and use the boundary zone 6 ticket to Gatwick ticket to exit at Gatwick Airport. An over 60s oyster card is not valid outside of this area: https://content.tfl.gov.uk/60-plus-london-free-travel-national-rail-map.pdf

An additional note to say that the over 60s pass is not valid before 0930 Monday to Friday now on this route as it is National Rail, just to be aware in case she has an early flight.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

It'd be cheaper to get off at East Croydon and touch in a normal Oyster (some edge cases involving weekend day returns excepted), but that would necessitate going to the gateline.

Is that still at the top of the steep ramp up from the platforms at East Croydon?

 

[island]

Is that still at the top of the steep ramp up from the platforms at East Croydon?

There’s a second one towards the up end of the platforms with lifts nowadays.