Here’s how to make your journey to London cheaper when using TFL’s pink card readers, but only if used correctly, most people know already about yellow readers, but many forget about the pink ones
Oyster card readers on London Overground and Underground stations are often yellow and the majority of people know to tap in and out in order to not be overcharged. However, pink card readers are dotted around certain stations – and most people don’t know what they mean and how they’re different.
Pink readers (route validators) and are used to track your journey and to let your Oyster card know that you did not travel to Zone 1, so you get a cheaper fare. Failing to tap the pink reader, means it’ll automatically be assumed that you did travel via Zone 1 and you will be charged the higher fare. So make sure to always check and tap.
Pink readers are found inside of Zone 2. One creator on TikTok, known as @theblacktrainboy shared a video explaining how the pink card readers can help you save on your travels.
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He shared an example to simplify things for viewers: “So I’m out and about on the train and I am not passing through Zone 1 going to West Croydon from Stratford, I tap on these pink readers to let my Oyster card know that I haven’t passed through Zone 1 and I don’t get charged a much higher fare.”
He continued sharing knowledge on what all the validators mean from the yellow reader to the green one for trams. He gave the example for the yellow reader: “If you were to end a journey on the Underground Stratford Station and get on a train to Essex, you could tap out here and continue with a separate ticket towards Essex.”
The TikTok creator said the green card readers “work the same way as a bus, you only tap in on it and you don’t need to tap out. It also works the same way as a bus with the hopper fare as you can make as much journeys as you want in one hour without being charged anymore”.
Many thanked the creator for the new information. One commented “so TFL is scamming us but now you are saving us! had no idea thank you”. Another said: “13 years after moving here (and living in Zone 2)…now I know”
The pink readers will always be found on or in between platforms and so far are on 17 stations.
Which stations have the pink readers?
- Blackhorse Road
- Canada Water
- Clapham Junction
- Ealing Broadway
- Gospel Oak
- Gunnersbury
- Hackney Central/Hackney Downs
- Highbury & Islington
- Kensington (Olympia)
- Rayners Lane
- Richmond
- Stratford
- Surrey Quays
- West Brompton
- Whitechapel
- Willesden Junction
- Wimbledon
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