Oysters spread across all London rail services, Boris confirms

23 November 2009

By Mike Brooke

HUNDREDS of thousands of commuters on National Rail services in London will be able to use Oyster 'pay as you go' cards from January 2.

The discount tickets on buses and Underground are being extended to all commuter rail routes within Greater London, City Hall confirmed today.

It adds another 350 National Rail stations across Greater London to the 'Oyster' network. Commuters in north-east London and across most of south London where the Tube network thins out will particularly benefit.

Mayor Boris Johnson said: "This ends the 'crackers' situation of not being able to use Oyster cards on every commuter route."

Transport for London has put £40 million into the kitty to install or upgrade equipment at every National Rail station in London to take Oyster cards.

Passengers for the first time will be able to travel 'seamlessly' across the London rail network and switch between Underground, Overground and National Rail within the M25 motorway without having to pay a separate fare.

But Oyster cards are also being accepted beyond the M25 on c2c services from Fenchurch Street through East London as far out as Grays, Chafford Hundred, Purfleet and Ockendon in Essex.

The cards can be used on National Express East Anglia, London Midland, Chiltern, First Great Western, First Capital Connect, Southern, South West and Southeastern trains in the New Year.

They are also being accepted on all Thames Clipper river services from today (November 23).