over 60 oyster travel map

60+ Oyster Card: Eligibility, Application & Benefits

Mobility Extra Team

Eligibility Criteria Explained

Age requirement.

To be eligible for the 60+ Oyster card, ensure you are aged 60 or over. Living in a London borough is also necessary.

Free Travel Conditions

Understand that this card offers free travel on London’s public transport services. This includes buses, Tube, tram, DLR, London Overground, and some National Rail services.

Restrictions for Veterans Oyster Photocard Holders

For Veterans Oyster photocard holders, there are specific restrictions to note. They can only travel free on Transport for London (TfL) services during off-peak times. This means they may not enjoy free travel during peak hours.

Step-by-Step Application Guide

Document preparation.

Gather necessary documents such as a passport, bank card, or UK driving licence before starting the application process. Ensure they are valid.

Capture a clear digital photo for the application. Make sure the photo meets the specified requirements to avoid any delays in processing.

Proof of Age and Address

During the application, be prepared to provide proof of age, address, personal information, contact, and time. This can include documents like utility bills, bank statements, debit, personal information, and data.

Remember to have your personal information, bank account data, and these documents readily available to ensure a smooth and efficient application process.

Checking Your Application Status

Online tracking.

To check the status of your 60+ Oyster card application, track it online through the official website. Enter your details to view updates.

Document Verification

Ensure all required documents are submitted accurately to avoid delays in processing your application. Double-check for completeness.

Prompt Follow-Up

If additional verification of data or bank account is necessary, follow up promptly to provide any requested information. This helps expedite the process.

Benefits and Discounts Overview

Free travel.

Free travel on National Rail routes is a significant benefit of the 60+ Oyster card. This feature allows customers to explore various destinations without incurring additional fares. The card provides access to cost-effective transportation options, promoting ease of travel for individuals aged 60 and above.

Off-Peak Hours

Travelling during off-peak hours offers additional advantages to 60+ Oyster cardholders. By avoiding peak times, passengers can enjoy less crowded trains and buses, leading to a more comfortable commute experience. This flexibility encourages savings, especially for those who have the flexibility to travel outside rush hours.

Transition to Freedom Pass

Upon meeting the eligibility criteria, individuals with a 60+ Oyster card can seamlessly transition to a Freedom Pass . This transition expands the range of benefits and services available to users, including extended coverage and enhanced discounts on various services. The Freedom Pass further enhances the convenience and affordability of public transport for seniors.

How to Use Your Card

Start using.

Start using your card as soon as you receive it. Ensure you have sufficient funds loaded onto your oyster card before commencing your journey.

Touchpoints

Remember to touch in and out at yellow card readers to ensure accurate fare calculation. Failure to do so may result in additional charges being deducted from your bank account .

Limitations

Understand where the card cannot be used for pay-as-you-go travel. For instance, the oyster card is not valid for travel on certain National Rail services or Eurostar trains.

Understanding Peak Hour Restrictions

Morning peak.

Morning peak refers to the period of highest demand for public transport services, typically occurring between 6:30 am and 9:30 am on weekdays. During this time, peak fares are charged to manage congestion, encourage travel outside these hours, and provide information.

Travelling during the morning peak can result in higher costs due to the increased demand for transportation services. To avoid these peak fares , consider adjusting your schedule to travel during off-peak hours.

Planning Journeys

When using your 60+ Oyster card, it’s essential to plan your journeys around peak and off-peak times. By avoiding the morning peak period, you can save money on your travel expenses.

Weekends and public holidays offer a great opportunity to enjoy the flexibility of travel without worrying about peak travel restrictions. Take advantage of these times to explore the city at a more relaxed pace.

Yearly Address Verification and Fee

Email address.

To ensure your 60+ Oyster card remains valid, complete the annual address check using your registered email address.

Updating your address promptly is crucial. Failure to do so can lead to card suspension .

The process involves verifying your details with City Hall annually. Remember to keep track of the £10 fee for this service.

City Hall uses your IP address to verify your location during the address verification process.

Completing the yearly address check is essential for maintaining the validity of your 60+ Oyster card. Ensure you update your information promptly and keep track of the £10 fee required for this service. By doing so, you can avoid any disruptions in card usage and enjoy seamless travel experiences.

Card Expiry and Renewal Process

Expiry date.

Ensure to keep track of your 60+ Oyster card expiry date to avoid any travel inconveniences. The card’s validity is linked to your eligibility for the Freedom Pass.

Renewal Fee

When renewing your 60+ Oyster card, be prepared to pay a renewal fee . This fee ensures the continued benefits and discounts associated with the card.

Renewal Process

To renew your 60+ London Oyster photocard, visit a designated post office within the specified period before your current card expires. Make sure to have all necessary documents and payment ready.

Trial Period

Before the official expiry date, there might be a trial period where you can still use your card but should initiate the renewal process promptly.

Age Verification

During the renewal process, your age may be verified to ensure continued eligibility for the 60+ Oyster card. Provide any requested documentation promptly.

Payment Options

Explore various payment options available for renewing your 60+ Oyster card. Choose the method that is most convenient for you to complete the process smoothly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can anyone apply for a 60+ oyster card.

Yes, anyone aged 60 or over living in London can apply for a 60+ Oyster card.

How do I apply for a 60+ Oyster card?

To apply, fill out the online form on the official Transport for London website and provide the necessary documents.

What benefits does a 60+ Oyster card offer?

The card provides discounted travel on buses, trams, the Tube, DLR, London Overground, TfL Rail and most National Rail services in London.

How long does it take to receive a 60+ Oyster card after applying?

You should receive your 60+ Oyster card within five to seven working days after applying online.

Can I use my 60+ Oyster card during peak hours?

Yes, you can use your 60+ Oyster card during peak hours; however, be aware of any fare differences during these times.

About the author

Notice:MobilityExtra.com is an information and guidance-only website. The information on the site is not tailored advice to each individual reader and, as such, does not constitute actionable legal advice nor actionable financial advice. All information, guidance or suggestions provided are intended to be general in nature. You should not rely on any of the information on the site in connection with the making of any personal decisions, and you should always do your own in-depth research first and speak to specialists.

By using this website, you accept that you use the information at your own risk, and we can’t accept liability for any action you take. You should also note that we do not provide financial advice or legal advice, and no content or articles on the site should be regarded as financial advice or legal advice. You should always do your own research before choosing any financial or legal product, so that you can be sure it is right for you and your specific circumstances.

We aim to provide helpful content, but we can’t guarantee that it is always correct. We try to provide the best information we can. However, we cannot guarantee we won’t make mistakes. We can also not guarantee that the information you read is up to date from a legal or financial perspective. So please note that you use the information on our site at your own risk. We advise that you read our information in conjunction with other sources. If you do find any errors, please email us at [email protected].

At times we work with third parties who act as affiliates or partners. We might receive a commission or payment from them if you were to engage with them directly. We do not also provide quotes, advise or sell products directly to consumers, nor are we a Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) Licensed Agent or Broker. This site is an information hub and the options expressed are our own and should not be considered as advice.

We always strongly recommend that you get professional advice when seeking support on any topic, particularly legal and/or financial advice. Further guidance on financial topics can be obtained from moneyhelper.org.uk. You can also find legal advisors through the Law Society website.

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Benefits and Entitlements

If you're 60 or over or you have a disability, you might be eligible for public transport concessions – from discounts on your rail journeys to a free bus pass.

What transport concessions are available?

Can i get a free bus pass, can i get a discount on train travel, can i get a london freedom pass, what if i have difficulty using public transport, what if i'm unable to use public transport, more travel concessions questions.

There are several national public transport concessions available to older and disabled people. Some entitle you to discounts on your fares, while others allow you to travel for free.

Eligibility for these concessions depends on whether you have a disability or your age. 

Depending on your age and your circumstances, you might be able to get one of the following free bus passes, which allow you to travel free on local buses:

• an older person's bus pass
• a disabled person's bus pass

What age do I have to be to get an older person's bus pass?

You can get an older person's bus pass when you reach State Pension age, which is currently 66 for both women and men.

Apply for your older person's bus pass on GOV.UK

If you're 60 or over and live in London, then you can get free travel on buses, trains and other modes of transport in and around London with a 60+ London Oyster photocard.

Apply for your 60+ London Oyster photocard on the TFL website

How can I get a disabled person's bus pass?

There's no central provider of the disabled person's bus pass – to find out if you're eligible and how to apply, you need to get in touch with your local council.

Find your local council and apply for a disabled person's bus pass on GOV.UK

Are there any other discounts if I'm an older person or I'm disabled?

It's a good idea to contact individual transport operators to see if they offer discounts.

For instance, National Express offers Coachcards. These are discount cards for older or disabled customers. You buy them for a set fee of £15.00 and they get you a third off the cost of your travel across the year.

Find out more and order a Coachcard on the National Express website

Depending on your age and circumstances, you might be entitled to one of the below railcards:

• a Senior Railcard
• a Disabled Person's Railcard

Both railcards are discount cards. You buy them for a set fee to last either 1 or 3 years and they get you a third off the cost of your train travel.

Can I get a Senior Railcard?

The Senior Railcard is available for anyone aged 60 or over to buy.

You can apply on the Senior Railcard website using a valid passport or UK driving licence as ID. Or, you can apply in person at most staffed railway stations.

Find out more about the Senior Railcard and apply online

Can I get a Disabled Person's Railcard?

The Disabled Person's Railcard is available to you if you meet one of the following criteria:

• you're registered as deaf or use a hearing aid
• you're registered as having a visual impairment
• you have epilepsy
• you receive a disability-related benefit, such as  Personal Independence Payment
• you receive War or Service Disablement pension
• you receive Attendance Allowance
• you receive Severe Disablement Allowance
• you receive War Pensioner's mobility supplement

Find out more about the Disabled Person's Railcard and apply online

Freedom Passes give London residents free travel in the city – including National Rail services, the Underground, buses, river services and trams – and free local bus journeys nationally.

If you live in London, you can apply for a Freedom Pass if one of the following applies to you:

• you've reached State Pension age
• you have a disability.

Find out more about Freedom Passes and apply on the London Councils website

National Rail has an interactive tool called Stations Made Easy, designed to help people find their way around stations and find more accessible routes, avoiding potential difficulties like stairs. This may be helpful if you have difficulty using public transport because of your health. 

Find out more and use the tool on the National Rail website

If you're disabled, you can't use public transport, or you don't have access to a car, you might also be able to use a community transport scheme – such as a social car, dial-a-ride, or taxicard scheme.

Shopmobility schemes help people shop in town centres by lending out wheelchairs and scooters. Some local councils also offer concessions on local public transport.

To find out what's available in your area, you can contact your local council or your local Age UK.

Find your local council on GOV.UK

• Please select a search type
• Please enter a valid postcode

No, you can't use a free bus pass on National Express buses. To get senior concessions on National Express you need to buy a senior coachcard, which costs £15 a year.

Top of section

Yes, your bus pass will give you free travel on buses across England, including London. However, there may be specific rules about when you can travel for free, so check your local council's free bus pass guidance before travelling.

Find your local council's older person's bus pass guidance on GOV.UK

Want more information?

Apply for an older person's bus pass on GOV.UK

Apply for a disabled person's bus pass on GOV.UK

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Last updated: Apr 09 2024

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Freedom Pass for older people

Your Freedom Pass is valid on all Transport for London buses (in the Greater London area) London Underground (the 'tube'), Overground and Docklands Light Railway network and London Trams from 9am on weekdays and at any time on weekends and bank holidays.

Your pass is also valid on local bus services run by other bus companies which are outside the TfL bus network.

Usually your pass will be valid Monday–Friday 9.30am–11pm and anytime at weekends and on public holidays.

You can travel in Standard Class on most local rail services in London, provided you travel at the following times:

Monday–Friday from 9.30am and until 4.30am the following morning

• weekends and public holidays at any time.

Find out more about when and where you can use the pass

How to apply for a pass

You can apply for the Older Persons Freedom Pass online on the  Freedom Pass website. 

• Read the guidance notes to check if you are eligible for the older person's Freedom Pass

If you don't have internet access at home you can use the computers and scanners at some local libraries. You will need to take your library card, a passport-sized photo and proof of identity and address to one of the following:

Lewisham Library

Catford Library

The Library at Deptford Lounge

If you lose your pass

Report that your pass has been lost or stolen.

If you are aged 60 or over but you are not old enough to apply for an older persons freedom pass you should apply for a 60+ Oyster card .

A 60+ London Oyster photocard allows you to travel free on public transport in London from the age of 60 until you qualify for a Freedom Pass.

To be eligible for a 60+ London Oyster photocard, you must:

• live in a London borough and
• be aged 60 or over.

With a 60+ London Oyster photocard you'll be able to travel free on bus, Tube, tram, DLR, London Overground and most National Rail services in London.

Watch this video , to help you look at free or cheaper  travel options.

Pdf, 73.5KB

Useful websites

Freedom pass.

Tue 7 May 2024

2024 newspaper of the year

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Your newsletters

Can I use my Freedom Pass on the Elizabeth Line? When it is valid and full list of new TfL Crossrail stations

The elizabeth line will boost capacity and cut journey times for travel across the capital and beyond.

TfL has confirmed the opening of the new Elizabeth Line, which will start operating an incomplete service from 24 May 2022.

After years of delays caused by Covid restrictions and overambitious deadlines , the new line will be up and running just in time for the Queen’s Jubilee in early June.

The Elizabeth Line will boost capacity and cut journey times for travel across the capital, Transport for London (TfL) has said.

Can I use my Freedom Pass on the Elizabeth Line?

London Councils has confirmed that Freedom Pass holders will be able to use their passes on weekdays and at all times at weekends and Bank Holidays on the entire Elizabeth line.

This will include stations up to and including Reading once the service is operating in full.

When can I use my Freedom Pass?

Freedom pass holders can travel for free, on weekdays, from 9:00 am until 4:30 am the next day, however pass holders can use the pass any time on weekends and public holidays.

Under the terms of the travelcard, pass holders were previously entitled to travel on all TfL services at any time of the day, including peak hours.

But in June 2020 and during the pandemic, Boris Johnson’s Government brought an end to the 24-hr Freedom Pass.

As one of the conditions for the TfL bailout which happened following plunging passenger numbers during the Covid outbreak, the Government ensured that Freedom Passes were only eligible after 9.00am on weekdays.

Is the Freedom Pass different to 60+ Oyster Card?

The Freedom Pass is specifically designed to serve pensioners, whereas the 60+ Oyster card is for those over 60. The Freedom Pass criteria is based on the Women’s state pension age, which means that those over 66 are eligible for a Freedom Pass.

The 60+ Oyster card means that carriers can travel for free on bus, Tube, tram, DLR, London Overground, TfL Rail and most National Rail services in London, however 60+ Oyster card owners cannot use their pass beyond London.

Full list of Crossrail stations

The new Crossrail line will cover 41 stations (not in order):

• West Drayton
• Hayes & Harlington
• West Ealing
• Ealing Broadway
• Acton Main Line
• Bond Street
• Tottenham Court Road
• Liverpool Street
• Whitechapel
• Forest Gate
• Seven Kings
• Chadwell Heath
• Harold Wood
• Canary Wharf
• Custom House
• Heathrow Airport Terminals 2 & 3
• Heathrow Airport Terminal 4
• Heathrow Airport Terminal 5

When does the Elizabeth Line open?

The Elizabeth Line will open to passengers on 24 May 2022 – four years later than planned and with a staggered service over limited stations initially.

At first, trains will run between Paddington and Abbey Wood as the final phase of trial operations concludes.

Full end-to-end services across the entire line is expected to start “no later than May 2023”, according to TfL. However some trains are already running on existing tracks as TfL Rail.

This article was amended to correct the weekday travel times .

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60+ travel card plus boundary extension questions

Home › Forums › Using Contactless › 60+ travel card plus boundary extension questions

• Author Posts

First, thank you Mike for supporting commuters in what is a system no one would design deliberately. Unless you enjoy gaming.

The 60+ oystercard site specifically says you can’t add oyster credit to the card, so we have to use a different oystercard or contactless in addition.

Can I add the 60+ to the oystercard as I would any travel card? I know I need to have the photocard to show the inspector.

Can I buy the extension in advance and at the oyster PAYG rate?

Two journeys I make regularly are:

Bromley South to St Albans City (return) Bromley South to Gatwick (single)

Gatwick is easy as I have to exit the gate in London Victoria, so I can get an oyster “extension” from the ticket machine there. The ticket machine in BMS isn’t programmed for the split from East Croydon.

Will I pay £6.20 or £3.70 for off-peak single at the machine?

Can I use Apple Pay contactless for touching out at Gatwick if I don’t buy an extension in advance?

Does the tfl iOS app store or just “manage” travel cards? If it does allow payment, this seems to mirror what the Apple Wallet does for contactless PAYG but I have not tried it. I can imagine having double payment taken if both apps are open when passing the gate.

Pity that the Apple Wallet doesn’t store tfl travel cards, but it does store some electronic passes.

Perhaps buying an electronic single ticket in advance would simplify the Gatwick journey and avoid queues at ticket machine. I can use the barcode at the gate without converting it into a paper ticket according to split ticket site.

Hi Patricia,

The 60+ Oyster card is not a simple thing. It is valid on TfL services from 0900, but non-TfL services from 0930. So someone travelling from Norwood Junction to New Cross Gate at 0900 has to be careful to get an Overground train rather than a Southern one. Outside the zones it’s valid on TfL services* but not non-TfL services, so from Shenfield you can use the Elizabeth line but not Greater Anglia. Obviously these distinctions can’t be decided by the gate pads which is why you can’t add credit to a 60+ Oyster card.

In terms of extension tickets, you can buy those from some stations, or online. You might have to use a named station rather than boundary of zone 6 if buying online. I’m not sure whether you can use e-tickets if you don’t scan them in at the beginning of the journey. The prices will be the standard ticket prices, not the PAYG prices. For Gatwick you can get the PAYG price by getting off at East Croydon and taking the next train once you’ve touched out the 60+ and in with the bank card. If you have a senior railcard then that can be added to an Oyster card and used for East Croydon to Gatwick. St Albans isn’t so easy because there are fewer trains stopping at the boundary station Elstree and Borehamwood. Oyster also isn’t valid at St Albans.

*But not the Elizabeth line between West Drayton and Reading.

Hi Mike, I’ll keep these emails on my phone so I can consider them.

The senior railcard is a good idea for longer journeys, so once I’m 60 in a few weeks, I’ll apply for it and add it to my standard Oyster card.

You don’t mention adding the 60+ to the standard Oyster card, is it possible?

Getting out at East Croydon with bags is a faff, and as I can buy an electronic (more expensive) ticket for the extension I will use that. I can convert it into a paper ticket at my origin station Bromley south. Or I’ll get a bus to East Croydon.

Are there any other restrictions on using 60+ such as the non-stop BMS – VIC? I vaguely recall that high speed trains are excluded.

You can’t add a 60+ to a standard Oyster for the same reason that you can’t add credit to a 60+ Oyster.

The only trains that are excluded are the Heathrow and Gatwick Expresses and South Eastern High Speed into St Pancras.

Thanks excluding Express trains make sense.

There’s a map of the 60+ permitted routes on the website. https://tfl.gov.uk/fares/free-and-discounted-travel/60-plus-oyster-photocard?intcmp=54724

Anyone who wants to support this benefit needs to contact the mayor and their MP. Looks like it won’t be called 60+ for much longer.

The map shows Elstree and Borehamwood are included in the 60+ scheme, so my St Alban ticket will cost £6.30 return with Senior Railcard.

I will report back on the tfl app, and how useful it is soon.

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Where can I use my Oyster card?

If you have a Pay As You Go Oyster card, you can use it to travel on bus, Tube, tram, DLR, the IFS Cable Car, London Overground and National Rail services in London. You can also use it to travel on Thames Clippers River Bus services  but these journeys do not count towards daily caps.

You can use Oyster Pay As You Go in London on all suburban trains stopping in Zones 1 – 9 and journeys to:

• Broxbourne, Rye House, St. Margarets, Ware and Hertford East
• Gatwick Airport
• Merstham, Redhill, Earlswood, Salfords and Horley
• Ockendon, Chafford Hundred, Purfleet and Grays
• Cuffley, Bayford and Hertford North
• Radlett and Potters Bar

Using Oyster Pay As You Go is usually cheaper than paying cash. However, you must touch in at the start of each journey and touch out at the end to ensure you pay the correct fare – on bus and tram you need only touch in.

If you wish to know how much you will be charged for your journey, you can find single fares  here .  If you use your Oyster Pay As You Go for a number of journeys, the fare you will pay will be capped below the Daily Travelcard rate. For daily price capping information see  here .

You can’t use Oyster on the following rail services on any journey starting or finishing outside the Pay as you go area: East Midlands Trains, Grand Central, Hull Trains, Virgin Trains, or London North Eastern Railway services.

Contactless card acceptance has recently been introduced on three routes where Oyster is not. These include the Elizabeth line from Iver to Reading; Brookmans Park to Welwyn Garden City and St Albans City to Luton Parkway. This is signified by an orange Contactless card reader.

You can purchase an extension ticket to your Travelcard, Oyster 60+ (valid after 9am) or Freedom Pass from ticket offices or Southern Railway or London Underground, London Overground and TfL Rail ticket machines if you want to travel outside the area that you existing ticket covers.  This will be cheaper than buying an ordinary ticket between the last station covered by your Travelcard, Oyster 60+ or Freedom Pass and your destination.

A map of rail services where you can use Oyster Pay As You Go is available on the  TfL website .

There is also an independent guide to Oyster, Oyster Fares Central  which includes examples of when to use Oyster.

News | Transport

Free travel before 9am for over-60s with Oyster or Freedom Pass may never return

Free travel for Londoners aged 60 and older that was axed during the pandemic may never be restored, Sadiq Khan ’s top transport aide has admitted.

A long-delayed review of whether to restore free travel before 9am for holders of the 60+ Oyster or Freedom Pass is due by the end of the year.

But Seb Dance , the deputy mayor for transport, said the £230m funding gap in Transport for London ’s finances meant the restriction may have to be retained.

Forcing older Londoners to pay to travel before 9am raises about £15m a year in fares.

Mr Dance told the London Assembly transport committee: “A decision will be made very soon. Obviously it was one of the measures that we had to reluctantly introduce to try and claw back some revenue because of the pandemic.

“Whether or not that becomes a permanent feature, because of the need to address the funding gap we still have, remains to be [decided].”

The time restriction was introduced by TfL in June 2020 to “reduce crowding” and “help social distancing”.

But its retention became part of the Government’s bail-out deals that required TfL to generate additional income.

London boroughs, which administer the Freedom Pass, have been asked to advise TfL on the likely impact of retaining the restricted hours.

Mr Dance said it was “very much up for consideration” whether to fully restore the benefit.

“The rationale here is that there are far fewer people using the 60+ card for work,” he said.

“Obviously removing or watering down any concession is not something we would do with enthusiasm but purely out of necessity.”

But critics say it is wrong to withhold the benefit from older Londoners while offering TfL staff free travel passes for relatives and paid time off for union duties.

Nick Rogers, GLA Conservatives transport spokesperson, said: "The morning peak travel ban for 60+ Oyster card holders is unnecessary while TfL continues to spend millions on nominee passes and paid Facility Time.

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“The impact this is having on older Londoners, who relied on this to get to hospital appointments and to go about their daily lives, is unacceptable. Sadiq Khan’s priorities are wrong and not shared by Londoners."

TfL is also continuing to explore whether to withdraw from the Travelcard scheme that allows rail passengers to buy a ticket that includes Tube and bus travel.

TfL believes the train companies benefit disproportionately from the fare-sharing arrangement and withdrawing from it could save £40m to £60m per annum.

TfL chiefs also have concerns that paper Travelcards have a higher potential for fraud than Oyster or Contactless cars and a higher administration cost.

Future of over-60s Oyster card and Freedom Pass free travel before 9am in doubt

Age UK London says keeping the ban on free travel before 9am will "make pensioner poverty worse"

• 11:28, 20 OCT 2022
• Updated 15:12, 20 OCT 2022

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Campaigners have expressed fears over the future of the 60+ Oyster card and the Freedom Pass in London, ahead of a crunch decision expected in December. A lift on the ban on free travel before 9am for both the 67+ Freedom Pass and over-60s Oyster is unlikely to be lifted, MyLondon understands.

It comes amid plans to increase the age of eligibility for the over-60s Oyster card to meet government-imposed cost cutting requirements on Transport for London (TfL). Since June 2020, older Londoners have not been able to use their Older Persons’ Freedom Pass or their 60+ Oyster card between 4.30am and 9am on weekday mornings. Since then, older Londoners' travel concessions have become increasingly under threat, Age UK London says.

In July, nearly 5,000 people wrote to Seb Dance, London’s deputy mayor for transport, calling for an end to the pandemic-era suspension of free travel before 9am for over 60s in London. Age UK London secured a meeting with the Deputy Mayor to ask him to support the end to the suspension, saying the concession was “vital” amid the cost of living crisis. But it now appears that TfL will push ahead with retaining the pre-9am free travel ban for older Londoners and increasing the age of eligibility.

READ MORE: Sadiq Khan hints at delay to expanding £12.50 Ultra Low Emissions Zone to cover all of London

It follows a 2021 funding deal between the government and TfL that is set to see the 60+ Oyster Card gradually phased out until the concession disappears entirely next decade. Although current users of the 60+ Oyster Card will not be affected, the eventual cut would hurt future generations of older people, with someone who is 57 now likely to have to wait until they are 63 to get their over-60s Oyster.

Age UK London has branded the move a “regressive” step that will hit people on the lowest incomes the hardest. “Some of the poorest older Londoners are among those hardest hit and we’ve heard from hundreds of older Londoners about the devastating impact so far,” a spokesperson said, adding: “Affordable transport is a lifeline not a luxury and it can transform lives. Taking travel concessions away from older Londoners who live in the city with the worst pensioner poverty rate in the country and some of the highest living costs in the world will drive up poverty and exacerbate the capital’s social isolation crisis.”

Abigail Wood, CEO, Age UK London, told MyLondon: “We have been closely following any comments about the pre-9am suspension on Older Persons Freedom Pass and 60+ Oyster Card use. Until a decision has been made we reiterate our call, backed by 70,000 Londoners, on the Mayor to lift the suspension and reinstate travel concessions at all times.

“One in four older Londoners are in poverty and a third live below the Minimum Income Standard. Many who travel before 9am do so not because they choose to but because they have to: to work (often in low-paid roles that require early morning shifts), to carry out caring responsibilities and to attend medical appointments. Making the morning suspension permanent would be a financial kick in the teeth for older Londoners already struggling to make ends meet.”

Joanna Davidson, London TravelWatch CEO, added: "We understand why changes were made to concessionary passes during the height of the pandemic - managing passenger numbers was clearly a priority for transport and health authorities at the time.

"However, any permanent changes to when 60+ Oyster and Freedom cards can be used would be very challenging for those who need to get to hospital appointments or shift work early in the morning. With the current cost of living pressures, if there are plans afoot to change the timings of these concessions permanently then we would welcome a wider discussion about this."

Green London Assembly member Sian Berry said the mood music from the Mayor and TfL was "very bad": "It doesn't seem to be their priority, and the new deal specifically excludes using the new government money for restoring it. This means we all need to make the case, alongside Londoners, for finding the funding for this vital piece of support for older working Londoners in the upcoming budget process.” The Freedom Pass is funded by local authorities and coordinated by London Councils, while the over-60s Oyster is managed by Transport for London.

Nick Rogers AM, GLA Conservatives transport spokesperson, said cutting eligibility for 60+ Oyster card holders was "completely unnecessary" while TfL spends millions on nominee passes for staff family members: "Many people rely on this scheme to get to hospital appointments and to go about their daily lives. Sadiq Khan's priorities are wrong and not shared by Londoners."

A spokesperson for the Mayor said: “TfL’s finances were decimated by the pandemic and the Government set strict conditions as part of emergency funding deals to keep essential services running. The Mayor managed to save free or discounted travel for under 18 year olds and those with a 60+ Oyster or Freedom Pass on London’s Tubes, buses and trains, but he has been forced to consider increasing the age of eligibility for the 60+ concession on a phased basis (subject to consideration of the benefit being retained for those on low incomes).

"However, no final decision has been made and any change in eligibility would be supported by consultation with appropriate key stakeholders and an Equality Impact Assessment.” The plans form part of a demand from Government to raise additional revenue for TfL. In December 2021, the Mayor announced he was considering a number of modifications to fares structures and ticketing, which included this.

Let us know what you think in the comments here. Do you have a story you think we should be covering? If so, please email [email protected] .

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Changes to Freedom Pass Travel Times

On Wednesday 18 January 2023, the temporary suspension of free travel for Older Person's Freedom Pass and 60+ London Oyster photocard holders between 04:30 and 09:00 on weekdays, which was put in place during the pandemic, became permanent. 

Why this decision

Low ridership during the pandemic has had a devastating impact on TfL’s finances.  TfL has had to therefore obtain extraordinary funding from the government to keep running.

The government funding came with conditions to generate more income. This is why the Mayor had previously outlined a number of fares proposals which he was having to explore in order to generate income.

What this means for you

If you hold an Older Persons’ Freedom Pass you will need to pay for travel between 04:30 and 09:00 on weekdays.

You will still be able to travel free on TfL’s services from 09:00 on Monday to Friday and at all times on weekends and bank holidays.

Disabled Persons Freedom Pass holders are  not  affected by this change. 

Your options

If you need to travel before 09:00 you can use  pay as you go  with contactless or an Oyster card. Oyster cards can be topped up at station ticket machines, local newsagents, online and via the TfL app. 

Further Information 

Please contact TfL or visit their  website  for any further information.

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