Over 60s tfl and National Rail travel

Check the latest situation from official websites. There are lots of savings to be had if you are 60 or over. You need:

✅ 60+ Oyster Card (free off-peak)

✅ Senior Railcard (1/3 off rail and TfL)

✅ Standard Oyster Card (yes, for peak travel when 60+ isn't valid so you get a Senior Railcard discount)

You can’t link your Senior Railcard to your 60+ Oyster photocard, because the 60+ Oyster is effectively a free-off‑peak season ticket for those aged 60 or over in London and adding a railcard discount to it has no effect .

What you can do instead

1. Keep using your 60+ Oyster photocard for completely free travel on TfL services and qualifying National Rail journeys after 09:30 on weekdays (and anytime at weekends/holidays) within its zone coverage .

2. For TfL and rail journeys outside those free zones or before 09:30, get a separate standard Oyster card (or convert it online to a standard adult Oyster).

– Visit a Tube or National Rail ticket office and ask staff to link your Senior Railcard to this standard Oyster. They'll scan your railcard and card number to add your ⅓ off discount for off‑peak pay-as-you-go travel and for Off‑Peak Day Travelcards .

– Staff at stations like Euston, Paddington, Watford Junction can do it—though not all staff have the system access, so be ready to ask someone else .

3. What that gives you on the standard Oyster:

⅓ off off‑peak pay‑as‑you‑go on the Tube, DLR, Overground, Elizabeth line, and eligible National Rail within London

⅓ off Off‑Peak Day Travelcards (e.g. a pay-as-you-go Day Travelcard covering zones 1–6) .

Example Scenario

You want to catch a train from London to outside Zone 6 on TfL after 09:30:

Use your 60+ Oyster from Zone 1 to Zone 6 — it's free.

For the trip beyond Zone 6, you need a paper ticket or the standard Oyster with railcard.

That way, you'll only pay for the journey outside TfL’s free zones — and thanks to your Senior Railcard, you get ⅓ off for that portion.

Summary

Card Free travel on TfL & Zones ⅓ off off‑peak PAYG & Day Travelcards

60+ Oyster photocard

✅ (after 09:30 weekdays)

❌ (discount doesn’t apply)

Standard Oyster + Senior Railcard

❌ (no free travel)

✅ (can link discounts)

What to do next

1. Continue using your 60+ Oyster for free within the zones.

2. Get a standard Oyster card, ask staff to add your Senior Railcard discount, and use it for pay‑as‑you‑go or Off‑Peak Day tickets when your 60+ card doesn’t cover it.

That way, you get the best of both: free zone-limited travel and railcard discounts on other journeys.

Tour: Tring to Bicester to Tring

This post describes a relatively flat 2-day cycle tour from Tring out to Bicester via Buckingham then coming back to Tring via Chinnor. Just add a start date and book your hotel!

Start Point: Tring Station

Finish Point: Tring Station

Meetup Time: 08:06

Start Time: 08:15

Route: Tring to Bicester to Tring

Route Alt: Tring to Bicester to Tring (ALT)

No. Days: 2

Day 1: 72km

Day 2: 79km

Elevation: 910m of total climb over 2 days which is moderate. The only real climb is up to Brill early on the second day as the route always keeps you north of the Chiltern Hills. If you wanted a more demanding route you could avoid Marsworth and instead drop down to Cholesbury on the return as this takes you into the Chilterns. 

Overnight: Individuals can book their own accommodation in Bicester such as the Premier Inn or Travelodge. Bicester is approximately halfway. 

Hotels 

Bicester Premier Inn, in 2025 a room on a Sunday night was £47 though prices vary. 

Average Speed: 10mph

Stops: Every 15 miles (24 km) on average.

Suggested Café Stops:

[Recommended stops in bold]

Nanna's Cakes café, near Mentmore (13km), Opens 10am on Saturday and Sunday only though sometimes they don't open.

Mursley Farm Shop, Mursley (28km). Opens 9am every day.

Twigs Nurseries, divert onto A421 from Thornborough (43km)

Meadow Row Tea Rooms, Buckingham (46km), closed Sunday

Cornwall Place Kitchen, Buckingham (46km)

Buckingham's Tea Room, Buckingham, (46km), booking recommended at this high class establishment 

Many other cafés, Buckingham (46km)

Bicester (72km)

Base Coffee + Kitchen, Long Crendon (95km)

Waterperry Coffee Barn, near Waterstock with an off-road diversion (104km)

The Old Red Lion, Tetsworth (110km)

The Biker Bean Coffeehouse, Chinnor (121km), closed Monday 

Millie's Deli, Chinnor (121km)

Tring Station (151km)

Shorten the outward leg:

1) Take the train to Cheddington 

2) Cut a corner to get to Buckingham earlier 

Shorten the return route:

1) Cut south-east from Long Crendon to Emmington then Chinnor.

2) Cut down to Thame and pickup the Phoenix Trail from Thame to Princes Risborough. 

Alternative route:

The alternative return route comes back to Thame, follows the Phoenix Trail to Princes Risborough 44km into day 2. Then on to Great Missenden at 58km before arriving back at Tring at 76km. This route ducks into the Chiltern Hills so has a harder finish and sting in the tail but options to cut short so good for a mixed group.

Suitable Bikes:

Any, though bare in mind distance, pace and your abilities. 

Surface:

Tarmac, though there may be gravel, rough surfaces and potholes on lanes. This route doesn't have the smoothest road surfaces. 

Mechanic:

None

Support Vehicle:

None

Broom Wagon:

None 

No Drop Ride:

Yes, no-one gets left behind, though note the rider requirements.

Rider Requirements:

Be responsible for your own safety 

Follow the highway code

Carry equipment to repair a puncture 

Carry lights if there is any likelihood of riding in the dark

Dress/pack for the forecast conditions 

Be comfortable maintaining 10mph for about 15 miles of continuous cycling

Be self-sufficient with regards hydration and fuelling; on hot days this means drinking on the bike and possibly eating on the bike as well

Kit List for a short break

Organiser Tips:

Premier Inn and other chain hotels typically do lower Sunday and Monday night rates, higher Saturday rates. Local events can elevate prices so check costs for your dates. Check café opening times for your chosen dates and timings.

The organiser might sensibly pack:

- Power bank for any charging 

- Toolkit to deal with some non-puncture related mechanicals

- First Aid kit 

Rider Tips:

Pack light. Packing should be the same as for a day ride plus any overnight essentials. Seriously, pack light. If you have any questions ask the organiser. 

In contrast to shorter rides the person navigating may not be familiar with the whole route, there may be roadworks and diversions so be aware and look after your own safety.

Premier Inn - for example - allow clean bicycles in rooms though some don't have lifts so phone ahead and request a ground floor room if this might be an issue for you.

Dining Options:

There are some options as you are in Bicester. Places close to the Premier Inn are listed here with Sunday closing times.

Brewers Fayre 10:30pm Sunday

The Bosphorus Turkish and Mediterranean 11pm Sunday

Grand Village Imperial 9pm Sunday

McDonald's 24-hour

Bicester Shopping Village restaurants are generally open until 9pm Monday to Saturday and 7pm on a Sunday. 

It is a 20-minute walk to Bicester centre where there is a wide choice and the following may suit vegetarians:

Copper Kitchen closed Sunday 

B. C. Thai Restaurant 10pm Sunday

Bicester Premier Inn logistics:

Bicester Premier Inn benefits from both a lift which is large enough for a bike and a suitably broad staircase.

Route Guidance:

The route and associated .GPX file includes some turns as prompts to stop at the suggested coffee stops.

As you approach Bicester there are some poor cycle paths alongside roads and these cycle paths are perhaps best avoided until you get close to Bicester Village Shopping where there is good quality cycle infrastructure which you should use to avoid the multi-lane complex road network on the approach to the Premier Inn.

Use the cycle infrastructure around Bicester Village Shopping then use the road. As you leave Bicester the road gets bigger and busier so as you approach the first large roundabout use the dropped kerb to rejoin the cycle path and stay on that until it dissappears.

It's a steady climb as you approach the Brill hill so when you leave the main road maybe take a water break and peel off a layer ready for a demanding climb.

Just as you feel you are leaving Long Crendon the route has a short spur which gets you close to the Base Coffee café which is a one-minute walk off the main road heading to a new housing development called The Stables at Crendon Manor. 

As you leave Crendon do pause to peek inside the gates to Crendon Manor. Equally, do keep your eyes open as you pass through Waterstock. 

Just past Waterstock on the return there is an option to branch off on a right turn to Waterperry Gardens for coffee or you can continue to Tetsworth which is another 10km. Even if you're not ready for a coffee take the 1km bridleway up to Waterperry Gardens; though not inviting at first it's a delightful ride and the cakes are a treat.

Entering Chinnor the Biker Bean café is on your left closely followed by another café on your left just before the left turn.

Kit List and Accommodation for a short break

Heading off for an overnight stay is a great way of avoiding the local roads and trains you may get all too familiar with. Compared to a month-long tour you can travel lighter as you will have an accurate weather forecast. The following assumes a hotel stopover. 

Rider Kit List

- Dress for the forecast weather

- Toolkit to facilitate puncture repair including the means to remove the wheel

- Bike lock suitable for a café stop though check that your hotel can secure your bike

- Water and snacks appropriate for the weather and the planned café stops

- Extra clothing to deal with heat, cold and wet such as arm warmers, a light rain jacket, a sun cap, sun glasses, spare dry gloves 

- Minimal spare clothing such as underwear, a clean shirt for the evening and spare shoes if you use clippers pedals and plan to walk

- Minimal toiletries 

- Any medication, suncream 

- Means to charge any devices such as USB plug and charge lead

- Devices to be charged, such as phone and cycle computer 

- Cash and card

Additional Organiser Kit

- Power bank for any charging needs

- Basic toolkit to deal with non-puncture mechanicals

- First Aid kit

- Electrolyte tablets

- Spare lightweight rain jacket 

- Arm warmers

Accommodation Options 

Premier Inn

Travel Lodge 

Warm Showers

https://www.warmshowers.org/

Church camping 

https://champing.co.uk/

University Rooms https://www.universityrooms.com/en-GB/

Nearly Wild Camping

https://nearlywildcamping.org/

Tour: St Albans Abbey to Saffron Walden

This post describes a 2-day cycle tour from St Albans Abbey Station to Saffron Walden going via the delightful Emily's Tea Rooms at Whitwell and coming back through Bishop's Stortford and Hertford. Just add a start date and book your hotel!

Start Point: St Albans Abbey Station

Finish Point: St Albans Abbey Station

Meetup Time: 09:20 (second train arrival on a Sunday)

Start Time: 09:30

Route: St Albans Abbey to Saffron Walden 

No. Days: 2

Day 1: 81 km

Day 2: 73 km

Overnight: Individuals book their own accommodation such as the Premier Inn.

Hotels:

Saffron Walden Premier Inn, in 2025 a room on a Sunday night was £55 though prices vary. 

Average Speed: 16km/h

Stops: Every 25 km on average. As this is designed to be a comfortable tour extra stops are possible and even encouraged.

The Day 1 Stages:

Stage 1, St Albans Abbey Station to Whitwell (21km), Emily's Tea Shop. Opens 10am. Closed Monday's. 

Stage 2, Whitwell to Buntingford (50km), Buntingford Coffee Shop (closes 3pm on Sunday). Sainsbury Local is open.

Stage 3, Buntingford to Saffron Walden (81km), Kim's Coffee House in Saffron Walden (closes 4pm on Sunday). Park and public toilets adjacent if you want a stroll around town and the Costa is open until 7pm.

The Day 2 Stages:

Stage 4, Saffron Walden Premier Inn to Bishop's Stortford (104km), Terrace Park Café. Opens 8:30am daily.

Stage 5, Bishop's Stortford to Hertford (128km), Hertford Coffee Lab on Bull Plain in Hertford though there are plenty of other options.

Stage 6, Hertford to St Albans Abbey Station (153km), 

Suggested Café Stops:

See Stages above. 

Suitable Bikes:

Any, though bare in mind the distance and pace.

Surface:

Tarmac, compacted gravel, rough surfaces and potholes on lanes.

Mechanic:

None

Support Vehicle:

None

Broom Wagon:

None 

No Drop Ride:

Yes, no-one gets left behind, though note the rider requirements.

Rider Requirements:

Be responsible for your own safety 

Follow the highway code

Carry equipment to repair a puncture or two

Dress/pack for the forecast conditions 

Be comfortable maintaining 10mph for about 15 miles of continuous cycling

Be self-sufficient with regards hydration and fuelling; ask for a stop if you require one

Kit List for a short break

Organiser Tips:

Premier Inn and some other chain hotels typically do lower Sunday and Monday night rates, higher Saturday rates. Check café opening times for your chosen dates. Premier Inn allow bikes in rooms. 

The organiser might sensibly pack a few additional items and this Kit List is a starting point. 

Rider Tips:

Pack light. Packing should be the same as for a day ride plus any overnight essentials. Seriously, pack light. If you have any questions ask the organiser. 

In contrast to shorter rides the person navigating may not be familiar with the whole route, there may be roadworks and diversions so be aware and look after your own safety.

Premier Inn, for example, allow clean bicycles in rooms though some don't have lifts so phone ahead and request a ground floor room if this might be an issue for you. Keeping your bike in your room means you don't necessarily need your heavy Gold Secure bike lock.