Touch a pink card reader when changing trains

Pink card readers help you pay the right fare by telling us the route you took didn't go through Zone 1.

How to use

You can touch on a pink card reader using contactless (card or device), an Oyster card or Travelcard when travelling on London Overground and the Tube.

Contactless card over a yellow card, then pink card reader, and yellow card reader at the end.

If you're travelling across London but not through Zone 1, you need to:

  1. Touch in on a yellow card reader at the start of your journey
  2. Touch on a pink card reader when you change trains
  3. Touch out on a yellow card reader at the end of your journey

This tells us that the route you took didn't go through Zone 1, so you're charged the right fare for your journey.

Yellow card reader pointing towards a pink card reader and then yellow card reader outside Zone 1

If you don't touch on a pink card reader:

  • You'll pay the higher pay as you go fare that includes Zone 1 travel
  • You'll pay an extension fare if you're using a Travelcard that doesn't cover Zone 1 travel

Where are they? 

Pink card readers are on, or in between the platforms where you change trains at certain stations:

  • Blackhorse Road
  • Canada Water
  • Clapham Junction
  • Gospel Oak
  • Gunnersbury
  • Hackney Central/Hackney Downs
  • Highbury & Islington
  • Kensington (Olympia)
  • Rayners Lane
  • Richmond
  • Stratford
  • Surrey Quays
  • West Brompton
  • Whitechapel
  • Willesden Junction
  • Wimbledon

How do I check?

Use our single fare finder to check whether you need to touch on a pink card reader for your journey or to see if there's a cheaper route.