Apprentice Oyster photocard

If you're 18 or over, live in a London borough and in your first year of an apprenticeship, you can get discounted travel with an Oyster photocard.
Apprentice Oyster photocard

Who it's for

You must be:

  • Aged 18 or over
  • Live in a London borough
  • Enrolled on an apprenticeship with a further education college or training organisation (funded or approved by the Education and Skills Funding Agency) for a minimum of 12 months
  • In the first 12 months of your apprenticeship
  • Started your apprenticeship and not on a planned break from your learning

Your apprenticeship must be SASE (Specification for Apprenticeship Standards in England) compliant or an approved standard.

What you get

  • Get 30% off adult-rate Travelcards and Bus & Tram Pass season tickets
  • If you get the 16-25 Railcard, you'll save 1/3 on pay as you go off-peak fares and daily caps by adding the Railcard discount to your Apprentice Oyster photocard to travel on the Tube, London Overground, Elizabeth line and most National Rail services in London
  • Discounts on Santander Cycle Hire

Before you apply 

You need:

  • Active email address
  • Unique Learner Number (ULN)
  • UK Provider Reference Number (UKPRN)
  • London borough address
  • Digital photo which must be a .jpg, .bmp or .gif file and less than 6MB
  • A debit or credit card to pay the £20 administration fee

Apply online  

The first step is to set up a photocard web account.

Use a different email address if you already have an online account for another Oyster card.

After you apply

  • Once your photo has been accepted and your application is successfully completed, we'll normally post your Apprentice Oyster photocard to you within 2 weeks
  • To check your application status, sign in to your photocard web account or text your application reference number to 07624 809 330. You'll receive a response from our SMS service (standard network changes apply)
  • Make sure you always touch in at the start of your journey and touch out at the end on yellow card readers. You only need to touch in on buses and trams 
  • Keep your card safe. Don't let anyone else use your photocard  
  • To manage your card, sign in to your photocard web account. You can also report a lost, stolen or damaged Oyster photocard

Where to buy Travelcards and Bus & Tram Pass tickets

Once you get your Apprentice Oyster photocard, sign in to your photocard web account to:

You can also buy discounted Travelcards and Bus & Tram Pass season tickets at Oyster Ticket Stops, Tube, Elizabeth line, and London Overground stations.

When it expires

  • Your Apprentice Oyster photocard expires after 12 months
  • If you're removed from your apprenticeship, or leave early, your photocard will be stopped
  • If you change to a different level of apprenticeship or start a new apprenticeship, you need to apply for a new photocard

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