TfL incomplete journey refund

What an incomplete journey is

A pay as you go journey with a tap-in and no tap-out, or a tap-out with no tap-in. TfL can't work out the fare, so it charges the maximum fare for that journey. The refund is the difference between that and the fare you should have paid.

Oyster and contactless maximum fares

Oyster and contactless work the same way: an incomplete journey is charged a maximum fare, and the refund rules are the same. Both are in TfL's online account terms (sections 3 and 4): "You can apply for an incomplete journey refund. You can complete up to 3 incomplete journeys in a calendar month."

How to claim

1. Wait 48 hours. Most incomplete journeys are refunded by themselves.
2. Add your TfL statement to Railhop. Railhop lists every journey with no tap-out, about how much each should pay back, where you probably got off, and which 3 to ask for first this month.
3. Ask TfL in your TfL account. Open the card's journey history, choose the journey Railhop found and tell TfL where you finished, within 8 weeks of the journey. TfL lets you ask online for up to 3 a calendar month; for more, call 0343 222 1234 (08:00 to 20:00 daily). TfL refunds you.

You apply in your TfL account: contactless, or Oyster with the card registered.

If it's not showing

TfL's terms say: "If the system is not showing you are eligible for an incomplete journey refund and you believe you are, you will need to phone us on 0343 222 1234 (08:00-20:00 daily)." The same number takes requests beyond 3 a month.

Oyster journey history only goes back 8 weeks, so don't wait too long. Railhop shows which journeys run out soonest.

Questions

Sources

• TfL online account terms
• TfL: incomplete journey refunds

Terms change. If something here doesn't match TfL's own page, TfL's page is right. Tell us and we'll fix it. Railhop is independent and not affiliated with TfL. TfL refunds you directly; Railhop never handles the money.