London Students Face Travel Challenges After TfL Cyberattack

Students in London are grappling with potential course abandonment due to a cyberattack on Transport for London’s (TfL) IT systems, Anadolu Agency reported yesterday.

The incident, which occurred in early September, compromised the personal details of approximately 5,000 Oyster card holders and led to the suspension of applications for discounted travel passes, including student Zip cards.

Without access to these discounts, many students are forced to pay full fares, significantly increasing their travel costs. This financial burden has raised concerns that students from low-income backgrounds may struggle to afford their daily commutes and risk dropping out of their courses. New City College, which serves 10,000 students, reported rising anxiety among its students regarding travel expenses.

While TfL is allowing children under 16 to use expired Zip cards until the end of the month, older students must continue paying full fares. London Mayor Sadiq Khan acknowledged the widespread impact of the attack, although TfL has not disclosed specific figures on those affected.