Why bother with an Oyster card?

Why bother with an Oyster card? Oyster Cards are reusable so you can load and reload your card as many times as you need to while you're here. Visitors can even take their Oyster Cards back home with them and either keep them as souvenirs or hold onto them until their next trip to London!

Does everyone need an Oyster card?

Yes, each person travelling needs their own Oyster card, Travelcard or contactless payment card. If you are coming to London in a group of 10 or more people who plan to travel around the capital together, you can buy a Group Day Travelcard*.

Is there a point having an Oyster card?

You can load monthly and annual travel cards on to an Oyster - if you commute e.g. 5 days a week these are better value than using PAYG via contactless. You can load a railcard onto them. And some people (particularly tourists) prefer Oyster cards if they don't have/want to use Contactless payments.

Is it better to use Oyster or bank card?

Is it cheaper to use Oyster or contactless? As both cards use the same Pay As You Go system and are compatible with the TfL Oyster & Contactless app, the costs are comparable. As a tourist in London, it can be worth getting an Oyster Card as part of the London Pass.

Is it easy to buy an Oyster card in London?

The most convenient places to buy an Oyster card are Underground stations across London, including Heathrow airport. You can buy one using either cash or your credit/debit card. Although there are a few manned ticket offices in London, the likelihood is that you will buy an Oyster card from a ticket machine.

What happens if your Oyster card runs out of money?

If you run out of credit, you can top up your card at any station or at thousands of shops throughout London. You can also make one bus journey without any credit. The cost of the journey will be deducted when you next top up your Visitor Oyster card.

What is the difference between an Oyster card and a Visitor Oyster card?

In conclusion, the main difference between Standard and Visitor Oyster cards is that Standard Oyster cards are reusable, while Visitor Oyster cards are disposable. In addition, standard Oyster cards do not come with a daily price cap, while Visitor Oyster cards do.

What is the cheapest way to travel in London Underground?

Pay as you go You don't have to work out the cost of your journey in advance. You can pay as you go using contactless (card or device), an Oyster card or a Visitor Oyster card. It also offers great value as pay as you go is cheaper than buying single tickets and you get daily and weekly capping.

What is the best way to get to London from Heathrow?

The London Underground (aka 'the Tube') gets you from Heathrow to central London in under an hour, with trains running every 10 minutes. Heathrow has three underground stations, at Terminal 2/3 and at Terminal 4 and 5. Prices start from £5.50, making it one of the cheapest travel routes to London from Heathrow.

Can I buy an Oyster card at Heathrow?

The most convenient place to buy Oyster cards for visitors are Underground stations, including Heathrow Airport. You can pay cash or credit card. However there are no longer manned ticket offices at Underground and DLR stations, you have to buy from a ticket machine.

Can a foreigner buy an Oyster card?

If you don't have time to buy your card online, you can also buy a Visitor Oyster card before arriving in London from different locations in the UK and overseas.

Do Oyster cards have a daily cap?

Pay as you go fares are cheaper than buying a paper single ticket or Day Travelcard. Your Visitor Oyster card offers daily capping. This means you can travel as much as you like in a single day and the amount you pay for your travel is limited (or capped).

Is it worth getting an Oyster card as a tourist?

Great value. Pay as you go fares are cheaper than buying a paper single ticket or Day Travelcard. Your Visitor Oyster card offers daily capping. This means you can travel as much as you like in a single day and the amount you pay for your travel is limited (or capped).

What are the disadvantages of the Oyster card?

Cons: A £7 cost applies when you get a standard or visitor card. You'll need to top it up in advance of travel. You can't use an Oyster card at any station between Reading and Iver.

What are the cons of Oyster card?

How long does it take to get an Oyster card?

All orders of Travelcards and Visitor Oyster cards are dispatched within 24 hours of being placed, Monday to Friday. Our fulfillment warehouse is closed at the weekends. Any order placed after 08:30 (GMT) on a Friday will be dispatched the following Monday (excluding public holidays).

How much does an Oyster card cost?

How much does an Oyster card cost? The Oyster card costs £7. You then add money to the card to pay for your travel. The £7 fee is not a deposit.

Can I get a free Oyster card at 60?

60+ London Oyster photocard This allows you to travel for free on most public transport in London. You can apply from two weeks before your 60th birthday.

Can a US citizen buy an Oyster card?

If you are a non-UK resident , then you choose to either buy a Visitor Oyster card online before you leave home or you can choose to buy one at the TFL visitor centres and Oyster ticket shops in London upon your arrival.