Oyster card

Posted 10th Feb 2023

We are visiting London in a weeks time and just wondering what's best to use in the city. We plan to travel to a few places by Tube over a Friday and Saturday so didn't know whether it was worth getting an Oyster card or just use our debit card tapping it at each station. Is there much difference? We've never used one but heard you have to put money on an oyster card so if the two of us put £15-20 on each card i presume that would be enough. Most of the journeys are between Victoria, Piccadilly, Southwark & Canary Wharf but coming from and to Newbury Park when we arrive and leave.

11 Comments

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10th Feb
You can use your credit/debit card, no need for Oyster. Just make sure to use the SAME card when you enter and exit.
Author
10th Feb
Thanks, that makes it alot easier!
10th Feb
You don't need oyster card anymore. You can use your credit or debit card. Just remember to touch in and out with the same card as mentioned above when using the underground. On the bus, you only need to touch in, but use the same card for the day as tfl charges a daily cap
11th Feb
Same card between Mon - Sun for the weekly cap.
10th Feb
There is definitely no point getting Oyster card as there is now a £7 non refundable charge to get one and the fares are the same as using a contactless bank card
11th Feb
See below - concessionary fares not supported.
10th Feb
Due to TFL recently extending to my local station (Elizabeth Line) I can now tap in and out. For me the best way was install the credit card on my phone and use Apple Pay, with the TFL app installed alongside so I can check my journey history for cost details and any overcharging. One thing puzzles me, does the old one day travelcard still exist for people visiting London from the suburbs, and can you tap in and out when using it?
Author
11th Feb
That's quite handy to keep track of the costs. Might see if it works with google pay. Yes I'm pretty sure they still do travel cards as we used to get them coming from Clacton. Not sure if they've changed to tap as used to be paper ones.
11th Feb
As above just use contactless. Oyster is redundant now.
11th Feb
findingtheuniverse.com/pay…st/

Oyster supports travelcards and concessions, contactless doesn't. Or does it when used on phone with TFL app?

It's ridiculously complex to compare the methods (3 actually, Oyster, contactless card, TFL app+contactless on phone). Just like rail fares comparing return fares with split ticketing.