Can I check the balance on an old Oyster card?

What to do? As Oyster for Visitor cards can't be registered, the balance can't be checked on line. You'll need to touch in at a Tube, DLR, or Overground ticket machine which will show the balance remaining on the card, and that balance will remain in situ until used.



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The pay as you go credit on your Visitor Oyster card never expires so you can keep your card until your next visit, or lend it to family and friends. If you don't need your Visitor Oyster card, you can get the remaining credit refunded.

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Unused credit on your Visitor Oyster card The pay as you go credit on your Visitor Oyster card never expires so you can keep your card until your next visit, or lend it to family and friends. If you don't need your Visitor Oyster card, you can get the remaining credit refunded.

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What to do? As Oyster for Visitor cards can't be registered, the balance can't be checked on line. You'll need to touch in at a Tube, DLR, or Overground ticket machine which will show the balance remaining on the card, and that balance will remain in situ until used.

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You can visit an London Underground station or shop which has Oyster card reading equipment. Given then your card and they will tell you the balance. You can register your Oyster card online using the TfL website. Once registered, you'll be able to view your remaining balance or journey history.

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Simply touch your Oyster card on the yellow card reader on the ticket machine, select Oyster refund and follow the on-screen instructions. You can see the refunded amount due on the screen before finalising your request.

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Children under 11 travel free on most public transport services in London when accompanied by a fare-paying adult, or with a 5-10 Zip Oyster photocard. Children aged 11 to 15 years old can get free or discounted travel with a Zip Oyster photocard, or a Young Visitor discount.

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Register your Oyster card To register your card, create a contactless and Oyster account. Visitor Oyster cards can't be registered. If you're transferring your credit or discount to a new Oyster card, make at least one journey with it first, wait 24 hours, and then sign in to your contactless and Oyster account.

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There is no expiry date on Oyster cards.

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Travelcard refunds are calculated on a pro-rata basis so you can keep using your Travelcard, on your first-generation Oyster card, until it expires and then swap to your new card. Once you've received your refund, your first-generation Oyster card will be stopped so no one can use it.

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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.

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It's memory space, TfL recently said that there were 16.5 million dormant Oyster cards out there with just under 30 million pounds of credit on them. No computer system really wants to have to remember 16.5 million details on its active servers if it can avoid it. So dormant accounts are moved off the active system.

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If your card has failed revenue inspections or we have detected suspicious travel, we may stop it from further use.

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You can use your Oyster card to pay as you go at any time without providing your personal information to TfL. You can also add weekly and monthly season tickets to your Oyster card without needing to register your card or create an online account.

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If you only have pay as you go credit on your Oyster card, you can lend it to someone else. Two people can't use the same contactless or Oyster card for a journey. If you have a Travelcard, Bus & Tram Pass or discount added to your Oyster card, you can't lend it to someone else.

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Image courtesy of Shutterstock. Children under 11 travel free on most public transport services in London when accompanied by a fare-paying adult, or with a 5-10 Zip Oyster photocard. Children aged 11 to 15 years old can get free or discounted travel with a Zip Oyster photocard, or a Young Visitor discount.

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