A card with a negative balance may only be reused once it is topped up. The Oyster card deposit has been there specifically to prevent customers having an incentive to discard cards with a negative balance.
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A card with a negative balance may only be reused once it is topped up. The Oyster card deposit has been there specifically to prevent customers having an incentive to discard cards with a negative balance.
Unpaid faresSometimes your card may be accepted by our card readers, but the payment is declined by your card issuer. If this happens: You've made a journey that you've not paid for. You won't be able to use your card again to travel until the unpaid fare has been paid.
Provided you have some balance on your card (and have your card with you), you can board a bus and receive an emergency fare advice slip, reminding you to top-up. The cost of the fare will be deducted from your Oyster card, taking it into a negative balance, which will be cleared the next time you top-up.
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.
If you can't pay an unpaid fare on your card through TfL, they'll try to take the payment the next time you touch in to make a journey or touch your card on a revenue inspector's device.
Oyster cards also have a capping system, which can save you even more money. There is a maximum amount that you can be charged on a daily basis (days run from 4.30am to 4.29am the next day) for traveling in different zones. After you exceed that amount in one day, your travel is free for the rest of the day.