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.
People Also Ask
Can families or groups all use the same Oyster card? No, each person must have their own Oyster Card, except under 11s who travel free with a paying adult on Tube, DLR, London Overground, Elizabeth Line, and some National Rail services - up to 4 children per adult.
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.
Unlike Standard Oyster cards, Visitor Oyster cards are disposable and cannot be topped up. Another difference between the two cards is that Visitor Oyster cards come with a daily price cap, which means that you will only pay a certain amount per day, regardless of how many journeys you make.
Supports cash: If you want to pay for your transport in London using cash, you can buy and top up an Oyster card with cash. This is normally a lot more cost effective than paying for a cash ticket, with the rare exception of a one-off single journey as you have to consider the cost of the Oyster card.
Oyster fares and caps are the same whether you use a standard Oyster or a Visitor Oyster, a common misconception. Visitor Oyster cards you pay an activation fee (£5 in 2023) which is non-refundable. If you buy a standard Oyster card in London or online after 4 September 2022 you now have to pay £7 for the card.
You can use any payment cards linked to a single account, so long as each traveller has their own card. As others have said, TfLs system treats physical card transactions as completely separate from device transactions, even if both are linked to the same bank account.
No.Each person must have a valid ticket for travel whether that's a cash single, Oyster payment or contactless payment. No you can't. I know passing back cards works on some flat-fare metro systems, but the Underground has zonal fares so each person must have their own card.
If you do not tap out your Oyster card, you will be charged the maximum fare for that journey. This this because most fares are based on zone, distance and time of travel. For you to pay the correct fare, the TfL charging system needs to know your destination station. Tapping out tells TfL the entirety of your journey.
It varies depending on the country, but in general yes, they're allowed to do so if they need to verify your ticket or they notice you've slept “past” your disembarkation point – I used to live in NYC, and this happened to me on several occasions – or most other “ordinary” reasons.
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.
Daily cappingOnce you have made three bus or tram journeys in a day using your Oyster/contactless card you will pay no more and can travel for free the rest of the day.