Up to four children under 11 travel free with a fare-paying adult. Your child doesn't need a photocard to:Travel free on buses and trams (unless they look older than 10)Buy child-rate paper tickets (unless they look older than 10)
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Who is it for? Children aged over 10 years and 11 months, and under 16 on 31 August can get an 11-15 Zip Oyster photocard. If your child was 15 on 31 August, they can still apply for and use an 11-15 Zip Oyster photocard, even though they'll use it when they're 16.
Children aged 11 to 15 years old can get free or discounted travel with a Zip Oyster photocard, or a Young Visitor discount. 16 and 17 year olds pay half the adult rate on Tube, DLR and London Overground journeys with a 16+ Zip Oyster photocard.
Up to four children under 11 travel free with a fare-paying adult. Your child doesn't need a photocard to:Travel free on buses and trams (unless they look older than 10) Buy child-rate paper tickets (unless they look older than 10)
Up to 4 children under 11 years old accompanied by a paying adult travel free on the London Underground. Unaccompanied children between 5 and 10 must have a valid 5-10 Zip Oyster Photocard for free travel.
Travelling with childrenIf your child is under 11, they can travel free on: Buses and trams. Tube, DLR, London Overground, Elizabeth line and some National Rail services. They must be travelling with an adult who is using pay as you go, or has a valid ticket (excluding Group Day Travelcards).
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.
Under-11s can travel free at any time on buses and trams without the need for a Oyster ID Card*. You do not need a ticket for free travel. They can also travel free at any time on the Tube, DLR , Overground and any TfL train service when they are travelling with an adult who has a valid ticket.
Contactless cards are also subject to the same price capping as an Oyster Card, so you never pay more than you would have spent had you purchased a daily travel card. You are also able to take advantage of the 'bus hopper' fare. However, you won't get the same discounts available with the 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.
If you're visiting London for 3 days or less, the best option is to get the Oyster Card, as it's the most cost-effective system. For stays of over 4 days, we recommend getting the 7-day Travelcard, since it's cheaper than getting 7 x 24-hour travelcards.