An Oyster Card will also save you money compared to using a Bus & Tram Pass to ride the buses and trams, which don't accept individual tickets or cash any longer. Oyster cards also have a capping system, which can save you even more money.
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You can load monthly and annual travel cards on to an Oyster - if you commute e.g. 5 days a week these are better value than using PAYG via contactless. You can load a railcard onto them. And some people (particularly tourists) prefer Oyster cards if they don't have/want to use Contactless payments.
You can add money to an Oyster card or use contactless (card or device) straight away. You only pay for the journeys you make and it's cheaper than buying a paper single or return ticket (train companies may offer special deals on some journeys).
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.
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.
Pay as you go fares are cheaper than buying a paper single ticket or Day Travelcard. Your Visitor Oyster card offers daily capping. This means you can travel as much as you like in a single day and the amount you pay for your travel is limited (or capped).
You can use Oyster Pay As You Go in London on all suburban trains stopping in Zones 1 – 9 and journeys to: Broxbourne, Rye House, St. Margarets, Ware and Hertford East. Gatwick Airport.
Touch your Oyster card in at the start of your journey and touch out at the end on yellow card readers to pay the right fare. Only touch in on buses and trams.
Pay as you goYou don't have to work out the cost of your journey in advance. You can pay as you go using contactless (card or device), an Oyster card or a Visitor Oyster card. It also offers great value as pay as you go is cheaper than buying single tickets and you get daily and weekly capping.
60+ London Oyster photocardThis photocard gives those aged 60 or over living in a London borough: free travel on bus, Tube, tram, DLR, London Overground, TfL Rail (excluding between West Drayton and Reading) and most National Rail services in London.
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.
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.
All orders of Travelcards and Visitor Oyster cards are dispatched within 24 hours of being placed, Monday to Friday. Our fulfillment warehouse is closed at the weekends. Any order placed after 08:30 (GMT) on a Friday will be dispatched the following Monday (excluding public holidays).
No, you do not need to provide a passport photo. Is a Visitor Oyster card valid on Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted Express services? to central London or from central London to Gatwick, costs £19.80 with your Visitor Oyster card. Your Visitor Oyster card is valid on the Tube and most bus services from and to Heathrow.
If you plan to stay in London for a couple of days and make two to four journeys a day, or want to travel to the outskirts of the city, then a Visitor Oyster card* may be the cheapest option. It is delivered to your home by post before you arrive in London, saving you time when you arrive.
A Visitor Oyster card* is one of the cheapest ways to pay for single journeys on the bus, Tube, DLR, tram, Uber Boat by Thames Clippers river bus service, London Overground, TfL Rail and most National Rail services in London.