Is it cheaper to use Oyster card or debit card?

There is no price difference between the Oyster card and contactless card. What is this? Every time you travel on London's public transport, your contactless payment card is charged the same fare as your Oyster, including cap prices (the maximum amount you'll pay daily and weekly to travel throughout London).



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There is no price difference between the Oyster card and contactless card. What is this? Every time you travel on London's public transport, your contactless payment card is charged the same fare as your Oyster, including cap prices (the maximum amount you'll pay daily and weekly to travel throughout London).

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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.

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Great value. 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).

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1. Get an Oyster card. As you move around London you will spot locals tapping something against a yellow card reader at the underground turnstiles, on buses, trams, and even on the Thames Clipper Uber boat. This is an Oyster card, and it is an incredible 50% cheaper than buying single tickets or a paper travelcard.

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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.

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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.

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So no matter how many times you travel on public transport using your Oyster card in London's zones 1 and 2, you will never be charged more than £8.10 a day. As of September 2021, Oyster cards also have a weekly cap.

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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. Find out more about touching in and out. If you only have pay as you go credit on your Oyster card, you can lend it to someone else.

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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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The cheapest ways to get around London include walking, getting an Oyster card, avoiding travel at peak hours, cycling, taking the bus for long-distance, cruising the Thames Clipper, and taking the Docklands Light Railway (DLR).

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You can't buy a Visitor Oyster card in London. Go to the Visitor Shop website to buy your card before you leave home and it will be delivered to your home address.

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The most convenient places to buy an Oyster card are Underground stations across London, including Heathrow airport. You can buy one using either cash or your credit/debit card. Although there are a few manned ticket offices in London, the likelihood is that you will buy an Oyster card from a ticket machine.

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A Visitor Oyster Card costs £5. You can then pre-load the card with pay-as-you-go credit, in quantities of £10, £15, £25, £40 or £50. The Visitor Oyster card is the cheapest way of getting around London as the maximum daily charges mean you travel free after you reach the 'daily cap'.

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In most cases, paying by card is more convenient than cash, though we do recommend carrying a small amount of cash for parking, taxis, small purchases and tips. Ideally, take a Wise Mastercard and a Visa debit or credit card with you – plus a small amount of cash.

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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.

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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).

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If you need to add more value/credit to your Visitor Oyster card you can simply 'top up' at one of the machines in the stations, or by going to one of the Transport for London ticket desks. Any credit you don't use can be kept on your card for use at a later date.

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