What is the difference between Oyster card and travel Oyster card?
Travelcards are a flat rate pass where you have unlimited rides for the time period purchased. Oyster / Contactless payment cards are charged on a per journey basis but has a daily maximum you can be charged.
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If you want to buy a 7 Day Travelcard, this ticket is only available on an Oyster card, not as a paper ticket. This means you will need to buy an Oyster card and get a 7 Day Travelcard loaded onto it. If you live in the UK, you can buy an Oyster card before you arrive in London.
There are 2 different types of Oyster Cards: a Visitor Oyster Card and a Regular or Standard Oyster Card. They function in essentially the same way but with a few key differences.
As a general rule a Travelcard is more expensive than an Oyster card or Contactless payment card. The exception is if you make 3 or more journeys for 6 days or more within a 7 day period. In this case a 7 day Travelcard works out cheaper than an Oyster or Contactless payment card.
An Oyster card may be the most cost-effective option if you are only visiting for a few days. A 7 Day Travelcard is a good option if you are visiting for a week and only plan to visit central London. You can also use contactless payment, which has both a daily and weekly fare cap.
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.
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).
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.
A Travelcard (in the zones it's valid for) gives you unlimited travel at any time on bus, Tube, Tram, DLR, London Overground, Elizabeth line and National Rail services in London. You can use it on all buses, and if valid in zones 3, 4, 5 or 6, on all trams.
Yes, you can sometimes use an Oyster card outside London, but not very far from London. You can't use it in Leeds, nor in other distant cities like Birmingham or Southampton or Glasgow. But some places near London, like Amersham, Watford, Hertford, Shenfield or Redhill do allow Oyster to be used on some services.
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).
60+ London Oyster photocardThis allows you to travel for free on most public transport in London. You can apply from two weeks before your 60th birthday.