I’ll be in London for about a week soon and travelling around by public transport. I don’t fully understand how Oyster works, or feel comfortable using it. Do I literally just tap in and out and on and off and the cap will just be equivalent to buying a weekly travelcard? What happens if I forget to tap it (I’ve done this before and had a fine). Would it be better or even possible for me just to buy a travelcard? I do have an Oyster card but I usually only use that for day trips. Help me oh hive mind.
Oyster question
- Thread starter nottsgirl
- Start date
cesare
shady's dreams ♥
If it was me and I was going to be doing a lot of travelling in a week, I'd load a 7day travelcard onto an oyster card. Even better if you have an existing oystercard because you won't have to pay to get one (I see you have one). The TFL site is very good at providing info but you might find this link helpful because it gives you the most cost effective way of doing it: Oyster Card vs Contactless: How to Pay for Public Transport in London - Finding the Universe
Mind you, someone will be along shortly with more specific info and top tips I bet
Mind you, someone will be along shortly with more specific info and top tips I bet
tim
EXPLODED TIM! (Help me!!!)
If you are likely to forget, particularly when using the DLR or Overground buy a 7 Day pass. Contactless has a weekly cap equivalent to a weekly pass but based on a Monday-Sunday week, so it doesn't work if you start in a Tuesday or after, although there is still a daily cap
Using contactless, I, at least, find it impossible to check my usage easily, so I can't check to see if I've forgotten to tap in.
Using contactless, I, at least, find it impossible to check my usage easily, so I can't check to see if I've forgotten to tap in.
Mrs Miggins
It’s all happening tomorrow
I think pretty much everyone just uses contactless now. I haven't seen an Oyster card for years.
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
I just use my debit card nowadays. I think most Londoners do. I used to use a non-registered pay as you go oyster, but I've given up on trying to keep my details private, out of laziness tbh.
However, if you're here on holiday and already have an oyster card, I'd recommend using that so that you can track what you spend. Either load up pay as you go to about what you think you'll spend or get a 7-day travelcard. 7-day travelcard zones 1-2 is 38 quid, so get that if you think you'll be travelling a lot by tube. If you think you'll be using buses quite a bit or there will be days when you don't travel much, it will probably be cheaper just to go with pay as you go. As said, the weekly payg cap is the same as a travelcard, but it starts on a Monday. If you're arriving on a Monday, definitely just go payg.
And yes, remember always to touch out on tube/trains, even if there is nobody around. Find the machine and do it.
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
We've all just given up on the idea of privacy, cos it's easier.
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
If you forget to tap out, you will be charged the maximum fare to zone 6 or whatever. You can get it back but you have to go to a station to do it, so it's a faff. So best not to forget. 
marty21
One on one? You're crazy.
This ^^
I always use one and thought I was being hugely modern by doing so.
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
What do people take their drugs with nowadays???
cesare
shady's dreams ♥
I use mine and have done for years. I also get free travel via it as I'm 60.
marty21
One on one? You're crazy.
Tbf , I'll use it again when I'm 60
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
Sorry, I can answer that. That's what a Waitrose card is for.
cesare
shady's dreams ♥
Oh like in 20 years time, you youngster X X
cesare
shady's dreams ♥
You're going to have to steel yourself to proof of travel, so once you've done that you can decide which form is cheapest and or easiest.
What is proof of travel?
cesare
shady's dreams ♥
Tapping in oyster or contactless; or using paper ticket.
If you wander through without paying via the above, you haven't paid.
marty21
One on one? You're crazy.
You are a sweetheart , but it's way less than 3 (unless the cunts change the rules)
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
'Tap in tap out' is most needed with contactless.
I'd be surprised if I've never been overcharged without realising. I never check tbh.
marty21
One on one? You're crazy.
I think you can buy them from newsagents (although I haven't tried for years) Tube stations are pretty much all via machines (but staff are usually milling about to assist) Rail stations usually have a counter (and machines) so I'd go to one of them.
stdP
One Swiss dinosaur in Polly Gosling's anorak hood
I'm one of those people still using an oyster card cos I like to keep stuff separate, and anonymous wherever possible. Given the number of times my oyster card's been sent flying at the gates I don't want to have to scramble on the ground in rush hour to try and find my debit card.
Buying an oyster card and chucking a 7-day travelcard on it has the advantage that it's valid everywhere regardless of whether you tap in or out or not; where as noted above if you forget to do it with a PAYG you'll be charged top whack. If you're not used to it, it's easy to forget to do so, so this is the safest option IMHO.
As for buying it, any newsagent with the oyster card logo will sell you a card (I think for £3?) and then you can just say you want a 7-day travelcard on it. They'll ask you for which zones (e.g. zones 1-4, zones 3-6) and you stump up the money accordingly. They certainly used to be available from the tube/train stations as well but I don't know how one goes about it. Weekly travelcard prices incorporating zone 1 are as follows:
Buying an oyster card and chucking a 7-day travelcard on it has the advantage that it's valid everywhere regardless of whether you tap in or out or not; where as noted above if you forget to do it with a PAYG you'll be charged top whack. If you're not used to it, it's easy to forget to do so, so this is the safest option IMHO.
As for buying it, any newsagent with the oyster card logo will sell you a card (I think for £3?) and then you can just say you want a 7-day travelcard on it. They'll ask you for which zones (e.g. zones 1-4, zones 3-6) and you stump up the money accordingly. They certainly used to be available from the tube/train stations as well but I don't know how one goes about it. Weekly travelcard prices incorporating zone 1 are as follows:
Puddy_Tat
naturally fluffy
you don't have to have an oyster card, you can do it with contactless debit / credit card but make damn sure you use the same one to tap in and out if you use rail / underground / overground
i think you can go online (if oyster card is registered) and put a weekly travelcard on it. i can't remember the detail - i think at one time you had to specify which station you would activate it at. not sure if it still works like that.
take it you're aware there aren't zones on buses, so if you have (say) zone 1+2 travelcard, you can use any tfl bus anywhere on the network (which stretches a bit further than the london boundary, so you can go by bus to slough or dartford if you want)
i don't think you can put a travelcard on contactless cards, but i've never tried
i think you can go online (if oyster card is registered) and put a weekly travelcard on it. i can't remember the detail - i think at one time you had to specify which station you would activate it at. not sure if it still works like that.
take it you're aware there aren't zones on buses, so if you have (say) zone 1+2 travelcard, you can use any tfl bus anywhere on the network (which stretches a bit further than the london boundary, so you can go by bus to slough or dartford if you want)
i don't think you can put a travelcard on contactless cards, but i've never tried
tim
EXPLODED TIM! (Help me!!!)
Likewise, if you have a card that excludes Zone One you can still travel in buses in Zone One. This will save you a fiver is so, and if your are touristing, Zone One is the bit you want to see from a bus. Many tube journeys in the central area that involve a change are anyway quicker by bus or on foot.
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