London Underground

AirlieBird

surreysaver wrote: »

And Oyster can be used on buses. Then you've got the trams and DLR as well. Plus Riverboats. Taxis and coaches are also regulated by TfL, but you can't use Oyster on them.

Oyster can't be used on the river, but they're working on it! You can however, get a discount on the river if you have a travelcard.

jdan9

The most important thing to remember is that Oyster is almost always cheaper. This is because TfL and the Mayor's office want as many people as possible to use it. Even if you are only there for a day or two, you could still get an Oyster card. You have to pay £3 deposit for the card, but you can return the card before you go home and get the £3 back.

Oyster is valid on buses, trams, DLR, tube (underground), London Overground (orange on the tube map), and other National Rail services where the Train Operating Company running the route has agreed with TfL to accept it. This map (warning, it's a PDF) shows you which National Rail services accept Oyster. Oyster is not cheaper if you want to make lots of journeys on National Rail services within Greater London on which Oyster is not valid. Oyster is not valid on boats, ferries, taxis, Ring-and-Ride, coaches, or buses which are not under TfL's control (basically longer-distances services to neighbouring counties only).

AdrianHi

There are a few regular railway routes where you can use Oyster and it is set to expand.
There is an Oyster terminal at Alton Station way out in the middle of Hampshire, covered up and not in use yet.

Campbellian

For Zones 1 and 2, is it best to get an annual pass on the oyster card or to top it up daily?

AirlieBird

AdrianHi wrote: »

There are a few regular railway routes where you can use Oyster and it is set to expand.
There is an Oyster terminal at Alton Station way out in the middle of Hampshire, covered up and not in use yet.

It is not an Oyster terminal, it is an ITSO terminal.

jdan9

Campbellian wrote: »

For Zones 1 and 2, is it best to get an annual pass on the oyster card or to top it up daily?

If you are travelling daily, it will almost certainly be cheaper to get a season ticket - that's the point of them. If you know you'll only work, say, 4 days a week, work out how many days per year that is, and multiply it by the Oyster daily cap rate. If that is more than the cost of the season ticket, then go for the season ticket!

AdrianHi

AirlieBird wrote: »

It is not an Oyster terminal, it is an ITSO terminal.

Oh yes, I see. They do look similar.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oyster_card wrote:

Beyond London

Oyster PAYG will be valid at c2c stations Purfleet, Ockendon, Chafford Hundred and Grays, at some point when a final agreement is reached between TfL and c2c. It is not clear whether the entire c2c line will support Oyster PAYG.
When ITSO smartcards are introduced to the National Rail network, it will be possible to load one "stored journey right", or e-ticket (for National Rail travel outside Greater London) on to the card at ticket offices or self-service machines. There is not enough space on the card for more information to be stored. Travellers starting their journeys outside London will be able to use Oystercards in certain cases, if they are regarded as "trusted customers". The gates or validators will calculate the applicable fare on arrival in London.
It is likely that credit held on ITSO smartcards will be usable for PAYG journeys, but there may be limitations on fare capping, and combining season tickets and PAYG usage. [40]

I guess I'll be getting an ITSO card so long as it can store a season ticket at some point

SandC

Trip Advisor London forums have absolutely loads of info for visiting London and in particular transport issues.

Altarf

Campbellian wrote: »

For Zones 1 and 2, is it best to get an annual pass on the oyster card or to top it up daily?

jdan9 wrote: »

If you are travelling daily, it will almost certainly be cheaper to get a season ticket - that's the point of them.

No it isn't, it is frequently cheaper to PAYG rather than have a season ticket, if all you use the tube for is to go to and from work.

Annual season ticket price for zone 1 and 2 is £1032. Daily rate for zone 1 is £1.60 and for 1 and 2 is £2.20.

So for someone working 5 days a week 46 weeks a year and using the tube twice a day, will cost £736 for zone 1 and £1012 for zone 1 and 2.

terryw

bendix wrote: »

For a weekend trip, it's probably not worth it. I assume you're coming to look around and will be going from place to place on the Tube and the bus. If so, you're probably better getting a 2-3 day travelcard. Zone 1-2 (which covers everywhere you would want to go) is under 6 quid for all day off-peak which is anytime after 9.30am.

No mate it is still worthwhile getting an Oystercard as it can be used the next time that you go to London. It automatically calculates the cheapest fare (zones off-peak etc) so you can't do it any cheaper.

terryw