Oyster card.... what is it?!!

Timmne

I've just got back from London and am due to be going back there quite often due to work. After paying lots for a one day travel card each day for ease, I've noticed that Oyster is far cheaper, and only charges you £1.50 for a trip (meaning if you only do one trip you've saved £3.70 on an off peak travelcard).

But - as I'll only be visiting London once a month, will I be 'applicable' for an Oyster card? Is there a time limit on top-ups to your account? I'd like to get hold of one before my next trip if I can.

I've been on the tfl website but it's pants and tells me nothing (that I can see) about what Oyster actually is!!

Cheers in advance for any help! :beer:

Bossyboots

The Oyster is a card with a chip in it which you can pre-load with funds or a season ticket of your choice. There are chip readers on all buses and at all tube stations. You touch the reader with the card at the start of your journey and then again at the end and on any buses you use. It will charge you the same rate as a travelcard once you reach that level or just for individual journeys if the travelcard rate is more.

It is cheaper to have a card than pay with cash. There is no time limit on the top ups. You can get a card at any tube station. If you want to just pre-load it, you will have to pay £3 for the card which is returnable if you had the card back in. If you buy a season ticket the card is free.

lush_walrus

As above, but just to add you can buy an Oyster card from the ticket office at any of the train stations. Next to all of the ticket offices there are Oyster card forms to fill in, just basic stuff like your address. Hand it into the ticket office and you can get the card straight away (can be done online too).

As above, the card itself costs £3 if (like you) you want pre pay (singles effectively). They will ask if you want to add anything too it when you buy it, just tell them you want pre pay, then add what you want.

It's really simple to use once you have it, and the credit doesnt have an expiry, but its best to only top up a little at a time incase you loose it.

Definately get one, it will definately be cheaper.

Timmne

Cheers for that chaps - shall get online and get hold of one now I think.... all in aid of saving money!!

gwinnie

You can also just get a Pay As You Go type card from newsagents etc near stations that display the Oyster logo. Upside is that you don't have to fill in a form and give LT all your details.

black-saturn

I go to London every other weekend and I use one.

One question I have though is is there a child one?

Bossyboots

black-saturn wrote:

I go to London every other weekend and I use one.

One question I have though is is there a child one?

Is this any help (haven't got time to read it myself) http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/fares-tickets/2007/downloads/Combined-Oyster-students-travel-discounts.pdf

rdwarr

I used mine for the first time today. So easy to manage and a big saving over paying with cash. I'd ordered online.

Timmne

I've done it too!!

Great advice, thanks all!

I now have to find a way to make my boss pay me back the normal £6.20 day ticket so the savings are passed on to me!!

Looking forward to it arriving!

chris-farm

Is there a way of knowing what balance you have left on an oyster pay as you go card, so that you know when it needs topping up

Edimew

Some stations (but not all of them) your balance come up on the barrier screen as you exit. You can also check your balance at the top up machine.

I have mine on automatic top up so that whenever it drops below £5, £20 is added to it from my bank account.

Not sure how useful that would be if you only make the occasional trip.