Help with Oyster cards please

kayl

Am taking my 13 year old to London next month, and can't find the Oyster cards we used last time we were there.

Am I able to buy these in advance online, or would I be as well waiting till we get there?

alanrowell

Get them when you arrive. It only takes a few minutes - besides if you order them now and then find your old ones you'll kick yourself.

One tip - it's too late to get the Zip card for the 13 yr old but you can get one day Travelcards from train stations for them or if you are staying longer you can get a photocard and a 7 day Travelcard

warehouse

Here's a list of which stations sell the Oyster cards:

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/14433.aspx

balletshoes

we didn't use oyster cards on our recent trip to London, we were only there for 2 days so we used day travelcards. Bought them from the ticket booths at Kings Cross station (we were staying very close by), with a family and friends railcard you get a discount too. For both of us (me and DD aged 11) the travelcards cost £7.60 total each day.

susancs

It is not worth getting a child's zip card unless you are living in London or there for a long period as there is a £10 admin charge and you have to apply in advance, upload a photo etc, as others have said far easier to buy a dailytravel card for unlimited travel on tubes, overground trains and buses at the station (buy after 9.30am for cheaper off peak rate). If you have a friends and familly card it is £2 for the card or £3.20 otherwise for a zone1-6 card. If you buy the TC from a train station rather than a tube station it will have the British Rail logo that is suitable to show to get the train 2for 1 offers with a voucher off the site.
http://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/2for1-london

vivatifosi

Also worth mentioning... With an Oyster the flat fare for a bus journey is £1.35 with a day cap of £4.20. There are some buses that take really interesting routes and you can do a cheap version of a sightseeing tour (ok without the commentary).

kayl

Thanks very much for your replies. We will be there from a Sunday afternoon till the Wednesday lunch time.
On the Monday we are going to the Harry Potter studios - can anyone let me know whether the day cards would cover the train there?

susancs

You can get a zones1-9+Watford Junction TC that you can use to get to Watford Junction train station (easiest way is to get the fast train direct from Euston as it only takes about 20 mins). £7.60 off peak for a child (£2 for a zone1-9 TC if you have a friends and family rail card and purchase the TC after 10am) and £15.20 for an adult off peak daily TC.
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/14416.aspx

On arrival you would need to get the shuttle bus from outside the station to the studios which costs £2 for a return journey per person.

cnile_2

Could anyone advise me on the best way to buy an oyster card with senior railcard discount. I will be travelling to London soon and I'm unsure if this can be done on the day.

1jim

Hi guys

Going to London for a day trip in October, will be using friends and family railcard to get train there.

There will be 2 adults and 2kids aged 5&7. Would be looking to get day tickets for tube, likly to be zone 1&2 only. Is it cheaper to get 2 adult full price off peak tickets and let kids go free, or is cheaper to try and buy discounted day tickets because of the railcard (and if that's cheaper how do I buy them)

Thanks

marksmith99

cnile wrote: »

Could anyone advise me on the best way to buy an oyster card with senior railcard discount. I will be travelling to London soon and I'm unsure if this can be done on the day.

If you show them the railcard when you buy the Oyster they will load the discount on. Then when you use the card each fare will be reduced by the rail card discount. Although I'm not sure you get a discount if used during the morning or evening peak periods.