London travel help(Oyster card)

Dalkirst

Hi could someone help with this question.As you can probably tell though we/i live near the tube we hardly use it;)

I got 2 of them free Oyster cards that were posted on here a while back(one for me one the other half) and we have to go to central London this Friday.We will have to leave around 8.30am as we need to be in Marleybone for 10am.The jounrney will be a bus from the end of our road to Barking tube station and then the tube to Mile End and then another tube to Bond Street and of course return later in the day.
There is myself and partner and 2 kids.Normally i'd buy a travelcard which is going to have to be peak this time as it's before 9.30am.We are in zone 4 so it's zones 1-4 and this is £9(or thereabouts) for a peak one day travelcard so £18 for 2 as the kids travel free with us.

What i was wondering is if i can get it cheaper with the oyster cards we have now?
We have never used a oyster card before so don't know these things:D :rolleyes:

Thanks guys:)

Mrs_pbradley936

I think you would get more response if you posted on the travel board.

skintchick

I believe that travel with an Oyster is much cheaper than buying tickets - check out the TfL website for information.

DrFluffy

You can't use Oyster to buy a one day travel card as such. HOWEVER, you will never pay more in any one day than the cost of a one day travel card for the zones you use (if that makes sense!)... Best of both worlds... If your travel doesn't hit the travel card cost - you save money on not having bought one. If it goes over a travel card cost, they only charge you up to the cost of the card.

Dalkirst

It's all rather complicated...lol
Think i might aswell go for the £9 TC then i suppose.I just hope the MIL doesn't come now(she has said she'll think about it) as i said to the other half ask her if you want and we'll pay for the TC thinking it wasn't that much;)

ollym_3

No, use the Oyster.

If the charges are LESS than the cost of a travel card you will pay them.
If the charges are more than a travel card, you will only pay the cost of a travel card.

The oyster looks at your travel with a 24 hour period and charges you the cheapest options (the 24 hours is a normal day to the night buses end). So you will have the flexibility.

DrFluffy

Dalkirst wrote: »

It's all rather complicated...lol
Think i might aswell go for the £9 TC then i suppose.I just hope the MIL doesn't come now(she has said she'll think about it) as i said to the other half ask her if you want and we'll pay for the TC thinking it wasn't that much;)

Are you sure you won't spend less than the TC cost then? Else Oyster is the way to go...

Dalkirst

Ok i might do then you've twisted my arm;)
How much would i have to put on each card then for a bus ride,tube to Mile end then tube to Bond St and then the reverse later?
Also would the kids be covered on that though like they would with the TC?

skintchick

But do make sure your Oyster scans properly or you'll be charged too much (and it happens a lot).

littlemissmoney

Just use your oyster, it will either be the same price as a paper ticket or cheaper. Top it up with £9 or more. Here is info about children travelling with you:

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/Combined-Oyster-students-travel-discounts.pdf

dzug

The maximum charge with an Oyster card is 50p less than the travelcard needed to cover the same times, zones, etc. So if your TC costs £9 it will cost you a max of £8.50 on Oyster.

Kids is horrendously complicated - depends on their ages, mode of transport and what ticket the accompanying adult (if any) has. If they travel free on the travelcard, then that's the best option. Whatever they pay if you use Oyster will be more than the 50p you save.