Questions tagged [oyster-card]

For questions about the Oyster card system used to pay fares on London's public transport services.

The Oyster card is a payment card system used for public transport in London, UK.

From the Transport for London page "What is Oyster?":

Oyster is a plastic smartcard which can hold pay as you go credit, Travelcards and Bus & Tram Passes. You can use an Oyster card to travel on bus, Tube, tram, DLR, London Overground, TfL Rail, Emirates Air Line, River Bus services and most National Rail services in London.

Use this tag for questions about all aspects of the Oyster card system, such as:

  • How and where to obtain a card

  • How fares are charged when using an Oyster card

  • What transport services accept the Oyster card

  • Details of how to use the card

This tag is not for questions about the sea creature called the oyster. For such questions, consider tags such as , , .

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Are there still any advantages to using an Oyster card for travel in London?

The advice to visitors to London always used to be to procure an Oyster card. Given that Transport for London now accept (in fact, have accepted for a while) Contactless credit/debit cards (and Apple Pay) on buses, tubes, the DLR, etc, is there any…
Andrew Ferrier
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Using oyster card in buses

How are bus rides accounted for when using an Oyster card? London Underground stations have ticket barriers that scan the card on entry and exit, but using a bus the card is only scanned when boarding. How is the correct fare calculated in this…
NicolasB
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Do you need to take the most direct route with an Oyster Card?

I understand when calculating the cost of a train journey using an Oyster Card, the rate is based on the assumption that you have taken the most efficient route. As a train enthusiast however, who is content with travelling around London on all the…
TrainsAreCool
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Is there any way to know when NOT to use my Oyster card?

I have been living in London for many years yet I still can't figure out when I am not allowed to use my Oyster card and I have to ask every time I suspect that it can't be used. Two recent examples: Trains from Paddington to Slough for example…
Ulkoma
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Where to buy an Oyster card and where to get the refund after a short time of use

A group of 4 teenage girls will visit London for two days and want to use a travel card for both days. But a paper travel card is £12 per day and the cap on an Oyster card is about £6.50 for the day. Only one of the girls has a contactless bank…
Willeke
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Is an OysterCard worth it for occasional 1-day visits from outside London?

I live outside London (well beyond the London travel zones) but a few times a year I visit London for a day. I typically take a national rail journey in and out to a terminus and make two or three underground journeys in zone 1. I usually buy an…
RedGrittyBrick
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What happens if the remaining balance on your Oyster card is insufficient for the route you took?

What happens if you use your Oyster card to get into the tube system and then, when you're trying to exit, find that you don't have enough funds on your card to cover the balance of the journey? I guess, in theory, this conundrum is an advantage of…
neubert
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How do peak/off peak times work on the TfL network with the Oyster card?

The section on TfL's website dealing with peak and off-peak times specifies the times but it doesn't specify if those are considered when card holders touch in or when they touch out. Say, I board a train at 18:45 from Euston and arrive at Watford…
Nobilis
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Can I get from Gatwick airport to London by Oyster card?

I read many contradictions as to whether one can use a Oyster card from Gatwick Airport to central London. What is the most time-efficient way to go from Gatwick to "Old Billingsgate" (Monument tube station is nearby)? Public transportation is…
Raymond Chenon
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Will my Oyster card work on Farringdon to Brighton Thameslink rail?

I am planning to travel from Farringdon to Brighton using National Rail operated by ThamesLink. Can I use my Oyster card for this journey or do I have to buy a separate ticket?
simplfuzz
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Why did Oyster card charge me £43 but only gave me a credit for £5?

This is my first time travelling to London and I'm very confused by the travel infrastructure here. When I landed at Heathrow, I bought a 7 day Oyster card for Zone 1-2 and I was charged £43 for it. After I took my journey to Central London and I…
Paagalpan
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Oyster card broken - can I get a refund?

My Oyster card has physically broken (it's bent and no longer reads). The ticket office advised me to buy a new one and phone the support line to get the credit transferred, but can I also get the £5 deposit refunded?
Gremlin
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Can I get Oyster cards at Gatwick airport in the evening?

Is there a place to buy Oyster cards at Gatwick airport? I can not find the information anywhere and since I will be travelling zone 1-4 during my stay I think it is the best option.
Stina
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How far can I travel using my oyster card?

It's very confusing when you travel from Paddington by train, you can go through the gates using your oyster card but you have to know if the gates of the destination you getting off at will allow you out using your oyster card.
Ulkoma
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Why does cost of the travel from zone 1 to zone 3 in London depend on means of transportation?

Wimbledon Station: zone 3 Waterloo Station: zone 1 The fastest way is to take a direct train that takes 16 minutes - Google Maps The cheapest way is to take the Tube but it would take much…
Mars Robertson
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