What is the Oyster Card?
Oyster card, in Spanish “tarjeta Ostra”, is a smart card that allows you to store credit for use in “Pay as you Go” mode, Travelcards, and/or bus and tram passes. It can be used on buses, the Tube, trams, DLR, Overground, and most national rail services in London.
Pay as you go
The Pay as you Go mode is the most basic way to use an Oyster Card, essentially adding prepaid credit for your journeys. It’s much cheaper to use an Oyster Card than to buy single tickets from vending machines or ticket offices.
The credit on your Oyster Card never expires. Additionally, if you have unused credit, you can get a refund at one of the 5 Travel Information Centres in London.
Where to buy your Oyster Card?
You can buy and top up your Oyster Card at the following places:
- Online on the TFL website, but only if you live in the UK (and also for tourists via delivery to addresses outside the UK).
- At Travel Information Centres
- At Oyster Ticket Stops
- At stations and Tube and tram stops
- At Emirates Air Line terminals
- At the Tramlink Shop
- You can also get an Oyster Card at major airports like Heathrow, Gatwick, and Stansted.
Benefits of the Oyster Card
- Considerable time savings by not having to queue at vending machines.
- It’s cheaper than buying single tickets.
- Much more convenient as you don’t have to worry about carrying cash to ride the Tube.
- If you lose it, it can be replaced with the credit you had, and you can also cancel or transfer that credit to a new Oyster Card. (This can be done if you registered it.)
- It is also transferable. As long as the person using the card is an adult, it doesn’t matter if they are not the cardholder. You can lend it to anyone you want.
- You know you will never pay more than with a Travel Card, thanks to Daily Capping.
- Discounts for youth and students: There are reduced fares for 16 to 18-year-olds and students with an Oyster photocard.
- Oyster Card and Contactless: You can use a contactless debit/credit card instead of an Oyster Card, and the same fares and benefits apply.
How to use the Oyster Card?
It’s as simple as touching your Oyster Card on the yellow card reader before starting your journey and again at the end to calculate the distance traveled and apply the corresponding fare.
If you need to change trains within the same station, you’ll see pink readers. You should touch them with your Oyster so the system detects your route and correctly registers the train changes within the same station.
It’s important to touch the readers when entering and exiting because otherwise, the system may charge you a penalty fare equivalent to the maximum fare, which is £8.60. In fact, £8.60 is always deducted at the start of the journey, and when you touch the reader to end the journey, the correct fare is applied.
Sometimes there are so many people in the Tube that the barriers are left open, making it almost impossible to touch out. Don’t worry, as the system will compensate the next time you use your Oyster Card.
When you validate your Oyster Card, if you have enough credit, you’ll see a green light, and the barriers will open. If there’s not enough credit, you’ll hear a message, and the barriers will remain closed.
If you enter a station and then decide not to use that line or can’t use it due to problems, you must request a refund to recover the credit. You can speak with station staff or call 0343 222 1234.
Oyster Card Validation
When you validate your **Oyster Card**, if you have enough credit, you’ll see a green light, and the barriers will open. If there’s not enough credit, you’ll hear a message, and the barriers will remain closed.
Refunds and Problems on the Tube
If you enter a station and decide not to use that line due to issues, you can request a refund by speaking with the station staff or calling 0343 222 1234. Additionally, you can manage your account and top-ups through the TfL mobile app, making it easy to control your expenses and available balance.
Oyster Card and Contactless
Since 2014, contactless debit/credit cards can be used instead of the Oyster Card on all London public transport. The advantage of using a contactless card is that you don’t need to top it up, and the same fares and benefits apply as with an Oyster Card, including daily capping.
Alternatives to the Oyster Card
In recent years, contactless debit/credit cards have become popular compared to the Oyster Card due to their convenience and ease of use. However, for tourists, the Oyster Card remains a preferred option due to potential foreign transaction fees when using contactless cards issued outside the UK.
Additional Tips
- Auto top-up: Set up auto top-up to never run out of credit. When your balance drops below £20, it will automatically top up with £10, £20, or £40 from your bank account.
- Card registration: Register your Oyster Card to apply for refunds or replacements in case of loss or theft. This also allows you to manage your account online.
- Sharing use: If your Oyster Card only has Pay as you Go credit, you can lend it to another person. However, if it has a Travelcard or a discount added, you cannot lend it.
By following these tips and using the Oyster Card correctly, you can enjoy a more economical and comfortable journey on London’s public transport.