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Oyster Cards in London kaufen

Allgemeines zu londoner fahrpreisen, was ist die oyster card alle infos, was ist die travelcard, was ist der unterschied: oyster card, visitor oyster card und travelcard, häufige fragen zur oyster card.

Alles was du zur Oyster Card (VIsitor) und Travelcard für London wissen musst!

Die Oyster Card für deine Städtereise nach London ist in allen öffentlichen Verkehrsmitteln gültig. Somit kannst du überall in der Innenstadt mit Bus, Bahn, Subway (U-Bahn) fahren, ohne jedes Mal ein neues Ticket lösen zu müssen. 

Jede zurückgelegte Strecke wird nach der Fahrt vom Guthaben auf der Karte abgezogen. Somit musst du dich nicht darum kümmern, wieviele Zonen du bei einer Fahrt benötigst. Die Karte ist ziemlich einfach zu nutzen und echt bequem. 

Alternativ gibt es die Travelcard. Für Touristen eine spezielle Visitor Oyster Card. 

Welche Unterschiede die Karten haben und warum wir die Visitor Oyster Card für London empfehlen? Lies weiter!

Wir haben für euch zusammengefasst, welche nach unserer Erfahrung die beste Travelcard für Londons Verkehrsmittel ist. Dazu gibt es Tipps und Infos, wie und wo du die Karte kaufst. Nie war reisen in London einfacher. So kannst du entspannt die Sehenswürdigkeiten erkunden.

Das sollte dich ebenfalls interessieren: London Pass

Mit dem London Pass bezahlst du beim Buchen einmalig einen festen Betrag. Danach kannst du für die Dauer der Gültigkeit die meisten Sehenswürdigkeiten, Attraktionen und Touren ansehen. Durch die Fast-Track-Option umgehst du zusätzlich Warteschlangen. Somit kommst du dank London Pass günstig und zeitsparend durch die britische Hauptstadt!

Was eine Fahrt mit einem öffentlichen Verkehrsmittel kostet hängt davon ab, zu welcher Tageszeit ihr fahrt. Die Preise sind zu Londoner Hauptverkehrszeiten (Rush Hour) teurer als dazwischen.

Der Preis hängt auch davon ab, wie viele Zonen ihr durchfahrt, um von A nach B zu kommen.

Die Visitor Oyster Card hat ein maximales Tageslimit. Habt ihr dieses erreicht, wird euch nicht mehr Geld für weitere Fahrten abgezogen.

Hierbei zählt jede Fahrt ab 9.30 Uhr am Morgen (nach der Rush Hour).

Für Zone 1 und 2 beträgt das Maximum 6,80 Pfund. Bei Fahrten in der Zone 1 - 4 sind es 9,80 Pfund und in den Zonen 1 -6: 12,50 Pfund.

Im Gegensatz dazu kostet eine Tageskarte der Travelcard der Zonen 1 - 6 bereits 12,80 Pfund. Die Travelcard gibt es nur als Tages- oder Wochenkarte für alle Zonen.

Auf der offiziellen TfL Webseite findest du genaue Informationen zu Fahrpreisen.

Kinder unter 11 Jahre fahren kostenlos

Reist ihr mit Kindern unter 11 Jahren? Super, denn diese fahren in Begleitung eines Erwachsenen der die Oyster Card besitzt kostenlos. Pro Erwachsenem können bis zu 4 Kinder unter 11 Jahren gratis mitfahren. Ab 11 Jahren müssen Kinder allerdings eine reguläre Oyster Card kaufen.

Die Oyster Card und  Visitor Oyster Card ist eine Art smartcard mit Guthaben. Dank ihr habt ihr die Möglichkeit, schnell und unkompliziert eure Fahrten mit öffentlichen Verkehrsmitteln in London kontaktloszu bezahlen.

Sie gilt für folgende Verkehrsmittel:

Bus, Tram, DLR (Docklands Light Railway Züge), London Overground, Underground, TFL Train, River Bus und vielen weiteren National Rail Zügen in London.

Ihr müsst die Karte nur mit Guthaben aufladen und könnt direkt damit die nächste Fahrt bezahlen.

Hinweis: Für die normale Oyster Card gibt es mittlerweile auch eine App, die ihr auf dem Smartphone nutzen könnt. Das gilt leider nicht für die Visitor Oyster Card.

Warum die Visitor Oyster Card kaufen?

Wir lieben es, so bequem wie möglich zu reisen. Die Oyster Card bietet euch die flexibelste Möglichkeit euch fortzubewegen. Ihr benötigt nur diese elektronische Travelcard mit Guthaben.

Einfach beim Durchgehen der Sperren die Karte auf die gelben runden Kartenleser auflegen und schon ist sie aktiviert. Beim Aussteigen und Verlassen des Verkehrsmittels müsst ihr die Karte wieder auf einen der gelben runden Kartenleser legen. Somit ist die Fahrt bezahlt.

Ein Haken hat die Sache: Ihr könnt die Visitor Oyster Card nur vor eurer Reise über den  offiziellen VisitBritain Shop bestellen.

In London selbst bekommt ihr nur die normale Oyster Card . Rabatte und Vergünstigungen, die man als Tourist bekommt, bleiben euch dann verwehrt.

Wie funktioniert die Oyster Card?

In jeder Stadtion der London Underground, Overground, Bahnhof oder im Bus befinden sich gelbe Kartenleser. Ihr müsst eure Visitor Oyster Card nur darauf legen, wenn ihr eine Station betretet und wieder verlasst.

Am Ende der Fahrt wird euchbeim „check-out“ (dem Auflegen der Karte auf das Lesegerät) der Betrag abgezogen, der der Länge eurer Fahrt entspricht.

Somit müsst ihr euch keine Gedanken machen, wo ihr die nächste Fahrkarte kaufen könnt.

Ist euer Guthaben aufgebraucht, könnt ihr die Oyster Card an allen Automaten per Kreditkarte, Bargeld (Pfund) oder EC-Karte aufladen.

Nutzung in der U-Bahn, DLR, London Overground, Tfl Rail oder den meisten National Rail Zügen

Legt eure Visitor Oyster Card beim Betreten und Verlassen der Station auf den Kartenleser. Euch wird der Fahrt entsprechend der korrekte Betrag automatisch abgezogen.

Beim Bus oder Tram fahren

Bei Fahrten mit dem roten Londonbus oder einer Tram-Fahrt müsst ihr nur zu Beginn die Visitor Oyster Card auf das Kartenlesegerät legen. Beim Aussteigen dürft ihr es nicht mehr nutzen, sonst kann es sein, dass ihr mit einer Strafe belegt werdet.

Züge vom/zum Gatwick Flughafen

Ihr könnt den Zug der National Rail zwischen Gatwick Airport und London Zentrum (inklusive Gatwick Express service) mit eurer Visitor Oyster Card bezahlen.

Eine einzelne Fahrt kostet 19,80 Pfund. Eine Fahrt mit dem Southern oder Thameslink Zug ins Zentrum kostet 14,20 Pfund zu Stoßzeiten und 8,10 Pfund außerhalb der Rush-hour.

Was kostet eine (Visitor) Oyster Card?

Eine Oyster Card kostet 5 Pfund Pfand. Ihr könnt selbst bestimmen, wieviel Guthaben auf eure Karte geladen werden soll:

10 £, 15 £, 20 £, 25 £, 30 £, 35 £, 40 £  or 50 £.

Das Guthaben läuft nie ab und bleibt so lange darauf enthalten, bis ihr es benutzt. Die Karte könnt ihr fast an jeder Station wieder mit Guthaben aufladen.

Die Visitor Oyster Card ist dagegen umsonst .

Wieviel Guthaben benötigen wir?

Das ist eine gute Frage: Generell sagt man, dass ihr für 2 Tage London 15 £ und für 4 Tage ca. 30 £ auf die Oyster Karte laden solltet.

Wir haben unsere Visitor Oyster Card  zusammen mit dem City Pass London  bestellt. Für die Anzahl der Tage bekamen wir automatisch ein entsprechendes Guthaben auf unsere Karte geladen (Zonen 1 - 2).

Mehr Infos dazu könnt ihr in diesem Artikel nachlesen: Erfahrung  und Vergleich London Pass mit dem London City Pass?

⚠️ Wir haben für den London Pass einen Rabatt-Deal ! Gib bei der Buchung über diesen Link im Rabattcode   LPVIELUNTERWEG5  (alles großschreiben) und  spare zusätzlich zum offiziellen Rabatt %  beim Kauf eines London Passes. Hier meinen London all-inclusive Pass Test lesen .

Wo kann ich die Visitor Oyster Card kaufen?

Die Visitor Oyster Card kannst du nur vor deiner Reise online kaufen . Außerdem musst du Tourist sein und darfst weder in Großbritannien leben noch einen britischen Pass besitzen (Ähnlich dem Japan Rail Pass für Japan ).

Bestelle die Karte nur beim offiziellen Shop der englischen Tourismusbehörde VisitBritain . Überall anders bezahlst du mehr dafür.

Oyster Card aufladen, so geht’s!

Falls euer Guthaben aufgebraucht ist, könnt ihr sie wirklich einfach wieder aufladen.

Dazu braucht ihr nur einen Ticketautomaten in der U-Bahn, Overground oder DLR. In manchen Bahnhöfen (z.b. Paddington) gibt es Oyster Ticket Shops, in denen ihr die Karten mit Guthaben laden könnt. Außerdem gibt es in London Verkaufsstellen wie Zeitungskiosks an denen ihr die Card ebenfalls laden könnt.

Weitere Orte in London: 

• Besucher- und Reiseinformationszentren von TfL (Transport for London), bsp. Liverpool Street oder Piccadilly Circus
• An Ticketschaltern der London Overground
• An den Terminals der Emirates Air Line. Londons Seilbahn über die Themse zwischen der Greenwich Halbinsel und den Royal Docks

Oyster Card zurückgeben

Falls ihr euch eine Oyster Card vor der Reise bestellt habt, den London Trip aber stornieren müsst, könnt ihr die unbenutzte Karte zurückgeben. Ihr müsst dazu nur eine E-Mail an [email protected] schreiben, um euer Geld zurückzubekommen.

Übriges Guthaben zurückbekommen

Ihr könnt unbenutztes Guthaben am Ende eurer Reise wieder zurückbekommen:

• Bei Beträgen bis 10 £ könnt ihr euer Guthaben am Automaten auszahlen lassen.
• Besucht ein Visitor Center (außer Gatwick), an dem ihr das restliche Guthaben erstattet bekommt (auch mehr als £10 möglich).

Weitere Vorteile der Oyster Card

Zu den günstigeren Fahrten kommen weitere Rabatte mit der Visitor Oyster Card hinzu.

Du erhältst bis zu 26 % Ermäßigung  auf die Emirates Air Line Cable Car und  bis zu 19 % Ermäßigung  auf Einzelfahrten mit dem Flussschiff Thames Clipper.

Die Travelcard ist ein Fahrschein aus Papier. Kaufst du eine Tageskarte, kannst du diese so oft einsetzen wie du willst. Sie gilt für Fahrten mit U-Bahn, Overground, Bus, Tram, DLR und National Rail.

Im Gegensatz zur Oyster Card aber nicht für die Busboote. Ihr bekommt lediglich einen Rabatt beim MBNA Thames Clippers River Bus.

Travelcards könnt ihr nach Zonen dazu kaufen:

• Zone 1-4 (nur Tageskarten "Anytime Day Travelcards")
• Zone 1-9 einschließlich Watford Junction

Dabei gibt es zwei Varianten: Die Anytime Day Travelcard , mit der ihr zu jeder Tageszeit den ganzen Tag fahren könnt für 18,60 Pfund. Alternativ die günstigere Day-off Peak Variante für nur 13,10 Pfund. Diese Karte gilt nur von Montag - Freitag ab 9.30 Uhr und am Wochenende rund um die Uhr.

Die Travelcard kannst du im offiziellen Shop der englischen Tourismusbehörde bestellen.

Sowohl die Visitor Oyster Card wie auch die Oyster Card sind elektronische Fahrkarten. Ihr ladet sie mit Guthaben auf und nutzt sie für Fahrten in fast jedem öffentlichen Verkehrsmittel in London.

U-Bahn (Tube), Overground, DLR, Busboote der MBNA Thames Clippers und viele Zuglinien der National Rail sind inbegriffen.

Im Gegensatz dazu sind Travelcards aus Papier. Ihr bezahlt eure Fahrten damit in der U-Bahn, DLR, London Overground, National Rail oder Fahrten mit Bus und Tram. Die Travelcard gilt aber nicht für Fahrten mit den Busbooten. Dafür bekommt ihr bei den MBNA Thames Clippers bei Vorlage ein Drittel Rabatt auf Flussfahrten.

Die Travelcards gibt es nur Tages-, Wochen- und Monatweise oder als Jahreskarte.

Von Heathrow oder Gatwick mit Oyster Card fahren?

Die Visitor Oyster Card oder Oyster Card könnt ihr nicht ab jedem Flughafen nutzen, sondern erst ab den inneren Londoner Zonen.

Kommt ihr am Flughafen Heathrow an? Sehr gut. Im Terminal 2 geht es direkt in die U-Bahn Station. Folgt den Schildern. Heathrow liegt in Zone 6. Somit könnt ihr gleich eure aufgeladene Oyster Card benutzen.

Warum wir trotzdem den Heathrow Express Zug gefahren sind? Ganz einfach: Dank London Pass bekamen wir auf die Tickets Rabatt. Außerdem fährt der Zug ohne zu halten bis Paddington Station, was für uns einfach schneller und bequemer war.

Ab Gatwick sind das die Stadtionen: London Bridge, City Thameslink, Blackfriars, Farringdon, St Pancras International, East Croydon oder Clapham Junction.

Was passiert, wenn ich mit der Oyster-Card weiter als Zone 9 (Warner Bro’s Studios zu Harry Potter) fahren möchte?

Genau das ist uns passiert: Wir sind in den Zug gestiegen und haben vergessen, Guthaben per Kreditkarte am Automaten aufzuladen. Kein Problem: Vor dem Verlassen des Bahnhofs in Watford kannst du (bzw. musst du) Guthaben aufladen. Ging alles einfach. Watford ist Zone W, nicht 9.

Ich will die Oyster Card und den London Pass kaufen. Kann ich beides vor Ort abholen? Ein postalischer Versand würde zeitlich nicht mehr klappen?

Kein Problem. Du kannst den London Pass mit Oyster Card online bestellen. Beides holst du dann direkt beim London Pass Office (beim Trafalgar Square) ab. Genaue Adresse: 11A Charing Cross Rd. Das Gebäude kannst du nicht verfehlen. Es ist ein rundes Gebäude.

Kann ich die Oyster Card mit Kreditkarte bezahlen?

Ja, vor Ort kannst du die Oyster Card natürlich auch mit Kreditkarte bezahlen. Mein Tipp, um online zu bestellen:  Bestelle nur beim offiziellen Shop der englischen Tourismusbehörde VisitBritain . Überall anders bezahlst du mehr.

Hast du weitere Fragen zu London oder der Oyster Card?

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Transparenz und Vertrauen: In diesem Artikel befinden sich Empfehlungslinks (Affiliate-Links). Das bedeutet für dich: Keine Mehrkosten. Aber: Wenn du über einen Link etwas kaufst, erhalte ich eine kleine Provision. Dir entstehen keine Mehrkosten, aber helfen mir, diese Seite zu betreiben und den Blog und meine für dich kostenlose Informationen und Expertentipps zu unterstützen! Vielen lieben Dank!

Hi ich bin Katrin!

Ich bin Katrin, viel unterwegs und echte Reise-Expertin! Mit Campervan oder Rucksack möchte ich die ganze Welt entdecken. Um meine Erfahrungen & Erlebnisse mit dir zu teilen, habe ich diesen Reiseblog gegründet!

Diese Artikel könnten dich auch interessieren

Das sagen unsere Leser

Gut zusammengefasst, die Visitor Oyster Card macht bestimmt Sinn wegen der Rabatte. Die normale hingegen braucht man eigentlich nicht mehr – man kann genauso gut direkt an den gelben Touchpads bei Under-, Overground oder Bussen statt der Oyster Card direkt seine kontaktlose Credit-oder Debitcard auflegen, bekommt auch dabei maximal ein Tagesticket abgezogen. Somit kein Extraweg mehr……einfach die Kreditkarte die man sowieso hat benutzen. Ähnliche Systeme befinden sich auch gerade in Singapur oder angeblich Moskau im Aufbau….eigentlich die einfachste und touristenfreundlichste Lösung, wenn man sich nicht erst erkundigen muss, wie und wo man zu den Tickets in fremden Städten kommt…..

danke für die Zusammenfassung. Wenn Ich die Oyster karte bestelle, wie lange dauert es bis sie bei mir ankommt? Läuft das ganze über den Briefweg ab?

Vielen Dank!

Katrin Lehr

Ja du bekommst sie per Post. Ich habe die Karte zusammen mit dem London City Pass bestellt. Kam per Post innerhalb 2 Tagen. Liebe Grüße Katrin

Günther Friedrich

In der Beschreibung steht: Die Visitor Oyster Card ist dagegen umsonst. Es werden aber doch 5 GBP auf der Seite von visitbritainshop angegeben?

Hallo Günther,

das ist quasi ein „Pfand“. Du kannst die Karte nach der Reise zurückgeben und bekommst das zurück. Wir haben unsere Karten behalten, um diese für die nächsten Reisen direkt wieder aufladen zu können. Liebe Grüße Katrin

Wo kann ich die Visitor Oyster Karte zurückgeben?

am besten an einer U-Bahn Station an jeder Fahrkartenautomat die Rückerstattung von bis 10 £ Guthaben plus Pfand bekommen. Berühre das gelbe Einlesegerät mit der Karte, wähle Oyster Refund und folge den Anweisungen am Bildschirm. Das auszuzahlende Guthaben erscheint auf dem Bildschirm. Die Rückerstattung erfolgt per Bargeld am Fahrkartenautomat.

Falls das Guthaben höher ist, müsst ihr es per Post machen:

TfL Customer Services 14 Pier Walk 4th Floor London SE10 0ES England

Vergesst nicht, ein Schreiben mit hineinzulegen mit all euren Angaben.

Liebe Grüße Katrin

Jürgen Weber

Alles veraltet. Man kann VISA oder Apple Pay als Oyster benutzen.

Wurde leider erst eingeführt als wir vor Corona da waren. Also noch nicht so sehr veraltet, weil es erst recht neu ist (seit man wieder nach London reisen kann). Von daher: Bitte um Geduld und eine etwas freundlichere Antwort wäre (oder ausführlicher) nett. Bei uns konnte man vereinzelt mit Kreditkarten bezahlen, hat aber bei den meisten gar nicht funktioniert.

Danke dir für deine Info.

Hi. Toller Bericht danke dir 🤩

Die Oyster Card ist für die Zonen 1-6 gültig. Wie läuft es wenn ich mich außerhalb der Zonen bewegen will? Watford zb? Zahle ich dann wenn ich aussteige? Muss ich vorher aussteigen und ein „sonderticket“ kaufen und weiter fahren? Ich finde dazu absolut nichts im Internet.

Das stimmt so nicht. Die Visitor Oyster Card gilt in allen Tarifzonen und zu jeder Verkehrszeit (Peak & Off-Peak). Die Zone bis Watford (Zone W) kostet nur mehr (wir sind auch damit bis Watford gefahren). Aber Achtung: Wir hatten die Visitor Oyster Card, keine normale Oyster Card. Mit Travelcards kannst du sowei ich weiß nur so weit, wie die Zone es erlaubt, die du gebucht hast. Viel Spaß in London.

Hallo, ich hätte auch eine Frage. Gilt die Tagesobergrenze insgesamt für alle Verkehrsmittel der Zone. Also wenn wir z.B. vom Buckingham Palast zu den Warner Bro. Studios mit der Oyster visitor Card fahren wollen, können wir da auch mit der National Rail fahren und nicht mehr als die Tagesobergrenze zahlen? Oder können wir dann nur mit der Overgroundbahn fahren, um nicht mehr zu zahlen? Ich hoffe, ich habe mich verständlich ausgedrückt.

Die Obergrenze gilt für alle Verkehrsmittel, die in der Visitor Oyster Card enthalten sind (Wichtig ist, dass du die Visitor Oyster Card und nicht die normale Oyster Card besitzt). Das bedeutet, dass dir bei Erreichen der Obergrenze nichts mehr zusätzlich bezahlen musst, aber trotzdem fahren kannst.

Hallo Katrin, auf der Suche nach Informationen zu dem „richtigen“ London Ticket bin ich auf deine Seite gestoßen und freue mich, wenn du mir noch mal einen Tipp zu unserer Reise geben kannst. Ich schwanke zwischen Visitor Oyster Card und 7 Tage Travelcard. Denn bei der Bezahlung mit Kreditkarte befürchte ich Gebühren von meiner Bank, zu dem hat meine 13-jährige Tochter keine Kreditkarte und wir müssten für sie dann sowieso eine andere Entscheidung treffen.

Also, wir sind zwei Erwachsene + 1 Kind (13 J.) für 1 Woche von FR bis FR in London An den beiden Freitagen An- und Abreisetag werden wir lediglich von Heathrow nach Hammersmith bzw. zurück in der Stoßzeit (Peak) fahren. Die Tage von SA bis DO wollen wir frei in Zone 1-2 gestalten. Mit Bus, Bahn, Boot, Bike auch mal bis nach Greenwich. Je nach Wetterlage im Oktober ist es gut möglich, dass wir nur mit Bus und Fahrrad unterwegs sind. Da es aber unser erstes mal in London sein wird, kann ich mir auch gut vorstellen, dass wir am Ende planlos von A nach B über C weiter nach D und wieder zurück nach A mit verschiedenen Verkehrsmitteln zurücklegen werden.

Ich freue mich auf dein Rückmeldung und sende Reisefiebergrüße, Helen

Hallo Helen,

vielleicht solltest du dir mal meinen Artikel für Reisekreditkarten ansehen und eine der kostenlosen ohne Gebühren zulegen. Dann hast du keine Probleme mit Gebühren. Ich bevorzuge die Visitor Oyster Card, da sich die für uns immer gelohnt hat. Die liegt auch noch hier am Schreibtisch und wird beim nächsten Trip wieder geladen.

Vielen Dank für die Zusammenfassung über die Karten. Im Dezember werde ich für 3 Tage nach London fliegen (FR-SO), werde wohl die Visitor Oyster Card kaufen. Wenn ich die Karte kaufe und Sie mir zugesandt wird, kommen dann Zollgebühren auf mich zu, seitdem die UK den Brexit hatte?

Liebe Grüße Alina

Nein, eigentlich nicht. Zollgebühren kommen ja eher bei anderen Käufen auf dich zu. Die Karte ist vom Preis her auch zu gering, als dass da etwas kommen könnte.

Hallo. Vielen Dank für den schönen Bericht. Welche Vorteile bietet den die Visitor Oyster Card? Ich lese immer nur Rabatte und Vorteile, kann aber nicht erkennen wofür es Rabatte gibt. Vielen Dank

Hesham Dahy

Hallo, vielen dank für die tolle Beschreibung, da habe ich nur paar Frage, Oyster card kann ich nur Online kaufen oder auch wenn ich in London ankomme? Wir landen in Stansted Flughafen und müssen nach Docklands zum Hotel fahren, was kannst du uns empfehlen? Viele Grüße aus Wien Hesham Dahy

Die Oyster Card für Besucher (günstiger) gibt es nur vorab und nicht vor Ort.

Zum Transfer solltest du dir diesen Artikel genau durchlesen (Steht alles da): https://viel-unterwegs.de/reiseziele/england/london/ „Bei Ankunft in Stansted oder Luton solltest du frühzeitig den Easybus buchen. Dank dieses Busses bist du am schnellsten und bequemsten in deiner Unterkunft. Der Bus hielt sogar viel näher an unserer Wohnung und somit hatten die Anreisenden von diesen Flughäfen die bequemste und günstigste Anreise. Bucht ihr rechtzeitig, könnt ihr manchmal sogar Tickets für 2 £ ergattern.“

Hallo! Vorab ein toller Guide! Ich fahre mit meiner Freundin vom 21.09 (Mi) bis 25.09 (Son) nach London. Wir landen in Heathrow morgens um 7:30Uhr und haben unser Hotel nähe London Eye. Wir möchten natürlich viel sehen. Macht es Sinn nur die Mastercard Kreditkarte zu nutzen oder lohnt sich schon eher eine Travelcard (Zone 1-6) für jeden von uns? Wir möchten es gerne kompakt halten. Liebe Grüße ☺️ Marvin

katzenkreis

Hallo! Bin gerade auf der Suche nach Infos zur Oyster Card und habe festgestellt, dass bei „Weitere Vorteile der Oyster Card“ der Link zum Überblick ins Leere läuft.

Vielen Dank für die Info. Der Shop wurde neu gemacht (die Webseite) und der Link bzw. die vielen Rabatte gibt es aktuell leider nicht mehr. Habe alles aktualisiert und angepasst.

Günter Nolte

Großartige Infos, herzlichen Dank, Günter Nolte

Hallo! Vielen Dank für die Übersichten und Vergleiche. Dass Kinder unter 11 kostenlos fahren und Jugendliche eine reguläre Karte kaufen müssen, habe ich verstanden. Aber wie klappt dies in der Praxis? Wie kommt mein 10-Jähriger unkompliziert durch die Schranke? Und irgendwo habe ich gelesen, dass Jugendliche nur die Hälfte zahlen, wie und wo kann ich dies organisieren? Ich wäre sehr dankbar für Tipps und Hinweise. Herzlichen Dank! Grüße aus dem schönen Altmühltal!

Hallo Martina,

schau mal, bei der offiziellen Webseite von Visit London ist alles ausführlich beschrieben: https://www.visitlondon.com/de/reiseinformationen/transport/kinder-reisen-in-london-kostenlos

Das bezieht sich allerdings auf die normale Oyster Card. Die Visitor Oyster Card gilt für alle zum selben Preis (es gibt hier keine günstigere für Kinder). Nur mit dem Zusatz, dass Kinder unter 11 Jahren in Begleitung eines zahlenden Erwachsenen gratis fahren dürfen. Diese gibt es nur online vorab. Die „normale“ kannst du mittlerweile auch per App aufs Handy laden und dort aufladen und zum bezahlen nutzen.

Hallo, vielen Dank für den Bericht. Ich habe eine Frage dazu.. Ich würde einen London Pass für drei Tage kaufen wollen und dazu gibt es die Visitor Oyster Card dazu. Allerdings steht überall, dass sie solange gültig ist wie der Pass. Ich würde den Pass nur für 3 Tage benutzen wollen und die Visitor Oyster Card für 5 Tage. Bekomme ich sie so vor Ort trotzdem aufgeladen oder geht das nicht mehr da der Pass nur drei Tage gültig ist?

Gruß, Merle

Gute Frage, den Fall hatten wir noch nicht. Da bin ich gerade leider überfragt, da wir die Karte direkt vor Corona das erste Mal getestet haben und sie eigentlich für eine nächste Reise noch bereitliegt. Müssten wir uns selbst erkundigen. Vielleicht direkt mal bei Visit Britain im Shop nachfragen?

Viele Grüße Katrin

der Bericht ist schon sehr informativ, danke dafür.

Allerdings finde ich zur Oyster Card nirgends die aktuellen Preise 2023 bis Zone W vor allem nicht nur die „CAPs“ sondern auch die tatsächlich abgebuchten Preise pro Fahrt (würden gerne zu den WB Studios fahren und das vorher preislich vergleichen). Weist du vielleicht wo ich die finden kann?

Danke und LG Sandra

Hallo! Dein ausführlicher Bericht hilft mir sehr bei meiner Planung. Allerdings hab ich zur Oystercard noch eine Frage. Beim offiziellen Shop kosten 3 Stück Oystercard‘s mit je 30 Euro Guthaben 123 Euro. Aus welchem Grund? Die Gebühr beträgt 5 Euro pro Karte. Das wären 105 Euro. Würde ich vor Ort 105 EUR bezahlen bezahlen? VG und vielen lieben Dank Carmen

Ich glaube du falsch nachgesehen bei der Währung… 150 £ sind 170,34 Euro. Plus 15 Euro sind 195 Euro. Kursschwankungen inklusive.

Toller Bericht. Dauert der Versand der Visitor Oyster Card noch 2 Tage wie 2020 oder mittlerweile länger? Wir wollen am 12.5 nach London LG Tina

Gute Frage, ich schreibe nur über meine Erfahrung. Bitte direkt nachfragen, ich liefere nur die Links, wo ich bestellt habe. Wenn du auf der offiziellen Seite bestellst, musst du ein Datum angeben, ab wann du die Karte gerne nutzen möchtest. Falls es zu knapp wird, wirst du darauf hingewiesen. Probiere das evtl. auch mal aus. Ich drücke die Daumen, dass es noch hinhaut.

Ich würde gern die Visitor Oyster Card bestellen, allerdings sagt mir die Seite, dass das Ticket nicht mehr rechtzeitig ankommen wird. Wie lange dauert das? Wir haben „nur“ noch 4 Arbeitstage bis zu Abreise. Kann ich mir das Ticket auch an die Adresse in GB schicken lassen?

Hallo Martin,

das geht leider nicht, da sichergestellt wird (seitens GB), dass es nur von Touristen außerhalb GB lebend genutzt wird. Spontan könnte es mit 4 Tagen (und Wochenende dazwischen) nicht mehr klappen, leider.

Margherita Croci

Liebe Katrin, wenn wir einen London Pass plus Visitor Oyster Card für zwei Tage kaufen, könnte ich die Oysterkarte dann danach noch weiter verwenden. Wir sind nämlich 4 Tage in London und wollen nur einen Zweitagespasse, aber an den anderen Tagen möchten wir natürlich schon die Öffentlichen mit der Oystercard benutzen. Darüber hinaus kann ich auch nicht daas Alter der Kinder angeben. Ich dachte unter 11 Jahren fährt man umsonst mit. Vielen Dank für die Infos, Margherita.

Hi. Gibt es ausser den Rabatten noch einen Unterschied zw. Oyster und Visitor Oyster? In der Peak wird einfach ein höherer Betrag abgezogen, oder? Ist dann das Tageslimit ein anderes, ob ich in Peak oder nur off Peak fahre? Danke

Claudia Klenk

Hallo Katrin, Kompliment: das ist alles sehr informativ, was ich hier lese. Wir sind gestern zurückgekommen und wir haben uns das restliche Guthaben der Oystercard am Automaten auszahlen lassen. Kann ich auch unsere Karten noch nachträglich an die Adresse TfL Customer Services 14 Pier Walk 4th Floor London SE10 0ES England schicken, um unser Pfand wieder zu bekommen oder geht das nicht? Vielen Dank und weiter so! 🙂

Genau, ihr könnt die Karte auch nach der Reise einsenden. Ich habe eine davon behalten (für künftige Reisen).

Viele Grüße und lieben Dank für das Lob. Katrin

Wir Reisen nächste Woche Freitag (29.09.) nach London. Flug von MUC nach Heathrow. Ist es jetzt schon zu spät die günstigere Visitor Oyster Card zu bestellen? Und kann ich mit dieser oder der normalen Oyster Card dann die Elisabeth Line nutzen? (Unser Hotel läge dann 5 min. zufuß von Whitechapel entfernt)

Merci schonmal vorab für die Rückmeldung. 🙂

Hallo Bernhard,

mir wäre das glaube ich zu heiß, so kurzfristig die Karte zu bestellen. Zum Hotel und der Linie: Ich kenne leider die ganzen Linien nicht auswendig, aber wenn es in der Stadt ist, natürlich.

Habe die Visitor Oyster Card am 08.09. bestellt und heute am 19.09. ist sie angekommen. Ich hatte 3 Stück bestellt, aufgeladen mit je 30 GBP. War sehr erstaunt, dass ich 26,70 € Zoll und Gebühren bezahlt habe… Lohnt sich also nicht mehr so richtig. Habe sie im Visitbritain Shop gekauft. Würde ich nicht nochmal machen….

Danke dir für das Feedback. Das mit dem Zoll ist wirklich ärgerlich. Werde ich ergänzen.

Kann leider nicht mehr auf meinen vorherigen Beitrag antworten… ich habe mittlerweile an Visitbritain geschrieben und sie haben mir zugesagt, dass ich die Gebühren erstattet bekomme. Da scheint wohl was beim Versand oder beim Zoll falsch gelaufen zu sein. Jedenfalls soll es wohl nicht so sein, dass Gebühren erhoben werden. Hatte mich auch schon gewundert….

Hallo, kann ich die Oyster Card schon ab Gatwick bis Victoria Station nutzen, oder sollte ich auf die Oyster Card verzichten und eine Fahrkarte kaufen?

Ja, die Oyster kannst du auch zwischen dem Flughafen Gatwick und London Victoria im Gatwick Express nutzen.

Hey, danke für deinen ausführlichen Bericht. benötigen wir die Oystercard pro Person oder kann auch eine Karte für 2 genutzt werden? Grüße aus dem Norden

Du benötigst die Karte pro Person, also 2 Karten. Ihr könnt euch die normale Oyster Card auch per App aufs Handy laden und kontaktlos bezahlen (Nennt sich TfL Oyster and contactless) und gibt es für Android und Apple. Die Visitor Oyster Card ist nach wie vor günstiger für Touristen.

Hey, was für eine tolle Seite! Vielen Dank schon mal für die vielen Infos. Wir (2 EW. + 2 Kinder, 13J, 15J) werden Ende März für 4 Tage London besuchen. Habe gelesen, dass ich für Kinder die Oystercard auf eine „Kindertarif“ umstellen kann. Wie muss ich mir das vorstellen? Kann ich das schon bei der Bestellung angeben? Und kann ich das dann wieder rückgängig machen? Meine Große wird im April 16 und wir wollten die Karten behalten. Beste Grüße

Nadja Rausch

Hallo… Erstmal vielen Dank für die tolle Seite. Ich hab die Visitor Oyster Card bestellt und ich hab leider den Abreisetag als Datum angegeben. In der übersetzten Seite stand Datum der Abreise. Ist das Datum überhaupt relevant? Viele Grüße Nadja

Hallo Nadja, normal zählt der Tag, an dem du die Karte das 1. mal einsetzt.

Hallo liebe Katrin! Danke für deine tollen und umfangreichen Infos zu den oyster cards in london (und dem London Pass check). Ich habe eine Frage zu der visitor oyster card: ich reise mit meinem Sohn, der 15 ist und ich bin mir nicht sicher, ob ich bei der online Bestellung auch den youth discount bekomme. auf der webpage steht auch, man solle bei Ankunft nach dem youth discount fragen. aber heisst das, ich kaufe die oyster card für meinen sohn erst bei Ankunft vor Ort? aber da bekomme ich ja nicht die „visitor oyster card“, richtig?! Hast Du einen Tip, wie ich da vorgehe? Herzlichen Dank! LG, Tanja

Hallo Katrin, ich habe meine Antwort schon gefunden (auf der visit britain seite): man muss die visitor oyster card auch für jüngere Familienmitglieder vorab kaufen. Bei Ankunft dann für den Jugend Rabatt nachfragen. Das werde ich dann so machen. Danke für all die Infos hier auf deiner Seite. Sehr hilfreich. =) Liebe Grüsse, Tanja

danke für die Zahlreichen Infos. Wir fliegen das erste Mal nach London. Die Visitor Oyster Karten konnte ich nur für Erwachsene bestellen. Ich konnte nur finden, dass man sie vor Ort auf Kinder umcodieren lassen kann. Dafür darf sie noch nicht genutzt worden sein. Ich konnte aber nicht finden, ob auch direkt am Flughafen Heathrow ein entsprechender Shop zur Verfügung steht. Hat da jemand Erfahrung mit ?

Danke und viele Grüße

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Savvy Travel Advice

Tips for Buying and Using the Oyster Card in London

Last updated: April 14, 2024 - Written by Jessica Norah 312 Comments

London is one of the top travel destinations in the world, but navigating this large city can be overwhelming for a first time visitor. Using an Oyster card, a credit card sized transport smartcard, is an easy way to save time and money if you are planning to use public transportation in London.

An Oyster card can be used on just about every form of transport within London including the Underground (“Tube”), public buses, trams, and rail services within the city. Our goal is help you decide if an Oyster card is a good fit for you and to help you effectively use your card on public transportation in London.

First we’ll cover the main types of Oyster cards that are available, how to choose the best one, and how to buy an Oyster card.

Then we’ll talk about where you can use them, how to use them for travel, how to recharge the cards, registering your card, and note important travel exclusions for visitors.

Finally we’ll cover special issues such as how to get refunds, avoiding double payments, available discounts and concessions, the alternative option of using contactless cards, the use of pink readers, and tips for those traveling with children. 

Table of Contents:

What is the London Oyster Card?

An Oyster card is a credit card sized card that can be used to electronically pay for travel on London transport. All you have to do is load the card with credit, and then you can use it for nearly all your public transport needs around London without having to buy individual tickets.

Why You Should Buy An Oyster Card in London?

The best reason to get an Oyster card is cost savings and convenience! It is significantly cheaper to travel in London using an Oyster card than it is to purchase individual tickets for each trip. The only reason you would want to just buy individual tickets is if you are only using public transportation once or twice during your stay.

However, the average visitor will use public transportation multiple times each day and the Oyster card can save both time and money. As an example, traveling offpeak from Zone 1 to Zone 2 on the Tube will cost you (as of March 2024) £2.70 using an Oyster card versus £6.70 if you buy a single ticket. So you’d pay more than twice as much if you bought individual tickets versus using the Oyster card! 

An Oyster Card will also save you money compared to using a Bus & Tram Pass to ride the buses and trams, which don’t accept individual tickets or cash any longer.

Oyster cards also have a capping system, which can save you even more money. There is a maximum amount that you can be charged on a daily basis (days run from 4.30am to 4.29am the next day) for traveling in different zones. After you exceed that amount in one day, your travel is free for the rest of the day. 

Capping varies based on the zones you travel in, but for example, for peak travel in Zones 1 & 2, the maximum daily fee is £8.50 (as of March 2024). So no matter how many times you travel on public transport using your Oyster card in London’s zones 1 and 2, you will never be charged more than £8.50 a day.

As of September 2021, Oyster cards also have a weekly cap. This runs from Monday to Sunday, and means you will never pay more than the weekly cap for travel. For Zones 1 & 2, the weekly cap is £42.70 (as of March 2024). So you will never pay more than that for public transport in Zones 1 & 2 from a Monday to the following Sunday.

An additional cost saving benefit for families is that children under the age of 11 (up to four), can travel for free on London’s public transport if in the company of an adult holding a valid Oyster card.

In terms of practicality, it’s a lot more convenient to use an Oyster card when traveling in London.  They’re accepted on nearly all forms of London’s public transport network, and you just swipe them on the Oyster reader to validate your transport. You don’t have to keep fiddling with loose change or buy individual tickets – an option that isn’t always available anyway. For example, on London buses there are no facilities to buy tickets onboard or at most bus stops.

If you’re interested in learning about all the different types of transport options available, check out Laurence’s post which gives an overview of all the major London transport options . There are a lot of ways to get you around London! 

Types of Oyster Cards

There are two main types of Oyster card: the standard Oyster card and the Visitor Oyster card . We’ll talk about each and their primary differences to help you decide which is the best fit for you. 

Standard Oyster Card versus Visitor Oyster Card

The standard Oyster card is a credit card sized piece of blue plastic. The Visitor Oyster card is the same format, but is more elaborately visual, with an artistic design.  Other than external appearance, the standard and Visitor Oyster cards offer the same functionality in terms of transport options and are used in the same way.

They can both be recharged (topped up) and are designed to be a transport card that you can keep and use for a prolonged period of time. Both cards also allow you to obtain a refund for any unused balance (see more on obtaining refunds later in the post).

The main differences are the fee for obtaining the card, ability to use travelcards with the card, offers attached to the cards, and where you can buy them.

Fees. First, in terms of fees, the blue standard Oyster card has a £7 deposit. Until 2020 you could claim this back when you were done with the card. From 2020, this £7 is added to the card as credit one year after activation and can no longer be refunded (but you can use it for travel credit). The Visitor Oyster card has a non-refundable £5 activation fee. 

NOTE: Currently, in terms of activation fees, the Visitor Oyster Card saves you £2 in fees per card. If you don’t plan to return to London, the Visitor Oyster Card is a better deal in terms of fees.

Travelcards. The standard Oyster card allows visitors to add travelcards  and bus and tram passes onto the card and the Visitor Oyster card does not. This is unlikely to matter for those staying for only a short time in London, but if you are staying a week or more in London, you may want to consider loading a 7-day London Travelcard onto a standard Oyster card. These are useful if you are visiting London for a week or more and are planning on doing a lot of travel, as these allow you to travel for an unlimited number of journeys within certain zones for a fixed price.

For example, a 7 day zone 1 & 2 travelcard will cost you £42.7 at current prices (prices as of March 2024). If you consider that the fare cap price for daily use in these zones is £8.50, then a week of travel hitting that cap every day would cost you £59.50. In that scenario, a travelcard could save you £16.8.

Note you can purchase travelcards without having an Oyster Card if you purchase them in advance. So if you are staying for 7 days or more you might consider them as it will avoid the Oyster Card deposit or fee.

The Bus and Tram passes can be a good choice for those ONLY using bus and/or tram travel in London. But you’ll probably still save money using an Oyster Card.

The Visitor Oyster card does not support travelcards, presumably because most visitors are in London for a shorter period of time, and the added complexity of choice that the travelcard system adds outweighs the potential benefits for most visitors.

Discounts and offers. The Visitor Oyster card is designed for travelers to London and the card can be used to obtain a number of discounts throughout the city on food, shopping, attractions, theatre tickets, and other London experiences. Currently, the main discounts appear to be transport related with discounts on travel if you use the IFS Cloud cable car, Thames Clippers River Bus, and river boat cruises on the Thames.

You can see a list of Visitor Oyster Card current discounts at the bottom of this page .  The standard Oyster card does not have these perks or discounts.

The decision over the Visitor Oyster card versus the standard Oyster card comes down to the difference in fees, whether or not you want to add a travelcard, if you plan to take advantage of the discounts associated with the Visitor Oyster card, and convenience of purchase (discussed in the next section).

Both these cards give you full access to the majority of London’s public transport network, including the London Underground (Tube), city buses, Docklands Light Railway, and many overground trains, including the Gatwick Express train from Gatwick Airport. 

How to Buy an Oyster Card

Y ou have a number of options for purchasing an Oyster card for your trip to London, including online, in person, and as part of the London Pass. The ways to purchase the standard Oyster card and the Visitor Oyster card differ and are noted below.

Visitors wanting to obtain a pass before they arrive in London should plan ahead and consider buying the Visitor Oyster card online before their trip.

The standard Oyster card can be purchased online , but can ONLY be shipped to a UK address (free shipping). 

The Visitor Oyster card needs to be purchased online before you visit London and is available for shipping worldwide. Be sure to allow at least a week or two for international shipping.

You can purchase a standard Oyster card on arrival into London. You can buy the standard Oyster card from places throughout London, including at most major tourist arrival points such as London’s Heathrow Airport and Gatwick Airport.

They are for sale from Underground ticket machines, Oyster ticket stops (a series of businesses around London, see Oyster map here for nearest location), London Overground ticket offices, train station ticket offices, and London Transport Visitor Centres. 

Visitor Oyster cards can also be purchased in person, but not once you are actually in London. You can buy them from overseas travel agencies and some UK visitors’ centers. They are also available onboard Eurostar trains traveling to London and at Gatwick & Stansted airport.

As part of the London Pass

Until October 2023, you could also purchase the Oyster card as part of a London Pass purchase , killing two birds with one stone. The London Pass came with the option to include a Visitor Oyster Card. However, this is no longer possible and you must purchase the Visitor Oyster Card separately from the Visit Britain online shop .

If you previously purchased a London Pass with the Travel Pass option, your Visitor Oyster Card will still work as described. The credit does not expire and you can keep reloading them if you run out of credit.

A London Pass is still a fantastic way to save money on London attractions (read our full London Pass review here), giving you free access to over sixty of London’s top attractions, as well as some skip the line privileges. Highly recommend checking it out, especially if it is your first visit to London.

How to Use an Oyster Card to Travel Within London

We’ll cover where you can use your Oyster card, how to use it at the stations, how to add credit to your card, and even how to get a credit refund. These are the same for both the standard Oyster card and the Visitor Oyster card.

Where you can use your Oyster Card

Travel within london.

An Oyster card covers the majority of public transport options in London, including buses, trams, Underground Tube, Docklands Light Railway (DLR), TfL Rail services and London Overground services in Zones 1-9, all suburban national rail services in zones 1-9, Thames Clipper River Bus services, and the Cable Car service which runs between the Royal Docks and Greenwich.

This essentially means that almost all tourist attractions and hotels can be easily reached via public transportation with the Oyster card and you can get to all the major rail stations within the city if you are planning a rail journey to another part of the country or to an international destination.

Travel to Airports

You can currently use the Oyster card to travel to and from Heathrow Airport, Gatwick Airport and London City Airport.  The Oyster Card is not currently valid for Stansted Express or services to London Luton airport, Stanstead airport, or London Southend airport. 

You can use an Oyster card to travel via Underground from all Heathrow Terminals, which is the most cost effective way of getting from Heathrow Airport into London. You can also use it on the new Elizabeth Line rail service, however, the fares to use this train are higher than the regular Underground trains.

You can use your Oyster Card to use train services from Gatwick Airport to central London. You can also use your Oyster card to get to and from London City Airport, via the Docklands Light Railway (DLR).

You can also use the Oyster card for some additional express train services, which include Gatwick Express at Gatwick Airport and Heathrow Express at Heathrow Airport. Note that these services are much more expensive than the other train services so you will want to make sure you have enough Oyster Card credit or use your card for an alternative method of transport. 

For much more information and tips on airport travel, check out this guide to getting from London airports to London .

Exclusions you should Know

As mentioned above, the Oyster card does not cover travel to all of London’s airports. Oyster cards are not accepted on East Midlands Trains, Grand Central, Hull Trains, Virgin Trains, or London North East Railway services. Essentially, you cannot use your Oyster Card for rail or bus services where the journey starts or finishes outside of London, with a few specific exemptions .

If in doubt about whether a trip is covered, ask a badged member of staff at a station.

There are some popular tourist destinations inside and near London that you might want to visit, and wonder if you can use your Oyster card to visit, such as Hampton Court Palace, the Warner Bros. Studio Tour – The Making of Harry Potter, and Windsor Castle. 

For Hampton Court Palace, you can use your Oyster card to travel to it, as it is in Zone 6 and can be reached by train or bus.

For the Harry Potter studio tour , you can use your Oyster Card to travel via National Rail train to the Watford Junction station and then you can take the studio tour shuttle (free for visitors with tickets) to the film studios in Leavesden (must have a studio ticket purchased in advance). Or you can just book a tour that includes your ticket and direct transfers from London.

For Windsor Castle, you cannot use your Oyster card, as Windsor Castle is outside London. But there are regular trains between central London and Windsor. Upon arrival into Windsor, you can walk to Windsor Castle and other local attractions.

How to Use the Oyster Card for Travel

Using an Oyster card is very easy and it is the same whether you have a standard Oyster Card or a Visitor Oyster Card . All the forms of transport that accept an Oyster card have a large circular yellow reader that you just have to touch your card onto. For access to tube stations, this card reader controls the turnstiles or gates.

For most journeys in London, including London Underground Tube, Docklands Light Railway (DLR), rail journeys, and Thames Clippers boats , you have to touch a yellow reader both when entering and exiting the station/dock. 

In most cases it is hard not to tag the card as you exit, because the majority of these stations have a gate to exit that is activated to open with your Oyster card. However, not all do, so it is important to remember to tag off. The reason this is important is because fares vary based on distance, so if you don’t touch out, the system will assume you have gone the maximum distance, and may charge you a much higher fare than you need to pay.

When you touch the Oyster reader, it will show either a green light or a red light. A green light indicates that you have sufficient credit for your journey. At gated stations, this will open the gate or allow you to proceed through the turnstile. If the light is red, this indicates that you do not have enough credit, and you need to purchase more credit before you can continue your journey. If you have enough credit and think there is something wrong with your card, find a staff member to assist you.

For  bus and tram journeys which are fixed price, you only need to touch the Oyster reader at the start of your journey when you board. Do NOT touch out when you get off a bus or tram, or you will be issued with an additional fare. For more information on each form of public transportation, check out Laurence’s post that covers the basics of all forms of London public transit .

How to Top Up Your Oyster Card

There are a number of options for topping up (aka recharging or reloading) your Oyster Card, or adding more travel credit. The easiest way is at London Underground Tube, London Overground or TfL Rail stations, where you can use ticket machines to top up your card.

Simply touch your card to the yellow reader at one of these machines and follow onscreen instructions. Don’t forget to touch your card to the reader at the end of the process to check to ensure the top up is correctly applied.

You can also add credit in person at a ticket desk in a station or Visitor Centre or at a Oyster Ticket Stop within the city. You can also register your card online , and top it up online using a credit or debit card. For a long time this was only possible with a UK address, but this has now changed and the system accepts international addresses as well.

Adding a Travel Card

If you purchase a standard Oyster card, you can add travelcards to your Oyster card if you would like to pre-pay for your travels. The most common reason a visitor would use this option is to add a 7 Day Travelcard. These can be added at ticket machines at Tube, DLR, London Overground, TfL Rail and National Rail stations or ticket offices at London Overground, TfL Rail and National Rail stations, London visitor centres.

If you have registered your standard Oyster card, you can also add travelcards online .  

Getting a Refund on your Oyster Card

When you leave London, you have the option to get a refund for your Oyster Card for any unused credit that is left on the card. You can also keep the card for a future visit as the credit never expires. If you had a Visitor Oyster card and may return to London, this might be a better option as the activation fee of £5 is non-refundable, so that money is lost. For a standard Oyster card, the £7 deposit is added to your card as credit a year after activation, so you should definitely hold onto it for a future trip to London. The credit is added automatically when you take a journey between a year and eighteen months after buying the card.

If there is less than £10 credit on your Oyster card, you can get this refunded at any Underground Tube station Oyster machine. Just follow the on-screen instructions. Note that 48 hours needs to have elapsed from the time you first used the Oyster card in order for you to be able to get your refund. If you get a refund from an Oyster card machine at a station, your card will also be canceled, meaning you will lose the £5 activation fee if you have a Visitor Oyster card.

If you think you may be back to London, a better option to obtain refunds for those with either type of Oyster card is to go to a TfL visitor center . Here they will be able to refund the credit on your card, but they will return the card to you in working order, meaning you will be able to use it again. This way you will not need to pay an activation fee on your next visit.

Finally, you can apply for a refund by post, by sending a letter to TfL Customer Services, 14 Pier Walk, 4th Floor, London SE10 0ES, United Kingdom. Refunds are issued in the form of a GBP cheque, which may be problematic to cash for visitors who are not from the UK. I’d suggest avoiding this option if possible, and getting a refund in person at a visitor center if you can.

You can read all about the various options for getting a refund on your visitor Oyster card here , and standard Oyster cards here .

Note that if you have unused credit on an Oyster card, another option is you can give the card with unused credit to a family member or friend who plans to visit London. This is a particularly good idea for those who do not plan to return to London and forgot to get the credit refunded before they left the city.

Registering and Protecting your Oyster Card

Standard Oyster cards can be registered online on the TfL website. It is highly recommended that you register your card so that you are better protected in case of theft or loss.

Unregistered cards will not be eligible for refunds in the case of a card being lost or stolen. Those with registered accounts can also use their accounts to track their travel, check their card balance, top off their card, and purchase travelcards online.

Visitor Oyster cards can NOT be registered and protected. Visitors should therefore be protective of their cards and treat them like cash.

I have an Issue with my Oyster Card 

For help with an issue, I would check the website for help first or ask a staff member at a London transport station or ticketing office. If that doesn’t work and you still need assistance, you can call the Transport for London hotline at +44 343 222 1234  (8am to 8pm GMT) and choose the Oyster card option. Note that fees may apply for the call.

Things to Be Aware Of Concerning Oyster Cards

Here are some more things to know about Oyster Cards! Most of this won’t apply to you as a visitor, but some of the information may be important, especially for those traveling with children.

Contactless cards as an Alternative Option 

I n recent years the Oyster card system has been upgraded to support new “contactless” card technology. This allows users who have a contactless payment card to use this to pay for their journey, rather than buying a ticket or Oyster card. You can read about the different types of payment option for London’s transport and how Cash vs. Oyster Cards vs. Contactless Cards compare in this article we wrote.

Contactless cards can be a particularly good option for those who already have a credit card or debit card with contactless technology that does not incur international transaction fees when used in the UK. 

Avoiding “Double scanning” and “Card Clash”

Since some people have both Oyster cards and contactless enabled payment cards in their wallets or billfolds, there is a possibility that multiple cards could be scanned at once. The main thing to be aware of is that if you keep your Oyster card in your wallet or billfold, and don’t take it out to scan it, if your wallet also contains a contactless debit or credit card then the Oyster reader will not know which card to charge, which may result in you being charged more than once for your journey. 

To avoid this happening, we recommend taking out the card you intend to use and only scanning that. Read more about avoiding card clash here .

Pink Card Readers

In London there are often multiple routes that you can take between two locations, some of which are cheaper than others. For example, when traveling across London, it can be cheaper to avoid Zone 1. In order for the system to know which route you are taking, there are a small number of pink card readers that you can touch your Oyster card at certain Overground and Underground stations. These inform the system of your route, to help ensure you pay the right fare.

Note that pink card readers do not validate your journey nor do they charge you, so you still need to be sure to use the yellow card readers at the beginning and end of your journey.

We have rarely used (or even saw) these and it is likely that most visitors will not be using these but we wanted to point this out for those who really want to save money. For more information on pink card readers and locations you can find them, see the official website he re .

Discounted Fares with Oyster Card

There are a number of discounts and concessions available for people who meet certain requirements or are part of a certain demographic; however most of these discounts are only possible for London or UK residents. There are potential discounts for students, seniors, children, those seeking jobs, disabled travelers, and veterans. Most of these require applying for and obtaining a special photocard to receive free or discounted travel in London.

If you think you may be eligible, you can check out the various London transport discounts and concessions online   BEFORE deciding to purchase a Oyster card. Visitors traveling with children should check out the next section.

Special Tips for Families Traveling with Children

Oyster cards can be a great value for families traveling with children, and many public transit services are free for younger children. Families with children age 11 or older should be sure to examine discount options prior to their trip. Find out more details here .

Here are some tips for using the Oyster card for families with children:

• If you are traveling with children, they are eligible for discounted travel on London transport. The amount of discount depends on their age. For those age 11 or older, you will need to apply for either a Zip Oyster photocard for them to receive the discounted travel, or have a young person’s discount added to a normal Oyster card.
• Children under age 11 c an travel for free with a parent or guardian holding a valid Oyster card on Tube, DLR, London Overground and TfL Rail services. You will need to see a member of staff at stations with barriers in order to get them in and out of the station on your card. 
• A Zip Oyster photocard is primarily designed for London (and to an extent, UK) residents, and entitles the holder to free travel on all buses and trams in London, and half price fares on other TfL services in London. It can be applied for from overseas, although given the administration fee, the Young Visitor discount usually makes more sense. Apply here .
• A Young Visitor discount is designed for visitors to London. It gives 50% off adult-rate pay as you go fares and daily caps on bus, Tube, tram, DLR, London Overground, TfL Rail and most National Rail services. A Young Visitor discount can be applied to a standard Oyster card or a Visitor Oyster card by a member of staff at any Tube, London Overground or TfL Rail station. It lasts for 14 days, but can be renewed if staying for longer.
• Children aged 16 -17 can also apply for a Zip Oyster photocard, which entitles them to half-rate travel on all TfL services.  A Zip Oyster photocard can only be applied for online. If you live in the UK, it takes a week to process. Applications from outside the UK must apply at least four weeks in advance. Full details and the application process can be found here .

London transport prices and policies are always changing, so be sure to check for the most updated prices and policies regarding public transportation fees and Oyster cards online at the Transport for London website before your trip to London!

So there you have our information and tips on buying and using an Oyster card in London! It may sound a bit complicated but once you have one, Oyster cards are easy to use and to recharge. If you’re visiting London, you can plan in advance and purchase your  Visitor Oyster card online now!

Have you been to London? What was your experience using public transportation in London? Did you use an Oyster card?  As always feel free to ask us any questions you may have about using an Oyster card or just any questions about travel in London.

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Vicky Post author

March 9, 2024 at 12:15 pm

Looking for some advice. I.am staying withy daughter in Watford for 4 days. We Intend to spend 2 days in London. How.much do you think I will need.on my.oyster card to cover the cap for the 2 days. I understand that as my daughter is nine I won’t have to.pay for her.

Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author

March 9, 2024 at 5:06 pm

Happy to try to help. So the amount you will need will depend on what zones you are traveling in each day. Are you planning to go back and forth from Watford to central London on those 2 days? Or are you planning to spend 2 of those days overnight in London and want to use the Oyster Card then? You can use an Oyster Card to pay for the train into London (Watford Junction is the last stop on that line and the furthest you can go using an Oyster Card).

And yes, as long as you daughter is traveling with you (and you have a Oyster Card or ticket), she can travel for free. I would just have a photo ID with her birthdate on you inc ase they check her age.

Best, Jessica

Kara Post author

March 7, 2024 at 1:59 pm

Hello, We will be traveling to London from the US in April. My husband and I have Oyster cards from a recent visit, and plan to top them up when we get to Heathrow and prior to taking the Elizabeth line to our lodgings.

We have 3 children traveling with us. On the day we arrive, they will be 13, 10 and 10. During the week, they all have birthdays and turn 14, 11, 11. I was thinking of getting the eldest a regular Oyster upon arrival and getting the young visitor discount applied (at Heathrow?) I am assuming the 2 youngest can travel free with us until their birthday (mid-trip) and then we can buy them their own cards. Is that right?

Please let me know if you recommend that or ordering 3 Visitor Oysters prior to the trip. The cost to ship 3 Visitor Oyster cards to the US seemed a bit high. Thank you!!

March 7, 2024 at 11:20 pm

Happy to try to help. So yes, topping up the Oyster cards for you and your husband already have should be no problem. You should be able to do this at Heathrow Airport at one of the machines.

Wow, three kids with birthdays all in one week during your trip! So yes, the 13 year old will need to either have a card (or a ticket) the full time. And you can wait until the 10 year olds turn 11 as they can ride for free as long as they are with you until their birthdays. And yes, you can have the Young visitor discount applied at any TfL ticket window. For applying the discount for your eldest, there are staffed windows at Heathrow Airport so you should be able to do it there. You’ll just want to have photo IDs with their birrthdates for the kids.

With the Visitor Oyster Cards you do save £2 on activation fees per card (compared to regular Oyster Cards) and there are some other potential discounts, but since you live in the US, the shipping cost will make them cost about the same as the regular ones. So if you order them online , the main advantage is that you’d have them already and not need to purchase them or add credit. So it can save you a bit of time so that is worth it for a lot of people. But in you case, you would still need to apply the Young Visitor Disocunts with a staff member so it doesn’t save you much time.

So either situation would work in your case, you can pre-order the Visitor Oyster Cards (I would order them at least 2 weeks before your trip) and then just apply the Young Visitor discounts while in London for the kids. Or you can purchase the regular Oyster Cards in person once you arrive at Heathrow and apply the 13-year-olds Young Visitor Discount that first day. Then you can apply the other two later in the week once needed for the younger two.

Since you’ll have 5 cards, it can be a good idea to put a little sticker or label on the kids’ cards so you know which ones have the Young Visitor Discount applied as they will all look the same if you are storing them together.

Hope that helps, and just let us know if you have any further questions as you plan your trip to London!

Nichole Post author

February 27, 2024 at 10:53 am

We are traveling to London in May. We will be there three days. We will ride buses some, but we will mainly ride the tube. We will use the underground from the airport but also the Heathrow Express to Paddington. We have two kids, both under 11. Last time we visited we just did contactless payment with a credit card each time we went through, but I am thinking an Oyster card would save us money. How much money would you advise me to put on a card per adult? Each day we will travel around London, attending a musical and a play at the Globe. We also will run around different playgrounds.

February 27, 2024 at 9:29 pm

Hi Nichole,

So using an Oyster Card and using a compatable contactless card both allow you to take advantage of the same daily caps so there is really no difference in most usage. Now, you can get the Young Discount Oyster Cards, but in your case (given you kids are both 10 or younger) as long as you are traveling at all times with your kids, then they can travel for free with you on most forms of transport in London including the buses and Underground. For the kids, they just need to be with you and you should have proof of your own payment (contactless card, Oyster Card, or ticket) and have a photo ID of the kids in case their age is checked. When going through barriers in the Underground or in train stations, you can go through the family ones at the end, sometimes these need to be opened by a TfL employee.

If your kids are going to be traveling on their own for any reason, then it makes sense to apply for an Oyster Zip Photo Card so they would be eilgible for free travel. But I am guessing your kids are too young to be traveling on their own in London! But on future visits when they are over 10, it would probably make sense to get them Oyster Cards so they can still get free travel.

The Underground will save you money to get to and from London instead of taking the more expensive Heathrow Express. But yes, the quickest and most direct way is going to be the more expensive Heathrow Express service if you need to get between the airport and Paddington Station quickly. But the Elizabeth Line (the newest line) also can get you to Paddington and is less expensive. You can use an Oyster Card or contactless on the Elizabeth line as its part of the regular TfL services. So I would check the schedule and see if that might be a better option.

For the Heathrow Express, the best way to save money is to buy an advance ticket for that as it is always cheaper to buy an advance ticket (currently £25/person same day and £15 if booked in advance so a big savings!). Children aged 15 years and under travel free in Express Class (or Business Class if you buy Business Class tickets) when accompanied by a paying adult. Proof of age may be requested. But if you don’t buy an advance ticket, then yes you can use an Oyster Card or contactless payment.

In terms of an amount of credit you would need, if you do get Oyster Cards (and pay for the Heathrow Express tickets seperately), about £27 per person (£54 total) should cover all transport in central London. So maybe I’d put £30 on two cards. The daily current cap for zones 1 & 2 are £8.50 but there is going to be a slight increase in March. Now if you are also going to use your Oyster Card also for your transport to and from the airport I think it is about £12/person for the Elizabeth line or £25/person for the Heathrow Express each way, so you’ll need to add credit for that. You can also of course also use extra Oyster Card credit on future visits. But that should also give you an idea on what you’ll spend on public transit while on your trip either way.

Hope that helps and I hope your family enjoys your time in London!

February 28, 2024 at 4:37 am

Thank you! I sounds like just using our current American credit card for contactless payment is probably the easiest way to go since they are both capped? I don’t see any need for our children to have something at their ages. I will check the Elizabethan line for at least the way from the airport. The morning we fly out we leave at 7:45, so time is essential. Thanks!

February 28, 2024 at 10:17 am

You’re very welcome. Yes, the caps work the same for both (just make sure each person uses the same card throughout the journies). Yes, in most cases, it doesn’t make sense to apply for the kids until they are over 10 as that is when they would no longer automatically get the free travel with you. So in future trips it would make sense to apply for the Young Visitor Discount.

Yes, check out the option for the Elizabeth Line to see if that works as that can save you a money even if you just use it one way. And pre-book the Heathrow Express if you are taking it as that will also save you money.

Wishing you and your family a wonderful trip to London!

Kimberly Post author

February 12, 2024 at 4:12 pm

Hi, I’m traveling to London with a few friends, and have a question about the charges being capped with the oyster card. You mention that the express train from Heathrow and Gatwick is quite a bit more expensive. Does the cap not apply to some forms of transportation?

February 13, 2024 at 8:52 pm

Hi Kimberly,

Yes, that is a good question. So the capping for Oyster Cards (and other methods of payment) only applies for bus, Tube, tram, DLR, London Overground, Elizabeth line and National Rail journeys within London. I believe the capping systems covers everything operated by TfL (Transport for London) as they are the issuer of the Oyster Card.

It does not apply to special services like Heathrow Express and Gatwick Express which are not operated by TfL. However, you can still use the Oyster Card to travel on these services, but the capping doesn’t apply on this services. These high speed direct services are faster but more expensive.

If you are looking for cheaper options, then you can use the regular Underground service or the Elizabeth Line. There are also a number of regular bus services that operate between Heathrow and London as well, althought these will take longer and tend not to run routes that are as convenient for tourists. We have a guide to getting to and from the London airports that might be helpful if you want to know all your options.

Hope that helps, and just let us know if you have any further questions.

Sherry Sage Post author

January 26, 2024 at 9:02 am

Your websites have been so helpful with my trip planning!! Just so you all know (and someone else may have already mentioned this, I didn’t read all the comments) I called The London Pass this morning because I could not find how to add the Oyster Pass to my 3 day pass! Found out they no longer offer the Oyster add-on, as of Oct 2023!

January 27, 2024 at 3:35 pm

Thanks so much for letting us know. We did not know that the London Pass has stopped giving customers the option to add the Travel Card (Visitor Oyster Card) to their passes. We just confirmed that they did indeed stop offering this option about 2 months ago. This is a bit disappointing that this option has been taken away for visitors.

For those looking to add a Visitor Oyster Card to their London Pass, you can order the Visitor Oyster Card in advance online before your trip from the official Visit Britain tourism shop. Or you can buy a regular Oyster Card once in London. We give more details about where you can purchase them above in the article.

Note, that for anyone who purchased a London Pass with a Travel Pass prior to this change (such as in 2022 or 2023), you will of course still receive your Visitor Oyster Card and any that you received will still work just the same as before. Oyster Card credit does not expire and you can keep loading old Oyster Card with credit.

Thanks so much Sherry for bringing this to our attention and we will try to work on updating our content tomorrow about this change. If you have any further questions as you plan your trip to London, just ask!

Dusica Post author

November 27, 2023 at 2:59 am

I am coming to London for four days and I don’t know which card to buy. I will mostly be in zone 1-3 and will travel several times a day. Which card should I buy? Which card would be the most advantageous for unlimited travel for four days?

Thanks, Dusica

November 29, 2023 at 4:16 pm

So either the Visitor Oyster Card or regular Oyster card will work for you. These both have an automatic daily cap so however much you travel in Zones 1 – 3, the maximum you will be charged for travel on TfL buses and tube services will be £9 per day. So for four days that would be £36.

Just note that if you also plan to take any trips outside of zones 1-3 (e.g., Heathrow Airport), to factor that you’ll need a bit more credit than that.

I am not sure if you were also thinking about the London Pass as well, or just about the Oyster Card?

Hope that helps!

Kaido Post author

November 15, 2023 at 6:22 am

Kinda difficult question. Will be in London for a week from Tuesday. Mostly will be in Zone 1 to 3. If I understood for adults in that case would be best solution blue Oyster with weekly travelcard (for sure will travel more than 3 times per day). However question about 12year old: Would be possible to have blue Oyster with 50% travelcard? Thank you for information.

November 15, 2023 at 12:00 pm

For the adults, the blue Oyster with a weekly travelcard would be the best option given the days you will be in London, as long as you are traveling regularly within London during that time period.

There is no 50% children’s travelcard, but you can have a Young Visitor discount applied to a blue Oyster card by a member of staff which would give 50% off adult-rate pay as you go fares and daily caps on bus, Tube, tram, DLR, London Overground, Elizabeth line and most National Rail services (see the Young Visitor Discount section of this page: https://tfl.gov.uk/fares/free-and-discounted-travel/11-15-zip-oyster-photocard#on-this-page-5 ).

“If you don’t live in London and you’re visiting with children who don’t have an 11-15 Zip Oyster photocard, they can get discounted travel for up to 14 days with the Young Visitor discount. Add the Young Visitor discount to an Oyster card to get: 50% off adult-rate pay as you go fares and daily caps on bus, Tube, tram, DLR, London Overground, Elizabeth line and most National Rail services The discount can be added to a standard Oyster card or Visitor Oyster card by a member of staff.”

So for the above for a 12 year old, you can have it applied to either a Visitor Oyster Card or one you buy once in London (regular Oyster Card), it doesn’t matter which. Now if you want one of the 11-15 Zip Oyster Photocards, those have an administration fee and require an application and ideally you need to apply at least a month before you need it. So I don’t think that would be an opton for your trip if you are leaving next week and are more designed for those who live in the UK.

The Young Visitor discount applied to a regular Oyster card should work out cheaper than them using a weekly adults travelcard for sure, as the discount is also applied to the daily and weekly caps.

Hope this helps! Jessica

Stephanie Post author

October 2, 2023 at 11:17 am

My family is going to be traveling to London in the spring. We will have children between the ages of 5-10 with us. Do we need to purchase an Oyster Photo ID Card for each of them, or are our Oyster Cards sufficient for children + adult? We will all be traveling on public transportation together wherever we go. I have seen conflicting information: some website say that all children ages 5-10 need the photo ID card and other say it’s just for children traveling alone. I don’t want to be caught off guard when we arrive.

October 2, 2023 at 4:37 pm

Hi Stephanie,

So if all the children will be age 10 or younger, than they can travel for free with you as long as they are with a paying adult. Up to 4 children can accompany each paying adult. So if you have an Oyster Card, up to 4 children under age 11 can travel with you. And yes, they can only travel with a paying adult, so they can’t travel on their own at that age without their own ticket or pass.

It is a good idea to always carry a photo ID for children (especially older ones, such as their passport) that has their photo and birthdate on it for use with discounted or free travel or tickets as a valid ID may be needed. When going through turnstiles, kids can go through with you or head to the wider wheelchair/family/luggage exits and normally there is a staff member around to help everyone get through if you need assistance.

If any of the children will be 11 years or older by the time of your trip to London, then they’ll need their own Oyster Card or to buy individual tickets etc. You can get the Young Visitor Cards for older children, but this generally only makes sense for people living in London or spending an extended amount of time in the city and using public transit.

Yes, I would always recommend double checking any information you read online with the Transport for London (Tfl) website as there is a lot of outdated or bad info online:

Here is info as of today directly from the Tfl website:

“Children under five travel free with a fare-paying adult. If your child is under 11, they can travel free on Buses and trams, Tube, DLR, London Overground, Elizabeth line and some National Rail services. They must be travelling with an adult who is using pay as you go, or has a valid ticket (excluding Group Day Travelcards). Up to four children per adult.”

Most of the most common forms of public transit are free for younger kids traveling with adults using an Oyster Card includes buses, Elizabeth Line, and Underground “Tube” trains. However, for any forms of transport where children do not get free travel, you’ll need to buy the kids separate tickets (there are almost always child rate tickets available for those ages). This includes transport that you can use the Oyster Card for such as cable cars, airport express services, Thames river boats, etc. For any of those types of services where you can pay using your Oyster Cards, you’ll need to buy the kids their own tickets as needed.

Hope that helps! Jessica

Alexandra Post author

September 20, 2023 at 1:33 pm

Thanks for your useful article We are traveling for five days to London from Heathrow airport.Our hotel is in zone 2. What is your opinion?can we use visitor oyster card or travel card ?

September 21, 2023 at 7:48 am

Hi Alexandra,

So yes, you can use the Visitor Oyster Card to travel from Heathrow Airport to Zone 2 in London. We generally take the London Underground (Tube) but there are several ways you can get from Heathrow to Central London, and you can r ead about more about those options here .

If you are going to use the Visitor Oyster Card, you need to make sure to order it in advance. If you are planning to get a London Pass, I would just order your Oyster Card with the London Pass (add the Oyster Travelcard option). But if you are not planning to get a London Pass, you can order it on its own (the best prices are if you order it here ).

If you are referring to adding a travelcard to an Oyster Card, this wouldn’t make sense for your trip as it is too short to get any advantage of using any of the travelcards. These are generally just designed for people planning to travel for 7 or more days every day.

September 8, 2023 at 11:24 am

This article has been so helpful! I do wonder, though, which card/card combination is worth it for my situation.

My family and I will be staying in London for about 7 days. We will be spending most of our time in Zones 1-2, but we are planning some day trips out to places like Windsor. Would it be best to purchase the Visitor Oyster Card with a London Pass, or would it be better to just go with the Oyster Card and Travelcard and purchase a London Pass separately? Just want to make sure that we won’t be using more money on transportation costs than we need to considering we’re traveling to places that we can’t use the Oyster Card nor the Travelcard.

September 9, 2023 at 9:53 am

I think that it probably does not matter too much in your case. Your three options, as long as it is at least a couple of weeks before your trip and you live outside of the UK, would be to purchase the Vistor Oyster card in advance (you can do that here via official UK tourism website ) and have it mailed to your home, you can purchase the Visitor Oyster Card as part of the London Pass , or you can just wait and buy a standard one at a station or shop in London.

The differences between the standard and Visitor Oyster Card are pretty minimal, you can read more about the small differences above in the article. But if you are going to purchase the London Pass anyway (given you are in London for 7 days, the pass is probably going to save you money), then that might be the easiest option. Just because you can add it to your order and it will be maield to you and arrive with credit already included. So if you purchase a 6 day London Pass, it will come pre-loaded with generally enough credit for 5-6 days of travel and you can add more as needed to your card as you go.

If you decide not to purchase the London Pass and want the card in advance, then I’d buy via Visit Britian tourism shop (link above) as they offer a small discount on the activation fee. If you are leaving for your trip in less than 2 weeks, I’d just wait until you arrive in London so you don’t need to worry about shipping times or delays.

And yes, it is good that you know that you will need to buy train tickets separately to go to Windsor or anywhere else outside of London as the Oyster Card only works in London. But your Oyster Card can be used on pretty much all the main public transport options within London itself so I suspect if you plan to take the Underground or buses, you’ll be using it on most days. We generally use ours 2-4 times a day when staying centrally in London and doing sightseeing.

September 9, 2023 at 4:20 pm

Would it be more economical to put a Travelcard for Zones 1-2 on a standard Oyster, or just the pay-as-you-go of either the standard or visitor version?

September 10, 2023 at 8:29 am

The answer is that it will really depend on how much travel you plan on doing. A single journey in zones 1&2 is £2.80. The daily cap for Zones 1&2 is £8.10, so the cap kicks in on the third journey.The weekly cap and travel card price for zones 1&2 is £40.70. That’s the same as around 15 tube rides, or five days of at least three rides a day. So if riding at least three rides a day for at least five days, then a travelcard can start to save money. Otherwise you can just pay as you go and rely on the daily cap to keep prices down.

Ravita Post author

September 8, 2023 at 9:08 am

Hi good day; I will be coming to London with two other adults and we are staying a total of nine days and leaving on the 9th day. We will mostly be doing things in central London so I was thinking the travel card sounded like the better option but; that will cover of course only 7 days. Do you have any advice on what options we can take to our travel options for the nine days; or for the additional 2 days please. Thank you!

September 9, 2023 at 9:38 am

For the Oyster card, there is both a weekly and a daily cap, so you never pay more than a certain amount. For example, travelling in zones 1 and 2, you would never pay more than £8.10 per day, or £40.70 for a week (Mon to Sun) based on current rates. This is actually the same price as a travel card. So as you are there for nine days, which will include a Mon-Sun 7-day period, I think you would get the same price result whether you do the travel card or not.

So you can add the 7 day travel card to the Oyster Card and it will be valid for that specific period and it will just work per journey on the other two days. But the travel card just gets added to your Oyster Card, you can use a machine at a station to do this. Then for the other two days, you would just need to add credit to your card that would be taken off as you go.

But in your specific case if just traveling within those zones, it probably will make little or not difference for you, whether you decide to add the travel card or not. So you could just add credit for your 9 days and it would probably come out to be about the same. So I would just go with whichever is easiest for you. Just remember that each individual person in your group would need their own Oyster Card.

Hope that helps and enjoy your time in London!

ravita Post author

September 9, 2023 at 11:44 am

Lana Post author

August 18, 2023 at 1:21 pm

Hello, Can I have both credit (pay as you go) AND a travelcard loaded onto a regular Oyster card at the same time? Here is the reason for my question: I will be visiting London for 6 days with my family. I’d like to get a 7 day travel card for Zones 1-2 for visiting all the tourist sights, but I will also need to pay for trips from/to Heathrow and to Watford Junction. So, my reasoning is that the travelcard will cover all my trips in Zones 1-2, and then the credit will cover the Heathrow and Watford Junction trips. Is such a combo possible? Is the system smart enough for such a combo? Or should I just opt for pay as you go? Thank you in advance!

August 19, 2023 at 9:46 am

Yes, you can use both a travelcard and Oyster credit at the same time on an Oyster Card. When travelling outside the zones covered by the travelcard it should automatically deduct the correct fare from the credit balance on your card. So you will just want to make sure that if you just have the travel cards for Zones 1-2 that you also have the credit needed to cover the other journeys outside of those zones such as to the airport and Watford Junction.

Hope that helps, and wishing you a wonderful trip to London with your family! Jessica

Juanita Post author

July 16, 2023 at 3:06 am

Hello, we are travelling to London for 6 days in August/September, but we leave Australia on 16 July 2023. If we order the visitor oyster card with the london pass, can we pick it up in London. It will not arrive before we leave home. Can we arrange for it to be sent to a hotel in Paris?

July 17, 2023 at 10:56 am

Hi Juanita,

So for the London Pass with Oyster travelcard, there is no longer a place in London to pickup the passes. The London Pass itself is a digital pass only now but the Visitor Oyster Card is a physical pass. It needs to be purchased outside of London.

So, yes, you could have it sent to your Paris hotel. I would recommend calling and asking them first to make sure that is OK to receive mail as a resident and the correct address to use.

Otherwise, you can purchase the London Passes without the travelcards, and just pick up the regular Oyster Cards once you arrive in London, whether at the airport or train station.

Hope that helps and wishing you a great trip to London!

Maria Post author

July 6, 2023 at 1:44 pm

Thank you for all this really helpful information! Could you help me clarify one thing with the Visitor Oyster card? We are a family from Sweden with two children between 11-15. I understand that we can add a Young Visitor discount to a Visitor Oyster card when we get to London. But – and this might be a stupid question – since the cards are payed in advance, how do we get the refund for the sum that we already have payed? Kind regards Maria

July 8, 2023 at 4:50 am

So you can definitely add the Young Visitor discount to your card when you arrive in London. This does not cost you anything extra.

In terms of the payment you have already made, that is just for the cards themselves and for the added credit to the cards. The fares are calculated every time you actually use the card when touching in and out on public transport. So as adults, more will be deducted from your cards when you touch in and out compared to your children, as they will only have the child fares deducted. So that credit on them will still be used in the same way, whether you choose to apply the Young Visitor discount or not. So you still need to have the credit on all the cards for them to work. Does that make sense?

If at the end of your trip, you still have a lot of credit left on the cards and you don’t plan to return to London, then you can get the credit refunded on them. See section in article above about the various ways you can get refunds and link to Tfl pages on refunds for Visitor Oyster Cards. Or you can use the cards whenever you return to London as the credit does not expire.

July 9, 2023 at 7:07 am

Right, I should have figured it out how it works. Now it all makes sense:) Thanks for your reply and for your very informative website. Best regards, Maria

July 9, 2023 at 9:03 am

No worries, happy we could help. The Oyster Card can definitely be confusing especially if adding discounts or travelcards to the card.

Wishing you and your family a great visit to London!

Felix Post author

July 5, 2023 at 6:13 pm

Thank you for the very useful article. We will be arriving at Heathrow terminal 4 and need to get to DoubleTree by Hilton Docklands hotel. Can you please suggest the best way to get there?

July 6, 2023 at 4:12 am

So unfortunately your hotel is not in the most convenient place in terms of going to and from the airport by public transport.

We’d recommend taking the Elizabeth Line from Heathrow Airport towards Abbey Wood from Heathrow Terminal 4, then changing onto the Jubilee Line at Bond Street, getting out at Bermondsey and then taking the bus to the hotel. Unfortunately, there isn’t a very close tube stop to the hotel so you’ll need to take a bus or taxi for the last section of your journey.

You also have the option to take a direct taxi or take a public bus.

July 6, 2023 at 8:34 am

Thanks a lot for your response, Jessica!

Paul Post author

May 17, 2023 at 8:31 am

Please, can anyone tell me if there is a published Kilometer per £1 figure i can use for an Environmental impact calculation on my Oyster Card usage? Any help gratefully received.

May 18, 2023 at 1:21 am

It would obviously depend on the type of transport (Underground train, bus, Overground train, DLR, etc.), fuel type used, and length of your trip. It would not have that much connection to price since bus trips are the same no matter how far you travel (although more so with trains). So you would need to calculate it as you would any type of public transit usage anywhere by finding out the carbon emissions per km/mile and then calculating out your specific usage to get a good estimate.

Some websites that might be useful are the Tfl (environmental reports section) or general carbon calculators geared to the UK such as the one by the World Land Trust here .

Sheila/Bob Post author

May 12, 2023 at 8:49 am

Hello, we are traveling to London for 2 days in June then to Dover for a cruise. Flying into Heathrow and Staying at The Tower Suites. We were advised to take Heathrow Express to Paddington then underground via Circle line to Tower Hill then walk rest of the way to 100 Minories (hotel). We planned on walking to most of the sights but wondered since the Trooping of the Colors occurs the only full day we’re there how difficult will it be to get on the underground or busses? We will also take the Circle Line Via Liverpool Street to Kings Cross St. Pancras, and then take the Southern Line (Ramsgate) to reach destination at Dover Priory. And our return to Heathrow will be covered by the cruise line. So in a nutshell, would it make sense for us to purchase the oyster card? TIA for your help.

May 16, 2023 at 12:04 pm

Hi Sheila & Bob,

So taking the Heathrow Express can sometimes be quicker but in your case the added cost for the extra speed doesn’t really make much difference. So you would save money and take about the same time if you took the Underground train (“Tube) Picadilly Line from Heathrow to Gloucester Road, then change to the District Line towards Upminster and get off at Tower Hill. Then walk to your hotel.

If you were staying in the Paddington area then the Heathrow Express would make more sense, but in this case I honestly don’t think it’s worth it. You can of course take the Heathrow Express but it is more expensive.

For Trooping of the Color, yes, London will be busier (especially around the Westminster area) but you should still be fine to get around. I would just leave extra time if exploring in that area. The Household Calvary Museum and Royal Mews are both likely to be closed on that day but I don’t expect other places will be closed but always good to double check opening dates/times.

Laura Pellikan Post author

May 11, 2023 at 10:14 pm

Hi Jessica,

Thanks so muc for your helpful article. My fmily of five is traveling to London this coming June and we are staying in Twickenham (Zone 5). We are planning one day trip to Watford for the Warner Bros. tour and it’s pretty pricey to take the train from Zone 5 to Zone 9. Would you recommend that we hire a driver for this trip vs. taking the train since the cost of 5 people might be just as much or more than hiring a driver? We also plan to go back and forth to central London for 2 days in addition to the day to Warner Bros. Can you please recommend an amount that we should have on each of our Oyster Travel cards for the three days? One day to Watford and the other two days to central London. We will be traveling Heathrow on our 4th day and I’m not sure if it makes sense to take the train again vs. hiring a driver due to our family’s size. I would greatly appreciate your opinion.

May 16, 2023 at 11:42 am

Sorry for the delayed response.

So if you book train tickets in advance you should be able to book a groupsave ticket from Twickenham to Watford. I’m not sure of the ages of your group but assuming 2 adults and 3 children a day return groupsave ticket is currently around £100. So if you can find round-trip private transport for less than that, that would make sense.

Bear in mind that the Oyster Card offers convenience but is not usually the cheapest option for overground train (regular trains, not the Underground “Tube” or buses) travel as it charges same day single fares whereas if you book specific trains in advance you will usually save. Since you are staying out of central London and going to a place where there is not Underground travel, then it may make more sense to just buy train tickets for those journeys.

Off peak train travel from Twickenham to London is £5.7 each way for adults when using an Oyster Card and half that for children if you load the young visitors discount card to their oyster card. So you will need at least £25 on the adult cards. Oyster Cards are easy to add credit to by using the Underground machines.

So for travel from Twickenham to Heathrow, the cheapest option is probably the bus that goes from there to the airport, I think it takes about 30 minutes. You could use your Oyster Cards. But since you are staying fairly close to the airport, you might want to check against prices for getting a taxi which might be better in terms of convenience but would be more expensive.

Hope that helps! Jessicaf

Peter Kowarc Post author

May 6, 2023 at 3:38 pm

Thank you for the great informations about the (visitor) Oyster Card. Please help me answering my tricky questions, I´m searching the net since days, but I can´t find any answer. We are going to London for 3,4 Days in June, 2 adults , 2 girls at the age of 15, arriving and departing at Gatwick South Terminal. First I wanted to buy just normal oyster cards at the airport and top them off with about 60 to 70 pounds as we wanna go with gatwick express both ways. Then I was thinking of using contactless payment on our debitcards, even the girls have their own. But anyway, how can we get the young visitor discount for them at the airport? I´ve read that you have to go to a member of the staff of the london transport system, but first we have to reach London, right? How can we travel with Gatwick Express with two of the four cards having the discount already added on? At all, Is there any discount for children at the Gatwick Express? Can the children use the contactless payment of their debitcards with a young visitor discount and how can you add it on their debitcards (again, especially in Gatwick)? I really haven´t found any answer on this questions so far. And the last question is the following: If there´s a large amount on the oystercard back at Gatwick on the departure, how do I get the refund? I´ve read that there´s no visitor center at Gatwick? I hope you can help me, thank you so much, Peter from Vienna

Laurence Post author

May 11, 2023 at 9:22 am

So normally you would make a choice between an Oyster card or a contactless payment card, you wouldn’t do both. You have to touch the card to the reader when you travel, and you would want to use the same method each time you travel to take advantage of the daily and weekly cap system.

For your daughters, they would definitely want to use a physical Oyster card as you can apply the young persons discount. You can’t add it to a contactless card currently, it has to be added to a physical Oyster card. Unfortunately this cannot be added at Gatwick Airport, as outlined on the TFL page here . For this reason you also can’t get a refund at Gatwick as far as we know as there isn’t a visitor centre. So you would have to handle that prior to leaving central London.

I would instead recommend just buying train tickets to and from Gatwick. You can save by skipping the Gatwick Express and just booking a regular train ticket, it’s a tiny bit slower but a lot less expensive. You can see our guide to getting to London from Gatwick here .

Once you reach London you can then buy and start to use your Oyster cards.

Have a great time in London and let us know if you have any more questions!

Joy Post author

May 3, 2023 at 8:08 pm

Thank you for the detailed information about traveling in London. I plan to visit London in early June with my 16 year old for two weeks.Appreciate it if you can give us advise on oyster card purchases. We will be staying at Mercury hotel Paddington station the first night and move to Morton hotel for the rest of days. Already booked Harry Potter related sight seeing and plays at Palace theatre as my kid is a Potter fan.

We arrive at Heathrow airport early in the morning 6am. Can I purchase oyster ticket and SIM card right at the airport? I bring Youtrip card issued in Singapore, a contactless debit Mastercard, can I use it instead of Oyster card? Will I enjoy the same benefits, ie a foreign issued contactless card same as England issued card? If I purchase oyster card, what type you recommend as we stay next to Russel square tube station and plan to take tube 10 days in our two weeks journey in London. Thank you very much for your time.

May 4, 2023 at 9:55 am

We’re glad to hear you found our guide useful! So yes, you can purchase SIM cards at the airport and also Oyster cards. There is normally a SIM card vending machine at the airport as well as Oyster cards. If not, SIM cards are easy to find in supermarkets and locations across the city.

For your contactless card, yes, a foreign issued contactless card should work just fine. You will just want to check with your card issuer that there are no foreign transaction fees as this can add up. However, if there are no fees for overseas spending then it would be just as easy to use, and the same benefits would apply as using a UK card, i.e. daily and weekly capping.

If you still want to get an Oyster card, you can get these at most tube stations and also at Heathrow. I’d suggest loading it with around £30 to start with and then seeing how you go.

Have a great time in London and do let us know if you have any more questions.

Jessica & Laurence

Diane Zoretic Post author

May 3, 2023 at 12:47 pm

We are only going to be in London for 2 1/2 days in August 2023. We are staying in Kensington and think the best way to the hotel from LHR is by train to Paddington and transfer to subway Paddington Underground and go to High Street Kensington and a short walk to hotel. We know it is NOT good on hop on hop off bus. Is it better to get a Visitor Oyster Card or Standard Oyster? Thanks

May 4, 2023 at 9:51 am

So it doesn’t really make a lot of difference, the main difference is that the Visitor Oyster Card costs £5 and the standard Oyster card costs £7. For the standard Oyster Card that money does get applied as credit, but only 12 months after you’ve started using the card, so it’s not much use to your average visitor. With the Visitor Oyster Card you can also order that in advance but since this costs a bit for the shipping you might as well just get the standard Oyster card when you arrive.

Otherwise, the cards function in the same way, so when you’re in London you wouldn’t notice any difference between them.

I hope this helps!

Have a great time in London.

May 4, 2023 at 10:09 am

Thanks so much for your prompt reply. This is very helpful. This card sounds very similar to the Metro card in Washington DC. The adventure begins…

Kathy Blankenship Post author

May 20, 2023 at 1:32 pm

Does the $5 fee for the Visitor Oyster card get applied as credit like the Standard? Trying to decide if I need to order the Visitor card in advance or not. If I reload an oyster card with a credit card, will I get charged a credit card fee?

May 21, 2023 at 9:48 am

No, the Visitor Oyster card fee does not get applied as credit. It’s worth noting though that the credit for the standard Oyster card is only applied 12 months after purchase, and even then, only if you actually use the card between 12 months and 18 months from purchase. So for most visitors this doesn’t actually apply.

There’s no credit card fee from Oyster for reloading your card, however you will need to check with your credit card provider if they charge a fee for using their card abroad in a foreign currency. We always recommend travelling with a card that allows for spending overseas without any fees as they can add up a lot.

Best, Laurence

Carmen Post author

May 1, 2023 at 3:32 am

Hello! Thanks a lot for the detailed information. I have a doubt: I am going to stay in London for 6 days + plus arriving day with Eurostar. Probably taking public transport like 2 to 3 journeys a day. What is most convient (cost wise) “Oyster card” or “Travelcard”? Thank you!

May 1, 2023 at 12:43 pm

It is hard to say without knowing specifically how many times you will use it and what days. So, I think for 6 days you should just get an Oyster Card and load it with some credit (maybe start with £20 and you can top up if needed).

The difference with loading a Travelcard or not onto an Oyster Card for that period of time is not going to be large and it is more simple to just use credit.

Wishing you a great visit to London!

Angela Post author

April 27, 2023 at 1:01 pm

This is great information and helps clear up a bit of confusion between the regular Oyster card and the Oyster Visitor card. The only part that seems to be off is your article says neither can be used for transport from London to Windsor Castle. You absolutely can use your Oyster Visitor card for transport from London to Windsor if you purchase your card as an add on to your London Pass. Windsor Castle, in which admission is already covered by the London Pass, is outside of London and beyond the coverage of standard Oyster Cards. However, with the London Pass you get tickets for the train between London’s Paddington Station and Windsor Central Station, located directly opposite Windsor Castle, but only if you purchase the travel option with the London Pass.

This information is also on the bottom of the “Why get a London Visitor Oyster card” page on the London Pass website in the link below.

https://londonpass.com/en-us/london-transport/travelcard-validity

It’s one of the many reasons I always get the London Pass when I come to London every few years 🙂

April 28, 2023 at 11:46 am

So glad you have found our London travel articles helpful. So, yes, the London Pass for many years did include travel to Windsor from central London if you went via a certain route. However, that was removed about 1 year ago and the London Pass does not currently include travel to Windsor. The information you saw on the website was out-of-date and incorrect.

We told London Pass about that sentence you found on their website and they have removed that sentence after we pointed it out. They also reconfirmed with us that the London Pass does NOT currently include travel to or from Windsor. However, they do hope to add the Windsor travel perk back to the London Pass in the future. So you should of course double check before your next visit.

We actually are traveling with my family who are visiting us here in London, and we used the London Passes yesterday to go to Windsor Castle. We bought train tickets to get to Windsor, but used our London Passes for the actual visit to Windsor Castle. One thing to note is that with the London Pass, you can only use it to enter Windsor Castle in the afternoons. This is actually nice as it tends to be much less busy in the afternoons than in the mornings when you have a lot of the groups and schools visiting.

Anyway, hope that helps and you can visit our London Pass review article for more information.

Hoping you get to visit London again soon!!

Lisa Post author

March 24, 2023 at 6:49 pm

Hi! All of these tips are so useful. I am confused–we are arriving in London next week and I realize that it is too late to get the Visitor Oyster Card. Is it possible to get the Visitor Oyster card at the airport or when we land at the airport? Thanks in advance. We are staying in Mayfair and not going that far–Westminster, London Tower, Churchill Rooms–do we need the Oyster visitor or the regular Oyster?

March 25, 2023 at 9:50 am

Yes, it is probably too late to order a Visitor Oyster Card as you need to purchase that in advance and have it mailed to you. You can’t really buy it once in the UK.

However, you can just get the regular Oyster Card once you arrive. If you are arriving into Heathrow Airport, you can buy it at the Underground station there (or the airport Visitor Centre) if you plan to use the Underground (Tube) to travel into London from the airport. Or you can buy it at any Underground station once you are in London.

As noted above in the article, in terms of using them, the Visitor Oyster Card and a regular Oyster Card are pretty much the same in terms of travel. So either work the same.

Yes, those locations are all fairly close together so you should not need too much credit on your cards, the biggest journeys will probably be back and forth to the airport if you plan to use it for that. Just note that each person needs a separate card.

Hope that helps! Laurence

Karen Farrell Post author

March 14, 2023 at 4:44 pm

Excellent article. I am researching how to top up an Oyster Card I purchased in 2019 and will want to use again in May 2023. However, whenever I click on the Register your Oyster Card button it refuses to accept my IP address. So when you say that I can register from anywhere in the world, that is not yet true. It will not let me top up an Oyster card from Canada.

So what do you think the best solution is? Should I purchase a Visitor Oyster Card from Canada online for my husband and simply top up the card I have now when we arrive in London?

Let me know thanks Karen

March 15, 2023 at 9:20 am

Yes, I think it is currently only allowing you to register Oyster Cards from a UK IP address as I am also not able to do it (in Morocco at the moment). Our note in the article is that you can use a non-UK mailing address to register the card (or you were as of last time we checked). But it appears you still need to do it from within the UK. Note that Visitor Oyster Cards can’t be registered.

But I would just top up your Oyster Card once you arrive into the UK. It is easy to do at ticket machines at all Tube, London Overground and most Elizabeth line and National Rail stations. So I would do that for the card you already have. If you are taking a Underground train from Heathrow for example, you can add credit at a machine at the airport Underground station.

For getting a second card, you can buy a standard Oyster Card once in London or order a Visitor Oyster Card now from Canada and have it shipped to you with credit already on it. Whichever you prefer.

Hope that helps and just let me know if you have any further questions.

March 15, 2023 at 10:45 am

Thank you Jessica for explaining the nuance between having a non-UK email address and still being in the UK. I understand now.

I will take your advice and top up my existing Visitor Oyster Card when we arrive in the UK. Have a supplemental question…..our Canadian VISA cards are all contactless cards with a chip in them. If I am reading your article and the TFL website correctly I can just use my credit card instead of buying a 2nd Visitor Oyster Card.

Is it possible to use a Canadian VISA card as a contactless card on the London travel system? I know it can be used in taxi cabs but was wondering if I can use it like the Oyster Card on Rail and subway trains.

I really appreciate your response and all of the information you have provided. thank you Karen

March 18, 2023 at 11:33 am

You’re very welcome.

Yes, that is true. Your credit cards should work if they are contactless for the Tfl public transit. Essentially you use it the same as an Oyster Card. So you could indeed just top up your old Oyster Card and use a credit card for your husband instead of buying a new Oyster Card. You both just need one card (or either kind) each to use.

Rusty Young Post author

March 13, 2023 at 2:53 pm

This is a truly excellent article. We are taking our first international trip since Covid. The trip in 2019 was to France. I read several of your Travel Cats post for that trip and they were truly helpful. When I saw Travel Cats in the google search results I “ran” to open it.

My specific question: After reading your excellent post et. al. I have a question about contactless payment. That seems like it is probably the best option for our group of 5 that will be in London for a few days. Specifically are you aware of any issues with using contactless US issued credit cards for travel. I note the Tfl site says “most” cards work.

Any guidance you’re able to offer will be appreciated.

March 15, 2023 at 8:57 am

So glad that our articles for France were helpful in planning your 2019 trip! And glad you have found us again in planning your trip to London.

So, yes, that is correct in that most cards will work. As long as you have a recently issued credit card from a major company (e.g., Visa, Mastercard) that has a Contactless Symbol on it (could be on the front or back), it should work for contactless payments for public transportation. Each person would need to have and use a seperate credit card.

I imagine your credit cards should work fine (if as above), but you can always get Oyster Cards if you find that any of your cards are not working so I would not worry too much. The London Underground also accepts some mobile payment apps now as well.

On a somewhat unrelated note, is also a good idea to bring Pin-and-Chip credit cards (and to set and know the PIN) as these are often necessary in automated machines in the UK and the rest of Europe for paying for things like parking, fuel, and public transit tickets. I think most U.S. cards are now Pin-and-Chip but not all.

Hope that helps and wishing you a great trip to London – just let us know if you have any further questions as you plan your visit!

March 15, 2023 at 1:45 pm

Thanks so much Jessica. Also thanks for the reminder about the PIN. That was on my list but I kept forgetting. For your reference for purchases PIN are still not needed in the US. If you use your credit card at an ATM for a cash advance then you need a PIN. Or so I’m told. I’ve never tried.

Samantha Goodman Post author

March 13, 2023 at 2:03 pm

Hi! You may have addressed this previously… Our family will be in London for 5 days (there are 4 of us). We plan on doing a lot of walking, and probably won’t use the Tube too much. But, does each one of us need their own oyster card or can we use one card for all of us?

March 15, 2023 at 8:42 am

Hi Samantha,

Yes, as noted, each person would need to have their own Oyster Card (or ticket or contactless payment card). You can’t use the same card as you need to tap in and out for each journey.

If you decide to get Oyster Cards, I would just put a low amount on each to start and you can always top them up later and add credit.

Ann Pedley Post author

March 10, 2023 at 10:18 am

What an excellent article on buying and using the Oyster card, thank you for it! Two questions 1) we are planning on taking the tube from Heathrow to Victoria station. I understand that we catch the Piccadilly line then change at Hammersmith to the eastbound District line to Victoria. When we make that change do we have to tap our card on exiting the first ride and tap on as we go onto the next line? 2)We will each have a piece of carry on luggage, do you think we will be OK taking the tube with them? Many thanks for your help! 🇨🇦

March 11, 2023 at 8:41 am

Glad that you found our article useful. Happy to help to try to answer your questions.

1. So, yes, you can change at Hammersmith. However, you might find it preferable to stay on the Picadilly line to Gloucester Road, then you would have the choice of either the District Line or the Circle Line eastbound to Victoria. You will tap your Oyster Card to get through the barrier at the beginning of your journey at Heathrow and then again to exit at Victoria. You do not need to tap your card in between when changing lines as you don’t want to completely exit the Underground stystem or the stations in between, just follow signs to the line you want to connect to (e.g., District Line or Circle Line) and get on the next line. So for the Underground trains, no matter how many changes you make, you just tap at the very beginning and very end of the journey.

2. Yes, there is normally plenty of room to get onto the Underground trains with luggage. There aren’t luggage racks but you can just hold it next to you if sitting or standing. Many stations have elevators/lifts but not all, so it is best if you are able to carry it up and down stairs and onto esclators. So as long as you are able to physically carry your own luggage, you should be fine.

Jaana Mäkelä Post author

March 9, 2023 at 4:01 am

Dear Jessica Thank you for all the good advice. I’m considering to use contactless paying with my credit card when visiting London with a friend in April. Is it okay only to tap twice with one card for us both on tube or bus etc.?

Best wishes, Jaana from Finland

March 9, 2023 at 4:07 am

Yes, most European credit cards (as long as they are Pin and Chip) will work to use the contactless paying option. However, both you and your friend would need to use separate credit cards to travel together. It would work the same as an Oyster Card. For example, for trains and Underground, you need to tap to start and at the end of your journey. For bus journeys you just need to tap once. You can can find more about different payment options here .

If you tap twice on the Tube at the same place, it will just tap you in and out. It keeps track of the length of your journey by where you tap it so it won’t work if you try doing it twice. You then won’t be able to tap out to get out of the barriers (and will then likely be charged more for the longest possible journey since it won’t know where you started).

So you’ll want two cards, one for each person, whether they are credit cards or Oyster Cards. So if you only have one credit card, one of you could use a credit card and the other an Oyster Card.

Hope that helps and wishing you a great visit to London! Jessica

Kim Stanich Post author

March 1, 2023 at 5:14 am

Thank you so much for the information you have provided. I have a couple of questions I was hoping you could answer. We are a family of three (2 adults and a 13 year old) who will be arriving March 24th in the morning hours. I will purchase our oyster cards at Heathrow and use the tube after reading your article. We cannot get into our flat until 4:00. What do travelers do with luggage during the time between landing and checking in? Since we will be traveling overnight from the US I don’t want to plan too much for the first day. Can you recommend some first day sites to see close to Hammersmith? I also wonder how many days I should purchase for the London Pass? We will be in London for 8 nights. This is our first trip overseas and I want to see as much as possible.

March 1, 2023 at 7:15 am

Sounds like an exciting first trip overseas!

Yes, I think you will all likely all be tired, especially a 13-year-old. So I would definitely agree that a relaxed day would probably be best and then you won’t be worried too much about sightseeing. But since you have a number of hours before you can check in (a definite disadvantage to having a flat versus a hotel), then having a loose plan is definitley a good idea.

So if you can’t store it with the flat manager, you should probably look into a luggage storage service like Nannybag, Stasher, or Luggage Hero – they have lots of locations around London. You can book online or with an app. Basically, they connect you with a business that will store your luggage for you. You can find out more options here .

I honestly can’t think of anything specifically in Hammersmith as it is a bit far out of central London. I am not sure what part of Hammersmith you’ll be in but you would not be too far from the Kensington area, where you could visit places such as the Natural History Museum, Science Museum, or Kensington Gardens. The gardens are free to visit and they are full of various gardens, memorials, fountains, galleries, kiosks, etc. and even seasonal boating. The two museums are donation-only but you do need to book free tickets in advance which is easy to do online on their websites. Also lots of shops in Kensington including Harrods. So those could be some options if you want to stay near Hammersmith that day.

Another option would be to go from the airport to central London and get off the Tube there and store your luggage near your stop. You’ll probably be coming in on the Piccadilly line so you can check the stops there. But some stops you might consider would be Covent Garden, Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus, Green Park, or Hyde Park – all those stops would have a lot of attractions, dining options, parks, etc. within walking distance depending on what you would want to do. Then you could collect your luggage after you are finished sightseeing and head to Hammersmith to check-in to your apartment.

It is hard to say but normally you get better value with longer passes, so a 6-day pass might be a good fit if you have 8 days. However, it really depends on what you want to see and do, and are you spending any time doing day trips outside of London? You can see our London Pass review for some tips. If you want to send me a list of the places you are wanting to go, I can give you my advice on which might be best for you.

Hope that helps and just let us know if you have more questions as you plan your trip to London!

casey wilder Post author

February 27, 2023 at 8:22 am

Greetings. I sent you an email but will also post here. We are crossing the pond from Texas. 5 siblings up in age. We will be in London , Liverpool, Scotland. London May 22-26 and again June 4- 7. What is best advice for purchasing Oyster card? I’ve read of a Rail strike that has me losing sleep. I’ve read this article which is incredibly written and very informative. Thank you for that. We are flying into Heathrow and Staying at Premier Inn Archway. The way I read it, an oyster card should get us to Archway station. Please advise as I am the Coordinator and am fielding questions from the rest of the group. I have also sent them link to your article. Thanks for your patience and see Y’all soon. Casey Wilder

March 1, 2023 at 6:13 am

I replied to your email yesterday but I will also reply here as this information may help other readers who are planning to travel to London.

So glad you have been finding our travel blog helpful in planning your upcoming trip! Sounds like an exciting trip. Happy to try to help.

So yes, if you want to get Oyster Cards to use in London, you would need one for each person so 5 in total. They only work in London and a few short trips just outside. So you would still need to also buy a train ticket to get to St. Albans – you can get to the very north part of London on the Underground or Overground using your card but then I think to get on the train connection (Thameslink I think) you would need to purchase a regular train ticket. I would think a ticket from say Kentish Town to St. Albans would be about £10-£12.

You can buy the Oyster Card at one of the Underground Card stations or ticket offices at Heathrow Airport (if arriving into Heathrow of course) when you arrive, once you are in London, or you can buy a Visitor Oyster Card in advance and have it mailed to your home before the trip. The easiest for most people is to just buy it at the airport, especially if you plan to take the Underground from Heathrow airport into London.

Laurence has a guide on the different ways you can get into London from the airport, depending on which you are flying into, probably either Heathrow (the biggest) or Gatwick if coming from the U.S. You can read that here .

For your Oyster Card, I would probably recommend starting with around £25 to £30 per person in credit on your card. You can then top it up at most stations if you start getting low on credit. Since you are staying at the Archway Premier Inn, you will need to take public transit to reach most of the popular attractions in London. The good new is that you are only about a 2 minute walk from both a Underground (Tube) station and a bus stop. So I would expect you would be taking it at least twice a day most days unless you also plan to use taxis/rideshare services. Although you should be within walking distance of pretty leafy Hamstead Heath and its loverly park (Parliament Hill is a great viewpoint there and worth a visit on a nice day) and the Keats House (if you happen to be a fan of the poet it’s worth a visit).

It is also an option to include an Oyster Card as part of a London Pass purchase (it comes preloaded with a certain amount of credit depending on the length of your pass). If you are spending several days sightseeing in London and plan to hit a lot of the major attractions (e.g., Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, St. Pauls, Tower Bridge, Shard, Zoo, etc.) you will likely save money with the London Pass so I would check that out anyway. We have an article about the London Pass that might be helpful to help you decide if it is worth it for your trip or not.

I would not worry too much about the rail strikes (and all the other many strikes we are having in the UK), they are pre-announced usually 2 weeks or more in advance so you can at least plan around them. There is really not much you can do but they have been going on now for months and people find ways to still get around (e.g., taking a bus instead of the train). I hope they are not happening when you come but you can check online before your trip to check so you can be prepared. I think all the ones planned for March have recently been announced. They are easy to find out just doing an Internet search for something like “UK rail strikes May 2023” at the beginning of May.

Anyway, hope that helps and just let us know if you have more questions as you plan your trip to the UK!

Craig Wetter Post author

February 4, 2023 at 10:33 pm

There are going to be 3 people in our group. Do each of us need a London Pass/Oyster Card?

February 13, 2023 at 7:22 am

So yes, the London Pass (attractions pass) and Oyster Cards (public transport card) are separate things but each person would need to have their own cards or passes. The only exception would be if one of the people in question was a baby or young child.

So you would need 3 London Passes and 3 Oyster Cards. If you are planning to use the London Pass , you can purchase the Oyster Card with it before you leave for your trip. You can do that online here . You just need to click on the Add Oyster travelcards option when purchasing your passes.

Hope that helps and just let me know if you have any further questions as you plan your visit to London.

Cheryl Post author

January 31, 2023 at 11:51 pm

Jessica, thank you so much for all the wonderful bits about the different cards and packages. It’s many years since I was able to spend time in and around London and have a new ‘glich’ to my previously running around… this time I’m going through the hoops to being a small (Yorkie) service dog. In crowds and on elevators she rides in her backpack so hopefully she will go through gates and stiles as part of me. This time back I want to get around more using the buses and try a find a canal tour or trip as I’ve not done that yet. I come into Heathrow early on 29 Jun and return on 4 Jul. I would like your advice on how best to avoid lines and large groups of tourists waiting to purchase tickets. I would like to go on the Eye just once and see the London canals, add in a trip to Hampton Court Palace and maybe figure out how to get from Bermondsey where I’ll be staying out to Gravesend to see the Pocahontas state. At this stage in my life I am a disabled American vet who prefers to avoid loud noise and crowds.. I’ve seen lucky enough to live for short bits (year here, 2 there) in England so I’ve seen most of the normal tourist circuit sites so this time I just want to ‘come home’ and see some bits that got left out before and at a more selective and leisurely pace. Because I’m a disable US vet I don’t think I qualify for any special discounts. It would be nice to run up to Ipswich for Sunday service but not sure how well public transport can get me there and back. I’d like to walk to Mall one last time and maybe find a cafe close to St James Park. Seeing something at the Globe is a priority as well as a play but haven’t picked one out yet. Maybe slide in the V&A museum, the science museum and one more run through bits of the British Museum. A treat would be getting out to Kew Gardens/National Archives but don’t know how everyone will react to my service dog… I wish I could be a resident of the UK but as that’s not likely I will make this return trip without Sami if need be but would enjoy the trip more if I could bring her with me.. what’s your take on traveling around town with a small (mostly held) service dog? Your honest and open thoughts would be very much appreciated.

February 1, 2023 at 5:22 am

It sounds like this will be a a very important trip to London for you. I used to work in the VA system with vets so can definitely understand not wanting to be around crowds and loud noises, etc.

So for the question of whether to travel with your dog or not…I think it is going to first be very important if your dog will qualify as a guide dog in the eyes of airlines, UK authorities, etc. If so, you will need to make sure that you have all the proper documentation and follow all the laws/rules regarding entry. If not, it can be very difficult to bring an animal into the UK and I would recommend against it as it is pretty difficult and often requires quarantine.

I would start with the UK Government Page on Bringing in Animals and on Guide Dogs: https://www.gov.uk/bring-pet-to-great-britain/guide-dogs

Then I would check out UK organizations’ pages around guide dogs and disability such as Assistance Dogs UK https://www.assistancedogs.org.uk to get more information and perhaps to get some contacts for which you can ask specific questions.

I think as long as your service dog is well-trained and looks like it is acting as a service dog (e.g., for example wearing a vest and special leash) people in the UK will generally not question it. A guide dog should be permitted just about anywhere people are permitted as it is the law. So I don’t think you would have issues at most attractions, cafes, etc. if you tell them it is a service dog.

Many of the places you are thinking about visiting are popular places and will have crowds. For instance, with the London Eye, you will be inside an enclosed mostly glass pod with a number of strangers for about 30 minutes. So only you know if this kind of situation is comfortable or not. But in Kew Gardens, it is very easy to wander around and escape people as you wish. Same really for Hampton Court as it is a big place. The V&A is always crowded because it is free but you can avoid the most popular bits if you wish.

Some of the places you want to visit are on passes, such as the London Pass, but others are free or they are not included on the passes. I would probably jut recommend booking individual tickets in advance as that is probably the best way since you are not going to a lot of the main tourist sites like Tower of London, Westminister Abbey, etc. Most attractions allow you to book tickets online and often for a specific entry time so you don’t wait in line for more than 15 minutes.

Veteran discounts are not that common in the UK (unlike the US) and certainly there would not be many discounts for a foriegn veteran in the UK. There are discounts for disabled individuals (and for their carers/companions) in the UK at many places but it depends on the disability and what proof you might need to show. I would check with individual attractions on what kinds of discount tickets they offer (this info is often available online).

Anyway, hope that helps a bit. I would seek out further advice on the issues around service dogs and bringing in animals into the UK. There are various organizations that should be able to help you more with that piece.

Wishing you a wonderful return to London!

Anton John Post author

January 31, 2023 at 10:17 pm

Hi, Need your advice on purchasing an Oyster Card . I will arrive Heathrow on the 2nd of June 2023 at approx. 5pm. Accommodation is at Bromley by Bow. Intend to use Tube to the Bromley station from Heathrow. Will be in London until the 4th of June. On the 5th June at appox. 9am will be going to Gatwick Airport from Bromley. Intend to use Tube. Back in London on the 14th June evening. Back to Bromley from Gatwick by Tube. Will be in London until the 16th June and checking out from Hotel on the 17th June for Heathrow. Intend to use Tube to Heathrow. Would appreciate any advice on purchasing the Oyster card.

Thanks . Have a pleasant day.

February 1, 2023 at 5:31 am

So happy to try to help.

So the good thing about the Oyster card is that it automatically works out the lowest fares for you, which will be the lower of a single fare, a daily cap or a weekly cap. This is based on where you travel, what time you travel and which zones you pass through. So we would just suggest getting an Oyster card and topping it up.

If you are not sure how many specific rides you will be taking, we generally recommend starting with £20 to £30 and then you can always top up your credit later.

The only thing to note is that the Tube (the Underground) does not run to Gatwick Airport. You can use your Oyster card to pay for a single train ride to Gatwick on either the Southern, Thameslink, or Gatwick Express services. The latter is more expensive (although a bit quicker) so I would avoid that one if you are looking for the lowest fare.

Gia Post author

January 24, 2023 at 6:06 pm

Hello Jessica, and thank you so much for all this info on the cards. I am flying from Canada into and from Gatwick and staying in London for ten days. I am not quite clear what would be the best way for me to get the Visitor Oyster card for myself and a Youth Visitor card for my son who is 15 so that we could start using the cards right at Gatwick . We will need to get from Gatwick and back to Gatwick from the hotel we are staying not far from Victoria Coach Station. We are also planning to visit museums and other attractions in London as well as go to Oxford, Cambridge and Bath. Please advise. Thank you.

February 1, 2023 at 4:37 am

Happy to try to help and glad that you are finding our guides helpful!

So the only way to get a Visitor Oyster card is to order it in advance of your trip for delivery to your home. However, as you are flying into Gatwick you can just buy an Oyster card from the Transport for London (TfL) ticket desk. They will also be able to load the young persons discount onto your card there. As you need to visit the desk to load the discount, there’s no real advantage to buying the Visitor card in advance unless you feel there are specific benefits on it that you will be able to take advantage of.

The Oyster Cards (no matter what kind) only works in London. So for places outside of the city, such as your trips to Oxford and Cambridge, you will need to buy rail tickets separately. It is easy to travel by train to all three of the cities you mention. I would recommend booking at least a couple days in advance to ensure you get a seat reservation (sometimes with same day tickets, you don’t get a specific assigned seat, and you may find yourself standing or sitting separately if the train is full).

Wishing you a wonderful trip to the UK!

February 4, 2023 at 3:14 pm

Thank you so much! This is helpful to know. How much is an Oyster Visitor card now for an adult and for a 15 year old ?Is there a TfL desk at Gatwick? Is it easy to spot? Also, what would be your recommendation for getting to Comfort Inn Bloomsbury Hotel from Gatwick if it is not by cab. What train should be used and which stop would be the best to get off ? Thank you so much!

February 13, 2023 at 7:15 am

A Visitor Oyster Card can be bought prior to arrival in London as well as at Gatwick airport. It costs £5 (plus shipping to your home destination), and you can choose to preload it with between £10 and £50 of credit. A standard Oyster card costs £7, so the Visitor Oyster Card is slightly better value if bought in person.

There is no child version of either card, however, for your son you can buy the Visitor Oyster Card and then load a Young Visitor Discount onto it. This is valid for 14 days and will save your son 50% on all his fares which is well worth doing. This can be done in person at any desk, including at Gatwick Airport. You’ll need both yourself and your son to be present, and you might need proof of age like a passport.

We’re not aware of a Comfort Inn in Bloomsbury. There is a Comfort Inn in Kings Cross, or a Holiday Inn in Bloomsbury, which might be what you mean? They’re not far apart though.

Assuming it’s the Holiday Inn, we’d suggest taking the train from Gatwick. The Southern Train service costs about £12.50 and you can pay with your Oyster card, just scan in at the ticket barriers. The train terminates at Victoria train station, and you can then get the Victoria line tube to Euston, from where the hotel is about a 10 minute walk. If you are staying at the Comfort Inn in Kings Cross, it’s the same process but you’d take the Victoria line an extra stop to Kings Cross and then it’s a four minute walk.

A taxi will of course be a more direct solution but it will be more expensive and probably slow given the London traffic.

Kiley Black Post author

January 7, 2023 at 3:28 am

Thank you for the excellent information. One quick question – we have 3 adults and 1 child traveling. I know the child needs a separate youth Oyster card but can the adults share one visitor card or do I need to get one for each of us?

Cheers! Kiley

January 7, 2023 at 3:32 am

Glad you are finding the information helpful! So yes, you would need 1 Oyster Card per person (whether it is a standard Oyster Card or Visitor Oyster Card).

Now, you could use someone else’s Oyster Card if you were not traveling at the same time (e.g., borrowing someone’s card for the day or using unused credit on a card of someone from a prior trip). But if traveling together, then it will confuse the system as it will see the same person starting a new journey. For transit where you need to tap out (like the Underground) only one person would be able to tap out, etc.

So yes, one card per person 😉

Anthony Ayiomamitis Post author

November 13, 2022 at 6:17 am

Dear Jessica,

Your post is truly excellent.

I have a question which I do not believe may have been addressed: for someone with an early morning flight (07:50 AM) out of Gatwick, what is the cheapest available option from a cental location such as King’s Cross/St Pancras Station to Gatwick South?

I would assume that one must leave by 04:00 AM at the latest and what options are available at this strange hour?

A heartfelt thanks for your time and assistance!

November 13, 2022 at 11:05 am

Hi Anthony,

So glad to hear our guide to using the Oyster Card in London has been helpful.

You shouldn’t have a problem finding either a train or bus that early that will get you to Gatwick Airport for leaving central London around 4am. You won’t be able to take the Underground services, but there are overland trains and coaches that normally operate that early. It does depend on your specific date as most services have different hours depending on the season and whether it is a weekday, weekend, or holiday. So be sure to put in your specific date when checking timetables.

Gatwick has one major train station with a number of routes running into central London that you can reach via Kings Cross/St Pancras station. I think Thameslink, Southern, and Great Western operate services to Gatwick. There should be train services at 4am. It looks like most of the trains around that time typically take about 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1.5 hours from St Pancras to Gatwick Airport. This is probably the best option in terms of balancing speed and cost.

The fastest option is the Gatwick Express, which takes 30 minutes to travel non-stop to London Victoria. Trains generally run every day from 5am to 00.30am, with departures every fifteen minutes. So in this case you couldn’t leave until 5am, which should still give you enough time but if you want to leave at 5am, then I’d choose a different option. Gatwick Express would also be the most expensive option.

There are also a number of coach services that offer bus transfers to and from Gatwick airport. The most popular options are the  National Express service and the easyBus service, which operate from both the north and south terminals at Gatwick Airport. These normally operate all day and night but I would check the exact timetables for your date. These will be your cheapest option but the slowest as the buses take about 2 hours or a litle more to get from Victoria Station (where most buses depart) to Gatwick Airport.

You can buy tickets at the station or online such as on Trainline for all of these services (both coach and train). With most train services you will save money if you book your ticket in advance and know the specific train and time you want. It is also possible to use your Oyster Card credit on the trains (not the coaches) but you will probably spend more buying same day so we would probably recommend booking in advance if you know the specific train you plan to take.

Finally, there is of course also the option of booking a cab or rideshare service. If you want to do that, I would just be sure to pre-book it given the early hour. This would be the most expensive option but the most convenient in terms of door to door service.

Anyway, hope that helps give you a clear idea of your options. Just let us know if you have any further questions.

November 13, 2022 at 8:53 pm

A huge thanks for the detailed and thorough reply!

November 15, 2022 at 5:36 am

You’re very welcome, Anthony. Have a great trip to London!

Lucas Post author

October 29, 2022 at 12:24 am

Hello, thanks for so many information about how Oyster cards work and how to use them. Really helpful. I’ve got only one question regarding daily caps. How to buy/ activate them, instead of normal pay-as-you-go charges? The plan is to buy an Oyster card right after arriving at the Heathrow Airport. How it looks – step by step – using a ticket machine to buy the card and activate daily cap? Thanks!

October 30, 2022 at 9:22 am

The good news is that you don’t need to do anything to activate the daily caps, it happens automatically. The system figures how much you have travelled over the day and the week, and you are charged that amount. Of course, this does mean that you can sometimes pay more to start with as you are charged a single fare, but then if you have overpaid it will recredit you the next time you tap in. So you don’t need to do anything regarding the daily caps, it just happens automatically.

To purchase the card is straightforward, you just need to find a machine which dispenses the Oyster cards (it should say Oyster or have the Oyster Card photo on the machine), and follow the on-screen instructions. It is easy to do and you can ask a staff member if you have issues. You will also need to add the amount of credit you desire, depending on how long you plan to stay in London and how often you plan to use public transit in the city. Generally we recommend £5 to £7 per day of planned travel as a starting point if you are unsure of how much credit to add. You can always add more credit using the machines later if needed.

Part of the amount you will need will be determined by how you plan to get to and from the airport as this is often the furthest trip visitors make and the options range a lot in price. We recommend taking the regualar Underground option if budget is a concern. There are a few options for getting from Heathrow Airport into London, as outlined in our guide to getting to and from various London airports . You can take the Picadilly Line Underground, the Elizabeth Line (formerly known as TfL Rail but rebranded in May) or the Heathrow Express. You can use the Oyster Card for all of those. In order of price, it’s Underground (~ £3 – £6 depending on time of day), Elizabeth Line (around £11) and the Heathrow Express (around £25, but you can sometimes get much lower fares by booking well in advance).

Hope that helps and let us know if you have any questions!

October 30, 2022 at 11:34 am

Hello again! Thank you very much for this quick response. Now I understand how it works. Just to be sure, once I reach a daily cap amount, other journeys made later on the day will be free of charge, no matter how many of them I will make, is that correct? Thanks, Lucas

October 31, 2022 at 8:35 am

Glad our response has been helpful. So with the daily (and weekly) caps, they are applied automatically. So there would be a maximum charge. The actual daily cap amount depends on the zones you travel in (and excludes special services like Heathrow Express train).

So yes, after you have met the daily cap amount in travel, you should not be charged further for that day of travel. However, since the system (for Underground tube and trains) doesn’t know how far you will be traveling that day, you still need to have a minimum balance on your Oyster Card to do the journey as it only knows your journey once you get off the train (buses however are all the same price). So for example if you are only traveling in Zones 1 and 2 that day, the system doesn’t know you will not be traveling to say Zone 5 on that journey until you tap off as you exit the station.

And yes, the number of journeys doesn’t matter for the caps as long as they are within the hours of the daily cap (and within the same zones of the daily cap you want).

I know it sounds pretty complicated, and the details are fairly complex, but in practical use I think you’ll find it pretty easy once you start using it. Public transit is a fairly easy way to get around London and is definitely the cheapest option for any places that are not within walking distance. There are staff at all the larger stations that you can also ask questions of if you have any issues. You can find more on using it and the daily caps by zones here: https://tfl.gov.uk/fares/find-fares/tube-and-rail-fares/pay-as-you-go-caps .

Rachel Brown Post author

October 14, 2022 at 1:05 pm

Hello, My family and I are planning a trip to Europe the summer of 2023, mostly landing in the UK. We want to spend a day in London (or 2) and I am trying to understand the best and cheapest way to travel. I was thinking of getting eurail pass that will allow us to get a lot of places as we are starting in Germany, then to Paris, then the UK.

Does it make sense for us to buy the eurail pass and then get the Visitor Oyster card for the stay in London? We will have 3 people over 18, one who is 16 and one who is 11.

Also, I’m having a hard time figuring out what train to use on the eurail to travel around London. Or should I use the public transportation via the Visitor Oyster pass?

Another question…. I read in your article that we should purchase the cards before we arrive. What about the 11 year old and the discounts? Do I buy him a pass and then have someone add the discounts once we get there, or wait to purchase his card?

Last question… 🙂 How do I know where the zones are?

Thank you so much for your article. It was super helpful.

Sincerley, Rachel

October 14, 2022 at 7:58 pm

Happy to try to help you with planning your European trip.

In terms of buying a train pass like the Eurail, I think it will depend on how many train trips and where you plan to go exactly to figure out if a Eurail pass would be a good value for you or not. They have become more complicated over time as seat reservations are often required for many of the high-speed trains and night trains and there can be additional seat reservations costs, including on the Eurostar (Paris-London). So I would plan out your itinerary and then decide where you plan to take the train and then calculate the cost of the individual tickets versus the Global Eurail Pass (which is the only one you could use for all 3 countries). Or if you are doing a lot of train trips within Germany, the Germany Eurail Pass could be an option (your 11 year old would travel for free there with a paying adult).

So you can’t use the Eurail passes to travel once you arrive in London. But you can get to London by taking the Eurostar train from Paris (just note you need to make seat reservations in advance with your pass and that there is a seat reservation fee). The Eurail reservation booking fee is pretty high (30 euros I think) so I’d definitely compare prices with the pass versus just booking it directly yourself.

In London, most of the public transit is part of the Transport for London (Tfl) system. So you can either get an Oyster Card, buy individual tickets at the stations, or you might be able to use your credit card to travel using contactless payment or a mobile app. Each traveler needs their own card, ticket, or payment method. An Oyster Card can be a really easy option, especially if traveling with kids.

If you decide to get an Oyster Card, you can either buy a Visitor Oyster Card in advance or you can purchase the standard Oyster Cards once in London. If you are considering buying a London Pass , you can include the Oyster Card as part of your pass.

So for the youth discount for your 11 year old, you would not want to do the Zip card as that requires applying in advance and paying an admin fee (£15 I think). For such a short visit, you would end up paying more for that option. But you can apply a Youth Visitor Discount to an Oyster Card for your child.

If you don’t live in London and you’re visiting with children who don’t have an 11-15 Zip Oyster photocard, they can get discounted travel for up to 14 days with the Young Visitor discount. This will give them 50% off on most adult fares in London including the bus, Tube, tram, and London Overground. The discount can be added to a standard Oyster card or Visitor Oyster card by a member of staff at any Tube or London Overground station or Tfl Visitor Centres (except Gatwick Airport). The eligible child must be present when you apply for the Young Visitor discount.

For the London zones, you can find the maps on the Tfl website ( https://tfl.gov.uk/maps/ ) or just do a web seach for “London tube map zones”. Most people stay and visit attractions in Zones 1-3 but some attractions like Hampton Court are further out (Zone 6). Heathrow Airport is also Zone 6.

Hope that helps, Jessica

Nancy Shumar Post author

August 4, 2022 at 9:16 am

Your article is the most complete and helpful that I’ve read! Thank you! I’m visiting London for a week in September and I’m thinking of purchasing both the Oyster card and London Pass. However, I want to visit special exhibits at the Palaces that require reservation times for admittance (Jubilee jewel exhibits). Do I have to purchase admission tickets separately in order to reserve an admission time, or may I use my London Pass for Windsor and Kensington?

August 7, 2022 at 12:37 am

So glad that our Oyster Card and London Pass articles have been helpful in planning your trip. Now the London Pass allows you standard entry into most attractions. For some London Pass attractions/museums/tours, you do need (or it is highly recommended) to make a reservation but many of the attractions do not take reservations for those with the London Pass. This currently includes Windsor Castle.

If exhibitions are free or part of the normal tickets, then they would normally be included. However, if they require a special ticket and are separate from the normal standard entry areas, then you would need to have a separate ticket to visit. Sometimes you can buy this separately, but other times you would need to buy the full ticket to access the exhibition (e.g., London Pass would not really be useful for entry since you have to buy a separate ticket).

It just depends on the specific attraction and exhibition. For instance, the current exhibition about the Queen’s Coronation at Windsor Castle appears to be included with the standard ticket. But it sounds like the exhibition you are referencing may require a special ticket. So I would contact the attraction with the exhibition directly for that information if it is not available on their website and to specifically ask about if you have a London Pass.

Also just note that for visiting Windsor Castle, you will need to book a separate regular train ticket to Windsor since it is outside London and currently you can’t use the Oyster Card to travel there.

Patricia Post author

August 4, 2022 at 6:29 am

Hi, does anyone know if I add young visitor discount to my Oyster card will the child (14) get a physical ticket. Thanks

August 4, 2022 at 8:35 am

Hi Patricia,

The young visitor discount needs to be added to a separate Oyster for the child, so you will need two Oyster cards, one for yourself and one for your child with the discount applied. So yes, they will have a physical Oyster card of their own.

Katie Post author

July 21, 2022 at 10:58 am

Thanks for the good information. I will be traveling to London and staying 8 days. For 2 of those days I’ll be traveling to and from Heathrow to Zone 1 and for another 1 day I’ll be traveling from Zone 1 to Kew’s Garden in Zone 4. Which would be the best Oyster card for me to purchase?

July 21, 2022 at 12:17 pm

Glad you are enjoying our London articles!

It really doesn’t make any difference. If you are flying into Heathrow I would probably just buy the Oyster Card once you land. You can buy it at the airport Underground station, and if you are planning to take the Underground train (Tube) into London then that’s usually the easiest thing to do. But either the standard Oyster Card or Visitor Oyster Card will work the same. You need to charge the card with credit, which will be deducted depending on the trip duration and destination. Generally, based on 8 days of travel, I’d say £40 would probably be a good amount of credit to put on the card and you can always top it up if needed.

Note that the Heathrow Express and Elizabeth Line services from London Heathrow also accept the Oyster Card, but these are more expensive so will use more credit. So if you are trying to save credit, the Underground (Picadilly Line) is the best value option, although it does take a little longer.

Natalie Post author

July 21, 2022 at 4:35 am

Good day Jessica, Thank you so much for the insightful information 🙂 Could i please ask your advice…My husband is going to London for 1 month, leaving in September for training for work and i will be joining him for the month. So essentially we will only have the weekends in that month to do sightseeing of attractions in London as he will be working in the week, would a 10 day London travel pass be a good idea? Must the travel pass be used over 10 consecutive days or is it possible to use the pass for any 10 days within the month? Trust this make sense. Thank you. Kind regards. Natalie.

July 21, 2022 at 12:12 pm

Hi Natalie,

Glad you found the information useful! So the Oyster card is basically a prepaid pay as you go card for London’s public transportation. You can add a travelcard to it that is valid for a certain number of consecutive days, but in your case you would just want to buy the standard Oyster card, top it up, and use it when you want to travel. The Oyster system is set up with daily caps so you always pay the lowest overall fare depending on usage. You can buy the Oyster Card at almost all the London Underground (Tube) stations in London (including airports) or you can order the Visitor Oyster Card in advance if you prefer.

Now, if you are asking about the London Pass , which is a sightseeing discount pass for London attractions, then if you buy that pass you can also get the Oyster card with it if you buy it in advance. However, the London Pass is valid for consecutive days and once you use it the first day, you need to use it over the period that you bought it for. For example, if you bought a 10 day pass you have to use it in those 10 days. But you can use the Oyster Card until the credit runs out, and you can also recharge it / add more credit if you run out of credit. Oyster cards do not expire.

Hope that helps, just let us know if you have any more questions.

July 22, 2022 at 12:02 am

Thank you so much Jessica, I really appreciate your assistance immensely. Keep well. Natalie

Margaret Post author

July 3, 2022 at 10:29 am

Hi. I am coming to London with my 16 and 17 year old. We will be arriving on a Sunday evening and returning the following Saturday. We are flying and out of Heathrow and staying in South Kensington so plan on getting the Picadilly line there. We also hope to visit Hampton Court Palace and other things around central London. What would you recommend for our travel? Oystercard or Travel pass? Many thanks.

July 4, 2022 at 5:25 am

Hi Margaret,

Happy to try to help with your upcoming trip to London.

Generally an Oyster card is going to be a better option. It is likely that most of your travel will be around central London, with some trips such as Heathrow and Hampton Court being in Zone 6. When you buy a travelcard, you have to specify the zones, and it wouldn’t be cost effective to buy a 6 zone travel card for only these trips – they are more designed for daily travel in the zones you buy it for. So an Oyster card with the daily cap system will most likely be the best option for your trip.

If you are purchasing a London Pass for your trip, you can add the Visitor Oyster Card to the passes order. It will come with a set amount of credit which is dependent on the amount of days you buy the pass for, but you can add credit as needed. Or you can pick up regular Oyster Cards after you arrive into London at Heathrow Airport.

Hope that helps, and wishing you a great trip to London!

July 4, 2022 at 8:35 am

Thank you Jessica. You have made that all very clear for me. Looking forward to our trip to your lovely city. Kind regards, Margaret

Brenda & Paul Harrow Post author

June 23, 2022 at 9:03 pm

Hi Jessica, Your blogs are very helpful thank you. The Oyster Card /Travel cards have been quite confusing. to decpiher We are coming to Guilfford ,London , for a wedding in August. W are in having to train to Putney initially . I inadvertantly bought 2 tickets through to Farnham on SWR thinking it was the correct route and less expensive to book ahead. but costs were high when I found out afterwards that Putney was only 15 mons from London. and I wasn’t aware about the Oyster Card then. 3 questions please? 1) Can I still use these tickets and stop off in Putney Station anyway as they are non refundable ? 2). After the wedding , we have 24 hours spare in London before returning to NZ and want to take advantage of sight seeing as much as possible before flying out of Heathrow., so which 3 star accomodation would you recommend we choose , presumably in Paddington (?) to give us easy access to the attractions in London ,and the fast express to Heathrow ? 3) Would you recommend the Oyster Card for 3 train trips? 4) I think I read some where the TFL although it takes longer is dearer than the fast express, although both can accept the Oyster Card, correct? cheers Brenda

June 24, 2022 at 5:43 am

Glad that you have found our posts about London useful in planning your trip. Happy to try to help. I am not sure I fully understand all of your questions but I will try to help as much as possible.

1. So I am not sure what you mean by stop-off in Putney. The National Rail conditions of carriage say that you are allowed to “start, break and resume, or end your journey at any intermediate station along the route of travel on Off-Peak tickets unless the ticket restriction for the journey you are making does not allow it”. In our experience, normally you can get off at any train station assuming it’s a normal stop on the route of the ticket you bought, however it is not clear from your comment if you also intend to get back on to go on to Farnham. That may or may not be allowed depending on your specific ticket. It should have information in the ticket details and for specific questions about your ticket you should probably contact the rail company directly.

2 – We actually have a guide to where to stay in London here . That has a lot of options across a range of price points. You might consider checking out the Best Western Plus and the Westbourne Hyde Park as a starting point in that area. Both of those are about a 5-minute walk from Paddington.

3 – For train travel (if you mean national rail services) specifically it is normally better to book advance tickets as the Oyster card normally just charges a same day single fare.

4 – There are a few options for getting to Heathrow from London, as outlined in our guide to getting to various London airports from London here . You can take the Picadilly Line Underground, the Elizabeth Line (formerly known as TfL Rail but rebranded in May) or the Heathrow Express. You can use the Oyster Card for all of those. In order of price, it’s Underground (~ £3 – £6 depending on time of day), Elizabeth Line (around £11) and the Heathrow Express (around £25). If you book well in advance (more than 90 days) you can in theory get Heathrow Express tickets from around £5.50, but these tend to sell quickly

Hope that helps and wishing you a wonderful trip to London!

Shivangi Post author

June 18, 2022 at 1:16 am

Thank you for such a detailed article. This is like one stop shop for all the oyster card information. I am a little undecided about which card to buy because my stay is very short, only 4 days. So essentially my travel is to n fro from Heathrow Airport on day 1 & 4. And unlimited travel within zone 1&2 on all 4 days. Could you suggest me which card would be most economical. Thanks much!

June 18, 2022 at 10:34 am

Hi Shivangi,

In terms of an Oyster Card, either the standard Oyster Card or Visitor Oyster card would work exactly the same way. So you could get one in advance (Visitor) or just buy one at the airport (standard). I’d probably recommend just getting the standard card once you arrive into London. You can use it for your travel to and from the airport and for all your travel in central London.

You wouldn’t need any travelcards or anything as you are only staying 4 days.

Given where you plan to travel, you’ll likely spend £35 to £40. For taking the Undeground from Heathrow to central london is £5.50 peak, £3.50 off peak. Daily anytime cap is £7.70 for travel within zones 1 & 2. So for the airport plus 4 days of travel, you’ll probably want to put £30 or £35 on your card and then you can top it up at an Underground machine if needed.

June 19, 2022 at 5:12 am

Thanks a lot Jessica! This was really helpful.

Rebecca Post author

June 17, 2022 at 1:45 pm

We will be headed to UK in July. My tentative plans are as follows: Arrive LHR and head into London to our hotel in Victoria then visit Buckingham Palace for the changing of the Guard -> Trafalgar Square->Covent Garden -> Parliament St -> Big Ben -> Westminster Abbey for Evensong ->hotel. Other than getting from Heathrow to our hotel is this all walkable? Should we purchase Oyster cards? The next day we plan to take the ferry from Westminster to Greenwich and then to the Tower of London -> St. Paul’s Cathedral -> Kensington Palace. The last day we plan to go to Windsor Castle. I thought I read somewhere that there is a way to use your Oyster Card to lower the cost to travel to Windsor – maybe not get on a non-covered service as far as long as possible? Given this itinerary do you recommend purchasing the Oyster card?

June 18, 2022 at 10:18 am

Hi Rebecca,

So your time in Wstminster is definitely walkable, you wouldn’t need to use transport for that as everything isn’t too far apart in that area.

From the airport, you probably want to take the train (Elizabeth Line) to Paddington Station for the most cost-effective option. You can use an Oyster Card for that but it is the same price to just buy a ticket.

St. Paul’s Cathedral to Kensington Palace is a bit of a distance. I’m not sure if you mean to take the ferry back there too, but there isn’t a very convenient stop near the palace itself. The closest pier is probably Westminster but from there it’s a 1 hour walk. So you might want to take the Underground (Tube) from St. Paul’s, it’s about a 23 minute journey via the Central Line.

I’m not sure there would be any significant saving to using the Oyster card to get part of the way to Windsor as you would still have to pay for the Oyster fare to wherever you went. The train from Paddington is quick and convenient, so that would be our recommended option. (In the past, if you had the London Pass, you could use it to get free transport to Windsor, but that stopped recently although the Pass still gives you free entry).

The preferred payment option would be a contactless credit card or Apple / Google Pay, because then you don’t have to pay for the Oyster card. This would only work in your favor if your card doesn’t charge transaction fees. We use the Chase Sapphire , but there are a few options.

Otherwise you will have to spend £5 for your Oyster Card. It’s non-refundable, although the £5 does turn into credit on the card after a year, which likely isn’t going to be much use to you. A single off-peak journey from St. Pauls to West Ruislip (for Kensington Palace) is £6.30 in cash, or £3.50 off peak using cash / contactless. However, add on the £5 fee for the card and that’s £8.50. So unless you are making a few journeys on the card it’s not going to be worth it.

Jwala Salim Post author

June 13, 2022 at 10:08 pm

I’m travelling to the UK for 6 months. Which card is preferred as I will be travelling between zone 1 & 3 daily ?

June 14, 2022 at 8:14 am

If you are going to be travelling in London every day, then you will be best off with an Oyster card with a travelcard on it. You can buy a travelcard which is valid for 1 month and renew, or you can buy one which is valid for a period between 1.5 months and 10.5 months. This will work our cheaper than daily or weekly caps if you use it daily.

I would wait until you are in London and buy your Oyster Card – they are available to purchase at pretty much any London Underground station. Then you can purchase the travelcard at any of the machines that accept the Oyster Card and apply it to your card.

You will definitely want to register your Oyster card online to protect your purchase.

Sam Post author

June 12, 2022 at 3:18 pm

HI Jessica , You blog is usefull and with rich information, thanks for sharing this!!:) Anyway, i still have some concerns. My family of 2+2( 12 and 10 y.o) We want to to stay at London for 9 days including the visit for one day to Windsor, one day to Oxford and one day to Bath. Total of 6 days for London but not one after another.

1. I’d like to take Oyster card for my 12 y.o child(50% discount) and to use Apple and Google pay for me and my wife on our phones. My 10 y.o. kid will pass with me. Can i do it in such combination?

2. If i buy 7 days travelcard from Wednesday to Tuesday, how is it exactly done with Apple and Google Pay? For child’s Oyster is clear. Should i purchase in such case the Oyster card also for me and my wife anyway?

3. If i buy 7 days travelcard for zone 1&2 and i go to Watford Junction (Harry Potter destination), then how it will be deducted from the card, though i top up only the amount for one week like 38.40 pounds. It’s not clear the calculation in such case.

Thanks in advance

June 13, 2022 at 4:24 am

Glad to hear that our post has been helpful and yes, London travel can be a bit complicated, especially if traveling with children and going out of the London zoning.

1 – yes. Children under 11 travel free on TfL services when accompanied by a fare paying adult. This works for Oyster cards and contactless payment methods. More information here . You just need to head to the wider barriers (normally labelled for luggage / disabled users) and you might need to let staff know. The only thing we would say is that you might want to carry proof of age for your 10 year old just in case anyone challenges you, this is especially the case if they look older than their age.

2 – As far as we are aware you can’t use a travelcard on a contactless card, you can either buy a paper travelcard in advance, or add one to an Oyster card in London

3 – A travelcard is a fixed price which you pay up front, so you pay £38.40 for the travelcard and it will cover all your travel in Zones 1&2. When you travel to Watford Junction using the Oyster card, you will need credit on the Oyster card to cover the journey there and back. Peak time fares are currently £11.20 each way, off-peak is £8.10 each way. In this case though you would actually be better off buying a day return at the train station. A peak day return is currently £19.80 and and an off-peak day return is £13. The Oyster card always charges a single fare, but if you are going by train there and back on the same day, a day return ticket will normally be cheaper.

Anyway, hope that helps and wishing you a great trip to London!

June 16, 2022 at 2:01 pm

Jessica, thank you for detailed reply. If you don’t mind just to take quick look at my trip plan at London. Do you think is it good or not? And where it should be changed

02.08 -Tuesday —— Oxford Street + Disney Store + Hamleys Toy Shop, Regent Street, London, UK Trafalgar Square Piccadilly Westminster Abbey ??? Big Ben – London Eye SEA LIFE Centre London Aquarium

03.08 -Wednesday Madame Tussauds London Camdan The Regent’s Park Little Vencia + Paddington(Floating pocket park)

04.08 -Thursday euston station-watford junction Harry potter Warner Bros. Studio Tour London Harry Potter, Platform 9 and ¾ FREE Holland Park HydePark

05.08 -Friday Science Museum Natural History Museum Victoria and Albert Museum Stamford Bridge

06.08 -Saturday Windsor Castle

07.08 -Sunday ——- Buckingham palace The British Museum chinatown + coventgarden M&M’s World London Apple store coventgarden Forbidden planet London Transport Museum St. Paul’s Cathedral

08.08 -Monday ——- The Roman Baths Stonehenge

09.08 -Tuesday —— Oxford

10.08 -Wednesday —- HMS Belfast Millennium Bridge Tower of London Tower Bridge Borough Market Sky Garden

June 17, 2022 at 5:15 am

You’re very welcome!

Your drafted London itinerary looks fine to me. I would just make sure that for each day you calculate how much time you want to spend at each place to ensure you have plenty of time. On some days you list a lot of places and it just depends on how long you plan to spend at each one. This is especially important to consider with children as they will likely need breaks and more flexibility.

Normally we would recommend a London Pass and grouping together visits so that you can take advantage of the savings from the pass. But as you have it laid out, this wouldn’t make sense as you are leaving London and visiting a number of non-pass attractions in between. So this means you want to be more careful about checking to see if reservations are needed as some places require pre-booked tickets or time slots.

Here are just a few notes on your specific itinerary:

-The Elizabeth Tower (where the Big Ben clock is located) is currently closed to the public. Not sure when it will reopen and I beleive it is only open to UK residents. But you can see it and the Houses of Parliament from the outside. -When you list Buckingham Palace on Sunday in your itinerary, are you planning to book a ticket to visit? Or just see it from the outside? If just wanting to see it from oustide, might want to just do it on Tuesday as you would be nearby on your way when walking between Tralfagar Square and Westminister Abbey. – On your last day (Wednesday), I’d recommend visiting the Tower of London first as it can get very crowded. We recommend showing up before it opens to get in line so you are one of the early people inside to visit the Crown Jewels (otherwise that part can be unpleasant when it is very crowded). You can see our guide to the Tower of London for more tips.

Farah Post author

May 30, 2022 at 3:37 pm

I topped up 2 oyster cards with £38 each and they finished in 4 days! I only went between zones 1 and 2. Do you know how they could have finished so fast? I only used the tube and not that much either.

I tried to get the young visitor discount but the officer at the tube station said it’s not much of a difference so he didn’t apply it to my 15 yr old daughter’s card.

May 31, 2022 at 5:01 am

So if traveling in zones 1 & 2 only, the daily cap is £7.70 and the weekly cap (Monday – Sunday) is £38.40. Full list here: https://content.tfl.gov.uk/adult-fares.pdf

It is important to use the same card and touch in and out when traveling so you don’t get overcharged, however it definitely sounds wrong that if traveling only in zones 1 & 2 that the cards ran out in 4 days as £38 is much more than the daily cap for 4 days. Is it possible that you used it outside these zones or that you used it for a service like the Heathrow Express train (this is about £20).? If so, that may be why you were charged much more than anticipated.

But if not, I would recommend contacting someone from TfL directly to ask them what has happened and I’d also consider registering your Oyster Card (if a standard one, Visitor ones can’t be registered) if you are going to be in London longer. You can find their customer service contact info here: https://tfl.gov.uk/help-and-contact/

The Young Visitors Discount offers a 50% discount on most travel, so I don’t think the officer was correct. Regardless, it is not up to them to decide if the discount is worth it, if you want it applied to the card then they should be happy to do so. Again, would need to reach out to TfL with specifics of this.

Hope this helps and hope you are able to figure it out with the TfL.

Hua Post author

May 20, 2022 at 5:23 am

I was wondering how to purchase a child oyster card for my 14 y o? Since our family lives in US, it looks there is no way for me to get him a photoed 11-15 oyster card.

May 20, 2022 at 5:54 am

So the photo version of the Oyster card for young people, known as the 11-15 Zip Oyster card, is primarily designed for London residents. The TfL website doesn’t make it very clear, but you can actually apply for this from outside the UK and pick it up at a visitor center, but there is a fee of around £15. So this is probably only going to make sense if you are planning to be in London for a longer period of time.

A better option though in most cases is the young visitor discount. This gives 50% off adult-rate pay as you go fares and daily caps on bus, Tube, tram, DLR, London Overground, TfL Rail and most National Rail services. A Young Visitor discount can be applied to a standard Oyster card or a Visitor Oyster card by a member of staff at any Tube, London Overground or TfL Rail station. So you could have this applied once in London. It lasts for 14 days, but can be renewed if staying for longer.

You can purchase the Visitor Oyster Cards in advance and have them shipped to you in the U.S. (either just the Oyster Card or as part of the London Pass with Travel) or you can wait and buy the standard Oyster Cards once in London. With either, you can have the Young Visitor discount applied for your son once in London.

May 21, 2022 at 2:50 am

Thanks so much for the detailed response! It is really helpful!

Eunice Post author

May 15, 2022 at 7:38 am

My sister and I will be traveling to London, and surrounding area, in June. From Heathrow we will be traveling to Colchester, using public transportation, and on from there back to London area. We will be using Oyster cards. We are arriving at Heathrow airport on different airlines. I arrive first and will then determine which terminal she will arrive at. When using Google maps to get directions from the airport it wants to know which terminal we would be leaving from. You have said that the Underground tube is the best means of transportation from Heathrow. Is the Heathrow Express the Underground tube? Can we get on that from every terminal? Since we don’t know which terminal she will be arriving at I don’t know how to plan travel from there. I’m also getting confused with symbols. How can I determine which is Underground tube, tram, DLR, London overground, bus, National Rail service, or TFL Rail?

I am a planner and want to be prepared with as much information as possible before we travel so we can enjoy our time there.

May 16, 2022 at 7:09 am

Yes, you won’t know the exact terminal or gate probably until the flight lands as things can change last minute even if one is given. So it probably makes sense to have a place where everyone meets up. It sounds like you plan to go meet her once she arrives.

So the Heathrow Express and the Underground/Tube are different. The Heathrow Express is a fast direct train service to Paddington train station, which currently costs around £22 per person each way and takes around 15-20 minutes. The Underground (often referred to as “The Tube”) is the metro system which takes 40 minutes to an hour depending on where in London you are going, and costs between £3 and £6 per person each way depending on the time you travel (peak times between around 6.30am and 9.30am are the more expensive options). You can use the Oyster Card for either service, but just not that the Heathrow Express service will use up a good chunk of credit if you choose that option.

The Heathrow Express departs from Heathrow terminals 2 & 3 as well as Terminal 5. The Underground departs from Terminals 1-5.

It is free to transfer between the terminals, so you can get to any terminal either by walking between the terminals or by taking the train. You can see more about transferring between terminals here: https://www.heathrow.com/at-the-airport/airport-maps/travel-between-terminals

In terms of recognizing the symbols, they are color coded. All underground stations have an obvious underground logo which is a red circle with a blue stripe through it and the words “Underground” written on it. The DLR is similar but uses a turquoise circle. The Overground has an orange circle. Tfl-Rail is a blue circle. The tram is a green circle. All of them state what service they are on very clearly at each station and on transport maps, so it is not too hard. Overground services with national rail are a little different, with the logo consisting of red zig zag lines, but it will always be clearly marked which service is which. As long as you know the name of the service you are looking for, you should be able to pretty easily follow signs. If in doubt, you can ask any of the airport staff for help.

Duha Post author

May 5, 2022 at 2:26 pm

Can I and my husband both use the same card as we plan to visit London together? Cheers!

May 6, 2022 at 3:00 am

No, you can’t share the same Oyster Card as it will not work. You need to be able to tap on and tap off on most forms of public transit so that the appropriate amount is charged. You also need it to get through barriers. So you will each need a separate Oyster Card in London.

Now, if you were traveling separately on different trips you could use the same card, but you can’t if you are traveling together. So you will want one card for each person.

Hopefully that makes sense, Jessica

Lin Sisson Post author

May 4, 2022 at 10:17 am

I’m still confused. I arrive in London and stay overnight before heading to the Costwolds for a week. Then arrive back in London on July 9 to stay near Waterloo station. I plan on day 2 to go to Hampton Court, day 3 will use transportation to get back and forth to a tour day Day 4 tour to 7 sisters an Brighton (transportation included) Day 5 Tower of London and, probably, Westminster Abbey with show at night Day 6 Windsor castle with show at night Day 7 Vic & Al and Kensington Palace Day 8 going to Bath—public transportation to get to and from Paddington Day 9 a walking tour in Hempstead Day 10 tour in Piccadilly and tea at Wolseley Hotel with play at night Day 11 head home back to Heathrow

Do I get visitor card or Oyster card?

May 5, 2022 at 5:51 am

Happy to try to help. I am not exactly sure what you are confused about, is it whether you should buy a Visitor Oyster Card or a regular Oyster Card?

There are very little differences between them. They work the same way. The main differences are the initial cost and how you can purchase them as described in the article. The Visitor Oyster Card has to be purchased in advance and you can have it mailed to your home address before your trip. The regular Oyster Cards need to be purchased in London.

But once you have them, they work in exactly the same way on public transit and both can have credit added as needed.

Hope that helps and let me know if you have any further questions.

Naomi Post author

May 1, 2022 at 1:10 pm

Hi, we would love your advice for an upcoming trip— I’m about to purchase London Passes for my husband and I, but I’m debating getting the Visitor Oyster card with it or getting a regular Oyster card with added travelcards when we get to the Heathrow station.

We are staying near Charing Cross for our whole trip, and our day trips and London travel are kind of scattered throughout. I know that even for our day trips we will probably be making one round trip to the departure point for our tour departure point/main train. Here’s our itinerary:

Day 1- morning arrival to Heathrow, travel to and around zone 1 Days 2-4 – around zones 1-2 Day 5- day trip out of London by train Day 6- around zone 1 Day 7- zone 1 in the morning and afternoon to Harry Potter studios Day 8 – morning in zone 1-2, afternoon bus tour Day 9- day trip out of London by train Day 10- Zone 1 Day 11- day trip out of London by train Day 12- day trip out of London by bus Day 13- back to Heathrow

What’s the best card combo for this kind of trip? Thank you so much!

May 2, 2022 at 3:55 am

In terms of getting the Visitor Oyster Card with the London Pass or waiting to get the regular Oyster Card when in London, it doesn’t really make a big difference. There is no cost savings to buying it with your London Pass, it is just convenient as you’ll have it when you come to London.

If you are getting the Visitor Oyster Card it will come with a set amount of travel credit (the amount depends on length of the London Pass), but if you run out, you can add to that using the Underground machines. If you buy a card in London, I’d maybe start with £30 each and then added as needed since you are not sure how much trips you’ll be making as you’ll be out of London on day trips for several days of your trip.

For the London Pass, just remember that it is only valid over consecutive days, so you will want to group together all the included attractions and visit them on consecutive days. So it looks like this may be Days 1 to 4 for you? Or maybe Days 1 to 6 with not using it on Day 5? So keep that in mind when making your itinerary.

For the Warner Bros Harry Potter studio tour , you can use the Oyster Card to get the train out to Watford Junction but the card won’t work beyond that. Then at Watford Junction you can just take the shuttle to the studio. Or the day tours include your transport to the studio as part of the tour and will start and end in London.

Rachel C Post author

April 19, 2022 at 11:21 am

Hello and thank you for compiling all this information — I still have some questions.

My family of four (kids ages 13, 15) plans a stay in London for 32 days and will use the Tube in Zones 1 & 2. We currently have 4 Oyster Cards that do not have any credit on them (we had purchased them in 2020 while young visitor discounts were not offered).

1) For the kids: I see the young visitor discount is only valid 14-days. Is that something I can renew? Or is there a better way to keep our costs down? I understand that there are no young visitor travel cards to add to an oyster card. However, due to our timeline, is the Zip card better, I know there is an application fee but would that be worthwhile for us if we cannot renew the 14-day pass? We are US citizens visiting the UK.

2) For the adults: I assume our best bet is the monthly travel card added to our Oyster Cards.

3) Could you walk us through the process of updating our current oyster cards? I assume I need to do the kids’ cards in person (but can I use the existing Oyster Card)? For the adults is it easiest to register our cards online and add the month-long travel card?

Thank you so much for all your patience with these extra questions. I appreciate it!

Warmly, Rachel

April 20, 2022 at 5:58 am

Glad our info has been helpful and sounds like you a very long trip to London coming up!

So, these are some tricky questions to answer as some of it depends on how much you plan to use the cards, but there are some options. Also, it depends on what type of Oyster Cards you already own. You definitely want to bring those with you when you return to London.

1 – TfL confirmed with us this morning that you can renew a Visitor Oyster card young persons discount once the 14 days has expired, so that is probably going to be the easiest and most cost effective option. You would need to buy the Visitor Oyster cards first though (unless the Oyster Cards you have are already Visitor Oyster Cards), which is cheaper than a Zip Oyster Card.

The other options would be a Zip Oyster card which costs £20 then fares vary, but the daily cap is £1.60 off peak and £3.85 peak for zones 1-2.

Another option is a 7 day child travelcard for children aged 11-15 from here . It’s a physical travel card which costs £19.20 for 7 days of travel in zones 1 and 2

Probably the easiest option is likely going to be the Visitor Oyster Card with the young persons discount as it’s just pay as you go. The 7-day travelcard might work out to be cheaper if you do a lot of journeys, but this would require some calculations and likely won’t be a big savings difference in the end.

2 – Yes, most likely a monthly travelcard would be the cheapest, but bear in mind that there is weekly capping. So for example in Zones 1 &2 , you would not pay more than £38.40 for travel from Monday to Sunday. Four weeks hitting the cap would be £153.6. A monthly travel card (which is a month rather than 28 days) is £147.50. So it is a bit cheaper, but not a lot. You just have to be sure you will be using it enough to actually make the cost worth it, as it might work out cheaper just to rely on the caps. As a general rule of thumb, you need to be travelling a couple of times a day every day to start hitting the caps. So if you aren’t likely to be using the tube every day, then just using a normal card and the weekly cap system might end up being slightly cheaper. The monthly cards are designed for daily commuters.

3 – This will depend on if you have normal Oyster cards or Visitor Oyster cards. A normal Oyster card is blue, whilst a visitor oyster card has a pattern and the word London on it. If you have a normal Oyster card, you would need to purchase Visitor Oyster cards for your kids as you can’t add the visitor Oyster Card young persons discount to a normal Oyster card as far as we are aware. You also need to order and buy them before you visit as they aren’t available in London. If you have normal cards, you should be able to register these online then you should be able to add travel cards / credit to them if this is the route you want to go down.

For your adults cards (whether regular or Visitor), you can also add the week or month long travel cards, regular credit, and top up your Oyster Cards at one of the Underground station machines once in London. It is pretty simple to do. You can also get assistance from staffed ticket booths as well.

April 21, 2022 at 6:02 am

Hi Jessica, Thank you so much for fielding these extra questions… you are so kind to detail all these options! Yes, this has been super helpful for us!

We have the regular Blue Oyster Cards so we’ll go ahead and order Visitor Cards for the kids to get the young passenger fares for them. And with the adult cards, we’ll mull that over a bit. I appreciate your taking the time to sift through the details.

April 21, 2022 at 7:19 am

You’re very welcome and glad that was helpful. It is all a bit complicated because of the number of options and restrictions, especially when talking about options for kids.

At least with the adult Oyster Cards there is no hurry as you can do it before you leave or once you get to London. Wishing you a safe & fun trip!

October 20, 2022 at 5:02 am

Hi Jessica, Just a quick update. Everything went very well with the first round of “Young Visitor Discounts” being applied to our children’s cards. The attendant said we’re able to apply the discount again when this one expires, but need to do it at a different station. For half-priced fare, we’re willing to do that!

Thanks again for the kind assistance. We’re thoroughly enjoying our time in London and have read a number of your articles. I appreciate all the detailed information!

October 21, 2022 at 4:31 pm

So glad to hear that your experiences in London with using the Oyster Card and applying the Young Visitor Discount has been a good experience! Wishing you a wonderful rest of your time in London!

Jim Vatter Post author

April 14, 2022 at 1:55 pm

My wife and I (both 81) and our 16 year old grandson are traveling to London from US for 6 days and then off to Paris via Chunnel for three days. Already paid for transfers from airport which is probably a mistake but we are old. Planning normal visits – Tower, Parliament, BM, City Tours, evening plays, Stone Henge, etc. Is there a senior discount and/or a Zip Oyster discount for grandson. Can Visitors Oyster facilitate getting into Tower or other difficult venues. Should we buy Oyster in advance. What a great source of information you provide. Thank You Jim

April 15, 2022 at 6:26 am

Yes if you do get the Oyster Cards, they are pretty easy to use to get to and from London from the airport (Heathrow or Gatwick). But obviously you won’t need that if you are using private transfers.

So in general, I don’t think it would be worth it for you to apply for the discounted Oyster Cards. Most of the discounted cards are geared to those who live in London rather than visitors.

The child travelcard is only for those 11-15 so their grandson would not be eligible. There is a Zip photocard for ages 16-18 that gives you a 50% discount on adult fares, however, there is a £20 fee to apply. So the cost savings may not be worth actually taking the time to apply to collect the card. You can see more and apply here: https://tfl.gov.uk/fares/free-and-discounted-travel/16-plus-zip-oyster-photocard?intcmp=55578

For seniors, there is a 60+ London Oyster Photocard but it is only for London residents. There is also a senior railcard which gives 30% discount on train travel to over 60s, which can be applied to an Oyster card but this costs £30 per year for one person so again will probably not be worth it. The railcard does not apply to Eurostar trains either.

The Visitor Oyster Card does have some discounts but these are mainly to restaurants, shops, and entertainment venues rather than the big attractions like the Tower of London. But there are currently discounts available at Kew Gardens and the Royal Albert Hall. You can see a list here .

At some individual attractions, you may find there are ticket discounts for seniors or those under 18 (although generally 16+ is considered an adult at many attractions). For instance, at Westminister Abbey, you could get a discount as part of the 65+ group and your grandson could get a child ticket (as under 18). So just make sure you have photo IDs with birthdates on you when going to such places where you are elgiible for discounts – they are unlikely to verify your ages but they may verify your grandson’s age.

If you want to get a Visitor Oyster Card, you do need to purchase them before your trip and have them mailed to you. However, if you want to just buy the standard Oyster Cards, you can wait to purchase these once you are in London. You can purchase them from the machines in most Underground stations in London. With 6 days, I’d probably recommend starting with £35 to £40 on each card and then you can add additional credit if needed (you can just add credit using the machines).

For getting out to Stonehenge, I’d recommend booking a guided tour for that day trip. You can take a regular train to Salisbury (~2 hours) and then get a bus to Stonehenge, but then you are limited to what else you can do that day. With a tour, it is likely to visit other places such as Bath, Cotswolds, or Avebury so it makes a bit more of your day. You can read this article on visiting Stonehenge for ideas.

Also, I would highly recommend making bookings for any must-see attractions, tours, or entertainment in advance of your trip. With COVID, lots of things that did not require reservations in the past are now saying that pre-booking and reservations are highly recommended (and sometimes required).

Anyway, hope that helps! Wishing you a great trip to London and Paris, and just let us know if you have any further questions as you plan your trip.

claudia ros Post author

March 24, 2022 at 6:55 am

Hello!!! I’ve been reading your post and it has really helped me with this maze of London transport possibilities!!!! But I still have some doubts… Next July, I’ll be travelling from Argentina with my husband and two teenage daughters (14 and 17). We’ll be arriving at Heathrow, staying in London for 9 consecutive days, then going to France and returning to London to catch our flight home from Heathrow 3 weeks later. After reading many websites, I came to the conclusion that the best option for us could be to buy a common Oyster Card with a 7-day Travelcard zones 1-2 loaded onto it and buying it at Heathrow Underground Station, but I have some doubts: 1) How much EXTRA cash do I need to charge onto each card so the journeys from and to Heathrow and other zones outside 1-2 are covered? (We’re planning to go to Warner Bros.) 2) Can I get a Young Person’s Discount loaded onto the Oyster card for my 14-year-old? Should I also load a 7-day Travelcard onto her Oyster card? 3) I read one of your answers above saying that “you would no longer need to buy a travelcard, as from September 2021 an Oyster card has a weekly cap which is the same as the 7-day travelcard price.” This confuses me!!! Should I load a travelcard or not?

Many many thanks for your post and I would really appreciate it if you could help me with this!!!!

March 24, 2022 at 7:58 am

Hi Claudia,

Glad that our articles are helpful to you in planning your upcoming trips to the UK and France. So although London has a great public transit system, it can be complicated, especially with a family, to figure out what might be best for you. It depends a lot on how much you plan to use public transit and where in London you plan to travel. As the travelcards in particular are geared to residents rather than visitors, but since you are going to be in London for longer than a week, you might consider them.

1 – The best way to figure this out is to use the single fare finder, which you can see here ( https://tfl.gov.uk/fares/find-fares/tube-and-rail-fares/single-fare-finder ). Fares vary depending on time of day, so for example from Heathrow to Central London is £5.50 for an adult single fare during peak times (6.30am – 9.30 am), and £3.50 off peak (at all other times). For Watford Junction (for Harry Potter) an adult Oyster fare is £11.20 for peak and £8.10 off peak.

For getting to Watford and visiting Warner Bros Studio, you can see our guide to doing the Harry Potter Studio tour .

If traveling from London to France, you might find our London to Paris travel guide useful in booking that travel.

2 – You can apply what is known as a Young Visitor Discount to your daughter’s Oyster Card. This can be added by a member of staff to a standard Oyster card, and will give them 50% off pay as you go fares (including the weekly cap for 14 days). You can see instructions for this under the Young Visitor Discount section of this page ( https://tfl.gov.uk/fares/free-and-discounted-travel/11-15-zip-oyster-photocard?intcmp=55575 ). You will need to scroll past the section on Zip Oyster Cards. With this discount you wouldn’t need the 7 day travel card for her, and there aren’t (as far as we are aware) any young persons travel cards

3 – So the answer to this varies a little depending on when you are visiting. The weekly cap for Oyster is the same as the price of a seven day travel card. However, the weekly cap on Oyster runs from a Monday to a Sunday, whilst you can start a travel card on any day of the week and use it for seven consecutive days (assuming it’s a weekly travel card).

So if you were arriving on a Monday and using the Oyster card, there would be no benefit to a weekly travel card. However, if you want to start your travel card on any other day of the week, it does still make sense to use a travel card.

Hope that helps, and just let us know if you have any questions about your upcoming travels to the UK or France!

April 15, 2022 at 8:28 am

Thank you so much, Jessica!!!!! You’ve been really really helpful and kind in asnwering with so much detail!!!!

April 15, 2022 at 11:19 am

You are very welcome and just let us know if you have further questions as you plan your trip to London!

Andras Post author

March 12, 2022 at 4:21 am

First, thanks for the great posts! I have questions according Oyster cards. 1. I read that the registration for app and TFL website is only for UK residents. Is it still valid? It sounds a very stupid limitation for a card recommended for tourists… In this case what happens if I give eg. my hotel address during registration (as I read on other sites)? Could it cause any problem later (ie. recharge won’t work)? 2. Recharging Oysters: – Is it possible to manage and recharge more cards from one app (3 family members)? If I could register somehow… – What is the simplest method to recharge Oysters?

thanks, Andras

March 13, 2022 at 10:29 am

1 – It looks like this has actually changed relatively recently. We just tried the website with a USA address and it worked and allowed us to create an account to register a card. So you *should* be able to register with your international address and get access to the website. The regular Oyster Cards were actually really designed for Londoners (regular users of the public transit system) whereas the Visitor Oyster Cards were designed for tourists so that is why typically travelers would not register them and have been prevented from doing so. You still can’t register a Visitor Oyster Card (no matter where you live), only the standard ones. I would use your real address, rather than a hotel address as it may be used to check against the address used for your credit card. To be honest, as people who live in the UK, we don’t really use our online account much except to sometimes check our balance (you can also do that at the station) but we have our cards registered to protect against loss/theft/damage. So it doesn’t make a huge difference for the average visitor but is good to do if you can.

2 – Yes, you can add multiple cards to the app, including contactless cards and Oyster cards, and then charge them.

3 – You can recharge them using the app/website, but it’s also really easy to recharge them at any the Underground Stations (Tube stations). Any ticket machine with a big yellow circle on it will let you recharge an Oyster, it is a pretty simple process. You can recharge them by credit card or cash. Some machines are credit card only, others are card and cash. We normally top ours up at the station machines.

March 16, 2022 at 6:55 am

many thanks for the quick and detailed answer!

bye, Andras

Kelsey Post author

March 9, 2022 at 7:42 am

Your replies and blog post about the Oyster Card have been incredibly useful! The best I’ve seen with such clear instructions and responses. Thank you.

March 9, 2022 at 7:48 am

You are very welcome and thanks for taking the time to leave such a nice comment! If you have any questions as you plan your trip to London, just let us know 😉

Rachel Post author

February 6, 2022 at 7:36 pm

Hi! This article is great! My boyfriend and I are traveling to the UK (from the US) this summer and will spend a day and a half in London. We plan to use the bus a little and will need a one way trip to Heathrow airport. Can we share a visitor Oyster card, just scanning for each of us? Or do we need to each purchase our own pass? I understand if you purchase them online in advance of your trip there is some savings? (Sorry if it’s a silly question). I hope you both are having a wonderful holiday! I have been enjoying your monthly newsletter. Your travels sound amazing!! Thank you!!

February 6, 2022 at 7:52 pm

Yes, an Oyster Card is great if you are planning to use London public transit quite a bit during your stay. You can’t share an Oyster Card, you will need one card per person. On some forms of transportation, you need to scan it to both enter and exit (Underground Tube stations) and only one person can use each.

The best way to get to and from Heathrow airport in London for most people is by the Underground (Tube). You can use your Oyster Card for this journey. You can see this post for best ways to get to and from Heathrow .

If you are arriving into Heathrow and plan to take the Underground into London, then I’d just purchase an Oyster Card there at the Underground station after you arrive. The fees for both cards (standard vs. Visitor) are now the same so it doesn’t make too much of a difference. Hopefully you will return to London some day so keep your cards for a future visit.

Also since you are only there a short time, if you have a contactless credit card, you may be able to use that instead of an Oyster Card to pay for your travel in London. You can see more about that here .

Hope that helps and just let us know if you have further questions as you plan your trip to London!

Hank Post author

December 12, 2021 at 4:10 pm

I just came across your site today — a lot of great information. But, so much to take in. My questions are simple. We (2of us) are planning our first trip to London in May 2022. We will be there approx 10 days. I was thinking the Oyster card was the best option and adding the 7 day travelcard to it. Is that the right choice? If so, should I just wait to purchase both at Heathrow since I can not buy the Oyster card here? Can I do that at Heathrow? Thanks so much!!

December 13, 2021 at 5:51 am

That does sound like the best option, but you would probably no longer need to buy a travelcard, as from September 2021 an Oyster card has a weekly cap which is the same as the 7-day travelcard price. So you just use the Oyster card as normal, and it will never charge you more than the travelcard price for journeys from Monday to Sunday. So you’d just need the Oyster Card, one for each of you. A travel card has the advantage that you can start it on a day of your choosing, but as you are visiting for 10 days it is likely that you will get the weekly cap during your stay anyway.

And yes, you can buy the Oyster card at Heathrow Airport (you can buy the standard Oyster Card from the ticket machines at the Underground Station, there are also staff there who can help if you have questions). The standard Oyster Card is not available for pre-purchase outside of the UK, but you can buy the Visitor Oyster Card from outside the UK, you can order the Visitor Oyster Card online and they can deliver it to your home before you leave. But if you plan to take the Tube into London from the airport, I would just wait to get the standard Oyster Card when you arrive into Heathrow.

December 13, 2021 at 12:58 pm

Thank you so much.. You have been so helpful. I am so glad I ran across your page!

Martina Post author

November 19, 2021 at 9:25 pm

Great article! I’ve just two questions for you as I’m going to move to London and I will have to use twice a day both bus and tube for zone 1 & 2. Can I buy a 7-days/monthly pass for both bus and tube on the same Oyster card? Also, except for the 7-days pass, which as I understood is Monday-Sunday, is there another type of pass which is related to the trips even if they are not in the same week? (e.g. 10-days pass). Many thanks

November 21, 2021 at 6:54 am

Hi Martina,

Sure, happy to try to help. And since you are moving to London rather than just visiting, you’ll want to look at the card designed for London residents rather than visitors.

For your first question, yes, the 7 day pass applies for both Bus and tube on the same card. If you are just doing a weekly pass, you can also use contactless or an oyster card without the travel card, as the weekly cap price is the same as the travel card price. Currently the weekly cap for Zones 1 – 2 for Monday to Sunday is £37, which is the same as the travel card price.

There isn’t a 10 day pass, however if you are going to be travelling a lot you would probably benefit from either a monthly or even an annual travel card. A monthly travel card for zones 1&2 is currently £142.10 and an annual pass is £1480. Those can definitely save you quite a bit, depending on whether or not you’ll use them this is a list of all the fares: https://content.tfl.gov.uk/adult-fares.pdf

Hope that helps, and wishing you a smooth move to London!! Jessica

Dave Post author

October 5, 2021 at 1:07 pm

This is a great article and a great site all around. We’ll be headed to London for the middle of Oct for 10 days. What are your thoughts on using the Oyster Card on an iphone? Is it the same as the physical card? We’ve used this with great success in New York and Chicago. Dave

October 7, 2021 at 1:29 am

As far as we know there is no fully mobile version of the Oyster Card yet. So you do need to have a physical Oyster Card. There is an Oyster Card app as well, but that only allows you to manage your physical Oyster card and do things like top up a balance rather than being a virtual Oyster card. Note the app only supports standard Oyster cards rather than the Visitor version.

Now, if you prefer a mobile way to pay instead, you can use Apple Pay on your iPhone to pay as you go, using a form of payment such a credit card attached to your Apple Pay account. Contactless payments can be a good option if you have a card that doesn’t charge you for foreign transaction fees. You can read more about the difference between Oyster and contactless for payment here .

Note, that if you are also planning to get a London Pass (for visiting attractions), that the London Pass now has a fully mobile version that you can purchase and use on your phone through the app (or just download and save on your phone). We’d also do recommend printing out the QR code for your London Pass as well to bring along just in case for any reason the phone app isn’t working or your phone runs out of battery.

Jenise Flowers Post author

October 4, 2021 at 1:13 pm

I recently purchased a senior rail pass for my November trip to London. It says I can get a 30% discount on my oyster and travel card purchases. Do the machines at the underground station at Heathrow have a way to include the discount in the price of my Oyster card and travel card? If not, how do I obtain the discount?

October 7, 2021 at 1:22 am

So you can add your discount to an Oyster Card at Tube and TFL stations, but you just need to go to a ticket counter and show your railcard. There is a ticket counter for the Underground at Heathrow, so you should be able to do it there. So I’d try to talk to one of the staff there to get it there before you begin your travels on the Underground.

Have a great trip to London! Jessica

Caroline Post author

September 27, 2021 at 12:52 am

Thank you so much for this information. After trawling the Internet for a non-confusing London travel guide, I found this to be super informative, easy to read and really helped me understand my options for travel in the capital. We’ve just returned from a weekend away using these guidelines and everything ran beautifully. Keep up the good work!

September 27, 2021 at 6:08 am

Hi Caroline,

Glad you found our London articles helpful in planning your trip! And glad that you had a great weekend away in London 😉

Anna dundas Post author

June 2, 2021 at 9:14 am

Glad I found you – planning a post covid retirement break in March, staying at a youthhostel( (already booked 😀), so 5 nights before return trip to Edinburgh. I am planning best yes of my time, and this is just what I need. Grateful thanks xxxxx

June 2, 2021 at 9:58 am

Glad you are finding our travel blog content helpful in planning your visit to London. Just let us know if you have any questions as you plan your trip!

Joel glover Post author

May 23, 2021 at 10:26 am

Do we need individual cards for husband and wife?

May 24, 2021 at 10:25 am

Yes, you will both want your own individual Oyster Cards in London. You can’t share the same one if you are traveling together.

Christina Post author

February 9, 2020 at 8:59 am

Hello! My husband and I are traveling to London from the US. We will spend three days in London, take a train to Manchester stay a few days then take a train to Newcastle and stay a few days then work our way back through Manchester and fly out from London over a period of 16 days. Is the Oyster card valid throughout England? What would be the Best Buy for us. We will also be paying for a day cruise on the clipper and Emirates.

February 9, 2020 at 9:02 am

Hi Christina,

The Oyster Card is only works in London and the London area. So it won’t of course work if you are going to Manchester, Newcastle, or any other place in England or the UK outside of London. But once you have it, you can keep it and it is valid as long as they continue the Oyster Card system. So if you leave London and then return again at the end of your trip, you can use the same card both visits, as well as future visits.

The Oyster Card as noted can be used to pay for just about any type of public transportation in London, and this includes the Thames Clipper River Bus services and the Emirates Air Line cablecar service.

For your train services to places outside London like Manchester and Newcastle, you’ll want to book separate train tickets. You can check scheduels and buy tickets online from sites like thetrainline.com .

Kimo Kelly Post author

January 19, 2020 at 12:03 pm

My wife and I are veterans of dozens of trips to London and the UK. (We are mid- seventyish). We have two Oyster Cards which are probably two or more decades old. We have used these and London Travelcards before. We will be in London for eight days beginning in mid-June. My question is: should we use the Oystercards or should we purchase Travelcards instead? We will not be arriving at an airport but will need to get to Heathrow upon our departure.

January 20, 2020 at 5:28 am

Yes, Oyster Cards were first introduced to the public in June 2003 and any cards issued since there *should* still work if they are in good condition. Although I would definitely check in once you are at a station to make sure it is still reading properly and to check to see if you have any credit remaining. If you have a regular Oyster Card (not a Visitor Oyster Card) you can just add a travelcard onto the Oyster Card itself.

However, this will not work for a Visitor Oyster Card as the travelcards can’t be added directly to the card. So in that case you can just add credit and use it as needed, or you can purchase a separate travelcard if you’d rather do that.

The travelcards are designed for those who are going to be using public transit often throughout the week (e.g., Londoners who commute) so it may or may not save you money over just paying per journey with the Oyster Card (which also provides a daily cap). I’d consider how many times per day you plan to use transit, which zones you’ll be traveling in, and approximate costs for each journey compared to a 7 day travel card and you can compare.

Marion Aquilina Post author

November 7, 2019 at 11:48 pm

Good Morning,

me and my husband are going to visit London between the 11th December to the 15th December 2019. I would like to ask you some questions please.

1) What is the capping of a regular oyster card for 1 day ( The capping is for each type of transport for example 1 day capping for buses, 1 day capping for the tube etc.) (Is there any capping for using the tube and buses during the same day? For example: you take the Piccadilly line Tube from Heathrow Airport to Central London and than during the rest of the day you use the buses)

2) If I buy a regular Oyster card from an underground machine and let say I will top up with 30 pounds (can i pay with a credit card?). If yes! then for example at the end of my holiday I have 15 pounds left on my regular oyster card, can I get the refund topped to my credit card using the underground machine or i have to go to a visitor customer service to get refund on my credit card?

Thanks and Regards

November 8, 2019 at 4:02 am

Hello Marion,

1.) For the daily caps on an Oyster Card, it depends on the zones you are traveling through. But it looks like the rate for unlimited travel with an Oyster card between Zones 1 and 3 is currently £8.20 per day. A daily cap is calculated over 24 hours for pay as you go journeys that start at 04:30 and end on 04:29 the next day. If you are traveling further on any of those days (for instance to Zone 5) then your cap would be higher for that day. All fares and caps are listed on the Tfl website.

2.) Yes, you can use a credit card to pay for the credit at a machine. If you need a refund from your Oyster cards, and it is less than £10 of credit on each card, you should be able to do it at any Oyster Card credit machine at an Underground station. If it is more than that, you will need to do it in person at a TFL Centre or by mail. I think the machines will dispense the refund credit in cash, but I imagine it is a check if by mail. I am not sure what the refund options are if you do it in person. See links above in the Refunds section of the article for more info from the Tfl website.

November 8, 2019 at 4:27 am

thanks very helpful

Anne Helmstadter Post author

October 24, 2019 at 2:59 pm

Hi! A lot has changed since I was last in London. Very helpful information here! I am travelling to London with my family (husband and 15 yr old and 17 yr old) in December. We fly into Heathrow and are staying in New Eltham for a week. What is the most efficient way to get there? It looks like it’s time consuming to go into Central London and switch trains. What do you recommend for the Oyster cards for the teens? Since I have a good 6 weeks before the travel dates is it worth it to apply for the youth photo Oyster cards for them? It looks like it might be a nuisance to go pick them up. We will be going into central London to sightsee every day and it looks like new Eltham is served by the Southeastern train line. Appreciate any advice you can offer! Thank you!

October 25, 2019 at 6:01 am

Yes, New Eltham is not super convenient for going back and forth to central London as it is about a 45 to 1 hour ride and most involve changes. Southeastern Railway is the main train line and yes most trips into central London are going to involve changes. Buses are also an option but again, it depends on where you are staying and where you are going, but most journeys would require changing buses and these journeys will often be slower than the train/Underground.

From Heathrow, the most convenient option is to probably take the Piccadilly Underground line to Charing Cross station to switch to the Southeastern rail line to reach the nearest station where you are staying (e.g., New Eltham station). But I’d always check TFL for any closed lines/stations while you are in London. You can use an Oyster Card for this journey.

For getting an Oyster photo card for the teens, I think yes, it depends on the cost savings and convenience. Since you are going to only be in London for 1 week and if they are not going to be convenient for you to pick up and starting using on arrival, it may be easier to just get them regular adult Oyster cards and these you can either be ordered in advance (and have delivered to your home before your trip) or purchased at the airport. If you are purchasing a London Pass , they can also be added to your London Pass order.

In terms of Oyster Card credit, you can always add more later, but I’d estimate £10 to £12 per day per person if you will be traveling between Zones 1 and Zones 4 (New Eltham) each day. The Oyster Card caps your daily spend each day and I think the current cap is £10.10 for usage from Zones 1 to 4 so you can travel as much as you want within those zones and it shouldn’t go over that price. It may be a bit more on days when you travel outside of those zones (e.g., airport).

For sightseeing, since you are in New Eltham, I’d recommend maximizing time on at least a couple of days with attractions that are easy to get to. A day in Greenwich is pretty convenient from New Eltham and there are several attractions and museums there and is an easy area to spend a day exploring. Other things that may be of interest are Eltham Palace and Chislehurst Caves. If you are planning on getting London Passes, most of these attractions are included I believe.

Dan Workman Post author

October 3, 2019 at 10:51 am

We’ll be visiting London for 4 days and then on to Copenhagen. Due to our early (6:30 AM) departure from Heathrow we believe it will be best to stay at one of the airport area hotels and travel daily into central London. This is based on our understanding that the Underground doesn’t start running on Sundays (departure day) until 6:00 AM. The London Pass is a definite purchase, however, I’ve read that Visitor Oyster Cards aren’t valid for the Heathrow Express. Is this correct? If so, what would be your recommendation for traveling daily from a Heathrow hotel in the morning to London attractions and then back to Heathrow each evening. Thank you for all the wonderful advice which we’ve already gleaned from your blog. We’ll be using our arrival day to take a leisurely sightseeing bus tour around the city, then tackling your three day plan. Really looking forward to our trip.

October 4, 2019 at 11:37 am

So glad that you will be using our 3 day London itinerary to help guide your trip to London.

The Oyster Card (Visitor or standard) is valid for payment on the Heathrow Express. You probably were reading outdated information elsewhere online as it has not always been possible to pay for the Heathrow Express train with the Oyster Card.

However, while you can use the Visitor Oyster Card to use the Heathrow express train, note that this service is much more expensive than taking the Underground, bus, or normal train into London. So be sure you have enough credit on your cards or consider an alternative method of transport if you are on a tighter budget.

I would personally not recommend staying near Heathrow to explore London for your first 3 days, I’d recommend choosing an area somewhat central to London to avoid traveling back and forth and wasted time. This will give you a much better experience in London. But since you have such an early flight, it would make sense to perhaps stay at a Heathrow Airport the night before you leave for Copenhagen. So if you have 4 nights in London, I’d recommend spending your first 3 nights in an area of central London and then your fourth and final night near Heathrow.

Claudia Post author

September 10, 2019 at 8:10 am

Hi, I have a couple of Visitor’s Oyster cards that I bought in 2012. Can I still use them? What about the difference in initial fees? Also, once there can I buy train tickets (to Harry Potter studios) in advance with the Oyster card? Thanks!

Jessica Post author

September 11, 2019 at 10:04 am

Yes, you should be able to use your old Oyster Cards if they are still in working order. If for any reason they are not working, you can probably exchange them at a tfl centre once in London.

You can check credit once in London and see what the balance is on your Oyster Card, and then add credit as needed at the machines.

You can travel with your Oyster Card to Watford Junction (you don’t buy train tickets with the Oyster Card, you just scan it as your ticket, you just need to have the right amount of ticket). From there you have to get a bus to reach Harry Potter Studios (cash only). You MUST have pre-purchased and reserved tickets for that day to board the bus or enter the Harry Potter Studios. They often sell out days in advance so I would book those now if you know what date you plan to visit.

For more help, see our guide to visiting the Harry Potter Studios for all you need to know to plan your visit.

Tinne Post author

August 19, 2019 at 1:22 pm

Hi, some valuable information on your website, thank you for that! I still have some specific questions. I was not aware that August 26th is a bank holiday in the UK. We arrive at that specific date with the Eurostar in St.Pancras with 5 people of which 1, age 15. We will be staying until August 30th. I forgot to order travelcards online, it is now too late for a mail delivery to Belgium, oops. Guess that means that I need to buy transportation cards in London. Will there be a ticket office open on bank holidays in St Pancras where we can buy Oyster cards or travel cards? I read that you can by Oyster cards on the Eurostar train, but some people say to not buy them there. Is it possible to help me out on what the best option will be to travel around London for 5 days in zone 1-3 (we stay near metrostationTurnpike Lane) and where to by cards at arrival in London? Thank you so much for your help!

August 19, 2019 at 4:36 pm

You should be able to purchase Oyster Cards once you arrive at the Kings Cross St Pancras Underground station. It is not far from where you will arrive from the EuroStar arrivals area.

There is usually a staffed ticket booth and machines where you can purchase an Oyster Card. But even if the ticket booths are closed, the machines should still work (even if it is a holiday). If you are not sure where to go, just ask a station staff member and they can point you in the right direction.

For 5 full days in London, I would suggest putting £35 or £40 onto each Oyster Cards and that will likely last you the full time. It just depends on how much you use it and what kinds of trips you take. Each person will need their own card. If the initial credit is not enough, you can use the machines in the Underground to add more credit as needed. Just keep track of your balance each day.

Mary Virginia Orna Post author

August 18, 2019 at 11:00 am

I would like to purchase a standard oyster card for use in zones 1 and 2 over a period of 11 days. I also need to travel from Heathrow to Greenwich on both the first and last day of my visit. Within the time period, I would also like to add a 7-day travel pass to the card. How would I go about doing all this in the most economic way? Thank you.

August 18, 2019 at 11:50 am

A lot of this will come down to how many journeys you take per day, as the Oyster card has built-in caps for daily journeys, and individual fares are also quite inexpensive.

For Zones 1-2 travel, the daily cap is £7 on Oyster. So you can travel as many times as you like in Zones 1 & 2, and the maximum you will pay is £7. A single fare is £2.90 (peak) and £2.40 (off peak). A 1-2 zone travelcard is £35.10.

If you travel off-peak only twice a day in Zones 1 and 2 for a week, the total cost would be £33.60, which is less than the travelcard.

So you definitely need to be sure you will be using the system more than twice a day on average for the duration of your travelcard.

If you do get a travelcard, as you are primarily travelling in Zones 1 and 2, you would only want a travel card that covers those two zones. Then, when you travel outside of your travelcard zone, or when the travelcard is expired, it will just use the PAYG credit on your Oyster card. If the travel card is active, the Oyster system will just deduct the difference. For example, if you had a 1-2 zone travelcard, and you travelled to Heathrow (zone 6), the travelcard would cover you for up to zone 2, and you would just pay from your Pay as you go balance for the journey from 3 – 6.

So if you decide to get a travelcard, you could just get it when you first buy the card, and it will then activate. It will work when you are within the right zones, and at other times you will just use your PAYG credit.

I wouldn’t worry too much about it though, at the end of the day you are probably only talking about a couple of pounds difference overall! They Oyster system is pretty clever with its built in capping, so you should never end up spending a great deal of money.

You can use the Oyster Card to pay for your transport fare to and from Heathrow Airport. We recommend using the Underground to get to the airport (rather than the much more expensive Heathrow Express option) as it will save you a lot of money.

Joan Post author

August 13, 2019 at 5:50 pm

Some valuable information here , answered a lot of my questions, but I do have a couple of questions. With a one day London travel pass can the Oyster card be used only that one day? We will be in London three days but have only the Sunday to sight see can we add to the Oyster card ?

August 14, 2019 at 4:13 am

Yes, if you buy a 1 day London Pass with the Oyster Card included (London Pass + Travel option), you can continue to use your Oyster Card for the rest of your trip.

As explained, the Oyster Card is a travel card and it works on credit. If you purchase it with the London Pass, it will come with a set amount of credit, but you can “top it up” and add credit to it if needed. It doesn’t expire. You can even use it again on a future trip to London.

Note that London Passes + Travel for children (age 5 to 15) do not include an Oyster Card, but a paper travel ticket. So if you are traveling with children age 15 or less, I would skip the travelcard included with their 1 day London Passes and just get them separate Oyster Cards since you will need them for 3 days.

August 16, 2019 at 2:13 pm

Thank you for getting back to me with your helpful answers to my questions. Your advice here gives some great help and a big time saver ,so glad I found you . Thank you Joan

August 12, 2019 at 1:55 pm

Thank you for all of the information! I just want to clarify and make sure my plan sounds right.

2 adults. We arrive Thursday morning (at Heathrow) and leave Sunday morning (St. Pancras; Eurostar to Paris). I will have time to get a visitor card, but I’m thinking I’ll just wait and get the regular one there.

I can buy the cards at Heathrow, and then use to take underground to our hotel (Piccadilly line, I think?). From there, we can use in London (not planning any trips outside that I’m aware of). Then on Sunday, I’m assuming I can use to go to St. Pancras and from there get a refund for the two cards? Would they be able to put the money back on my credit card versus cash? How much time should I add to get a refund at St. Pancras before needing to board the train? Will there be a person there, or can I use the machine for a regular oyster card?

Thank you for all your help!

August 13, 2019 at 4:10 am

Your plan to purchase and use the Oyster Card all sounds fine. Yes, you can either purchase a Visitor Card in advance and have it sent to your house or purchase one in London at Heathrow at the Tube station.

If you need a refund from your Oyster cards, and it is less than £10 of credit on each card, you should be able to do it at any Oyster Card credit machine at an Underground station. If it is more than that, you will need to do it in person at a TFL Centre or by mail. I think the machines will dispense the refund credit in cash, but I imagine it is a check if by mail. See links above in the Refunds section of the article for more info from the Tfl website.

Hope that helps and wishing you a great trip to London! Jessica

Bogdan Post author

July 7, 2019 at 9:10 pm

Hi, great info, thank you for your efforts. It seems London’s transportation system is more complex than its weather.. anyways, I’ve most probably missed some details, and I apologize if it’s going to be redundant, but I would appreciate your help with the following: 1. I am about 9 days for my trip to London, and if I buy now online an oyster card, it might not arrive in time – is there no way to pick up a previously paid visitor card from Heathrow? For a single card probably I wouldn’t mind, but I need 4, as this is a family trip. I do not want to pick it up together with some other pass from the location you mentioned, our time is limited to 3 (full) days. 2. When I checked some webpage on the best ways of travelling from Heathrow to Southwark, a taxi or uber trip is described as being ‘excruciatingly slow’ (?) – is this maybe referring to travelling at peak hours? Regardless the very early arrival inherent to the vast majority of transcontinental flights, I plan to leave the airport at 11am. Am I correct in assuming that ‘excruciatingly slow’ no longer applies for this time of the day?’ Any suggestion? Is the underground more convenient? Best, Bogdan

July 9, 2019 at 10:21 pm

Thanks very much, and we will certainly try to help. To answer your two questions:

1 – This is correct. There is no way to pick up a prepaid visitor card, but you can still buy an Oyster card in person at the airport (or any underground station). For the London Pass, if you choose to buy that, you can opt for the mobile version if you don’t want to pick it up.

2 – Traffic in London is bad most of the time, and especially so during the day. So even at 11am it is indeed likely to be very slow for parts of the journey. The underground will be faster as it does not have to contend with the traffic, so it is our recommended option if possible.

I hope this helps! Jessica

Allison Post author

July 6, 2019 at 9:32 pm

Hi, My mom and I will be traveling to London- do we each need to get an Oystercard? Or can we just get one card and double tap it each time we travel? Thank you for the information! -Allison

July 7, 2019 at 8:06 am

Hi Allison, If you are planning to travel using an Oyster Card in London, both you and your mom would need to use a separate card. You can’t use the same card for two people at the same time. Best, Jessica

Lori Post author

June 24, 2019 at 8:30 pm

Thank you for the great info on London transportation. I will be in London for 4 days with my family. If we buy the oyster card, should we even bother getting tickets for the hop on hop off bus? What would be the advantage of the hop on hop off bus?

June 25, 2019 at 6:44 am

Hi Lori, So the Oyster Card is obviously good for regular public transportation (Underground “Tube”, bus, trams, etc) and the HOHO buses are sightseeing buses that go past and stop near popular tourist attractions (e.g., Westminster Abbey, Tower of London, V&A Museum). They include either pre-recorded or live commentary (depending on the bus and company) you can listen to during the ride. So they would be used differently.

Public transit is often the fastest way to get from Point A to Point B but sightseeing buses are best for sightseeing and seeing highlights from a bus as they follow a tourist route. They also allow you to get on and off as much as you want within a specified time period.

So you definitely do not need to get tickets for the HOHO buses in London. If you have an Oyster Card you can get around easily and that would be the quickest and cheapest way to travel from place to place.

Note that if you get a recommended London Pass then it comes with both an Oyster Card and 1 day tickets for a hop on hop off bus.

Charles Post author

June 19, 2019 at 9:45 am

We will be arriving Friday night at Heathrow but will not have our 7-day London Passes/Oyster Cards until Saturday. We are a family of five; children are 18,11, 8. What is the best option to get from Heathrow to the Covent Garden area? Do we (the 2 parents) and the 18 year old each buy a 2-ride Oyster card (one for the return trip a week later) for the Underground? Thanks. Charles.

June 19, 2019 at 9:05 pm

Hi Charles,

You have a lot of options on how to get from Heathrow Airport into central London and you can see more about each of those here: https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/get-to-london-from-airport/#How-to-Get-from-Heathrow-Airport-to-London

You don’t want to get a Oyster Card since you will be picking up one on Saturday (you pay a fee to get an Oyster Card). I’d probably recommend taking the Underground (Tube) into London and just buying single tickets for that specific trip. Then the next day you can use start using your Oyster Cards for all your travels.

All children under age 11 can travel for free when accompanied by an adult with a valid ticket or pass.

Leanne Post author

June 11, 2019 at 2:01 pm

Hi Jessica, I have found your article brilliant in that I have come to a greater understanding of how to use oyster cards and the different options they provide. Your way of writing is so easy to understand! So, myself and my partner must travel to London next week and are only going to book things now… Ideally we would love to purchase the London Pass travel card but when it would be shipped to us, we would have already arrived in London. I understand that you can collect it at an address in London however I do not wish to do that as we are staying there for a short period of time and it is out of the way for us. My question is if I purchase the London Pass via online mobile phone and then bought an oyster card separately, how much would have been loaded onto the oyster card had I bought it in the London Pass deal do you know? I am trying to figure out how much to preload it with for travel around London city and also to include enough for return airport transfer.

Hoping you can help!

June 11, 2019 at 2:16 pm

Yes, you can definitely do that. You can get the London Pass mobile pass and download one to each of your smartphones. You will then need to present it at each attraction.

You can get the Oyster Card at the airport, most Underground stations, Tfl offices, etc.

For the London Passes, the Oyster Cards do come preloaded with a set amount of credit, but the amount is different for each pass and depends on the number of days (e.g., an Oyster Card with a 2 Day London Pass comes with a different amount than a 5 day London Pass). How many days are you planning to stay in London? I can check on the Oyster Card amount for you.

June 12, 2019 at 7:53 am

Hi Jessica, Thanks for getting back so quickly! We are staying for three days and flying to Stansted.

June 12, 2019 at 8:36 am

The 3 Day London Pass comes with an Oyster Card preloaded with £25 per adult card. You can always add credit if you need more, but that might give you a good idea of how much to add when you get your card.

Note that the Oyster Card cannot currently be used for travel to and from Stansted Airport. You can see details about how to get to and from each London airport in our London airport travel guide .

Chris Hartman Post author

May 5, 2019 at 5:22 am

I have found your blog so helpful in preparing for our upcoming trip to London. You write so clearly and with great detail. Thank you! My question has to do with timing between arriving at Heathrow and being able to check into our rental flat. We arrive at 6 am but we cannot check in until 2 pm. We are able to drop our luggage off at 10:30 for a fee. But even so, after getting through customs and retrieving our bags, we should still have a few hours time. I plan on purchasing Oyster Cards at Heathrow and we plan to use the tube as transportation to the flat. Besides getting something to eat at the airport and hanging around until 10am, do you have any other suggestions?

May 5, 2019 at 5:58 am

So glad you are finding our London articles helpful in planning your upcoming trip to London.

Ah, yes, the issue with arriving on early flights/trains can be what to do with one’s luggage. One suggestion might be to leave your luggage somewhere else once you arrive into London that is either near your rental flat or in a convenient transport hub in central London. For example you can store luggage at most of London’s main train stations (e.g., Euston, Victoria) as well as in some stores and coach stations for a few pounds a bag, and these often are open beginning at 7am or 8am. Check out this article for info about left luggage locations around London.

If you are able to leave your luggage earlier, say by 8am, then you can head out for a nice breakfast or start sightseeing right away. Of course, many London attractions don’t open until 9am or 10am, but not having your luggage will free you to head off to whatever part of London you want to visit that day. Since you know you will be up and about early, it might be a good day to visit a busy attraction that you want to arrive a little before it opens to be in line to avoid later crowds/lines (e.g., Windsor, Kensington Place, Tower of London). Or it might be a nice day to do a day tour that has you heading out of town and leaves the city early.

It can also be a nice time to stroll through some of the city’s pretty gardens or parks, or get uncrowded views of places from the outside like Buckingham Palace and the Houses of Parliament. I’d just be sure to check the forecast and have whatever you need for the day (e.g., rainjacket or umbrella) with you so you can enjoy the day.

Tracy Post author

April 29, 2019 at 10:50 am

Oh my goodness! Your website is the best! Thank you for all this detailed info. I searched through many of the questions and your responses trying to find and answer so you wouldn’t have to repeat yourself, but didn’t find it. Sorry if it is there and I missed it. I am going to buy the visitor Oyster card in advance if I can get it in time. If not, I will buy at the airport. My plans will include a day trip to Windsor (I know it won’t work) and a day trip to WB studios (where it will work). My question is it seems like I should be buying all my tickets, including the Heathrow Express (where it will work) in advance because it’s cheaper, but then the Oyster card doesn’t work – correct? I’ve already paid. Do I need to book tickets for Windsor and WB in advance? I don’t know what my return times will be. Should I pay extra for the anytime tickets? If so, then for WB, I’m not using my oyster. Will tickets be sold out. SO CONFUSED! So very grateful for your assistance and will definitely link through you to make purchases for anything I am going to. WITH TREMENDOUS GRATITUDE! Tracy

April 30, 2019 at 1:35 am

The Oyster Card will work now on the Heathrow Express so you can use it there, just note that will be more expensive than taking the Underground (also covered by Oyster Card). If you want to take the Heathrow Express, it may make sense to buy less expensive advance tickets if you can get them to save money, but otherwise you can use your Oyster Card to pay on arrival.

You can use your Oyster Card to travel via National Rail train to the Watford Junction station and then you can take the studio tour shuttle (small fee) to the film studios in Leavesden (must have a studio ticket purchased in advance). Or you can just book a tour that includes your ticket and direct transfers from London. You don’t need to book that far in advance for the train ticket and you can’t pre-book the shuttle, but you MUST have the Harry Potter Studio Tour tickets booked in advance or you won’t be allowed on the shuttle or in the studio. It books out in advance. You can see our guide to the studio here .

May 2, 2019 at 6:36 am

Thanks, Jessica!

Katja Post author

April 15, 2019 at 4:36 am

Hello! Great blog, love all the info you provide. I have a questions for you concerning the contactless card and travellling with a 10 y.o. Can he still travel for free, even though me and hubby will both be using the contactless bank card instead of an Oyster card?

April 15, 2019 at 7:58 am

Hi Katja, A 10-year-old can currently travel for free on buses and trams only w/o a card, but is eligible for child rate tickets on just about every other form of transport without any sort of card. But if you want him to be able to get free travel on Tube, DLR, London Overground, TfL Rail, and most National Rail services, you need to apply for the Oyster Zip Card . Hope that helps. Best, Jessica

April 15, 2019 at 9:23 am

Thank you very much, Jessica! Yes, that helps a lot!!!!

Wishing you a great week! Greetings from Slovenia!

April 15, 2019 at 9:30 am

Hm, well, we do have a problem… we are going to London in two weeks time, and it says on the website that you have to order the card 4 weeks in advance. So, I guess we’ll just have to buy a standard Oyster card for him :/

April 15, 2019 at 9:43 am

Hi Katja, A good option might be for you and your husband (or one of you) to use Visitor Oyster Cards instead of using your credit cards, and then he would get free travel without needing to buy a card.

Or you can purchase him a Visitor Oyster Card in advance and then you can have the Young Visitor discount applied to the card once you arrive. The discount can be applied by tfL staff in person at most Tube stations, the 8 Visitor Centres, Victoria National, and Rail station ticket office. But the Visitor Card has to be purchased before you arrive in London to get this discount. But you would probably save more money just having him travel for free with an Oyster Card you are using.

Angie Post author

April 1, 2019 at 9:50 am

Thank you for your helpful article. I would like some clarification and help for our upcoming trip needs. We arrive next week to London and have 3 children: 12, 14, 16. We do not have time to apply for the young oyster photo card and so would like to purchase the young visitor discount oyster card (which lasts 14 days) when we arrive. What I do not understand is whether we need to bring photos of our children to get these cards. What are the requirements to purchase the young visitor discount oyster cards? thank you

April 1, 2019 at 11:20 am

There is no specific Young Visitor Discount Oyster Card, you will need to purchase a Visitor Oyster Card before your trip to London and then have the discount applied once you arrive.

The discount is available for children age 11 to 15, so it will work for your 12 and 14 year old. The Young Visitor discount gives your child half adult rate pay as you go discount for up to 14 days.

From the tFL website: “If you’re travelling with children aged 11-15, buy a Visitor Oyster card before you leave home and, when you arrive in London, you can ask a member of our staff to add a Young Visitor discount to a Visitor Oyster card at: most Tube stations, our 8 Visitor Centres, Victoria National, and Rail station ticket office.”

You don’t need to bring photos, but you may be asked for an ID to prove the child’s age, particularly if they look older. So I’d just have their passports on hand when you have the discounts applied to their cards.

Teresa Post author

March 17, 2019 at 6:12 pm

Great article! A couple of questions: Does the Zip Oyster Photo Card cover travel on the Tube or only buses and trams? Can London travel cards be added to Zip Oyster Photo Csrds? And we are able to order those all before our trip?

March 18, 2019 at 6:30 am

Hi Teresa, It depends a lot on the age of the child as they are more important for older children in terms of benefits than younger children. So children under age 11 get free travel on London buses and trams already without a card (and on the Tube when accompanied by a paying adult), so the Zip Oyster photocards are primarily for additional discounts and when a child under age 11 may need to travel on their own. But for those age 11 to 15 they allow for free travel on buses and trams plus child rate fares on Tube, DLR, London Overground, TfL Rail and Emirates Air Line. There is also a 16+ one that provides discounts. So I would be sure to read the Tfl guidelines carefully for whichever of the cards you are interested in applying for.

Yes, you do need to apply for them in advance. If you live outside the UK, you’ll want to apply at least 4 weeks in advance of your trip as the cards take awhile to process.

March 18, 2019 at 8:24 am

Thank you! My daughters are 14 and 16, so they would qualify. I went to read the guidelines, and it states that they travel at half fare on the tube. It looks as though it’s not preloaded on zip cards, and is something we need to do once we arrive in London. Am I reading this correctly? My main goal is to have as much done in advance to maximize our vacation time. Can the travel card for attractions be added? I appreciate your help!

March 18, 2019 at 8:57 am

So yes, for your 14 year old daughter, the Zip Cards would give her free travel on buses and trams, child rate fares on Tube, DLR, London Overground, and on TfL Rail and Emirates Air Line, and 50% off most fares on National Rail services. There are fewer benefits with the 16+ card.

The Zip cards do need to be applied for in advance, it is easy to do in advance but you need to have their information and photos ready. Note that there is currently a £15 administration fee to apply for a card. So I would weigh the cost benefits for these. If you are going to be in London for a month these will likely save you money but unlikely to save you much if only going to London for a few days.

The photocards do not include credit when you purchase them (at least not to my knowledge) but you can add travel credit to them and certain travelcards once you have them online or in person once in London. The card does not need credit for free travel (e.g., bus and tram travel for a 14 year old with card), you just need to tap in and out with them. I believe you can add travel credit to the cards via your online account you create to get the photocard.

These photocards only are for Tfl travel and are not relevant for attraction entry. For attraction passes, you will want to get something like the London Pass . You can purchase that with Travel for children but it does not come with the Zip photocard option.

Carl Cruz Post author

January 7, 2019 at 2:18 am

Definitely needed this information now. Thank you for posting all this detailed info for my vacation to London!

January 7, 2019 at 9:36 am

Hi Carl, Happy to hear that and wishing you a great vacation in London! Best, Jessica

ALEXANDRA PAPADIMITRIOU Post author

December 19, 2018 at 4:17 pm

Thank you for the wonderful article. I’ve been to London twice. Both times I’d bought a london pass and travelcard before arriving. I wanted to ask if the oyster card that I got with the London Pass expires.

December 20, 2018 at 3:46 am

Hi Alexandra, No, if you keep the Oyster Card, you can still use any remaining credit on the card when you return to London. Or you can reuse the card by refilling it with credits if there are no credits remaining. So I would hold on to them so you don’t have to get a new one if you plan to return to London. Best, Jessica

Alexandra Papadimitriou Post author

December 20, 2018 at 1:05 pm

Thank you so much for the useful information ????

German from Argentina Post author

November 1, 2018 at 4:24 pm

Excelent article! However, I still have a few doubts. Suppose I arrive at Heathrow and depart from Gatwick 9 hours later on the same day. So, I buy a standard Oyster at Heathrow, take the tube to downtown, see London’s main attractions and head to Victoria Station. Once there, I touch the yellow circle at the gate in order to access the train leaving for Gatwick. Once I am on the other side of the gate, will I be able to access the “TfL Visitor Centre” ? Or is it on the other side of the gate? In other words, how do people ask for a refund if they need their cards to pay for the last ticket? I know that it will have been 9 hours from my first usage, but does the 48 hour limitation apply to ticket machines only, or will I still be able to ask for a refund in person?

November 2, 2018 at 8:30 am

You can actually get a refund for the Oyster Card at Gatwick Airport, so once you are already at the airport.

Here is the current info from the Tfl website:

“At Gatwick Airport you can only get a refund for any unused pay as you go credit and the Oyster card deposit up to a combined value of £15. To do this, go to the rail ticket desk in the Onward Travel area in the South Terminal. This is the only place at Gatwick Airport where you can get a refund if you return your Oyster card.” I am not sure of the hours of this desk so you may want to call and check if you are planning to visit late in the evening or early in the morning.

Yes, I believe that the 48 hours limit only applies to the machines, so I don’t think the machines will be able to refund you. I believe the Visitor Centres can refund at any time and will return the balance to your debit card or pay in cash. There is also the option to mail by post your card with its remaining balance to Tfl from outside London and they will refund you by a mailed cheque in GBP (probably not a good option for you!).

November 2, 2018 at 1:24 pm

Thank you Jessica! It’s good to know that there’s a ticket desk at Gatwick where I can ask for a refund, and also that they can return the balance to my credit card, where it will be automatically converted to pesos or dollars (because I won’t be able to use pounds in Italy, where I’ll be heading next). Thanks a lot!

Fandy Alina Post author

October 29, 2018 at 4:34 am

Unbelievable Information on the Oyster Card in London. Thank you for this excellent guide!

October 29, 2018 at 7:56 am

Hi Fandy, Thanks so much for taking the time to comment, and so happy to hear your found our Oyster Card tips helpful. Do let us know if you have any questions about your upcoming trip to London. Best, Jessica

Julie Post author

October 20, 2018 at 1:37 am

Hi there, you mentioned that “They are also available onboard Eurostar trains traveling to London and at Gatwick & Stansted airport.” Where can I confirm on this? I am travelling to Paris from London (2-ways) on Eurostar and would like to buy a Visitor Oyster Card on the train. That would be the most convenient and cost efficient for me. Thanks!

October 20, 2018 at 9:27 am

Hi Julie, As far as I know you can still purchase a Visitor Oyster Card on Eurostar trains traveling to London. However, things do change from time to time, and it is a good idea to confirm if you want to buy them aboard the train. To confirm, I’d contact EuroStar by phone or email with this question (can see their contact details here ) or send them a message via their social media pages to be sure they will be available aboard your particular route. If you find out they are not, please do let us know and we will edit our information for future readers.

If for any reason they are not, we’d recommend purchasing the Visitor Oyster Card online before your trip.

October 28, 2018 at 3:34 am

Hi Jessica, I called Eurostar and the agent initially said the Oyster Card is not available on their trains. After I told him that this information is published online, he double checked and said it is sold. He said it is a Visitor Oyster Card for 5 pounds with no credits though? Like what you wrote, I thought Visitor Oyster Card can only be bought outside of London OR together with London Pass only.

Another thing I read online was if you want the free transport to/from WIndsor Castle, you need to purchase the London Pass TOGETHER with the oyster card (not London Pass alone), not sure how true this is? Have you any idea on this?

I also called Gatwick Airport Concierge Counter (South Terminal) and a lady said they are only opened at 9am; hence we will not be in time to get an Oyster Card. Again she advised that it is Visitor Oyster Card?? With loaded credits though. She advised that if not we can get single tickets at Gatwick train station. As we will reach 5am in the morning, do you know if the staffed counter will be opened then? If yes, can we get a standard Oyster Card from the counter? If not, is it possible to get a standard Oyster Card from the automated machine at the train station? We are not in time to buy one online and have it post to us. 🙁

Thanks in advance!

October 28, 2018 at 7:19 am

1. Yes, as we note, it would be the Visitor Oyster Card that is sold aboard the EuroStar as you will be outside of London, which is why they can sell it. You won’t be able to purchase it after you arrive in London (except for as part of the London Pass + Travel package in person). If you purchase the Visitor Oyster Card aboard the EuroStar, you will have to then add whatever credit you want to it to use it.

2. No, that information is incorrect about Windsor. You just need a valid London Pass and to follow the instructions as outlined in the London Pass guidebook and website to use the FREE transport to Windsor Castle. You can use an Oyster Card, but it will charge you.

3. Yes, Gatwick is located outside of London and sells the Visitor Oyster Card as noted in our article. Or you can purchase a single train ticket or the standard Oyster Card from an automated machine at the transport station there. Sounds like the concierge hours are different than those listed online, so getting a card there may not be an option given your travel times.

Given your situation, I would have recommended purchasing the London Pass + Travel before your trip and having it delivered to your home before you trip. But since you didn’t do that, I would recommend purchasing the London Pass online (to save money) and picking it up for free once you get to central London. For the Oyster Card, you can get the Oyster Card with the London Pass + Travel option or pick up an Oyster Card while you are at Gatwick. There are few differences between the two cards, unless you want to use the discounts that come with the Visitor Oyster Card.

Enjoy your time in London and Paris!

Michael Post author

October 16, 2018 at 9:26 am

hi Jessica, just read your article, but I’m still not sure how to do best. this sunday I’m heading from heathrow to wembley stadium and afterwards from wembley stadium to gatwick. just these two rides. is there a better/easier solution than arrange and using oyster card for this purpose? kind regards, michael

October 17, 2018 at 1:27 pm

Hi Michael,

An Oyster Card or contactless card is probably the best option as they will save you a small amount on the ticket prices (although it depends on the time of travel), but you can also just buy individual tickets.

So you have three main options for public transit. 1) Oyster Card (Visitor cards must be purchased in advance, regular ones can be purchased on arrival); 2) If you have a contactless credit card or debit card you should be able to use it to pay for your travel. Many cards issued from the UK and Western Europe work, some other international cards work as well. They work similar to an Oyster Card, and you can find out more here ; or 3) You can purchase 2 individual tickets to each destination. You can purchase tickets directly from machines at the station and many of the larger stations also have staffed desks where you can purchase them from an agent.

If you decide to purchase an Oyster Card, you can get a refund for any extra money at Gatwick Airport before you leave if you wish, or save it for your next visit to London.

Hope that helps and enjoy your time at Wembley! Jessica

Cosmin Post author

September 18, 2018 at 4:47 am

Hey Jessica,

We’re planing a trip to London in November (2 adults) . It should be around 2-3 days for London sightseeing. I’ve read your recommendations on the 3-day London sightseeing as well as the London Pass explanation article. Beautifully written!

I do have a couple questions, regarding the Oyster Card :

1. Can you please (re)explain the capping logic? After 6.80 pounds transactions I can still move around for free?

2. Is the same applicable for other zones, likes Zone 6? 3. How much money would I need on an Oyster card for a 2-3 day London trips considering this 6.80 cap?

Thanks in advance and keep up the good work, Cosmin

September 19, 2018 at 6:00 am

So happy you found this helpful!

1. So basically if you are using an Oyster Card (or contactless card) the card will stop charging you for traveling within Zones 1 and 2, which at the moment is £6.80. Now, if you are also traveling within other zones, then the point in which it will cap is higher. You can learn more about capping here . 2. There is capping for all zones, but it is a higher rate as you include more zones. Most of London’s most popular attractions are within Zones 1 & 2. See link above for the capping rate details for the different zones. 3. £20 person should be fine if you are staying in Zones 1 & 2 for 3 days. If you are using it to get to and from an airport, you should check that fare on the Tfl website and add it as well. But you can always add money, and most Underground stations have machines where you can do this.

Just a reminder that if you are visiting Windsor Castle and have a London Pass, you can get free travel there and back to central London without using you Oyster Card. You just have to follow the rules outlined in the guidebook and website.

Wishing you a wonderful upcoming trip to London!

cosmin Post author

September 19, 2018 at 6:47 am

Thanks for the reply and taking the time to answer all questions very thoroughly. I’ve got a better picture of the whole transport logic based on your article and your comments. Wishing you all the best and a big HI from Romania.

Keep up the good work, Cosmin

Carlos Post author

September 8, 2018 at 6:52 pm

Hello and thank you in advance. I am planning to visit London from October 4 to 7. I will be staying in zone 1 and will visit only areas in zone 1 and 2 but need to go back to Heathrow airport. Which is the best card to buy and how much does it cost? I would appreciate your assistance Best Wishes Carlos

September 9, 2018 at 3:40 am

Either the regular Oyster Card or Visitor Oyster Card would work for your trip. You can purchase the standard Oyster Card at the airport, or you can purchase the Visitor Oyster Card in advance (or as part of the London Pass ).

The cost will depend on how many trips you take and the time of day. But it will be a maximum of £6.80 a day on your Oyster Card (but it depends how much you travel within the Zones each day) and it will be between £3-£5 per trip to the airport if you use the Underground (the cost depends on the time of day).

So you might start with an Oyster Card with a credit of £25 or £30 and then add any additional credit if needed later on your trip.

Shahmeran Post author

August 15, 2018 at 5:37 pm

Last time I was in London, most of the tube stations were not equipped to top off Oyster cards with cash. I want to use cash, as my US bank will charge me foreign transactions fees (a fixed fee + a percentage of the total) if I use my credit or debit card.

I have been trying to locate a map/directory of Oyster ticket stops where I can use cash and an actual human to top off my card. TfL claims to have such a map, but I can’t get it to work. I’ve tried using various London addresses, yet no ticket stops are identified on the map. I can’t use their geolocation feature, as I’m not currently in London. I just want to enter a London address and find the nearest ticket stops. The process shouldn’t be this frustrating and difficult.

August 16, 2018 at 2:14 am

Hi Shahmeran, Sorry you are having such a difficult time finding this information. I don’t know of a map that states which stations allow you to pay/top up by cash but most of the largest stations will have machines that accept cash. Also most of the larger station have manned ticket counters.

If you want a guarantee of a person, you can plan to stop at one of the stations with a tfl Visitor Centre, you can find a list and hours here: https://tfl.gov.uk/travel-information/visiting-london/getting-around-london/visitor-centres

If you need more specific information, I’d contact tfl , you can call them or send them a message via Twitter or Facebook.

Hope that helps and wishing you a great journey to London! Jessica

Dawn Pearson Post author

August 14, 2018 at 5:03 am

HI Jessica Fab article, thank you.

I just have one question I am not sure about. I’m arranging to buy a London Pass and Visitor Oyster card for my friends to collect from my home. They will first go to Hampton Court Palace (from Waterloo), and return to Waterloo after visiting HCP. Then they’ll do tours of London. Will they have to top up the Oyster card for the return leg from Waterloo to HCP?

many thanks Dawn

August 15, 2018 at 12:38 pm

If they are purchasing the London Pass + Travel together, then the Visitor Oyster Card will come with some preloaded credit. The amount depends on how many days the pass is valid, and you can check that amount here .

So for their trip to Hampton Court Palace, that will use a certain amount of credit (currently either £5.50 off-peak or £8.00 peak times) from their Oyster Card. But they should still have credit to keep using it to explore more of London after returning to Waterloo.

But if they run out during their trip, they will need to top if off and can add credit at any time.

If you are worried about your friends not knowing how to do it, I would just tell (or show) them how to check the balance of their cards and top it off if needed at a station so they know how to do it. It works the same as any other Oyster Card.

Neha vora Post author

July 25, 2018 at 5:46 am

Hello, We are visiting London in August and will be in London for 3 days before proceeding to Edinburgh, I have already been to London many years back, wherin i have seen the major attractions, but want to see the SHARD and just roam around

DO i buy a one day london pass along wiht oyster card, and on other days just top up my Oyster card, since i will be able to do hopin hop off and the cruise in one day , and other days roam at my own leisure

also suggest , whether we should opt for tube travel or shuttle service from Airport to Earls court ( where our Hotel is ) and whether online purchase of oyster card will be valid for travel from Heathrow to Earls Court

July 25, 2018 at 6:26 am

Yes, I would recommend the 1 day London Pass if you are planning to visit The Shard, do the HOHO bus, and Thames river cruise all on the same day. It will also give you the opportunity to visit or revisit a lot of the other attractions in the area if you wish. The London Pass covers over 60 attractions so it is likely there are many you have not visited yet or may want to see again.

Yes you can use the Oyster Card to travel from Heathrow to Earls Court (or anywhere else within London) via the Underground (“the Tube”).

You can purchase the London Pass + Travel option that will include both the London Pass plus the Visitor Oyster Card. Your other option is to purchase just the London Pass and purchase the Oyster Card at the airpot or once in London. In your case if you want to use your Oyster Card from the airport, I would recommend ordering the London Pass + Travel online and having it delivered to your home before your trip so you can start using it as soon as you arrive at the airport.

You can top up any Oyster Card as you travel around. You can top up a card at most Underground and Overground machines or if you need help, you can ask an attendant.

If you are traveling to Edinburgh, you might want to check out our London to Edinburgh travel guide .

Victor Chan Post author

July 20, 2018 at 12:30 am

HI Jessica, We have 24 hours in London ( stopover ) and we plan to visit London city.

We have few questions:- 1) Can we get the refund of deposit and balance if we purchase the normal London Oyster card for less than 24 hours.? 2) As you mentioned that the daily cap is GBP 6.60 ( Zone 1 – 2 ) How much will be the daily CAP if we first travel from Heathrow airport to the city and then later move around London zone 1 & 2? What will be the total charges? How much amount do you suggest to top up in the Oyster card?

July 22, 2018 at 1:06 pm

1.) Yes, you should be able to apply to get a refund on the deposit and any remaining balance on your Oyster Card. 2.) The fare would be £3.10 per person from Heathrow (outside of 6am to 9am where you pay £5.10 since it is peak travel time in London) and then it will be capped for all the Zone 1 & 2 journeys and the cap is currently at £6.80. You’ll need to also pay the same fare (£3.10 or £5.10) to return to the airport. So you should be OK with putting £15 on your card (or £4 more if you are traveling at peak times to or from airport). But you may want to put a pound or two extra just to be sure. 3.) Note that the fares are capped within a midnight to midnight GMT period so the above assumes you are traveling all within 1 calendar day. If you are traveling on 2 separate days (e.g., spending the night in London and then returning to the airport the next day), you’ll need to calculate for each day.

Victor Post author

July 22, 2018 at 6:28 pm

HI Jessica, Thank you for your prompt reply. You have provided us a very useful and details information about the Oyster card. It will help us a lot during our visit to London in October. Thank you very much.

Leslie Hegwood Post author

July 9, 2018 at 4:52 pm

Hello! This is such an amazing article! We are planning our very first trip to Europe and I have another question for you. We will be landing at Heathrow then headed directly to Kings Cross for a train to Edinburgh for a couple of days. We will then head back to London where we will spend about 6 days with one day headed to Portsmouth. We are thinking of getting the London Pass for our time in London but do you have any advice on how to arrange transportation to Portsmouth? We’d like to see the war ships and stone henge. I appreciate any help you can give us.

July 10, 2018 at 5:01 am

1. If you are looking for any tips for what to do in Edinburgh we live nearby and have a ton of content such as this top Edinburgh attractions post and this post about lesser known attractions in Edinburgh .

2. The London Pass is great for saving on sightseeing, and you can see our London Pass review here. If you enjoy warships, be sure to check out HMS Belfast (free with London Pass) and you might enjoy this list of military related sites in London .

3. To Portsmouth, you have a few options (train, bus, rental car, join a guided tour), but I would probably recommend taking a morning train from London. It is about a 2 hour train and the nearest train station to the historic dockyard is Portsmouth Harbour. If you are interested in visiting a lot of the attractions at the harbor, you might want to check out this discount pass that includes entry into 11 different sites at the dockyard.

4. Now, you might want to see if you think you have enough time to do both Portsmouth and Stonehenge in one day or if you’d rather do them on separate trips. It will depend on how long you want to explore Portsmouth. You can squeeze them both into one day but it will be a busy day. So you could leave Portsmouth in the afternoon by train and head to Salisbury (closest train station) and then take the Stonehenge Tour bus which stops at the train station (as well as in Salisbury, Old Sarum & Stonehenge). Then in the evening could take a train back from Salisbury to London. Note that Stonehenge has recently implemented a timed entry system so it is recommended that you book your tickets in advance.

5. If you decide to do Stonehenge on a separate day from Portsmouth, you have a few options, you could take the train from London to Salisbury and get the shuttle as noted above, take the Stonehenge Express bus from London , or you could join a guided bus tour. There are a lot of tours from London to Stonehenge and most also makes stops in other places like Salisbury Cathedral, Bath, Windsor, and/or Oxford. You can see some examples of these tours here and here .

6. I would recommend purchasing any train tickets in the UK in advance as advance prices are almost always less expensive (often 40% to 60%) and if it is a train that allows seat reservations, you can have a guaranteed seat. We often use: https://www.lner.co.uk/

Hope this helps and please let me know if you have further questions as you plan your trip to the UK! Jessica

Sarah Post author

April 29, 2018 at 2:09 am

Great informative article, thank you!! Hubby and I will be travelling to London for the first time later this year aa part of our uk trip and plan to purchase the oyster card when we arrive at heathrow airport. As you have suggested I will register the cards using my relatives uk address. I have a few questions please. We will be arriving at heathrow airport around 6am. Will there be an oyster card cashier open at that time of the morning? If not how do we purchase one at heathrow airport, register and top up? We will be landing in terminal 2 as far as i know. Do you know if there is an oyster cashier or ability to purchase at this terminal. We will most likely be very sleep deprived from travelling from australia so as much info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your help.

April 29, 2018 at 6:26 am

Hi Sarah, Glad you have found our Oyster Card tips helpful for your trip! The Heathrow Visitor Centers and manned ticket windows at the Heathrow Underground stations may not be open that early, but you can purchase the Oyster Cards (standard ones) at most Underground ticket machines. Heathrow currently has three London Underground stations – one for Terminals 2 and 3 and one each at both Terminal 4 and Terminal 5. To register a card, you need to set up an online account and then register the specific cards online. You’ll buy the card with some credit so you don’t need to top up right away. You can top up as needed via ticket machines, manned Underground windows, or online (if you are able to register the cards).

If you want to have a Oyster Card in hand when you arrive, you might want to consider a Visitor Oyster Card instead as those can be mailed to you in Australia before your trip. However, these cannot be registered if that is important to you.

Hope this helps, and wishing you a great visit to London! Jessica

Cordelia Post author

March 16, 2018 at 2:41 am

I really appreciate this guide to Oyster Cards, the most comprehensive one around! Comes in really handy for my upcoming trip to London this April!

It would be real helpful if someone could help clarify: Visitor OysterCard vs Regular OysterCard. 1)Other than the non-refundable fee $5(Visitor OysterCard) and refundable fee $5(Regular OysterCard), is there any difference in the fare charges when using Visitor or Regular OysterCard? For instance, as stated in the write-up, traveling from Zone 1 to Zone 2 on the tube will cost £2.40 off-peak using a Visitor Oyster card. For the Regular OysterCard, will it cost the same (£2.40) or will it be charged as single ticket rate (£4.90)?

2)I understand that the Visitor OysterCard comes with a daily cap eg. $6.60. Does the same daily cap apply to Regular OysterCard? Or there is no cap for it?

Looking forward to hearing from the Experts!

Regards, Cordelia

March 16, 2018 at 10:28 am

Hi Cordelia,

So glad your found our articles about the Oyster Card and London travel helpful!

1. ) No the fare charges are the same for them both. Basically the usage for both is the same across the two Oyster Cards. 2.) The daily caps are the same for both the regular and the Visitor Oyster Card.

The big differences other than the refund-ability of the fees is that the Visitor Oyster Card (but not the regular card) can be pre-ordered and delivered worldwide before your trip and the Visitor Oyster Card has extra discounts on attractions/food/shops. Whereas the Regular Oyster Card (but not the Visitor Card) can be registered online if you live in the UK and you can add Travelcards to it (although you wouldn’t likely do this unless you are staying in London for 7+ days).

Hope this helps, and just let us know if you have further questions! Jessica

March 16, 2018 at 1:02 pm

Thank you Jessica for the prompt response. It has been a great help to the planning of my trip to London!

Keep up the great work!

February 27, 2018 at 3:27 pm

Wonderful information! But still a little confused..lol..We are visiting London in May for 7 nights and arriving at Heathrow and staying near Earl’s Court. I understand I can buy an Oyster card at Heathrow and use it on the Tube to our accommodations near Earl’s Court. I just am not sure which to buy..as the Zone thing still has me a little confused.If we purchase an Oyster card (at the airport) and add the 7 day Travel Card to it,I understand that only covers Zone 1 & 2. And the airport is in Zone 6. Would we have to purchase something additional that covers Zone 6?. I am quite positive we will just have the 2 trips in this zone.I hope this inquiry makes sense..:)..Thanks in advance for any advice!

February 27, 2018 at 3:54 pm

Hi Lisa, Yes, so what you said does make sense. And you can indeed buy an Oyster Card (the standard one, not the Visitor one) at Heathrow airport and can also add on a 7-day Travel Card for Zones 1 & 2 at a ticket machine. But you can still use the Oyster Card anywhere it is valid as long as you have additional credit on it, but the Travelcard portion is only applicable to travel within Zones 1 & 2 as it provides unlimited travel in those zones. I would not buy a Travelcard that covers additional zones if you are only planning to visit them once or twice as the price jump is pretty significant and almost all the main tourist attractions in London are in Zones 1 & 2. If you are traveling outside of Zones 1 or 2, you’ll need to have additional credit on the Oyster Card to cover that travel or you can of course just buy a ticket separately..

Note that the above only applies to the standard Oyster Card, not the Visitor Oyster Card which comes with pre-loaded credit and does not allow you to add Travelcards. Both cards work in all zones throughout London.

To determine if the Travelcard is a good deal, I would estimate how often you plan to travel to see if it makes sense to get the Travel Card or not. It really depends on how many journeys you plan to make each day using public transit. If you plan to use it multiple times a day, then the Travel Card makes sense, if only a couple times a day you are probably better off without the Travelcard on the Oyster Card.

Hope that helps! Wishing you a great trip to London, and if you are looking for sightseeing ideas, you might find our 6 day London itinerary helpful.

February 27, 2018 at 4:09 pm

Thanks so much,Jessica!..It makes sense now..the Oyster has coverage for zone 6 as long as I have enough credit.As for the Travel Card I think we will be using public transit alot..even if it is just for going for a ride to see different parts of the city thru a window.We are also planning a 3 day London Pass for some of the attractions re:Tower,Thames cruise etc…but we are really still in the planning stage :)..Again,thankyou for such a quick reply and also for the itinerary! Every bit helps! 🙂

February 27, 2018 at 4:15 pm

Hi Lisa, You’re very welcome and glad to help! Yes, the London Pass is great if you are planning to visit a lot of attractions and one of our favorite city discount passes. If you are ordering the London Passes online, I find the accompanying guidebook really helpful for planning out time with the Pass. Feel free to reach out if you have further questions as you continue to plan your vacation! Best, Jessica

Florina Saladin Post author

February 4, 2018 at 10:35 pm

Hi there Thank you so much for taking your time to give these precious, detailed informations. The Oyster websites and all other websites should learn from you (; All my questions were answered and now, unfortunately being too late to get a visitor oyster online, the only issue left is if I can buy two “normal oysters” plus a “kid 15 years old oyster” as well somewhere at Kensington station around 6 pm on a Monday… or if we should try to take care of that at Luton airport right after arrival around 11 am next Monday. What do you suggest? All the best, Florina

February 5, 2018 at 8:13 am

Hi Florina,

Thanks so much for your kind words and I am glad you found our information on Oyster Cards helpful and useful!

I think either should be fine as the travel centre will be open at Luton and if that is convenient for you, it can be an easy place to purchase the Oyster Cards. You can’t use the Oyster Card though until you reach London as Luton is a little outside the travel area, but you can start using them once you arrive in London.

But you can also get them at Kensington train station and you can purchase them from a machine or from an attendant if you need any help. I think there is a ticket window at the station that is staffed until around 8pm on weekdays. But if not, there will be staff in the station to help with any info until very late if you have any issues with the machines.

BTW, You can still get a Visitor Oyster Card if you are also planning to buy a London Pass , if you order the London Pass + Transport option. For adults, the London Pass comes with a pre-loaded Visitor Oyster Card (children’s passes come with a receive a paper off-peak Travelcard). If you order online and choose the “pick up in London option”, you can pick up both your London Pass and Visitor Oyster Cards at their redemption desk in central London.

Wishing you a great trip to London! Jessica

connie Rabenold Post author

January 12, 2018 at 12:34 am

OMG!!! Am so happy and thankful I found your website while searching for info on oyster card. Thank you for taking time to explain extensively the pros and cons. Your info and tips are so helpful. and so simply put; very easy to understand. We’ll be in London on Feb 15, – 20, 2018.; we’re with a 7 days London and Edinburgh tour but we’ll arrive London 2 days ahead and will be on our own.. I will read more of your website to read your suggestions on places to see while in London during the 2 days before the tour and the “free time” during the tour.. Thank you for unselfishly sharing your knowledge. Take care, more power to you and Laurence.

January 12, 2018 at 7:53 am

Hi Connie, Thank you so much for your nice comment and I am so glad that the information helped you better understand the Oyster Cards. We have loads of London and Edinburgh related content on our blogs that should help. For those 2 extra days in London when you are not on a tour, I’d see what your tour plans are and see what else you might want to do. There are some wonderful free museums in London for just about any interest (e.g., National Gallery, British Museum, Victoria & Albert Museum, London City Museum, Imperial War Museum), loads of great theater and music in the West End, and walking tours can be a great way to get a good introduction to the city. You can take a look at our 2 day London itinerary and our 6 day London itinerary which give you more than enough ideas on attractions you might want to see in those 2 days. If you plan to go into a lot of paid attractions, I’d consider a London Pass which can save you money in attraction fees. Feel free to ask us any questions as you plan your free days in London and wishing you a great trip to the UK! Best, Jessica

Deborah Fung Post author

December 25, 2017 at 2:11 pm

Thank you for all the great tips and posts about the Oyster Card and getting around London! I am trying to apply for an Oyster Photo ID card for my 13 and 16 yo before our March 2018 trip to London. States that it takes 4 weeks. When try to complete “Create an account” on Oyster website, it does not allow US zip code.

Are we able to get a non-visitor Oyster card and load a 7 day travel card for them with the child discounts when we get to London? If so, should we do it at Heathrow airport when we arrive? (then we can take tube to our hotel?)

Also, any recommendations on where to stay if we want to use the most out of our London pass (also many thanks for your itinerary recommendations using a London Pass!) Appreciate any advice you have, thanks!

December 26, 2017 at 6:47 am

Hi Deborah,

Hmmm, you should still be able to create an account to order the Zip Oyster Cards for your children as long as they will both be under 18 at the time of your trip. The directions for overseas visitors says: “You need to apply online and you’ll need to collect it from a Visitor Centre.” I just tried and was able to put in United States details with no problem. In fact, the postcode is not required to sign up. Make sure you have the “Are you currently living in the UK? *” marked as “No” and enter your country of residence. Maybe try creating an account again? Here is the link below:

https://photocard.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/showLogon.do

You can’t get them shipped to your home as an overseas person so you will need to pick them up. Also you can’t register an overseas regular Oyster Card (although you can purchase a standard Oyster Card once in London) as an overseas visitor. But you should be able to order and process your children’s Zip cards online and track them. Let me know if you are able to get it to work. If it is still now allowing you to create the account, I would give them a call or email them for assistance because you should be able to do so.

Now if you are not able to do the above for any reason, you can get a Young Visitor discount applied to a normal Oyster card once in London. And yes, I would check the centre hours with regards to your flight arrival time, but you should be able to pick up the Oyster Cards at Heathrow Airport at one of the two Visitor Centres (I know you can’t get these discounts at Gatwick according to the website, but should at Heathrow).

If you’ve already read our suggested 6-day London itinerary , you can see we recommend a lot of different neighborhoods in London. Since you’ll have Oyster Cards, anything within a 30 to 35 minute commute by public transit to Westminster is a really central and great spot in London for this itinerary. Of course the further away, the better the prices may be. I would first start looking and finding hotels and accommodation that fit your budget and style. Then narrow down by checking locations from the central area (for example use Westminster Abbey as the point of reference) using Google maps and see if you can find something within a 35 minute public transit commute.

Note that the London Pass will be increasing in price soon so I’d recommend ordering them now online to get the current prices. There is also a current holiday sale online (up to 20% off) until the 27th!

Hope this helps and let me know if you are able to get the child Zip Photocards ordered online through the TfL website.

December 26, 2017 at 3:06 pm

Hello Jessica I tried your link and it worked! Better than through website itself. However, when I tried to apply for my 16 yo though, the fee was 20 pounds! Seems quite unreasonable, so I wouldn’t recommend for your travellers. Thanks for the other additional information in your reply. Your information has been invaluable. So grateful for your quick reply. Happy New Years!

December 26, 2017 at 3:16 pm

You’re very welcome and so glad it worked! Um, yes, sounds like the fee is not worth it for a short trip. Probably a better solution for those staying in London for a few weeks or longer to get their money worth. Was the fee the same for both of your children?

Happy to help and wishing you a wonderful trip to London!

Happy New Years! Jessica

Nat Post author

November 6, 2017 at 12:35 am

Hi Jessica, Thanks for the amazing information ypu have shared on this website regarding the oyster card and other travel cards.

I am planning a trip to London from Asia this December with two 4 yr olds. I would be grateful if you could detail me which card I should use to explore London city attractions and parks. Do we need to get a London pass as well or just the oyster card? Do I need to purchase it online before the trip? We will be there for 2 weeks. Please suggest an itinerary for our 2 week stay in London. We plan to stay at Wembley.

Thank you for these great informative posts.

November 7, 2017 at 1:38 am

Hi Nat, Glad that our posts about the Oyster Card and London Pass have been helpful. Now, for your children, since they are 4 years old, they will travel for free on public transit within London with you so they do not need a pass as long as they are traveling with an adult with an= valid Oyster Card. For adults, regarding public transit, you can purchase an Oyster Card in advance online or get one once you get to London. You also have the option to purchase it as part of the London Pass package. All these options are described in the article above with links to where it can be purchased.

Now, the Oyster Card is only for travel on public transit within London, it does not get you into any museums or attractions. For that you can purchase a London Pass. You can purchase the London Pass online in advance and have it delivered to your home before your trip and it is valid for 1 year. Or there is one place you can purchase it in-person once in London. The London Pass can be purchased just as an attractions pass, or you can also add on the Travel Option to it so that it also come with an Oyster Card. If you are planning to get both the London Pass and the Oyster Card, then it is probably most convenient to just order the London Pass + Travel package for you and any adults traveling with you. The kids, since they are only 4, again will get into most London attractions for free so they do not need a London Pass or Oyster Card.

In terms of things to do in London, we don’t have a 2-week itinerary, but we do have a 6-day itinerary that should keep you busy for at least a week and with kids, you’ll have to go a bit slower that suggested in the itinerary. Here are a couple of posts about the London Pass and a London itinerary to help you plan:

London Pass review & tips: https://independenttravelcats.com/tips-using-buying-london-pass-worth/ London suggested itinerary w/ walking maps: https://independenttravelcats.com/london-itinerary-6-days-in-london/

Hope this helps & happy travels to London! Jessica

November 7, 2017 at 2:58 am

That is awesome Jessica. You just made it so simple for us. I spent days looking at various websites which confused me more and more. Now I know I just have to get London pass with travel card and I will choose either Smartmobile option or pick up at London. Thank you for your excellent suggestions on how to tour in London. I will consider that for sure. Thank you once again!

November 7, 2017 at 7:53 am

Hi Nat, You’re very welcome, glad the information was helpful. If you want to do the London Pass with travel Card, you will need to either purchase it online (which you can then pick up in person in London for free with email confirmation) or purchase it in person once in London. You won’t be able to purchase the Mobile version for smartphones as it does NOT currently include the travel option since the Oyster card is a physical card. So the travel option available with the standard physical card purchased online or in person. Hope that makes sense and wishing you a great trip to London. Feel free to ask if you have any further questions! Best, Jessica

November 7, 2017 at 6:36 pm

okay..point well noted Jessica. Thanks!

Barb Post author

October 22, 2017 at 1:39 pm

Excellent job! Before I read your article, I read through various online articles (some clearly outdated) and became increasingly confused. Upon reading yours, I have a much better understanding of the various options (still a bit challenged on the “best” way we can leverage the various options given our travel plans – but at least I understand the options).

One question that I’m not clear on – when the discounts are calculated does it combine all types of eligible travel types/modes to determine the caps? Or for example are the caps determined by each transportation mode, i.e., are Bus trips a separate calculation from Underground trips, and separate from Light Rail trips, etc.?

Thank you for the great post!

October 23, 2017 at 3:37 am

Yes, the public transportation system in London is vast and a bit complicated in terms of options. And yes fares, tickets, routes, etc. change fairly often but we do try to keep the information as up to date as possible! Now for your question about the Oyster Card caps, the answer is a bit complicated. But if you plan to use the Underground, bus, and light rail then you can check the link for the capping rates for All services below. However, if you were only using the Bus & Tram (doesn’t seem likely based on your comment), then there is a different capping system for Oyster Cards. Information on both are below:

From the Price capping site ( https://tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-payments/oyster/using-oyster/price-capping )

“The cap you’re charged depends on the type of transport you’ve used. There are different caps for:

1 – All services (bus, Tube, tram, DLR, London Overground, TfL Rail and most* National Rail journeys in London) 2 – Bus & Tram (bus and tram journeys only)”

Based on the above information and further research, we can see that:

For 1, all service, price caps are: http://content.tfl.gov.uk/adult-fares.pdf . Journeys made on buses and trams are included in the caps. ( https://tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-payments/fares/tube-dlr-lo-fares?intcmp=43916 )

For 2, If you only use the Bus and tram, there is a different cap: https://tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-payments/fares/bus-and-tram?intcmp=14944

Helen Pelosi Post author

October 22, 2017 at 12:03 am

Hi Jessica, how wonderful to find you! I have read all your info and the comments from others all very helpful. We will be in London in January for 7 days ( 2 couples from Australia) we arrive in London from Edinburgh by train and staying in Clapham. We will be sightseeing in London ( a friend who lives in London will be showing us around) but plan one day to visit friends near Reading . We will be flying home from Heathrow. I am thinking from your information that a regular Oyster card would be our best option.? Questions Can we buy the Oyster Card in Edinburgh ? Will we be able to use it to travel to Reading? What is best option to get to Heathrow? You suggested buying tickets online? What is difference in cost for Edinburgh to London? Best regards, Helen

October 23, 2017 at 3:31 am

Glad that our information on the Oyster Card and public transportation in London has been helpful. I will try to do my best to answer your questions.

1. You can’t physically buy the Oyster Card in Edinburgh as it is only sold in London. For online orders, it is only shipped to UK addresses. You might be able to order the standard Oyster Card and have it delivered to an address in Edinburgh and pick it up. However, it would probably be easier to just pick it up in person once in London at a vending machine or ticket office (you can buy it at most Underground, National Rail stations, Oyster ticket shops, visitor centers etc.). Alternatively, the Visitor Oyster Card, you can purchase it online and have it shipped anywhere including Australia (although you can’t buy it once you are in London). 2. No, unfortunately, the Oyster Card can only be used within London (Zones 1 to 9) so you will need to purchase a regular rail ticket to travel from London to Reading and back. 3. It depends where you traveling from in London that day, but the fastest way is generally the Heathrow Express and the cheapest way is the Underground. If you are trying to save money, I’d take the Underground to Heathrow and you can use your Oyster Card. The Oyster Card is not currently valid on the Heathrow Express. 4. For train tickets you can generally save money by booking train tickets in the UK in advance. The price differences can vary but generally lower fares are posted about 3 months or so in advance and tend to get more expensive the closer to the time, although there are of course exceptions.

Hope this helps, and wishing you and your travel partners, a great trip to Edinburgh and London!

Debbie Post author

September 27, 2017 at 4:43 am

I am travelling to London from Kent in October with my 12 year old daughter. We arrive Friday evening and Leave Sunday afternoon. My head is spinning with travel options – last time I went to London I just gave 30 pence to the bus driver. If I tell you what I plan to do perhaps you can tell me (in words of one syllable) if it is viable/sensible? OK, the plan is to: 1 .Buy return rail tickets on line in advance 2. Buy 2 blue oyster cards with £20 on each online. (Staying in Kings cross, Shopping in Oxford St., Camden etc.) 3. Go to ticket office when we get to London Bridge and have staff put child discount on 1 oyster card for my daughter. 4. I know I can use my debit card but I would rather be waving around my oyster card in public than my debit card! Any (simple) advice appreciated 🙂

September 27, 2017 at 5:22 am

Yes, traveling in London can be confusing as there are so many options and so many types of public transit. A good and bad thing! I think getting an Oyster Card is a good choice for you and I think your plan sounds like it would work fine. The only things I would add is that 1.) check out whether a Zip Oyster Card or just applying a child discount to a regular Oyster Card would be a better value for your daughter, and 2.) I would be sure to register both of your Oyster Cards online once you receive them in the mail to better protect them in case they are lost, stolen, or damaged.

See specific answers below to your questions:

1. Yes, buying train tickets in advance can definitely save you money in the UK! 2. Yes, I’d get a regular Oyster Card for you (not a Visitor one since it sounds like you live in the UK) and then you can top them off as needed at the Underground stations if you use more than the £20. For your daughter, I’d check the difference online between applying for the Zip Oyster photocard versus the Young Visitor discount applied to a normal Oyster card. As she is 12, a Zip Oyster Card (she could use until age 16) would give her free travel on any bus or tram in London plus child rate on most other forms of transit (Tube, DLR, London Overground, TfL Rail, Emirates Air Line and most National Rail services in London). 3. Yes, that is a good plan if you want to apply a child discount to a normal Oyster Card. If you get a Zip Oyster card, it should work just like the regular Oyster Cards and you should be able to top them off in self-service Tube machines, at ticket windows, or online. 4. Yes, definitely can be safer. I’d register your Oyster Cards online once you have them to better protect them if lost or stolen and then you can also track your credit, top them off, and get other information online from your account.

Hope this helps, and wishing you a fun and safe trip to London! Jessica

Tamara Post author

September 4, 2017 at 11:48 am

This information is so awesome! Thank you so much. Next month, my husband and I are traveling to London, then to Southhampton for a cruise. We will stay in Paddington for 2 days, then 1 night in Southhampton before the cruise. Since Southhampton isn’t in the city of London, would we be able to travel from Paddington to Waterloo with the Oyster card, then take a train to Southhampton that I heard about? Not sure how that works.

September 4, 2017 at 12:15 pm

Hi Tamara, Ok, so you are staying near Paddington station in London and then heading to Southampton correct? You can use the Oyster Card to travel from Paddington to Waterloo station but you can’t use it to get to Southampton as it is way too far outside of London. So once you get to Waterloo, you will need to purchase a regular train ticket for your journey onto Southampton (you can buy at the station or book in advance online). Normally it is cheaper to book in advance online if you can. Have a great time in London and enjoy your cruise – we were just in Southampton about a week ago 😉 For tips on things to do in London you can check out our 2 day London itinerary and our more detailed 6 day London itinerary . Best, Jessica

September 4, 2017 at 12:37 pm

Thanks so much. Any tips on what train we should select in Waterloo for our trip to Southampton? I will definitely check out the two day London itinerary. Anything fun to do in Southampton?

September 4, 2017 at 1:14 pm

Hi Tamara, Any Overground train will be about the same and takes about 1 hour 15 min to 1 hr 30 min- just depends on the date/time and which station you want to arrive into in Southampton. You can put your details into the Transport for London journey planner for the options. We were actually there on our way to catch the ferry to the Isle of Wight so don’t have any recs but I would stop in at the tourism office for some suggestions and a walking map. Enjoy your trip, Jessica

soo Post author

August 13, 2017 at 10:14 pm

Is it cheaper for me to load a 1 month travel card into my Oyster card as I will be staying in London for almost 7 weeks? Most travels will be in zones 1 and 2 with a few days to zone 4.

August 14, 2017 at 11:25 am

Hi Soo, It depends on who much you are traveling and I would compare the daily fare X the number of times you think you’ll be traveling each week and then compare that cost against the 1 month travel card to see which will be the better value for you. If you are making a few trips each day on public transit then you’ll probably save money with a monthly Travelcard. If you already have a registered Oyster Card, you can purchase and add the Travelcard online or at a station. Best, Jessica

Subodh Mehta Post author

August 11, 2017 at 7:26 pm

The best-written description and advice I have found so far about Oyster cards. Thanks a lot, Jessica and Laurence, is really useful. I am taking a trip to London with my wife for 5 days in September in two parts. Oyster card seems a very good option. Not sure about London pass as I have read opposing views on the pass.I will explore this site further for other parts of Europe too.

August 12, 2017 at 1:43 am

Hi Subodh, Thanks for taking the time to comment. Glad that you found this article useful and glad it helped you decide about whether or not to get an Oyster Card for your trip to London. The London Pass is typically a good value and will save you money if you plan to visit a number of attractions. However, it depends on your time in London as it has to be used on consecutive days. So if you are in London for 3 days and then 2 days, I would recommend checking out the 3-day London Pass . The potential money savings increases with the pass duration. Enjoy your trip to London! Best, Jessica

Sue K Post author

July 1, 2017 at 7:41 am

We are two couples travelling together in our 60 s we have Oyster cards from our previous visits Is it possible for us to load our cards before we arrive in London We will only be there 4 days but in the past found plenty of use for them was hoping to load on line if possible. Cheers Sue

July 1, 2017 at 7:43 am

The short answer is that it depends but you are probably not able to add credit online unless you have a UK address. If you have a Visitor Oyster Card, then there is no way to top them up online. However, if you have a standard Oyster Card then you can register them online and top them up when logged into your account; however, I believe you need to have a UK address to be able to have an online account. If you have a UK address, you can find out more about that here .

If you are not living in the UK (or purchased a Visitor Oyster Card), it is easy to top up your Oyster Card at any of the Underground stations through the machines. This is what I would recommend doing as it is very easy to do it at the machines and probably quicker than registering and topping up online if you don’t live in London or visit that often.

John Post author

June 18, 2017 at 3:48 am

Hi. You cover an enormous amount here on London Oyster cards but there is one more little thing please. I have a visitor Oyster card from a previous trip. Now my wife and I are heading to London for 4 days. Can we both operate off the one card or does my wife need her own. Obviously if we use just one we will need to top it up with more credit than if just I use it. It would mean we don’t need to get a standard Oyster card on arrival and not pay 5 pound ( even though it is refundable – just less hassle using just one ).

June 18, 2017 at 6:31 am

Hi John, Glad this was helpful to you. In terms of your question about two people using one London Oyster card, unfortunately only one person can use a Oyster Card at a time to travel. If you are traveling at separate times, you could potentially then share the same card but if you are traveling together you cannot as it will tag on and off every time you swipe it. So your wife will need to get a Oyster card or buy individual tickets to travel with you. In terms of current fees, the blue standard Oyster card has a refundable £5 deposit that you can have refunded when you are done with it. The Visitor Oyster card has a non-refundable £3 activation fee. So if you want you can get the £5 deposit refunded to you at the end of your trip. The great thing about both cards is that you can save them and use them on future trips and just keep adding credit. Hope this helps and have a great time in London! Best, Jessica

Carrie Johnstone Post author

May 25, 2017 at 6:22 am

Hi there! Great article but I’m still confused as to which one will be best. We have two adults, one 17 and one fifteen year old. We will be traveling to London from Edinburgh on a train. We will have a half day after the train, and 4 full days of site seeing and leaving Sunday morning from Gatwick (so to be able to get to Gatwick would be helpful). I’d like to be able to ride during the busy times so we can get to the sites early. I’ll probably buy us all a 6 day London Pass as well. Do I need a Visitor or Standard Oyster card? Do I need a Travel card for a trip of that duration since I’m not there a full week? What are your recommendations?

May 25, 2017 at 7:55 am

The differences between the two Oyster Cards can be confusing. Since you are in the city for less than 7 days and won’t need to use the travelcards, there is not a whole lot of difference between the two types of Oyster cards for adults. If you are already buying the London Passes, I’d just purchase the London Passes + Travel for the adults.

However, for the kids, since they are over 11, they are not eligible for free travel on your cards, but as noted in the post, you can apply to get them special IDs (Zip Oyster photocards) so they receive free and discounted travel in London. You do need to apply for this ahead of time (4 weeks or more in advance if based outside UK). I would recommend doing that if you can. However, if you do not/cannot apply for the Zip Oyster photocards, you can choose to just get them a regular Visitor Oyster Card (would come with the London Pass for your 17 year old), use the off-peak child travelcard (it also comes with the London Pass for 11-15 year olds, but does have some time restrictions), or purchase child tickets as you go. The first will save you time as you just tap it and go (and refill as needed), the second one gives you the child rates but is restricted during peak hours (if you are traveling during morning rush hour you may need to purchase a separate ticket), or you can just pay for tickets as you go (may save you money vs. the Oyster card, but takes more time). There is currently no regular Oyster Card for kids.

The Oyster cards can be used to get to Gatwick (underground and National Rail) from central London (e.g., Kings Cross, Victoria Station) and it is pay as you go so I’d advise traveling during off-peak hours if you can to save money. The cards can also be used on the Gatwick Express train to the airport; however, it costs £19.80 for a single journey.

Since you are coming from Edinburgh, it is easy for you to either pick the passes up in London on arrival or you can have them mailed to you beforehand (if you were flying in it is often better to have them beforehand so you can use them to get into the city).

Hope this helps and hope you have a great time in Edinburgh (our current home!) and London,

Arnaud Post author

April 17, 2017 at 11:18 am

Great tips! There is one thing that would need to be updated on your article. Fares with the Oyster Card have been changed since you published this, the daily fee is now £6.60, while a 7-day pass costs £33. I really like your blog!

April 18, 2017 at 4:23 am

Hi Arnaud, Thanks so much for the updated prices. I have updated the post with the new Oyster Card pass fees – £33 for a 7-day pass and the daily cap of £6.60. ~ Jessica

Kevin Post author

January 5, 2017 at 6:57 am

Great info! We will be traveling with two 10 year olds for a week in April. Would it be worth it to preorder the child oyster card (zipOyster I believe it’s called)? We will mostly remain in London, but we will need to take the train in from Gatwick and are planning a day out to the Harry Potter studios. I’m wondering if it would be worth the 20 pounds to be able to tap in and out rather then have an attendant let them through. Thanks for any help!

travelcats Post author

January 5, 2017 at 7:31 am

Glad you found our London Oyster card post helpful; it can be a bit tricky! Note that you can take the Underground (Tube) to Watford Junction station with the Oyster Card to connect to the Warner Brothers Studio Harry Potter Studio tour shuttle without needing to buy any tickets.

In your case, my guess is that the cost savings will probably be similar to the £20 you spend on the Zip Photos Cards for 5-10 year olds, but it depends a bit on which service you take from Gatwick as the Gatwick Express is the most expensive and the other Rail trains are less expensive for both adults and children. I would examine how much it will cost you to buy the tickets at full price and then how much at the child rate in the few instances you plan to travel outside of Oyster card coverage. You can check single fares for tickets here . The other thing to double check is whether or not the Visitor Center at Gatwick will be open when you arrive into London as you’ll need to pick up the Zip Photocards if you apply for them; so for instance if you arrive late at night into the airport you won’t be able to use them for your Gatwick travels. In terms of getting through barriers, we have never had much problem with staff letting people through as most stations are well staffed at gated stations and there is often a wider aisle lane that is unlocked designated for wheelchair users/families/dog owners etc. in case there are no staff handy. If you decide not to get a Zip card for your children, I would also recommend always having proof of their ages handy just in case you need to show they are under 11 years of age. You may get asked to verify their ages if they look older for the child-rate train tickets. Best and happy travels to London! Jessica

Different Shores Post author

November 20, 2016 at 12:26 am

Very useful guide. I needed this when I was in London. I didn’t know what to do so just paid contactless everywhere and got charged loads…

November 20, 2016 at 5:13 am

Glad you enjoyed it and hope it helps you on your next trip to London. Although if you used a contactless payment card on yoru list trip, the fares and capping is similar to an Oyster card so you were probably charged the same as if you used an Oyster card, but it is good to check it out before your next trip! Best, Jessica

Sally@Toddlers on Tour Post author

November 18, 2016 at 8:43 pm

Great advice on how to use the Oyster Card. Often these public transport cards have so many rules and regulations it just becomes too hard for the traveller.

November 19, 2016 at 3:02 pm

Hi Sally, Yes, with a city as big as London with so many public transportation options, it can be a bit complicated. Although I do have to say that having an Oyster card makes it a lot easier (no purchasing of individual tickets or needing to wait in line for tickets) than in many cities. Hopefully this post will help future travelers use their Oyster cards in London! ~ Jessica

Anisa Post author

November 18, 2016 at 6:58 pm

Wow this is definitely the most comprehensive post I have read on Oyster cards. I travel to London frequently and I didn’t even know there was a visitor card. I have the regular Oyster card and I did not know a lot of this. Thanks so much for sharing on #TheWeeklyPostcard

November 19, 2016 at 2:56 pm

Hi Anisa, Yes, there are the two main types of Oyster cards, but they essentially work the same way. One of the advantages of the standard Oyster card is that you can add the travelcards and passes which can be great if you are staying in London for a week or more. If you have a UK address, I would recommend registering your card to protect it in case of theft or loss if you have not done so already. This also allows you to do more things online like track your travel and add credit! Best, Jessica

annette charlton Post author

November 18, 2016 at 5:40 pm

Thanks for all this info! I seem to collect Oyster Cards… we bring them home after each trip from England but don’t always remember to pack them in the suitcases when returning. Because we are a family of five I am inevitably buying one or two more each trip for the kids. I have a fortune in UK pounds sitting in my top drawer on all our Oyster Cards… LOL !!

November 19, 2016 at 2:53 pm

Hi Annette, Yes, it sounds like you are probably losing money on Oyster cards so you may want to just get the refunds for the unpaid balances before you leave each time if you have that many cards. Also, if you have children, you can be getting significant discounts on their fares (or they could be riding for free on you Oyster card) depending on their ages. A lot of visitors don’t know about the discounts or how to claim unused credit. Enjoy your next trip to London! Best, Jessica

Paul and Carole Post author

November 18, 2016 at 1:38 pm

Thanks for this useful information, we are visiting for 5 days in April so will Pin this for future reference! Thanks for sharing. #TheWeeklyPostcard

November 18, 2016 at 5:12 pm

Hi Paul & Carole, Since you guys live in the UK, you probably have a contactless card that will work on the London public transit. It essentially works the same as an Oyster card but you can just use your own card you already own. If you already have an Tlf account for an Oyster card, you can simply add your contactless card to it as well. Here is a link to Laurence’s using Contactless versus Oyster card for London transit post which may be useful before your trip. ~ Jessica

November 19, 2016 at 3:02 am

Thanks for the tip regarding the contactless card didn’t know that. Will check out Laurence’s post. Thanks again for the tip!

November 19, 2016 at 3:12 pm

You’re very welcome. That article should help you decide whether an Oyster card or a contactless card is best for you as there are some situations where contactless isn’t a good option (e.g., if you are eligible for a discounted fare). ~ Jessica

Anda Post author

November 18, 2016 at 1:01 pm

I don’t think the Oyster Card existed when I was in London. It’s the first time I hear about it, but it seems like a very convenient way to use London’s public transportation. Great information!

November 18, 2016 at 1:10 pm

Hi Anda, I think the Oyster card was first introduced in 2003 although pretty limited in its use back then. Until recently about 80% of public transit was being done with an Oyster card, but now they are starting to decline in use. Transport for London introduced contactless card readers in 2015 and hope to push those now and phase out cash, paper tickets, and Oyster cards. However, contactless cards only work if you have one and not all international contactless cards are compatible and many charge international transaction fees, making Oyster cards still the better option for many travelers. One thing is certain, things just keep changing! ~ Jessica

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London Oyster card

The Oyster Card is the most recommended option for use to travel on London´s public transport. It is what Londoners tend to use on a daily basis for commuting, and it is normally the cheapest way for tourists to get around London.

In this article we will explain what the Oyster card actually is, how it works and how to decide if it is the right option for you if you are planning a trip to London. Paying for your travel in London with an oyster card is much cheaper than paying for single tickets, but we will tell you how this works in detail in this article.

What is a London Oyster Card?

Visitor oyster card: the london oyster card for tourists.

Visitor Oyster Card Discounts

• Bon Vivant Restaurant in Bloomsbury: Free Prosecco or fizzy drink per person.
• Brasserie Blanc Restaurant: 20% discount.
• Paul: Free croissant when ordering a hot drink before 11 am.
• Skylon: 10% discount on food and drink.
• London Transport Museum: 15% discount on food and drink from the museum cafeteria.
• Kew Gardens: 10% discount in-store and hot drinks in the cafeteria.
• London Bridge Experience: 2-for-1 tickets are available when visitor oyster cards are presented at the ticket office.
• Foyles Bookstores: 15% discount.
• Beatles Store: Free souvenir bag from the Beatles store when you spend over £5.
• M&M’s store: 15% discount on all products in the store.

Some of these offers are subject to change – please check with TFL!

Do I need an Oyster Card if I visit London?

The simple answer to this question is yes, unless you have a debit or credit contactless card that you can use.

The Oyster card guarantees you the absolute minimum fare for each journey, and the daily cap makes it a no-brainer. Even if you are in London just for one day, if you are going to use public transport a few times during the day, it works out cheaper to buy an Oyster Card and use this to get around, rather than paying for single fares every time. What is more, you can’t pay cash on a London bus any more, so if you are planning on using the bus, you will need a valid oyster card, travel card or contactless card.

A few years ago, we used to recommend the oyster card to everyone – or a travel card if you were staying in London for more than five days. We now recommend using contactless payment on London Transport  – as the fares applied when using contactless are exactly the same as if using an Oyster Card.

How does the oyster card work?

Using the oyster card on london underground, overground and dlr.

To use the oyster card for travelling on the London Underground, Overground, DLR or trains, you simply have to touch the yellow card reader that is located to your right at the barriers with your oyster card. The barriers will open as soon as you touch the yellow reader if there is enough balance on the oyster card. Once you have completed your journey, you will need to touch the yellow reader again with your oyster card for the barriers to open when you exit the station.

The fare that you pay using an oyster card will be calculated at the time you touch the yellow reader at the exit barriers. The fare will depend on the travel zones that you have travelled to and from and the time of the day that you have travelled, as there are peak and off-peak fares.

This is why one oyster card is needed for each person. If you fail to touch the reader with your oyster card when you enter or exit, you will pay the maximum fare possible as a fine, so if you get to the station and you find that the barriers are open, make sure you use your oyster card to touch the reader anyway to make sure you pay the right fare.

Using the oyster card on the bus

To use the oyster card for getting around London on the bus, you only have to touch the yellow reader with your oyster card when you enter the bus. There is a reader next to the driver and another one by the back door on the new double-decker buses. You don´t need to touch the reader again when you leave the bus.

Where to buy a London Oyster Card or a Visitor Oyster Card

Buying an oyster card at underground stations.

You can buy a London oyster card at any underground, overground, DLR or TFL rail station in London. At these stations you will be able to buy an oyster card at the ticket office or at one of the self-service machines. You can also buy the oyster card at the Heathrow airport underground station and you can also buy a Visitor Oyster Card at Gatwick airport train station.

Buying an Oyster Card at Oyster Ticket Shops

It is also possible to buy the London oyster card in some shops in central London, these shops will have a sticker displayed on their door or window with the words “Oyster Ticket Shop”.

Buying an Oyster Card Online

You can also buy a Visitor Oyster Card online at  Visit Britain shop .

How to top up a London oyster card

You will find self-service machines at each underground, overground, TFL rail and DLR stations where you can top up your oyster card. To do so, you just need to tap your oyster card on the yellow card reader and follow the instructions on the screen.

You can top up your oyster card with cash, or you can choose to add a travel card to your oyster card. Travelcards entitle you to unlimited travel for the zones and number of days chosen. Normally, if you are going to be spending more than five days in London, then a 7-day travel card is probably advisable. However, if you are going to be in London for less than five days, then we recommend that you just use your oyster card with pay-as-you-go and top it up when necessary.

You can use a debit/credit card or cash (coins and notes) to top up or add travel cards to your oyster card.  Once you have paid for your top-up, you need to confirm the transaction by tapping the yellow reader again with your oyster card. If you don’t do this, your oyster card will not be topped up.

Do not forget that you must tap the yellow reader with your oyster card twice: at the beginning and at the end of the process.

How much does each journey cost when you use an oyster card?

• London Travel Zones: the fare that you pay will depend on the travel zones that you travel to and from. See more about London Travel Zones here: London Travel Zones .
• Time of the day: The fares will depend on the time you travel, as there are peak-time fares and off-peak fares.  Peak times are considered 6.30 am – 9.30 am and 4 pm – 7 pm Monday – Friday (excluding bank holidays. If you travel during off-peak times, the journey will normally be a little cheaper.

Oyster card and Visitor Oyster Card Fares from 5th March 2023

Returning your oyster card.

Until now, we could return our oyster card when we no longer needed it and get the deposit back (used to be £5) along with any remaining balance.  This is still the case if you bought your oyster card before February 2020, but if you bought your Oyster Card after February 2020, this is no longer the case.

Oyster cards bought before the 23rd of February 2020

If you bought an oyster card before the 23rd of February 2020, you can return it and get your £5 deposit back.

If you already have an oyster card, bought before February 2020, you can use it to travel on London’s public transport as it does not expire. You can also lend it to someone if someone you know is visiting London.

Oyster cards bought before the 23rd of February 2020 can be returned and cancelled, and when you do so, you will be able to claim the deposit back and any remaining balance. If the remaining balance is less than £10, you can use any self-service machine at any underground station. Just touch on the yellow card reader with your oyster card, and choose refund or return oyster card. If the balance on your oyster card is greater than £10 you’ll need to go to the ticket office at the station. They will normally give you cash. You can also register your card on TFL’s website and cancel your card once logged it, and any remaining balance will be transferred to your bank account.

So, for example, if you have an old oyster card with £2.80 balance, you can still claim your £5 deposit plus the £2.80 balance.

Oyster cards bought from 23rd of February 2020 to 3rd of September 2022

If you bought an oyster after the 23rd of February and before the 4th of September 2022, you will get the deposit back automatically as credit on your oyster card a year after you bought it.

This is good news if you bought your oyster card and are going to continue using it, but if you never return to London, you won’t get your deposit back.

If you ever travel to London again, you can use your oyster card again, and the deposit will appear on your oyster card as credit. You can also lend your oyster card to a friend or relative if they are visiting London, as it does not expire.

You can also register your card online and, after a year, cancel it and request the credit be transferred to your bank account through their website.

Oyster cards bought after the 2nd September 2022

If you bought an oyster card after the 4th of September 2022, you will no longer receive the deposit as credit on your oyster card after a year, and you won’t be able to get a refund for the fee paid (£7) if you do cancel your oyster card. You will still be able to get any unused credit back and cancel your oyster card.

More information on using Public Transport in London

Using contactless.

It is possible to use a contactless debit or credit card to pay for public transport in London. To do this, you simply need to touch in and out on the yellow reader when using it for travel on the underground or overground and trains or DLR, or just touching in when you get on a bus. One contactless card is needed for each person.

The rates that apply when using contactless card are exactly the same as when using oyster card, with the same daily capping.

The only drawback is that if you are not a UK citizen your bank may charge you commission, and this could actually make travelling in London much more expensive than using an oyster card.

Travelling in London with kids

Generally, children under the age of 11 travel free when using London’s public transport, but we have written an entire article to explain how and when they can travel free and what transport passes they can get if they are older than 11.

⇒ More information: Travelling in London with kids

London Travel card: The other London transport card

The travel card is the other transport pass available for use to travelling in London. You can buy 1 day, 7 day, monthly or annual travelcards for specific transport zones in London .

Generally speaking, a daily travelcard is more expensive than the daily capping applied to an oyster card, so we don’t normally recommend daily travelcards. The 7 day travelcard is useful if you are going to spend more than 5 days in London, as for anything else I would normally still recommend that you used oyster card pay as you go.

Related Posts

London underground, london travel zones, contactless payment on london transport, 14 comments.

Hi I visit London about two or three times a year as a rail photographer (hobby not professional) I always use a Travel Card but I’m thinking towards an Oyster Card

I could, lets say travel from Waterloo to Clapham Junction & spend a couple of hours there before moving on. If I were to get an Oyster card how would this work for me if I dont leave the station immediately?

It depends on how long you spend at the station without touching with the Oyster Card to get out. The important part would be to at least go outside at an Station before you go back to the first station where you started your journey. If you don’t get out anywhere and then you simply change platforms and go back to the first station, you will be charged the maximum daily amount.

Hope it helps!

what time does the shop open for me to buy the card at heathrow as I arrive at 5.30am on a sunday morning?

Hi, You should be able to buy an oyster card from the self-service ticket machine at Heathrow underground station. Hope that helps!

Does the oyster card have an expiry date- I bought one some years ago and have not used it since or asked for a refund

Hi David, sorry about the delayed response. We were off yesterday.

In theory the credit you have on your Oyster card never expires. If the card stops working for any reason, just go to one of the stations and talk to one of the assistants there, they should be able to give you a refund.

This is what TFL says on their website: “The pay-as-you-go credit on your Visitor Oyster card never expires, so you can keep your card until your next visit or lend it to family and friends.”

I hope that helps!

Have a nice day.

Hello and GD: My question is as follows? I am planning to visit your nation in the coming month’s. How do I know if my financial institution will charge a commission or not ? I will be coming from the state’s. I am thinking of getting an oyster cd.

Hi William, it might be a good idea to ask your bank what commission rates they apply when using your card abroad. One option is to get a card that you can use abroad without paying commissions or extra fees when used abroad, these are made specifically for travelling and can work out much cheaper. We sort of explain it briefly in this article: https://plantriplondon.com/contactless-payment-london-transport/ Hope that helps!

To tell the truth, it is so wonderful that you enlightened people about the London Oyster card because this card can provide you with a wide range of opportunities and can be a truly necessary attribute in your travelling. I can say that this card has a great deal of advantages and can make your trip more comfortable if you use it in the right way. I really like the fact that it is possible to return the card and get your £5 deposit back because it saves you from many difficulties. I think that such cards are a necessary thing during your journey because it is a really profitable way to travel by public transport and it is a really modern solution.

Thank you for your comment Marina!

how far out of London does an oyster card work? i live in Kent, at what point on a journey from London Victoria does an oyster cease to be valid?

Hi Glen, On this TFL´s map you will see oyster´s pay as you go area which is basically London Fare Zones 1 – 9: https://content.tfl.gov.uk/london-rail-and-tube-services-map.pdf You will also find a bit more info here: https://tfl.gov.uk/fares/find-fares/national-rail-fares-beyond-zone-9 But if you let me know what station you´ll be travelling to London to and from I can look into it a bit more for you. =)

Question If you get on a bus , use your card and get charged 1. 50. , only go 2 stops to change to another bus , when you get in the next bus , are you charged another 1.50 ??

Hi Mike, No, you would only pay £1.50 for both journeys, as long as you touch in on both buses with the same oyster card within one hour. This is called the “Hopper fare” – you get unlimited journeys on London buses for £1.50, for one hour. Hope that helps!

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London Travel Guide

An unlimited pass for all your public transport journeys in London. Choose your zones and the duration, and travel as much as you want.

A Travelcard is a transport pass that gives you unlimited journeys on all London public transport . That includes the Tube , buses , DLR, London Overground , trams, and National Rail Services in the city.

What is a Travelcard?

Travelcards are all-inclusive transport passes for London Transport, and they come in different duration options (1 day, 7 days, 1 month, 1 year, or even a custom period of any length between 1½ and 10½ months).

Travelcards also have several zone validities, but the one you are most likely to use is the zone 1-2 Travelcard, since this is where you’ll be spending the overwhelming majority of your time as a tourist. If you have a zone 1-2 Travelcard you can also use buses anywhere in London, regardless of the zone in which you are.

Many visitors get confused between Travelcards and Oyster cards , but the difference is quite simple. The Travelcard is a transport subscription , an unlimited pass, while the Oyster card is simply a physical support for travel credit . You can load any credit on an Oyster card and decide to use it for pay-as-you-go travel in the city, or you can also load a Travelcard on the Oyster.

In fact, you will need an Oyster card to load your weekly (or monthly or annual) Travelcard onto. On the other hand, if you get a daily Travelcard, it will be printed on a paper ticket.

If you want to know more about the Oyster card, its prices, and its benefits, you will find everything you need in our dedicated article.

How to use a Travelcard

Using a Travelcard on public transport in London is very easy. All you have to do it is have one Travelcard per person and make sure that it is valid before approaching the gates at an Underground station or when getting on the bus .

All you have to do is tap your card at the start of your journey and tap it again when exiting at your arrival station . Tapping upon exit is not necessary on bus or tram journeys. At Underground stations, the entrance gates have yellow card readers, while the readers on buses are usually by the driver’s cabin.

For the purposes of ticket validity, each day is considered to start at 4:30 am and end at 4:29 am the following day. This means that a weekly Travelcard activated on Monday will be valid until the following Monday at 4:29 am (the night going from Sunday to Monday).

Prices and fares are calculated on the basis of the zone system.

Zone system in London

For the purpose of public transport pricing, London is divided into 9 concentric zones. The first important thing to know about these zones is that the most central zones, where the majority of the attractions and monuments can be found, are zones 1 and 2 . These are the areas of the inner city where you will likely spend the majority of your time as a tourist . Here are some important sites you can find outside zone 1 and 2.

• Heathrow Airport - Zone 6
• Gatwick Airport - Zone 6
• Wembley Stadium - Zone 4
• Wimbledon (All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club) - Zone 3
• Hampton Court - Zone 6

Another important thing to note about these zones is that while the London Rails and Underground system (which includes the Tube, the DLR, and Overground) respond to this zone system in terms of pricing, London buses do not .

This means that even though London buses operate throughout the 9 zones, bus journeys always cost the same, no matter how many zones you travel through. It also means you can take a bus anywhere in London if you have a zone 1-2 Travelcard.

How much is a Travelcard?

The cost of a Travelcard is determined by its duration and zone validity. You also need to take into consideration that different Travelcards need to be loaded on different supports.

While a day-Travelcard is printed on a paper ticket , all other Travelcards (weekly, monthly, and annual) need to be loaded on an Oyster card which costs £7.00 (non-refundable).

There is no real 1-day Travelcard for zones 1-2 (or 1-3, for that matter). To cover those areas with a daily Travelcard you need to buy a zone 1-4 Travelcard, which costs £15.20. We do not recommend it, instead, you could use the pay-as-you-go service on Oyster or contactless .

7-day Travelcards, on the other hand, are much more convenient, costing £40.70 for zones 1-2, where you are most likely to spend your time as a visitor. In the following table, you can find the cost of all Travelcard subscriptions.

*Off-peak Travelcards are only valid for travel on Saturdays, Sundays, and Monday to Friday between 09:31 am and 3:59 pm, and from 7:01 pm to 06:29 am when using the Underground.

in London newsagents, or through the TfL Oyster app . If you have a UK bank account, you can simply reload your Travelcard online by logging into your Oyster account.

, and in some DLR stations.

Our recommendations

If you want to know more about the Oyster card and pay-as-you-go options, read our dedicated article.

Is buying a Travelcard in London worth it?

This depends on how long you will stay in London. Essentially, if you are in London for around a week, the Travelcard is absolutely worth it and much cheaper than all other transport options. If , on the other hand, you are in London for 5 days or less, it is better to use a pay-as-you-go system with a contactless payment method or an Oyster card .

In the table below, you can find a comparison of daily and weekly Travelcard prices and corresponding caps on pay-as-you-go fares. As you can see, there is no real 1-day Travelcard for zones 1-2 (or 1-3). To cover those areas with a daily Travelcard you would need to buy a zone 1-4 Travelcard, which costs £15.20. We do not recommend this, since the pay-as-you-go daily cap Oyster and contactless for zones 1-2 is only £8.10.

The weekly Travelcard instead, has the same price as the weekly cap on pay-as-you-go, which is £40.70 for zones 1-2 (only valid for contactless payment methods, not for Oyster cards). The advantage of the weekly Travelcard is that it applies to a natural week rather than a calendar week (Wednesday through the following Tuesday, for example).

On the other hand, the pay-as-you-go weekly cap on contactless payment methods can only be applied from Monday to Sunday. Therefore, if you are in London in between weeks (Thursday to the following Wednesday, for example), getting a Travelcard can save you quite a bit of money .

TfL Oyster and contactless app

The TfL Oyster and contactless app is a free app that helps you manage your London transport cards.

With it, you can renew your Travelcard and load it on your Oyster, check your journey history, and even top up your pay-as-you-go credit on your Oyster card or load Bus & Tram passes on it.

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• Oyster Card kaufen

So funktioniert das Ticket für Londons ÖPNV

• Großbritannien

Enthält Empfehlungs-Links.

Dein Vertrauen ist uns sehr wichtig: Dieser Artikel enthält Empfehlungs-Links. Wenn du über diese Links etwas kaufst oder buchst, erhalten wir eine kleine Provision. Dir entstehen dadurch keine Mehrkosten und du kannst so unsere Arbeit ganz einfach unterstützen. Ein riesiges Dankeschön, Jenny & Basti.

Kurz und knackig: Unsere Tipps für die Oyster Card

• Mit der wiederaufladbaren Oyster Card kannst du die öffentlichen Verkehrsmittel in London nutzen .
• Du kannst die Karte online oder direkt in London kaufen . Egal, ob du die Karte online oder vor Ort kaufst, musst du immer eine Aktivierungsgebühr zahlen.
• An den Automaten in den Stationen kannst du die Karte mit Geld aufwerten .
• Danach hältst du die Oyster Card beim Ein- und Aussteigen in die Metro an den Entwerter . Beim Busfahren musst du nur beim Einsteigen deine Karte scannen lassen.

Alle konkreten Infos und Tipps zur Nutzung der Oyster Card und was es für Alternativen gibt, erfährst du weiter unten im Artikel.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Was ist die Oyster Card?

• Preise für den ÖPNV
• Oyster Card benutzen
• ÖPNV ohne Oyster Card

Die Oyster Card ist eine wiederaufladbare Karte für die Metro, Busse und Trams in London. Du kaufst also keine einzelnen Tickets. Wenn du den ÖPNV nutzt, hältst du einfach deine Oyster Card an den Entwerter und es wird automatisch der richtige und günstigste Tarif von deinem Guthaben abgebucht.

Wir finden die Oyster Card prima , denn das System ist schnell und einfach, besonders für Touristen, die sich so nicht mit komplizierten Tarifen auseinandersetzen müssen. Es gibt auch normale Tickets, aber niemand benutzt die so wirklich.

Preise für öffentliche Verkehrsmittel in London

Das Londoner ÖPNV Netz ist in neun Zonen aufgeteilt. Als Tourist wirst du aber meistens nur in Zone 1 unterwegs sein, vielleicht auch mal in Zone 2. Solltest du doch weiter aus der Stadt rausfahren, kannst du den Preis ganz einfach auf der Website des Londoner ÖPNV nachgucken.

Wichtig zu wissen für die Fahrpreise in London ist, dass es Peak   und Off-Peak Preise gibt. Fährst du werktags also zwischen 06:30 und 09:30 Uhr sowie zwischen 16 und 19 Uhr, zahlst du ein bisschen mehr.

Hier sind die wichtigsten Preise im Überblick :

• Metro Zone 1 : 2,80 Pfund (Peak), 2,70 Pfund (Off-Peak)
• Metro Zone 1-2 : 3,40 Pfund (Peak), 2,80 Pfund (Off-Peak)
• Bus (alle Zonen): 1,75 Pfund pro Fahrt

Außerdem solltest du den Begriff „ daily fare cap “ kennen. Das ist die Grenze, die du am Tag maximal zahlst, auch wenn du mehr gefahren bist. Für die Zonen 1 und 2 liegt die daily fare cap bei 8,10 Pfund . Fährst du also beispielsweise vier Mal am Tag in Zone 1 (eigentlich 10 Pfund), zahlst du trotzdem nur 8,10 Pfund – und das geht ganz automatisch .

Wo kannst du die Oyster Card kaufen?

Die Oyster Card kannst du sowohl online als auch vor Ort kaufen. Wir zeigen dir, wie es funktioniert.

#1 Die Oyster Card vorab online kaufen

Im offiziellen Shop von visitbritain kannst du die Oyster Card zu dir nach Hause bestellen . Die Karte heißt dann Visitor Oyster Card, funktioniert aber genau wie die normale Oyster Card.

Die bestellte Karte kostet ein paar Euro mehr und natürlich Versandgebühren. Wenn du allerdings zu dem Reisetyp gehörst, der gerne möglichst viel schon vorab organisiert, lohnt sich das.

Hier kannst du die Oyster Card online kaufen

#2 Die Oyster Card in London kaufen

Alternativ kannst du die Oyster Card auch am Automaten kaufen, z. B. wenn du am Flughafen ankommst. Das funktioniert so:

• Wähle „buy and top up“ aus und anschließend „get new cards“.
• Wähle aus, wie viele Oyster Cards du kaufen willst sowie das Guthaben (5 bis 90 Pfund).
• Bezahle den Betrag (viele Automaten akzeptieren nur Kartenzahlung , denk also unbedingt an deine Reisekreditkarte ).

Wichtig : Die Oyster Card kostet dich einmalig 7 Pfund Aktivierungsgebühr . Wenn du deine Oyster Card also mit 20 Pfund auflädst, zahlst du insgesamt 27 Pfund.  

So benutzt du deine Oyster Card

Nun hältst du deine Oyster Card in der Hand, aber wie benutzt du sie jetzt? Wir erklären dir, wie du die Oyster Card entwertest und wieder auflädst.

#1 So entwertest du die Oyster Card

Das Entwerten ist ganz easy. Du hältst sowohl beim Ein- wie auch beim Aussteigen aus der Metro deine Karte an die gelben Entwerter. Meist musst du beim Betreten und Verlassen des Bahnsteigs ein Drehkreuz passieren und wirst automatisch daran erinnert.

Es wird der richtige Betrag von der Karte abgezogen. Außerdem zeigt dir das Display an, wieviel die Fahrt gekostet hat und wieviel Guthaben du noch zur Verfügung hast.

Wichtig : In Bussen musst du nur beim Einsteigen deine Oyster Card an den Entwerter halten.

Unser Tipp : Wenn du mit Kindern in London unterwegs bist oder sperriges Gepäck dabei hast, nutzt du am besten die extra breiten Drehkreuze mit dem blauen Rollstuhl-Zeichen. Die normalen Tore schließen schnell und dein Gepäck wird vielleicht eingeklemmt. 

#2 So lädst du die Oyster Card auf

Wenn das Guthaben auf deiner Oyster Card knapp wird, kannst du sie einfach am Automaten wieder aufladen . Das geht so:

• Wähle „top up and buy“.
• Halte die Oyster Card vor das Lesegerät, um zu sehen, wieviel Guthaben noch darauf ist. Dann nimm sie wieder weg vom Lesegerät.
• Wähle aus, wieviel Geld du auf die Karte laden willst und bezahle den Betrag.
• Halte die Oyster Card noch mal vor das Lesegerät und der Betrag wird auf die Karte geladen.

Alternativ kannst du die Karte auch bei einem der vielen Oyster Ticket Stops überall in London aufladen.

ÖPNV in London ohne Oyster Card

Neuerdings kannst du statt mit der Oyster Card auch mit anderen kontaktlosen Zahlungsmitteln bezahlen. Dazu gehören Kreditkarten, Apple Pay und Google Pay . Einfach beim Ein- und Aussteigen an die Entwerter halten.

Mehrere Personen brauchen dabei aber immer eine eigene Kreditkarte bzw. ein eigenes Smartphone.

Wichtig : Wenn du mehrmals am Tag fährst, solltest du für dich immer die gleiche Methode verwenden. Sonst kann nämlich die fare cap nicht greifen und du zahlst am Ende unnötig drauf.

Achte natürlich auch immer darauf, dass dein Smartphone genügend Akku hat.

Du kannst an den Schaltern auch herkömmliche Einzeltickets kaufen. Die sind aber wesentlich teurer und niemand macht das. Die Oyster Card bzw. das kontaktlose Bezahlen ist einfach viel unkomplizierter.

Fragen und Antworten zur Oyster Card

Ist noch was unklar geblieben? Hier findest du Antworten auf die häufigsten Fragen rund um die Oyster Card.

#1 Können zwei Personen die gleiche Oyster Card nutzen?

Nein. Jede Person braucht eine eigene Oyster Card.

#2 Musst du die Oyster Card am Ende der Reise zurückgeben?

Du kannst sie am Automaten oder am Schalter zurückgeben.

#3 Was passiert, wenn du nicht mehr genügend Guthaben hast? Kannst du die Oyster Card überziehen?

Ja, das geht. Da der Fahrpreis immer erst am Ende der Fahrt von der Oyster Card abgezogen wird, kann es sein, dass du ins Minus kommst. Wenn du die Karte dann aber das nächste Mal nutzen willst, musst du sie erst aufladen und das Saldo begleichen.

#4 Wie lange ist die Oyster Card gültig?

Die Oyster Card läuft nicht ab. Du kannst sie also auf der nächsten London Reise wieder verwenden oder Freunden geben. Wir waren beispielsweise mit zehn Jahre alten Karten in London und sie haben immer noch funktioniert.

#5 Benötigen Kinder eine eigene Oyster Card?

Kinder bis elf Jahre fahren kostenlos und brauchen keine eigene Oyster Card. Sie können einfach mit den Eltern durch die Drehkreuze gehen.

#6 Was ist der Unterschied zwischen einer Visitor Oyster Card und der normalen Oyster Card?

Eigentlich gibt es keinen. Wenn du die Karte vorab online bestellst, heißt sie Visitor Oyster Card. Sie funktioniert genau wie die normale auch.

#7 Was ist der Unterschied zwischen Oyster Card und Travel Card?

Travel Cards sind zeitlich begrenzte Tickets speziell für Touristen. Du kannst sie beispielsweise für drei oder vier Tage kaufen und in der Zeit so viel fahren, wie du möchtest.

Wir raten dir aber von den Travel Cards ab, da sie sich preislich nicht lohnen. Mit der Oyster Card fährst du günstiger.

#8 Ist der Nahverkehr im London Pass und anderen Citypässen enthalten?

Nein, ist er nicht. Du kannst aber bei den Passanbietern oft eine Oyster Card dazu buchen. Preislich macht das jedoch nicht immer Sinn. Mehr Infos findest du in unserem London Pass Vergleich .

#9 Kannst du mit der Oyster Card vom Flughafen ins Zentrum fahren?

Das kommt darauf an, an welchem Flughafen du landest. Im Gatwick Express, im Heathrow Express sowie in den DLR Zügen ab dem London City Airport wird die Oyster Card akzeptiert. Wenn du in Stansted, Luton oder Southend ankommst, musst du dir anderweitig ein Ticket besorgen.

Mehr Infos zum Transfer ab den Flughäfen Londons findest du hier:

Hast du noch Fragen zur Oyster Card?

Das waren unsere Tipps zum Londoner ÖPNV und zur Oyster Card. Warst du schon mal in London? Wie fandest du das Bezahlen mit der Oyster Card? Erzähl‘ uns gerne mehr in den Kommentaren, wir freuen uns riesig!

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• Sie sind hier:

Visitor Oyster Card

Die Fahrkarte für die öffentlichen Verkehrsmitteln in London.

Uneingeschränkte Nutzung im öffentlichen Nahverkehr in London, in allen Tarifzonen, zu allen Verkehrszeiten. Wieder aufladbar. Kein Verfallsdatum !!!

Tickets für Visitor Oyster Card

Alle Preise sind Endpreise zzgl. der Versandkosten .

Informationen

Eine visitor oyster card ist eine smartcard. es ist eine schnelle und einfache möglichkeit, die londoner verkehrsmittel zu nutzen..

Jeder Reisende benötigt eine eigene Oyster Card!

Die Visitor Oyster Card ist nicht an ein festes Datum gebunden und wird in London mit der ersten Benutzung aktiviert. Eine Rücknahme nach erfolgtem Versand ist nicht möglich! Sollten Sie feststellen, dass Sie eine andere Wertstufe benötigen, können Sie entweder vor Ort nachladen, oder das Guthaben für Ihre nächste London Reise aufbewahren. Sie hat kein Verfallsdatum. Restguthaben können auch später genutzt werden, oder sie kann an andere Personen übertragen werden.

Visitor Oyster Cards sind nur für Erwachsene erhältlich. Kinder bis 10 Jahre fahren in Begleitung eines Erwachsenen, der im Besitz einer gültigen Fahrtkarte ist, kostenlos. Sollten Sie ein Kinderticket (5-15J.) benötigen, kaufen Sie eine Visitor Oyster Card mit einem geringeren Guthaben. Vor Ort lassen Sie diese, durch einen Mitarbeiter von TFL (Transport for London), auf den "Young Visitor Discount" umcodieren, bevor Sie die Karte das erste Mal benutzen. Am besten funktioniert das an einer großen Tube Station am Fahrkartenschalter, in den Visitor Centern oder am Ticketschalter des Bahnhofs Victoria. Bei diesem Tarif zahlt Ihr Kind 14 Tage lang nur den halben Preis.

Der Fahrpreis wird bei jeder Fahrt automatisch vom aufgeladenen Guthaben abgebucht. Die Preise ändern sich je nach Tageszeit und Tarifzonen, die Sie durchfahren. Das System berechnet den günstigsten Preis aller am Tag durchgeführten Fahrten bis zu einer Obergrenze, die je nach Zone unterschiedlich ist. Ist diese Obergrenze erreicht, sind alle weiteren Fahrten an diesem Tag kostenfrei. Mit Ihrer Visitor Oyster Card kommen Sie auch in den Genuss, mit der IFS Cloud Cable Car (Seilbahn) zu fahren. Die Fahrkosten werden separat berechnet und sind nicht im täglichen Höchstlimit enthalten. Wie viel kostet mich eine Fahrt, bzw. was ist das Tageshöchstlimit?

Der tägliche Höchstbetrag in den Zonen 1-9 bewegt sich zwischen £ 15.60 und £ 22.00, je nach Tageszeit.

Welche Verkehrsmittel kann ich benutzen?

•    London Underground (the Tube) •    London Overground und National Rail Trains in London •    London Buses •    South London Trams (Straßenbahn) •    Docklands Light Railway (DLR) •    IFS Cloud Cable Car (Seilbahn) •    Gatwick Express •    Heathrow Express und Elizabeth Line •    Thames Clippers River Bus Service

UBer Boats Thames Clipper Preise sind nicht im täglichen Höchstbetrag enthalten.

Zone                Single Oyster     East                          £5.60     West                         £5.60     Central                     £8.30     Central & East        £10.25     Central & West       £10.25   All Zones                 £17.30

Kinder zahlen 50 % des Preises.

IFS Cloud Cable Car Seilbahn Preise sind nicht im täglichen Höchstbetrag enthalten.

Pro Strecke £6.00

Sie können Ihre Visitor Oyster Card verwenden, um Fahrten mit dem Heathrow Express oder TfL Rail zu bezahlen, indem Sie einfach am Kartenleser an den neu installierten Ticketschaltern in London Paddington und am Flughafen Heathrow ein- und auschecken. Mit der Elizabeth Line von Heathrow Airport zur Paddington Station, oder zurück, zahlen Sie für die einfache Fahrt £ 12,20. Zu allen anderen Stationen, oder zurück, in den Zonen 1-6  £13,30.

Die Kosten für Erwachsene mit einer Visitor Oyster Card bei TfL Rail (Picadilly Line) für eine einfache Fahrt betragen 5,60 £ (Peak- und Off-Peak Zeiten).

Die Fahrt mit dem Heathrow Express kostet genauso viel wie ein Peak-Express-Single Ticket (£25 jederzeit). Bitte beachten Sie, dass die Tarife für den Heathrow Express separat berechnet werden und nicht zur Tagesobergrenze zählen.

Fahrten vom/zum Flughafen Gatwick

Sie können die Visitor Oyster Card verwenden, um zwischen dem Flughafen Gatwick und Central London mit den Zügen von National Rail Services (Thameslink-Züge) und dem Gatwick Express zu reisen. Denken Sie einfach daran, genügend Guthaben auf Ihrer Karte zu haben. Die folgenden Kosten werden von Ihrem Guthaben auf der Visitor Oyster Card abgezogen: National Rail Services (einfache Fahrt): £20,30 Peak/£12,20 Off-Peak Gatwick Express-Züge (einfache Fahrt): £21,80 Peak und Off-Peak Bitte beachten Sie, dass diese Tarife separat berechnet werden und nicht zur Tagesobergrenze zählen.

Normal 0 21 false false false DE X-NONE X-NONE

Wichtige Buchungsinformation

Hier finden Sie den Zonenplan zum Anschauen und Ausdrucken!

Die Visitor Oyster Card ist nicht an ein festes Datum gebunden und wird in London mit der ersten Benutzung aktiviert. Eine Rücknahme nach erfolgtem Versand ist nicht möglich! Sollten Sie feststellen, dass Sie eine andere Wertstufe benötigen, können Sie entweder vor Ort nachladen, oder das Guthaben für Ihre nächste London Reise aufbewahren.

Visitor Oyster Cards sind nur für Erwachsene erhältlich. Sollten Sie ein Kinderticket (5-15J.) benötigen, kaufen Sie Visitor Oyster Card mit einem geringeren Guthaben. Vor Ort lassen Sie diese durch einen Mitarbeiter von TFL (Transport for London) auf den "Young Visitor Discount" umcodieren, bevor Sie die Karte das erste Mal benutzen. Am besten funktioniert das an einer großen Tube Station am Fahrkartenschalter, in den Visitor Centern oder am Ticketschalter des Bahnhofs Victoria. Bei diesem Tarif zahlt Ihr Kind 14 Tage lang nur den halben Preis. Kinder unter 11 Jahren fahren kostenlos mit, wenn eine erwachsene Begleitperson im Besitz einer gültigen Fahrkarte ist.

Grundsätzlich ist eine Visitor Oyster Card jedoch nur für eine Person gültig. Sie können nicht mit einer Gruppe oder Familie gemeinsam eine Karte nutzen.

Ein wichtiger Hinweis : Wenn Sie mit einem niedrigen Guthaben starten, kann es Ihnen durchaus passieren, dass Sie mit einer längeren Fahrt in einen Minus-Betrag geraten. In diesem Fall öffnet sich die Schranke nicht mehr für Sie, und Sie müssen an einem Automaten erst Guthaben aufladen. Da dies meist Zeit und Nerven kostet, raten wir Ihnen dringend, Ihr verbleibendes Guthaben im Auge zu behalten und nicht zu niedrig zu kalkulieren.

ACHTUNG: am 25.12. ruht der Personennahverkehr in ganz London!

Wie benutze ich meine Visitor Oyster Card? Die Karte wird mit der ersten Nutzung aktiviert. Berühren Sie den gelben Kreis mit Kartensymbol an den Sperren der U-Bahn-Stationen oder am Eingang der Busse, um Zugang zu erhalten. Bei der U-Bahn müssen Sie auf gleichem Weg auch wieder "auschecken", wenn Sie die Station verlassen möchten. Bei Busfahrten muss man nicht auschecken.

Wie viel kostet mich eine Fahrt, bzw. was ist das Tageshöchstlimit?

Der tägliche Höchstbetrag in den Zonen 1-9 bewegt sich zwischen £ 14.90 und £ 20,00 je nach Tageszeit.

*Verkehrshauptzeit: Montag -  Freitag (außer an gesetzlichen Feiertagen) zwischen 06:30 Uhr und 09:30 Uhr und zwischen 16:00 Uhr und 19:00 Uhr **Nebenverkehrszeit: alle Zeiten zwischen der Verkehrshauptzeit, einschließlich an den Wochenenden Stand: 01.11.2022

Gibt es ermäßigte Tickets? Nein. Die Visitor Oyster Card gibt es ausschließlich für Erwachsene. Für Kinder (05-15 Jahre), können Sie vor Ort, den Jugendtarif auf die Visitor Oyster Card hinzufügen lassen, dann wird nur der halbe Fahrpreis berechnet.

Kinder bis 10 Jahre fahren kostenlos in Begleitung eines Erwachsenen, der im Besitz eines gültigen Fahrausweises ist

Wie sind die "Peak" Zeiten?

Montag -  Freitag (außer an gesetzlichen Feiertagen) zwischen 06:30 Uhr und 09:30 Uhr und zwischen 16:00 Uhr und 19:00 Uhr. Zu allen anderen Zeiten und an Wochenenden fahren Sie in der Regel günstiger.

Was wird abgebucht? Für Fahrten mit dem Bus werden pauschal £1.75 (Daily Cap £ 5,25) berechnet. Bei Fahrten mit der U-Bahn wird je nach Anzahl der durchquerten Zonen und Tageszeit abgebucht. Es gibt es ein Tageslimit, dass von der Karte abgebucht wird. Das orientiert sich allerdings an den Zonen - wenn Sie also den Tag über in der Zone 1-2 unterwegs sind, ist das Limit niedriger, als wenn Sie auch die Zonen 1-6 befahren.

Wie kann ich nachladen? Nachladen können Sie Ihre Visitor Oyster Card an den Automaten der U-Bahn-Stationen, am Schalter oder auch in manchen Geschäften mit dem blauen Oyster Card-Logo. Sie müssen mind. £5 nachladen, der maximale Betrag liegt bei £90. Zahlungen sind bar oder per Kreditkarte möglich.

Bekomme ich die Aktivierungsgebühr zurück? Die £5 Aktivierungsgebühr ist nicht erstattbar. Sie wird einmal pro Karte fällig und wird auch bei Rückgabe der Karte nicht erstattet.

Wie erhalte ich aufgeladenes Guthaben zurück? Guthaben können Sie in einem der Visitor Center an einem der großen Bahnhöfe in London erstattet werden (z. B. Victoria Station, Liverpool Street oder King's Cross, oder Heathrow Airport). Die Erstattung erfolgt dort in bar oder auf Ihre Kreditkarte.

Wenn Sie London verlassen haben und im Ausland leben : Erhalten Sie eine Rückerstattung per Telefon Anruf: +44(0)343 222 1234 ( Gebühren können anfallen )

• Nummer der Oyster-Karte
• Vollständige Adresse einschließlich Land und Postleitzahl
• E-Mail-Addresse

Möglicherweise bittet man Sie, Ihre Visitor Oyster Card zuzusenden.

Erhalten Sie eine Rückerstattung per Post Senden Sie Ihre Visitor Oyster Card und Kontaktdaten (Name, Adresse, E-Mail-Adresse und Telefonnummer) an:

TfL Kundenservice 9. Stock 5 Endeavour Square London E20 1JN

Stornobedingungen

Visitor Oyster Cards sind nicht erstattbar.

Sollten sich Ihre Reisepläne geändert haben, können Sie die Karte zu jedem beliebigen Zeitpunkt nutzten, da das Guthaben nicht verfällt.

Die Karte ist übertragbar und kann an andere Personen weiter gegeben werden.

Warum bei uns einkaufen?

• Kein lästiges Umrechnen vor Ort
• Bezahlung in Euro ohne weitere Kosten
• Sichere Zahlungssysteme
• Zuverlässiger Versand aus Deutschland
• Mehr als 15 Jahre Ticketshop-Erfahrung
• Über 1 Million vermittelter Tickets
• Deutsche Seite mit deutschen Texten

[email protected]

Geschäftszeiten: 09:00-17:00 Uhr

Telefonzeiten: 10:00-13:00 Uhr

(Sa, So, Feiertag geschlossen)

Londonblogger.de

London Underground Ticket Ratgeber

• Tim Eichert
• 304 Kommentare
• Allgemeine London Tipps , Transport

Zuletzt bearbeitet am 29.10.2023 von Tim Eichert

Vorweghinweis:  Alle Links, die mit einem * gekennzeichnet sind, stellen Affiliate-Links dar. Was das genau ist, erfährst Du in der  Datenschutzerklärung  unter Punkt 9. Da Unternehmen oder Marken genannt werden, deklariere ich Inhalte mit Marken/- Unternehmensbezug als Werbung. Mein Hauptinteresse gilt aber der unabhängigen Berichterstattung aus London ❤️

Die Londoner U-Bahn, die Underground , ist das Fortbewegungsmittel Nummer 1 in London. Mit keinem anderen Transportmittel kommt man so schnell von einem zum anderen Punkt. Busse sind zwar auch schnell und haben sicherlich Ihren Charme, weil man eine Menge sieht, aber gerade für weitere Strecken ist die U-Bahn nicht zu ersetzen. Ein London Underground Ticket ist somit ziemlich wertvoll, gemessen an der Schnelligkeit und Flexibilität, welches einem dieses bietet.

Das U-Bahn Netzwerk der Londoner Underground ist eines der besten weltweit. Züge kommen im Minutentakt, eigentlich immer pünktlich und ohne Schwierigkeiten. Es kommt ab und zu mal vor, dass es technische Probleme gibt, aber die werden meistens schnell behoben. Einmal habe ich es erlebt, dass ein Zug, in welchem ich saß, anhalten musste und alle an einer Station aussteigen mussten, weil die Strecke durch einen defekten Zug blockiert war.

Inhaltsverzeichnis:

> Überblick > Travelcard > Oyster Card > Spezielle Kinderrabatte > Vor Ort oder vorher online kaufen?

Überblick: Ticket Möglichkeiten in der Londoner Underground

Um ein London Underground Ticket zu kaufen, gibt es diverse Möglichkeiten. In der Regel kauft man das Ticket an einem Automaten, an manchen Stationen kann man auch an einem Schalter bedient werden – die Automaten verfügen aber auch über eine Deutsche Menüführung, falls das Englisch noch nicht so gut sein sollte. Bei den Automaten sei noch gesagt, dass es einige gibt, die kein Wechselgeld ausgeben, man also passend zahlen muss. Einige nehmen nur Scheine, einige nur Münzen und einige nur Kartenzahlung bzw. nicht alle akzeptieren Kartenzahlung – Was der Automat alles kann und akzeptiert, steht groß daneben.

TIPP: Übrigens, ich habe für Dich eine >> Entscheidungshilfe << erstellt, an der Du ganz einfach erkennen kannst, ob Du eine Travelcard oder eine Oystercard brauchst.

Nun gibt es viele Arten eines London Underground Ticket. Es gibt Einzelfahrscheine, Tageskarten oder Zeitkarten. Zusätzlich gibt es noch so genannte Oyster Cards. Oyster Cards sind ähnlich wie Prepaid-Karten aufladbar und kosten 5 Pfund Mietgebühren. Underground Tickets sind ab 09.30 Uhr mit dem Hinweis Off Peak versehen – also Karten für verkehrsschwache Zeiten. Wenn man vor 9 Uhr, also mitten im Arbeitsverkehr, reisen will/muss, der muss etwas tiefer in die Tasche greifen, mittlerweile ist der unterschied bei den Day Travelcards schon ziemlich gewaltig, wenn man bedenkt, dass eine Zone 1-9 Karte als Beispiel £12.80 im Off-Peak kostet und stolze £21.70 im Day Anytime. Du solltest Dir also überlegen, ob Du ein Ticket vor 09.30 Uhr kaufst. Mit einer Travelcard oder Oystercard ist es übrigens auch erlaubt, die Busse zu nehmen.

Travelcards gibt es für Einzelfahrten, als Tageskarte, als 7-Tageskarte, Monats- oder Jahreskarte . Die Preisstaffelung gliedert sich nach den Zonen, also nach den Gebieten, bis wohin man reisen will. Erfahrungsgemäß reichen Zone 1 bis 2, je nachdem wo man ganz hin möchte oder wohnt. Man sollte jedoch anhand seiner Unterkunft ausmachen, welche Zonen man abdecken möchte, denn Travelcards sind in Ihren Zonen fixiert, das bedeutet Du bist unflexibel, falls Du an einem Tag doch mal weiter rausfahren möchtest. Du kannst die Travelcard * auch online kaufen und dir nach Hause schicken lassen.

Peak Travelcards: gültig von 04.30 Uhr bis jeweils 04:29 Uhr des Folgetags.

Off-Peak Travelcards: gültig ab 09.30 Uhr bis jeweils 04:29 Uhr des Folgetags.

Eine Liste der Preise findest Du hier (Quelle der folgenden Übersicht): Underground Preise – Stand 07.2022

Vorteile Travelcard:

• Einfache Handhabung
• Vorteile des Days Out Guide kann genutzt werden. Achtung: 7 Day Travelcards (Wochenkarten) sind mittlerweile nur noch über eine Oyster Card möglich (Travelcard wird auf Oyster Card gebucht – Achtung: das geht nur mit einer Oyster Card, die Du in London gekauft hast, eine Visitor Oyster Card von Außerhalb gekauft z.B. online hat diese Funktion nicht). Man kann auch eine 7 Day Travelcard vor Ort am Automaten kaufen – diese ist dann allerdings nur gültig, wenn man eine Photocard hat (steht auch auf der Karte drauf!). Eine solche Photocard gibt es kostenlos am Schalter, du benötigst ein Passfoto von Dir und einen gültigen Ausweis hierfür. Travelcard auch nur gültig, wenn Du sie von einer National Rail Station kaufst (Ticket muss orange und aus Papier sein). An folgenden National Rail Stationen kannst Du Papier-Travelcards kaufen: Victoria, Kings Cross, St Pancras International, Paddington, Euston, Charing Cross, Waterloo, London Bridge, Liverpool Street, Marylebone, Fenchurch Street, Cannon Street, Blackfriars, City Thameslink Station, Vauxhall – wichtig: wenn die National Rail Station auch eine Underground Station hat (fast immer der Fall), dann kaufe Dein Ticket für den 2for1 unbedingt am Ticket Office der National Rail und nicht in der Underground Station. Das National Rail Logo muss drauf sein, die Karte muss weiß-orange sein!)
• Unkomplizierte Kindertarife möglich, siehe hier
• Papierticket, kostet keine Pfandgebühren (Vgl. Oyster Card: 5 Pfund)
• Day Travelcard als Gruppenkarte ab 10 Personen erhältlich
• Kombinierbar mit dem London Pass*
• auch digital auf die Oyster Card “ladbar”

Oyster Card

Die Alternative zur Day Travelcard ist die Oyster Card* . Die Oyster Card ist eine Plastikkarte, die Du jedes Mal beim Betreten und Verlassen der Stationen abscannen musst. Die Karte funktioniert wie eine Prepaid-Karte: Du lädst diese an den Automaten an der Station oder direkt beim Kauf auf und dann wird die Karte belastet. Die Osyter Cards haben als besonderen Vorteil einen Price Cap, einen maximalen Betrag, den man am Tag zahlen muss. Dieser ist in den meisten Fällen günstiger als die Day Travelcard. Wenn die Gesamtkosten für alle Fahrten einen bestimmten Betrag erreicht haben, wird automatisch ein Limit aufgetragen. Alle weiteren Fahrten für den Rest des Tages in den gleichen Zonen werden nicht berechnet. Du erhältst die Karte direkt am Schalter oder mittlerweile auch an den Ticket Automaten in den Stationen, oder auch in den Visitor Centres oder Oyster Ticket Stops.

Daily Cap: Der Daily Cap wird berechnet für Fahrten, die um 04:30 Uhr beginnen und am nächsten Tag um 04:29 Uhr enden!

Tipp: Stell Dir die Oyster Card wie ein Prepaid-Handy vor: Du lädst Guthaben auf und für jede Fahrt mit Bus, Tube oder Wasserbus wird ein Teil Deines Guthabens abgezogen; bis zu einem bestimmten Betrag (Capping) – alles, was Du dadrüber “verfährst”, darfst Du an Guthaben behalten. Ist Dein Guthaben verbraucht, musst Du es wieder aufladen.

Welche Verkehrsmittel kann man mit der Oyster Card fahren? Du kannst mit diesen Verkehrsmitteln fahren: – Tube/DLR/TfL Rail/London Overground – Alle Fahrten in Zones 1-9 und Watford Junction / Shenfield – National Rail Züge – in den meisten Zügen innerhalb der Zonen 1 – 9 –  C2C nach Chafford Hundred, Grays, Ockendon und Purfleet – London Midland und Southern Züge nach Watford Junction (wichtig für Harry Potter Studio Tours ) – Abellio Greater Anglia Züge nach Broxbourne, Hertford East, Ware, St Margarets, Rye House und Shenfield – Thameslink und Southern Züge nach Merstham, Earlswood, Redhill, Salfords und Horley – Gatwick Express, Thameslink und Southern Züge nach Gatwick Airport – Züge der Great Northern Line, die in den Zonen starten oder beginnen – Emirates Airline – sämtliche Busse im Stadtnetz von London – ThamesClippers / Wasserbusse auf der Themse

Oyster Cards werden nicht akzeptiert: Heathrow Express, Heathrow Connect services zwischen Hayes & Harlington und Heathrow, East Midlands Trains, Grand Central, Hull Trains, Virgin Trains und Virgin Trains East Coast Trains, Stansted Express

Erstattung von Guthaben: Wenn das verbleibende Guthaben £ 10 oder weniger beträgt, kannst Du eine Rückerstattung von einem U-Bahn-Ticketautomaten erhalten. Dafür einfach die Karte an den gelben Leser ranhalten und auf “Refund” drücken und den weiteren Anweisungen folgen. Alles drüber wird nicht ausgezahlt. D.h. man müsste im Vorhinein ein wenig rechnen, dass das einigermaßen hinkommt. Alternativ einschicken mit Oyster Card und Kontaktinfos an TfL Customer Services, 4th Floor, 14 Pier Walk, London SE10 0ES

Hier ist eine Karte mit weiteren Infos.

Unterschied zwischen Visitor Oyster Card und normaler Oyster Card:  Die Visitor Oyster Card ist jene Karte, die Du außerhalb von London kaufen kannst, also zum Beispiel online. Auf den “Visitors” können keine Travelcards geladen werden, die Gebühr von 3 GBP ist nicht “erstattungsfähig” – es funktioniert auf diesen also nur die “Pay as you Go” – Methode mit dem Tageslimit. Auf den normalen Oyster Cards, die Du vor Ort zum Beispiel an Automaten erhältst, können auch Travelcards geladen werden. Ich empfehle vorab eine Verkehrskarte zu bestellen, welche am besten passt, kannst Du hier sehen.

Hinweis: Du musst ein ganzes Jahr warten, um den 5 GBP Pfand bei der vor Ort gekauften Oyster Card zurückzubekommen. Du bekommst die Rückerstattung aber nach einem Jahr automatisch per Gutschrift auf Deine Oyster Card.

Hier einmal eine Staffelung der Preise (hinzu kommen 5GBP für die Karte an sich als Pfand) – alle Angaben ohne Gewähr. Stand: 07 / 2022.

Im Vergleich hierzu die Einzelfahrpreise, die Du bar und ohne Oyster Card zahlen müsstest:

Oyster Card kaufen am Automaten und Aufladen:

Hier habe ich einmal ein Video gemacht, in dem Du sehen kannst, wie man eine Oyster Card am Automaten in der Underground kauft:

Your browser does not support the video tag.

Hier einmal ein Video, in dem Du sehen kannst, wie man eine Oyster Card am Automaten mit Guthaben auflädt:

Vorteile Oyster Card:

• günstiger in vielen Fällen als Travelcard dank Limit (Cap), gerade bei wenigen Tagen (lt. TfL bei einem Aufenthalt von 2-3 Tagen, dem stimme ich zu)
• deutlich flexibler, da nicht an Zonen gebunden
• mehr Kombinationen möglich, die mit dem Cap automatisch berechnet und abgezogen werden (Zones 1, 1-2, 1-3, 1-4, 1-5, 1-6, 1-9, 1 bis Watford Junction, 1 bis Broxbourne/Hertford East, 1 bis Shenfield) Im Vergleich bietet die Travelcard “nur” die Kombinationen 1-4, 1-6, 1-9, 1 bis Watford Junction, 1 bis Broxbourne/Hertford East, 1 bis Shenfield. Das bedeutet, die Oyster Card lohnt sich vor allem bei Reisenden, die täglich in den Zonen variieren, und dabei ggf. auch auf unterschiedliche Verkehrsmittel (Bus, Ubahn etc.) zurückgreifen, die Oyster Card oft besser ist. Auch bei Reisenden, die ihre Unterkünfte in den Zonen 3 oder 5 haben, lohnt sich oftmals die Oyster Card mehr
• Kaum Mehrkosten für “Any Time” im Vergleich zu “Off Peak”, das gilt für zentrale Zonen. Das Fahren vor 09:30 Uhr kostet mit der Oyster Card hier also nicht viel mehr. Bei der Travelcard sind die Kosten höher.

Spezielle Kinderrabatte

Der Trasport for London sieht einige Rabatmöglichkeiten mit dem Reisen mit Kindern vor. Rabatte sind grundsätzlich für die Day Travelcards als auch für die Oyster Card möglich. Hier eine Übersicht der einzelnen Rabatte für die Karten:

Oyster Card: 11-15 jährige Kinder reisen mit einem speziellen Kinderrabatt ( Young Visitor Discount ), der die Hälfte des regulären Fahrpreises beträgt. Um einen solchen Rabatt zu bekommen, kauft man eine Oyster Card ( Update Januar 2020: der Young Visitor Discount ist nun auf der regulären UND der Visitor Oyster Card verfügbar) und lässt sich von dem Personal am Schalter den Kinderrabatt auf der Karte speichern. Dieser ist dann für 14 Tage gültig. Voraussetzung ist, dass man das Alter des Kindes mit einem amtlichen Dokument, wie dem Personalausweis oder Reisepass, nachweist. Das Buchen dieses Discounts geht an den  meisten U-Bahnstationen, den 8 Besucherzentren von TfL und dem Fahrkartenschalter des Victoria National Rail Station. Kinder, die unter 11 Jahre alt sind , reisen grundsätzlich kostenlos, wenn sie von mindestens einen Vollzahler (mit Travelcard oder Oyster Card) begleitet werden. Die Eltern müssen ganz normal die Stationen betreten und “einchecken”, die Kinder müssen vom Personal durchgelassen werden.

Travelcard: Es gibt für 11-15 jährige Kinder eine spezielle “Children Day Travelcard” (auch für 7 Tage). Diese kostet auch halb so viel wie eine normale Travelcard. Für Kinder, die unter 11 Jahre alt sind, gilt dasselbe wie für die Oyster Card.

Vor Ort oder vorher online kaufen?

Viele fragen mich, ob sie ihre Travelcard oder Oyster Card vor Ort erst oder schon vorher online kaufen sollen. Ich bin grundsätzlich ein Freund von Vorbestellungen im Internet, weil man dadurch einfach Zeit und Nerven spart . Gerade wenn man vielleicht noch nie in London war, kann man vor Ort schon einmal durcheinander kommen – viele Menschen, Hektik, alles groß, neue Eindrücke – und dann auch noch an einem Bahnschalter ein Ticket kaufen? Der VisitBritain Online Shop, der offizielle Shop der Stadt London, bietet den Kauf der Tickets an. Man bestellt einfach das gewünschte Ticket und dieses wird dann nach Bezahlung direkt zu Dir nach Hause geliefert.

Online Bestellung Oyster Card: Bei der Oyster Card gibst Du zunächst das Datum Deiner Ankunft an. Dieses braucht VisitBritain, um zu prüfen, ob die Card noch rechtzeitig geliefert werden kann. Du bist nicht am Datum gebunden. Danach gibst Du das gewünschte Guthaben ein. Kalkuliere am besten mit mindestens 8 GBP pro Tag. Das war es schon. Je nach Versandart kommt die Card in spätestens 4 Werktagen zu Dir. Hier kannst Du Deine Oyster Card online bestellen (Affiliate)

Online Bestellung Travelcard: Bei der Travelcard gibst Du zunächst das Gültigkeitsdatum ein. Wichtig: Dieses ist bindend, die Karte ist an diesem Tag gültig. Wenn Du drei einzelne Travelcards haben möchtest, so musst Du diese auch mit den entsprechenden Daten drei Mal in den Warenkorb legen. Danach gibst Du an, ob Du eine Tageskarte oder Wochenkarte nehmen möchtest und ob diese Off Peak oder nicht sein soll. Danach legst Du die Zonen der Karte fest. Dann gibst Du die Anzahl der benötigten Travelcards für Kinder und Erwachsene an. Auch hier dauert der Versand maximal 4 Tage! Und fertig. Hier kannst Du Deine London Travelcard online bestellen. (Affiliate)

Tickets vor Ort kaufen – wo bekomme ich die Tickets denn?

Oyster Cards: Du kannst vor Ort in London an folgenden Orten Oyster Cards erwerben: – Bei Oyster Ticket Stops in vielen Zeitungsgeschäften in London – An allen U-Bahn-, London Overground- und TfL-Bahnhöfen – Einige DLR- und Nationalbahnhöfe – In Besucherzentren (Visitor Centres) – Im Tramlink Shop in Croydon

Weil ich oft gefragt werde: Du erhältst die Oyster Cards auch am Flughafen Gatwick, hier aber nur an den Schaltern, nicht am Automaten. Am Heathrow Airport bekommst Du ebenfalls Oyster Cards!

Achtung: Bei Oyster Cards, die Du in London kaufst, musst Du eine Kaution in Höhe von £ 5 hinterlegen. Beachte, dass Du den speziellen Kindertarif (siehe Abschnitt im Ratgeber) nur an einem Schalter auf eine Oyster Card laden kannst. Ab März 2020 sind die 5 Pfund Pfand für die normale Oyster Card erst nach einem ganzen Jahr erstattungsfähig. Dies läuft dann aber mittels Gutschrift auf die Karte automatisch.

Travelcards: Auch Travelcards bekommst Du in London vor Ort. Du kannst entweder die Travelcard als klassische Papier-Variante nutzen oder aber in Form einer digitalen Variante, die Du auf eine Oyster Card rauflädst.

Travalcard in Papierform: – Von Fahrkartenautomaten an den Bahnhöfen Tube, DLR, London, Overground, TfL Rail und National Rail – An den Verkaufsstellen in London Overground, TfL Rail und National Rail – In Besucherzentren (Visitor Centres) – Im Tramlink Shop in Croydon

Travelcards auf Oyster laden: – Verwendung der kostenlosen TfL Oyster & Contactless App (7 Tage, monatlich und 3 oder 6 Monate und Jahreskarte) – An Oyster Ticket Haltestellen in vielen Zeitungsgeschäften in London (7-Tage- und Monatskarten) – An den Verkaufsstellen in London Overground, TfL Rail und National Rail (7 Tage, monatlich, 3 Monate, 6 Monate oder ungerade Zeiträume und Jahreskarte) – An Fahrkartenautomaten an den Bahnhöfen Tube, London Overground, TfL Rail und National Rail (7-Tage- oder Monatskarte) – In Besucherzentren (7 Tage, monatlich, 3 Monate, 6 Monate oder ungerade Periode Travelcard)

Weil ich oft gefragt werde: Ja, auch am Airport Heathrow kann man sämtliche Travelcards kaufen, die man auch an einer normalen Underground Station in der Stadt kaufen kann.

Tipp: Mit meiner >> Entscheidungshilfe << kannst Du nun erkennen, was für ein Ticket Du brauchst!

Alternative: Contactless Payment mit der Kreditkarte

Als Alternative zur Oyster Card gibt es auch die Möglichkeit, mit dem sogenannten “contactless payment” zu verfahren. Wenn auf Deiner Visa, Mastercard, Maestro oder American Express ausgestellten Bankkarte das Symbol für kontaktlose Zahlungen angezeigt wird, kannst Du damit sofort bezahlen. Du zahlst einen Erwachsenentarif wie bei der regulären Oyster Card auch. Berühre dafür zu Beginn der Fahrt und am Ende die gelben Kartenleser mit Deiner Karte. Achtung, nur eine Karte pro Person! Das Capping funktioniert auch mit der Kreditkarte. Du kannst auch einen Account erstellen, anhand dessen Du auch mittels App prüfen kannst, wie viel verbraucht wird: https://account.tfl.gov.uk/Register – Persönlich muss ich sagen, habe ich das ganze ein paar Mal ausprobiert – es funktioniert definitiv. Nur bin ich bei Kreditkarten immer ein wenig vorsichtig – deshalb benutze ich für mich lieber mit ruhigeren Gewissen meine bewährte Oyster Card.

Rechenbeispiel

Im Folgenden einmal ein Rechenbeispiel, ob man lieber die Oyster Card nehmen sollte oder die Travelcard.

Variante 1: Reisedauer 3 Tage, Zonen 1-3, Off-Peak, eine Person Kosten Oyster Card: 3x£9.30 = £27,90 Kosten Travelcard: 3x£12,10 (einzelne Day Travelcards) = £36,30 -> oder als Wochenkarte: £38.00

Variante 2: Reisedauer 4 Tage, Zonen 1-5, Off-Peak, eine Person Kosten Oyster Card: 4x £11 =  £44,00 Kosten Travelcard: 4x £12,90 (einzelne Day Travelcards) = £51,60 -> oder als Wochenkarte £55.20

Variante 3: Reisedauer 4 Tage, Zonen 1-2, Off-Peak, eine Person Kosten Oyster Card: 4x £6.50 = £26,00 Kosten Travelcard: 4×12,10 (einzelne Day Travelcards) = £48,40€ -> oder als Wochenkarte £32.40

Variante 5: Reisedauer 5 Tage, Zone 1, Off-Peak, eine Person Kosten Oyster Card: 5x £6.50 = £32,50 Kosten Travelcard: 5×12,10 (einzelne Day Travelcards) = £60,50€ -> oder als Wochenkarte £32,40

Variante 6: Reisedauer 6 Tage, Zone 1-6, Off-Peak, eine Person Kosten Oyster Card: 6x £11.80 = £70,80 Kosten Travelcard: 6×12,90 (einzelne Day Travelcards) = £77,40 -> oder als Wochenkarte  £59.10

Ich bin Tim, ich liebe London und teile gerne meine Erfahrungen und Erlebnisse, die ich in dieser wundervollen Stadt erlebe bzw. erlebt habe. In meinem London Blog erfährst Du alles Wissenswerte über Deine Reise. Ich führe meinen Blog bereits seit ca. 7 Jahren als Herzensangelegenheit. Meine Seite wurde oft kopiert, aber das Original bleibt das Original – mit allen Ecken und Kanten. Gerne beantworte ich auch Deine Frage über die Kommentarfunktion – so schnell wie mir möglich!

304 Antworten

Hallo Tim, Wir fahren diesen September wieder nach London. Das erst mal waren wir 2016 in London da hatte wir eine Oyster die haben wir noch istdiese noch gültig? oder sollte wir liebe eine neue bestellen. wollte sie am Flughafen stansted aufladen.

Hey, normalerweise müsste die noch gehen. Zur Not kannst du am Flughafen auch eine neue kaufen 🙂

Hallo Tim, ich habe vom Reisebüro einen Voucher für die 7 Tage Travelcard bekommen. Bekomm ich da am Flughafen Heathrow an einem Schalter meine richtigen Tickets ausgehändigt? LG. Reiner

Genau, dort einfach einlösen 😉

Hallo Tim, in der einen roten Box auf Deiner Seite schreibst Du: ” Oyster Cards werden nicht akzeptiert: Heathrow Express, Heathrow Connect services zwischen Hayes & Harlington und Heathrow, East Midlands Trains, Grand Central, Hull Trains, Virgin Trains und Virgin Trains East Coast Trains, Stansted Express ” Nun bin ich ein bißchen verunsichert. Unsere Unterkunft befindet sich in der Nähe des Bahnhofs Hayes & Harlington im Westen Londons. D.h. wir (2 Erwachsene, 2 Kinder 12 und 15) werden regelmäßig von diesem Bahnhof aus unsere Ausflüge in die Metropole beginnen (Aufenthalt 6 Tage). Können wir die Oyster Card also von Hayes & Harlington gar nicht nutzen oder habe ich das falsch verstanden? Welche Alternative hätten wir anstatt dessen? Vielen Dank! Andreas aus Brandenburg

Doch doch, aber nicht im Heatheow Conncet Train, ein spezieller Service. Die Oyster Card könnt ihr ganz normal z.B. für die Elizabeth line von Hayes & Harlington nutzen.

Hallo Tim Ich bin begeistert von Deinem Blog, komme mit meinen Fragen aber nicht so richtig weiter und hoffe auf Deine Hilfe bezüglich Fahrkartenkauf.

Wir fliegen am 18.9. von Berlin nach Stansted und haben unser 1. Hotel im Cambridge Frage: Welches Ticket müssen/können wir hier nehmen (in dem ganzen Fahrkartendschungel blicke ich einfach nicht mehr durch)

Dann am 21.9. von Cambridge nach London (vermutlich einfachheitshalber über Stansted) Frage: Welches Ticket hierfür?

Am 21.9. müssen wir dann noch zum Flughafen in Heathrow, eine Freundin abholen

Am 24.9. dann zurück von London nach Stansted

Ich wollte für jeden von uns eine Oyster Card bestellen, mit der wir dann vom 21.9. bis 24.9. uns unbeschwert in London bewegen können…

Aber was ist mit den anderen Fahrten? Ich habe gelesen, von Stansted nach London kann man den Stansted Express nehmen, wo kann ich dafür die Tickets vorab kaufen? Sind das dann nur Tageskarten oder gibt es auch eine Karte für mehrere Tage (aufladbar)?

Ich hoffe Du kannst mir recht bald meine Fragen beantworten. Vielen Dank schon mal im voraus

Hey Manuela

Trenne am besten Anfahrt Flughafen, Transport Cambridge und Stadtverkehr. Das macht es einfacher. Von Stansted nach Cambridge dürften Busse z.B. National Express fahren. Von Cambridge nach London auch. Das ist meist die günstigste und einfachste Art. Innerhalb von London kauft ihr euch einfach eine Oyster Card mit Guthaben, damit kommt ihr auch nach Heahtrow. Von London nach Stansted mit dem Bus oder dem Stansted Express (Tickets online oder einfach direkt vor Ort). Die Fahrt mit dem Stansted Express ist nicht kombinierbar mit anderen Fahrten.

Hallo Tim, ich ziehe ab Oktober zu meinem Freund nach London (Dartford) und möchte natürlich so viel wie möglich auch von der Stadt sehen. Da ich nur Teilzeit studiere habe ich genug Zeit die Stadt zu erkunden. Bislang war ich schon 7 Mal in London und habe die Oystercard dafür genutzt. Gibt es eine andere Möglichkeit wie z.B. eine Jahreskarte so wie es die in Deutschland/ Österreich auch gibt? Danke für deine Bemühungen und ein Kompliment an dich für deinen tollen Blog!

Ja, es gibt die Travelcards als Yearly Variante, kostet für 2022 zwischen £1480 und £2708 je nach Zone.

Bedeutet das Tageslimit, dass ab Erreichen dieses Wertes kein Geld mehr von der Karte abgebucht wird und man beliebig oft mit der U-Bahn weiterfahren kann? Oder bedeutet es, dass ab Erreichen des Wertes des Tageslimits die U-Bahn nicht mehr benutzt werden kann?

Hey Marlene, das erste: Du kannst ab Erreichen des Limits weiter fahren, ohne das mehr Geld von deinem Guthaben oder deiner Kreditkarte abgebucht wird 🙂

ich lese mich gerade durch deinen Blog auf Vorbereitung für meine Reise nach London. Vielen Dank für die tollen Infos. Ich lande in Gatwick und wollte mit der Thameslink nach London Blackfriars. Ich habe von einem Bekannten die Oyster Card bekommen und wollte wissen, ob ich mit dieser Karte für diese Linie nutzen kann oder ist das ein separates Ticket, welches ich besorgen muss? Liebe Grüße, Vera

Hey Vera, du kannstOyster Cards und kontaktlose Zahlungsoptionen verwenden, um Fahrpreise im Gatwick Express, den Southern-Zügen und den Thameslink-Zügen zwischen London und dem Flughafen Gatwick zu bezahlen.

Hallo Tim…kann man am Automaten auch eine reine Papier Tageskarte nur für Busse kaufen? vielen Dank

Hey Daniel, das gibt es meines Wissens nach nur für 7-Tageskarten.

Hallo Tim, ich lese seit einigen Tagen in deinem Blog und bin regelrecht begeistert. Vielen Dank dafür. Ich habe aber auch eine Frage. Wir sind von 23.10. – 25.10. in London. Landen in Stansted um 7.30 Uhr unser Hotel ist Holiday Inn London Watford Junction. Warner Bros. Studio Tour haben wir um 15.00 Uhr. Am 24.10. möchten wir gerne London besichtigen und am 25.10. Bis Mittag London und dann zurück zum Flughafen Stansted. Der Flug geht um 19:55 Uhr. Kannst du uns hier was empfehlen wie wir am günstigsten von A nach B an allen Tagen kommen. Wir müssen ja an beiden Tagen immer wieder zum Hotel nach Watford zurück. Ich bin mit der Wahl Trevellcard oder Oyster etwas überfordert. Denke ja von und nach Stansted nehmen wir den Express und zahlen vor Ort immer bis City London. Dann aber 4 Fahrten zwischen London City und Watford. Ist hier Oyster mit Zohne 9 richtig und was kostet dies. Zahlt man einmalig pro Tag oder jede Fahrt einzeln. Schon einmal ganz lieben Dank für deine Hilfe. Viele Grüße aus Magdeburg

Hey Ines, für mich klare Antwort: Oyster Card. Denn Zone 1-9 + Watford Junction ist im Cap der Oyster Card enthalten, sprich in der Tageslimitierung der Kosten aller Fahrten. Es gibt auch eine Travelcard für Zone 1-9 einschließlich Watford Junction. Aber es ist deutlich aufwendiger, denn so müsstet ihr jeden Morgen ein neues Ticket kaufen.

Hallo Tim , Ich fliege das erste mal nach London und fühle mich dank dir jetzt schon als londonkenner ☺️Ich habe aber eine Frage .Ich möchte von Flughafen Heathrow nach Windsor fahren am liebsten mit Bus und direkt ohne umzusteigen und wo bekomme ich das Ticket ? Ich bin begeistert von deiner Seite da ich alles gelesen habe und nur noch Reisefieber habe .Danke und weiter so 👍🏻

Hallo Ilse, danke für Dein Kompliment.

Es gibt unterschiedliche Busse. Z.B. fährt die Linie 8 von Heathrow Terminal 5 nach Windsor. Die Fahrt kostet ca. 12 GBP. Tickets bekommt man beim Fahrer. Es gibt noch weitere Buslinien, wo man aber umsteigen müsste. Leider scheint kein National Express direkt zu fahren. Wenn Du mit umsteigen kein Problem hast, dann schau mal unter http://www.nationalexpress.com/de/home.aspx

Hi Tim, super, dass man dir Fragen stellen darf, vielen Dank schon mal dafür. Ich fliege im Februar 6 Tage mit meiner Tochter (13) nach London. Wir landen in Heathrow und haben eine Unterkunft ziemlich zentral an der Themse. Wir haben an einem Tag auch schon Harry Potter inkl. Transfer gebucht, so dass es egtl nur noch 5 Tage sind die wir evtl. mit der tube unterwegs sein werden. Jetzt die Frage: wir brauchen also schon mal Transfer vom Flughafen in die Stadt und wieder zurück und dann noch Wege für Sehenswürdigkeiten. Was würdest du denn für eine Karte empfehlen? Travel oder Oyster? Sorry, du beantwortest wahrscheinlich immer wieder die gleichen Fragen (mehr oder weniger)…. Danke für deinen Blog und deine Hilfe, liebe Grüsse, Marie

Für dich wäre es eine Oyster Card mit ca. 40 GBP Guthaben. Für die Kleine laut meiner Entscheidungshilfe eine Peak Zone 1-2 Wochen-Travelcard für ca. £17.60 +zwei Zone 1-6 Einzelfahrten für £6 (Fahrten nach/von Heathrow). Beides kannst Du z.B. in der Heathrow Underground Station kaufen. Lg

wir planen im August 6 Tage London zu besuchen. Ich wollte dafür 7-Tage London Visitor Travel Cards bestellen. Du schreibst im Artikel, dass die Wochenkarten nur noch in Verbindung mit Oystercard funktionieren. Ich kann sie aber noch in diversen Online-Shops bestellen. Bin mir nun nicht sicher, wie sich das verhält…

Viele Grüße, Tino

Hey Tino, Du kannst die Wochenkarten online z.B. bei Visit Britain bestellen. Vor Ort bekommst Du sie allerdings nur noch auf einer Oyster Card.

Super danke. Also das heißt, wenn ich sie dort bestelle, sind sie dann auch ohne Oyster Card gültig?

Hallo Tim. Ich bin gerade am Planen meines Londonurlaubs Ende April. Ich werde wahrscheinlich 6 Tage bleiben. Ich habe schon gesehen, dass es den London Pass für 6 Tage zusätzlich Oyster Card mit einer Aufladung von 50 Pfund gibt. Ich werde mir überwiegend nur die Sehenswürdigkeiten in der Stadt und die Stadt allgemein anschauen. Allerdings möchte ich auch einmal die Tour in den WB Studios von Harry Potter machen. Wie ich schon gelesen habe, ist der Zug ab Euston am schnellsten dorthin und man kann hier auch die Oyster Card benutzen. Kommt es nun billiger einzelne Tickets für diese Fahrten zu kaufen oder die Oyster Card zu benutzten? Ich werde an diesem Tag auf jeden Fall noch andere Fahrten mit der Card unternehmen. Und gibt es im Bahnhof dann auch die Scanner an denen man die Karten ein- und auschecken muss? Danke schonmal. Deine Blogs sind sehr hilfreich. LG Isabella

Hi Isabella, auf jeden Fall die Oyster Card nutzen. Das ist dann viel günstiger, weil das quasi mit den weiteren Fahrten an diesem Tag verrechnet wird (Stichwort Daily Capping, denn Zone 1-9 + Watford Junction gehört noch zu den Stadtringen/Tarifzonen). Wenn Du Einzelfahrten kaufst, dann kommen diese immer “on top”. Ganz genau, der Bahnhof hat auch die gelben Auscheck-Schranken!

Hallo Tim, ich plane mit meiner Tochter im Juli für eine Woche nach London zu fahren. Da wir auch die Harry-Potter-Studios besuchen wollen, habe ich mich für die Oyster-Card entschieden. Jetzt geht es noch um den Stansted-Express: du empfiehlst ja, das Zugticket über https://www.visitbritainshop.com/deutschland/stansted-express-eticket/ zu buchen. Allerdings scheint mir das Duo Saver Ticket Return über https://ticketshop.london.de/fahrkarten-transfers/flughafentransfer-stansted-express doch um einiges günstiger zu sein. Gibt es etwas, was gegen die Buchung auf dieser Seite sprechen würde?

Danke im Voraus und viele Grüße Nicole

Hey, habe ich keine Erfahrungen mit gemacht. Von daher kann ich da nichts zu sagen. Ich bestelle nur bei offiziellen Partnern. Lg

Deine Seite gefällt uns sehr gut – wir konnten schon viele interessante Tipps lesen.

Wir fliegen als Familie (zwei Erwachsene und zwei Kinder 8 und 11) im Februar über Karneval (Freitag bis Montag) nach London Heathrow. Wir wohnen im Novotel London Tower Bridge. Bislang geplante Ausflüge sind die HP Studios mit öffentlichen Verkehrsmitteln und nach Greenwich möchten wir auch. Ansonsten werden wir ein paar klassische Touristenziele ansteuern, Big Ben, etc…gerne würden wir auch den Heathrow Express nehmen.

Wir möchten jetzt die Oyster Card bestellen. Jetzt habe ich gesehen, dass der Heathrow Express nicht akzeptiert wird…ist das neu? Und welches Guthaben sollten wir einplanen?

Herzlichen Dank!! Liebe Grüße Karin

Ab Dienstag, dem 19. Februar 2019, geht erst Contactless und Oyster für den Heathrow Express. Davor nicht. Liebe Grüße

Hallo Tim, dein Blog ist der absolute Wahnsinn und total hilfreich! Wir fliegen Ende Oktober für 4 Tage nach London und holen uns vorab die Oyster Card. Jetzt meine Frage, wenn ich am Ende noch Guthaben auf der Karte habe, bekomme ich es wieder? Falls ja, wo kann ich mir das Guthaben auszahlen lassen?

Vielen Dank und liebe Grüße Linda

Hey, danke Dir! Wenn das verbleibende Guthaben £ 10 oder weniger beträgt, kannst Du eine Rückerstattung von einem U-Bahn-Ticketautomaten erhalten. Dafür einfach die Karte an den gelben Leser ranhalten und auf “Refund” drücken und den weiteren Anweisungen folgen. Alles drüber wird nicht ausgezahlt. D.h. man müsste im Vorhinein ein wenig rechnen, dass das einigermaßen hinkommt.

Das Ganze ginge auch über den Postweg: TfL Customer Services 4th Floor 14 Pier Walk London SE10 0ES

Hallo! 🙂 Wir fliegen Ende Oktober nach London und haben an einem Tag die HP Studio Tour geplant.

Ich habe mich ein bisschen durchgelesen, wenn ich das richtig verstanden habe sind die Tickets nach Watford billiger wenn man nach 9.30 fährt? (das geht sich in unserem Fall aus weil wir die Tour am frühen NM gebucht haben) Und bei der Oyster Card (diese werden wir für unseren London Aufenthalt verwenden) gibt es ein Tageshöchstlimit? Also erreichen wir unser Limit mit der Fahrt nach Watford. Wenn wir dann am Abend nochmal mit der Ubahn fahren (bzw. am Vormittag vom Hotel zum Bahnhof), wird das dann extra abgerechnet?

Oder ist es günstiger, das Ticket zu den Studio Tours extra zu kaufen und die anderen Strecken mit der Oyster Card zu bezahlen?

Ja, nach 09.30 ist die Off-Peak Zeit, also die Zeit nach der Rush-Hour, die dann einen günstigeren Tagestarif zur Folge hat. Genau, wenn Du dann am Abend nochmal fahren willst, dann bezahlst Du nicht mehr als das Tageslimit, was sich aus der Fahrt zur Zone nach Watford ergibt. Das ist dann die günstige Variante.

Wir planen vom 11.03.19 bis 14.03.19 nach London zu fliegen. Landen werden wir in Stansted und auch dort ein Hotel haben. Das bedeutet, dass wir täglich(2 Tage) von Stansted in die Stadt (London Eye etc.) fahren. Welches Ticket würdest du uns empfehlen und auf welchen Preis würde sich das belaufen?

Schon mal ein großes Dankeschön und ein Lob für die Arbeit! Liebe Grüße

Hi Yvonne, von Stansted aus hast Du im Prinzip 2 Möglichkeiten – Bus oder Stansted Express. Dafür brauchst Du Einzeltickets (Hin-und Zurück). Die Oyster oder Travelcard kannst Du für diese Strecken nicht verwenden. Wenn Ihr dann die zwei Tage (wohl in Zone 2) unterwegs seid, nachdem Ihr mit dem Bus oder Stansted Express im Zentrum angekommen seid, eine £15 Visitor Oyster Card. Gesamtkosten £20.

vielen Dank für deinen super ausführlichen Bericht. Ich fliege nächste Woche für 5 Tage nach London, aber ich bin mir total unsicher wie genau das jetzt mit der Oystercard abläuft. Kann man damit auch vom Flughafen Stansted nach Kensington fahren (also mit Bus und U-Bahn) oder geht das nicht? An einem Tag müssen wir vor 09:30 fahren, das geht doch mit der Oystercard oder?

Hi Janine, die Oyster card ist nur gültig für U-Bahn / S-Bahn / Zügen (z.B. Southern und Thameslink) sowie für Busse in den Stadtzonen. Wenn Du mit dem Bus von Stansted in die Stadt möchtest, musst Du da ein extra Ticket kaufen, gleiches gilt für den Stansted Express.

Hallo. Ich habe eine kurze Frage. Ich fahre mit meiner Frau für 3 Tage nach London. Am ersten und am zweiten Tag werden wir auf das Limit der Oystercard kommen so das die Karte sich lohnt. Am letzten Tag brauchen wir aber nur noch eine Fahrt von Waterloo nach Victoria. Ich würde die Karte sehr gerne online bestellen. Allerdings gibt es nur die Schritte 15 und 20 zum Aufladen. Sehe ich es dann richtig, dass wir 2 Karten mit jeweils 20 Pfund Guthaben benötigen? Oder habe ich vielleicht einen Denkfehler? Vielen Dank.

Du kannst vor Ort auch 10 Pfund aufladen. Jeder braucht eine Karte. Zur Not kann man ja auch für eine einzelne Fahrt ein Papierticket am Automaten ziehen.

ich habe mir vorab eine 7-Tage Wochenkarte (Travelcard) bestellt… Jetzt verstehe ich das nicht, dass diese auf eine Oyster Card geladen werden muss. Wie habe ich mir das vorzustellen? Muss ich mir in London jetzt noch eine Oyster Card kaufen? Könntest Du mir das bitte erklären?

Gruß Marcus

Hi. Ne ne, du kriegst eine Papierkarte, alles gut. Diese 7 Tageskarte ist aber nur online kaufbar, vor Ort kriegst du die nur über eine Oyster Card. Die Karte aus dem Netz ist nur nicht für den 2for1 Offer vom DaysOutGuide gültig

Hallo Tim, vielen Dank für deine ausführlichen und interessanten Berichte 🙂 Habe mich jetzt für die Oyster-Card entschieden, bin mir aber mit der Aufladung unsicher. Wir werden drei Tage in London verbringen, unser Hotel liegt in Croydon und einen Tag möchten wir auf eigene Faust in die Studios von Harry Potter (dank deinem tollen Bericht :-)) Hast du eine Empfehlung für mich? Vielen Dank und liebe Grüße aus dem Saarland Susanne

Hi, es sollten so um die £40 reichen. Zur Not kannst Du es ja jeder Zeit nachladen. Viel Spass

Hi Tim, ich wollte mal fragen, ob es die Papier-Tageskarte (ist das eigentlich nun ‘ne Travelcard? Bin total verwirrt) auch irgendwo am Flughafen Heathrow zu kaufen gibt. Wollte von dort aus mit der U-Bahn zum Hotel und im Anschluss die Stadt mit Hilfe von Bussen erkunden (Hatte so tolle Routen rausgesucht!). Jetzt erfahre ich, im Bus kann man nicht bar bezahlen, sondern muss schon vorher irgendwie ein Ticket haben. Merry Xmas, Miri

Richtig, im Bus benötigst Du entweder bereits eine Oyster Card oder eine Travelcard. Am Heathrow Airport bekommst Du alle Karten, da es eine ganz normale Underground Station ist (sind). Die Papier-Tageskarte, die Du meinst, ist die Travelcard. Ist aber nur relevant für den 2for1 Offer vom DaysOutGuide. Lg

Hallo, Erstmal hast du einen tollen Blog hier. Mit welchen Verkehrsmitteln kann ich mit der Oyester Card fahren ? U-Bahn,Bus und ?????

Hi, schau mal hier, was man mit der Oyster Card alles fahren kann: https://tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-payments/oyster/using-oyster/where-you-can-use-oyster

Hi Tim, schön das es für alle Belange Blogger wie dich gibt. Diese Seiten sind immer sehr hilfreich, aber leider beantworten sie auch nicht alles… Deswegen hier meine Frage an dich. Was kostet ein Einzehlticket von Liverpool Street zum Big Ben, nach 9.30Uhr? Oder macht ein Tagesticket mehr Sinn, bin aber nur paar Stunden da und fahr eigentlich nur einmal zum Big Ben und wieder zurück?

Viele Grüße Olli

Hi, Zone 1 Einzelfahrt kostet £4.90 cash oder £2.40 mit der Oyster Card. Travelcard für Zone 1-2 kostet £12.00.

Hi Tim, ich bin mit meinem Sohn (12J.) für einen Tag in London. Hab ich bei allen deinen Infos zur Travel-Card und der Nutzung von 2for1 Nachlässen alles richtig verstanden?

1. Papier- Travel- Card online kaufen ( bei z. B https://www.visitbritainshop.com/deutschland/london-travelcard/ ) 2. bei https://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/ geplante Sehnswürdigkeiten auswähle, downloaden, ausdrucken 3. beides mit nach London nehmen 4. Travel-Card nutzen um von A nach B zu kommen 5. z.b am London Eye den ausgedruckten Gutschein plus Travel- Card vorzeigen und ermäßigten Eintritt zahlen 6. SPAß haben

P.S. Genialer Blog……Daumen hoch….werde auf jeden Fall Pancakes essen gehen- koste es was es wolle….

Hi Silke, danke für das Feedback. Fast alles richtig, außer Punkt 1 – Du brauchst für den 2for1 ein Papierticket, welches bei der National Rail gekauft wurde, die Travelcards aus dem Internet von VB gehen hierfür nicht. Also die Travelcard kaufen an einer der folgenden Stationen (im National Rail Bereich, nicht im Underground Bereich – also oben): Victoria, Kings Cross, St Pancras International, Paddington, Euston, Charing Cross, Waterloo, London Bridge, Liverpool Street, Marylebone, Fenchurch Street, Cannon Street, Blackfriars, City Thameslink Station, Vauxhall. Bei der Wochenkarte bitte beachten, dass man sie zwar vor Ort am Automaten kaufen kann – diese ist dann allerdings nur gültig ist, wenn man eine Photocard hat. (siehe Beitrag)

Um aus der Tube wieder raus zu kommen, muss man dazu seine Travelcard auch wieder in einen Scanner halten oder kann man einfach so raus? Was passiert, wenn man über seine Zone hinaus gefahren ist mit einer Travelcard und möchte raus?

Wenn man eine Travelcard 1-2 hat und möchte einmal nach Greenwich, Zone 3, wie fährt man am günstigsten?

Ja sowohl beim Reingehen als auch beim Rausgehen. Wenn Du in eine andere Zone fährst als Du bezahlt hast, so wird Deine Karte beim Auschecken nicht akzeptiert werden, die Türen werden sich nicht öffnen und es wird anfangen zu piepen. Dann musst Du wahrscheinlich die Differenz zahlen. Du könntest entweder gleich eine Oyster Card nehmen und dann Pay as you Go Guthaben verfahren (mit Daily Capping) oder Du kaufst noch eine Einzelfahrt hinzu.

Man kann dann am Ausgang gleich auch den Rest bezahlen? Eine Einzelfahrt von Zone 1 oder 2 wäre wohl teurer als am Ende die Differenz zu zahlen?

Hi, ne da hast Du mich falsch verstanden. Das ist grundsätzlich nicht erlaubt und fällt eher unter die Kategorie Schwarzfahren. Wenn man Glück hat sind die dann so nett und lassen einen die Differenz bezahlen, aber eher muss man da eine Strafe zahlen, die liegt bei ca. £40. Es gibt die Möglichkeit eine sogenannte Extension Fahre zu der Travelcard zu kaufen (uns zwar vor der Fahrt in eine weitere Zone, die Deine Travelcard nicht abdeckt). Diese hat man früher zumindest immer am Ticketschalter erhalten, wenn man seine Travelcard vorgezeigt hat. Somit zahlt man nur die Differenz. Wenn Du zum Beispiel in Zone 5 möchtest und Du nur eine Travelcard für Zone 1-2 hast, bezahlst Du den Tarif für die Fahrt in Zone 3-5 extra. Aber ich bin ganz ehrlich, das hat früher schon kaum niemand so wirklich verstanden und genau deswegen wurde die Oyster Card (weiter) entwickelt. Und ich weiß nicht, ob das noch möglich ist. Dafür fahre ich zu selten mit der Travelcard.

Hi, nochmal eine Frage zur Travelcard. Kann ich die Wochentravelcard für die 2 für 1 Atrraktionen nutzen?

Ja, soweit sie als Papierticket von der National Rail gekauft ist (siehe Artikel).

Hallo Tim, Deine Seite hilft sehr. Eine kurze Frage: Wir reisen zu dritt nach London. Benötigt jede Person eine Oyster-Card oder genügt es, wenn man eine kauft? Wo kauft man das Ticket von Stansted zur Liverpool Station? Vielen Dank! Wolfgang

Hi Wolfgang! Jeder benötigt eine eigene Karte. Tickets von Stansted zur Liverpool Station (Stansted Express) kaufst Du am besten vorher online, weil es einfach Zeit spart. Habe Dir mal einen Link erstellt: goo.gl/mny34d – ansonsten sind Tickets auch vor Ort am Flughafen erhältlich an den Automaten oder an einem Schalter.

Hallo Tim Meine Tochter fliegt für vier Wochen nach London! Wir haben noch eine Oyster Visitor Card! Sie muss haupsächlich von Zone 2 bis Zone 6 fahren. Was würde mich das aufladen kosten, im Gegensatz zu einer Tracelcard als Monatskarte? Würde mich über ein paar Tipps freuen. LG Sabine

Hi, das Aufladen kann individuell gemacht werden, je nach Bedarf in 5er bzw. 10er Schritten 😉

deine Seite hat mir richtig Lust auf die Klassenfahrt gemacht, die ich in Kürze (Mai) mit meiner Klasse unternehme. Ich habe nach dem Lesen der Posts verstanden, dass die Zone 1+2 Travelcard für uns ideal wäre (wohnen in Zone 2), um die 2 für 1 Deals zu nutzen. Wir bleiben 5 Tage (Bedarf für Transport nur an 4 Tagen). Ich hätte die 7 Tage Travelcard für knapp 33 gewählt. Jetzt habe ich aber auch gelesen, dass es selbst vor Ort nur noch die “aufgebuchte” Oystercard gibt? Ich kenne auch den Tipp eine günstige Kurzstrecke nach London zu kaufen, um in den Genuss der 2 für 1 Aktionen zu kommen. Da gab’s allerdings den Hinweis, dass diese nicht überall akzeptiert werden. Ich bin jetzt unsicher, was für uns die sinnvollste Variante ist??? Gibt’s die 7 Tage Papier Travelcard doch noch (irgendwo)? Woher weiß ich, ob die Attraktion dieses günstige single fare ticket akzeptiert. Ist es wirklich egal, ob’s abgestempelt ist oder nicht? Irgendwo las ich auch, dass man eine Hin- und Rückfahrt buchen kann und dann während der ganzen Zeit das Ticket gelten würde (kann ich mir nur schwer vorstellen). Und wie viele 2 für 1 Deals kann man am Tag nutzen? Wäre super, wenn du mir Tipps geben könntest. Viele Grüße -Isabel

Hi, hierzu noch einmal https://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/faqs . Laut Aussage der Seite sind Anytime Tickets und Off-Peak Tickets, die bei National Rail gekauft sind, gültig für die Deals. Es gehen hier die Meinungen aber auseinander. Einige haben schon die Erfahrung gemacht, dass Einzeltickets nicht akzeptiert werden. Das ist eine Grauzone leider. Am sichersten ist man hier mit der Travelcard. Aber wenn man es eng sieht, dann müssen die einen mit einem Einzelticket durchlassen.

ich bin für 7 Tage in London und würde dann deiner Beschreibung nach eine 7 Tage Travelcard vor Ort an der National Rail Station kaufen. Mir ist wichtig das die 2for1 Vorteile gelten! Auf welche Variante bezieht sich dein letzter Satz, dass das 2for1 NICHT gilt?

“Achtung: 7 Tageskarten (Wochenkarten) sind mittlerweile nur noch über eine Oyster Card möglich (Travelcard muss in dem Fall auf eine Oyster Card gebucht werden. Alternativ muss man ein Passfoto mitnehmen, dann wird ein Print Ticket mit einem Phototicket erstellt). Mit einer solchen kann man dieses Angebot nicht wahrnehmen!”

Mit freundlichen Grüßen Nicole

Die Photocard kann man als Papiertickets für den 2for1 nehmen, die Oyster Card nicht. Das war damit gemeint 😉

Hi Tim, habe deine Infos mit Interesse gelesen und habe noch eine Frage: Wir werden nächstes Jahr nach London fahren und ich möchte online jeweils eine Tages-Travelcard für die An- und Abreise sowie eine 7-Tages-Travelcard bestellen. Ich weiß jetzt aber irgendwie nicht, was ich dann geliefert bekomme. Kriege ich dann “fertige” Karten, die ich nur mehr ans Lesegerät halten muss oder muss ich die gelieferten Karten noch irgendwie umtauschen oder mit Foto versehen etc? Ich wollte nämich per online quasi eine Sorglos-Option erhalten. Habe ich dann sofort eine solche? Danke für deine Info.

Hi, die 7 Tages Travelcard bekommst Du online “fertig”, d.h. Du kannst die direkt nutzen. Das mit der Photo Card ist nur notwendig für Leute, die mit einer 7 Tage-Travelcard das 2for1 Offer nutzen wollen – die muss dafür nämlich aus Papier sein und darf eben nicht online gekauft wurden sein sondern vor Ort – und da kriegt man diese nur noch als Photocard 😉

Wir landen am 1. Dezember gegen 22 Uhr in Stansted und wollen auch das 2for1 Angebot nutzen. Ich habe mir jetzt deine Antworten durchgelesen, werde jedoch noch nicht so richtig schlau daraus. Kann ich am Schalter oder Automaten von National Rail (Stansted Airport oder Liverpool Street) eine Travelcard kaufen die dafür gültig ist? Und benötige ich auch Passfotos dafür? Ich kenne bisher nur die im Internet bestellten Travelcards für die ja kein Foto benötigt wird. Ich habe bereits 2 Oyster Cards zuhause von meinem letzten Aufenthalt. Aber so wie ich das jetzt verstanden habe, kann ich die Travelcards die dort draufgeladen werden nicht für das Angebot nutzen oder?

Hi Melissa,

auf deren Website heißt es: Folgende Karten sind nicht zulässig: “Oyster Cards, Transport for London (TfL) issued Travelcards, including Travelcards bought on visitorshop.tfl.gov.uk” Folgende Karten sind zulässig: “National Rail orange paper tickets including: Advance, Anytime, Off-Peak, Super Off-Peak, Travelcards – purchased from a National Rail station only” – das bedeutet du musst zwingend ein Papierticket haben, welches Du an einer National Rail Station gekauft hast, wie zum Beispiel Waterloo Station, London Bridge, King’s Cross. An den einfachen Underground Station ohne National Rail Anbindung nicht (man sieht da bei Maps u.a. an dem National Rail Symbol – hier aber nochmal eine Liste, an welchen Stationen man die Papier Travelcards an Bahnstationen bekommt: http://www.toptiplondon.com/places-to-visit/2-for-1-offers/where-to-buy-paper-travelcard ). Und das sollte dann auch mit der Photocard klappen.

Deine Tipps haben mir sehr weiter geholfen. Die Wahl des richtigen Tickets hat mich wirklich einige Stunden Zeit gekostet! Echt nervig das Thema. Zu guter letzt habe ich mich für die Travelcard entschieden, aber nur wegen der Nutzungsmöglichkeit der 2 für 1 Angebote. Wichtig bei der Wochenkarte: Ihr benötigt definitiv ein Passfoto! Meine Erfahrungen mit der Travelcard habe ich auch auf Youtube veröffentlicht: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPCG9ZBcYiE

Hi, das stimmt, in der Regel werden die ja nur noch auf Oyster Cards geladen, aber die Option gibt es ja auch noch.

Hallo Danke für die ganzen Informationen, es hat sehr geholfen mich ein bisschen zu orientieren. Jedoch habe ich eine Frage. Ich bin mit 2 Kollegen von Dienstag bis Freitag in London. Dort haben wir eine Unterkunft bei der Upton Lane. Kann ich dafür einfach eine Tageskarte für 4 Tage buchen oder ist das nichtmehr in der Zone dafür also muss ich irgendwie die Fahrten einzeln bis ins Zentrum lösen?

Hi, Upton Park z.B. liegt in Zone drei und ist die dichteste Station. Hier kannst Du entweder eine Oyster Card holen oder eine Travelcard. Beides möglich

auch ich bin total begeistert von deinem Blog 🙂 Ich fliege nächsten Monat nach London und bin mir nicht sicher ob ich die Visitor Oyster Card schon im Voraus bestellen soll oder mir dann am Flughafen in Heathrow kaufen soll. Was würdest du mir empfehlen ?

Vorher bestellen bis ca. 2 Wochen vor Anreise ist meiner Meinung nach die einfachste Variante, spart einfach Zeit und Nerven, gerade wenn man vielleicht das erste Mal in London ist 😉

danke für deine Antwort 🙂

Ich hatte eigentlich geplant für einen 4 tägigen Aufenthalt eine 7 Tage Travelcard bei National Rail zu kaufen um somit auch die 2 für 1 Angebote bei den Attraktionen nutzen zu können. Verstehe ich es richtig, dass 2 für 1 mit dem 7 Tages Ticket nicht mehr möglich ist? 🙁

Hi, auf der offiziellen Website https://visitorshop.tfl.gov.uk/help/travelcard/ ist der Hinweis, dass die 7 Tage Travelcards vor Ort nur noch auf Oysters gebucht werden. Online bekommt man sie noch als Papierticket, aber diese nicht für die Aktion nicht zulässig. Deswegen ja, mit Wochenkarten nach dieser Logik nicht mehr möglich.

Hi, ich habe eine kurze kleine Frage : Bekomme ich die Travelcard an der U-Bahn Station “Stratford” ??

Hallo Tim, erstmal ein mega genialer Blog, den Du hier erstellt hast !!!!

Ich fahre im Oktober für 2 Tage nach London. (Mit Frau und Kind) Landen tun wir in Stansted. Übernachten werden wir im Viking Hotel in Stratford. Wir fahren mit dem Easybus bis Stratford Station und von da aus zum Hotel.

Hab ein paar Fragen : – Bei 2 Tagen Aufenthalt, kaufe ich da am besten eine Travelcard ? Wenn ja, besser vor Ort oder vorher online ? – Wo kann ich sehen, wie lange abends die U-Bahn von der Londoner City nah Stratford fährt ? – Kann ich auch abends ohne Probleme vom Stratford Bahnhof zum Viking Hotel laufen (Sicherheit) oder sollte man lieber mit dem Bus bis zum Hotel fahren ?

Ich würde mich freuen, wenn du mir Antworten auf meine Fragen geben kannst !!!

Hi Olli, bei 2 Tagen würde ich die Oyster Card nehmen, gerade bei Bewegungen in den zentralen Ringen. Online ist ne super Sache, z.B. im VisitBritain Shop. Aber vor Ort bekommt man die auch problemlos überall. Am besten checkst Du die Verbindung vorab auf https://tfl.gov.uk/plan-a-journey/ – hier kann man auch Zeiten usw. eingeben. Naja, auf besagten Weg laufen Abends schon durchaus komische Vögel rum, aber nach meinen Erfahrungen harmlos. Ich persönlich nehme aber auch immer den Bus, wenn gerade einer fährt, aber ich bin den Weg erst im März immer abends alleine gegangen und ich lebe noch 😉

kurze frage undzwar Fliege ich vom 27.12 – 30.12 wir landen in Heathrow. Sprich wir sind 4 tage in London lohnt sich da die oyster card mehr ? oder die Travelcard ?

Hi, ab vier Tagen kann sich schon die 7 Day Travelcard lohnen, besonders wenn ihr nur in den zentralen Ringen unterwegs seid. Bei 4 Tagen wird aber die preisliche Differenz noch nicht gravierend sein. Beachte das 2for1 bei Paper Travelcards der National Rail 😉

super Seite!!! Danke 🙂 Also ich hätte da doch nochmal kurz ne Frage: Von Stansted in die City wäre der Bus am Preiswertesten. So ein Wochenticket würde sich für uns nicht rangieren, sind allerdings nur drei Tage dort. Ich erinnere mich daran, dass wir früher immer ein Ticket ausserhalb gekauft haben, mit dem Zug in die Stadt und (mit dem gleichen Ticket) auch in London (Underground&Bus) fahren konnten. Allerdings konnten wir London zwischen 18.30 – 19:00 Uhr nicht verlassen. Weißt du vielleicht was für ein Ticket das war bzw. was für ein Ticket lohnt sich für drei Tage London (und evt. mit Transfer vom bzw. zum Flughafen)?

Vielen Dank im Voraus!

Hi Jule, so ein Ticket ist mir leider nicht bekannt. Stansted liegt außerhalb der 6 Zonen für den TfL-Verkehr (Stadtringe). Für diesen gibt es Zeitkarten (Tageskarten, Wochenkarten, Monatskarten) in Form einer Travelcard (Paper oder “On Oyster”) oder man nimmt einfach die Oyster Card und lässt sich sein Guthaben wie im Artikel beschrieben täglich abschmelzen. Für 3 Tage wäre in der Regel die Oyster Card noch die günstigere Variante. Ab 4 Tagen lohnt sich oft schon die Travelcard (Wochenkarte). Beachte auch das 2for1 Angebot (siehe Artikel)

Hey, ich habe eine Frage zu Travelcard. Du hast geschrieben man kann keine Travelcard für 7 Tage kaufen, bzw man kann sich nur eine Oyster card kaufen?! Im Internet stehen überall andere Angaben und das praktischste wäre für mich halt eine sieben Tage Travelcard direkt in London an einer U-bahn Station zu kaufen. Ist das komplett nicht möglich? Eine Oyster card kann ich doch nur aufladen? lg

Hi, Du kannst eine Travelcard kaufen, kannst aber auch auf Deine Oyster Card eine Travelcard für 7 Tage buchen, indem du das sozusagen mit deinem Guthaben kaufst und dann ist das auf Deiner Oyster Karte so hinterlegt, kannst Dích also 7 Tage entsprechend damit fortbewegen, muss man halt immer abwägen ob das mit “Pay as you go” vielleicht günstiger ist.

Hallo Tim, dein Block ist echt super ich habe dort schon viele Dinge über London erfahren die mir weiterhelfen.Danke schon mal dafür .Aber ich habe noch ein paar Fragen an dich: Wir landen am Flughafen Stansted kann man dort ihrendwo die Travelcard für 7 Tage kaufen? Wir werden mit dem National Express nach London rein fahren dieses müsste doch auch ein Bahnhof der National rail sein oder?Wir wohnen in Ilford, können wir von dort direkt mit den Zug bis zur Liverpool Street fahren oder ist dieser nicht der Travelcard enthalten?Und meine letzte Frage wir wollen einen Tag zur der HarryPotter Studios in Watford fahren, wie kommen wir dort am preisgünstigsten hin unsere Travelcards gehen für die Zone 1-4? Danke schon mal in vor raus für deine Antwort. LG Nic

Hi, solche Karten bekommt man an allen National Rail Stationen bzw. Underground Stationen, Stansted Airport hat solche aber nicht direkt. Ilford liegt im Stadtring, also ist noch enthalten. Die Harry Potter Filmstudios liegen in Watford, Watford High Street liegt noch in Zone 8 und wäre bei entsprechender Gültigkeit des Tickets enthalten. Watford Junction, eine Station weiter, kostet allerdings extra, man könnte von Watford High Street ein Einzelticket lösen und von dort aus mit dem Bus fahren. Ich muss mich korrigieren: Bis Watford Junction ist bei Oyster auch ein Cap drin, bei der Travelcard gibt es hier auch einen speziellen Tagespreis, klick dich oben im Artikel mal in die Preisliste ein.

Hallo, ich werde nächste Woche von Dienstag 7 Uhr morgens bis Mittwochs 9 Uhr Abends in London seien. Möchte da in der Innenstadt fotografieren ? Ist da die Oystercard die beste Alternative für mich ?

Super Blog übrigens 😉 Habe mir schon einiges von hier notiert !

Hi, für 2 Tage ist grundsätzlich die Oyster Card die etwas bessere Variante. Beachte aber, dass die Karte selbst 5 GBP Pfand kostet, sodass der “Verwaltungsaufwand” etwas höher ist.

Hey, danke für die Tipps. Kleine Lücken bei mir bestehen noch, London ist bei mir schon 20 Jahre her:

– Was bedeutet es, wenn es wie bei Kew Garden Zone 3+4 heißt?G eht auch die Travelcard Zone 3 noch? – Wenn ich die DLR nutzen muss will, kann ich das auch mit der Travelcard von national rail (will ich ja wegen den day out tickets ) machen?

Danke vorab.

Hi, ja DLR ist inkludiert und mit der Travelcard fahrbar. Die Station Kew Gardens gehört noch zur Zone 3, sieht auf der Map nur ein wenig Komisch aus, “Kew Gardens Station (District Line — Richmond branch and London Overground) is the closest London Underground station, and is in zone 3.”

Hallo Tim 🙂

Finde deine Seite klasse!

Ich fliege bald für 2 Monate nach London und wollte mich über eine Monatskarte informieren, aber alles was ich bisher fand war für max. 7 Tage.

Du hast auch einmal kurz etwas von einer Monatskarte erwähnt und auf einer anderen Seite las ich, dass die ca. 110€ kosten.

Meine Frage ist jetzt, wo kann ich die kaufen? Auch am Automaten? Ich war zwar jetzt schon öfter in London, aber nie so lange und kam deswegen mit einer Travelcard super hin.

Ja klar Monatskarten gibt es auch an den Automaten der Underground-Stationen oder am Schalter, die kosten je nach Zone zwischen £124.50 (1-2) und £227.00 (1-6).

Hallo Tim, vorab möchte ich mich für deinen informativen und hilfreichen Beitrag bedanken. Ich werde in ein paar Tagen mit meinem Vater nach London fliegen. Wir landen in Stansted Airpot, anschließend werden wir einen National Express nehmen und bis London Mile End fahren. Danach werden wir an Mile Ende die West Ruislip nehmen und bis Queensway fahren, da dort unser Hotel sein wird. Sozusagen, wir werden von Zone 6 zur Zone 1 fahren. Und meine Frage ist, wenn wir unsere Tickets am Automaten kaufen, wird dann alles berechnet und die Zonen berücksichtigt? Oder müssten wir etwas berücksichtigen? Ich würde mich um eine Antwort freuen und wünsche dir einen schönen Tag : – )

Hi, ja wenn Du die Oyster Card holst, dann wird das automatisch berechnet und von Deinem Guthaben abgezogen, da brauch man sich um nichts zu kümmern außer sich entsprechend ein- und auszulaugen. Bei der Travelcard kaufst Du die Zonen, die Du bereisen möchtest, ja vorher, sodass Du hier automatisch Zugang zu allen Stationen in diesen Zonen hast.

Hallo, ich bin ganz glücklich, dass ich auf diesen Blog gestoßen bin – vielen Dank dafür!!!! Wir fahren mit unserer 11jährigen Tochter im August über London weiter nach Südengland mit dem Auto. Wir werden in einem Hotel in Wembley wohnen und wissen noch nicht, wo wir parken sollen, weil das Hotel keinen Parkplatz hat. Sollte ich vielleicht mal das Hotel anschreiben, oder? Jetzt zu der Frage Oyster Card oder Travelcard. Hier ist ja schon ganz viel geschrieben worden. Trotzdem ist es für mich immer noch undurchsichtig 🙁 Wir sind drei Tage in London und werden uns in der City aufhalten. Nur vom Hotel und zum Hotel wird es wohl etwas weiter werden. Das Hotel liegt in Zone 4. Was ist nun das Günstigeste für uns: Oyster oder Travelcard? Unsere Tochter kann nur die Travelcard nutzen, oder? Beide Karten bekommt man doch am U-Bahn-Automaten? Unsere Tochter möchte unbedingt zum Madame Tussaud. Sollte ich die Karten hier schon bestellen, oder lieber in London kaufen. Weiter wissen wir noch nicht genau, was wir uns anschauen möchten. Es sollte zumindest kein Stress werden und wir lassen uns treiben. Was ist denn dieser 2for1 Voucher? Vielen lieben Dank für eine Aufklärung der Verwirrung. Groooooooßes Lob für diesen Blog!!

Hi, ab 4 Tagen ist eine Travelcard für 7 Tage günstiger als 4 für einzelne Tage. Für 3 einzelne Travelcards für 3 Tage (2 Erwachsene, 1 Kind bis 15 Jahre) würdest Du ungefähr 123 Euro bezahlen, gucke hierzu mal hier: https://www.visitbritainshop.com/deutschland/london-travelcard/ . Mit der Oyster Card kann man mittlerweile auch den reduzierten Tarif für Kinder einstellen für 14 Tage lang. Für Zone 1-4 zahlen Erwachsene maximal £9.30 pro Tag, also 55,80GBP für 3 Tage, Kinder zahlen 3x£4.65, also knapp 70 GBP, was ca. 90€ entspricht (plus 5BPG Pfand pro Karte). Für diesen Kinder Rabatt müsst ihr euch in der Station an einen Mitarbeiter wenden, z.B. am Schalter. https://tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-payments/oyster/using-oyster/price-capping und https://tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-payments/travel-for-under-18s/travelling-with-children#on-this-page-0 Das 2for1 ist ein Angebot, mit dem man spezielle Attraktionen für 2 zum Preis von einen besuchen könnt. Hierzu habe ich bereits einiges auf der Seite hier geschrieben.

vielen herzlichen Dank an dich. Freute mich, deine Zeilen zu lesen. In drei Wochn geht’s los und wir , 4 Leute, werden deine Lieblingsstadt genießen. Teils das erste Mal, teils aber auch als Mehrfachtäter; allerdings war noch nie der Tripp nach Windsor dabei. Diesmal ist es fällig …..

Danke nochmals und weiterhin viel Spaß in London und auf deinem Blog.. Beide Daumen hoch!

I’m very amused über deinen Blog. RE,SPEKT und DANKE für deine Zeit dazu. Kurz und knapp meine Frage: Habe soeben die Oyster Card online bestellt mit erster Aufladung. Nun die Frage an dich, ob sie auch nutzbar ist für die Fahrt nach Windsor Castle? Zug? Bus oder andre Transportmittel? Und auch die Frage mit welchem Zug man da am Besten hinfährt. Wohne an der Bayswater.

LG aus Bayern

Hi, nein mit der Oyster Card kannst Du nicht nach Windsor Castle fahren, da es außerhalb der innerstädtischen Zonen liegt. Ihr müsstet hierfür ein extra Hin-und Rückfahrtticket an einer Zugstation wie Waterloo oder Paddington kaufen. Inhaber von Travelcards erhalten auf solche Fahrten auch noch einen Rabatt.

Hallo Tim, ich fliege mit einer Freundin für 7 Tage nach London und dank deinem Blogg hab ich festgestellt, dass die Travelcard für 7 Tage die günstigste Variante für uns ist. Ich bin vorher schon auf die 2for1 Offers gestoßen. In den Bedingungen steht jedoch, dass die Travelcard nicht akzeptiert wird. Jetzt bin ich etwas verwirrt. Ist es sicher, dass die 2for1 mit der Travelcard zu verbinden sind oder nicht. Liebe Grüße und Danke im Vorraus Julia

Es heißt: “Travelcards – only when purchased from a National Rail station” – dh, die muss so orange aussehen. National Rail Stations erkennst Du daran, dass diese an den Emblemen dieses rote Zeichen haben, wie zum Beispiel King’s Cross, Euston, Victoria, Charing Cross usw. Diese Stationen haben Verbindungen zu den National Rail Zügen.

War zwar selbst schon einige Male in London, habe aber trotzdem einiges Interessantes und Neues in deinem Blog erfahren. Bei meinen Aufenthalten habe ich mir immer die Day Travel Card am Automaten bei der Underground geholt. Jetzt meine Frage: Wo bekomme ich die Oyster Card? Kann man die genauso am Automaten kaufen? Und wie genau funktioniert das mit dem Aufladen (wo kann man aufladen und lädt man gleich den Betrag für den ganzen Aufenthalt auf, oder nur für den jeweiligen Tag) ? Wäre sehr dankbar für einige Zusatzinformationen bezüglich der Oyster Card

schon einmal Danke im Voraus (:

Hi, die Oyster Card bekommst Du nicht am Automaten, sondern an jeder Station, die auch einen Schalter hat. Dort holst Du Dir die Karte gegen eine Leihgebühr von 5 Pfund. Das Aufladen kannst Du dann direkt beim Kauf der Karte machen, aber auch immer wieder an allen Automaten – da sind so gelbe Scanner dran, Du musst die Karte dann daranhalten und dann kommst Du sozusagen in das Menü, wo Du dann A: Dein aktuellen Guthaben angucken kannst und B: einen Betrag aufladen kannst. 🙂

Ich fliege nächsten Monat mit meinem Freund nach London. Wir wollten wissen wie wir am günstigsten vom Flughafen Stansted in die Stadt kommen. Letztes Jahr bin ich mit einem Bus gefahren hatte ca. £16 gekostet. Gestern habe ich gelesen das der Zug (der ja wesentlich schneller ist) für den Hin- und Rückweg £28 kostet. Stimmt das ? Und ist es sinnvoller dieses Ticket dann online zu kaufen ?

Wie funktioniert das mit der oyster? Bekommt man da Geld zurück ?

Hi, ja “If you no longer need your Oyster card, you can get your pay as you go credit (up to £10), and your deposit (if you paid one) refunded at Tube station ticket machines.”

Du kannst den Easybus nehmen, den National Express oder auch den Stansted Express (Zug) – letzteres würde ich tatsächlich auch online vorab buchen

Hallo Tim! Kann man die Travelcard für 7 Tage sicher vor Ort kaufen? Auf diversen Seiten steht, dass diese nur online erhältlich ist.

Kannst du mir auch das 2for1 Angebot erklären? LG

Hi, ja das kann man. Aber nur über die Oyster Card – “If you buy a 7 Day Travelcard from a Tube station, Oyster Ticket Stop or London Travel Information Centre when you get to London, it will be issued to you on an Oyster Card.” Oyster Cards sind allerdings nicht gültig mit dem 2for1 Offer. Hierfür bräuchtest Du ein Papierticket: https://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/travel-by-train/is-my-ticket-valid-for-2for1

Hi Tim! Erstmal, dein Blog ist wirklich super, habe schon viele nützliche Infos gefunden 🙂 Trotzdem habe ich noch eine Frage, die du mir vielleicht beantworten kannst.. Ich fliege in 2 Wochen für insgesamt 6 Tage mit meiner Schwester nach London, unser Hotel ist in Zone 1, sodass wir am Überlegen sind, uns eine 7 – Tage – Travelcard zu kaufen. Bekomme ich diese vor Ort in London? Sie jetzt noch online zu kaufen ist uns zu riskant.. Auf anderen Internetseiten hab ich gelesen, dass man vor Ort ein Passbild zum beantragen braucht, hast du damit Erfahrung? Wäre super, wenn du mir helfen kannst, langsam blick ich nämlich nicht mehr durch 😀

Vielen Lieben Dank 🙂

Hi, kauf die Karte einfach vor Ort direkt, das macht eigentlich kein Unterscheid. Du brauchst hierfür kein Foto. Nimm dann entsprechend die Karte für Zone 1-4 (kleinster Kreis) 😉

Hi, hab auch ne Frage an Dich. Flieg am 15.1. für einen Tag nach London, und möchte ein Busticket von Tottenham Hale zum Alexandra Palace, alles gefunden, aber die sagen ich kann dass nur mit ner Karte zahlen. Geht cash garnix???? Und Nachts muss ich dann vom Ally Pally zum Victoria. Kann man die Nachtbusse mit Bargeld zahlen? Die Oyster rentiert sich doch nicht für die 2 Fahrten, oder? D A N K E

Hi, Barzahlung in Bussen gibt es nicht mehr. Da benötigt man Oyster oder ein Papierticket. Du müsstest also eine Oyster Card holen (Kostet 5 GBP Pfand) und dann den Minimalbetrag aufladen. Oder Du nimmst ne Day Travelcard.

Hallo Tim, Ich hätte noch eine Frage.. Wie lange dauert es Ca von der Station stratford zur Baker Street oder Victoria Station ? Oder ist es da sinnvoller mit den Bus direkt bis dorthin zu fahren ? Was halt schneller ist?!

Hallo, wir, 2 Erwachsene+ 2 Kinder, fliegen am 26.12.2015 für 7 Tage nach London, bzw. in die Nähe (Woking). Ich weiß bis jetzt das die Zugverbindung nach London/ Waterloo recht gut ist. Nur komm ich mit den Zug/ U-Bahn- Karten nicht klar. Gibt es hier eine Art Tages- bzw. Wochenkarte das die Zugkosten und U-Bahnkosten abdeckt? Vielleicht finde ich hier Hilfe!

Schöne Grüße Markus

Hallo Markus, der einzige Flughafen, der von der Oyster / Travelcard (alle Zonen für Anreise/Abreisetag kaufen) mit abgedeckt wird, ist Heathrow, da er noch in den Zonen für diese Karten ist. Für alle anderen Flughäfen müsstest Du ein Einzelticket lösen und dann eine Oyster Travelcard extra kaufen, die dann Ubahn und Bus abdeckt.

ich lande in Stansted hatte ich vergessen =)

Hallo Tim, eine schöne informative Seite hast du hier … ich hoffe es ist nun nicht doppelt irgendwie spinnt mein lap top.

Also ich fliege im Januar für ein Tag nach London morgens hin und abends zurück. ich lande natürlich in Stansted. um in die city zu gelangen wo man zur Themse, Buckingham Palast etc. zu gelangen wollte ich bis zur ersten u-Bahn station den easybus nehmen.

Meine Fragen sind nun : welche ist die erste Station und was sind momentan die aktuellen Tagesticket preise ? ich finde im netz keine unter 16€ und ist es ratsam die dort am schalter bzw am automaten oder halt schon in deutschland übers netz zu kaufen ?

vielen Dank schon mal im vorraus für deine Antworten =)

Hi, von “Victoria Coach Stn” oder “Baker Street Tube” hat man gute Ausgangspunkte, aber auch “Marble Arch Tube” würde gehen. Preise sind jetzt um die Jahreswende natürlich etwas höher, da viel los sein wird in der Stadt. Ich würde die Karten definitiv vorher im Netz reservieren, da Du nicht mitkommst, wenn der Bus voll ist – und das passiert so gut wie immer.

danke,dass ist schon mal sehr hilfreich =) habe noch eine frage und zwar steht das ziel an den ubahnen so wie hier in deutschland also wo die bahn endet ? und wenn ich mit dem easybus die tour von stansted nach Stratford nehmen würde könnte ich dann schon eher aussteigen um schneller mit der ubahn in die city gelangen oder ist es dann doch besser direkt zur victoria station fahren? aber dann ist man ca 2 std unterwegs

danke nochmals =)

Hi, ich würde gern wissen wo ich am Flughafen Heathrow die Oysterkarte kaufen kann. Bekomme ich die an einem Schalter oder einem Automaten und kann ich diese dann auch mit einer Kreditkarte zahlen?

Besten Dank im Voraus

Hi Iris, ja Du bekommst die Oyster Card an der Airport Underground Station in Heathrow am Schalter “…you can buy an Oyster card at the airport Tube station. Exit the airport and follow the signs for the Underground. You can purchase an Oyster card at the cashier window.” – visitlondon.com.

Hallo Tim. Auch von mir ein grosses Lob für deinen Blog!

Ich lande Ende November in Stansted und muss zur Bahnstation Euston. Werde mit den Standstedexpress bis Tottenham Hale fahre, von dort dann mit der Tube nach Euston. Ich benötige für die Tube nur das Ticket Tottenham Hale – Euston. Kann ich am Automaten einen Einzelfahrschein kaufen oder brauche ich eine Oyster Card oder Travelcard? Ich werde 11.00 landen, um 13.30 fährt mein Zug ab Euston. Für nen Kaffee in London wird es wohl nicht reichen aber das sollte zeitlich machbar sein oder?

Hi, ja Einzelfahrscheine sind auch möglich! Ja das mit dem Zeitfenster sollte klappen.

Hey Tim, Dein Blog hat mir zur Planung meiner Reise nach London vor Weihnachten schon extrem geholfen! 🙂 nun überlege ich, ob die Oyster Card sich wirklich lohnt oder ob man nicht einfach immer eine Tageskarte kaufen sollte. Allerdings ist es bestimmt hilfreich, eine Oyster Card zu haben, wenn man vor 9.30 fährt oder? Was empfiehlst du? Liebe Grüße Jana

Ja, das mit der Zeit ist auch so ein Faktor. Grundsätzlich empfiehlt TfL selbst, dass sich die Oyster Card bei Aufenthalte bis zu drei Tagen lohnt, danach sollte man die Travelcard nehmen. So sehe ich das auch.

Hallo, erstmal wollte ich sagen, das du einen tollen Blog hier gemacht hast. Klasse !!!

Ich fahre genau wie Olli auch im Dezember für einen Tag nach London (19.12.)

Ich fahre mit Frau und Kind und werde mir eine Travelcard kaufen.

Meine Frage nun : Ich werde erst 1-2 Wochen vor Termin wissen, ob es wirklich nach London geht. Ich denke mal, das ich die Travelcard so kurz vorher nicht mehr per post bestellen kann, da diese sonst zu spät ankommt.

Kann ich die Travelcard auch irgendwo vor Ort erwerben ? Wenn ja, wo ?

Hey, ja klar an jeder U-Bahn Station am Automaten, an den etwas größeren auch am Schalter. So eine Child Travelcard würde ich am Schalter kaufen. Ich weiß gar nicht, ob es die an den Automaten gibt. Aber Schalter gibt es auf jeden Fall auch an sehr vielen Stationen.

Eins fällt mir noch ein ….. reicht eigentlich eine Travelcard mit Zone 1-4 oder muß ich 1-6 nehmen, um an allen bzw. Den meisten Sehenswürdigkeiten vorbei zu kommen ???

Danke für deine schnelle Antwort ! Mach weiter so ….. es ist ein super informativer Blog hier. Nur zu empfehlen !!!!!!

Eins fällt mir noch ein ….. reicht eigentlich eine Travelcard mit Zone 1-4 oder muß ich 1-6 nehmen, um an allen bzw. Den meisten Sehenswürdigkeiten vorbei zu kommen ???

Hallo, erstmal HUT AB vor deinem Blog. Es ist eine tolle Seite ! Mach bloß weiter so !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Besser und informativer gehts nicht !!!!!!!

Ich habe nun auch eine Frage …. wir (2 Erwachsene, 1 Kind (10)) sind am Samstag (12.12.) für einen Tag in London (sind ab ca. 10:00h dort). Wir waren vor ein paar Wochen schon einmal in London und haben dort mit BigBus eine Stadtrundfahrt gemacht. Diesmal möchten wir mit den “öffentlichen Bussen” und der Underground London erkunden.

– Was empfiehlst du uns für eine Karte ? Oyster ? Travel ? Kaufe ich diese vor Ort oder vorher online ? – Weisst du, welche Buslinien man am besten nehmen kann, um “die meisten Sehenswürdigkeiten” abzufahren ? – Kann man irgendwo erfahren, wie lange die Busse und U-Bahn bis abends fahren ?

Es wäre super, wenn du ein oaar Tips für uns hast !

Hi, danke für das Feedback!

Erstmal: “Under 11s travel free, 11+ need their own travel ticket” – sprich das Kind wäre schon mal gratis dabei. Ich würde Dir empfehlen auf jeden Fall die Tickets schonmal vorab online zu bestellen, das spart Zeit, gerade wenn Ihr nur einen Tag habt. Für den einen Tag könnt Ihr ruhig die Travelcard nehmen. https://visitorshop.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/london-travelcard/ .

Buslinien 11 und 15 machen eine “Stadtrundfahrt” und kommen an beliebten Spots vorbei, ansonsten mal hier informieren: http://www.londonforfree.net/bus-tour/

Ubahnen fahren Abends grundsätzlich bis kurz nach Mitternacht. Nachtbusse gibt es auf vielen Routen. Der Routenplaner von TfL ist hierbei ziemlich nützlich: https://tfl.gov.uk/plan-a-journey/

vielen Dank für Deinen tollen Blog! Ich fliege im Dezember das erste Mal mit meiner Freundin nach London. Wir landen am 1.12 in Stansted und müssen von dort aus nach in die Larkhall Lane. Kannst du mir evtl. verraten, wie der einfachste Weg ist? Per Stansted Express? Gerne würden wir möglichst viel sehen und erleben – Sightseen, Shopping, Party… lohnt sich da der London Pass? Gibt es sonst noch Dinge, die wir vorab besorgen können und ein wenig Geld und Zeit vor Ort zu sparen? Ich danke Dir 🙂

Viele liebe Grüße!

Hallo Tim, vielen Dank für deine Bemühungen. Kann ich die Oyster Card an jeder U-Bahn Station kaufen? Wir landen in Stansted und haben uns auch schon ein Ticket für den Stansted Express gekauft und fahren zur Liverpool Street. Dann müssen wir mit der U-Bahn weiter zum Hotel. Kaufe ich die Oyster Card direkt am Flughafen oder reicht Liverpool Street aus? Vielen Dank Kathrin

Hallo lieber Tim, deine Beiträge sind echt gut und helfen einen gut weiter. Ich starte bald ein 3 monatiges Prakikumuin London. Was wäre am günstigsten?Und wenn ich Abends weggehe, ich habe gehört das ab Mitternacht nichts mehr fährt, stimmt das? Vielen Dank schonmal 🙂

Es gibt Monatstickets vor Ort, die Du kaufen kannst. Diese sind natürlich am günstigsten. Die Ubahn schließt gegen 12, halb 1. Aber Nachtbusse fahren die ganze Nacht durch 😉

Hi, ich brauche auch einen Tipp von dir 🙂

wir sind von Montag bis Mittwoch mit 2 Personen in London und nutzen die Zonen 1-2. Ist eine Travelcard oder die Oystercard besser und was würde es kosten? Können wir die jeweilige Karte an der Liverpool Street kaufen oder besser vorab online bestellen? Vielen lieben Dank vorab 🙂

Für eine maximale Aufenthalts-Dauer von 3 Tagen wird von der National Rail selbst die Oyster Card empfohlen, genau dieser Meinung bin ich auch. Ob vorab online oder vor Ort macht eigentlich keinen Unterschied, außer die Zeitersparnis von einigen Minuten.

Hilfe, ich blick´s nicht mehr. Ich oute mich als London-Neuling, fliege in Kürze für 5 Tage/4 Nächte nach Londinium. Oyster Card ist soweit klar, da wir in Zone 1 wohnen werden. Wir 2 wollen die 2for1 mit Travelcard i.V.m. National Rail für 2 bis 3 Tage verwenden (das soll die Besichtigungszeit sein) und für Tag 1 und 5 die Oyster (Heathrow hin und zurück). Ich finde leider nicht heraus, ob ich die Travelcards von National Rail schon vorab in Deutschland kaufen kann, ob das vorab für 2/3 Einzeltage geht (7-Tage Karte wird sich nicht lohnen) und ob das stimmt, dass die 2for1 Eintrittsmöglichkeit auch für Tageskarten gilt. Ich habe irgendwo gelesen, die gäbe es nur für 7-Tageskarten. Hilfe, ich komm nicht weiter. Vorab danke für jede Info 🙂

Also Du kannst einzelne 1-Day-Travelcards auch online vorab bestellen. Nein im Prinzip gilt dafür jedes Papierticket der National Rail, Tageskarten auf jeden Fall.

Super, vielen Dank für die Hilfe, Tim. Mach weiter so! Dein Blogg ist absolut hilfreich. Das kann kein “klassischer” Reiseührer. Daumen Hoch :-)))))

dein Blog ist phantastisch! Fliege nächste Woche nach London und bin etwas spät mit der Planung und deswegen total überfordert mit allem Wissen was ich mir aus dem Web gesaugt habe. 🙂

Wir sind 3 Tage in London und fliegen nach Heathrow, sind u.a. in der City aber auch in Wembley, Richmond sowie Greenwich. Wenn ich es richtig verstehe, ist somit die Oystercard die beste Option? Kann ich die Oystercard auch in Heathrow am Flughafen kaufen und dann mit der Tube in die Stadt fahren? Zu welcher Station fährt man zeitmässig dann am besten?

Danke, Gabi

Ja für drei Tage ist in der Regel die Oyster Card die beste Wahl, das ist auch das, was von TfL offiziell empfohlen wird. Die Oyster Card kann man an der Heathrow Underground Station kaufen.

Hallo Tim, dein Blog ist wirklich sehr hilfreich! Ich wohne ab nächsten Sonntag für drei Monate in London und versuche deswegen gerade herauszufinden, welches U bahn Ticket für mich am praktischsten ist. Am besten ist es warscheinlich für mich die Oyster card und dann immer ein Wochenticket zu nehmen, oder? Kannst du mir da vielleicht weiterhelfen? Schonmal vielen Dank und liebe Grüße Amelie

Hi, es gibt die Travelcard als Monatsticket, das soll für Langzeit am günstigsten sein. Lg

Dein Blog ist echt klasse und hilfreich. Ich bin demnächst in London für fast vier Monate aufgrund eines Praktikums. Ich wollte mir das Monatsticket kaufen und wollte dich fragen ob es sich lohnt eine Oyster Card zu besorgen bzw. was kostengünstiger ist Travelcard oder Oyster Card.

Viele Grüße, Jenny

Hi, die Travelcard bekommst Du als Monatskarte. Schau mal hier nach den Preisen: http://www.toptiplondon.com/transport/tickets/underground-tickets-travelcards

Ich komme mit 2 Freundinnen für 3 Tage auf London. Am Freitag reisen wir vor 09.30 Uhr an Flughafen Gatwick an und möchten zu erst zum Hotel Citadines Trafalgar Square London. Danach möchten wir die den ganzen Tag viele Sehenswürigkeiten besichtigen, sowohl auch den Samstag. Dann geht’s schon am Sonntag vor 09.30 Uhr zurück zum Flughafen Gatwick.

Meine Frage: Was empfählst du uns? Ich verstehe das ganze nicht wirklich mit den Oyster Card und Travelcard. Wir besitzen keinen Londonpass. Wie kommt es am günstigsten? Wenn wir ein Hin und Zurück Ticket kaufen vom Flughafen bis zum Hotel und dann 2 Tageskarten oder wie würdest du es machen?

Ich danke dir im Voraus für deine Antwort.

Gruss Katarina

Hi, also mit der Oyster Card und der Travelcard sieht es wie folgt aus: Die Travelcard ist eine Tageskarte, mit der Du unbegrenzt Bus und Ubahn in der Zone fahren kannst, für die die Travelcard gilt. Die Travelcard ist entweder für einen Tag oder für 7 Tage gültig, auch für monatliche Zeitfenster. Die oyster Card kannst Du Dir vorstellen wie eine Handy-Prepaid Karte; Du lädst diese mit Guthaben auf und bei jeder Fahrt wird dir der Fahrpreis abgezogen – mit dem Unterschied, dass Du ein Capping hast, sprich täglich nur ein bestimmter Betrag von der Karte maximal abgezogen wird (das hängt von den Zonen ab, in denen Du Dich bewegst). Für 3 Tage lohnt sich die Oyster Card für Euch. Die sogenannte Visitor Oyster Card. Diese holt Ihr direkt vor Ort am Schalter (kostet 5Euro Pfand). Danach ladet Ihr Guthaben auf. Am letzten Tag gebt Ihr die Karte wieder ab und holt Euch die 5 Pfund wieder (oder Ihr behaltet die Karte einfach). Von Gatwick könnt Ihr mit dem Bus oder dem Zug in die City (Hin- und Zurück). Erst hier holt Ihr Euch die Oyster Card.

Ich danke dir für deine Antwort. Habe ich das richtig verstanden, ich brauche vom Flughafen zum Hotel keine zusätzliche Karte? Wo liegt die Limit pro Tag für die Visitor Oyster Card?

Oder ist es doch noch besser, wenn wir einen Londonpass kaufen? Damit können wir auch die U-Bahn und den Bus benutzen?

Hallo Tim, vielen Dank, dass du dir soviel Mühe gibst.

Habe ich das richtig verstanden, dass ich maximal 6,40 Pfund am Tag zahle, wenn ich mit der Oyster Card fahre? Kann ich mit der Oyster Card zu jeder Tageszeit fahren?

Hi, das hängt von den Zonen ab, in denen Du Dich bewegst. Wenn Du Dich in Zone 1-4 bewegst, zahlst Du maximal 8 Pfund, für Zone 1-6 sind es 8,80 Pfund. Schau mal hier https://tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-payments/oyster/using-oyster/price-capping#on-this-page-2

Hi Tim, top Blog und habe jetzt auch schon ewig gelesen nur meine gewünschte Antwort habe ich noch nicht gefunden. Sind Ende Dezember (4 Erwachsene) für 2 Nächte in London. Kommen in Stansted um 10:35 an und haben ein Hostel nähe Kings Cross. Von dort aus müssen wir am ersten und zweiten Tag Richtung Alexandra Palace und zurück. Ansonsten sind keine anderen Fahrten geplant. Am 3. Tag geht der Flieger dann bereits um 06:35 in Stansted wieder ab. Was würdest du in diesem Fall empfehlen? Besten Dank! Grüße Daniel

Hi Daniel, ich empfehle von Stansted aus den Easybus bis Baker Street zu nehmen. Hier holt Ihr Euch die Oyster Card und ladet die mit Guthaben auf. Von hier aus per Underground mit der Hammersmith & City Line bzw. Metropolitan Line oder Circle Line nach King’s Cross (von hier aus nur 5 Minuten). Von hier aus kann man bis Alexandra Palace Rail Station fahren. Mit der Oyster würdet Ihr pro Strecke 3.30 GBP zahlen, sprich 6.60 GBP Hin- und Zurück. Mal zwei sind 13.20 GBP. Plus 1x 2.30 BGP für Baker Street bis Kings Cross sind etwas mehr als 15 GBP für die drei Tage. Für den Rückweg muss man sehen, am besten fahrt Ihr auch hier zurück mit dem Easybus von Baker Street. Ihr könnt den Nachtbus N205 nehmen, der direkt dahin fährt, zum Beispiel um 03:41 Uhr. Schaut hierfür am Besten mal auf https://tfl.gov.uk/plan-a-journey – dann würde ich 20 BGP als Guthaben aufladen.

Hallo Tim, kann mich den anderen nur anschließen. Hut ab, Deine Seite ist echt super. Steck ganz schön Arbeit drinnen. Meine Frage hast Du bestimmt schon zig mal gestellt bekommen. Aber nach einer halben Stunde durchlesen hab ich gedacht, ich schreib einfach nochmal. Wir fliegen demnächst nach London für 4 Tage (5 Nächte). Wir, das sind 2 Erwachsene und 2 Kinder (14+15). Was kannst Du empfehlen, die Oyster Visitor card oder eher die London Visitor Travelcard. Ich tendiere ja eher zur Oyster, aber wenn ich richtig gelesen habe, gibt´s die für Kinder noch gar nicht. Lieber vor Ort kaufen oder online?? Oder einfach nur Tageskarten für die U-Bahn?? Danke schon mal

Soweit ich es jetzt immer mitbekommen habe, ist es mit Kindern deutlich besser, die Travelcard zu nehmen. Für die Oyster Card müsstest Du so eine extra Fotokarte beantragen, damit die Kinder ermäßigt fahren können. Unter http://visitorshop.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/london-travelcard/ kannst Du die auch online bestellen, dann hast Du vor Ort nicht den “Stress” 😉

Wir sind gerade in London angekommen und sehen nicht ganz durch mit den travevards und so weiter…. Die Travelcards, die ich für 7Tage an diesen Automaten in den Undergroundstation kaufen kann, sind die nur für die tube oder auch für Busse?Wir wollen nur in den Zonen 1-3 bleiben und ausschließlich mit Bus und Tube fahren. Am Schalter verlangte man von uns allerdings für den Kauf einer travelcard ein Foto und das kam mir merkwürdig vor. Kannst du da zufällig helfen?

Hallo, ja die sind für Bus und UBahn. Das mit dem Foto ist komisch, da haben die wohl was falsch verstanden.

Super Seite. Sehr hilfreich! Ich fahre in 2 Tagen mit meiner Freundin nach London. Wir bleiben 4 Tage. Ich hab schonmal geguckt, in welcher Zone wir uns in dieser Zeit fast ausschließlich bewegen werden. Surprise surprise: Zone 1 &2. Unser Hotel liegt ebenfalls in der Zone 1. Deswegen liebäugle ich mit der Oyster Card. Ich habe folgende Fragen: 1. Ich bekomme die an so gut wie jeder U-Bahn Station? Direkt am/aus dem Schalter für 5GBP PFand? 2. Und dann kann ich da Guthaben draufbuchen, je nachdem welche Zonen ich befahren will? 3. Am letzten Tag der London-Reise: Wo geb ich die Karte wieder ab? 4. Mit der Oyster Card kann ich auch den Bus nutzen ja?

Ich danke dir schonmal im Voraus!

1. Ja, an jeder Station, wo es auch einen Schalter gibt. Die Karte ist aus plastik und muss ausgehändigt werden. 2. Du kannst Guthaben in mehreren Schritten aufladen: 5GBP, 10GBP, 20 GBP usw. Dir wird pro Fahrt immer der günstigste Preis abgezogen, bis am Tag der bestimmte Cap erreicht ist. 3. Wieder am Schalter 4. Ja genau, einfach vorne beim Einsteigen an das “Pieps-Gerät” ranhalten

Hallo. Wir (2 Erwachsene) fliegen morgen früh bis Samstag Abend nach London Stansted. Verstehe ich das richtig, dass wir mit einer 7 days Travelcard von national rail diese 2for1 Gutscheine einlösen können? da wir einige sehswürdigkeiten besichtigen möchten scheint dies, für mich die günstigste Möglichkeit zu sein. Unser Hotel befindet sich am newbury Park. Da würde doch die Travelcard Zone 1-4 ausreichend sein, oder? Dann noch meine Frage, reicht es wenn wir einen Voucher haben und jeder eine Travelcard, oder muss auch jeder Reisende diesen Voucher haben? Vom Flughafen würden wir mit dem easybus fahren und dann die Travelcard besorgen und mit der u Bahn zum Hotel. Oder gibt es eine bessere Möglichkeit? Welche Haltestelle sollten wir für den easybus wählen?

“How many train tickets are required per voucher? Whilst you will only need one attractions voucher between 2 people, both people need to hold valid train tickets for the day of their visit.” – Es ist demnach so, dass pro Gutschein wirklich nur 2 Personen daran teilnehmen können und jeder eine Karte haben muss. Mit dem Easybus ist eine gute Idee, idealerweise wärt ihr aber mit dem National Express nach Stratford gefahren. Mit dem Easybus wäre dann Old Street die bessere Haltestelle, mit der Northern nach Bank und dann dort auf die Central umsteigen.

Hey Tim Vielen Dank für deine sehr hilfreiche Informationen. Ich hätte da paar Fragen: Also man kann die Kreditkarte als — Oyster Karte mit gleichen Vorteilen brauchen, richtig? Weshalb würdest du die Kreditkarte nicht als Oyster Karte brauchen? Wegen Datenschutz? Du schreibst 5£ für die Oyster Karte als Pfand. Bekommt man die 5£ wieder wenn man die Oyster Karte abgibt? Vielen Dank Tim

Ich meine damit, dass ich die Oyster Card der Kreditkartenvariante bevorzugen würde. Aufgrund genau dieser Faktoren: Datenschutz, Sicherheit, volle Kostenkontrolle. Ja die 5 Euro Pfand bekommt man wieder. Das gilt aber nur für die Karten, die Du vor Ort kaufst. Die Visitor Oyster Cards von außerhalb (z.B. Online Shop) haben eine 3 GBP Gebühr, die sich nicht erstatten lässt.

Hallo Tim, ich fliege übermorgen nach London für 5 Tage und habe heute im Internet öfters gelesen, dass ich die TravelCard angeblich nicht (wie geplant, 7-Tage Karte Peak für 32….) vor Ort kaufen könne. Stimmt es? Und wie sieht es dann mit der OysterTravelCard aus? Ist die vor Ort erwerbbar? Ich komme jetzt echt ins Schleudern, da ich einen 6-Tages London Pass bereits erworben und ich keine Antwort erhalten habe, ob ich darüber evtl. noch upgraden kann.

Übrigens toller Blog, wenn ich auch aus Zeitmangel noch nicht so viel erkunden konnte…

Hallo Ina, die Travelcard für 7 Tage kannst Du auf jeden Fall vor Ort kaufen. Ganz normal am Automaten oder am Schalter. Du kannst, wenn Du eine OysterCard hast, darüber auch eine Travelcard buchen, wenn man das möchte.

Hallo Tim, wir fahren nächste Woche mit unseren beiden Töchtern nach London und kommen in Luton an. Von dort wollen wir den National Express nehmen und an der Finchley Road dann in die Jubilee Line wechseln. Wir bleiben 6 Tage und wohnen in Zone 2. Meine Frage: KAnn ich am Automaten in Finchley Road auch Tickets (7 day travelcard) für die Kinder kaufen oder brauche ich dazu eine Fotokarte? Sind die Tickets aus dem Automaten dort auch für die 2for1 Aktion der Bahn gültig oder sollte ich lieber schon am Bahnhof in Luton nach Tickets schauen? Vielen Dank für deine Mühe! Viele Grüße Steffi

Hallo Steffi, ich hoffe, dass Du das noch liest bzw. es nicht zu spät ist, bi gerade erst zurück aus London. Für die 2for1 Aktion sind alle National Rail Karten gültig, Du musst aber vorher auf der Seite Deine Coupons auf der Website von Days Out Guide ausdrucken. Mist, ich habe vergessen zu prüfen, ob man die Child Travelcards auch am Automaten kaufen kann. Auf jeden Fall aber am Schalter. Sorry, kann da keine genaue Antwort geben.

Hallo Tim, ja das hat sich ein bischen überkreuxt, wir waren schon weg als deine Antwort kam, aber trotzdem vielen Dank. Wir haben am Bahnhof London Bridge bei der National Rail eine 7 days Travelcard gekauf, der nette Herr am Schalter hat einfach Kopien von den Fotos unserer Pässe gemacht und so hatten wir ein Foto für die dort benötigte photocard. Ich hatte vorher schon Gutscheine von Days Out Guide ausgedruckt, u.a. vom London Eye (Aktion war nur bis 30.07.15), am Schalter gab es aber auch noch eine Broschüre mit anderen Attraktionen. Man kann die Travelcards auch in den U-Bahn Stationen kaufen, als Oyster Card, am Schalter (der aber an den meisten Stationen inschwischen geschlossen ist) und am Automaten, diese sind dann aber nicht für die 2for1 Aktion der National Rail gültig – wer dieses Karten haben möchte muss an einen Schalter der National Rail gehen. Für uns hat es sich gelohnt, wir haben 3 Attraktionen mit 2for1 besucht.

Hi Steffi, danke für Deine Rückmeldung und Deine Erfahrungen. Klingt interessant mit dem Pässe kopieren, das habe ich so auch noch nicht gehört 🙂

Moin Tim. hier zunächst das wohl schon obligatorische Kompliment … tolle Infos, toller Blog 🙂

Ich fahre mit meinen beiden Mädels in 10 Tagen nach London und bin auf der Suche nach einem guten Stellplatz für das Auto, denn wir reisen nach 4 Tagen weiter durch Great Britain. Leider habe ich bei dir noch keinen Tipp zur “Anreise mit dem PKW” gefunden. Hast du da einen guten Vorschlag? Wir wohnen Zone 2, das Parkhaus um die Ecke würde rund 120 Euro kosten (zzgl. Maut) … Im Moment favorisiere ich daher einfach an der Straße außerhalb zu parken und mit der Tube rein zu fahren (Perivale Lane, Perivale). Oder hast du vielleicht einen guten Tipp für eine kostengünstige Alternative aus Parken und in die Stadt kommen? Wichtig vielleicht noch: Wir legen Montag gegen 16 Uhr in Dover an, würden uns also bei der Anreise etwas gegen den Strom bewegen. Wäre toll, wenn du einen Tipp hättest, Gruß aus Lüneburg nach Neumünster Uli

London mit dem Auto ist eine Katastrophe. Wie Du schon geschrieben hast, sind die Parkplätze bzw. Parkhäuser mega teuer und die Maut belastet die Reisekasse ebenfalls. Ein Freund von mir hat auf https://www.justpark.com/uk/parking/london/ gute Erfahrungen gemacht, hier kann man einen Stellplatz sozusagen von privat buchen, was vergleichsweise echt günstig ist. Da machen zum Teil Museen, Hotels, Kirchen usw. mit, um sich ein Zubrot zu verdienen. Das Elephant & Castle Shopping Centre kostet z.B. pro Tag 15 GBP (und ist noch relativ zentral), Britannia Parking Upper Marsh kostet 12, 50 GBP für einen Tag. Guck sonst mal auf http://en.parkopedia.co.uk/parking/london/ , hier findest Du die Preise einiger Parkhäuser. 15 Pfund pro Tag sollte man aber immer einrechnen.

Hi Tim, vielen Dank für die Tipps. Ich habe mich jetzt für http://www.ncp.co.uk/find-a-car-park/car-parks/morden-stn-lul/ Morden entschieden. Von dort können wir direkt mit der Tube starten und der Parkplatz kostet 3,70 am Tag, das klingt doch nach einen guten Kompromiss … leider können wir den Parkplatz nicht reservieren. Toll ist, dass sie einen live-chat anbieten, er sucht einem auch andere Parplätze raus.

Ich werde dir einen kleinen Erfahrungsbericht übermitteln, wie alles gepasst hat, Gruß Uli

Hallo Tim, wie komme ich am besten vom Luton Airport in die City (Richtung Tower). Bin 3,5 Tage da. Lohnt sich da eher die Olster Card und eine Busfahrt Richtung City? Vielen Dank für deine Unterstützung in dem Blog.

Luton liegt nicht mehr in der Zone für eine Travelcard oder einen Zeittarif. Am einfachsten ist es, den Bus zu nehmen (zum Beispiel Easybus), dieser fährt nach Victoria und in die Liverpool Street.

Hallo Tim! Schon etwas länger plane ich unseren London Aufenthalt mit meinen beiden Töchtern (13 + 11 J.) vom 7. August bis Sonntag, 9. August (Rückfahrt am 11. August).

Aber ich benötige noch eine individuelle Transportberatung….

Untergebracht sind wir im Premier INN Putney Bridge (Zone 2)

Nun möchten meine Töchter auch gern zum LONDON EYE (aber nicht unbedingt)

Jetzt habe ich mehrere Möglichkeiten: 1. Da gibt es von GOLDEN TOURS einen Hop und Top Bus für 48 Std. mit Golden Eye, kostet uns alle zusammen 96 EUR. Da frag ich mich, wie das mit den 48 Stunden klappt…kann ich am Freitag gegen 13 Uhr in diesen Bus einsteigen und dann bis Sonntag, 13 uhr damit fahren auf den Routen? Dazu müsste ich aber noch von der Putney Bridge bis zur Kensington Station kommen, da ist eine Busstation von diesen Hop und Top Bussen. Kann man diese Strecke laufen oder sollte man sich eine U-Bahn-Einzelkarte kaufen? ABER die Hop und Top Busse fahren auch nicht bis spät abends, da müsste ich mir dann auch noch was überlegen…

2. Möglichkeit: Ich kaufe eine Travelcard für 3 Tage (Freitag, Samstag und Sonntag) und evtl. LONDON EYE einzeln. Aber dann kostet das 3 x 16,75 EUR für mich und 3 x 8,50 EUR für die 13 jährige und 3 x 8,50 EUR für die 11 jährige -> 101,25 EUR :-0 Ist das richtig? Meine kleine Tochter ist erst 11, bis 10 jährige fahren kostenlos mit. Wird das Alter kontrolliert?

3. Möglichkeit: Ich kaufe eine OYSTER Card, was ja grundsätzlich günstiger ist als Travelcard? ABER….für die Kinder benötige ich ein Passfoto. Wäre es besser, die vorab schon zu bestellen oder kann man die OYSTER CARD auch vor Ort an einem Automaten oder am Schalter kaufen. Da wir in 2 Wochen schon los fahren, ist das vielleicht mit dem Bestellen auch nicht mehr so günstig, ob das noch rechtzeitig ankommt, oder?

LONDON EYE: Muss ich da unbedingt meine beiden Töchter begleiten, weil ja beide unter 16 Jahre sind oder kann ich sie auch ohne mich fahren lassen, da ich schreckliche Höhenangst habe 😉 Ich meine, sie werden ja sowieso im August nicht alleine fahren, da werden ja noch andere sein….

Alles nicht so einfach. Hast du da eine Idee für uns?

Liebe Grüße, Birgit

Rückfahrt am 10. August …. sorry

Hallo Birgit,

ich bin zwar noch nie mit diesen Hop On Bussen gefahren, aber grundsätzlich würde ich sagen, dass die als klassisches Verkehrsmittel nicht so sehr geeignet sind. Die fahren wahrscheinlich auch von den Zeiten her nicht so oft und wie Du selbst sagst nicht so lange. Ob 2 Tage = 48 Stunden exakt heißt, weiß ich leider nicht.

Mit Kindern bin ich was Reisen angeht auch unerfahren, deswegen kann ich Dir hier nur erzählen, was ich darüber gelesen habe:

Bei der Travelcard musst Du beim Betreten und Verlassen der Stationen (Bereich nach dem Einchecken) immmer einen Mitarbeiter Bescheid sagen, dass er Dein Kind unter 11 reinbringt. Da wird im Zweifel wohl das Alter kontrolliert, also Ausweis nicht vergessen. Dann kommt es gratis mit.

Kinder zwischen 11-15 Jahren zahlen den Kindertarif, aber brauchen bei der Oyster Card diese Fotokarte. Die Beantragung dauert grundsätzlich 4 Wochen. Deswegen musst Du wohl wenn eine Child Travelcrd nehmen, da bezahlt man soweit ich es herausfinden konnte die Hälfte. (Applying for an 11-15 Oyster photocard takes a minimum of 4 weeks. If you have not allowed enough time to apply, buy a child Travelcard instead.)

Das ist auch das, was ich Dir empfehlen würde. Achso, dass die alleine mit dem London Eye fahren, sollte wohl klar gehen, solange Du sie bis zum Einstieg begleitest und dann einem Mitarbeiter vor Ort Bescheid gibst.

Danke, TIM! Hast mir schon sehr viel weiter geholfen, ich habe mir auch einige Tipps aus deinem Blog notiert und werde bestimmt Ort besuchen, die ich vorher nicht so auf dem Plan hatte!

OK, meine 11 jährige Tochter bei jedem Ein- und Aussteigen von einem Beamten durch die Schleusen führen zu lassen und jedesmal zu zittern, ob das mit dem Alter klappt, das Risiko gehe ich dann doch nicht ein. Danke! Sie erhält auch eine Fahrkarte 🙂

Also, die Oyster Karte hat sich dann wohl für uns auch erledigt, da wir keine 4 Wochen mehr haben, bis wir in London sind. Aber…. eine Tages Travelcard für Erwachsene kostet 12 GBP, eine 7 Tages Karte 32,10 GBP, ist das richtig? Bei 3 Tagen Aufenthalt würde ja eine 7 Tages Karte günstiger sein als 3 x Tageskarte?

Vielen herzlichen Dank, Tim!

Hallo! Kannst du mir sagen, ob ich am Automaten für die Tube (Liverpool Street) meine PIN benötige, wenn ich mit der Kreditkarte bezahlen will? Wird generelle in London die PIN oft verlangt? Habe meine leider verlegt. Du hast eine wirklich schöne Seite. Danke!

Bei den Contactless Credit Cards ist es so, dass man bis 20 Pfund keinen Pin eingeben muss, nur bei allen Beträgen über 20 Pfund. Wie das mit den normalen Karten aussieht, weiß ich leider gerade nicht so genau, ist schon lange her, dass ich dort mal mit meiner Prepaid-Kreditkarte was bezahlt habe.

Hallo, Tim, du bist hier schon sooo mit Lob überschüttet worden – und das zu Recht. Der Blog ist spitze und ich finde es toll, daß du fast jedem hier wirklich helfen kannst. Vielleicht auch uns? Ich bin etwas verzweifelt. Ich fliege Sonntag abend mit meiner Tochter nach Standed. Wir haben ein Hotel in der Nähe Hyde Park. Wir bleiben 5 Nächte. Ich möchte gerne eine 7-Tage-Travelcard kaufen bin aber total verunsichert, wo ich die bekomme. In Stansted ja wohl schonmal nicht? Viktoria-Station? Online scheidet aus, die Zeit reicht nicht mehr. Wir wollen mit dem easybus von Stansted bis in die City fahren. Bekomme ich das Ticket vor Ort? Bis wo soll ich da fahren? Ich muss nach Paddington. Im Moment bin ich total kopflos, es ist unser erster Trip nach London. Es wäre wirklich lieb, wenn Du uns helfen könntest. LG Sabine

Hallo Sabine, danke für das Feedback. Eine Travelcard bekommst Du ganz bequem an jeder Ubahn-Station bzw. National Rail Station – sowohl aus dem Automaten als auch an Ticketschaltern. Wenn Du nach Paddington musst, dann nimmst Du von Stansted am besten den Easybus bis nach Baker Street. Hier an der Ubahn Station Baker Street kaufst Du dann die Travelcard. Danach nimmst Du einfach die Bakerloo Line (braun) und bist auch schon in 3 Minuten in Paddingtion.

Vielen Dank. Du hast mir die Infos gegeben, für die ich schon Stunden im Weg gesucht und nur unzureichend gefunden habe. Kannst du mir bitte noch empfehlen, wie früh ich bei der Rückreise am Flughafen sein muss und wann ich ungefähr an der Haltestelle Baker Street für den Easybus sein sollte? Mein Flug mit Ryanair geht abends um 19:30 zurück nach Köln. Und die Easybus-Tickets bekomme ich auch in Stansted? Die Rückkarte möchte für den Easybus noch nicht buchen, es kann sein, daß ein Bekannter mich zurück nach Stansted fährt. Bekomme ich die auch beim Fahrer vor Ort (Baker Street)? Ich weiss, ich habe viele Fragen, aber ich fliege zum ersten Mal nach London – alleine mit meiner Teenie-Tochter. Da bin ich sehr unsicher. LG Sabine

Hey, Faustregel immer ca. 2 Stunden vorher einplanen da zu sein. Beim Easybus würde ich 10 Minuen vorher an der Haltestelle sein. Du kannst theoretisch Tickets beim Busfahrer kaufen, aber nur wenn halt noch Platz im Bus ist, sprich dieser nicht ausverkauft. Ich würde das Ticket immer vorher online buchen, ansonsten steht man am Ende da und alle Plätze sind schon belegt. Am Flughafen haben die auch so eine Art Schalter, habe aber dort selbst glaube ich noch nie was gekauft, aber hier zählt ja das gleiche wie beim Busfahrer.

Hallo Tim, hätte ich Dein perfektes Wissen mir schon eher mal zu Gemüte geführt, hätte ich jetzt kein Problem…. Folgendes: Meine Tochter macht eine Sprachreise für 8 Tage. Die Schule liegt in Hampstead. Sie wohnt in einer Gastfamilie. Da die Unterlagen kurz vor knapp kommen, habe ich schon mal in Deutschland eine Tageskarte Zone 1-6 und ab dem zweiten Tag eine 7-Tage-Travelcard Zone 1-3 gekauft. Ich nahm an, die Gastfamilie wird auch in diesem Bereich wohnen. Jetzt kommt der Hammer: die Gastfamilie wohnt in Edgware!! Zone 5. Das heisst, für den Weg von der Gastfamilie (Zone5) bis zur Schule (Zone3) hat meine Tochter nun keine Travelcard. Was kann ich tun? Die bereits gekaufte 7-Tage-Travelcard kann ich nicht zurückgeben. Kann man diese am Tag zuvor, an dem sie noch nicht gültig ist, am Schalter umtauschen in eine 7-tage-Travelcard Zone 1-5?? Oder soll ich eine 7-Tage-Travelcard Zone 3-5 zusätzlich kaufen? Bekommt das Mädchen in diesem Fall aber Stress, wenn Sie mit den zwei 7-Tage-Travelcards von Zone 5 bis Zone 1 durchfährt? Ganz schön kompliziert! Die Agentur, die die Tickets verkauft, kann mir nicht antworten. Ich hoffe auf Dein tolles Insiderwissen. Viele Grüße und schon mal Danke. Annett

Hey, ich hatte selbst mal einen ähnlichen Fall. Ich hatte am Schalter gefragt, ob ich meine Papier-Travelcard irgendwie upgraden/aufstocken kann, um somit mehr Zonen zu haben ohne gleich was komplett neues zu kaufen. Das ging, ich musste dann sozusagen den Überschuss zahlen und habe eine neue Karte bekommen. Das war aber bei einer 1-Tageskarte und ist schon ein paar Jahre her. Ob man das bei einer 7-Tageskarte dann für jeden Tag einzeln machen muss oder ob das in einem Rutsch geht, kann ich nicht sagen. Ob das heute auch überhaupt noch so gemacht wird, dafür lege ich hier nicht meine Hand ins Feuer, aber ich sehe auch kein Grund darin, dass die das nicht mehr machen. Ich habe auch einige Forenbeiträge durchstöbert, bei denen ging das auch noch. Das Ganze musst Du dann vor Ort am Ticket Schalter machen.

Tausend Dank. Wir versuchen es.

mein Mann und unser Sohn fahren im Juli für 5 Tage nach London und kommen am Flughafen Heathrow an, Quartier ist dann in Islington Nähe Essex Road. Welches Ticket empfiehlt Du Oyster oder 7-Tages-Travelcard (siehe ausführliche Infos von Hans). Da ich auch noch keine Ahnung habe, über welche Zonen ich mich bewege um von Heathrow zur Essex Road zu kommen, helfen mir die bisherigen Hinweise noch nicht vollständig. Auch für die Ausflüge an den 3 vollständigen Tagen, reicht da die Zone 1-2 ? Und kaufen empfiehlst Du ja eh am Flughafen erst, oder? Danke für Deine Antwort.

Beste Grüße Birgit

Hey, das kommt auch immer ein wenig drauf an, in welchen Zonen Ihr Euch befindet. Heathrow liegt ja in Zone 6, wenn Du aber nur am Abreise- und Anreisetag in diese Zone fahren musst und die restlichen Tage z.B. nur in Zone 1-2, dann kann es sich auch lohnen keine 7 Tageskarte Travelcard zu holen, sondern den Cap in der Oyster walten zu lassen. Dann würde ich mir keine Wochenkarte für Zone 1-6 holen (Vergleich: Wochenkarte Zone 1-6: ca 85€, Wochenkarte Zone 1-3: ca. 55€) Wenn Ihr die Vorteile der 2for1 Offer vom Days Out Guide nutzen wollt, dann braucht ihr wiederum die Travelcard als Papierticket. Am Flughafen an der Heathrow Airport Underground Station kann man Tickets kaufen, lohnt sich aber durchaus auch online bei http://www.visitbritainshop.com . Ich persönlich würde mit der Oster Card fahren und dort keine Wochenkarte drüber ziehen, aber das muss man sich in diesem Fall tatsächlich mal hin und her rechnen.

Hi, erstmal einen Riesen Respekt welch tolle Seite du aufgezogen hast!!! Wir fliegen in zwei Wochen nach London, landen in gatwick! Wie würdest du nach South kensington zum Hotel reisen? Und kann man den london Pass am Flughafen auch kaufen? Schöne Grüße vom chiemsee, Markus

Danke Dir! Von Gatwick aus würde ich den Easybus bis nach Earls Court nehmen und von dort aus sind es nur zwei Stationen mit der District Line bis zur Station South Kensington – schöne Ecke übrigens, viel Spaß euch. Den London Pass kann man soweit ich weiß nur online oder an der Abholstation direkt kaufen, am Flughafen habe ich zumindest noch nie einen entsprechenden Stand gesehen.

Hallo, erstmal, deine Seite ist so hilfreich! Großes Lob. vielleicht kannst du mir ganz spontan helfen. wir fliegen übermorgen für 4 tage nach London. Flughafen Gatwick für den hinflug, Luton für den Rückflug. wir wollen viel zu fuß erkunden und haben somit jeweils zwei fahrten mit der tube. hin und rückfahrt 🙂 ich bin nun am überlegen ob sich die travelcard wirklich für uns lohnt da scheinbar gar nicht so oft fahren. Ist es günstiger sich einzelfahrkarten zu kaufen statt die travelcard?

Vielen dank im voraus 🙂

Hey, naja manchmal fährt man doch mehr als man glaubt, und so eine Tageskarte lohnt sich schneller, als man denkt. Wenn Du Dir nicht sicher bist, ob Du wirklich soviel fährst, hole Dir auf jeden Fall eine Oyster Card. Hier werden immer einzelne Fahrten abgebucht von einem Guthaben, was Du vorher auflädst, aber maximal der Tageshöchstsatz von ca. 6 GBP, je nach Zonen. Somit wäre das Problem wohl erledigt 😀 Viel Spass!

Hallo, super Infos. Eine Frage. Wir sind 3 Tage in London und unser Hotel ist am Flughafen Stansted. Gibt es hierfür eine 3-Tages-Karte? Müssten immer Abends wieder nach Stansted. Gruss

Hallo, Stansted liegt außerhalb der Zonen für Oyster Card oder Travelcard. Für Züge der National Rail kann man meines Wissens erst Wochenkarten (also ab 7 Tage) kaufen, das gleiche gilt für den Stansted Express. Ich würde dann wahrscheinlich Easybus Tickets kaufen, jeweils 1 Ticket Hin- und Zurück am Tag.

Hallo Tim, wirklich eine super Seite. Tut mir Leid wenn ich die Frage wiederhole…Wir sind am 17.06. zu 4. für einen Tag in London. Wenn ich die letzten Kommentare richtig verstanden habe, dann lohnt sich die Oyster Card? Kann ich die vorher schon online kaufen? Wir fliegen nach und von Stansted und wollen den easybus zur Old Street nehmen. Hast du Erfahrung mit dem Feierabendverkehr? Braucht der Bus dann länger für die Rückfahrt? Unser Flieger geht um 19:45 Uhr zurück.

Vielen Dank für deine Hilfe! Lieben Gruß Judith

Hey, Oyster Card kannst Du auf jeden Fall nehmen, kannst Du natürlich auch vorher online bestellen, um Zeit zu sparen: http://www.visitbritainshop.com/deutschland/mobil-in-gb/product/london-visitor-oyster-card.html Die Zeiten, die bei Easybus angegeben sind, hauen meist hin. Trotzdem würde ich gerade zur Rush-Hour immer reichlich Puffer einrechnen, ich stand schon oft im Stau dort.

Hi. Muss man mit 10 Jähriger Tochter und UBAHN was beachten. Das unsere kurze kostenlos mitfährt habe ich schon verstanden. Ich meine eher benötigt sie trotzdem ein Ticket oder müssen wir immer den Ausweis dabei haben. Wie wird man in der ubahn kontrolliert? Danke und Gruß Markus

Hey, bin selber noch nicht mit Kindern in London gereist, aber soweit ich es weiß musst Du beim Einchecken und Auschecken jedes Mal kurz bei einem vom Personal “abnicken”: http://visitorshop.tfl.gov.uk/help/travelling-with-children/ Demnach musst Du Die Oyster Card an die Schranke halten aber ihr müsst dann mit dem vom Personal an der Seite durchgehen. Kontrolliert wird in der Tube ziemlich selten, wurde bisher nur 2 Mal kontrolliert, und dass immer nur in den Stationen, nie im Zug.

Hallo Tim, erstmal SUPER BLOG 🙂 Danke dafür und dass du dir die Zeit nimmst alles zu beantworten. Nun zu meinem Anliegen, fahre dieses Jahr das 3. Mal nach London (macht süchtig), bisher aber immer als Gruppe wo ich mich um nichts kümmern musste. Dieses Jahr fliege ich mit Tochter und Enkelin und habe über Expedia Flug und Hotel gebucht. Meine Fragen: kommen am Donnerstag um 07.30h in LHR an und müssen nach 7 Western Gateway (Novotel London ExCeL), welche U-Bahnlinie und Ticket würdest du uns raten? Freitag möchten wir zu Harry Potter (Wunsch Enkelin), gibt es einen deutschen Link für den Kartenvorverkauf und Bustransfer? Ich hatte für die Tage an Day Traveler Tickets gedacht (Enkelin ist 14J., gilt wohl noch als Kind) Zone 1-6, da wir dann nicht auf Zeiten achten müssen, ist das so korrekt, oder empfehlst du uns etwas anders? Sonntag geht es wieder zurück, da können wir es einrichten nach 09.30h zu fahren, da der Flug erst 15.40h geht, wie früh muss man eigentlich vor dem Flug am Flughafen sein? Uff, ist doch ein kleiner Roman geworden, sorry 🙂 Lg Angela

Ich würde von LHR die Piccadilly Line bis nach Green Park nehmen, dann umsteigen auf die Jubilee Line bis Canning Town, danach auf die DLR umsteigen bis Royal Victoria. Dann seit ihr da. Mit der Day Travelcard kannst Du nicht viel falsch machen, ich würde nur schauen, ob ihr wirklich alle Tage, die ihr da seid, bis Zone 6 rausfahrt. Ansonsten kann sich auch die Oyster Card lohnen, die oftmals mit der Begrenzung günstiger kommt. Die Harry Potter Filmtour musst Du eh zwingend vorher buchen, Du musst auch die Zeiten buchen, in der Du das besuchen möchtest: https://tickets.wbstudiotour.co.uk . Ihr müsst aber nicht unbedingt den Bus dorthin nehmen, ihr könnt auch die Ubahn nehmen bzw. die Overground, die fährt bis Watford Junction z.B. von London Euston aus. Das ist eine Sonderzone dort, aber wenn ihr an dem Tag eine Tageskarte bis Zone 6 habt, dann braucht ihr eigentlich nur noch jeweils ein Einzelticket von Hatch End bis Watford Junction lösen.

Danke schön 🙂

wie schon viele hier geschrieben, bin ich auch von Deinem Blog begeistert!!! 🙂 Es ist einfach toll, dass Du Deine interessante Erfahrungen mitteilst – und das mit Still! Die Inhalte sind super interessant und das Design und die Strukturierung der Seite sind hervorragend! Es macht Spaß es zu lesen!

Am 22.05. fliege ich nach London für vier Tage und möchte mir gerne 7-Tage Travel card für Zone 1-3 kaufen. Bei manchen Seiten finde ich es nur für Zone 1-4 – was sofort teuerer ist. Angst habe ich auch, dass es nicht rechtzeitig ankommt. Wie z.B. wenn ich es bei: http://visitorshop.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/london-travelcard/ bestelle.

Gibt es eine deutsche Firma, die mir 1-3 Zone Karte schnell zusenden kann? Oder kann ich es am Flughafen Stansted kaufen? Ist es vor Ort teuerer? Ich lande gegen 23Uhr und brauche die Karte sofort für in der Stadt (Bow Road-Plaistow).

Vielen Dank für Deine Hilfe! 🙂 Antonia

Hey, danke für das Feedback, freut mich! Also Stansted ist ja nicht in der Travelcard inklusive, da das außerhalb der Tarifzonen liegt und es dort abgesehen vom Stansted Express auch keine wirkliche direkte Verbindung der National Rail gibt. Ich habe die Travelcard auch persönlich noch nie dort gekauft und ich glaube auch, dass man die dort nicht kaufen kann (kann es aber nicht hundertprozentig ausschließen, von Stansted fahre ich grundsätzlich mit dem Bus). Was ich aber sagen kann ist, dass die Online-Bestellung bei Transport for London sehr gut funktioniert. Hier steht auch: “All orders of Travelcards and Visitor Oyster cards are dispatched within 24 hours of being placed, Monday to Friday.” In der Regel ist so eine Karte ca. 3-5 Werktage unterwegs – sollte also dicke reichen, bei mir kam die auch sehr schnell, als ich die da mal bestellt hatte. Ich hoffe, dass ich Dir damit weiterhelfen konnte.

Eine kurze Frage, bei der Du mir vielleicht weiterhelfen kannst: Kann ich mit einer Einzelfahrt-Fahrkarte für die Underground von einer Linie auf eine andere umsteigen um mein Ziel zu erreichen? Danke!

Ja, Du verlässt dabei ja nicht eine Station und “checkst” somit nicht aus, deshalb kannst Du das genau so machen 😉

Hallo woher weiß ich was ich für ein Ticket bezahlt habe und wieviel Guthaben noch auf meiner Karte ist ?

Du kannst immer an den Zahlreichen Automaten an den Stationen die Oyster-Card “abscannen”, dann schmeißt er dir dein aktuelles Guthaben raus. Am besten immer nach dem Auschecken an einer Station nochmal nachgucken. Aber wie in der Tabelle dargestellt, gibt es immer ein Limit, was Du in bestimmten Zonen bezahlst. Wenn Du sonst nichts mit der Card vorher gebucht hast, zieht er Dir den Einzelfahrpreis in der jeweilige Zone ab – solange, bis das Limit erreicht ist.

Hey Tim Dein Blog ist echt spitze, man findet hier echt die besten Tipps. Vor allem, weil ich noch nie in London war, macht das deinen Blog noch interessanter

ich fliege bald nach London und habe mich für die Travel Card entschieden aber da stellt sich mir eine Frage (ich finde das auch nirgends im Internet) Weißt du wie teuer eine einzelfahrkarte von Heathrow nach finsbury ist?

Und vielleicht kannst du mir noch die Frage beantworten: Welche Stadtteile von London soll man unbedingt meiden, ich meine ich hab schon gelesen, dass es wenn man weiter nach Osten (also weg vom Tower of London Richtung Osten) und weiter in den Süden (weg vom London eye) geht es da nicht grade einladend ist … sein soll Aber stimmt das denn, sind die wirklich so gar nicht empfehlenswert? Grade, weil ich gerne ein paar Dinge im Osten sehen will (also das Viertel was so hinter der Hauptstraße die über die Tower Bridge führt ist)

Vielen Dank für deine Antwort:)

Hey, danke für das Feedback! Ich persönlich finde, dass man Richtung Osten und Süden ein wenig aufpassen sollte. Croydon hat nicht den besten Ruf, Brixton auch nicht, aber selbst Stratford finde ich abends ein wenig merkwürdig. Shoreditch ist zwar sehr zentral und gilt als Szene-Viertel, aber gerade nachts solltest Du hier nicht alleine unterwegs sein. Auch Tottenham gilt als Problemviertel. Es gibt sicherlich noch die einen oder anderen Ecken, die man lieber meiden sollte, das sind die, die ich kenne bzw. wo ich meine eigenen Erfahrungen gemacht habe.

Hallo Tim, Dein Blog ist echt super hilfreich. Ich war zwar schon öfter in London, aber entweder in 2 Tagen fast alles zu fuss mit Mann gemacht oder mit der Schulklasse im Reisebus und Gruppentickets.

Im Juli werde ich mit meiner Tocher, 12, nach London Stansted flegen und bleiben vom 8.7.-14.7.. Ab Stansted hab ich über Trainline schon günstige Tickets (anytime) bis Liverpoolstreet bestellt. Unser Zimmer ist in Zone 3 bei Balham. (Northern Line fährt da, auf der Undergroundkarte der südl. Punkt). Fahren müssen wir daher mind. 2 x am Tag hin und zurück Zentrum. Und mit Kind laufen wir sicher nicht ganz so viel, wie ich das gewohnt bin. Was wäre da für 7 Tage besser? Oyster oder travelcard? Ich hab gerade gesehen, 1 TC für Erw. kostet 52 Euro, für Kids bis 15 J. 26 Euro. Liege ich damit besser als Oyster? Danke Dir herzlich vorab! VG Monika

Ja, in diesem Falle sollte die Travelcard besser sein. Schau sonst hier mal, da kannst Du bisschen mit den Preisen rumspielen und auch online kaufen bei Bedarf: http://visitorshop.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/london-travelcard/ .

auch von mir ein kompliment für die gelungene seite 🙂 und einige fragen…

ich fahre im mai mit meinem sohn (12) zum ersten mal nach london und blicke auch nicht ganz durch bei den ganzen tarifmöglichkeiten… wie ist das denn wenn man eine oystercard hat und an einem tag jeweils mehrfach tube UND bus fährt – wird dann für beides ein höchstsatz abgebucht oder ist das limit das du in deinem beitrag aufgeführt hast das komplette tageslimit?

wir werden in zone 3 wohnen, anreisetag + 4 ganze tage + abreisetag; flughafen ist stansted. da ist es wohl ohnehin am besten, eine travelcard für eine woche zu kaufen? oder kann man vom flughafen auch mit dem zug nach zone 3 fahren (unterkunft ist nähe stratford station)?

für meinen sohn ist laut dieser seite http://www.visitbritainshop.com/deutschland/travelcard-oder-oyster-card.html in jedem fall eine travelcard gut. ich habe irgendwo gelesen, dass kinder von 11-15 jahren, damit sie den kindertarif nutzen können, eine “oyster foto card” brauchen, aber mehr infos habe ich leider nicht – weißt du eventuell etwas dazu?

danke schonmal für deine antwort, lg kletterer 1139

was ich noch interessant fände – einen beitrag zum thema sicherheit in london (auf stadtteile, ecken, bestimmte gegenden bezogen, gerade auch im hinblick auf bed-and-breakfast-unterkünfte außerhalb zone 1 und 2)!

Vielen Dank für die schnelle Antwort! 🙂

Ja genau wir sind 2 Tage dort….Ich weiß, es war sehr viel Text auf einmal!! 😀

Dann werden wir uns die Travelcard besorgen und die Bootstour manuell dazukaufen. Die “kostenlose Bustour” ist ein guter Tipp, ….so werden wir es machen

Danke für die Hilfe!!! 🙂

vielen Dank für die hilfreichen Informationen!! 🙂

Ich fliege mit zwei Freundinnen am Sonntag Morgen bis Montag Abend nach London. Unser Hostel befindet sich in der Nähe der St. Paul Cathedrale.

Wir landen am Sonntag um 7.25 Uhr in Heathrow und fliegen am Montag um 19.35 Uhr auch von da aus zurück.

Wir hatten geplant am Sonntag eine Sightseeing Tour zu machen und Montags zu shoppen 🙂

Unsere Überlegung war nun, für Sonntag per Internet eine Big Bus Tour zu buchen um so viel wie möglich zu sehen. Vorteil hierbei ist natürlich das die Bootsfahrt schon inbegriffen ist.

Aber zusätzlich benötigen wir noch ein Ticket für die Fahrt vom Flughafen und evtl. am Abend ein Ticket zum Hostel.

Am Montag würden wir dann eine Travelcard (Zone 1-6) Off-Peak kaufen.

Meine Fragen sind nun: Lohnt sich so eine Bus Tour überhaupt? Und kaufen wir für den Sonntag dann lieber jeweils Einzelfahrten oder zusätzlich die Travelcard Off Peak (weil diese am Wochenende ja ganztägig gültig ist)? Oder kaufen wir nur für beide Tage jeweils ein Travelcard OffPeak (Zone 1-6) und buchen zusätzlich eine Bootsfahrt (die würden wir nämlich gerne machen)? Oder würde sich bei uns doch die Oyster Card lohnen??

Ich bin etwas durcheinander, stöbere schon ewig im Internet, aber habe bis jetzt keine passende Lösung gefunden!….Natürlich möchten wir so viel dabei sparen wie möglich, ….damit sich das Shoppen auch lohnt!! 😉

Viele Grüße Christina

Hey, wenn ich das alles richtig verstanden habe seit ihr 2 Tage dort. Ihr müsst also an beiden Tagen eine Karte haben, die Zonen 1-6 abdeckt. Da kostet die Travelcard £12.00 und die Oyster Card £11.70 – macht also eigentlich kein Unterschied. Die Oyster Card müsst ihr halt erstmal kaufen und dann aufladen, kostet auch 5 GBP Deposit – also unterm Strich könnt ihr auch die Travelcard nehmen. Bustour kann man eine extra Touri-Tour machen, man kann allerdings auch die “kostenlose” Bustour mit der Linie 11 und 15 der Öffentlichen machen. Die fahren auch überall da lang, wo die Touri-Busse auch lang fahren – hast aber keine Führung. Für die Bootstour: Travelcard oder Oyster Card geben Dir einen Rabatt auf eine Fahrt, inklusive ist eine solche Tour aber nicht.

ich flieg nächste Woche für 2 Tage nach London. Unser Hotel liegt in Stratford. Am ersten Tag stehen die Sehenswürdigkeiten auf dem Plan, am zweitem Tag wollen wir zu den Warner Bors. Studios nach Watford. Welche “Card” bietet sich hier am besten an?

Liebe Grüße Eva

Für 2 Tage eignet sich die Oyster Card.

Hey, ich kann mich den anderen nur anschließen und ein fettes Lob aussprechen! 🙂 Und habe auch eine Frage: ich bin mit einer Freundin von Dienstag bis Freitag in London und müssen natürlich an dem Dienstag vom Heathrow Airport in die City (unser Hotel ist in Zone 1 und wir werden uns auch nur in 1 oder 2 bewegen) und am Freitag auch wieder zum Flughafen. Wie machen wir das am besten mit den Fahrkarten?? Tageskarte Dienstag&Freitag für Zone 1-6 und die restlichen Tageskarte halt für Zone 1,2? Oder doch eher Oyster Karte? Schon mal ganz ganz lieben Dank!!!!! 🙂

Das könnt ihr mit der Travelcard so machen, für diese Anzahl an Tage an Zonen nimmt sich das vom Preis her nicht viel.

wir sind eine 4 köpfige Familie und fliegen Sonntag das erste Mal nach London. Dein Blog ist dermaßen hilfreich für uns “Landeier”, dass ich dir dafür ganz herzlich danken möchte!

Durch deine Tipps, habe ich ein feines Programm für uns zusammen gestellt.

Nur eins ist mir noch unklar, der Transport . Wie fahre ich denn am günstigsten in London? Wir landen in Heathrow und unser Hotel ist mitten in der Stadt, Bedford Way. Auch die anderen Tage sind wir recht ordentlich unterwegs. Wollen aber gerne Bus fahren, weil das ja schon auch ein besonderes Erlebnis In London ist. Aber auch Underground wollen wir erleben.

Sollen wir denn die Oyster Card kaufen oder die Travelcard? Wir fliegen Donnerstag wieder heim.

Ich danke dir schonmal für deine Antwort, die mir sicherlich Klarheit bringen wird.

Viele Grüße Patricia

Hi Tim, wie viele andere hier auch habe ich eine Frage zum öffentlichen Nahverkehr in London. Wir landen morgens um 7.30 in Stansted. Unser Hotel ist außerhalb der City in Bishops Stotford. Vom Airport scheint es bis dort am schnellsten mit dem Bus zu sein. Aber…. findet man einfach so die richtige Haltestelle? Und…. wir kommen wir von Bishops Stortford am schnellstens und möglichst günstigen in die Londoner City. So recht finde ich da nix…. kannst Du vielleicht helfen. Wir wohnen so weit außerhalb weil unser Rückflug wieder morgens um 7.00 Uhr geht und wir dann schnell wieder am Flughafen sein können. Wir müssen den Weg in die Stadt also quasi gegen Mittag am Ankunftstag und abends zurück sowie am nächsten Tag (Samstag) morgens früh hin und abends zurück hinter uns bringen. Wir sind zu zweit…. welches Ticket nehmen wir?

Hallo Petra, also in Bishops Stortford gibt es einen kleinen Bahnhof (Bishops Stortford Rail Station), wo Züge der National Rail zwischen Stansted und London City pendeln. Es ist ratsam, diese auch zu nehmen, alleine schon aufgrund des Zeitfaktors. Die fahren von dort aus z.B. nach London Liverpool Street oder Stratford, beides würde sich eignen, um anschließend mit der Tube weiterzufahren. Für die Strecke zwischen Bishops Stortford sollten wohl Einzelfahrkarten (Return) die beste Wahl sein, dann im Anschluss die Oyster Card für die City.

Hey, erstmal vielen Dank für die vielen guten Informationen in deinem Blog. Hab mir schon einige interessante Tipps für meinen London Tipp notiert. Ich reise nächste Woche mit meinem Freund nach London (Stansted) und muss in die Innenstadt (Oval Station). Bisher habe ich gesehen, dass Easybus oder terravision ziemlich günstig ist? Kauft man die Tickets dafür lieber online oder lieber am Flughafen direkt und schaut was grade am günstigsten ist? Würde mir dann in der Innenstadt ein Wochenticket für Zone 1-2 holen. Hast du noch einen Tipp für mich? Danke für deine Insider Tipps 🙂

Liebe Grüße, Steffi

Hey Steffi, am besten online, vor Ort zahlt man eine teurere Pauschale, da. 10 GBP pro Fahrt und Person. Nimm den Easybus. Wahrscheinlich wird es günstiger sein, eine Oyster Card für die Tage dort zu kaufen. Diese hat einen Cap, sodass man am Tag einen bestimmten Preis nicht überschreitet. Am besten vorher mal genau ausrechnen.

super interessant Dein Blog ! Komme Gründonnerstag für 4 Tage mit Frau und Kind (14) nach London (Eurostar); Ankunft 12°° mittags. Donnerstags zum Picca etc./ Freitag zu Mde. Tussaud danach zu Big Ben, Samstag Harrods etc Shoppen, Sonntags London Eye & Themsefahrt – macht dann hier die 7-Tage Travelcard für uns 3 Sinn ?

Hallo Bernd, hol Dir die Visitor Oyster Card. Diese kostet einmal 5 Pfund Pfand und die kannst du wie eine Prepaid Karte aufladen. Der Vorteil ist der, dass du am Tag einen bestimmten Betrag nicht überschreiten wirst, so werden in Zone 1-2 z.B. 25,60 Pfund für Ubahn und Bus für eine Person und vier Tage schon reichen. Im Vergleich zahlst du für eine Wochenkarte (Travelcard) pro Nase 32,10 für diese Zone. Ein großen preislichen Unterschied macht es allerdings nicht.

Danke für deinen hilfreichen Blog. Ich war zwar vor 5 Jahren schon in London. Allerdings nur eineinhalb Tage, mit Bus und in großer Gruppe. Jetzt fliegen wir Ende April nach London und landen in Heathrow. Unser Hotel liegt in Zone 3. Da wir schon recht früh landen und im Hotel ab 14 Uhr einchecken können, würden wir gern danach noch in die City fahren. Lohnt es sich dann, für den Transfer von Heathrow zu Zone 3 ein Einzelticket zu buchen (so ja 5,80, mit Oyster 1,50 off-peak, wenn ich da richtig durchsehe) und Zone 1-2 dann mit der Oystercard oder alles schon mit Oystercard zu fahren. Meine eigentliche Frage kommt jetzt: Zieht er dann als Cap 11,50 oder 7,50, weil ich ja nur einmal in Zone 3-6 und ansonsten in 1-3 unterwegs bin. Ich blick da irgendwie nicht ganz durch.

Danke für deine Antwort 🙂 liebe Grüße, Elisa

Hallo Elisa, wenn Du einmal in der höheren Zone gewesen bist, zieht sich die Oyster Card automatisch diesen Gebühren-Cap. Ist aber trotzdem billiger, sich gleich die Oyster Card zu holen, mittlerweile muss man sagen, da die Travelcard enorm teurer geworden ist.

Hey! ich stöbere gerade und bin genau auf eine Frage gestoßen die mich sehr beschäftigt!! Ich fliege nächste Woche nach London und werde 4 Tage dort verbringen. Ankunft am LHW das heisst ich befinde mich aufjedenfall an Tag 1 im Cap der Zone 1-6. Nun meine frage: ist die oyster card dann für jeden Tag im Zone 6 Cap, selbst wenn ich an Tag 2 und 3 nur in Zone 1-3 fahre, oder nur die 24 Stunden?

Nein, das Capping gilt immer für einen Tag – und ein Tag geht immer von 04:29 morgens des einen Tages bis 04.30 Uhr morgens des nächsten Tages – also immer 24 Stunden. Wenn Du am Folgetag also nur in Zone 1-2 unterwegs bist, wird Dir für diesen Tag auch nur dieses Kappung abgezogen – das macht die Oyster Card ja gerade so flexibel 🙂

Liverpool-Street

Ich werde am 10.März 15 nach london kommen. Wir landen in Stansted und fahren mit dem Stansted Express. Und genau dazu habe ich eine Frage, die ich leider nirgendwo beantwortet bekomme:

Ich habe beim Stansted Express ein Mobile Ticket gebucht und auch entsprechend via sms einen Link zum Ticket erhalten. Nur, leider ist das Ticket nicht aufrufbar – die Seite bisher leer. Weisst Du zufällig, wann das Ticket (Strichcode)zum Download bereitgestellt wird – und ob ich mit dem Code durch die Auslass-Schranken an der Liverpool-Schranken komme.

Es wäre echt nett, wenn ich diese Information irgendwo bekommen könnte, bevor ich Stansted Express selbst anschreibe.

Beste Grüße

Hallo Tim, erstmal danke für den tollen Blog aus dem ich schon viele Infos ziehen konnte. Da ich nächste Woche am Freitag nach London fliegen werde ist meine frag ob du mir ein passendes Transport Mittel vom Flughafen Stansted bis in die Zone 6 vorschlagen kannst? von der Zone 6 würden wir per travelcard zum Hotel kommen, das in Zone 5 liegt. solange wir das ganze Gepäck mitbekommen:P danke schon mal im voraus

Hallo Lukas,

im Norden eher oder eher im Süden in der Zone 5/6? Wahrscheinlich wäre der National Express Bus nach Stratford die richtige Wahl, denn von dort aus kommt man erstens schnell überall hin und zweitens liegt das quasi von Stansted aus auf dem Weg Richtung Zentrum.

Im Süden. also auf der andere Seite von London in croydon. es würde schon reichen wenn man in Zone 5 kommt da ich eh vorhabe die travelcard bis Zone 5 zu holen. können nämlich erst gegen 14 Uhr einchecken und brauche daher keine direkte Verbindung nach croyden.

vorab ein dickes Lob für den tollen Blog. Meine Frage habe ich hier noch nicht beantwortet gesehen und vielleicht kannst du mir weiterhelfen. Wir (Mama mit 2 Teenies) fliegen im März für 7 Tage nach London und werden nur in den Zonen 1 und 2 unterwegs sein. Ich werde also die 7-day Travelcard kaufen. Da wir aber in Heathrow landen, ist meine Frage, ob wir dann 4 Zonen hinzukaufen können (unser Hotel liegt in Zone 2) oder für diese Fahrt einzeln zahlen müssen? Oder wäre die Travelcard der Zonen 1 bis 6 für 7 Tage die Alternative?

Danke Dir! Hin und zurück bis Heathrow kostet um die £12.00. Zusammen mit einer Wochenkarte für Zone 1-2 (kostet aktuell £32.10) wären das knapp £45. Eine Wochenkarte 1-9 würde £83.40 kosten. Daher auf jeden Fall die Tickets für den Flughafen extra dazu kaufen und dann nachher Wochenkarte 1-2.

Moin moin, Daumen hoch für deinen Blog, Informativer wie die ein oder andere Internetseite.

Wir fahren für 2tage nach London (dann geht’s weiter nach Cardiff und von da aus nach Stirling). Wir schlafen in nem Hotel am Flughafen Heathrow, wollen aber beide Tage mit Öffentlichenverkehrsmittel in die City fahren. Ich würde gern vorher eine Travelcard für jeden Tag holen, für Bus und Underground fahrten. Da wir die beiden Tage erst nach 9:30uhr fahren würden, müsste doch pro Tag eine London Visitor Travel Card, Erw., Zone 1-6, 1 Tag (Off-Peak) p.P. reichen? Oder gibt es nachmittags auch ein Peak Zeitraum? Schöne Grüße Baddie

Hey, danke Dir! Ne, Off-Peak ist immer nur morgens vor 09.30 Uhr. Genau, das reicht dann.

sehe ich es richtig, dass die Preise ab Januar angehoben wurden und die Travelcard jetzt für einen Tag 12 Pfund kostet? Ist sie trotzdem noch günstiger als die Oyster Card? Bin mit Freunden für 4 Nächte in London und jetzt am überlegen, was die beste Möglichkeit fürs UBahn fahren ist 🙂 lieben Gruß Maxi

Ja, das stimmt leider, ich muss den Artikel mal wieder aktualisieren. Die Preise nehmen sich da nicht viel.

kann mich den Vorrednern nur anschließen und super Blog sagen.

Ich fliege kommenden Freitag Mittag mit der Freundin nach London, wir landen auf dem London City Airport, wir haben ein Hotel direkt am Hyde Park, wirklich viel wollten wir in London jetzt nicht mit der Tube umher fahren, sind jetzt das 2. mal in London. Eine Idee wie man am besten zum Hotel vom Flughafen kommt?

Beste Grüße, Alex

*Vergessen an zu merken, wir sind 4 Tage (3 Nächte) dort.

Hey, danke Dir! Der schnellste Weg wäre in diesem Falle jedoch die Ubahn, erst die DLR (London City Airport) bis nach Bank, dann die Central Line bis Marble Arch bzw. Queensway. Alternativ kannst Du auch ein Taxi nehmen, aber Freitag Mittag/Nachmittag wahrscheinlich nicht die beste Idee zwecks Verkehr. Bus würde auf jeden Fall sehr lange dauern.

Danke für die schnelle Antwort.

Dann nehme ich mal an, es lohnt sich nur ganz normale One-Way Tickets am Automaten zu ziehen, oder? – werden an dem Tag wahrscheinlich sowieso nur noch bisschen durch die Stadt spazieren.

Ist die DLR und die Tube Freitags um 15:30 sehr voll und muss ich für die DLR oder Tube getrennt Tickets ziehen, oder kann ich direkt am Airport ein Ticket ziehen, welches vom Airport bis nach Marble Arch gültig ist? Auf Taxis verzichte ich sehr gerne, einmal im Stau letztes Jahr an Silvester gestanden, das hat gereicht :-D.

Ja, wenn Du nur für die eine Strecke Tube fahren willst, dann würde ich Einzeltickets ziehen, also “Return” statt “Single” (Hin- und Zurück). Du brauchst nur ein Ticket ziehen direkt am Flughafen, die DLR gehört zum Verkehrsverbund. Die DLR ist meistens nicht so voll, die Central Line wird wahrscheinlich zu dieser Zeit ziemlich voll sein. Auf http://www.tfl.gov.uk/ kannst Du sonst nochmal schauen, laut Auskunft dauert die Fahrt mit Umsteigen 37 Minuten 😉

Tach Tim, gut gelungener Blog, Kompliment.

Was ich sehr bedauere das es die 3-Tagekarte nicht mehr gibt, für Kurzreisende die nur in Zone 1 (oder 1+2) unterwegs waren, waren diese 3-Tageskarten der absolute Hit. Aber leider byebye…..schade.

Eigentlich kann man sagen: Grundsätzlich sind selbst bei Wenigfahrern Einzeltickets (Cash) und außerhalb der Spitzenzeiten sehr, sehr teurer. Besucher der (nur) City of London (exklusive von/nach Heathrow) => Tages-/Wochenkarten bei 4 bis 7 Tagen. Alles andere mit der Tabelle (siehe Link unten) NACHRECHNEN! Kann man vorab gut ausloten was sich für einen lohnt.

Also für diejenigen die immer noch “schwimmen” was denn tatsächlich für sie günstiger ist (Viel-/Wenigfahrer) etc: Es gibt hier eine offizielle Preis-Tabelle der Tube. Supervergleichsmöglichkeit und ganz große Hilfe bei Planung WELCHE Oyster/Wochen-/Tages-/Einzelfahrschein besser/billiger: https://www.tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cms/documents/tube-dlr-lo-adult-fares.pdf

Bspl. Vielfahrer, 3 Tage immer nur in den Zonen 1 und 2 unterwegs. Die Oyster kostet mit Off-Peak Price Cap 7,00GBP pro Tag. Betrag mal 3 Tage ergibt 21,00GBP. Eine Travelcard Tageskarte mit Off-Peak kostet 8,90GBP, mal 3 Tage macht 26,70GBP Die 7-Day-Travelcard Zone 1-2 kostet für seine sieben Tage Gültigkeit = 31,40GBP. – Oyster besser. Wenn man/frau allerdings fünf (5) Tage nur in Zone 1-2 Off-Peak unterwegs ist, lohnt sich die 7-Tageskarte, da 5 Tage Oyster mal 7,00GBP = 35,00GBP ergibt!

Bei Day-Anytime Karten (also auch in den Hauptreisezeiten): Oyster Anytime Price Cap 8,20GBP pro Tag. Betrag mal 3 Tage = 25,20GBP. Tageskarte Off-Peak kostet dann 9,00GBP, macht mal 3 Tage = 27,00GBP Die 7-Day-Travelcard Zone 1-2 kostet bekanntlich 31,40GBP. – Oyster wieder beste Alternative. Wenn man/frau vier (4) Tage at anytime in Zone 1-2 reist, lohnt sich die 7-Tageskarte wieder, da 4 Tage Oyster Anytime mal 8,20GBP = 32,80GBP ergibt.

AAAAberrrr wenn man sich bei seinem fünftägigen London Trip ab und an aus den Zonen 1 und 2 “ausbricht” (in den 5 Tagen gehört auch die An- und Abreise nach Heathrow dazu) und dazu Wenigfahrer ist, dann könnte ggf. die Oyster besser sein. Insbesondere lohnend wenn man über die Zonen 1 und 2 zu seinem Ziel außerhalb des Zentrums fährt – bekanntlich schlägt die Tube bei diesem Routing ordentlich zu. Übrigens, schafft es der Besucher die teuren Zonen 1/2 hierbei zu umfahren(!) lohnt sich gerade bei Off-Peak die Oyster

Hinweis für künftige Oysternutzer: Bei Rücktausch über 5GBP Guthaben (also über 10GBP Gesamtwert) wird Betrag überwiesen und nicht bar ausgezahlt. Ein Formular muß dann in Heathrow ausgefüllt werden. Noch ein Hinweis: Es ist ein Negativbetrag auf der Oyster-Karte möglich. Die Oyster weiß ja nicht WO ich wieder aussteige. Also keine Bange wenn nur 2,90 Pfund drauf sind und in Heathrow aus der Bahn klettert wird man an der Sperre nicht verhaftet.

Keine Ahnung warum die Tube das Preisgefüge so kniffelig macht, deshalb individuell nachrechnen, pauschale Hinweise was besser(billiger) ist mögen unrichtig sein.

Viele Grüsse Hans

Hey, cool, danke für die super Information, sehr geil!

Hey, cool, danke für die ausführliche Information!

Hallo! erstmal – der Blog ist echt genial – plane gerade eine 7 tägige Reise im August nach London und Windsor und bin nun trotz reichlich Information aus der Blog, ein wenig verwirrt, wegen der günstigsten Fahrkarten – also, mein Dilemma kurz geschildert: wir kommen in Heathrow an und fahren für die erste nach direkt nach Windsor. Nun da wir in London Earls Court wohnen werden habe ich mich für die 7-Tage Travelcard entschieden und zwar für Zone 1-2. Nun kommt meine Frage – was wäre die günstigste Variante, denn wir müssen am Abreisetag wieder nach Heathrow (Zone 6) und während des Aufenthalts höchstwahrscheinlich einmal nach Greenwich. Wäre ein “Upgrade” zur Travelcard möglich? gibt es überhaupt so was? für diese zusätzlichen Zonen? wäre die Travel Card mit mehr Zonen die günstigste Variante? .. Oder denke ich zu kompliziert? (Heathrow/Windsor/London ist extra, das weiß ich…) Danke jetzt schon mal für einen Rat 🙂 – und Kudos für den Blog! Hat mir sehr geholfen bei meiner Planung… LG

Das Problem ist, dass man dann wirklich an Zone 1-2 gebunden ist mit dem Ticket. Für Greenwich kannst Du die Travelcard nutzen, um Rabatt für die Bootfahrt dorthin zu bekommen. Für die Rückfahrt nach Heathrow müsstest Du dann auch ein einzelnes Ticket lösen. Trotzdem wäre dass dann wohl unterm Strich die günstigste Variante, gerade auch wegen der 2for1 Vorteile der Travelcard.

Hallo Tim! 🙂

Wie die anderen Dir bereits mehrfach sagten: SUPER BLOG!!!

Nächstes Jahr ist es bei mir auch soweit und es geht zu 4. nach London. Meine Frage betrifft die Travelcard. Ich weurde diese schon im Voraus kaufen. Allerdings kommt nun mein Vater (mit dem ich u. a. fliege) mit dem Einwand um die Ecke, dass ihm die TravelCard zu teuer sei und er der vollen Überzeugung ist, dass eine Gruppen-Tages-Karte, die man sich vor Ort am Automaten holt, immer noch viieel günstiger sein muss, als wenn man sich die TravelCard holt.

Ich habe nun schon das komplette Internet nach Preisen bzw. einer Telefonnummer durchforstet, wo ich diesbzgl. Antworten bekomme.

Ich habe in Deinem Block schon gesehen, dass du den Preis für eine Tageskarte für Zone 1-6 mit £8.90 angegeben hast. Weißt Du denn, ob es auch Gruppenkarten gibt und evtl. sogar wie viel die kosten? Wenn ich das so durchspiele, auch nur mit der Einzeltagesfahrkarte, wuerde man glaube ich wirklich guenstiger hinkommen, als wenn ich die TravelCard kaufe (unabhaengig davon, dass ich mit dieser weniger Stress haette :D)

Was wuerdest Du also meinen: TravelCard für 4 Tage für EUR 84,00 p.P. oder jeden Tag eine Tages(Gruppen)Karten am Automaten ziehen?

Ich freue mich auf Deine Antwort!

Liebe Grüße, Lisa

Hey, Gruppenkarten gibt es meines Wissens nach nur ab 1o Personen und mehr. Ich finde den Preis nicht unbedingt teuer, da man Bus und Ubahn nutzen kann, und das macht man in der Regel nicht gerade sparsam, wenn man in London ist. Der Preis ist noch aktuell.

Danke für die rasche Antwort.

Deine Links haben mir sehr geholfen. Soll ich die Travelcards bereits online bestellen oder lieber vor Ort kaufen?

Einfach direkt vor Ort 😉

Vorab ein großes Lob für deinen Blog!!!!!!! Ich habe schon einige gute Tipps gefunden!!!! Ich hätte ein paar Fragen und hoffe du kannst mir weiterhelfen. Mein Mann und ich fliegen am 6. Nov. das erste Mal nach London. Flugzeiten: 11:45 Ankunft Stansted. 8. Nov. Abflug um 7:25. Ich habe bereits online bei easy.bus Tickets für Hin- und Retour in die Old Street gekauft. Der Bus für die Rückfahrt geht um 4:45!!! Da ich noch keine Unterkunft gebucht habe, bin ich am Überlegen, ob es reicht lediglich ein Zimmer für eine Nacht zu buchen und die zweite Nacht in Pubs zu “überbrücken” und das Londoner Nachtleben etwas kennenzulernen. Dann gegen 4 Uhr zur Old Street und von dort mit dem Bus zum Flughafen???? Was meinst du dazu? Gilt die Travelcard (off-peak) von 9:30-24 Uhr? Müssten wir dann einen Nachtbus zur Old Street nehmen? Fahren diese regelmäßig? Ich hätte ein Zimmer in der Spring Shaw Road gefunden, ich glaube das ist Zone 6. Soll ich vorab eine Travelcard (1-6) für beide Tage (off peak) kaufen? Das ist wohl die günstigeste Variante, oder? Weißt du vielleicht auch wo man die Handgepäckskoffer zwischenlagern kann? Damit wir sie nicht den ganzen Tag und die halbe Nacht mitschleppen müssen? Ich freue mich auf deine Antwort.

Hallo Moni,

Danke für das Kompliment. Ja, ich würde selbst in solchen Fällen auch nur eine Nacht buchen und die zweite Nacht dann überbrücken. Die meisten Pubs machen aber gegen 12PM dicht, sodass Du da nur theoretisch solange drinnen sitzen kannst. Ansonsten haben aber die Clubs auch länger auf. Die Travelcard gilt bis um 04:30 Uhr des nächsten Tages. ( https://www.tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-payments/ticket-types/paper-tickets?intcmp=11507#on-this-page-0 ) Nachtbusse fahren regelmäßig zwischen 01.00 Uhr und 07.00 Uhr ca, das sind u.a. alle Linien mit einem “N” vor der Zahl. Welche nach Old Street fahren siehst Du hier (Achtung, PDF Download: https://www.tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cms/documents/bus-route-maps/old-street-night-310813.pdf ). Auf https://londonblogger.de/2013/11/14/gepackaufbewahrung-london/ findest Du einen Artikel bzgl. der Gepäckstücke.

Hallo Tim, wir fahren Ende Oktober das erste Mal nach London. Wir haben uns vorab schon den London pass inkl. Travelcard für 3 Tage ( off peak) aus England einfliegen lassen. Da wir ziemlich frühe Flüge ergattern konnten (wir sind ca. 7.00 Uhr in Heathrow) habe ich folgende Frage: Kann ich mit meiner Travelcard (Zone 1-6) auch vor 9.30 die Fahrt von Heathrow zum Earl’s Court antreten oder muss ich mir für diese eine Fahrt gesondert Tickets besorgen? Danke für deine Antwort. Sehr informativer blog

wenn es eine Off-Peak Karte ist, dann kannst Du diese ab 09.30 Uhr vor Ort benutzen, alles was davor startet musst Du extra kaufen, da diese dann zu dieser Zeit nicht gültig ist. Die Off-Peak Zeit ist Mo-Fr ab 09.30 Uhr. Die Alternative wäre dann eine Day Anytime für eine einmalige Fahrt. (wäre ja nicht ganz so teuer 😉 )

Hallo, am 03.10. gehts mit den Mädels nach London. Hast du paar Tipps für uns wo man z.B. was man neben den üblichen Touristensachen gesehen haben muss? Wo u was man dort essen, trinken solte, einen Markt oder ähnliches? Haben nur 2 Tage dort.

Vielen Dank schon mal……toller Blog

Hallo Christiane, schau Dich einfach mal im Blog um, ich denke Du wirst da den einen oder anderen guten Tipp finden 🙂

Hallo Tim, auch von mir erstmal ein Lob zu deiner hilfreichen Seite. Wir fliegen nächste Woche nach London für 2 Tage und landen in Stansted. Da wir nur kommen um ein Chelsea Spiel anzusehen, brauchen wir in der Regel nur eine Fahrt von Stansted nach Stamford Bridge und anschließend am nächsten Tag wieder zurück. Was wäre hierfür die beste Lösung? Leider kann ich im I-net nichts hilfreiches finden und bin jetzt schon ein wenig am Verzweifeln.

Viele Grüße!

von Stansted aus kommst Du am günstigsten mit dem Easy Bus in die Stadt (Old Street, Baker Street). Danach kannst Du einzelne Fahrten von den Stationen aus am Automaten kaufen (müssten ca. 3-4 Pfund pro Fahrt sein). Von der Old Street aus: Nothern Line nach Monument, danach District Line nach Fulham Broadway. Von der Bond Street aus: Central Line nach Notting Hill Gate, danach District Line nach Fulham Broadway. Alternative – etwas teurer – der Stansted Express, der zur Liverpool Street fährt. Hiernach müsstest Du die die Central Line nach Notting Hill Gate, danach istrict Line nach Fulham Broadway nehmen.

Hi Tim, Du glaubst gar nicht wie hilfreich dein Blog ist! Danke dafür 😉 Ich hätte auch eine Frage in Sachen Transport. Wir landen in Stansted und unser Hotel ist direkt bei der Victoria Station. Ist eine Zugfahrt die günstigste Möglichkeit oder gibt es Alternativen? Vielleicht kannst du mir ja weiter helfen. Liebe Grüße und weiter so, JANA

Hey Jana, danke für Dein Feedback! Von Stansted ist es auf jeden Fall günstiger mit dem Bus in die Stadt zu fahren. Schau einmal bei de.easybus.co.uk vorbei, die Busse fahren von Stansted in die City, Old Street oder Bond Street. Von da aus kannst du mit der Underground einfach nach Victoria fahren. Viel Spaß!

Hallo Tim, erstmal Kompliment für den informativen Blog. Aber 2 Fragen habe ich: fliegen in 4 Wochen nach London, landen in Stansted und das Hotel liegt in Watford (also TravelCard-Zone 9) !!! 1. Was würdest du als besten bzw. günstigsten und schnellsten Weg / Transport vom Airport zum Hotel empfehlen ? 2. Würdest du eine TravelCard Zone 1-6 in Kombi mit Oyster oder gleich eine TravelCard Zone 1-9 empfehlen ? Danke für deine Antwort

Hallo Markus, danke Dir. Ich würde zunächst erst in die Stadt fahren und von dort aus per Underground zum Hotel fahren. Das ist rein vom Weg gesehen zwar ein kleiner Umweg, jedoch ist das am einfachsten und wahrscheinlich sogar am schnellsten. Günstig kann man von Stansted z.B. mit dem Easybus Richtung Old Street fahren und dort direkt in die Underground – mit der Northern Like nach Eusten und dann weiter mit der Overground bis nach Warford. Ich bin kein großer Freund der Oyster Card, hatte schon paar Probleme mit der Berechnung von einzelnen Fahrten. Ich würde zu einer normalen Travelcard raten, da geht man auf Nummer Sicher.

Hallo! Fliegen nächste Woche nach London, kannst du mir noch ein paar gute Tipps geben auf was man alles achten muss? Kennst du dich mit den Travelcards aus, die man im Vorfeld kauft und dann nur mehr am “Flughafen” eintauscht? Weißt du auch wie lange man mit der U-Bahn in die Stadt fährt, man findet da irgendwie keine Zeiten im Netz! Übrigens großes Lob, sehr informativer Blogg!!! Super Seite!!!

Hallo, danke für das Lob. Fliegst Du denn nach Heathrow? Normalerweise braucht man von dort ins Zentrum mit der Ubahn ca. eine halbe bis dreiviertel Stunde. Bahnen fahren alle paar Minuten. Die Travelcard kaufe Ich immer direkt an der Underground Station am Automaten – diese kauft für einen Zeitraum (1 Tag, eine Woche) für bestimmmte Zonen. Der Flughafen liegt in Zone 6, deswegen sollte die Card auch bis dahin gültig sein. Die Ubahnen der Piccadilly Line sind immer voller Leute, die nach Heathrow wollen, also am besten an den Menschen mit Koffern orientieren. Von den anderen Flughäfen fahren Züge oder Busse.

Danke für die Antwort!

Ja wir landen in Heathrow, haben eben schon so Gutscheine vom Reisbüro, die wir nur mehr einlösen müssen! Wird schon schief gehen! 😉

Werden an den Menschen mit Koffern orientieren! Danke! 🙂

Super Blog 🙂 Habe hier schon sehr viel hilfsreiches gefunden.

Ich fliege in knapp 3 Wochen das erste mal nach London und solangsam steigt die Spannung. Da du dich ja super auskennst, hätte ich mal eine Frage.

Lohnt sich der London Pass? Und was ist der Unterschied zwischen Travelcard (kann optional zum London Pass dazu gebucht werden) und der Oystercard?

Ich bin da momentan irgendwie überfordert…

Vielen Dank für deine Hilfe

Hey, danke dir! Der Pass lohnt sich, wenn du viele Sachen besuchen möchtest. Generell lohnt es sich auch, vorher online Eintritte zu buchen, da spart man eine Menge.

Travelcards sind zeitlich begrenzte Karten, mit der Du Bus und Ubahn in den jeweiligen Zonen fahren Kannst. Eine Oyster Card ist eine Art Prepaid Karte, die man vorher mit Geld auflädtst und dann wird hier pro Fahrt abgubucht, aber maximal bis ein bestimmter Tagessatz erreicht ist. Für kurze Trips würde Ich immer eine Travelcard holen.

Hi tim 🙂 finde deinen blog super 🙂 habe eine Frage , spart man bei den oyster Tickets ? Bin 4 Tage da , meinst wir sollen dann lieber jeden Tag eine Tageskarte kaufen ?:)

Ja, mit Oyster spart man nicht wirklich. *Update*: siehe Kommentar von Hans!

Hallo Tim, deine Seite ist wirklich toll aufgebaut =) .. ich fliege im Januar für ein Tag nach London.. morgens hin abends wieder zurück =) wollte dann den easy bus nehmen bis zu ersten ubahn station damit man halt schneller in der city ist. meine Frage : welche ist das und was sind die aktuellen Preise für ein Tagesticket finde im netz leider nichts unter 16 €. ist es ratsam das Ticket schon hier zu kaufen oder erst in london am automaten ?

vielen Dank im vorraus für deine Antwort

Hey, weißt du, wie es mit der TravelCard mit national Rail aussieht? Ich finde da eher weniger Infos… Gibts die auch an jeder U-Bahn-Station? Weißt du, wieviel die kostet?

Danke schonmal Jasmin

Hallo Jasmin, die Travelcard gilt an sich für Ubahn und Busse für die entsprechenden Zonen. Die National Rail wird soweit ich weiß gesondert behandelt, aber Tickets hierfür gibt es ebenfalls an den Ubahn Stationen an den Automaten. Dort kann man Routen auswählen und dann unterschiedliche Ticketmodelle anzeigen. Ob es dafür auch Tageskarten gibt, kann ich leider gar nicht sagen, zumindest gibt es Hin- und Rückfahrten.

Hi Tim, Super Blog!!!! Fliege am kommenden Dienstag mit meiner Tochter nach London. Hatte am 22.12. Tickets bestellt, die wurden auch abgebucht, allerdings bis jetzt nicht ausgeliefert! Gehe mal nicht davon aus, dass das morgen noch was wird. Daher meine Frage: Kann ich am City Airport Wochentickets am Automaten kaufen? VG Corry

1 oder 7 Day Travelcards oder Oyster Cards bekommt man an der DLR Station am City Airport.

Hallo Tim, ich hoffe, du kannst uns weiterhelfen. Wir fliegen nächsten Monat nach London. Kann man die Travelcard für eine Woche auch am Bahnhof kaufen oder gibt es die wirklich nur Online auf einigen Seiten ( vitsitbritain…..) zu kaufen? Wir durchforsten schon das ganze Internet, aber wirklich aussagekräftige Antworten finden wir leider nicht…. LG Caro

Hi, ja kann man, aber aktuell ist es wohl so, dass diese dann auf einer Oyster Card ausgehändigt wird – sprich Du kaufst diese am Schalter vor Ort und erhältst dann eine Oyster Card, auf der die 7 Tage Travelcard gebucht ist (Du musst dann noch die 5 Pfund Pfand bezahlen) – “If you buy a 7 Day Travelcard from a Tube station, Oyster Ticket Stop or London Travel Information Centre when you get to London, it will be issued to you on an Oyster Card. (A £5 deposit is payable when you get an Oyster card).” – ist aber nicht komplizierter, einfach überall ranhalten beim Betreten und Verlassen der Stationen oder Busse.

Hi Tim, dein Blog ist echt hilfreich! Fliegen nächste Woche mit Freunden nach London:) Eine Frage hätte ich noch: kann man die Travelcard an jeder Underground Station kaufen? Oder wo bekomme ich sie am besten her:)

lg kristina

Hi Kristina, vielen Dank für’s Feedback! Ja, die Travelcard bekommt man eigebtlich an jeder Station, in der Regel holt man sich diese aus dem Automaten, achte darauf dass einige Automaten kein Wechselgeld geben, diese sind dann mit “no change given” markiert.

Hey . Ich fahre mit Freundinnen 4 Tage nach London . Wäre eine Oyster Card besser ?

Kannst Du durchaus nehmen, Travelcard lohnt sich halt auch wegen des 2for1 Offers von Days Out Guide, aber mit der Oyster kannst Du nichts verkehrt machen.

Hallo Tim, bin begeistert von deinen London-Tipps. Ich besuche Mitte August erstmalig diese Metropole mit meiner 15-jährigen Tochter für 5 Tage (4 Nächte). Wir landen in Gatwick und unser Hotel liegt in Croydon (Zone 5). Nun meine Frage: ich möchte gerne die 2for1-Voucher nutzen, doch das funktioniert anscheinend nicht mit der Oyster-Card, oder ? Ich wäre von Gatwick ins Hotel mit einem Single- (oder gleich Return-?)Ticket (über Southern/National rail) hin und zurück gefahren und hätte für meine Tochter eine Travelcard besorgt und für mich eine Oyster. Wäre dann die 2for1-Aktion möglich, da ich ja den Hoteltransfer über National rail geplant habe ? Wo erhalte ich diese 2for1-Voucher ? Vielen Dank vorab für deine Rückmeldung.

Hallo Ralph, ganz wichtig: Du musst im Vorhinein im Internet angeben, welche Sehenswürdigkeiten Du besuchen möchtest. Grundsätzlich gelten hierfür alle National Rail Tickets als Papiertickets, also die Travelcard von Deiner Tochter zum Beispiel, siehe hier: http://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/ticket-types.aspx . Unter http://www.daysoutguide.co.uk kannst Du dann Deine Attraktionen sozusagen in den Warenkorb legen und anfordern.

Hallo Tim, bei meiner Recherche für unsere Reise nach London im Juni bin ich auf deine HP gestoßen. Toll, viele interessante Infos habe ich bereits gefunden, vielen Dank. Aber bezüglich der Travelcard habe ich noch Fragen, die du mir hoffentlich beantworten könntest: wir wollen die 2for1-Voucher nutzen (wir reisen zu viert) und würden die Travelcard gern schon online kaufen. Der London-Tickets Shop (ticketshop.london.de) bietet eine Visitor Travelcard an, ist diese dafür nutzbar? Ist das die von der national rail angebotene Travelcard? Auf der Seite der national rail kann ich keine brauchbaren Infos finden, wie ich die Travelcard am Flughafen Heathrow kaufen kann, daher meine Idee mit dem Kauf online. Sollte die Visitor Travelcard nicht für 2for1 nutzbar sein, wie komme ich dann in Heathrow an eine Tageskarte? Vielen Dank im Voraus für deine Hilfe Gruß Ilka

Hi, die Karte muss mittlerweile von einer National Rail Station gekauft werden, um das 2for1 Angebot zu nutzen (“Travelcards – only when purchased from a National Rail station.”). Online geht nicht!

Hallo Tim und vielen Dank erst einmal für den tollen Blog. Obwohl ich schon ein paar Mal in London war, habe ich bei Dir noch den einen oder anderen Tip gefunden.

kannst Du mir mal kurz schreiben, wo ich die Travelcard kaufen muss, damit ich die 2for1 Offers nutzen kann? Die Gutscheine kann ich bei DaysOut wählen und ausdrucken .. und dann?

Ich komme in Gatewick an und wohne in Camdon. Vielleicht geht auch Onlinekauf vor der Reise.

Vielen Dank schon einmal vorneweg und mach weiter so.

Grüße Simone

Hi, die Travelcard musst Du hiervor vor Ort kaufen, so steht es zumindest in den Bedingungen. Die Karten kriegst Du an jeder Ubahn Station am Schalter oder am Automaten!

super hilfreich Deine Seite. Wir fliegen am Fteitag das erste Mal nach London mit meinem Mann und meiner 1 1/2-jährigen Tochter. Wir fliegen für vier Tage. Nach Deinem Blog würde ich jetzt eher die oyster-Card holen! Oder welche wäre für uns sinnvoller? Muss mein Mann und ich jeweils eine eigene haben?

Würde mich über eine Antwort freuen. Habe mir einiges von Dir durchgelesen.

Liebe Grüße aus Bremen

Hi, hängt ein wenig von den Zonen ab, müsstest Du mal gucken, in welchen ihr euch so grob bewegen wollt – danach kannst Du in der Tabelle nachschauen und die richtige Karte wählen. Die Preisunterschiede sind zum Teil nicht so gravierend, sodass man mit der Oyster auf jeden Fall nichts verkehrt machen kann. Für solche Karte braucht jeder seiner eigene – außer die 1 1/2-jährige Tochter, die gilt hier als Begleitung und braucht keine eigene Karte haben.

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London Travelcard Prices 2024 - One Day, Weekly & Monthly Pass

• Adult travelcards
• Child travelcards

What is a travelcard?

How long does a travelcard last.

• Anytime and off-peak
• Where to buy travelcards
• Are travelcards the cheapest way to travel?
• Where to use travelcards
• Using travelcards on the bus
• Using travelcards on the train
• Which is best: travelcards or Oyster?

Travelcard prices for children

London travelcards come in two different types. The cheapest version just covers buses and trams, whilst the more expensive one includes the trains as well.

Travelcards bought at a National Rail station (the big overground hubs like Waterloo , shown with a symbol on the London underground map ) are printed on orange paper. Travelcards bought at an underground station are printed on pink paper. Other than the colour of the paper, there is no difference between the two. It’s also possible to load a travel card onto a blue Oyster card . (Note: It is not possible to load them onto a Visitor Oyster card or contactless card .)

If you buy a pass that includes the trains then you will also have to choose which fare zones you want it to cover. If you buy a one day travelcard then you’ll only have three options: zones 1-4, zones 1-6 or zones 1-9. If you buy a weekly, monthly or annual travelcard then you can choose a combination of different zones between 1-9.

Important note: there are no trams in central London, only in zone 3 and beyond (in places like Beckenham, Croydon and Wimbledon). So if you buy a zone 1-2 travelcard then you won’t find any trams to travel on.

What are the benefits of a travelcard?

• London travelcards can cover one day, one week, one month or one year, depending on how long you’re staying in London
• They’re very easy for tourists to understand: you simply choose the zones and dates you want it to cover, pay once, and then you can make an unlimited number of journeys between those dates
• Depending on which one you buy, travelcards can be valid on the tram, bus , Docklands Light Railway, London Underground , London Overground, TFL Rail and National Rail
• You can also benefit from a discounted fare on the cable car and Thames Clipper riverboat

What are the downsides of a travelcard?

• Depending on how many journeys you make, you might find that Oyster prices and contactless prices are cheaper than travelcard prices
• You’re only allowed to travel in the fare zones you chose at the start. If you later decide to travel outside the zones then you’ll have to buy a completely separate ticket
• Two people are not allowed to share one travelcard
• If you lose a paper travelcard then there’s no way of replacing it, or getting your money back

A travelcard lasts for one day , one week , one month or one year , and you choose which one you want when you buy it. You can then travel as many times as you like during that period.

You always have to choose a start date when you buy it. The date can be in the future, but it’s not possible to buy a dateless card.

One Day Travelcards (Anytime) – Valid for the date shown on the ticket, plus any journeys that start before 4.30 AM the next morning

One Day Travelcards (Off-peak) – Valid for the date shown on the ticket, but only after 9.30 AM on Mon-Fri, plus any journeys that start before 4.30 AM the next morning

Weekly, Monthly & Annual Travelcards – Valid between the start date and end date shown on the ticket. And they all have to be consecutive days (it’s not possible to buy a 7 day travel card that skips a day in the middle, for example).

Can two people share one travelcard?

No . Two people are not allowed to share one travelcard between them. And you can’t share an Oyster card that has a travelcard loaded on to it either.

What time is Anytime and Off-Peak?

Anytime – Anytime is valid for the dates shown on the ticket, and up to 4.30 AM the following morning. (So if your travelcard expires on the 10th, you can actually travel up to 4.30 AM on the 11th.)

Off-Peak – Off-Peak travelcard holders are restricted to travelling after 9:30 AM on Mon-Fri, but can travel at anytime during the weekend or on a public holiday.

Is it cheaper to use a travelcard?

Travelcards are not always the cheapest way to travel in London.

1-Day Travelcards – The Oyster daily cap and contactless daily cap are always cheaper than a one day travelcard (by around two-thirds).

Weekly Travelcards – Weekly travelcards are always cheaper than buying seven one day travel cards, but whether it works out cheaper than the Oyster card weekly cap depends on how many journeys you make. If you make two or more journeys on each of the seven days, or three or more journeys on six of the days, then a weekly travelcard is likely cheaper. But the only way of knowing for sure is to add up all your journeys on a calculator (sorry!).

Monthly Travelcards – Monthly travelcards are always cheaper than buying four weekly travel cards.

Annual Travelcards – Annnual passes give you 12 months travel for the price of ten and a half.

Where can you use a travelcard?

Buses – All travelcards are valid on TFL buses , regardless of which zones they cover. That’s because buses don’t have zones. So if you buy a zone 1-4 travelcard then you can ride the trams and trains in zones 1-4, but you can ride the buses all the way out to zone 6.

Trams – Bus & Tram travelcards don’t have zones, so they’re valid on all the buses, and all the trams. But Train, Bus & Tram travelcards are only valid on the trams if they cover zones 3 and beyond, because there aren’t any trams in zones 1-2.

London Underground, London Overground, Docklands Light Railway, TFL Rail, National Rail – A Train, Bus & Tram travelcard is valid on all of these trains as long as it covers the right zones (you choose which zones you want when you buy it). The exceptions are the Heathrow Express, Gatwick Express and Stansted Express, Heathrow Connect to Hayes and Harlington, and high-speed Southeastern services between St. Pancras and Stratford .

IFS Cloud Cable Car – You can’t actually use your travelcard to ride the cable car , but if you present it at the ticket window you’ll get a 25% discount off the price.

Thames Clipper – You can’t use it on the Thames Clipper river boat service either, but if you show it at the window you’ll get a 33% discount off some of the fares.

Where can you buy a travelcard?

Day Travelcards (for Bus & Tram only) – It’s not possible to buy a day travelcard for the Bus & Tram from the TFL website. It’s not possible to buy one in advance either. You can only purchase them on the day of travel from a train station or London Visitor Centre.

There are seven Visitor Centres in London: Euston station , King’s Cross , Liverpool Street , Paddington , Piccadilly Circus , Victoria and Heathrow airport.

These will always come as a paper ticket.

You can also buy a Bus & Tram pass from an Oyster Ticket Stop, but these ones will be put onto an Oyster card instead. Oyster Ticket Stops are just normal shops (usually newsagents) which have a blue Oyster sticker in their window. (Note: The usual £7 deposit will apply if you need to buy a new Oyster card, which will come on top of the day travelcard price. It is not possible to load a travelcard onto a London Visitor Oyster Card .)

Day travelcards do not require a photocard.

Day Travelcards (for Bus, Tram & Train) – Paper tickets for the Bus, Tram & Train are available to buy online from the TFL website and from train stations and Visitor Centres.

Group Day Travelcards – Group Day Travelcards can be ordered from the TFL website . They only last for one day and you need to be travelling in a group of at least ten people during off-peak hours (after 9:30 AM Mon-Fri, or any time during the weekend).

Weekly Travelcards – Weekly Travelcards can be bought online at TFL’s Visitor Shop , You can also have it loaded onto your Oyster card at a train station, Oyster Ticket Stop, London Visitor Centre or TFL’s Oyster website (but you need to set up an Oyster account with them first).

Weekly travelcards do not require a photocard.

Monthly Travelcards – Monthly Travelcards can be loaded onto your Oyster card at train stations, Oyster Ticket Stops, London Visitor Centres and TFL’s Oyster website .

Annual Travelcards – Annual travelcards can be loaded onto your London Oyster card at TFL’s Oyster website , and most London Overground, TFL Rail and National Rail stations… but not London Underground stations, London Visitor Centres or Oyster Ticket Stops.

What zone travelcard do you need?

Most tourists will choose a travelcard that covers zones 1-2, which covers the touristy heart of London.

Zone 3 is for places like Highgate Cemetery , Kew Gardens , Wimbledon and London City Airport . Zone 4 will take you to Wembley Stadium . And if you’re flying into Heathrow then you might need a zone 1-6 travelcard.

How do you use a travelcard on a bus?

Using a travelcard on a London bus is easy. If you have a paper travelcard then just show it to the driver as you board the bus.

If you have an Oyster travelcard then touch it against the big round yellow reader by the front door (some buses also have Oyster readers by the middle door and back door). There’s no need to touch the travel card down again when you leave the bus – you only have to do that for trains.

How do you use a travelcard on a train?

Using a travelcard on the London Underground is easy. If you have a paper travelcard then just insert it face-up into the slot at the front of the barrier. The same ticket will then pop out of the slot on the top. The gate won’t open until you remove your travelcard from that slot.

If you have an Oyster travelcard then all you have to do is wave it in front of the big round yellow reader and the gate will open automatically.

Which is better: Travelcards or Oyster?

TFL travelcards are very easy to understand – you simply choose the starting date, the duration, which zones you need (probably just zones 1-2 if you’re here on holiday), and then you pay just once and can make an unlimited number of journeys until the travel card expires.

The downside is that travelcards are only available for fixed periods – either one day, one week, one month or one year – so if you’re visiting for a different number of days then you’re better off buying an Oyster card .

Train travelcards are also limited to the zones you buy it for, so if you decide to make an extra journey out of the blue then you’ll have to buy a completely different ticket, whereas the pay-as-you-go credit on an Oyster card can be used in all zones.

Your comments and questions

CC Hi, I want to know if I buy the one day card does it means it lasts 24 hrs? Or just till midnight of the day I purchase it?

Staff Hi CC. It actually lasts until 4.30 AM the next morning. So if it's dated for the 1st, it will last until 4.30 AM on the 2nd.

Leanne Hi there, I am travelling to London with 3 children aged 8, 10 & 11 and will need a travelcard that will cover us all. We have a few things planned but im not sure of which travelcards I need and for which zones? We will need to travel from Paddington station to Waterloo, and will be visiting the Cambridge Theatre and also Knightsbridge. Is it possible to buy a 3 day ticket that will cover those areas? Ive not been to London before so would like to plan as much as I can in advance. Thank you

Staff Hi Leanne. It's not possible to buy a 3-day card unfortunately - they only come as 1-day or weekly cards (or monthly). And the only travelcard that covers multiple people is the Group Day Travelcard, but that's for a minimum of ten people. The good news is that your 8 and 10 year old will travel for free on the tube, so I recommend that you use your contactless bank card, and you get an Oyster card for your 11 year old. That's because contactless and oyster fares are cheaper. The most you will pay each day is the 'daily cap' for zone 1, which is less than the cost of a 1-day travelcard (all of the places you mentioned are inside zone 1). Unfortunately you will also have to pay a £5 deposit the first time you buy a new Oyster card - but you can claim that back at the self-service ticket machine at the end if you want.

Leanne Thank you very much, that's very helpful

Csaba Is it possible to buy a new Oystercard and put a 7-day Travelcard on it at the newsagents generally? Do I have to have a minimum pay-as-you-go balance on it if using a Travelcard loaded onto my Oystercard?

Staff Hi Csaba. You can just have the travelcard on your Oyster card if you want. There's no need to have any pay-as-you-go credit on there as well, but you can do that as well if you want. You should be able to do it at any newsagent displaying the Oyster symbol in their window - not all of them have it.

Lafont If I have a travelcard on my Oyster card for zones 1 and 2, and I want to visit Hampton Court, how to proceed.

Staff Hi Lafont. Hampton Court is in zone 6, so you just need to add some pay-as-you-credit onto the same card to cover zones 2-6. You can see that fare here - city-guide.london/​transport/​adult-train-fares.php . When you tap it down on the gate the computer will recognise that the travelcard already covers zones 1&2 and just use the credit for the extra bit.

Pamela Laurie I need only a paper 1 day Oyster ticket, is it over 24 hours from when you buy it? ie. 12am one day till 12 am next day ?

Staff Hi Pamela. You buy it for a particular date. It will then last for the whole of that date, and up to 4.30 AM the next morning.

Ch What time can you use your travelcard from on a Sunday?

Staff Hi Ch. If it's a 1-day card then it's all day Sunday, right up to 4.30 AM Monday morning. If it was a midweek one then it would be different, because there are two cards available midweek: anytime and off-peak. The off-peak ones wouldn't start until 9.30 AM

Awi If I buy a zone 1-6 travelcard from Vauxhall rail station will that entitle me to the National Rail 2for1 promotion? Thanks

Staff Hi Awi. You have to be careful because you need a National Rail paper ticket for the 2for1 offer. Don't buy it from the underground station because then it will be a TFL ticket. That won't be valid. Buy it upstairs from the National Rail windows, and make sure they give you a paper ticket rather than putting it on an Oyster card, because that won't be valid either.

Diane Can you use a one day travelcard on any of the London tour buses?

Staff Hi Diane. No, sightseeing tour buses have got nothing to do with normal buses, so you'll have to buy a ticket from them.

Cathy If I buy a weekly travelcard from a train station, will the start day to use to card be the day I buy it? Or can I tell the counter staff which day I would like to start to use the travelcard? For example, I want to buy the paper travelcard at London Paddington Station on July 1st and I would like to start using it on July 6th. Is it possible? Thanks for your help.

Staff Hi Cathy. Sure. You can tell them which date you want it to start. It doesn't have to be the same day that you buy it. Paper tickets will then have the start date printed on the front.

Elle Hi, With weekly travelcards, do I need to get an identity card to go with it? Thanks

Staff Hi Elle. Not if you're an adult, no. You only need to provide a passport photo for monthly and annual travelcards, but not weekly ones. And a child would need a photocard

Ray Does the one day travelcard include journeys to Heathrow? Thank you Ray.

Staff Hi Ray. You have to choose the zones when you buy it. If you choose the one that covers zones 1-6 (or 1-9) then it will.

Cozzieanne Hi there, I'm soon going to be travelling four times a week from Ealing Broadway to Leytonstone station on the Central Line. If I buy an annual Zones 2-9 travelcard, does that mean that I can get on and off at literally any stop, on any line, at any time, as long as I'm within those zones? And does it include buses? Thank you! Cozzieanne

Staff Hi Cozzieanna. A zone 2-9 travelcard won't get you from Ealing Broadway to Leytonstone on the central line, because that journey goes straight through zone 1, so you'll need a zone 1-9 instead (actually, you only really need a 1-3 for that journey, unless you've got some other plans out to zone 9 that you haven't mentioned). A zone 1-9 travelcard will let you get on and off at any stop within zones 1-9, at any time, as many times as you like. And you can use it on the bus as well.

Graham Can a London Travelcard be used on both the Underground and on Network Rail trains? I'm planning to travel from Baker Street to Monument on the Circle Line, then from London Bridge to Waterloo East on normal Network Rail. Is the Travelcard valid for both journeys?

Staff Hi Graham, It works on both the underground and National Rail trains within the zones you buy it for. So assuming your travelcard covers zone 1 (which all those journeys are in), then it will be fine

Harmeen I just want to know that if I opt for a weekly travelcard for Zone 1 and 2, how many trips am I allowed in a week?

Staff Hi Harmeen. As many as you like. There's no limit with travelcards

Lailiyah McInnes Can I buy weekly travel card to London zone 1-2 and5? And how much the cost weekly and monthly .I just from Bromley south to Victoria to Fulham

Staff Hi Lailiyah. You can buy one for zones 1to5 (price is in the table above), but not zones 1,2+5. They don't sell one for just zone 5 on its own either. If you really wanted to then you could put a zone 1-2 travelcard on your oyster card, and then top it up with some pay-as-you-go credit as well. Then every time you tap it down on the gate the computer will recognise that you have a travelcard for zones 1-2, and only take the fare for zones 2-5 from the pay-as-you-go credit

Heather Is there a student discount on Oyster cards.

Staff Hi Heather. There is a discount, but you have to apply for an 18+ Student Oyster photocard to get them. All the details are here - tfl.gov.uk/​fares/​free-and-discounted-travel/18-plus-student-oyster-photocard

amar Can I use oyster card on traine

Staff Hi Amar. You can, yes. But it depends what train you’re talking about. It has to be within the Oyster zones. If you're talking about putting a travelcard onto an oyster card, then the train will have to be in the zones you buy the travelcard for

Jerry I need Travelcard from zone 2 to 8. How can I get one?

Staff Hi Jerry. It sounds a bit bonkers, but they don't sell travelcards for zones 2-8. You can get one for zones 1-8, or zones 2-9 instead which is a bit cheaper

Jerry I don`t understand why I have to pay more for something what we don`t need.

Staff Maybe you could try using a contactless card instead, because there's a cap for zones 2-8 on that. But if you want the weekly cap then it only works from Mon-Sun (not Tue-Mon, or any other combination of 7 days) - city-guide.london/​transport/​contactless-cards.php

Bob Scrivener Where do you find a zone map?

Staff Hi Bob. Here's one - content.tfl.gov.uk/standard-tube-map.pdf

Nigel Hi, I plan to come to London in the Autumn. It looks as if I’ll need to travel in zones 1-3 between my University and accommodation. Can you advise what the weekly cost is for a travel card

Staff Hi Nigel. All the prices are shown in the table above - at the moment it's £43:50 for zones 1-3

Karen Wilce Are there any concessions

Staff Hi Karen. If you mean senior concessions then you can get something called a Freedom Pass or a 60+ Oyster card, but you need to live in a London borough to qualify. If you live outside London then you can get a Senior Railcard. There are more details here - city-guide.london/​transport/​senior-train-fares.php

Theresa I have a monthly travel card zones 1 to 4, but i need to get to zone 6, what do i need to do.

Staff Hi Theresa. Assuming that it’s on an Oyster card, all you have to do is go up to a ticket machine and load some pay-as-you-go credit on to it. When you tap down on the gate the computer will recognise that the travelcard already covers zones 1-4 and just charge for the extra zones. You can see the price on our Oyster card page - city-guide.london/​transport/​oyster-cards.php

Anita Ganea My daughter is a 2nd year university student living in London, travelling to university and also to her place of work. She has now got a student oyster card and also has a 1/3 16-25 railcard. Does she have to link these to get the full benefits of the oyster card. I said that her travel will be a 1/3 cheaper if she gets the oyster card but obviously if she uses it as a pay as you go it is still the same, why is this?

Staff Hi Anita. She needs to get the railcard loaded onto her Oyster card, then she can use the Oyster card like normal and it will charge the discounted fares. She needs to take both cards to a London Underground station and then ask a member of TFL staff to load it on. You can usually find one standing behind the ticket barriers. Bear in mind that she doesn't get a discount on all Oyster fares, just off-peak ones, and zone 1-9 travelcards (if bought together with another National Rail ticket) - full details here 16-25railcard.co.uk/​using-your-railcard/​travel-times-tickets/

Steven Gatting Hi folks,,, returning uk resident arriving with Family from US for 7 day visit covering all areas on tube. Kis are 10. 14 and 16 . Shall I just get 7 day travel cards.Will be making plenty travel around the tube on all days. Thanks Steve Gatting

Staff Hi Steven, if you’re staying seven days then a weekly travelcard usually works out cheapest if you’re making at least two or more journeys on each of the seven days, or three or more journeys on six days, but it depends what zones you buy (most people only need zones 1-2). Your 10 year old will travel for free, but bear in mind your 14 and 16 year olds will have to pay for adult passes because it won’t be worth paying out extra for photocards to qualify for the kid prices.

Michael Just to make sure it will work: I want to buy a weekly 1-2 zones paper travel card at Paddington railway station. All I need is to bring £37 and paper-sized photo, right? No need to buy Oyster card or something like that?

Staff Hi Michael. You can only get a paper travelcard if it’s a 1-day travelcard. Weekly ones will go onto an Oyster card. If you don’t have an Oyster card you’ll have to go to an Oyster Ticket stop shop (newsagent) in the National Rail part of Paddington (and pay £5 deposit for a new card on top). The underground bit only has self-service machines. If you do have an Oyster card then you can load it on at a self-service machine. You don’t need a photo

Selina Rahman Hi, If I want to travel from Woodford to Bermondsey by train and then bus from Bermondsey to Bricklayer's Arms by bus, can I buy a weekly oyster card from zone 2-4? If not, please suggest how I can make this journey with the most economical option? Thanks,

Staff Hi Selina. Thats okay for Woodfood to Bermondsey (assuming you don't choose a route that passes through zone 1). theres more than one bricklayers arm’s in london so we don't know which one you're talking about, but it should be alright because buses don’t have zones. all travelcards are valid for bus travel in zones 1-6, regardless of which zones they cover

Polya Genova Why when I transfer via Wimbledon from Streatham to Fulham Broadway I am overcharged for zone 1.??? I notice 3 times on my way going but mot charge in my way back. The pink rider was no clear sound.

Staff Hi Polya. You're only supposed to tap down on the pink readers if your journey would normally take you across London through zone 1, and you're changing trains to bypass zone 1. But the journey you're doing wouldn't normally go through zone 1 anyway, so I would stop tapping down on the pink reader and see if that helps - just tap down at the beginning and end of your journey instead

Lorraine I am travelling to london from Leigh on sea going to Wood Green station / Shepherd’s Bush there are 6 of us all together 2 adults 4 chikdren under 11 years we have bought the Kidszania tickets What would be the cheapest fares to travel on the tube

Staff Hi Lorraine. your national rail tickets would be separate, but if all four kids are under 11 then they travel for free on the tube, and the adults should just use their contactless cards to pay (oyster is the same price as contactless, but you have to pay a £7 deposit to get hold of the cards)

MR JOHN ROZNOWSKI Is there any discount for ENCTS pass holders who live outside London?

Staff Hi John. Not if you want to buy a travelcard, but you should be able to use it to travel for free on TFL buses (with time restrictions) if it has the red rose symbol on it. Theres some more information here - city-guide.london/​transport/​senior-bus-fares.php

Engrid Hello, Do children travel for free with a parent who purchases a travel card?

Staff Hi Engrid. Only if they’re under 11. They travel for free with a fare paying adult - city-guide.london/​transport/​child-train-fares.php

Pauline My partner and myself are travelling on Avanti train from Lancaster for the day.Can we buy I day travel cards when we buy our train tickets in Lancaster. Thankyou

Staff Hi Pauline, we cant really help with what’s for sale in Lancaster, but we doubt that the train company will sell them. But you’d be better off just using your contactless card to pay anyway (assuming that you both have one), because the ‘daily cap’ for contactless is half the price of a 1-day travelcard - city-guide.london/​transport/​adult-train-fares.php

John Evans RAIL CARDS OR SENIOR BUS PASS Are they valid with one day travel card off peak

Staff Hi John. A senior bus pass with the red rose symbol lets you travel for free on TFL buses, with time restrictions, but you cant use them to buy a travelcard, A Senior Railcard will give you a discount on “Anytime Day Travelcard Zones 1-9 when bought as part of ticket to London from outside London (subject to minimum fare)” - city-guide.london/​transport/​senior-train-fares.php

James allison Is their a pensioner discount

Staff Hi James. Not for travelcards, no, unless you have a senior railcard as mentioned in the comment above. But you can travel for free on the buses and trains if you have a freedom pass or 60+ oyster card (with time restrictions). More info here - city-guide.london/​transport/​senior-train-fares.php

Paul Hoelzley Good afternoon, We are Canadian seniors (82 & 76) and will be in London for 5 days early January 2023. Could you kindly help us and advise us on what is the cheapest card to use during our stay. There seem to be so many different choices and fares and this is very confusing to us. Thank you for taking the time to answer our question (s). Regards, Paul H.

Staff Hi Paul. A Visitor Oyster card will be the cheapest, and you can buy it online before you go and have it delivered to you in Canada - more information about that here: city-guide.london/​transport/​visitor-oyster-cards.php . You’ll have to choose how much credit you want on it, so just work out which fare zones you’ll be travelling through each day (most tourists just need zone 1), and look at the ‘daily cap’ for that zone in the fares chart. That will be the maximum you will be charged that day. Add up all the daily caps for the five days, and thats how much credit you’ll need. Alternatively… you can just buy a weekly travelcard when you arrive in London. You’ll lose a little bit of money, but its a lot less complicated because you can make unlimited journeys for the whole week

Mark Hi, we will be travelling to London from Melbourne in September. Four adults For five full days. We are flying into Gatewick. What is the best way to get to accommodation near Hyde park and where should we get recommended pass?

Staff Hi Mark. I would buy tickets for the Gatwick Express into Victoria on their website, and then get Visitor Oyster Cards for everyone and have them delivered to Australia before I travel. Oyster cards have the cheapest fares, and you can use them on the tube to wherever it is you're staying around Hyde Park. Info about where to get Visitor Oyster cards here - city-guide.london/​transport/​visitor-oyster-cards.php

Ali Need a travel pass ticket in London for tube and buss

Staff Hi Ali. We've explained how you can get one on this page

Jordi Hello, I'm going to travel to London for a 7 days in July. 2 adults and 1 of 14 years. We move for zones 1-3. Wich is the best option? and Where can I buy better?

Staff Hi Jordi. It depends how many journeys you're making. If you make two or more journeys on each of the seven days, or three or more journeys on six of the days, then a weekly travelcard should be cheaper. Otherwise the adults should use their contactless cards if they're from the UK, or Oyster cards if they're from abroad (which have the same fares as contactless, but you have to pay a £5 deposit on top). The 14-year old should get an Oyster card and have the 'Young Visitor Discount' applied to it, as explained on this page - city-guide.london/​transport/​child-train-fares.php

Keith Morgan How much will a 1-6 zone one day travelcard for 2 adults and two children with a family railcard

Staff Hi Keith. You dont get a discount if you buy the travelcard on its own. You need to be coming into London on another train. According to their terms: “With your Railcard you can get 1/3 off Anytime Day Travelcard when bought as part of your journey to London from outside London Zones 1-9 (subject to a minimum fare which is currently £20,30)” - familyandfriends-railcard.co.uk/​help/​faqs/

DEREK SPELLER Good afternoon.......we are travelling into Heathrow from Canada in August and staying in Paddington. The London Transport Travelcard will allow us onto the Tube at Heathrow but NOT the Heathrow to Paddington Airport Train.....am I correct?

Staff Hi Derek. That's correct, yes. You can use an Oyster card on the Heathrow Express, but not a travelcard. If you want to use a travelcard on the tube from heathrow to paddington then you'll have to get one covering zones 1-6

Muraleedharan vp Which are the places covered by differrnt zones?

Staff Zone 1-2 covers the central touristy part of London, which is good enough for 99% of tourists. but maybe you'll want zone 3 for kew, and zone 6 for heathrow

Reda Weekly travel card zone 2 to zone 4. Travelling from zone 4 to zone 4 without crossing zone 1 , why I got charged £2.50 at the end of the day.

Staff Hi Reda. Is the travelcard loaded onto an Oyster card? £2.50 is a zone 1 fare, so the only thing I can think of is that you didn’t tap out at the end.

B Walker Can I purchase a weekly anytime travel card as ticket? Not plastic oyster

Staff Hi B Walker. Only if you buy it online from the TFL shop - visitorshop.tfl.gov.uk/​en/​london-travelcard . If you buy it anywhere in London then it will be loaded onto an Oyster card.

Veronica We are a family of five traveling into London Kings Cross on 7th Oct children are aged 15,15,14, We are staying for 9 nights at Twickenham and will be travelling in/out London and going to attractions. What would be the best travel option?

Staff Hi Veronica. We always recommend that adults use their contactless bank card. (oyster cards have the same fares, but you have to pay a deposit on top.) and then get oyster cards for the kids. but get the ‘young visitor discount’ applied to the oyster cards when you arrive in London, which is explained here - city-guide.london/​transport/​child-train-fares.php

Veronica Which zone is Twickenham in. Should I order the child oyster card before we arrive and do they require a photo

Staff Its in zone 5. you can order it in advance if you want to, they don’t require a photo. its all explained on our oyster card page - city-guide.london/​transport/​oyster-cards.php

PEDRO Do foreign children between 11 and 15 have a discount with the one-day travelcard? I think no...

Staff Hi Pedro. They can do, but only if you get them an Oyster Zip photocard as well. But you have to pay extra for those, which will wipe out any savings you make. So we dont recommend getting one if its just a one-off visit - city-guide.london/​transport/​child-train-fares.php

Alex If I buy a travelcard at Heathrow and need to travel to Hammersmith but only on the next day do I need to make another journey (in zones 1 and 2), can I buy a 7 day travelcard at the same time as buying some PAYG but somehow POST-DATE the 7 day travelcard so it is only active from the NEXT day?

Staff Hi Alex. You can do. You always have to choose the start date when you buy a travelcard so i would do that first, then load some credit on after. Another way is to just buy a zone 1-2 travelcard at heathrow, from the first day, and load some extra credit on to cover the zones 2-6 bit

Alex Hello again. Travelling from Buckhurst Hill to Hampton Wick with a Zone 1-2 Travelcard and PAYG. I see this necessitates a National Rail Journey from Zone 1 to 6. Will it cost a Zone 1 to 6 fare from PAYG despite the travelcard because it's National Rail and not Overground/Underground? Does one have to check in/check out at a station on the border of zones 2-3? Pink card reader or something?

Staff As long as the National Rail station is within the oyster zones (which your stations are) then you can pay with a travelcard and oyster - theres no difference. you dont have to tap down on a pink reader. you only use those if you're making a detour to avoid zone 1, on a journey that would normally go through zone 1. you just have to tap down at the beginning and end of your journey like normal

ELHAMUDDIN ZAHID Hello I am student and have class two days a week and live in zone 5 which option will be cheap for me. Many thanks

Staff Hi Elhamuddin. The easiest and cheapest thing to do is to just use your contactless card - city-guide.london/​transport/​contactless-cards.php

Alex Hi. I just phoned up TFL and got my PAYG balance refunded (£8:70) from my oyster into bank account. I'm no longer on London and couldn't do it at machine in London as I still had a valid travelcard on my last day! Now the oyster card has been removed from the app! Is the card still valid should I return to London in the future? Or did refunding the PAYG balance cancel the card? I paid £7 for the card. Perhaps they canceled the card and refunded the £7 as well as the £8:70?

Staff Hi Alex. The card gets voided at the same time as the refund, so you wont be able to use it anymore. The deposit would have been converted into PAYG credit after 12 months, but if you've had it less than that then you don't get it back.

JOHN Hello everyone, I have a crucial to me question that puzzles me when I try to buy online a London weekly anytime travelcard for my planned trip to London next month, i.e. November 2022, landing at Heathrow airport. As far as I understand, a 7-Days (weekly) London anytime travelcard does not have a peak, or, off-peak option (As 1-day travelcards do). They are valid throughout the whole day (And, if I am not mistaken valid until 04:30 am of the next day after their expiry). I am trying to buy the card from abroad (within EU) prior my arrival & ordering it to be mailed to my home country. I choose adult, Ticket Duration = 7 Day (only option), Ticket Zone = Zones 1-6, Then it requires me to choose (Under: “Admission)” an option, BUT, the only option available in the: “Peak”. Then date of first use which I provide and then the total price is £70.30. Question is, in the field entitled: “Admission” the only option being: “Peak”, What do they mean by the word: Peak ? If I choose Peak (the only option available) will I purchase a weekly anytime travelcard that I will be able to use throughout the whole day, OR, will I be able to ONLY use it during Peak hours (i.e. prior 09:30 am) which does NOT make any sense as a 7-Days (weekly) anytime travelcard (As the name clearly states) is valid throughout the whole day ? I am at a loss. What do they mean by the option: Peak ? Can somebody please help me ? Many thanks in advance for your time & effort. Looking forward to your reply/assistance. Many thanks & Best Regards

Staff Hi John. The way they've worded it does look a bit confusing (they should have called it 'anytime') but it will definitely be valid for an entire week, both off-peak and peak hours. That's the only version you can buy for a weekly travelcard.

JOHN Many thanks for your reply ref London weekly anytime travelcard. Much appreciated. If I land to Heathrow during weekend will I be able to buy a London weekly anytime travelcard from Heathrow Visitor Center, OR, from a Heathrow ticket machine ? In this case do I need an oyster card ? Can I use the very same card to travel (By tube and/or overground rail) from, AND, to Heathrow airport (E.g. Heathrow to Waterloo)? In the latter case, are there any specific tube/overground trains I cannot use, i.e. express ? Many thanks in advance for your time & effort. Looking forward to your reply/assistance. Many thanks & Best Regards

Staff You won't be able to buy a paper travelcard at Heathrow, but you will be able to get one loaded onto an Oyster card. Assuming that you haven't got an Oyster card already, that will add another £7 deposit on top. But if you do get an Oyster card then you may as well forget the travelcard and load some credit onto it instead, and pay normal Oyster fares, which might work out cheaper depending on how many days you're staying. Oyster credit can be used on buses and trains in all the zones, including Heathrow. But if you catch the Heathrow Express then the credit will be used to pay the normal Heathrow Express fare instead (rather than a cheaper Oyster fare - you'd have to catch the tube for that). More info about all that here - city-guide.london/​transport/​oyster-cards.php - If you want a paper travelcard then your only option is to get it from the TFL site and have it posted to you.

Matt Greer Are weekly travelcards discontinuing in January 2023? If so, what is replacing it for tourist weekly travel?

Staff Hi Matt. There was talk about scrapping them last year as well, but nothing has happened so far. If they do disappear then people will have to use the weekly cap on Oyster and contactless instead (which is the same price as a weekly travelcard). So tourists will have to buy an Oyster card.

Eva Ticket type Hi, I found Super Off-Peak Day Travelcardincludes London Travelcard with Travel conditions Same day return off-peak travel including unlimited bus, tube, tram and DLR journeys around London. I would like to use with the 2 for 1 promotion wisiting London Eye. I would like to be sure that this train ticket is accepted by them. thank you

Staff Hi Eva. It has to be from a National Rail station rather than an underground station (so it has to be printed on orange paper), and you have to book the London Eye in advance rather than turn up on the day. You can check the ticket here - daysoutguide.co.uk/​travel-by-train/​is-my-ticket-valid-for-2for1-and-other-offers

Muhammad Athar Masood I am coming to London on March 29 and shall stay here upto April 11. During my stay, I intend to travel in almost all zones of the city using bus, tube, tram or train whichever convenient. Please guide me if should buy a Travle Card or an Oyester Card.

Staff Hi Muhammad. Price-wise you're probably going to be better off with an Oyster card rather than a travelcard, but there are advantages and disadvantages to each. Have a read of this page which explains them all - city-guide.london/​transport/​oyster-contactless-travelcard-comparison.php

Sandr Hi, Me and my husband are coming to London with our kids age 8,15,16.We will be there one week.Is the seven days travelcard best options for us?

Staff Hi Sandr. Travelcards usually work out cheaper if you make 2 or more journeys on each of the 7 days, or three or more on 6 of the days. Otherwise you’ll be better off with Oyster cards (unless you have UK bank cards, then you can just use contactless instead)

Sandra Thank you very much for your answer.We surely will be using it more than 2 times a day.And my daughter age 8 doesn't have to have a travelcard?My daughter age 15 has a child travelcard?Does it have to be with a photo? Thanks for your help.

Staff You can only get a child travelcard if you have a child photocard, but you have to pay extra money for those which means you’d wipe out all the savings. So its not worth it. Your 8 year old travels for free. Its all explained on our child fares page - city-guide.london/​transport/​child-train-fares.php

Kathe Conway Hello, riding here i am curious, i will be in london for seven days thinking it is best to get a travel card, can you buy this at Heathrow ? Also if for one day I am traveling to zone four does it make more sense just to buy a single trip that day? sorry so confusing :)

Staff Hi Kathe. You can get it loaded on to an oyster card, but youll need the oyster card first. You can have a paper one posted to you if you order it online (even abroad - its all described in the ‘Where can you buy a travelcard?’ section above). If you want to use it from heathrow into central london that would be zones 1-6, which would also cover zone 4. You wouldnt be travelling zones 1-6 all week though, so it would be a bit of a waste of money. I would probably recommend getting an oyster card instead, which you can get from heathrow - city-guide.london/​transport/​oyster-cards.php

Giuluano Hi there, how much cost me a travel card zone 1to 6 on Sunday?

Staff Hi Giuluano. Sunday is off-peak so get the off-peak one - 15,20

Richard Can I buy the 1 day Travelcard at any national trainstation (planning for Knockholt)? As this is a requirement for 2for1

Staff Hi. Richard. You can, yes (assuming you mean one of the stations in London). But you have to get it from the windows/machines upstairs, in the National Rail part of the station. If you go downstairs to the London Underground part then it will be printed on different paper, which is no good for the offer.

Richard Thanks. Indeed we drive from SevenOaks to Knockholt national railstation, with our Diesel from the Netherlands, which I want to leave outside LEZ. Thus parking in Knockholt (which is in Zone 6) and then use for the Saturday and Sunday the 2 day paper travelcard. This should allow our group of 6 to have the cheapest means of transportation into London, benefitting from 2FOR1, as long as we purchase the cards at Knockholt national Railwaystation (Can we purchase them at this station!? ). Can you confirm this is the best strategy? Thx

Staff Knockholt is in zone 6, so they should sell them. Its not the cheapest way of travelling (using contactless/oyster would be cheaper) but you’d make all the money back and more from doing the 2-for-1 offer, so it sounds like a good plan. You can buy the off-peak ones if youre travelling at the weekend. And its definitely a lot cheaper than driving into london. If youre talking about this saturday and sunday remember the coronation is on, so everywhere will likely be packed

JOSE CARVALHO If I have a travelcard card for zones 1 and 2, and I want to go Canning Town (zone 2/3) and return, how to proceed.

Staff Hi Jose. if you coming from the direction of zone 1 or 2, and get off at Canning Town, then you're fine, your travelcard will cover the whole journey. If you’re going into zone 3 and your travelcard is on an oyster card, then you can just load on some extra pay-as-you-go credit to cover the fare for zone 2-3 (which can be seen here - city-guide.london/​transport/​adult-train-fares.php )

Lynn I am arriving in London from overseas and need just one train ticket from Paddington Station to Kings Cross Station. What is the best way to pay for this trip please

Staff Hi lynn. If it's just a one-off then I would buy a single ticket from the self-service machine in the station

Derek Scriven Is there still a concession on 1 day travelcards with a senior railcard?

Staff H Derek. There is, but only this specific one - "Anytime Day Travelcard Zones 1-9 when bought as part of ticket to London from outside London" - senior-railcard.co.uk/​using-your-railcard/​travel-times-tickets/

Richard I want to find out about the cheapest weekly cost for travel card from Brockley station to Reading.

Lala If I want to travel to London zones 1-6 and I need the weekly travel cards, how much is it and how do I buy it? I also have a 16-25 Railcard, can it be applied when buying?

Staff Hi Lala. the prices for zone 1-6 are all shown in the table at the top. The different ways to buy it are described under ‘Where can you buy travelcards’. The railcard wont get you a discount on a weekly travelcard. The only travelcard you can get a discount on is a “one day travelcard, zones 1-9, when bought together with a National Rail ticket to London (when coming from outside London)”

ALAN Can I use a Rail Travel Voucher issued by Transport for Wales for a cancelled journey to buy a TFL Travelcard?

Staff Hi Alan. I wouldn't imagine so, but it's probably best to ask Transport for Wales - tfw.wales/​help-and-contact/​rail/contact-us

Edward Gould Do I need a photo for an annual season travel card

Staff Hi Edward. You’ll need to get an oyster card and register it on the TFL website. You’ll then be able to buy the annual travelcard through that website and load it straight onto your card

Malcolm Oates What is price of off-peak one day travelcard zones 1-6 for a senior railcard holder. it was 34% off.

Staff Hi Malcom. The normal price is £15,20 and the discount would only apply if you bought the ticket as part of a longer National Rail journey from outside zones 1-9 - senior-railcard.co.uk/​about-the-railcard/​using-your-railcard/

Tahira If I bought a Train, Bus & Tram Travelcard covering zones 5-6, what buses would be covered? Will it always be buses up to zone 6? Or is my case different?

Staff Hi Tahira. Buses don't have zones, so whichever train travelcard you buy it will always cover buses in train zones 1-6

Steve Hi, I’m traveling to Leicester square on the Friday bank holiday from Bedford with two adults and two 15 year olds just for the day. Do we just get the one day travel card or is there a better option. Tia

Staff HI Steve. The fares will be cheaper if you just use your contactless card. But you’ll have to have one card each. if your kids don’t have one then I would get them one day travelcards - city-guide.london/​transport/​oyster-contactless-travelcard-comparison.php

Steve Thank you for your help

Ron Travelling from Richmond to Stratford using Overground line Do I need to use pink reader anywhere to get cheaper fare using contactless? Thanks

Staff Hi Ron. You need to avoid zone 1, so it will make the journey a lot longer. If you want to do it then you could change onto the Overground at Gunnersbury and tap the pink reader there (don't go through any ticket barriers, because that would end your journey)

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Can I buy a London Travelcard at Heathrow Airport - London Forum

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Can I buy a London Travelcard at Heathrow Airport

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You can buy a one day zones 1-6 paper travelcard ticket at the underground station at Heathrow, it will cost you £13.50, so £10.00 more than the contactless single fare for your journey as per the informationon your other post. The travelcard will only be valid until 04.29 on the following morning not for 24 hours from the first use. There are 7 day travelcards which work out cheaper than the daily ones and can be valid for various zones with the option to add Pay As You Go (PAYG) credit to cover any extra fares outside of the valid zones.

If you don't have a contactless bank card then you can get an oyster card which will give you the cheaper fare as well.

You will need to give more details on your visit such as how many days will you be here and what travel plans you have from Woolwich.

The details will help us to give you better information on what to get.

One thing you haven't confirmed is whether your Chinese bank card has the contactless capability.

If it’s a single journey, surely a single fare will be far cheaper than a travel card, which covers multiple journeys in its time period?

TFL fare checker suggests a single fare will be £6, or less with Oyster.

For just that journey you don't need a Travelcard, just a single ticket. In fact if you have a contactless debit/credit card or device you don't even need a ticket!

If you can't do contactless buy the ticket from the machine at the Underground station, it should be £6

If you can do contactless just touch the yellow reader at the station barriers at Heathrow AND when leaving Woolwich and at thattime of the day it should be £3.30

https://tfl.gov.uk/fares/how-to-pay-and-where-to-buy-tickets-and-oyster/pay-as-you-go/contactless-and-mobile-pay-as-you-go?intcmp=55539

You mentioned adding credit to your oyster card on your Barclays ATM post, do you already have an oyster card or need to get one?

If you need to get one then you can get it at the underground station, don't order one on line to be posted to you.

I noticed in another post that you maybe a British citizen living in China but you showed your location as being in Malta.

Yes you can buy a ticket ot travelcard at Heathrow but as mentioned you can just tap your bank card if its contactless for the cheapest option 👍🏽

BTW, Sparky was hoping to visit in October 2021 as per another post.

If you last visited a number of years ago (or are looking at a guide book that is a few years old), you may believe that the travelcard is the cheapest option. The whole ticketing approach was changed a few years ago, and in most circumstances the travelcard is no longer the cheapest option.

Using a contactless bank card (with no physical ticket at all) is usually the cheapest option now,

Yes, you can buy a travelcard at the tube station at LHR, but - as others have said - it would make your single journey very expensive!

This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity.

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