Oyster cards - use as an occasional travel pass?
Discussion
Hi all,
My missus and I are visiting London in a couple of weeks, and will be staying for three days. My idea had been to buy travel passes on each of those days for tube travel (£5.80 per day the last time I used one, as far as I can remember). However, a friend has advised me to get two PAYG Oyster cards instead. He's said that the amount charged can never amount to more than the cost of a daily travel card, no matter how much it is used, and it saves carrying a flimsy travel pass ticket around.
Is this true? It sounds appealing as my visits to London are becoming more and more frequent, so a card I can simply top up when needed would be great.
My missus and I are visiting London in a couple of weeks, and will be staying for three days. My idea had been to buy travel passes on each of those days for tube travel (£5.80 per day the last time I used one, as far as I can remember). However, a friend has advised me to get two PAYG Oyster cards instead. He's said that the amount charged can never amount to more than the cost of a daily travel card, no matter how much it is used, and it saves carrying a flimsy travel pass ticket around.
Is this true? It sounds appealing as my visits to London are becoming more and more frequent, so a card I can simply top up when needed would be great.
I would sign up to one online. You can make it auto topup when it gets low linked to your credit card. Then you never need to worry basically.
I use mine about once every three months or so!
They also have the added benefit that if the journey you are on is delayed, it will automatically refund some or all of the cost to your oyster card when you next touch in on a barrier. Very handy!
HTH
M
I use mine about once every three months or so!
They also have the added benefit that if the journey you are on is delayed, it will automatically refund some or all of the cost to your oyster card when you next touch in on a barrier. Very handy!
HTH
M
t was in office, but I'm more relaxed about it now 
That's exactly how I use mine.
If you register it then you can use auto top-up (as said) assuming you're not fussed about always carrying some credit on there - it will replenish from your bank account if it drops below £5.
If you ever use it for work journeys then you can run off a journey history on the website which my company accept as a reciept, I just print it off, circle the work journeys and submit it with the rest. So much better than queuing for a paper ticket on every jouney.
If you register it then you can use auto top-up (as said) assuming you're not fussed about always carrying some credit on there - it will replenish from your bank account if it drops below £5.
If you ever use it for work journeys then you can run off a journey history on the website which my company accept as a reciept, I just print it off, circle the work journeys and submit it with the rest. So much better than queuing for a paper ticket on every jouney.
I do exactly this, though I did have the Oyster card because I lived in London until a couple of years ago. There is a deposit of £10 per card, I think - been so long since I got mine that I've written that off in any case, but that might make it pointless unless you go into London quite regularly.
Much cheaper fares if you just make a single journey too.
Much cheaper fares if you just make a single journey too.
surfymark said:
I would sign up to one online. You can make it auto topup when it gets low linked to your credit card. Then you never need to worry basically.
I use mine about once every three months or so!
They also have the added benefit that if the journey you are on is delayed, it will automatically refund some or all of the cost to your oyster card when you next touch in on a barrier. Very handy!
HTH
M
Another good thing about doing this is if you lose it you can report it online and get a new one sent with your balance transferred to it.I use mine about once every three months or so!
They also have the added benefit that if the journey you are on is delayed, it will automatically refund some or all of the cost to your oyster card when you next touch in on a barrier. Very handy!
HTH
M
surfymark said:
They also have the added benefit that if the journey you are on is delayed, it will automatically refund some or all of the cost to your oyster card when you next touch in on a barrier.
Since when has this been the case? Are you saying that if I hold off going through the exit gates for 15 mins I will be allowed out for free? I'd be revoltingly surprised, appalled, and will write to my MP. The only time I can recall automatic refunds occurring is when the whole Oyster system failed.The only positive thing that newt-boy did whilst screwing the rest of London up!
You can also just buy one at the station or a newsagent near a station, pay cash thus keeping all your details from ending up on another database.(tinfoil hat on)
You can also just buy one at the station or a newsagent near a station, pay cash thus keeping all your details from ending up on another database.(tinfoil hat on)
Edited by 69 coupe on Friday 6th February 17:13
SJobson said:
I do exactly this, though I did have the Oyster card because I lived in London until a couple of years ago. There is a deposit of £10 per card, I think - been so long since I got mine that I've written that off in any case, but that might make it pointless unless you go into London quite regularly.
Much cheaper fares if you just make a single journey too.
So it charges a fee for each single journey but then stops charging once £5.80 (or whatever a daily pass costs) is reached? Sorry for repeating what I've already asked, but I am a bit of a simple Simon.Much cheaper fares if you just make a single journey too.
The cost of the card is £3 apparently, which is bugger all to be honest. I really like the idea of the auto top-up too, as my trips to London can often be random and short notice, so it'll be handy not to have to queue to buy a travel pass each of those times. I might only visit London three times a year, or I might go every month - either way it's a win-win situation.
Yes, it automatically caps at the daily travelcard rate.
I believe it's still £3 for the card, which is a deposit - if you don't want it any more then you can hand it back to TFL and get that deposit back.
Given the disparity between cash and oyster card fares these days, it's a no-brainer even if you only visit a couple of times a year.
I believe it's still £3 for the card, which is a deposit - if you don't want it any more then you can hand it back to TFL and get that deposit back.
Given the disparity between cash and oyster card fares these days, it's a no-brainer even if you only visit a couple of times a year.
TheDutch said:
surfymark said:
They also have the added benefit that if the journey you are on is delayed, it will automatically refund some or all of the cost to your oyster card when you next touch in on a barrier.
Since when has this been the case? Are you saying that if I hold off going through the exit gates for 15 mins I will be allowed out for free? I'd be revoltingly surprised, appalled, and will write to my MP. The only time I can recall automatic refunds occurring is when the whole Oyster system failed.Edit to add: here you go https://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/tickets/refunds/tuberef...
Edited by bigandclever on Friday 6th February 17:59
shalmaneser said:
No point not getting one as far as I can see. I've got one, use it every now and again - just useful to have really.
Agreed - seems like a total no-brainer. I honestly didn't realise that such a no-lose system would be in place. And to think I've spent £5.80 on a travel card every time I've been, just on the off-chance that I might make more than one journey on the tube on that day!Thanks for the clarification everyone!
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