London Transport's Oyster Card

ABOVE: Self-service terminals make it easy to top up your Oyster Card. TOP INSET BELOW: In London Underground stations, card readers are on the turnstiles.

In many cities, transit systems offer "tourist cards" or "day tickets" that allow unlimited travel at flat daily, multi-day, or weekly rates. Such cards can be a great deal or a waste of money, depending on how often you end up using public transportation.

London Transport's Oyster Card is a new type of day card that saves you from having to decide between buying single-trip tickets or splurging on all-you-can-eat transportation. London Transport's Lowest Daily Fare Promise states:

"During a 24 hour period, from 0430 and up to 0430 the following day, you will never pay more than the equivalent One-Day Travelcard price for all your Oyster pay as you go journeys in Zones 1 to 6."

How the Oyster Card works:

You buy a preloaded "smart card," which has a base price of £10 when purchased in Britain. (The base price in other countries may vary: e.g., US $15 when purchased online from Visitbritaindirect.com in the United States.) If you wish, you can buy the card with a higher starting value.

Each time you begin travel or change from one mode of transport to another, you touch the Oyster Card to the yellow card reader and wait for the green confirmation light. (Card readers are on Underground turnstiles, bus entry points, and platforms at tram stops.)

Your fare will deducted automatically from the stored value in your card. When your daily total reaches a pretermined limit or "cap," the card will register your journeys, but you won't pay for those trips.

If you need to top up your balance, you can do so at any Oyster Card outlet (see below).

Important: Unused fare value won't expire, so you can keep your Oyster Card for future visits to London. Also, by registering your card immediately after purchase, you won't lose your balance if the card is lost or stolen.

Where to buy an Oyster Card:

Online outside Britain in your local currency, from VisitBritain Direct.

In London, at most Tube stations, at the eight London Travel Information Centres, and from more than 2,200 Oyster Ticket Stops.

From Gatwick Express, both at ticket counters and on the trains. (See my London Airport Transportation article for information on the Gatwick Express.)

Also see:

London airport ground transportation

Other London travel articles at Europe for Visitors

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London Sightseeing Tours, Day Trips, and Ground Transportation