Oyster Card

I don’t know the ins and out of dealing with this online. I do know that you can add value to any Oyster card quite quickly at any ticket machine. I usually land at Heathrow and then add to my card there if necessary. Takes less than one minute.

Nope. You need a U.K. address to register the card. Years ago I asked TFL and was told to use the TFL’s address to create the account. Even with an account, since you’re not in the U.K. there’s little you could do, so I never registered mine. When using my card the last time on a trip I note the remaining balance and write it down.

Thank you. What is TFL?

TFL = Transport for London.

https://tfl.gov.uk/

https://tfl.gov.uk/

https://www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/node/644

For me it’s how I plan my excursions when I’m in London.

I’ve been using the same Oyster card for the last 5 years. Usually leave £5-7 on it when I return to the US.

I have not yet purchased an Oyster card. I take it I can buy one once I land at Heathrow?

Yes, just go to the machines outside the tube station. Very straightforward.

Thank you! Everyone on this forum has been so helpful

An account is useful, for all sorts of reasons, but is not essential, especially as a tourist. It's chief benefit would be that if you lost the card you could transfer the remaining balance to a new card.
Frankly, if I only had, say £20 on the card at any one time, and I lost the card, I would just shrug the loss off as one of those things.
I use my account to top up, for speed (and it can be set up to automatically top up), but you can equally top up at any machine.
Don't worry about it.

The other useful facet is immediate access to the journey history without going to a station, useful if your balance seems lower than you expect through a false incomplete or split journey.

For many though the Oyster card itself is no longer needed through use of contactless payment. Even then you can record your card details with the app to track travel.

I registered my Oyster Card a few years ago. I used my hotel's address.

Recently, it seems the app gets blocked when in the U.S. I get a lot of "technical problem" error messages. You may have to register once you get to the UK

The app will show you your balance, give journey history and has a link to the TFL journey planner. You can also top up the card via the app. But, if you don't register it won't affect your usage.

Use the hotel address, use anybody's address - they aren't sending you anything, it's just to get through the registration

My thanks to everyone who responded to this query. I contacted Oyster Card CS directly and got what appears to be the definitive answer, which is that you cannot register your OC on a mobile phone with a US address.

Can you just buy the oyster cards at LHR when you arrive or is it a hassle? And how long did it take to receive your cards in the mail?
Thanks

Karen - yes you can but it’s not the best option unless for some reason you prefer the Oyster card to cheaper options. With respect to the original poster the worst option is to order a card online in advance - most expensive and least flexible.
The cheapest and easiest option is to just use a contactless card or phone or smart watch payment- no £7 fees to pay but the same costs as an Oyster.

The reason I like my oyster card is that I don’t want to be pulling out my credit card that often in a crowd. I feel better with only the potential of losing the Oyster Card.

Carol - that’s often a reason people give for using an Oyster and it’s a perfectly reasonable choice. But I think it’s only right to point out that it is these days the more costly option for anyone who doesn’t already have an Oyster. It is also now very much the minority of users who use Oyster cards.
For full disclosure I still use my Oyster card, but only because I get 1/3rd discount through having a Senior Railcard. Without that I would probably now revert to a contact credit card.

We ordered our two Oyster Cards online from the USA. They took 2-3 weeks to arrive. We are aware we could have purchased after arrival, but time is of value to us since we have a lot we want to see in a short period of time, and getting it in advance was one less thing to do after our arrival. One of the advantages that appealed to us was the daily cap which does not apply when using a CC, since as tourists I imagine we'll be using the card bank-and-forth extensively. Also, I like the idea of keeping our credit cards and mobile phones safe and secure from grab-and-go artists. If someone wants the couple of bucks on the Oyster card, be my guest.

For the record the cap does apply using credit/debit card contactless, but I am very much of the Oyster school, rather than constantly getting out credit cards, and would be if I wasn't also benefiting from the senior railcard discount.

If you use a contactless credit card you get the benefit of the daily cap. The biggest drawback is each rider would need to use a different credit card. If that isn't possible, multiple Oyster cards work better in this circumstance.

I’m in Canada and have had my Oyster card for years. It was very easy to load at the machine and check my balance since I hadn’t used it in 3 years.

As mentioned above, I would rather use the Oyster than a credit card when tapping in and out.

my problem is that I want to buy a 7-day travelplan for unlimited travel on overground, bus, etc., and I want to use a contactless method (on my IPhone). I can't figure out how to do that remotely. Has anyone accomplished that?
Maybe I can do this at the Heathrow tube station.

Hello all, this has been a very interesting and informative feed. I have similar questions. I also wanted to get the Oyster Card with the 7 day travel added and you can only do that on the regular card not the visitor card. However like those mentioned above you cannot register a regular Oyster card without a UK address. The person who used the hotel address is brilliant! Good idea.

My question is once I have a “regular” Oyster card can I then add the 7 day travel plan onto it in London? With or without registering the card?

In regards to the contactless and using your own credit/debit card as appealing as that is we are in Canada and the exchange rate and charges would not benefit…hence the Oyster card or Visitor Oyster card is what we are going with.

Thanks all for the previous feeds and any assistance to my additional questions. :)

KS

Unless you are staying for a very long time or have a terrible deal with your credit card I would be very surprised to believe your bank charges are more than the cost of an Oyster card. In any event you need to pay for the card and for the cash balance you put on it somehow. If you use a card for that you will be exposed to the same bank charges. If you’re changing your dollars into pounds to do it you will be paying for that transaction as well.
The exchange rate is completely irrelevant. It will be what it is whatever you do.

This is for Karen, who asked a question far up the thread. I was unsure if she got a clear answer, or became more confused by the many posts which followed.

"Can you just buy the oyster cards at LHR when you arrive or is it a hassle? And how long did it take to receive your cards in the mail?"

You can buy Oyster cards at London Heathrow.
There's a machine similar to an ATM machine you use.
Put a credit card (or cash--pounds) in the slot, select an amount for the Oyster card--20 pounds, 30, 40, etc.
It is not a hassle.

Oyster cards are also sold in London at grocery stores, convenience stores, the London Visitors Center near St. Paul's, plus
you will find the Oyster card machines just inside all tube station entrances.

If you buy the Oyster card at Heathrow, you can use it to take the tube into London.
If you are going into London using the Heathrow Express, they don't take the Oyster card; you must buy a ticket from them.
There's no need to send away for an Oyster card unless you just want to.
I have no idea how long it takes for them to send it to you, sorry.
I hope this is somewhat helpful.

You will find many videos on YouTube that demonstrate how to use the machines to buy or top up an Oyster card.
Here's the Joolz Guides guy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlZ_xDx2Zl0

One reason it can be useful, but not essential, to have an account is to be able to find out the reason for odd charges. On Tuesday I made a tube/DLR journey from Zone 1 to Zone 3, and was surprised to only be charged 95 pence according to the 'barrier' at King George V DLR. The correct fare was £3 rebated to £1.95 for using a senior railcard. Going into my account tells me that I was given an 'automated refund' of £1. Why, I have no idea as I had no delay on the journey and TfL delay repay only kicks in after a 30 minute delay. In fact the journey went so smoothly, even the usually dreaded change at the totally rebuilt and reorganised Bank station, that I was impressed.
It was more that I was so surprised to be apparently under-charged.

I bought mine at Heathrow, no problem. You can download the tube app. and it will give you directions and times.

OP's trip was in April - they are probably back by now.