Paying for the tube

I was last in London in 2022 and used both an Oyster card and tap CC to pay for the Tube. Worked great. Of course, make sure if your CC requires it that you put a travel alert on your CC so you don't have any issues.

I haven't had a problem, and lots of others here have tapped CCs without a problem. Have you used your card to tap for payment at home?

Here is the link to the Transport for London website discussing contactless CCs. I used my American Express card for all contactless transactions on the Tube last spring and it worked well.

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

I used Google pay with a Chase Visa CC, it worked like a charm.

I think that is a "cover all bases" type advisory, of course "all" credit cards may not work.

As others have said, I do not recall anyone coming on complaining about problems, but lots of people on here have used their card.

A few years ago I was seeing a number of reports of Americans having issues with cards in the U.K. I have seen very few reports recently, which suggests that the card technology has caught up.

I was just there with my wife son, daughter, and grandchild.

We used Google Pay with a Chase Visa,Google Pay with Capitol One, tap with Capitol One and oyster cards. No issues.

I prefer using Google Pay. Very easy and safe.

I was just there. I used a Visa, my husband used a MC. No issues.

If you are using a debit card or Oyster, remember you must tap to exit the platform as well as enter. The Tube has fare zones so what you pay depends on which zone or zones you travel through.

See www.tfl.gov.uk for a clearer explanation.

If you are using a debit card or Oyster, remember you must tap to exit the platform as well as enter.

I believe this direction needs to be followed for credit cards also.

As regards the main question, so long as one has a credit (or debit) card that is set up for contactless pay (it will have an image that looks like a phone's wifi symbol), it will work fine to access the Tube. And to buy a pint of ale in pretty much any pub.

". It says that some foreign issued credit cards may not work"

My foreign issued cards works fine. As long as they're contactless (and most cards will be) it will work.

Whatever method of payment you use, (Oyster card, contactless card, phone or smart watch pay), you should tap in and out on the tube but on buses you only tap in when you get on. This is because there is only one price for the buses - £1.75 - no matter how far you travel.
If you use the DLR bear in mind that the platforms don't have gates to go through like tube stations. They have yellow sensors just like on the tube but as you arrive and leave on the platforms. It's very easy to forget to tap in or out on these.