Does anyone know the exact location of the office at Heathrow airport where I can purchase young visitor's discount oyster cards for my 3 grandchildren - ages 12, 14, and 15, as well as 2 cards for my daughter & me? The grandchildren won't need photo cards because we will be "short-term visitors." Upon 7:45 arrival at Heathrow, we will be on a huge time crunch (trying to get to Buckingham Palace for Changing of the Guard), so knowing where to go to purchase these oyster cards would be very helpful. Thank you, Linda
Posted by
Virginia, USA
5866 posts
You can buy regular Oyster cards for youself and your daughter at the Heathrow tube station. The regular card is preferable to the visitor card as the 5 GBP deposit is refundable.
According to TFL, it seems the visitor cards need to be purchased in advance.
https://tfl.gov.uk/travel-information/visiting-london/visitor-oyster-card#on-this-page-1
It looks like there is a 2-day or 3-day children’s visitor pass that can be bought at the Heathrow Terminal 2-3 tube station. Don’t know if that works for your situation.
https://tfl.gov.uk/travel-information/visiting-london/getting-around-london/best-ways-for-visitors-to-pay/visitor-pass
Posted by
Oxford, United Kingdom
5466 posts
Young Visitor discounts can be applied to regular Oyster cards, no need to bother with the Visitor versions.
You buy the Oyster cards in the tube station at Heathrow, then ask a member of staff present to add the discount.
TfL have been messing around with their website again and somewhat buried the information but it seems to be here: https://tfl.gov.uk/fares/free-and-discounted-travel/11-15-zip-oyster-photocard#on-this-page-5
(Ignore the fact that most of this page is about 11-15 Zip Oystercards, which are cheaper for frequently visiting children but for a one off the fee and bureaucracy negates this.)
Posted by
Seattle, WA
17563 posts
You have received some very good advice on your TripAdvisor thread as well as here.