Oyster Cards for London

It is easy to purchase the Oyster card at the airport so you can take the "slower" train into London which is covered. My husband and I purchased ours at the airport. We put about 20 euros on our cards. It was so quick and easy going through the turnstiles when riding the tube but we could also use them on the buses. I'd wait until you arrive London. Wish I was going with you... It was a WONDERFUL experience. (Our first trip)

I'd been wondering this question myself after seeing another post about long lineups to buy an Oyster at Heathrow.

We just got back from London on 4/10. We purchased our Oyster card at Heathrow. We purchased the 7 day card and didn't wait in line at all. It's a great card. We used it for the buses all the time.

Gary,

Which airport are you flying into? On my last trip, I arrived at Gatwick, took the Gatwick Express to London Victoria and bought my Oyster Card there (no line-up at all).

If you're flying into Heathrow and there's a long queue, just buy the Card when you arrive in London.

Happy travels!

I was in London last year and fell in love with the Oyster Card. I actually purchased a pass for three days and then purchased my Oyster Card after that expired. The Oyster Card was great and I was able to check it to make sure I had enough for the proposed trips for that day (about 50-70% less than the pay as you go, as I recall), top it up if I needed, and then I was off! When I finished my trips and knew I would not need it any longer, I turned it in and got the refund of the amount still on my card.

Don't know ages here but if you also have a UK "Senior Rail Card" be sure to show it to the clerk issuing the Oyster card and you get an even further price reduction on each of your rides. Have fun!

Thanks for all the good advice. We're going into Heathrow, so it looks like we'll take the Heathrow Connect and buy our Oyster card at Paddington (or Heathrow depending on the queues). Can't take advantage of the senior discount yet.

If you want to save more money, take the slower train into Paddington or whatever station you need to get off for your hotel. The slower train (sorry can't remember what it is called) is covered on the Oyster card if you purchase it at the airport. The faster train is not covered and is a lot higher price.
You can purchase an Oyster card at any tube station if I recall correctly and you can also add money to it at any tube station.

Bear in mind that you can also get an Oyster card at a lot of shops (newsagents and convenience stores mainly). You can also top it up in these shops which can save you queuing. The shop will have an Oyster card sign in the window.

You can buy the Oyster Card from the visitbritain.us website before you go. Pay in dollars, have it ready when you arrive, have it paid for before you go.
It's very reassuring to know that you can get around whether you have pounds or not.

We just got back from London. There was a very short line to get our Oyster Card (pay as you go)before we went out to the tube at Heathrow (Terminal 5). We were staying out toward Hampstead, so hit our maximum on several days. It worked great. Use the buses some - great, cheap tour through the city. When you get off the tube at Heathrow on your way home, there's a desk right there where you can get your deposit back - if there's a line you could go upstairs, but this one was really convenient. All fares are cheaper if you use the card, so it's worth getting it at the airport.

When referring to the "slower train" is that the Heathrow connect vs. the Heathrow express? I. too, was wondering when I should purchase the Oyster card. I had decided to use Heathrow Connect to my hotel near Paddington station...will the Oyster card work for that?
Suz

Yes, the "slower train" is the connect and you can buy your Oyster Card at the airport and use the Oyster card for your trip into Paddington Train Station. The Oyster is not valid on the Express train...If you are going to be using the tube or buses put at least 20 gbp on each card. If I recall correctly, you pay a 3 gbp fee but when you are through with your card you can turn it in at the airport and get your fee back.
Again, buy the card at the airport so you will have a cheaper fare into Paddington.

Thanks Mr. Tom for making that clearer! I can't wait to go...only 2 more months! Suz

According to the Transport for London site, Oyster cards are not valid on the Heathrow Connect. Here's a quote: "Oyster pay as you go is not valid on the service and Zone 1-6 Travelcards are only valid between Paddington and Hayes & Harlington."

Gary,
Now Tim has me questioning what we did at the airport but I'm positive we used the Oyster Card for our trip into Paddington Station from the airport on the "connect" train. I looked at our pictures and my husband purchased the card at the airport just before boarding the train. We changed trains at Earl's Court to the District Line (Green line).
But, I googled Oyster card. This should answer many of your questions.
I know when I was planning our trip to England last year for our trip in June, I was on the helpline quite often asking questions. I was very confused about what type of transit ticket I should purchase but ended up buying the Oyster Card. It was great and when we returned to the airport for our trip back to the USA we turned the card in and got our refund of 3 gbp. Keep us posted.

Gary, another site for you to read about the Oyster Card.

http://golondon.about.com/od/londontransport/qt/oyster_card.htm

Just Google Oyster Card and you can choose from many websites to get your questions answered.

Rick's book says to go to: www.tfl.gov.uk - click on tickets.

Hi Gary, I've been doing some research.
http://www.londontoolkit.com/travel/lhr_underground.htm
Correction:
My husband and I took the Underground train (NOT the Heathrow connect) from the airport which does take the Oyster Card. We had to change to either the District line or the Circle line at Earl's Court to get to Paddington.
The Heathrow Connect is a surface-only train that goes directly from LHR to Paddington. Unlike the Heathrow Express, it makes a few stops along the way.
Now when you return via train, make sure you get on the right train as all trains do not go to Terminal 5, if I remember correctly. The Terminal Number is on the front of the Underground Train. Sorry for the confusion. My husband just found a "visitor" Oyster card where the fee is 2 gbp but the balance plus the fee is returned at the end of your use of the card. With the Oyster Card we only get the 3 gbp fee back.

Just a couple of minor corrections of the above post.
The Oyster Card cannot be used on either the Heathrow Connect or Heathrow Express trains to Paddington. The Heathrow Connect is the stopping train that dosen't go to Terminal 5, the Heathrow Express is the express train that dosen't go to Terminal 4.

You will get both your deposit and balance on handing your Oyster Card in.

If you are staying 5 or more days its probably cheaper to buy a Travelcard rather than an Oyster Card.
If you have children between 11 and 15 its probably cheaper to buy a Travelcard rather than an Oyster Card.
If you are sightseeing at the major attractions like the Tower of London its probably cheaper to buy a Travelcard in London and use the 2 for 1 admission offers that come with Travelcard when bought from a railway station.

I was just in London a couple weeks ago.

Heathrow Connect is 6.90 GBP. You CANNOT use the travel card or Oyster card for this train, nor the Express.

The travelcard that offers discounts is the paper card you get at the railway station. You can get a travelcard put on an oyster card, but it will not give discounts.
24 GBP for a 7 day travelcard on an oyster card, and an additional 1.80 GBP to get you into London from Heathrow for the first use.

I have to ditto Bob's post.

We were there in March and we found the travel card (purchased through the National Rail) to be far more economic than the Oyster Card. We were able to take advantage of the 2for1 offers for attractions and restaurants. We used our travel card directly from Heathrow on the Picadilly line to the Knightsbridge station.

Have a great trip!

You can also get two for one discount coupons off the internet before you leave for your trip. (Google two for one in discounts, London, England) The Visitor's Center also has booklets that have two for one coupons for the Tower of London and other sights. That's where we picked our coupons up.
I apologize for the incorrect information I posted earlier then corrected that the Oyster Card was valid on the Underground train from Heathrow airport Terminal 1,2,3 into Paddington Station, changing trains at Earls Court.

My family-2 kids 15 & 11 and us, will be in London for 5 days. Really need help to understand whether to buy
1. The oyster card
2. The big bus card/ oyster card??
4. Express coach card for travel to Windsor & Cambridge or will the Oyster card work?
5. How many of the above will i need?????

I have been going nuts for 2 months trying to figure out the oyster vs travel card. Know what I think? It's George's Revenge...they're still honked off about 1776.