A bit confused here... even after four trips to England, with one more coming up next week. According to the price list at http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/14416.aspx, I see that a day travel card on the oyster card is 8.40. Going with pay as you go, the daily limit is also 8.40 (these prices are for any time). Why, then, would I want to get a travel card on the oyster card if the out of pocket expense ends up being the same (or less if I pay as I go and don't take many trips)? I must be missing something...
Posted by
Virginia, USA
5570 posts
You can't put a one-day travelcard on an Oyster; you can only buy a day travelcard on paper. However, if you use Oyster with pay-as-you-go, you will never spend more than the cost of an equivalent one-day card. You can put a weekly (or longer) travelcard on the Oyster which is usually a good deal if you are there for 5 days or more. The weekly zone 1-2 card is only 29.20 GBP and that includes peak travel. The main reason to get an Oyster with pay-as-you-go is that it is more flexible than a one-day paper travelcard. For example, If you only take two trips on the tube on a given day, you will only be charged for those 2 trips (e.g. 4 GBP). If you buy a one-day travelcard, you pay the max whether you use it or not If you decide to venture outside of zone 1-2, the Oyster will automatically charge you the right fare. The Oyster rate for a single trip is less than the cash rate for a single trip. If your only trip for the day is to Heathrow, you will pay less using Oyster than you would with a single ticket.
Posted by
London, United Kingdom
4684 posts
If you are staying for seven days or more, it is better to get a seven-day Travelcard than use Oyster pre-pay for two reasons: The overall fare is cheaper.
You can travel in the early morning on Mon-Fri without getting hit with a peak-period surcharge.