Last updated:
For a first-time visitor, London's fares can look baffling, but the system is simpler than it appears. This guide explains the Oyster card, how it compares to paying with a contactless bank card or phone, and the one piece of advice that saves most visitors time and money before they have even boarded a train.
What is an Oyster card?
An Oyster card is Transport for London's reusable smartcard for paying as you go on the city's public transport. You load it with credit, touch it on the yellow reader at the start and end of each journey, and the correct fare is deducted. It works across the Underground, buses, the DLR, the Overground, the Elizabeth line, trams and most rail services within London.
Oyster or contactless? The key decision
Here is the advice that matters most: for the vast majority of visitors, you do not need an Oyster card at all. Since 2014 you can simply touch in and out with a contactless bank card or a phone, and you will pay exactly the same fares, with the same daily and weekly capping, as an Oyster user. Contactless means nothing to buy, top up or return, which is why many visitors now skip Oyster entirely. An Oyster or Visitor Oyster card still suits those who prefer not to use a bank card for travel, or who are travelling with children who need their own card. Our guide to Oyster vs contactless in London compares the two in detail.
Fares, zones and daily capping
London is divided into fare zones radiating out from the centre, and almost everything a visitor wants to see sits within zones one and two. Pay-as-you-go fares are far cheaper than paper single tickets, and the system automatically caps your spending: once your day's travel reaches the price of a day ticket for the zones you have used, every further journey that day is free. This capping works the same whether you use Oyster or contactless, so you never need to calculate whether a Travelcard would be better value.
Buying, topping up and refunds
You can buy an Oyster card and add credit at the ticket machines in any Underground station, at many newsagents, and online. A Visitor Oyster card can be ordered before you travel and posted to you pre-loaded. There is a small charge or deposit for the card itself, and any unused pay-as-you-go credit, along with the deposit where one applies, can be refunded at a ticket machine or by contacting Transport for London before you leave. Contactless payment avoids all of this, which is part of its appeal.
Good to know
Do I need an Oyster card to visit London?
No. A contactless bank card or a phone with Apple Pay or Google Pay works on all the same services for the same fares, including the daily cap. An Oyster card is useful mainly if you would rather not use a bank card to travel, or if you are buying cards for children.
How does daily capping work?
As you travel, the system adds up your fares and stops charging once you reach the daily cap for the zones you have used, which is set at the price of an equivalent day ticket. After that, all your journeys that day are free. You do not need to do anything to activate it, and it applies to Oyster and contactless alike.
Can I use one card for two people?
No. Each traveller needs their own Oyster or contactless card and must touch in and out individually. If two people touch the same card, the reader will reject the second tap. Children under eleven travel free on most services when with a fare-paying adult.
Can I use my Oyster card on buses and the Elizabeth line?
Yes. Oyster and contactless are accepted on London's buses, the Underground, the DLR, the Overground, trams, the Elizabeth line and most rail services within the city. London buses do not accept cash, so a card or contactless payment is essential.
Where to go next
For the full picture on trains, buses and getting from A to B, see our guide to getting around London, and compare payment options in detail with Oyster vs contactless in London.
