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Oyster Card

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
edited January 2023 in General Chat
Someone care to explain how they work? Like, not how to swipe them, but...
Is it like a monthly card that allows you free travel within the allocated zones? Or do you pay per swipe? And what if you wanna go further than the zones you've signed up for?
Post edited by JustV on
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Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Can be both.

    Because Rich works in London, it's cheaper for him to pay monthly (I think it's £80-something?), but because I only go at weekends, I do Pay As You Go and top it up when it runs out.

    If you want to go further you can put PAYG top-up on your card as well as monthly payments.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    What she said.

    The Oyster card is a plastic card you swipe. There are various options as to how you pay for travel with it, but you always pay in advance.

    You can either buy a multiple day travel card, think the minimum is 3 days, for whichever zones you want. You pay for that upfront and then all your travel in those zones in that time is free. If you want to travel outside those zones then you need to make sure there's also some money on your card and it will just deduct the extra.

    Or, you just put money on it, much like you would a pay as you go phone, and then swipe in and out on each journey. It will start by deducting the cost of each trip you make in the day, until it reaches the price of a daily travel card when it stops. So what you pay is capped at the travel card price.

    If it helps, think of it like a PAYG phone, with season tickets as bundles. Oh, and oyster fares are cheaper than cash ones.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    When would it be worthwhile to get the monthly one rather than the pay as you go? Like how much travel is needed for that?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    http://www.londontoolkit.com/briefing/underground.htm

    Has the various prices and I find it easier to use than the tfl website. To make a week one worth it you'd need to use it for 4 or more days peak use, or 5 or more days off peak.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Cool, thanks!
    One last stupid question - do you need a passport photo for it?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Dear Wendy wrote: »
    Cool, thanks!
    One last stupid question - do you need a passport photo for it?

    Nope. Takes about two minutes to fill in the form, and a £3 deposit.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Dear Wendy wrote: »
    Cool, thanks!
    One last stupid question - do you need a passport photo for it?

    You dont even need to give your name, but its probably a good idea just in case you loose it.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I think you need a photo for anything longer than 7 day ones.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I think you need a photo for anything longer than 7 day ones.

    I didn't? May have changed as that was back in 2005 or something.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I think you need a photo for anything longer than 7 day ones.

    I'm pretty certain you dont, I dont know anyone who has a photo in their oyster.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Sussed it.

    You need a photocard on season tickets that include National Rail, which is why I think you do because I live outside Zone 6.

    For solely tfl ones you don't.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Sussed it.

    You need a photocard on season tickets that include National Rail, which is why I think you do because I live outside Zone 6.

    For solely tfl ones you don't.

    :)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Is Oyster just for the tybe then, or for overground trains as well?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Oyster covers tube, buses, trams and *some* overground trains within central london.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Sussed it.

    You need a photocard on season tickets that include National Rail, which is why I think you do because I live outside Zone 6.

    For solely tfl ones you don't.

    Is there life outside zone 6?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Oyster covers tube, buses, trams and *some* overground trains within central london.

    Monthly travel card is valid for over ground trains, but a PAYG isn't, unless you're on the Overground service, run by TFL, where PAYG works fine.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    The new cityboy craze is to surgically remove the chip and attach it to your watch.

    All the convenience of casually touching in, and all the eligibility of a man with the times.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Why would you wanna fiddle with a watch like that. Surely it would lose its value then?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Because being a barrier bachelor is far out, dude.

    My oyster card is crumpled in my pocket. That's probably why I'm single.
  • JsTJsT Posts: 18,268 Skive's The Limit
    Oyster covers tube, buses, trams and *some* overground trains within central london.

    PAYG is valid on the following Rail services within the zones.

    Amersham - Marylebone
    Finsbury Park - King's Cross/Moorgate
    Stratford - Liverpool Street
    Tottenham Hale/Seven Sisters - Stratford
    Upminster/Rainham (Essex) - Fenchurch Street/Liverpool Street via Barking (but not at Forest Gate/Maryland)
    Walthamstow Central/Tottenham Hale/Seven Sisters - Liverpool Street
    West Hampstead (Thameslink) - Moorgate/Elephant & Castle/London Bridge
    West Ruislip - Marylebone
    Greenford/Ealing Broadway - London Paddington (not intermediate stations)

    All companies are signed up to accept it by either 2010 or 2011. Travelcards are fine as ticketing equipment can pick them up currently, but cant pick up PAYG.
    tehfincheh wrote: »
    The new cityboy craze is to surgically remove the chip and attach it to your watch.

    All the convenience of casually touching in, and all the eligibility of a man with the times.

    The railway companies are meant to be trialing a tie be fitted with a chip for opening barriers when staff walk up to them. How it will work I have no idea!
  • Jamie LJamie L Posts: 129 The Mix Convert
    Just to add, I do believe that if you want a monthly ticket - you have to register your card (in case of loss / theft etc). I discovered this as I used to get weekly tickets added to mine. As soon as I went to get a monthly - they refused until I registered it. No photo ID required.

    J
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Ok, another questions...

    Basically a student oyster 18+ means you get 30% off for a monthly oyster card.
    However I know that a 16-26 young persons rail card can be used to get cheaper day tickets - can one also use them to get money off the monthly oyster card? Cause if so, then these give 34% discount, which is not a lot, but they do save one a few quid more than the student oyster card.
    Taking it even one step further, can one get the oyster student card, and then add on the rail card discount on top off that - know its silly, but worth asking!

    Have tried looking on tfl and can't seem to find the right link to get the information I want. Cheers!
  • JsTJsT Posts: 18,268 Skive's The Limit
    Dear Wendy wrote: »
    Ok, another questions...

    Basically a student oyster 18+ means you get 30% off for a monthly oyster card.
    However I know that a 16-26 young persons rail card can be used to get cheaper day tickets - can one also use them to get money off the monthly oyster card? Cause if so, then these give 34% discount, which is not a lot, but they do save one a few quid more than the student oyster card.
    Taking it even one step further, can one get the oyster student card, and then add on the rail card discount on top off that - know its silly, but worth asking!

    Have tried looking on tfl and can't seem to find the right link to get the information I want. Cheers!

    'National Rail' Railcards can only be used for daily capping on PAYG Oyster - they cannot combine on Oyster seasons. You can load a railcard on a Oyster season - but only to use as PAYG out of the zones on the season, if that makes sense.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Think so... Say I get a Student Oyster zone 1-2, then if I put money on it for travel outside the zones, then it will take a third less money off me when I travel outside my zones?

    Cheers :)

    Oh, btw 90p busrides with an oyster if I get a monthly card, will it then be free outside my zone or will I be charged for that?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Don't quote me on this but I'm pretty certain bus journeys don't include any zone restrictions - so basically all travelcards allow unlimited bus travel

    So how you finding London?
  • JsTJsT Posts: 18,268 Skive's The Limit
    Dear Wendy wrote: »
    Think so... Say I get a Student Oyster zone 1-2, then if I put money on it for travel outside the zones, then it will take a third less money off me when I travel outside my zones?

    Cheers :)

    Oh, btw 90p busrides with an oyster if I get a monthly card, will it then be free outside my zone or will I be charged for that?


    Not quite - if you have a zone 1-2 Oyster you get charged normal rate for each journey out of the zones until you get to the zone 2-6 cap (£2.80 with the railcard) - if that makes sense a litle better. All buses are included on seasons regardless of zone covered, so a zone 1-2 oyster season will be valid on a bus trip between zone 5 and 6.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Jim V wrote: »
    Don't quote me on this but I'm pretty certain bus journeys don't include any zone restrictions - so basically all travelcards allow unlimited bus travel

    So how you finding London?

    Loving it so far :)
    That said I've had an easy time not doing anything but settling in to my new place and checking out my new school for the last two weeks. Once school stress starts kicking in, then I doubt how I will cope with busy stuffy tube and high prices! But hey, you gain some you lose some.

    Oh and just to make sure, would I not be able to get a discount on a weekly oyster card either with a young persons rail card?

    Thanks for the help guys!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    If you did end up in Finsbury Park then the 19 runs down from there right into central London, just near the British Museum/Bloomsbury. Takes longer but if those are roughly the right areas it's a lot cheaper and nicer than being stuck on the tube.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'm the other side of Finsbury park - overlooking it, but nearer Manor House tube station.
    Have the 341 just outside the front door taking me directly to school, so I can easily take that in to the centre, just takes that bit longer - though to be honest I do prefer the bus, just cause you get a sense of where you actually are.
  • **helen****helen** Deactivated Posts: 9,235 Supreme Poster
    Dear Wendy wrote: »
    I'm the other side of Finsbury park - overlooking it, but nearer Manor House tube station.

    It's nice round that end - Green Lanes are not far and you have some really nice pubs and parks. :)
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