Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
machines; practice on the punchboard to see how the system works (hit “Adult Single” and
your destination). These tickets are valid only on the day of purchase.
Oyster Cards
Apay-as-you-goOystercard(aplasticcardembeddedwithacomputerchip)isthestandard,
smartwaytoeconomicallyridetheTube,buses,DocklandsLightRailway(DLR),andOver-
ground.Oneachtypeoftransport,yousimplylaythecardflatagainsttheyellowcardreader
at the turnstile or entrance, it flashes green, and the fare is automatically deducted. (You'll
also tap your card again to “touch out” as you exit the Tube and DLR turnstiles, but not to
exit buses.)
With an Oyster card, rides cost about half the price of individual paper tickets (£2.10 or
£2.80 per Tube ride—depending on time of day, £1.40 per bus ride). You buy the card itself
at any Tube station ticket window for a refundable £5 deposit, then load it up with as much
credit as you want. (For extra peace of mind, ask about registering your card against theft or
loss.) When your balance gets low, simply add credit—or “top up”—at a ticket window or
machine. (American credit cards always work at the ticketing window, but they might not at
the automated top-up stations. To avoid wasting time, look for a top-up station that lets you
pay either with a credit card or cash—so if your card doesn't work, you can just stick in a
bill.) A price cap on the pay-as-you-go Oyster card guarantees you'll never pay more than
the One-Day Travelcard price within a 24-hour period.
You can see how much credit remains on your card by touching it to the pad at any auto-
matic ticket machine. Oyster card balances never expire (though they need reactivating at a
ticketwindoweverytwoyears),soyoucanusethecardwheneveryou'reinLondon,orlend
it to someone else.
When you're finished with the card (and if you don't mind a short wait), you should be
abletoreclaimyour£5depositatanyticketwindow.However,tomakeitaseasyaspossible
to recoup your deposit, you should always use the same mode of payment: For example, if
you pay the deposit in cash, you need to top up with cash. If you pay the deposit in cash and
top up with a credit card, or vice versa, it can be more difficult (or impossible) to get your
deposit back.
Transfers:
You can change from one Tube line to another on the same Oyster journey
(as long as you don't leave the station); however, if you change between buses, or change
between bus and Tube, you'll pay a new fare.
Travelcards
Like the Oyster card, Travelcards are valid on the Tube, buses, Docklands Light Railway
(DLR),andOverground.ThedifferenceisthatTravelcardsletyourideasmanytimesasyou
want within a one- or a seven-day period, for one fixed price.
