Transport for LondonWhat is Oyster?
An Oyster card can store up to £90 of credit, which can be used to pay as you go, plus your Travelcard or Bus Pass.
It can be used on bus, Tube, trams, DLR, London Overground and some National Rail services in London.
Pay as you go has several advantages over paper tickets:
- Oyster single fares are generally cheaper
- Credit can be used as you need it and doesn't expire
- Daily price capping automatically calculates the cheapest fare for all the journeys you make in a single day
Our aim is to ensure that Oyster always charges the lowest fare. Where it doesn't, we will refund the difference.
Auto top-up
Auto top-up ensures you never run out of pay as you go credit by automatically topping up your Oyster card whenever your balance falls below £5.
How do I get an Oyster card?
You can get one:
- At Oyster Online
- At most Tube station ticket offices
- At Oyster Ticket Stops across London
- At London Overground station ticket offices
- At some National Rail ticket offices
- At London Travel Information Centres
- By phone on 0845 330 9876*
When you first get your Oyster card, you will need to pay a refundable £3 deposit if you are only adding cash to pay as you go.
Why should I switch to Oyster? (PDF 953KB)
Large Print version - Why should I switch to Oyster? (PDF 171KB)
Get the most out of your Oyster card (PDF 936KB)
Large Print version - Get the most out of your Oyster card (PDF 308KB)
Oyster photocards enable students and under-18s to travel free or at reduced rates. Discounted travel is also available to customers who hold a New Deal photocard.
* For BT residential customers, calls to the Oyster helpline will cost no more than 3.5p per minute, (current at August 2008). The price on non-BT phone lines may be different.
