A London Oyster card is the fastest, smartest and most cost-effective way to pay for single journeys on the bus, Tube, DLR, tram, London Overground, Thames Clippers and most National Rail services. These London travel passes give you the freedom of the city.
UK Visitors to London: Buy Oyster Cards in Advance
Save time by buying your Oyster card online before you travel to London. Buy a Visitor Oyster card now. Visitor Oyster cards cost £12 and come fully charged with £10 credit.
UK residents can also buy Oyster cards through the Transport for London (TfL) Oyster website, although the non-refundable fee is slightly higher at £3.
Once in London, you can buy or recharge Oyster cards at Tube stations, DLR stations, London Travel Information Centres and participating shops. Visit TfL's Oyster website for details.
International Visitors to London: Buy Oyster Cards in Advance
International visitors can buy a standard pay-as-you-go Oyster card on arrival or buy a Visitor Oyster card in advance through Visit Britain.
See the Useful Links panel below to purchase a Visitor Oyster card in your language. Purchasing your Visitor Oyster card before you arrive makes it easy to get out and about from the moment you arrive in London.
You can also buy the Visitor Oyster card from the Gatwick Express ticket offices at Gatwick Airport Station and Victoria Station, on board Eurostar trains travelling to London and at various other outlets. Check out the Visitor Oyster card page on the Transport for London website for more information.
Save Time with Oyster: The London Travel Ticket
Oyster is an electronic smartcard ticket. Simply touch your card on the yellow reader to get through the Tube gates or board other London public transport services. It doesn't even need to be removed from your purse or wallet to work.
You can register your Oyster card online to benefit from quick and easy renewals and refunds for lost or stolen cards. You can also update your Oyster card at newer ticket machines, thus avoiding queues for ticket offices. A refundable deposit of £3 is required to obtain an Oyster card.
Oyster Pay as You Go (Pre-pay Oyster)
Oyster pay as you go cards are charged with an amount of credit of your choice. You can make as many journeys as you like in a 24 hour period* and you will be charged less than you would pay for a paper ticket. If you make lots of journeys, the Oyster card will automatically cap the day's charges at the price of an equivalent Day Travelcard or One Day Bus Pass.
The aim is to ensure that Oyster always charges the lowest fare. Where it doesn't, you can get a refund.
Pre-pay Oyster cards can be used on all buses, trams, Tube, DLR and London Overground services, and nearly all National Rail services** (the "Oysterisation" of London's National Rail services came into effect on 2 January 2010).
*24 hour period runs 4.30am-4.30am.
** You can't use an Oyster card on the Heathrow Express; Heathrow Connect services between Hayes & Harlington and Heathrow; Southeastern High speed services between St Pancras International and Stratford International; or any journey starting or finishing outside Zones 1-9 or beyond Watford Junction or Grays.
London Travelcards and Bus Passes on Oyster
You can add a daily, weekly, monthly or annual Travelcard or Bus Pass to your Oyster card or even combine a Travelcard or Bus Pass with pre-pay credit. This is a great way to ensure you get the best value for money on your London travel tickets.
Oyster Cards: Discounts and Concessions
Free travel or various discounts are available for children under 18, students, the elderly, veterans, receivers of certain benefits and disabled travellers. See our Travelcard page and the Oyster website for details.
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