London Tube Tickets: Contactless, Oyster Card, or Travelcard?

For a traveler new to London, the public transportation options can be overwhelming, especially if you’re not used to navigating a huge city. 

The great news is that London has many superb options (including the oddly-named Oyster Card!) for getting around. And with a custom-designed itinerary, I can also help you plan your travel for each day, so there’s no confusion about things like where to go, which stop to get off, or when the best times are to book river cruises.

Hi, I’m Cassie – a Certified London Travel Expert & Itinerary Designer. Today I’m going to walk you through the various options and give you my top recommendation for value, ease, and access. 

Updated: April 2023

First Choice: Use a Contactless Credit Card, Apple Pay or Google Pay 

Using a contactless (“tap to pay”) option is hard to beat. It’s just so easy, because you’re using a form of payment that you already have with you, so there’s not an extra thing to keep track of. The adult fare will automatically apply.

You pick one card that you’ll use for every single trip (it has to be the same one to get the daily fare cap), and you use it the exact same way you’d use any other kind of transport ticket: just tap in and out at the tube or train station ticket barriers, or when you get on a bus, you tap the yellow card reader.

Here are more reasons to love this option for using public transportation in London:

• There are no extra costs to using your own card
• No PIN or signature is needed
• You get the same daily cap benefit of an Oyster Card (I’ll explain this more below)
• There’s no need to preload a card, keep track of available credits, or get a refund for unused funds

The one drawback is for families: as it is with the Oyster Card, each person will need their own contactless payment method. 

Second Choice: The Oyster Card

Oyster Cards are very common in London. They come in different varieties, depending on the type of travel you want to do and whether you are a resident or not.

They operate much like a pre-loaded debit card that’s used exclusively for travel. You decide how much money you want to put on the card based on your travel needs, and the Oyster card allows you to use buses, Docklands Light Railway, Uber Boat by Thames Clippers river bus service, London Overground, TfL Rail, most National Rail services in London, and of course the Tube. 

When the balance is getting low, you simply top it off at one of the kiosks (they’re everywhere), and you can use it over and over again, even on subsequent vacations. 

The Oyster Card can be purchased when you arrive from ticket offices or kiosks at the train and tube stations, or even onboard Eurostar trains bound for London. A £7 non-refundable fee applies.

Non-residents have the option to get the Visitor Oyster Card (with a £5 non-refundable fee). The Visitor Oyster can only be ordered online. Order it prior to your departure and it’ll be delivered to you for immediate use upon arrival. Shipping fees apply.

In addition to being a fun souvenir, here are some of the benefits of the Oyster Card:

• As with contactless credit cards (above), Oyster Cards have price capping, which means your card will automatically cap at the best daily fare, regardless of how many places you go. 
• You can use your Visitor Oyster Card to get from Heathrow or Gatwick airports to central London and back.
• They are much cheaper than buying a Travelcard or single tickets with cash — you’ll easily save 50%.
• You can easily track your usage and view charges at any ticket machine.

Like contactless credit cards, each family member will need his or her own Oyster Card.

Tips for London Public Transport with Kids

Children under 11 travel free with a fare-paying adult – just ask the station staff to open the gate for children to go through. Alternatively, some gates can be opened automatically with a ticket or Oyster card. 

Kids aged 11-15 are eligible for a 50% discount on services for up to 14 days. Upon arrival in London, see a staff member at most tube stations or at a Visitor’s Centre to add the Young Visitor discount to their Oyster or Visitor Oyster card. A Children’s Travelcard is also available for half the price of an adult Travelcard.

Third Choice: Travelcards

While less economical and a little more cumbersome, Travelcards can be an option.

A Travelcard can be ordered online and issued as a paper ticket, or purchased in London and added to an Oyster Card (but not a Visitor Oyster card). It is good for unlimited travel for 1, 2, or 3 days. 

Like the Oyster Card. It’s good for the bus, Tube, DLR, tram, London Overground, TfL Rail, and most National Rail services within London.

It’s important to know that Travelcards cannot be used to pay for riverboat services. The Thames Clippers river bus offers a 33% discount if you show a valid Travelcard, and the IFS Cloud Cable Car offers a 15% discount on fares.

Travelcards can be purchased for travel within zones 1-4 or 1-6.

London Day Travelcards have two timing options:

• Anytime Day Travelcards are good for any time, any day of the week, good until 4.30am the following day.
• Off-Peak Day Travelcards are good for travel after 9.30am Monday to Friday and all day on Saturday and Sunday (off-peak cards are only an option with the 1-6 travel zones option).

Is the Oyster Card, Contactless, or Travelcard best for your trip? 

As you build your travel itinerary, try to cluster your sightseeing to one area per day. Soon you should see a clear estimate of how many trips you’ll be taking. With that estimate – and considering the ages and needs of your fellow travelers – you will probably know which Oyster Card or Travelcard you’ll need. You’ll also know if you will need the actual Oyster Card or if you can go Contactless.

Helping travelers navigate big-city London with ease is something I take pride in doing. With a custom-designed London travel itinerary, I can help you decide which travel card option is best for you before you leave home. And when you’re in London, you’ll travel effortlessly between activities with point-to-point directions included on your itinerary app. It’s everything you need to experience the very best of London – your way. 

Want to chat with me about how my custom itinerary service can help you have the best trip to London ever? Schedule a call or send me an email today!