PQ I read that you can get a refund for the balance plus the $5 deposit. No refund if you have the Visitor Oyster though.

So then we do not want a Visitor Oyster?

>>So the 2-4-1 is only available for the 7 day travel card, have I got that right? <<

Nope . . . it is available with <i>any</i> paper rail ticket. So that can be a train ticket in to London, a one day paper ticket for transit in London, or a 7-day travelcard. The thing isn't the length -- it is that it be a PAPER ticket w/ the National Rail logo on it and valid on the day you are using the 2for1.

So if you are there 3 days -- and IF you want to use the 2 for 1's you would need paper travel cards fore each day.

This is harder than it ought to be.

We have Oyster cards. We plan to use them on a Pay as you go basis.

Do these cards actually automatically stop taking out money after you hit £6.50 per day? They read the card by date or time? Really?

Yep -- Oysters are geniuses :)

On PAYG the system stops deducting £ once you've hit the daily cap

OK, I'm way better off tonight than I was earlier today.

I now know that with my rail ticket I can use 2 for 1 offers only on the date of my ticket (it's one way to London) and that PAYG is a great bargain.

Thanks thanks thanks.

You might not believe this but I've been to London with my Oyster card a few times, as well as paper travelcards.

Janisj Thanks for the help.

>>Do these cards actually automatically stop taking out money after you hit £6.50 per day? They read the card by date or time? Really?<<

Yes. It's has a little RFID chip on it that records what value you have on it, when you entered the system and exited, and calculates (either itself or through the central computer connected to the reader, I don't know which) what to do with that information: including charging a maximum fare if somehow you've managed to get in or out of the system without having your card checked - that's why they keep reminding you "Always touch in and touch out".

The system can now also charge PAYG fares to contactless debit and credit cards, so if you have any of those you should keep them separate from the Oyster to avoid any confusion.

You can get your money back on an Oyster card. There are refund machines at stations - we used the one at Tottenham court Road - refund in cash .

^^"PQ I read that you can get a refund for the balance plus the $5 deposit. No refund if you have the Visitor Oyster though."

Where did you read that? You CAN get a refund on the Visitor Oyster un-used value, but there is no deposit on the VO so no deposit refund. (You do pay a non-refundable "activation fee" for the pleasure of having the VO.) So, no advantage to getting one that I can see.

Perhaps things have changed?

"Perhaps things have changed?"

No they haven't, £5 refundable deposit on normal oyster card + unused fare (up to £10 in cash but I've heard if it's more than than that you get a £ cheque). On a visitor card, you just get the unused fare back.

^^"PQ I read that you can get a refund for the balance plus the $5 deposit. No refund if you have the Visitor Oyster though."

Where did you read that? <<

Not sure, I think I'm going cross eyed from reading too much. :)
Of course, it is the 3Euro activation fee that is not refundable on the Visitor Oyster, but any unused fare is refundable.

So, is it a good idea to buy the Oyster card at Heathrow, and use it for the tube to get into London, or just buy a separate fare for that portion? Does Oyster calculate the max daily fare for a zone 1-6 for that one day?

>>So, is it a good idea to buy the Oyster card at Heathrow, and use it for the tube to get into London, or just buy a separate fare for that portion?<<

Same thing. You won't get a ticket in any other form.

It depends what other values you want to hold and whether you want to hold them on the Oyster.

If you're planning to get a travelcard on the Oyster, get that, and then put some additional PAYG money on it to cover the add-on fare into the zones you're getting the travelcard for.

If you're planning on getting a National Rail paper travelcard for the 2for1s, just put some PAYG money on the Oyster card. If memory serves, the machines will offer you options for the different ticket types.

Ah thank you Patrick that brings it all together.

This was really helpful everyone and I have a plan for Oyster, 2 for 1, PAYG, buses & tubes for our trip to London and Bath next month.

OK -- >> I have a plan for Oyster, 2 for 1, PAYG, buses & tubes<< . . . You mention everything <i>except</i> the <u>paper</u> travelcard you need to get the 2for1's

Yes--the PAPER travelcard! I will be checking if 2for1 is available for our desired sights in May. Thanks Janisj!

Janisj I have added paper travelcards to my to do list when we arrive at Paddington.

This is the first mention of Paddington -- I thought you were arriving at St Pancras.

Paper travelcards can be bought at both stations - but just in case, there is no need to go to Paddington to pick up your travelcards.

We have 3 train trips to make during our time in London and I mixed up the stations. I just checked our tickets from Bath and we arrive at Paddington. Trips later in the week will be from St. Pancras and Euston.