Snaky?? Pot calling kettle!

From the Days Out site

"Can I use an oyster card?

You are able to use Oyster cards that are issued in conjunction with:

Freedom passes
Travelcards - weekly, monthly or yearly. However your Oyster card MUST be accompanied by your Record Card that proves the purchase of a Travelcard which is valid for the date of your visit.
Please note that Oyster Pre-Pay, and Single/Return tickets bought for travel by London Underground/tube only are NOT valid for use with this offer.
"

hi, princess.

Whatever you do, do not try to get on a bus without some sort of pre-payment card or ticket. I made this mistake about a month ago and discovered that LONDON BUSES DO NOT TAKE MONEY. [sorry to shout].

What use is a bus that you can't jump on and pay for a ticket???
Ken - you've completely lost the plot.
Also, the prices are appalling, comparing very badly with other major european cities.

I lived and worked in london for over 15 years and the ticket system now [as evidenced by your questions] is a horrible mess. It certainly discourages me from travelling to London again.

good luck with your trip.

jody -
You're quoting chapter and verse to me. I'm telling you how it works in the real world.

annhig -
Buses that don't accept money can't be robbed.

Good to know about the buses just in case but we don't take the bus. Thanks again.

Can I stand up for Londons buses?
I think the oyster system works really well. Its clearly advertised at the stop that you need to buy a ticket before you board and there are machines where you can buy your ticket.
If you pay a cash fare, then buses are very expensive (£2 a trip) but if you use oyster the most you'll ever pay in a day is £3 no matter how many trips you take.
Compared to the bus networks in other British cities, London's is cheap, clean and regular (some of the drivers could do with customer service training though!)
I much prefer to use buses over the tube any day. You miss out on seeing so much, travelling underground.

Buses DO take cash.

The one exception is in central London - where ticket selling machines (and clear statements of the no cash in hte centre policy) are adjacent to practically every stop.

Okay, now I am ready to leave London, (looking ahead) and want to get a refund of $ on my Oyster card. What is involved? Do I have to submit an application? How long does it take to get the refund? I need to get to Gatwick airport early on a Sunday morning. I will be leaving out of the Victoria Stattion sometime around 7-8 a.m. on whatever gets me there.

mncow...

Are you ever coming back to London? The card and the money on it never expires.

I can't say never, but plan on making trips to other parts of the world. Money is a tight commodity for the budget, and would like to get back what I can now for future ventrues elsewhere.

You can get a refund of the unused balance (plus the £3 deposit if you paid it) at a Tube ticket window.

Does this take time, or is it an instant refund? What I am asking is there paper work and do you need time to complete it and then get it mailed or is it fairly quick to get the $ back? Like time to do it before catching the plane?