Oyster Question!
 

If we load up an Oyster card with 10 GBP can the two of us use the one card each time in underground or bus , if we swipe it twice each time????? Or would we have to purchase two separate cards? Will be in London about 2 1/2 days. Or, should we not fool with Oyster and just get tourist day cards??
We leave tomorrow, July 5. Thanks.

I think each person needs their own Oyster card, but I might be wrong about this. I don't think there's time to have each person swipe through using the same card. Since you will be there on weekdays, it might be worth it to look into the Oyster card, since prices are higher then than on weekends, so you'd be saving more. But check out the London transport website, they have all their prices, and do some calculations to be sure. You have to pay 3 pounds to get the Oyster card, which you can re-claim once you turn it back in.

I presume that the great Oyster computer in the sky would be able to tell instantly that you tried to use the card twice in the space of a few seconds at the same station and would reject your second swipe. Even for a short stay such as yours, the Oyster card is the way to go. Load it with as much money as you'll think you need and the computer will automatically give you the best deal for every ride you take, capping out each day for no more than what the appropriate travelcard would have cost you for that day. When you leave London you can get your deposit and any unused money back. Or just save the card for your next trip to London. Or give it to someone whom you know is planning a trip.

Good ideas! Thanks for your thoughts.
I think you are correct regarding one card per person.

you may be gone by now, but you will each need your own card. You will tap it on the way in and on the way out of the tube (only once on a bus though) and I'm pretty sure you have to tap out before you can tap in again.

I like the Oyster card for the reasons stated and because I am in London a couple of times a year. However, for a short trip like yours day travelcards might be better because of the 3 pound deposit on Oyster. You will have to estimate your usage and crunch the numbers. If you (or friends or family) are likely to be returning to London then get Oysters. The value on the cards does not expire. I would expect trying to get the deposit refunded would take a bit of time. You both need Oyster cards.

I'm suprised TfL haven't ready started selling T-shirts with their new and all-too-frequent announcement "Always remember - touch in and touch out".

See Gavin...you miss out on one of the great advantages of oyster and why it is almost always the best choice (I'm sure you really don't miss out but sometimes it's hard to put yourself in somebody else's shoes)...

With oyster, there is no need to crunch numbers or decide each day just what you want to do to get the best buy.

Many a time under the old system that I would start out in the morning, carefully wait till after 0930, buy a travelcard and set out on my daily routine whatever and end up only doing 2 or 3 bus rides plus a tube trip and not get full value from the 1 day card, multiply that by 2 or 3 days and the £3 deposit is not really a big deal...

Or on one day, you need only make a tube trip and a bus trip...under current cash fares that's already £4.50...with oyster that's £2.30..myriad combinations and permutations...

The only possible draw back of oyster as noted is the £3 deposit...what I am not clear bout and haven't been...do they refund the deposit and excess money on the spot say at Heathrow after your last use or do you have to wait?...if the former, it makes Oyster sort of the only way to go, don't you think.

It's been some time ago, but when I re-claimed mine I think I got cash on the spot. I did so b/c they wanted to issue a check, which would have taken too long.