Why not use an Oyster card?
 

Unless I've misunderstood, it seems that you can turn in an Oyster card at the end of a visit and get not only your deposit back, but also any unused cash that you had loaded on to it. If that is the case, why do people wonder whether they should use a travelcard vs. an oyster card? I'm not trying to be snippy, just genuinely curious since I will be leaving for a first-time trip to London on Thursday, and want to make sure that I'm not under any misconceptions re: the Oyster card. Thanks.

Some people don't like the idea of standing in line to get the refund.

Except for that, there is <u>never</u> a valid reason to buy a paper Travelcard - because an Oyster cap is 50p cheaper.

For a stay of four days or longer, a 7-day Travelcard loaded on Oyster is the best of all possible worlds, because the deposit is waived.

ONE reason I could think of:

If 2 travelers are going to London for a short time (ie a day or 2), they can get a 1-day travelcard (paper) and use it for the 2-for-1 voucher. You cannot do it with an Oyster PAYG. So, even these 2 travelers pay an additional &pound;1 for the 2 travelcards compared to PAYG, they can save substantial money using the 2-for-1.

Likewise, you get a third off river travel with a travelcard, but not Oyster PAYG.

But it's really only an issue if you're staying in London for less than three or four days and/or using public transport for fewer than about a dozen trips during your stay.

Thanks for the feedback - this board is so helpful! I'll be staying for three days and traveling by myself, so it looks like the Oyster card will definitely be the way to go. Thanks again.

http://www.londontoolkit.com/briefing/oystercard.htm
http://www.londontoolkit.com/briefing/travelcard.htm

The above give the costs for using Oystercard vs Travelcard.

Generally if you are using London public transport for 4 days or more then a Travelcard works out cheaper IF you aren't taking up any of the offers a Travelcard gives you OR you don't reach the daily cap - eg you only do a couple of trips per day

I believe that you must be in possession of a season pass (7-day or greater) in order to qualify for twofers.

That Toolkit article isn't very well written. It states

&quot;The Travelcard pass covers:
• The entire London Underground network and
• The entire London bus network&quot;

Well, the second half is always true - any Travelcard will get you on any bus in Greater London (without peak restrictions), but to use the Tube, you have to buy one valid in the zones you intend to travel in.

One or three day travelcards also qualify for www.2for1entry.co.uk offers

I was just in London 2 weeks ago and I bought a 7 day pass for Zone 1 &amp; 2, I was given an Oyster Card. One day when I went to the Kew Gardens, which is in Zone 6, prior to my trip I went to the ticket counter and for a couple of pounds, the extra zone was added to my card.
This card would also have been good on the buses.
3 years ago when I asked for the same thing, I was given a paper pass...and as I recall both the Oyster card and the paper were exactly the same price.

oh by the way, the Oyster card (7 day pass) I got was only 22 or 28 pounds...I don't remember exactly, so what is the thing about a deposit? I was never asked for a deposit.??????

lyb - as Robespierre pointed out, if you purchase a 7-day Travelcard loaded on an Oyster, the Oyster deposit is waived. When you buy PAYG credit or a Travelcard of shorter duration, there is a &pound;3 deposit.

The title of this thread sounds like one of those spoof letters in 'Viz'! 8-)

jent,

got it -- but for &pound;3 deposit, people would actually stand in line? wow!

Well - since I have traveled with three or four people who share my last name, I might queue for $30.

Oh - I remembered what that twofer gotcha was:

The www.2for1entry.co.uk says that to use an Oysterized Travelcard for discounts, you have to have the Record Card you got when you loaded it.

But http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloa...ge-07-sept.pdf (§ 6.6.3) says that Record Cards are only issued for season tickets of a month or longer.