Transport for LondonWhat is Oyster?
An Oyster card can store up to £90 of credit, which can be used to pay as you go, plus your Travelcard or Bus & Tram Pass.
It can be used on bus, Tube, trams, DLR, London Overground and some National Rail services in London.
Pay as you go has several advantages over paper tickets:
- Oyster single fares are generally cheaper
- Credit can be used as you need it and doesn't expire
- Daily price capping automatically calculates the cheapest fare for all the journeys you make in a single day
Our aim is to ensure that Oyster always charges the lowest fare. Where it doesn't, we will refund the difference.
Auto top-up
Auto top-up ensures you never run out of pay as you go credit by automatically topping up your Oyster card whenever your balance falls below £5.
How do I get an Oyster card?
You can get one:
- At Oyster Online
- At Tube station ticket offices
- At Oyster Ticket Stops across London
- At London Overground station ticket offices
- At some National Rail ticket offices
- At London Travel Information Centres
- By phone on 0845 330 9876*
When you first get your Oyster card, you will need to pay a refundable £3 deposit.
Get the most from Oyster (PDF 603KB)
You can also order free large print copies of the Get the most from Oyster guide.
Oyster photocards enable students and under-18s to travel free or at reduced rates. Discounted travel is also available to customers who hold a New Deal photocard or a Bus & Tram Discount photocard.
Oyster podcast
Download a 15 minute introduction to Oyster (16MB MP3)
Oyster video presentation
This is a video version of the above audio presentation.
