Getting around in London without preordering Oyster card
In about 20 hours I will be leaving for a trip that will take me to London. My plan for getting around while there had been to get an Oyster card, but at the last moment I discover that they have to be bought in advance. https://www.tfl.gov.uk/travel-information/visiting-london/visitor-oyster-card says:
It is not possible to buy a Visitor Oyster card when you are in London.
Apparently as a non-resident I was supposed to have planned ahead and bought the ticket by mail order before leaving home.
Do I have any option left for avoiding paying single-ticket fares for everything? Are one-day travelcards are still available without having Oyster?
Best Answer
you can buy a visitor oyster card at stansted airport train station but why the heck should you. well only cause the card cost 3 pound instead of 5?! but then you waste money to get to stansted airport so the cheapest method is to get the national rail to london and then go to the tube ticket machine and buy one there for 5 pound. if you want a visitor oyster online it will cost 5.25 with postage and fee plus the PAYG credit.
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Can I buy an Oyster card when I arrive in London?
You can buy a Visitor Oyster card* online before you travel to London. It will be posted to your home address. This means you arrive in London with your travel ticket ready to start exploring the city. You cannot buy a Visitor Oyster card when you arrive in London.Is it cheaper to travel with an Oyster card or contactless?
There is a very small financial advantage to using a contactless card if you're in London for more than a week and travel extensively every single day (weekly capping) but otherwise it's no cheaper than using an Oyster.Do you need an Oyster card for London buses?
All buses in London are cash-free. This means you will need to have an Oyster card, contactless payment,or a valid ticket to travel on a London Bus.Can I use contactless instead of Oyster?
You can use contactless (card or device) or an Oyster card to pay as you go on bus, Tube, tram, DLR, London Overground, most Elizabeth line services, Emirates Air Line and River Bus services. You can also travel on most National Rail services in London and some outside London.How to Use Public Transport in London Like a Local
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Answer 2
I made some research (transport for London website and their Facebook page) and I'm going to use my contactless American Express credit card, issued in Chile, for my first trip. My friend who lives in London has some spare Oyster cards, so I'll use one of them later.
American Express cards are always accepted. Mastercard and Maestro cards are almost always accepted; and Visa cards aren't accepted sometimes (weird, huh?). If my Amex doesn't work I'll try with one of my Mastercard cards.
Source: https://tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-payments/contactless/what-are-contactless-payment-cards?intcmp=8610
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
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