One day travelcard or contactless card for Tube travel

[cakeorwine]

Very used to getting a one day travelcard for travelling around London as a tourist.

But I am aware that people do just use their contact less card to pay and it will never charge you more than the equivelent travel card?

Is it that simple? Just use your contactless card to enter and exit and once you've reached the same cost as the travelcard, it won't charge more?

And you could potentially pay less?

Does it work on the bus as well?

Anybody know what's the best option for someone visiting London for 3 weeks?

@TabithaTittlemouse

Can I ask for someone who doesn’t have a contactless card, would an Oyster card or day travel card be better?

Depends how often they will be travelling. You have to pay a deposit on an oyster card - I think it's still £5 pounds, and then load the cash on. You can do that at a ticket machine, on line or at some shops.

If it's a one off trip I'd just get a travel card.

Thanks @Seeline it’s a 4 day trip. My dad’s already got an Oyster card I think so I’ll tell him to use that. I assume they don’t expire? He’s had it for ten plus years but not used it for ages. He’s quite the technophobe.

Does he not have a debit card? They’re all contactless now, aren’t they? It’s really not a technical thing at all, it’s very very easy - just touch it on the reader and walk through the gate.

my dh lost his bank card, almost, by inserting it through where you put your ticket - luckily it wasnt busy and there were staff available to help

I still use an Oyster ca d. I don't like having my debit card out in very busy stations. Much rather someone nicked my oyster with very limited funds on it than snatched my debit card out of my hand

And it has to be the same “device” used to touch in and out. So either the physical card, phone or smart watch. Even if it’s the same card linked to it, the reader registers them differently so won’t complete the journey properly if you use different devices. You can see all your journeys and the costs in the TFL app if you want and there’s an option there to complete or dispute journeys that didn’t touch in or out properly - I did it once and it was super simple and I got the money back.

For a three week stay I’d just use contactless all the time. There’s no benefit of a travel card, the cost caps out automatically so contactless always works out cheapest.

@SoupDragon we only hold our phone in one hand so we can flip the finger with the other or belt a would be thief in the chops with the other.

It's just good sense really.

Kids used to be free on TfL up to 13 yrs old.
We got a full travel card as we get the train all the way in. I have a railcard as well so it's a lot less faff to do it this way rather than mess about with oyster/zip cards when we don't go that often. Railcard is free too.

But I am aware that people do just use their contact less card to pay and it will never charge you more than the equivelent travel card?

The equivalent travelcard (£14.40) is almost twice the price of the daily cap (£7.70) in zones 1 and 2!

The saving decreases the more zones you add but contactless is always cheaper than a travelcard.

tfl.gov.uk/campaign/new-fares

It works on the bus as well but you tap in and out on the tube/overground/river bus/DLR, you only tap in on the bus and trams. Don't fall into the trap of tapping out on the bus like lots of tourists, you'll be charged twice!

So a Zone 1 - 2 Travel Card is £14.40 and the Daily Cap is £7.70?

That seems like a bit of a rip off for people who get travel cards such as tourists.

I presume the Daily cap of £7.70 doesn't include buses?

That looks like it has its own cap of £4.95?

Yes and no, @cakeorwine.

The Oystercard system has been in place for nearly 20 years and contactless for 10 years, they are hardly new. There are posters and announcements everywhere telling you that Oyster/contactless is the cheapest way to travel. It's been a long time since I used a ticket machine but I am pretty sure they have stickers on them saying that Oyster/contactless is always the cheapest fare. TFL don't want people to buy travelcards because paper tickets cost more. Why they still sell them is a mystery though...

The daily cap includes buses, which are cheaper than the tube. The separate daily cap for buses is when you only use buses in a 24 hour period.

@chesirecat99

Yes and no, *@cakeorwine*.

The Oystercard system has been in place for nearly 20 years and contactless for 10 years, they are hardly new. There are posters and announcements everywhere telling you that Oyster/contactless is the cheapest way to travel. It's been a long time since I used a ticket machine but I am pretty sure they have stickers on them saying that Oyster/contactless is always the cheapest fare. TFL don't want people to buy travelcards because paper tickets cost more. Why they still sell them is a mystery though...

why they sell them is a mystery I am always cautious of using debit/ credit cards abroad because of charges that you might innocently incur, I imagine a lot of overseas visitors to London feel the same so feel happier buying a travel card so they know the upfront cost.

[quote cakeorwine]I presume the Daily cap of £7.70 doesn't include buses?

That looks like it has its own cap of £4.95?[/quote]
It does include buses, and dlr. I think it covers some overground journeys as well. Don’t forget if you have an oap travel pass from outside the TFL area it covers you for buses but NOT underground/ dlr.

@TabithaTittlemouse

Thanks *@Seeline* it’s a 4 day trip. My dad’s already got an Oyster card I think so I’ll tell him to use that. I assume they don’t expire? He’s had it for ten plus years but not used it for ages. He’s quite the technophobe.

They don't expire but they can get damaged.

Is it registered? I would help him register it online if it isn't so you can check whether he has been charged correctly, get refunds for delays/incorrect charges and to stop anyone using the credit on it if it is lost or stolen. He can also activate auto top up so he doesn't need to top up at a machine.

If it isn't working and he needs a new card, he can get a refund of any credit left on the old Oyster and (I think) you can still get the refundable £5 deposit back on old cards when they are returned (new cards have a non-refundable admin fee).

^Well, the police were actually telling people to keep a good hold of their phones when I was up there so 🤨 back at you.^

This made me smile - imagining the poster clutching her phone in a vice like grip, two handed, so as to prevent it being snatched by the marauding gangs of Londoners!! 🤣

I imagine a lot of overseas visitors to London feel the same so feel happier buying a travel card so they know the upfront cost

This.

I would be interested to know the type of people who buy Travelcards

I am always cautious of using debit/ credit cards abroad because of charges that you might innocently incur, I imagine a lot of overseas visitors to London feel the same so feel happier buying a travel card so they know the upfront cost.

Then they can buy an Oystercard that is charged at the same rate as contactless fares

Just tap in tap out, travel cards are almost over, no one gets oyster anymore

Is the travel card option not included with a train ticket anymore, obviously OP might not be using the train but many do, it is about 3 years though since I have been to London and I'm sure I bought both as a package and had one ticket

@Pugfostermum

^Well, the police were actually telling people to keep a good hold of their phones when I was up there so 🤨 back at you.^

This made me smile - imagining the poster clutching her phone in a vice like grip, two handed, so as to prevent it being snatched by the marauding gangs of Londoners!! 🤣

Actually, TBF, outside tube stations in touristy areas is a prime spot for phone thieves on bikes because so many people come out of the tube and immediately check their phone for missed calls while they were underground or to use maps and block the entrance. No Londoner with any common sense would do that.

@chesirecat99

I am always cautious of using debit/ credit cards abroad because of charges that you might innocently incur, I imagine a lot of overseas visitors to London feel the same so feel happier buying a travel card so they know the upfront cost.

Then they can buy an Oystercard that is charged at the same rate as contactless fares

Plus the un refundable “admin” fee!