Ruth Haines
The Oyster card is a smart travel card that allows passengers to pay for travel across London's public transport network. It can be used on the Underground, National Rail, bus, Docklands Light Railway, and more. Oyster cards can be purchased at all London airports, including Heathrow Airport, Gatwick Airport, Luton Airport, Stansted Airport, and London City Airport. Heathrow passengers can buy an Oyster card at the airport Tube station cashier window, while Gatwick passengers can purchase it at the Concierge outlets in the North and South terminals, among other locations. Oyster cards can also be purchased online and delivered to your home before your visit to London.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Where to buy Oyster cards at Heathrow Airport | At the airport Tube station cashier window |
| Cost of Oyster card | £7 (non-refundable) |
| Cost of Visitor Oyster card | £17 to £57 (includes a £7 card fee and pre-loaded credit) |
| Cost of a single journey on the Heathrow Express | £25 |
| Daily capping for Visitor Oyster card | £8.90 for unlimited travel in central London within zones 1-2 |
| Top-up locations | Tube, DLR, London Overground, Elizabeth line, and most National Rail stations |
| Top-up methods | Cash or credit card at automatic machines |
| Refunds | Available at Heathrow Visitor Centre, Heathrow Terminals 2 & 3 Tube Station, and Victoria Visitor Centre |
| Accepted transport options | Tube, bus, tram, DLR, London Overground, Elizabeth line, National Rail, Thames Clippers river bus, and more |
| Discounts | 10% on Thames Clippers River Bus, Thames River Tours, and Circular Cruise services from all London Piers |
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What You'll Learn
Oyster cards can be purchased at Heathrow Airport
At Heathrow Airport, you can buy an Oyster card at the airport Tube station cashier window. Simply exit the airport and follow the signs for the Underground. The Oyster card is available for a fee of £7, which is non-refundable, and you can add as much credit as you need for your journeys. The credit on your card never expires and can be topped up at any station or at thousands of shops across London.
The Oyster card offers daily capping, which means that you can travel as much as you like in a single day, and the amount you pay for your travel is limited. This is especially useful if you plan to make multiple journeys in a day. Additionally, Oyster cards provide seamless transfers from Heathrow Airport, so you can easily continue your journey into central London.
If you are travelling with children aged 11-15, you will need to purchase a separate Oyster card for each child. You can also get a Young Adult discount added to the Oyster card at Heathrow Airport Terminal stations, most Tube stations, and TfL Visitor and Travel Information Centres.
The Oyster card is a convenient and cost-effective way to navigate London's transport system, and purchasing it at Heathrow Airport ensures you can start using it as soon as you arrive.
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Oyster cards can be used on all London transport
Oyster cards are a quick and easy way to pay for travel on public transport in London. You can use your Oyster card on the Tube, bus, tram, DLR, London Overground, Elizabeth line, River Bus, IFS Cloud Cable Car, and most National Rail services. Oyster cards are also accepted on some transport services outside of London.
You can buy an Oyster card at all London airports except London Southend Airport. At Heathrow Airport, you can buy an Oyster card at the airport Tube station cashier window. At Gatwick Airport, you can buy an Oyster card at the Concierge outlets in the North and South Terminals, at the Skybreak Service Centre in both terminals, or at the Gatwick Airport train station. At Luton Airport, Oyster cards can be purchased from National Express at the airport or in the Onward Travel Centre. At Stansted Airport, you can buy Oyster cards at the airport train station before continuing your journey into central London. At London City Airport, you can buy an Oyster card at the airport DLR station cashier window.
A Visitor Oyster card costs £7 (plus postage) and is pre-loaded with pay-as-you-go credit for you to spend on travel. You can choose how much credit to add to your card: £10, £15, £20, £25, £30, £35, £40, or £50. The credit on your card never expires—it stays there until you use it. If you run out of credit on your card, it's easy to top it up and use it again.
With a Visitor Oyster card, you can travel as much as you like in a single day, and the amount you pay for your travel is limited (or capped). For example, if you're visiting London for two days, start with £15 of credit. For four days, start with £30 of credit.
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Oyster cards can be topped up at stations
Oyster cards can be purchased at all London airports except London Southend Airport. Heathrow Airport, for example, sells Oyster cards at the airport tube station cashier window.
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Oyster cards can be purchased online
A Visitor Oyster card can be delivered to your home before your visit, or Oyster cards can be purchased at all London airports and stations. Visitor Oyster card holders also enjoy a range of special offers and discounts across the city. You can buy a Visitor Oyster card online before you arrive in London, or an Oyster card at TfL Visitor Centres, stations and Oyster ticket shops.
If you live in the UK, you can buy an Oyster card before you arrive in London. If you do not live in the UK, you can buy a Visitor Oyster card before you leave home, or buy an Oyster card once you arrive in London at TfL Visitor Centres, transport stations and Oyster ticket stops. A Visitor Oyster card costs £7 (plus postage) and is pre-loaded with pay-as-you-go credit for you to spend on travel. You can choose how much credit to add to your card: £10, £15, £20, £25, £30, £35, £40 or £50. The credit on your card never expires – it stays there until you use it.
You can also buy a Visitor Oyster card from Gatwick Express ticket offices at Gatwick Airport station and on board Eurostar trains travelling to London. You can pay for your Visitor Oyster card using a different currency. The Visit Britain Shop is available in a number of different languages and currencies.
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Oyster cards are cheaper than single tickets
Oyster cards are a quick and easy way to pay for travel on London's public transport network. They are a type of smartcard that you can use to pay for journeys on the Tube, bus, tram, DLR, London Overground, Elizabeth line, River Bus, and most National Rail services.
Oyster cards are cheaper than buying single tickets or Day Travelcards. Oyster cards have a daily price cap, which means that once you reach a certain spending limit in a day, you won't be charged for any additional journeys. This makes Oyster cards a more cost-effective option for people who plan to make multiple journeys in a day. For example, if you're visiting London for four days and plan to make multiple journeys per day, it is recommended to start with £30 of credit on your Oyster card.
Additionally, Oyster cards offer discounted fares during off-peak hours, which are all times outside of 6:30 am-9:30 am and 4:00 pm-7:00 pm from Monday to Friday. For example, a single journey during off-peak hours on the Tube from Zone 1 to Zone 2 costs £2.90, while the same journey during peak hours costs £3.50.
Oyster cards can be purchased at Heathrow Airport at the airport Tube station cashier window. They are also available at all London airports except London Southend Airport. The cards cost £7 (non-refundable) and can be pre-loaded with pay-as-you-go credit for transport. This credit never expires and can be topped up at any station or at various shops throughout London.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can buy an Oyster card at Heathrow Airport. Exit the airport and follow the signs for the Underground. You can buy an Oyster card at the airport Tube station cashier window.
A Visitor Oyster card costs £7 (plus postage) and is pre-loaded with pay-as-you-go credit for you to spend on travel. You can choose how much credit to add to your card: £10, £15, £20, £25, £30, £35, £40 or £50.
You can buy an Oyster card at all London airports (except London Southend Airport) and stations. You can also buy an Oyster card online and have it delivered to your home before your visit.
Oyster cards are a quick and easy way to pay for travel on public transport in London. They are one of the cheapest ways to pay for single journeys on the Tube, bus, tram, DLR, London Overground, and most National Rail services. Oyster cards also offer daily capping, which means you can travel as much as you like in a single day, and the amount you pay for your travel is limited.
