Roberta Aguirre
Oyster cards are a convenient way to travel around London, offering seamless travel on the Tube, bus, tram, DLR, London Overground, and most National Rail services. They can be purchased at Heathrow Airport from a machine or at the manned ticket office. Oyster cards can be topped up with credit online, and you can add an electronic 7-Day Travelcard to the card. Visitor Oyster Cards can be purchased at Heathrow Airport's Visitor Centre, dedicated rail stations, and some shops. These cards offer discounts at select restaurants, shops, and entertainment venues in London.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Can you get an Oyster card at Heathrow Airport? | Yes |
| Where to get it at Heathrow Airport? | Heathrow Airport Tube station cashier window, ticket machines, ticket office, dedicated rail stations, and some shops |
| How much does it cost? | £7 card fee (non-refundable) + credit pre-loaded onto the card |
| What are the benefits? | Seamless travel on Tube, bus, tram, DLR, London Overground, Elizabeth line, and most National Rail services, transfers from Heathrow, Gatwick, and London City airports, 24-hr weekend service, discounts at select London venues, 10% off Thames Clippers River Bus, Thames River Tours, and Circular Cruise services from London Piers |
| How does it work? | Deducts credit every time you make a journey; after reaching the daily cap, further journeys that day are free; different journeys cost different amounts depending on travel zone and time of travel (peak vs off-peak) |
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What You'll Learn
Where to buy Oyster cards at Heathrow Airport
Oyster Cards are sold at Heathrow Airport via well-marked machines at Terminals 2, 3, 4, and 5. It is recommended to buy Oyster Cards at the arrivals level of Terminal 5, as there are only a few machines at the platform level. These machines have a blue colour and are located in the concourse of Heathrow Central Rail Station.
At Heathrow Airport, Oyster Cards can also be purchased at the airport's dedicated rail stations and some shops. This includes the airport Tube station cashier window. Heathrow Airport also has a Visitor Centre where you can buy Oyster Cards.
If you want to ensure that you have an Oyster Card as soon as you arrive at Heathrow Airport, you can order one online and have it delivered to your home address.
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$11.08 $23.3
Oyster card cost
The cost of an Oyster card varies depending on where you purchase it and your age. Oyster cards can be purchased online, at kiosks, at ticket offices, and at designated shops within the airport.
A Visitor Oyster card costs £7 (plus postage) and is pre-loaded with pay-as-you-go credit for 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 and can be topped up at any station or shop in London. The price of a Visitor Oyster card from TfL's website ranges from £17 to £57, including a £7 card fee and pre-loaded credit.
If you are travelling with children between the ages of 11 and 15, you will need to buy a Visitor Oyster card, Oyster card, or Travelcard ticket for each child. You can get a Young Adult discount (half the adult rate) added to a Visitor Oyster card or Oyster card at Heathrow Airport Terminal stations, most Tube stations, and TfL Visitor and Travel Information Centres.
It is important to note that the daily fare cap varies depending on the travel zone and time of travel. Peak times, from 6:30 am to 9:30 am and 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm on weekdays, are more expensive than off-peak times. For example, a single journey on the Elizabeth line is recommended at £15, while a single journey on the Heathrow Express is recommended at £25.
Additionally, Oyster cards offer daily capping, allowing unlimited travel within a certain zone for a capped price. For instance, a day of unlimited travel in central London within zones 1-2 is currently capped at £8.90.
When using an Oyster card, it is essential to touch in and out at the beginning and end of your journey on the yellow card readers to ensure you are charged the correct fare.
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Topping up Oyster cards
Oyster cards are a quick and easy way to pay for travel on public transport in London. They are a type of smartcard that allows you to pay for journeys on the Tube, bus, tram, DLR, London Overground, Elizabeth line, River Bus, and most National Rail services. You can put money on your Oyster card and use it to pay as you go, with the added benefit of daily capping, which limits the amount you pay for travel in a single day.
You can top up your Oyster card at any Underground ticket machine or ticket office at all three Heathrow stations. Specifically, Oyster cards can be topped up at the ticket machines near the HEX ticket desk in the Arrivals hall at Terminal 5, and at the Underground stations at Heathrow.
If you want to avoid queues at Heathrow, you can register your card online and top it up a day or two before you arrive in London. When registering, you will be asked to select the Heathrow tube station you will be using to load your pay-as-you-go credit.
You can also top up your Oyster card at any station or Visitor Centre in London. This includes the Heathrow Visitor Centre, located at Heathrow Terminals 2 and 3 Tube Station.
If you run out of credit, you can make one bus journey without any credit, and the cost of the journey will be deducted when you next top up your card.
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Oyster card discounts
Oyster cards can be purchased at Heathrow Airport, at the airport's dedicated rail stations and some shops. Oyster cards are available at all London airports except London Southend Airport.
Oyster cards offer a range of discounts to their holders. Visitor Oyster cards, for instance, come with a booklet of discounts that can be used at various London experiences, including the Royal Albert Hall and Madame Tussauds. Visitor Oyster cards also offer 10% savings on Thames Clippers River Bus, Thames River Tours, and Circular Cruise services from all London Piers.
Additionally, if you have a railcard, you can add it to your Oyster card to get discounted fares on London Underground (LU) journeys. Certain railcards, such as the Network Railcard, are not eligible for Oyster discounts. However, railcards like the National Rail Railcard can provide a 33% discount on single fares during off-peak hours when used with an Oyster card.
For children between the ages of 11 and 15, a Young Adult discount (half the adult rate) can be added to a Visitor Oyster card or Oyster card at Heathrow Airport Terminal stations, most Tube stations, and TfL Visitor and Travel Information Centres. This discount is also valid for the Elizabeth line.
Oyster cards also offer daily capping, where after making several journeys in one day, you will reach a daily cap, and subsequent journeys for the rest of the day will be free. Peak times, which are generally more expensive, are from 6:30 am to 9:30 am and 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm, Monday to Friday.
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Oyster card alternatives
Oyster cards are travel cards that allow you to seamlessly travel on the Tube, bus, tram, DLR, London Overground, Elizabeth line, and most National Rail services in London. They can be purchased at all London airports and stations, as well as online. Visitor Oyster cards can be delivered to your home before your visit, saving you time when you arrive. The price of a Visitor Oyster card includes a £7 card fee and pre-loaded credit. For example, a £57 Visitor Oyster card will have £50 of credit on it.
If you don't want to use an Oyster card, there are several alternatives available. Here are some options:
Contactless Payment Cards
If you have a contactless-enabled credit or debit card supported by the London transport network, you can use it to pay for your travel. This option is usually the most convenient and is either cheaper or the same price as using an Oyster card. However, if your card is not UK-issued and your card issuer charges fees for overseas transactions, it may be more costly than using an Oyster card.
Apple Pay or Google Wallet
If you have a compatible device, you can use Apple Pay or Google Wallet to pay for your travel instead of using an Oyster card.
Travelcards
If you plan to stay in London for a week and travel daily in the central London area (e.g., zones 1 to 2 or zones 1 to 4), a 7-Day Travelcard may be a more cost-effective option than a Visitor Oyster card. You can purchase a Travelcard separately or add it to an Oyster card.
London Pass
If you buy a 6-day London Pass with travel included, you don't need to purchase a separate Oyster card. However, if you buy a London Pass without travel included, you will need to buy an Oyster card or Travelcard.
Other Options
Depending on your specific travel needs, there are other alternatives to Oyster cards, such as booking a transfer service or using a taxi or ride-sharing service like Uber. These options may be more convenient or cost-effective for certain journeys, especially if you are travelling as a group or need to get across London.
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Frequently asked questions
You can buy an Oyster card at Heathrow Airport from the airport's dedicated rail stations, some shops, and the Visitor Centre at Heathrow Terminals 2 & 3.
Oyster cards are a cheap and seamless way to travel around London. They can be used on the Tube, bus, tram, DLR, London Overground, Elizabeth line, and most National Rail services. Oyster cards also come with a range of special offers and discounts at leading London restaurants, shops, and entertainment venues.
Oyster cards cost £7 for the card, which is non-refundable, and then you can top up the card with credit. Visitor Oyster cards cost from £17 to £57, including the £7 card fee and pre-loaded credit.
