London Tube: Travelcard or Oyster Card?

[yg17]

I'm going to be spending a few days in London, what's the better deal? A Travelcard for however many days are necessary, or an Oyster card and just put money on it as necessary? Thanks

 

[rickgmac]

both will cost you about the same, but the oyster card you need proof of address and put a deposit down.

If your just there for a couple of days, travel card is far better. if your staying long term, oyster card

 

[djellison]

Rick has it right. For a single visit, just go with a travel card. I have an Oyster, but only because I visit the capital quite often. If it was only once or twice a year, I wouldn't bother.

Doug

 

[Stepper]

both will cost you about the same, but the oyster card you need proof of address and put a deposit down.

If your just there for a couple of days, travel card is far better. if your staying long term, oyster card

Since when?

You have to fill out a form and put your address down and pay £3 but they didn't check my address against anything....infact I didn't even give them my real address or name

 

[djellison]

Moot point imho. The slim savings that might be had are not worth the extra time and effort it takes to get an oyster card, and then return it for a deposit. You need to get to an actual ticket office to get one, and I've never seen them without a huge queue, especially at mainline stations.

Doug

 

[weckart]

There is also the question of usability. You have to insert travelcards into the turnstiles and they don't always work. Plus, when it is busy, you can get impatient people jostling behind you and putting in their cards literally a second after you have sometimes jamming the machine, or the person in front of you grabbing yours when the machine swallows or rejects theirs. This has happened to me often enough until I got an Oystercard.

An Oystercard might be worth the hassle of getting one if you are going to travel a lot at peak times.

 

[JLatte]

I'd have to agree with Oyster card, I was only there a week but the time it saved was great. Also it really wasn't that hard to get one, took both of us a total of 10 minutes + 5 minute wait in line. If 15 minutes is too long, well...

Plus, sometimes you get lucky and the entire Oyster system goes down and you get a free ride that day Happened once while I was there.