Travelling in London

What is an Oyster card?

• An Oyster card is a plastic ticket which looks like a credit card.
• An Oyster card is the only way to pay for bus travel in London and is the cheapest way to pay for travel by underground or train.
• You can use your Oyster card as a ticket for travel on buses, underground, Docklands Light Railway and some trains in London.
• There are 2 ways to pay for your travel – to buy a weekly or monthly travelcard for your Oyster card, or add credit to the Oyster card to pay for individual journeys (known as ‘Pay As You Go’).
• You only need to buy one Oyster card while you are in London – if you spend your credit, you can just add extra credit to the same card.
• You can buy Oyster cards at London Underground stations, or at Oyster Ticket Stop shops.  On your first day at Excel English we will help you to buy your first Oyster card.
• When you buy your Oyster card you will pay a deposit (normally £5) in addition to the credit that you add to your card.  You can ask for a refund on your Oyster card at the end of your time in London by going to a London Underground station, or you can keep the card until the next time you come to London!

How much will it cost?

When you buy your Oyster card you will pay a deposit (normally £5) in addition to the credit that you add to your card.

If you use your card for ‘Pay As You Go’ there is a maximum amount you will pay each day that you travel with it.  This maximum price depends on whether you travel to the centre of London, and which kind of transport you use (bus or tube).

If you will travel into the centre of London at least 5 times per week, it will be cheaper to buy a weekly or monthly travelcard for your Oyster card instead of ‘Pay As You Go’ credit.

If you will use your card for travelling to school each day, plus travel to the centre of London 1-3 times per week, it may be cheaper to use ‘Pay As You Go’ credit on your Oyster card.

For full details of Oyster prices, please visit the Transport for London website.