Transport cards are the cheapest way to use public transport in London, and are a basic requirement whether you visit London or live in the British capital.
There are numerous means of public transport in London: The underground (underground or tube), the bus (bus), tram (tram), overground (outer tube), DLR (light rail), boat on the Thames (thames clippers) and bicycles for rent . For all of them, except for rental bikes, it is possible to buy single tickets or use a transport card. Even if you plan to spend a single day in London, you should still use a transport card, since the single ticket can be very expensive.
What will you find in this article?
Transport Cards in London
There are two transport cards that we must take into account:
- The Oyster Card: A prepaid plastic card. To acquire one you must pay a deposit, and at the end of your trip you can return it to a box office at any metro station and they will return the deposit and the remaining balance. In addition, it has a daily limit after which you are no longer charged for more trips. In general, this is the card that I always recommend, as it is usually the cheapest way to get around London. Detailed information on how to get the oyster card and how it works here: Oyster Card
- The Travelcard: A card with unlimited travel. It is possible to buy a daily, weekly, monthly or yearly travelcard. It is usually the chosen card if you are going to use public transport a lot. But in general, for a day or several days, the oyster card is better, since its daily limit for the most visited areas in London is less than the price of a daily travelcard. Detailed information on how to get the travelcard and how it works here: Travelcard
If after reading the information in each article you still don’t know which transport card is best for you, read our article that explains how to choose between the oyster card and the travelcard: Oyster Card or London Travelcard
More information about transport in London
- transport zones _
- How to get from the airport to central London
- And if you travel with children, you will surely be interested in this article on the price of transport for children: Transport in London for children