Visitor Oyster Card London
Skip the queues and travel on London's public transport network with ease with this prepaid travel smartcard
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The Visitor Oyster Card activation fee will increase from £5 to £7 in March 2025, bringing it in line with the regular Oyster Card fee. Buy your Visitor Oyster Card now and lock in the lower price before the change!
Versatile smartcard
Use on most London public transport services: Tube, bus, tram, DLR, London Overground, Elizabeth Line and most National Rail services.
Use for airport transfer
Can be used on the Heathrow Express and Gatwick Express.
Flexible and reusable
Choose the credit you need, use it again on your next trip to London, or pass it on to friends or family.
Save money
Enjoy £2 off the regular activation fee, plus up to 50% on your travels.
Exclusive discounts
Discounts on the IFS Cloud cable car, Thames Clippers River Bus, River Tours on Thames River and Circular Cruise services operating from all London Piers.
Are you a trade partner or travel agent? Get in touch to discuss our trade rates: [email protected]
Benefits
- The Visitor Oyster Card caps your costs at the best daily fare, and covers travel on the Tube, bus, tram, DLR, London Overground, Elizabeth Line and most National Rail services.
- Use your Visitor Oyster Card to get to or from Heathrow, Gatwick and London City airports.
- Includes trips on the all-night tube service on Friday and Saturday nights.
- Enjoy access to exclusive discounts travelling in London:
- 10% off on Thames Clippers River Bus services
- 10% off on River Tours on the Thames River and Circular Cruise services operating from all London Pier
- Get a same-day dispatch when ordering on a weekday before 09:00 am GMT.
How do I use my Visitor Oyster Card?
Simply place your Visitor Oyster card on the yellow card readers located at the station gates or near the platforms:
- Tap at the start and end of your journey on the Tube, London Overground and National Rail services.
- Tap at the start of your journey only on buses and trams.
What can I do if…
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I am travelling from Gatwick or Heathrow Airport to Central London?
- Ensure you purchase a card with at least £30 of credit added.
- Check on the departure screens for Gatwick Express or Heathrow Express trains to London Victoria.
- Tap your Visitor Oyster card on the yellow card readers at the turnstiles, and head to the relevant platform.
- Board the train and travel to London Victoria, where you’ll need to tap your card again before leaving the platform.
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We are a family travelling with children aged under 11?
- Children under 11 travel free on buses and trams.
- Children under 11 travel free on Tube, DLR, London Overground, Elizabeth line and some National Rail services when accompanied by a fare-paying adult, with a maximum of four children per adult.
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We are a family travelling with children aged 11-15?
- Children aged 11-15 can enjoy half-price journeys with their Visitor Oyster Card.
- Once you’ve arrived in London, ask a member of staff at a Visitor Centre to add a Young Visitor discount to your card. This can also be done at most staffed Tube stations. The child must be present when adding this discount.
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One member of my party has reduced mobility?
- You can find information about London Transport accessibility in our getting around London guide.
- For the smoothest experience when travelling on TfL tube and rail services, contact both stations at the start and end of your journey to request assistance in advance.
Plan your journey around London
Frequently asked questions
This is a selection of Visitor Oyster-related FAQs.
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How do I get a Visitor Oyster card? Can I buy a Visitor Oyster card online?
- Buy your Visitor Oyster card from the VisitBritain Shop and it will be mailed to you at your home address, fully activated and ready to use for when you arrive in London.
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How much does it cost to travel with a Visitor Oyster card?
- Visitor Oyster cards deduct credit every time you make a journey. After you make several journeys in one day, you will reach a daily limit, and the rest of the journeys on that day will be free.
- Different journeys cost different amounts, depending on which zones you travel in and what time of day you travel. Daily limits (‘caps’) also vary according to these factors
- Travelling at peak times is more expensive than travelling off-peak.
- Peak times are Monday to Friday, 06:30 am - 09:30 am and 04:00 pm - 07:00 pm. All other times are off-peak.
- Travelling through more than one zone is more expensive.
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Can families or groups all use the same Visitor Oyster card?
- No, each person must have their own Visitor Oyster card, except children under 11 who travel free with a paying adult (up to 4 children per adult).
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Which airports can I travel to using a Visitor Oyster card?
- You can use your Visitor Oyster card to travel to and from Heathrow Airport, London City Airport (using DLR) and Gatwick Airport.
Supplier information
This product is sold by VisitBritain and is provided by Transport for London.
