Oyster cards now cheaper?

[goosey-goosey]

Given the Mayor's turnaround on a fare freeze, are Oyster cards now cheaper than contactless cards for train and tube rides? I couldn't find any analysis about this online.

[uncleglen]

The fare freeze only affects pay as you go and contactless falls into that category....it looks like he is only helping out visitors- not the people who use 7 day, monthly etc travel cards in London. When he announced this I knew he had no jurisdiction over it- less than honest imho-lying by omission I think it's called...but then who believes a politician anyway?

[goosey-goosey]

... when the fare increases occur, I mean.

[goosey-goosey]

Right, so as an occasional train and tube user, when the fares increase I'd be better off reverting to my Oyster card. Thanks, UG.

[Lowlander]

In the majority of cases they're the same - https://tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-payments/contactless/is-contactless-for-me

Contactless caps you on a daily and weekly basis.

If you want a weekly, monthly or annual season ticket, you need an Oystercard. Also, if you have a railcard or other discount, you need Oyster as you can load the oystercard with the discount.

However, if all your travel is outside zone 1, then weekly travelcard on Oyster may be cheaper.

Lastly, if you only use the train on a regular basis (more than 3 days a week) then get a paper season ticket from the station, at least 1/3 cheaper than a travelcard

[maxxi]

Lowlander Wrote:

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>

> However, if all your travel is outside zone 1,

> then weekly travelcard on Oyster may be cheaper.

As long as you remember those little pink bastards.

Travel from ED to Canary Wharf via Canada Water, for example, and miss touching the discreet pink Oyster readers on the platform and you'll be charged as though you went via zone 1 even if you didn't. Ditto around to Whitechapel on your way east.

[Nigello]

I think I read that the capping aspect will not be part of the fares freeze, if I read the piece in the Standard correctly.

Mr K is right to freeze (some) fares and bring in the "hopper" free bus transfer scheme but the money has to come from somewhere. I'd happily put up with smaller buses on certain routes during non-peak times, which would also help reduce noxious emissions. I doubt it will happen though, given the inertia over the perfectly sensible and simple idea of extending the 63 to Honor Oak station.

[goosey-goosey]

Thanks for all the replies. I'll probably stick with the contactless for the moment. And yes, Nigello, why the 63 bus terminates where it does is a mystery.

[????]

it didn't take him long, the lying tosser. The idea that we could have an improved service without increased fares was of course fooking economic fantasy that the Labour Party specialises in.

[PeckhamRose]

The above implications are that Oyster PAYG does not have daily caps. It does. But I do not know if it has weekly caps too as I don't use it that often. Not going down the contactless route (I love cash folding green as the Americans call it) I shall always keep Oyster PAYG. When you forget to tap back in or out, then go on TfL website and log into your Oyster account (because you have all registered your Oystercards, right?) and see they have charged you lots, they DO give you the option to say where you got off/on ie where you forgot to touch in, give a reason, and they will refund. I have done this twice.

Having said that, the refund can only be put back on your card when next you check in to a train station of your choice. As I rarely if ever use trains / overground /TFL Line, that is a nuisance.

Just so' you know.

[Lowlander]

PeckhamRose - You can get a refund directly into your bank account if you phone TfL (as they don't give you the option online).

Oyster and Contactless are identical for capping. However you need an Oystercard if you want a railcard, other discount or travelcard.

And you can register and manage a contactless card online in the same way you can register an oystercard.

[Lazero]

There's one big difference between Oyster and contactless for capping - with contactless there is a Monday-Sunday cap in addition to the daily cap. So you will never pay more than a weekly travel card. With Oyster you will need to pre-buy a weekly travel card or else you can pay more than contactless across a week. It can be confusing but they try to explain it on TFL: https://tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-payments/contactless/what-is-capping#on-this-page-3

It may not be useful for everyone (e.g. if you know you always need a weekly travel card). I try to cycle in as much as possible but the Mon-Sun cap is great for weeks the bike doesn't get as much use as it should.

[Lowlander]

I stand corrected Lazero, thanks - I was sure that the Monday-Sunday cap applied to Oyster but you're right