An Oyster card is a plastic credit card sized smart card which is issued by or on behalf of Transport for London (TfL). The card itself is not a travel document, a ticket, or a permit to travel, and neither is it a method of payment such as credit card or debit card. The card has an embedded micro-chip that can store details of up to three different travel products at the same time.

Oyster cards can store up to £90 in cash value to use for pay as you go (PAYG) journeys and up to two 7-day or longer period Travelcard season tickets or London Bus Passes, or one of each. Travelcards are only available for travel within the London Fare Zones area.

Travelcard season tickets: These tickets can be purchased for seven days, or for any period from one month to one year.  They are 'multi-modal', meaning they are valid on trains, London Underground, Docklands Light Railway and Croydon Tramlink services within the zones for which the Travelcard is issued. Any Travelcard, regardless of the zone it is issued for, is valid on all bus services throughout the London Bus network.

Pay-as-you-go (PAYG): For day single or return journeys wholly within the London Fare Zones area on all London Underground, Docklands Light Railway, London Bus services and participating National Rail services.  See 'Where can I use my Oyster card?' below.

The PAYG balance is automatically debited with the cost of your journey for the zones in, or through which, you have travelled. PAYG fares are subject to a daily price cap for any number of journeys made within a 24 hour period ending at 04.29 the following morning. Any additional journeys made after you have reached this cap will not be charged provided you touch in and out every time. The value of the cap is also dependant upon the time of day that you make your first journey and the zones travelled in or through.

If you also hold a valid Senior Railcard, Disabled Persons Railcard, Young Persons Railcard or a HM Forces Railcard then by registering your Railcard at a London Underground ticket office you will be subject to a lower daily price cap for if you start your first journey after 0930 on Mondays to Fridays or at any time weekends and public holidays.

From any London Underground ticket office, and from most National Rail ticket offices on routes where you can use Oyster to pay as you go - see below.

National Rail ticket offices continue to issue the full range of rail-only tickets and Travelcards on traditional card ticket stock. Travelcards issued this way have exactly the same validity as their Oyster counterpart.

If you need help using your Oyster card, please ask staff at any Oyster issuing station or contact the Oyster helpline on 0845 330 9876 (open 0800-2000 daily) or for further information about Oyster visit the Oyster Card website.

If you have a Travelcard on your Oyster card you can use it on any National Rail, or Transport for London service within the Fare Zones for which it is valid. See the London Connections Map for details of the Fare Zones

When using PAYG on National Rail, please note that at an entry charge of either £4 or £5 will be deducted from the balance on your card at the start of your journey. This will be adjusted when you ‘touch out’ at the end of your journey so that you pay the correct advertised fare and qualify for the appropriate daily price cap.

The 'Oyster Pay As You Go on National Rail map' shows details of where you can use PAYG on National Rail services. A summary is also shown below:

• Between Upminster / Rainham (Essex) and Fenchurch Street (and at all intermediate stations)

• Between Amersham / West Ruislip and Marylebone / Paddington (and at all intermediate stations)

• Between Finsbury Park and Kings Cross / Moorgate (and at intermediate stations)
• Between West Hampstead Thameslink and Moorgate / Elephant & Castle / London Bridge (and at all intermediate stations)

• Between Greenford and London Paddington (but NOT at intermediate stations, except Ealing Broadway)

• Between Watford Junction and London Euston (and at all intermediate stations)

• Between Gospel Oak and Barking (and at all intermediate stations)
• Between Richmond to Stratford (and at all intermediate stations)
• Between Watford Junction and Euston (and at all intermediate stations)
• Between Willesden Junction and Clapham Junction (and at all intermediate stations)

• Between Liverpool Street and Seven Sisters/ Tottenham Hale / Walthamstow Central (and at all intermediate stations)
• Between Stratford and Barking (but NOT at Maryland or Forest Gate)
• Between Stratford and Liverpool Street
• Between Stratford and Seven Sisters / Tottenham Hale

• Between Watford Junction and Clapham Junction (and at intermediate stations)

• Between Elephant & Castle, London Blackfriars and City Thameslink

All London Underground and many National Rail stations in the London area have Oyster card compatible ticket gates or validators.

You must ‘touch’ your Oyster card on the Oyster reader on the gates or validators at both the start and end of your journey. This is particularly important when using PAYG as it will ensure you pay the correct fare for the journey. Failure to ‘touch in’ or ‘touch out’ may mean that you pay more than the advertised fare and the daily price cap will not apply. You may also be subject to a Penalty Fare or be prosecuted.