Oyster Card vs Contactless: Which Should I Use?

If you’ve ever thought to yourself, ‘Should I use an Oyster or Contactless Card?’, you’re not alone. Here’s a quick guide to set the record straight on Oyster Card vs Contactless — from a London travel blogger.

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Are you wondering if you should use an Oyster card or a contactless card when travelling around London?

Both cards are essential for using the city’s public transport systems, giving you access to the Tube, buses, and trains.

However, there are some key differences between them that should be taken into consideration before making your decision.

In this blog post, I’ll help you figure out the exact difference between an Oyster card vs a Contactless card and which is the right option for you. Let’s go!

Table of Contents

Oyster Card vs Contactless: Which Should I Use?

What is an Oyster Card?

If you’ve visited or lived in London for any amount of time, you’re sure to know about this iconic shiny blue card. If not, meet the ‘Oyster’.

An Oyster card is a smartcard system used on public transport in Greater London.

You use the card by touching it against the yellow electronic readers on the Tube, buses, trains, trams, and other forms of public transport within the London area.

Unlike the contactless card, having an Oyster also allows you to connect a Railcard, which can give you discounts on the Tube, DLR, London Overground, Elizabeth line, and National Rail services.

P.S – I use Trainline to get the cheapest Railcards every year (£30 for 1-year or £70 for 3), and it’s 1000% worth it. Check prices and railcards available.

What is a Contactless Card?

Your contactless card such as a debit or credit card, can also be used in Transport for London (TfL) system via Apple Pay, Google Pay, or any other contactless payment method.

To use a contactless card for transport in London, simply touch it against the yellow reader at the ticket barriers or when boarding buses and trams. You should then be charged the correct fare automatically – all you have to do is make sure there’s money available on your card before travelling.

Oyster Card vs Contactless: When to Use Your Oyster Card

You should use an Oyster card over a contactless card when you’re eligible for Railcard discounts or any other transport discount exclusive to the Oyster card.

For example, when I first moved to London as a student, I was able to get an 18+ Student Oyster which enabled me to save 30% on adult-rate Travelcards and Bus & Tram Pass season tickets.

I also got a 16-25 Railcard which allowed me to get a 1/3 discount on off-peak pay-as-you-go travel (if you’re a student, you can add this to your Oyster in addition to your existing discounts).

Nowadays, I still use an Oyster card to get around London as it’s connected to my current Railcard (there are 9 different types).

I’m not sure if this will change in the future, but as of now, you cannot connect Railcards to contactless cards, which is why I use my Oyster.

In addition, if you’re someone like me that prefers to budget their monthly travel — using an Oyster allows you to ‘top-up’ your card, which can be useful for keeping all your travel expenses in one place (for example — topping your Oyster with £50 once a week).

On the flip side, you’ll need to remember to top up your Oyster card when it runs out, which can be a pain if you’re forgetful (and in a rush for the Tube).

Oyster Card vs Contactless: When to Use Your Contactless Card

Contactless cards are a convenient way to pay for public transportation in London, and can be used on buses, the Tube, trams, the DLR, and overground services.

Contactless cards provide an easy payment option compared with Oyster Cards and there’s no planning involved.

With Oyster Cards, you have to top up in advance and pay for the number of journeys you’ll be making.

With contactless cards, you can just make a payment as you go and don’t need to worry about topping up your balance. So it’s super fast, simple, and reliable.

In addition, if you’re travelling to London from abroad and have a contactless card already, this also helps you avoid having to pay the £7 new card fee on top of the hassle of ‘topping up’ once you get to the UK.

Is There a Price Difference Between the Oyster and Contactless Card?

Outside of Railcard discounts, no. There is no price difference between the Oyster card and contactless card.

Every time you travel on London’s public transport, your contactless payment card is charged the same fare as your Oyster, including cap prices (the maximum amount you’ll pay daily and weekly to travel throughout London).

The main difference between using an Oyster Card and a Contactless Payment Card price is that when using an Oyster Card your fare is calculated using a pre-paid balance stored on the card. Whereas with Contactless Payment Card, your fare is automatically charged to your chosen payment method and will show up as a transaction on your statement.

Final Verdict? Which is Better? Using an Oyster or Contactless Card?

If you are only travelling occasionally within the London area (for example if you’re a tourist) then it might be more convenient and cost-effective to use a contactless card rather than an Oyster Card.

However, if you plan on using public transport regularly in The London area, then an Oyster Card should be the better option for you.

This is because you’ll be eligible to get a Railcard (which can only be connected to Oyster cards, not contactless cards) and get consistent discounts off travel in the city.

Other than that, whether you should use an Oyster card or a contactless card really comes down to personal preference and how often you plan to use public transport in the London area.

So consider all the factors of both systems and make a decision based on which one works best for you!

P.S – For more information about Oyster Cards and Contactless Payment Cards, please visit Transport for London