QUOTE(callmerusty @ Oct 24 2007, 09:14 AM)
Hi guys, hope you can help - is there anyone familiar with the 'Oyster Card' system
I would like to invest in a card but hope someone can help me with my query, is it simple to use? the only thing i'm not sure about is what happens when you have to change stations, do you need to touch the oyster card on the reader? I read something about make sure you touch the reader at the start and the end of a journey but wouldn't you have to do that anyway, apparently this is to ensure that you don't get charged the wrong amount, any information or instructions would be appreciated. I should also add that i'm going to London to see quite a few shows and that it is relating to how I get to see these shows.
Most tube stations have barriers and, yes, you would swipe your Oyster card to exit through the barrier but some stations, eg Finsbury Park and most relevantly for you COVENT GARDEN, do NOT have barriers (because there isn't room). At these stations (or when the barriers are out of operation or when you exit through the staff-supervised gate for children, buggies, disabled and luggage) you must remember to swipe your Oyster card at a free-standing or wall-mounted Oyster Swipe Place Thing (don't know what they're called but once you've seen one you'll have a good idea what they look like).
Once you've swiped into the tube network you don't need to swipe again until you leave the tube system even if you change trains, lines etc. There used to be stations where the old ticket barriers would give you back your ticket so you could continue on another part of the station eg King's Cross-St Pancras but that isn't a problem anymore.
At the moment there are only a few sections of Network Rail lines where you can use Oyster Pre-Pay. On these sections you either swipe to get in/out as on the tube or there are swipe places on the platform. If the station/line is not part of the Oyster Pre-Pay system you must get a normal paper ticket before you travel or you'll be nicked.
On buses you swipe on the way in. On bendy buses there are swipe places all along the bus and you can enter the bus by any door. There is an anti-fraud system whereby if you swipe onto a bus and then, within the next few minutes, leave the bus and for some unusual reason try to reenter the same bus it won't accept your card. This is to prevent you passing your Oyster card to someone else so they can get on the same bus as you if you have a travelcard on your Oyster (see below).
Capping. Oyster Pre-Pay is pretty damn smart. It caps how much money is deducted at the daily travelcard rate (or, if you only use buses, the daily bus pass rate) for whichever zones you have used.
Oyster cards can be loaded with pre-pay money and they can also be loaded with travelcards for periods of, I think, 3 days, weekly, monthly etc. at the same time. If you are using the travelcard on your Oyster you don't need to swipe in/out as long as you stay in the zones covered by your travelcard.
You need to have a ticket or Oyster card before travelling on a bus in Central London - the driver can't sell you a ticket when you get on. There are machines that take cash at all the bus stops but using Oyster pre-pay is more than 50% cheaper.
Hope this helps.
I am not responsible for any errors, exceptions, spelling mistakes or duff shows you see in London.
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