London Travel and oyster cards

Ok, say someone was going to arrive in London on a Sunday afternoon and leave the following Wednesday afternoon. If they are riding the red buses only (not the tube or trains) is it cheaper to get an oyster card or a travel card? An oyster card, right? They've discontinued the 3 day travel cards?  I ~think~ a travel card goes by days, not 24 hour periods, so I'd have to buy a travel card for each of Sun, Mon, Tues, and Wednesday even if I only rode the bus once on Sunday and once on Wednesday. Is that correct?

With the oyster card they'd just hit the card for no more than £7-ish pounds per day on days I used the bus?  I believe that the red bus has no zone restrictions, so if we spent most of our time in zone 1, but were staying in, say, zone 3, it wouldn't make any difference fare-wise?

Is there any advantage, other than convenience, to buying a visitor oyster card before arriving, rather than a "regular" oyster card when we get there?

(Sorry, it's been 10 years since I've been in London and I've just spent a half hour trying to understand the options from reading various websites. The last time I was there I just bought an all-day paper bus ticket at the news agent's.)

You can use contactless credit/debit cards, same cost as oyster I believe.

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Don't oyster cards cap the charges per day? Ahhh, Dr. Google says contactless does as well. So that's one less thing to have to deal with.

Don't oyster cards cap the charges per day? Ahhh, Dr. Google says contactless does as well. So that's one less thing to have to deal with.

Yeah, makes it much easier if you're just visiting I have an oyster cuz we lived in London, but thankfully dont anymore!

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Don't oyster cards cap the charges per day? Ahhh, Dr. Google says contactless does as well. So that's one less thing to have to deal with.

Dr. Google only for medical dx. Lol

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I'm surprised that ultra-careful Nan would consent to using a contactless payment card instead of Oyster.  When you do that, you are essentially giving TFL free access to your bank account and allowing them to take out whatever they feel is right.  There's so many ways that can go wrong! 

I would just buy an Oyster card when you get here and keep it loaded with enough money.  I haven't researched the specifics, but I think the system generally deducts the least amount it can for each ride you've taken and once it reaches a cap of how much a daily travel card costs then it stops there. 

You are going to be in London for 4 days and NOT ride the tube or trains?  Why? 

When are you coming?  I might be able to send you our visitor Oyster cards and perhaps let you borrow our annual pass for the Tower of London if it's not at Christmas / New Years

Dr. Google only for medical dx. Lol

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Mental Health. 

We are going to London for a few days in November and my research also says that contactless cards will be cheaper than an Oyster card. I plan on using a contactless credit card which is easier to dispute any charges.

I'm surprised that ultra-careful Nan would consent to using a contactless payment card instead of Oyster.  When you do that, you are essentially giving TFL free access to your bank account and allowing them to take out whatever they feel is right.  There's so many ways that can go wrong! 

I would just buy an Oyster card when you get here and keep it loaded with enough money.  I haven't researched the specifics, but I think the system generally deducts the least amount it can for each ride you've taken and once it reaches a cap of how much a daily travel card costs then it stops there. 

You are going to be in London for 4 days and NOT ride the tube or trains?  Why? 

When are you coming?  I might be able to send you our visitor Oyster cards and perhaps let you borrow our annual pass for the Tower of London if it's not at Christmas / New Years

Oh, no, I'm not using contactless debit, I keep my contactless debit card in my dresser drawer. It would be credit if I had to use it. If it even worked (USA credit cards have great customer protections). The Daughter has an oyster card from a visit she did a few years ago, and I've already ordered my visitor's one.    And we've already done the Tower. But thanks anyway. Very nice of you to offer!

We don't ride the tubes because we get tubesick and claustrophobic. And we ~LIKE~ the big red buses. We get to see London from the windows, too. We are "people watchers" in the extreme. And we are in no hurry to get from one place to the other.

It'll be in December, dates not set yet. Any dates I should avoid planning? I assume all the Christmas lights and stuff will be up and turned on by Dec 1?

My US contactless credit card works well everywhere

Any dates I should avoid planning?

  Yeah, all of December! 

Seriously, come to London in the spring or summer.  In December the weather is absolutely miserable, every shopping oriented street or mall is so packed that you can't even move, every restaurant is crowded with drunk jerks at office Christmas parties, the light displays absolutely suck and the Christmas markets and festivals are overpriced rip offs.   Also, don't forget that during Christmas and Boxing day, there is NO public transport and the taxis charge double.  And everything is closed on those two days except for the craven consumerism of Christmas sales.  Christmas in London is dire.

Summertime is a thousand times better as everyone who lives here is on holiday somewhere else and the weather is glorious. 

We are going to London for a few days in November and my research also says that contactless cards will be cheaper than an Oyster card. I plan on using a contactless credit card which is easier to dispute any charges.

Really?  I would think they rides are the same price, but the Oyster cards themselves cost a few quid.  Is there something else I am missing?

BTW, you are also welcome to borrow our Royal Palaces annual pass as well.  It will save you big bucks on the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace and, I think, Kensington Palace as well.    Plan ahead and you could do the ceremony of the keys that has always been on my list.  If you are driving, you can also borrow my Costco card as well! 

Really?  I would think they rides are the same price, but the Oyster cards themselves cost a few quid.  Is there something else I am missing?

BTW, you are also welcome to borrow our Royal Palaces annual pass as well.  It will save you big bucks on the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace and, I think, Kensington Palace as well.    Plan ahead and you could do the ceremony of the keys that has always been on my list.  If you are driving, you can also borrow my Costco card as well!

I'm coming to visit you.

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Really?  I would think they rides are the same price, but the Oyster cards themselves cost a few quid.  Is there something else I am missing?

BTW, you are also welcome to borrow our Royal Palaces annual pass as well.  It will save you big bucks on the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace and, I think, Kensington Palace as well.    Plan ahead and you could do the ceremony of the keys that has always been on my list.  If you are driving, you can also borrow my Costco card as well! 

I went to the ceremony of the keys a couple of weeks ago.  Was fantastic!  We booked 18 months in advance though.

Bookings open on November 1st for the next round of bookings.  Definitely do it.  Short, but awesome.

And Nan, while Jimbo's description of London in December seems grim.... there's a whole lot of truth in it.  Yes, the lights on Regent Street and Oxford Street are pretty - but MOBS of people. 

I always shudder when I hear people talking about going to Winter Wonderland or to the Christmas Markets in Bath.  It's a bit like Ikea.... you really couldn't pay me to go.