💬 London Forum

Just tap your contactless credit card or phone! It uses the exact same TfL price capping (daily & weekly cap) as the Oyster card, and saves you the £7 non-refundable Oyster deposit fee. 🔗 https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1513635269975...

Pro tip: make sure you tap in and tap out with the SAME device/card every time, otherwise you'll be charged maximum fare on separate cards!

Honestly, just stick with your contactless Visa or Apple Pay! The fares and daily price caps are exactly the same as an Oyster card, but you save the non-refundable £7 fee TfL now charges just to buy a physical Oyster card. I've been living in London for three years now and haven't touched my old Oyster card since. Since you're landing at Heathrow, you can tap your phone right at the Elizabeth Line gates. It costs around £13.30 to get straight into central London (like Tottenham Court Road or Paddington) in just over 30 minutes, which is much faster and more comfortable than taking the older Piccadilly Line. Two quick tips: check if your bank charges foreign transaction fees for international payments, and always use the exact same device to tap in and out. If you tap in with your phone and tap out with your smartwatch, TfL treats them as two separate cards and will charge you the maximum fare on both!