Oyster vs contactless vs Travelcard

The headline: contactless bank cards and Oyster share the same daily and weekly caps. For most visitors they cost exactly the same. A 7-day Travelcard is only worth it if you'd otherwise hit the weekly cap. This one works out whether your pattern hits it.

Zone band you'll use Days you'll use the network Trips per day (avg) Family size

What this solves

There are three common ways to pay for London transport: contactless bank card, Oyster card (deposit), and 7-day Travelcard. For most visitors the first two work identically. A 7-day Travelcard is only worth buying if you'd hit the weekly cap — and most visitors don't, especially if you're not commuting twice a day. The tool gives a verdict.

How to read the result

Contactless / Oyster: pay per journey, capped daily + weekly.
7-day Travelcard: pay upfront; unlimited travel in zones for 7 days.
Visitor Oyster card: same as contactless, no longer a discount; useful if you don't trust tap-pay.
Children under 11 are free with a paying adult; 11–15 need a Zip Oyster.

What it doesn't cover

Bus & Tram only Travelcard (rare).
Plusbus add-ons.
National Rail journeys outside TfL network.

FAQ

Is Oyster still worth buying?

For most visitors, no — contactless has the same caps, no £7 card fee. The one case where you may prefer Oyster: you want a dedicated "London card" you top up online without worrying about bank authorisation or per-day limits. The Oyster card itself costs £7 non-refundable.

Why is there a Sunday no-cap trial?

TfL ran a contactless-only "no Sunday cap" trial from 2023 to October 2023 to encourage post-pandemic weekend travel. It ended. Sundays now follow standard daily caps.

What's the £100 contactless ceiling?

From 30 June 2023, the per-transaction contactless ceiling was lifted from £45 to £100. This is a UK-wide bank limit, not TfL. TfL doesn't apply its own per-transaction cap — but card issuers do.

Should I pay in advance for a Visitor Oyster?

Only if you don't have a contactless card or your bank charges foreign-card fees. Visitor Oyster ships to your home pre-loaded; the £7 fee isn't refundable.

Sources

TfL — Daily and weekly fare caps 2024/2025.
TfL — Travelcard single 6+ weekly cap (2024/2025 published).
UK Finance — £100 contactless ceiling rollout 2023.