Do I need an Oyster card in London or does contactless work?
Contactless (any Visa/Mastercard/Amex or Apple Pay/Google Pay) works everywhere Oyster does at the same fares, including the daily and weekly caps. Skip the Oyster deposit. The only reason to buy a Visitor Oyster is if you want a physical souvenir or your card charges foreign transaction fees.
Transport for London built the contactless system to work identically to Oyster: same pay-as-you-go fares, same daily and Monday-to-Sunday weekly cap. Tap in and out on the Tube, DLR, London Overground, Elizabeth Line, and most National Rail within the London zones. Buses are tap-on only. A card that charges foreign transaction fees will lose you 1–3% per tap; use a fee-free card (Revolut, Wise, or a US card without FX fees like Chase Sapphire) or buy a Visitor Oyster (£5 credit, no fees).
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Last verified 2026-07-29.