Visiting the UK and using buses query

[Denim]

I'll be visiting the UK for a couple of months soon.

 

It used to be the case that London Transport buses around Heathrow airport perimeter were free. However I have only just discovered that this is no longer the case and that you need to have an Oyster card. ( only available from the underground station not the bus station ). I had to use the automated machines there about 7 or 8 years ago and as there were a lot of flights arriving at that time ( 7.30 pm) there was an ugly and confused scrum of some 60 odd people trying to fathom out which ticket to get. They would likely still be there now had not a member of the underground staff come out and started getting everybody their ticket.

 

So , to avoid this I was wondering can I use a local bus just using my UK debit card which has the contactless symbol on it as shown below. Sorry if this sounds like Rip Van Winkle asking but if you don't live in the UK and seldom visit then things change that you are not aware of.

 

Thanks in advance

[hotandsticky]

You don’t need an Oyster card, in fact I will discard mine after I leave the U.K. today. You can simply tap your credit card at underground gates and on London Transport buses.

[Denim]

Just now, hotandsticky said:

You don’t need an Oyster card, in fact I will discard mine after I leave the U.K. today. You can simply tap your credit card at underground gates and on London Transport buses.

I take it you can use a debit card as well as a credit card ?

 

Thanks for answering. Saves a big hassle.

[Yorkshire Tea]

46 minutes ago, Denim said:

I take it you can use a debit card as well as a credit card ?

 

Thanks for answering. Saves a big hassle.

If you're travelling with family, each passenger needs their own contactless card.

[Eff1n2ret]

44 minutes ago, Yorkshire Tea said:

If you're travelling with family, each passenger needs their own contactless card.

Correct. We once fell foul of that - had to get off the bus and go to a local shop to buy an extra payment card.

[Yorkshire Tea]

11 minutes ago, Eff1n2ret said:

Correct. We once fell foul of that - had to get off the bus and go to a local shop to buy an extra payment card.

Elsewhere in UK can pay for everyone with one card.

[vinny41]

Steer clear of the Heathrow Hotel hoppa buses they charge a wopping £6.80 for a single journey quite often they stop at the same stops as TLF red buses

https://www.mylondon.news/lifestyle/travel/heathrow-londons-most-expensive-bus-23478475

TLF buses were offering £2 per day max fare with oyster not sure if same applies if your using cashless instead of oyster

Edited July 27, 2023 by vinny41
add

[soi3eddie]

The free bus travel around the Heathrow airport perimeter was removed in June 2021 (cost saving). Good thing is that fares are only £1.65 for London bus travel (can change to other routes within 1 hour at no extra cost - still need to tap the card - any contactless debit or credit card). Travel between airport terminals on any of the trains - underground, Heathrow Express or Elizabeth line - is still free. If using a combination of buses, underground or Elizabeth line, once the maximum daily fare (about £10.50 IIRC) is reached, then all other journeies that day are free. Can be very good value for a visitor.

 

 

 

[Denim]

1 hour ago, Yorkshire Tea said:

If you're travelling with family, each passenger needs their own contactless card.

Thanks. Fortunately I will be traveling alone this trip.

[Denim]

10 minutes ago, soi3eddie said:

The free bus travel around the Heathrow airport perimeter was removed in June 2021 (cost saving). Good thing is that fares are only £1.65 for London bus travel (can change to other routes within 1 hour at no extra cost - still need to tap the card - any contactless debit or credit card). Travel between airport terminals on any of the trains - underground, Heathrow Express or Elizabeth line - is still free. If using a combination of buses, underground or Elizabeth line, once the maximum daily fare (about £10.50 IIRC) is reached, then all other journeies that day are free. Can be very good value for a visitor.

 

 

 

Thanks for the info. I was not so much concerned about the cost ( although cheap is better ) , it was avoiding the unseemly scrum at the Oyster dispensing machines in the underground. I've got UK bank cards so now I'm ok to use them. It's strange to feel like a tourist in the land of your birth but that's the fact of it. Reverse culture shock.

[hotandsticky]

1 hour ago, Yorkshire Tea said:

If you're travelling with family, each passenger needs their own contactless card.

 

Good point, I had to give my missus one of my credit cards.

[hotandsticky]

2 hours ago, Denim said:

I take it you can use a debit card as well as a credit card ?

 

Thanks for answering. Saves a big hassle.

If it is contactless (which I think they all are) then OK.

[JayClay]

16 hours ago, vinny41 said:

TLF buses were offering £2 per day max fare with oyster not sure if same applies if your using cashless instead of oyster

When were they offering that? It seems incredibly low.

[OJAS]

16 hours ago, vinny41 said:

TLF buses were offering £2 per day max fare with oyster not sure if same applies if your using cashless instead of oyster

Daily cap for TfL bus travel is now £5.25:

 

https://tfl.gov.uk/campaign/new-fares?intcmp=34454