Oyster Cards You've Never Heard Of

The Oyster Card is 20 years old! And there's a new limited edition card out for you to collect ... but do you know about all the other variants that have appeared over the years?
Official TfL Press Release: tfl-newsroom.p...
Regardless of the popularity of contactless bank cards, there will also be a need for those who will require an Oyster card to travel, and so I would expect that TfL will keep Oyster for the forseeble future.

[@bensonby]

The police Oyster card also exists and is pretty unique.

[@GojiMet86]

You know Geoff is gonna have to hunt that card down for a video!

[@1_x53]

@@GojiMet86 *becomes police officer*

[@steveoneill1855]

Beat me to it. Had one when I was BTP

[@MellarMarcell]

@@1_x53 New series: The least used *police* station in...

[@mildlydispleased3221]

Also the priv card for the dependents and family members of staff.

[@alanwest7773]

Two things to mention... Back in the 80's there was a ticket called Multi-ride trialled in London Borough of Havering. It wasn't electronic but was an early attempt at getting people to buy pre-paid tickets. A few years ago I walked into my local newsagent and asked the lady to top up my Lobster card. She couldn't stop laughing at my verbal mistake. Since then whenever I enter the same shop she asks if I want to top up my Lobster card.

[@triviabuff5682]

Admit it!..........You're really Arthur Daley! See you down here Winchester later!

[@caw25sha]

​@@triviabuff5682George Cole's autobiography is called The World is My Lobster.

[@LadyAnuB]

Where's the Boston, MA accent, lahbster? 😅

[@ajs41]

It's Octopus card in Hong Kong, or was a few years ago. Easy to get mixed up with Oyster.

[@Wanyeee]

I'm aware of a great discount too!

[@Offical_RemyKWNicholls]

Oysters not mentioned: 5-10/11-15/16+ ZIP Photocard 18+ Student 60+ (NOT to be confused with the 60+ Freedom Pass, there is a completely separate Oyster card for those 60 and over and without a freedom pass) Apprenticeship Veterans (Military) Police Police Oysters are extremely similar in design to the “General” Staff Oyster, with the only notable difference being what’s written on the card. Although I have seen one or two PO’s that are identical to a standard Oyster, except on the Police one, the TfL symbol is coloured red; more often than not, you will only find this version of the Police Oyster on a plain clothes officer.

[@bensonby]

The Police Oyster is blue like the staff but has a subtle chequered design with different shades of blue.

[@djpailo]

Also disabled freedom pass

[@AllTheUnderground]

Yeah I have an 18+ photocard and that looks really nice.

[@DenimPirate]

I thought I was going to catch you out with the Staff Nominee card, but you pulled it out the bag at the end! Kudos! My Step-Dad is a tube driver and I'm his nominee, it's such a huge priviledge :D

[@andrewbeadle9168]

you do have one that he didnt mention.. Bus Operator

[@kubricksmith]

@@andrewbeadle9168 2:38 - In the same section as the Nominee card

[@junothe]

I've got one of those as well

[@dannycross5889]

@@kubricksmith the bus nominee card is a lighter shade of purple if im not wrong

[@comicus01]

So Staff Nominee means family member? When I watched the video, I thought it was for a new hire who was going through training and not yet working on their own. Like a probationary period of some sort.

[@arwelp]

I’m retired ex-BR staff - I’ve got a standard Oyster but I have to get my BR travelcard number updated on the Oyster every year, so I get quarter fare on the Underground and Overground (but full fare on buses). We seem to have got to the stage where many TfL staff have never seen ex-BR documentation, and have to look it up in a book!

[@craigwilliams9110]

For our recent trip to london we got the kids Zip by Oyster cards. Didn’t really need them as under 11 travel free but they loved tapping in and out themselves and saved us finding the wide gate with staff.

[@dannycross5889]

im pretty sure you need to live in London to be able to get a ZIP oyster card but i may be wrong

[@daroldcarold3443]

@@dannycross5889 no

[@Ron_TTE]

@@daroldcarold3443 yes you do

[@profonde3460]

@@Ron_TTE from TFL website - page headed: 11-15 Zip Oyster photocards: One section headed: "I live in a London Borough". Next section headed: I live outside London, or outside the UK. Next sentence, in both sections says, to apply! : "To apply for a 11-15+ zip oyster card" (the instructions). In section re if outside London or outside UK It even has one of the options for proof of the kids age(s), ID from an European Economic Country can be presented. A 16+ zip card is the one that applies to just London boroughs

[@kaitlyn__L]

@@Ron_TTEyou can apply for one from outside, just like the adult visitor cards. I had one back in the day, it said Zip Visitor.

[@Vonononie]

I used to have the Barclaycard/Oyster combo card. I was sent a new Barclaycard (without Oyster) just before tapping in with cards became available

[@caw25sha]

Sounds dangerous. If you lose it you can't get home and also can't buy an ordinary ticket.

[@straightpipediesel]

@@caw25sha That's why people carry more than one card and some cash.

[@zzzaphod8507]

Are there many advantages of using the oyster card vs tapping in with a credit card?

[@Vonononie]

@@zzzaphod8507 if you use an Oyster card your journeys are listed online in your account so it’s easier to check for discrepancies. If you pre-purchase a season/monthly/weekly/daily ticket the Oyster card can be loaded with the ticket. If you’re out late or in a not-so-great area it’s better not to be waving your debit or credit cards about. Also if you are not from the UK it’s better not to make small transactions as the exchange might have fees from your bank. However, if you are from the UK, are only doing a few journeys in London and staying in the oyster zone it’s easier to tap with your debit/credit card

[@luk3c1ary]

I have a purple train oyster card which is my first since my zip card. I dropped it and lost it on the bus but managed to make an epic connection to North Greenwich bus station and pick it up again from the lovely driver. tfl staff are realllyyyy awesome

[@robharris5245]

Between 1999 and 2005 TfL hosted an international urban transport conference. Each delegate was issued with a commerative Oyster card. I think these must be pretty rare. They were also issued with a brief case. I had one of those as i was presented with one by a delegate when i worked at tre LT MUSEUM.

[@ajs41]

So they already had the idea of Oyster in 1999? Interesting. Where was the conference held? Just curious.

[@robharris5245]

@ajs41 I'm not sure whether it was an actual oyster, but it had similar capabilities that the staff passes had. Some of the meetings were held at the LTMuseum, but I don't know where the main venue was. If my memory serves me right, the year was 2003 I maybe wrong.

[@AllTheUnderground]

TFL didnt exist in 1999.

[@robharris5245]

@@AllTheUnderground I worked at the LT Museum between those dates.

[@matthew-Williams]

Must be one of the few Geoff videos without the signature litter bag blowing in the breeze.

[@NJRD977]

Still happily using my original that I got given when they launched in 2003 - I think my old employer was involved with some corporate promotion scheme for them with TFL at launch because we all got one with £5 credit, no admin fee and a fancy joint corporate/TFL branded holder which ripped within a few weeks

[@ajs41]

That's interesting, to know the original ones still work okay.

[@SirDominic]

I have one of the mentioned pink oyster cards. I've always been curious as to if it could have been used as a regular oyster after thr games but i never dared to work it out just in case i lost it or damaged it somehow. Still a very cool thing to keep hold of

[@remicardona_poly]

I think I got my (beloved) multicolored Visitor Card prepaid on board Eurostar, with £20 on it, back in 2014. May have paid extra for it but it was so convenient to hop off the train as St-P and then just go straight to the underground, avoiding all the queues at the ticket machines.

[@0causton0]

Still sold to this day, they made an announcement when I was on one last week :D

[@axqrew]

Going to London this month, your videos have made me so convenient with travel!

[@ajs41]

One advantage of the paper ticket is that you can't be penalised for "staying in the system too long". At the moment if you spend more than about 80 minutes in the system, they assume you must have travelled to the furthest points of the network and charge you extra automatically, even if you're actually a train-spotter type of person who's just been in Zone One, travelling around on lots of trains. With the paper ticket they can't fine you in that situation because they can't track exactly where you've been. In fact I bought a paper ticket yesterday while visiting London for precisely this reason.

[@vicsams4431]

Hi Geoff. Great video. I have the red Oyster Card, for Retired Staff. I suspect Members of Parliament might have their own version too. One of the forerunners to Oyster, was the One Day Travelcard (issued by London Transport) and the Capitalcard (issued by British Rail) which then became the Network Card. There were also Carnet tickets, issued by London Transport, like the Paris Metro, that were a book of ten tickets, that allowed you once in and once out within Zone 1. I'm showing my age again. LOL !

[@philroberts7238]

Red Rover (and Green Rover for the country buses) - 5 bob each from memory. That's really showing my age!

[@comicus01]

I presume the active employees can ride for free with their Oyster Cards. As a retired staff member, do you get to ride for free? Or do you get something like a 50% discount?

[@vicsams4431]

@@comicus01 It depends when you joined, what company you work(ed) for, and what grade you attain(ed).

[@guillaumemaurice3503]

Thank you for sharing the video Geoff that was very interesting. I live in a Hertfordshire town but I am very near London and luckily this town is in an Oyster Card Zone. Travelling to London on an Oyster really does save a lot of money. It is such a God-Send. ❤

[@MaidaValeTom]

I believe there are also Police oysters (or there certainly was at one point) given out to BTP, Met, City, Essex, Kent, Thames Valley (and possibly Surrey) officers, although from all the references I can find show them to be the same design as our Staff oysters although with some additional codes and obviously without the "Staff" text.

[@chunkyboyjames]

Police Oysters are only given to BTP, Met & City of London police. However Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Thames Valley & Essex police officers are entitled to free travel upon presenting their badge & warrant card to staff.

[@methethpropbut8519]

2:05 We had something similar here in Singapore, where (before contactless was accepted on public transport) our debit cards also had similar 3-in-1 functionality - chip & pin, bank contactless and NETS Flashpay (stored value similar to oyster). When contactless was then accepted on public transport, our answer to "how does the system recognise which functionality to use?" is that we can select the default mode for the specific card at our ticket machines, and when we tap on the bus / train reader, it makes use of that setting to deduct accordingly. So it is possible to for the system to differentiate the two functionalities!

[@ShawnGBR]

I used to work for BR, Network SouthEast, and WAGN Railway and used to be able to travel on the Tube for 20p (when a single used to be 80p) but I married my American girlfriend and moved across The Pond a few decades ago. So it felt really weird using TfL with the Visitor's version of the Oyster a few years ago ...but one perk was that we got a free croissant with a morning coffee purchase at PAUL locations by showing the card (I just checked and that's not offered anymore).

[@caw25sha]

The Oyster name originally belonged to the company that developed the technology until TfL bought it. They now licence the technology to other systems round the world.

[@dbsalex]

Now I probably know where did Hong Kong's "Octopus" card come from!

[@platoze]

@@dbsalexoctopus was actually launched 5 years earlier than the Oyster! Should be the opposite

[@90293Mike]

Arriving in London on July 25, I hope the Limited Edition cards will still be available. If not, my standard blue card circa 2005 still works great!

[@mewosh_]

Always when I travel I bring back home various travel passes, tickets, and cards because I think it's genuinely one of the best souvenirs you can get and honestly Oyster card is the one I want to get the most.

[@JBLewis]

We received the "London" clip font Oyster cards when we visited last year and pre-ordered our cards. For first time visitors, I'd say it's the way to go, it's one less thing to have to think about when you arrive after a long red eye flight.

[@MadisonTen]

I’ve got the ‘London’ visitors card, even though I only come up from Wales a few times a year. Can’t get your deposit back on them and can’t get your balance online, only at machines, but they look so much better 😊

[@JP_TaVeryMuch]

Not just the Visitor cards. Deposit is very much a misnomer for all types nowadays.

[@djackmanson]

Going way way back into deep history, but a predecessor of the Visitor Oyster Card was the paper Go-As-You-Please ticket, which I remember using on a family holiday to the UK in 1982

[@JagerLange]

I've had the same card since when I first signed up, but the holder/wallet is finally giving up the ghost and I'm stuck as to what to do about a replacement - I might even try bodging something of my own together, thereby keeping card and paper-map together but without taking on anymore plastic or advertising. We'll see.

[@JP_TaVeryMuch]

Every now and then there's a pile of them on top of the ticket machines. Or you could ask at your station...

[@JagerLange]

@@JP_TaVeryMuch My station would probably just tell me to "go on the website", regardless of if that's a legit solution. I'll think about it, and maybe report back if this idea survives to an actionable stage :P

[@PokhrajRoy.]

2:04 I should’ve applied for this before I was headed to the UK but I forgot. It’s a lovely design.

[@garfythecat]

What do you mean the Oyster card is 20 years old? It doesn't seem like five minutes! I had a combined Barclaycard/Oyster quite early on, 2006 I think, it felt like the future. (Edit: now I've just seen you mention it in the video, nice!) I guess Apple Pay has totally surpassed that now.

[@waynebickell1793]

I've got the Elizabeth Line limited edition card but I don't think I'll ever get a chance to use it again! I'm not sure if I'll ever get back to Blighty!

[@theblockybanana5537]

Hi Geoff, I'm a manc and I've got an oyster-related question. Do you have to have different accounts for each of your oyster cards, or can you connect it to the same account? I would imagine you can connect them as it would seem annoying to have several oyster balances that might all be less than a journeys worth, but combined might get you one or two journeys. Let me know!

[@K-o-R]

I have three oyster cards on my account but they all maintain separate balances. Unfortunately the Oyster website is such a broken piece of garbage that I can't actually check whether you can move balances around! (Seriously, every other click brings me to the login page!)

[@Thomas15]

You can have multiple cards on one account, but each card holds its own pay as you go balance, travelcards and journey history.

[@Thomas15]

@@K-o-R You can transfer the products from one card to another, but doing this will stop/cancel the original card.

[@caw25sha]

​@@K-o-ROh, I thought it was just me being thick. Thank you for making me feel not-quite-so-stupid!

[@ajs41]

@@K-o-R I've got £20 stuck on an old Oyster card and there's no way to transfer it to my new ones or get the money back. I've tried asking them many times about it but they can't give any useful answer.

[@aidand6638]

There was a collaboration between Adidas and TFL and with the initials pairs sold at some brick and mortar stores included receiving a Oyster card numbered out of 500 with i believe £50 of credit, there were three different variations of the card so only 1500 out there

[@chunkyboyjames]

The one day bus and tram pass oysters are still available. I happen to know the little newsagent shop in Morden station ticket hall sells them.

[@ajs41]

Thanks, I might call in on that shop sometime.

[@barnsproductions]

Whilst walking back from Ely Railway Station to my house in Ely a few days ago, I came across a London Underground 150th Anniversary Oystercard which someone had dropped. As it had been raining that day, unfortunately the card number on the back has worn away.

[@ajs41]

There can't be many people in Ely who have an Oyster card surely, or am I wrong?

[@barnsproductions]

@@ajs41 I have a Pay-as-you-Go Oystercard, plus a Pay-as-you-Go Swiftcard for public transport in Birmingham, but it only sees very occasional use as I only visit London a few times a year.

[@YukeWeiss]

I only went to London once in my life but I went in 2013 and got the 150th Anniversary Oyster. Nice little right place, right time moment.

[@johnmurray8428]

Last job at Heathrow before going to check in to fly home, put some money on the Oyster card so the next time I arrive in the UK I can get straight on the tube. It lives in the fold over pouch that holds passports, international medical card and airline points cards. Interesting video, thank you!

[@Canleaf08]

Here an anecdote from my Presto Card in Toronto. 4 years ago, I left Toronto. I put 40 $ on the last day, to get to the hotel, thinking "it will be useful one day when I return"... Then that thing happened in 2019, the same year I left. Canada shut the border and years went by. I restarted intercontinental travel in 2022 with a trip to Chicago, in my mind the Presto card, thinking "no it surely has expired". Fast forward a few months later, Back home in Germany, I renewed the password of my presto account and the balance says "30 $", last usage 2019. I was thinking "are they kidding me?" So I started the journey back to Toronto, tapped my Presto Card on the machine in Terminal 1 at YYZ and the balance said "30 $"... I used up the cash I put on this card within 4 days, even rode with that card in Gatineau, because Presto can be used in Ottawa across the river. This card is a souvenir, it lasts for ages, unlike the transit card in Montreal, the Carte Opus, which of two expired in fall 2022. In Germany, these cards are only good for 2 years.

[@johnmurray8428]

@@Canleaf08 glad Canada is good for somethings . I live in Ottawa and do not have a Presto.

[@TheCcponyboy]

There was a staff celebration card with members of TfL staff on the cards

[@apuldram]

The San Francisco Bay Area went for Clipper Card, as in the boats (Cutty Sark), but it’s more of a pre-payment/stored value card.

[@EricaGamet]

Here in Seattle we have the ORCA card (One Regional Card for All)... all the regional transit companies use it

[@Canleaf08]

I got into debt with my clipper last year on the cable car... The lady at Walgreen's said something like "How are you so in debt, when the card is only 6 $?"... Since then I am no longer using the Cable car... The more you know about the origin of the name....

[@stewartbrodie1720]

I have an Oyster that I rarely use despite living near London. I have a collection of cards from my travels all around the USA on holiday. Clipper (SF et al), Orca (Seattle), Ventra (Chicago), MCTS M-Card (Milwaukee), "Go to" (Minneapolis/St Paul), SmarTrip (Washington DC/Baltimore) and SEPTA Key (Philadelphia). I've also got a Trolley Pass for the Arlington TX trolley service. I was shocked that Chicago Transit Authority actually posted me a new Ventra card when my old one expired!

[@EricaGamet]

@@stewartbrodie1720 Yes, I was also surprised Chicago got me the new card... I still have a balance on it, so I'm pleased.

[@kaitlyn__L]

I remember ads in the stations for those combo Barclaycards. For a while they had a triple combo with a debit account linked to the card too! Not sure how you picked which you wanted to use or how many people did, I imagine it was mostly as a backup for the shops which said no credit. My dad said he’d considered getting one to replace his Oyster card with travel pass, but the terms on the credit card weren’t as good as his separate ones. I don’t know why that was, maybe Barclays had to pay extra for the Oyster module or something, but I imagine that limited its uptake to the people who really wanted the convenience of a thinner wallet.

[@jengis_i]

The 2012 Olympics had a commemorative Oyster card as well. My wife got one and felt the same about losing it a few years later.

[@richardwhiuk]

Indeed - I was quite grumpy when I lost mine 😞

[@paulsengupta971]

Yes, my Oyster card is one of these.

[@DitzyNizzy2009]

1:24 - I may be wrong, but I read that this Oyster card was to mark both the Diamond Jubilee and the 2012 Olympics/Paralympics (as it would seem weird that TfL wouldn't be marking the Olympics/Paralympics considering how much use they would be getting).

[@JP_TaVeryMuch]

I can assure you that there's no mention at all of anything Olympic or Paralympic on my Buckingham Palace Oyster card. Others have mentioned specific Olympics 2012 cards beyond the pink volunteer one so it seems that it exists.

[@ladivina337]

Yes!! My friends got Olympic version in July 2012..

[@paulsengupta971]

I have an Olympics commemorative one.

[@davidgibson1978]

Great video for all of the limited edition Oyster cards, didnt know about some of them.

[@michaelw9285]

Geoff, the police Oyster card (which for BTP replaced the yellow contractor card) is light blue with a chequered overlay, with text denoting the police number for the officer/PCSO and the force they belong to (BTP/City/Met) is missed off your list, as are the solid Royal Blue cards used by gateline staff. An example of these are in the ticketing and revenue rulebook. Fun fact, the police Oyster seems to be made out of cheaper plastic than the yellow contractor cards we were previously issued. There's also the early white 'LT Prestige' cards, which were the trial for Oyster issued is a black wallet, with the LUL roundel on them.

[@cian87]

I have the first of those two Oyster Visitor card designs, but minus the words Visitor Card and the BR arrows - I think its a 2008 issue.

[@irvingaguilarqueen]

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[@ladivina337]

There was Olympic limited version in 2012!!

[@Mergatroid]

The Barclays/Oyster combo reminds me of the card that Tim Hortons in Canada apparently had at one point that had a button to toggle between credit card and Tim Hortons gift card functionality. At least that one had a way to distinguish between the different card types because it had a way of toggling between them.

[@NewCastleIndiana]

Now I need a donut

[@mjroberts87]

There is a red oyster engineer's pass. And the dark blue gateline passes. These have the ability to open gatelines beyond west Drayton on the Elizabeth line and are used by staff either testing or opening the gates There was also a very bulky smartcard that was used on buses in harrow before oyster

[@telemachus53]

If you go back a bit further you'll find the "Red Rover" or the "Green Rover". They were different for buses and trains. We went as kids, by bus from Hendon to (Heathrow) London Airport and back on one of those.

[@grahamwhitworth9454]

Red and Green Rovers were for buses only. There was also a Twin Rover that covered buses and the Underground. Unlike Oyster, they did not cover what was then British Rail. They had to be used like a normal paper ticket.

[@ajs41]

One of the best things about the system today is that you can use the same ticket or card for lots of different types of transport. It must have been annoying when you had to have a different type of card for bus, tube, overground, etc.

[@ttrjw]

You missed the trial in the mid 1990s on the Harrow bus network. The trial was known as BEST - Bus Electronic Smartcard Ticketing.

[@brigez80]

I was signed up for that. They gave me a card with £5 credit to use. I had to fill out a questionnaire after the trial was finished, I gave it the thumbs up 😄

[@darganx]

Yes but why is it called Oyster? A: Because of the Pearl inside! Learnt that when briefly working at 55 Broadway when LT were setting up their fledgling Oyster customer service department. Also I'm sure there was a 2012 Olympic edition Oyster?

[@seanworrall]

I had a Barclaycoyster and when they issued a new card they announced it was ending IIRC, no doubt for the reasons you said....

[@jamespotter3334]

There's also the one that came with the Metropolitan Line addidas trainers, I've got one of those and a pair of the trainers too

[@Canleaf08]

My last visit in London was in 2010 and I did not consider using oyster cards. I got a voucher from travel agency for a week long pass from the British Rail. Landed in LCY with City Flyer and had to travel with the DRL to Bank to redeem that voucher. I got many glares when I did not have the oyster card and had to ask operators to open up the turnstile for me, when my paper card did not go through. Years later, I ended up in Mississauga, Canada and realized how good travel cards are. All buses in Canada can only take cash (coins and bills) and back then, credit card were not an option. I spent like 10 bucks for a 3 $ - 1:30 h transfer- outch.. I collected many transfers by this way and I learned that lesson the hard way that there was an easier way. Toronto has something called the "Presto Card", which took me alot of the trouble, not having to look for coins. I have been collecting transit cards since then. Got three from Montreal, one from Stockholm, Oslo, Madrid, Chicago, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, Gatineau, New York City's OMNY, Berlin and Frankfurt... But German cards are hard to come by: German transit agencies only hand them out with a subscription... Empty cards can be obtained at the RMV by request in Frankfurt for example. 2:20 Cards like these were common in Chicago with a Ventra card and are still common in Philidelphia with the SEPTA key with a debit card included, that un(der)banked people could get a banking account. But recently, Ventra is now a normal travel card with a eticket and balance option.

[@TheEpicAppleEater01]

Yup. Germany can be sort of unforgiving for non-residents (at least before the new Deutschland-ticket) with subscriptions being unavailable generally, and visitors being restricted to day tickets. At least most public transport is on the honour system, so not having a card does not inconvenience you or others. Generally the new Deutschland-Ticket is provided as an etickcet QR code, but I have heard that some operators (RMV I think) can offer it as a nfc card or even in some areas as a paper ticket... Total confusion for ticket inspectors nationally lol

[@ajs41]

I used a paper ticket today, just to see if it still works okay. It does, most of the time. They want to get rid of it because they hate the fact they can't track exactly what people are doing. Only problem is it gets de-magnetised very easily, so you have to keep it away from things like credit cards.

[@marthaanderson2656]

I wonder if I need to "play the slots" in January and try to score a limited edition card. I covet the Elizabeth Line one

[@archimedessmith7837]

The green Oyster cards are still available at Oyster ticket stops, £6 each.

[@Emily_20095]

Great Video Geoff! Doesnt Zip's count as they're still oysters but childrens?

[@EElgar1857]

I have the "flag motif" Visitor Card, and have used it for years. Will it ever stop working? Thanks, and I love your videos! 😁

[@joeyawesomeness6142]

There's the oyster cards that came with Adidas X TFL shoes when they came out. I've got a few of the shoes but none of the oyster cards :(

[@blakey1152]

What station(s) is the 20 year anniversary card available at? I tried Euston and Bank last Monday to no avail

[@kk8761]

I got mine from King's Cross last week

[@Viccobalta]

I have a 150 year oyster card which I found late at night left on one of the northern line train seats in an empty carriage. Sorry if it's yours, Geoff

[@Viccobalta]

@@geofftech2 haha -well I'll happily donate it to you if I ever catch you in public!

[@paulsengupta971]

I can see a video in this. Return of the lost card!

[@cleanycloth]

1:55 I saw one of these for the first time yesterday! A lovely lady, who unfortunately had wandered outside the Oyster zones after tapping in, asked me if she could use them on the Arriva buses in town.

[@natmartin0907]

I’ve got the Elizabeth line Oyster card and plan on getting this one as well

[@ajs41]

Same with me.

[@somax1259]

I know of another "type" of oyster card, the zip card The zip card is a child version of the oyster card for 11-16 year olds it allows you to travel on busses for free and on the anything else for a reduced fee

[@caw25sha]

They are the ones with a photo.

[@somax1259]

@@caw25sha yes

[@larkinjun]

Still use my 2012 special oyster as my daily, great to see a video on all the others!

[@ringwe]

I feel so silly that I never paid any attention to my Oyster cards.

[@musicman101ist]

Adidas also released a limited edition last year - quite hard to find though.

[@williamfunk656]

As an American, I am waiting for a Charles Yerkes limited edition visitor Oyster card.

[@ajs41]

Maybe when it's some type of anniversary for him.

[@Echoes1910]

I’ve got the standard blue oyster, the Lizzie line one and the new 20 year anniversary one.

[@ajs41]

Which station did you get the 20th anniversary one from? I happen to be in London until tomorrow and would like to get my hands on one.

[@Echoes1910]

@@ajs41 I got mine at KX from the ticket machine by the visitor centre.

[@ajs41]

@@Echoes1910 Thanks, I'll try there first tomorrow. I managed to get the Elizabeth Line one on the first day it was operating.

[@LeornianCyng]

I love my Oyster card, had it for 20 years, Have been saying this for years, I wish it worked nationally.

[@Hannah_jp_93]

I have one of the olympics volunteers ones. I think they only worked for a certain amount of time or a certain amount of journeys because I remember having to get a new one a couple of times over the 4 months I volunteered.

[@brettpalfrey4665]

how long are those latest Oyster cards available for? I am visiting london in September!

[@iwasborn8470]

Have you payed a visit to Marsh Barton Station Geoff?

[@jdslater1]

I suppose you could mention the watch! I took part in a trail years ago. I had to hand in my staff photo Oyster card and they gave me a watch that had Oyster built in. It was quite funny as bus drivers hadn’t been told so I had to explain it. If think one of the problems is that I feel watches are quite personal and to just be told this is your watch from now on wasn’t really gonna work.

[@ajs41]

Never heard of this watch. Sounds interesting.

[@OltonHall]

Lost one of my Oyster cards yesterday. Need to find our where in Zone 1 you can get the new one so I can stop using my gen 1 card.

[@arejayseeottawa]

I have the visitor Oyster Card featured at 2:01 of this video! It comes in handy when visiting London!

[@OliGreenaway]

There’s the Adidas Oyster Card range as well

[@NeilHallJenHall]

Geoff if you want one of the olympic ones you can have mine if you want?

[@Captain_Blak]

I've got the 150 years card, what a classic.

[@Gerry0866]

I have one of the visitor cards highlighted at 01:58. I still use it on my twice yearly trips to London

[@MilkToasts]

Interesting that they never released a limited edition design for the Olympics

[@ajs41]

Maybe they did but we don't know.

[@paulsengupta971]

They did, mine is one of those.

[@shotzeast]

Geoff ive got two 150 oyster cards still active. would you like one?

[@straightpipediesel]

Along with police, missed bus operator nominee (gray), and engineer (salmon).

[@JamieM85]

Only one I’ve had is the pink Olympic one. I drove the buses for the athletes, good times!

[@TransportCentral]

still have the 150 anniversary oyster card

[@thesteelrodent1796]

the chip in the credit+oyster card will tell the card reader what it is - it's how contactless works; The reader activates a coil in the card which relays information from the embedded chip(s). The NFC technology is the exact same for all types of contactless cards, fobs, and devices, so it's just a matter of the software knowing what to accept and refuse - it's the only way for the system to tell different card types apart. The only real difference between different contactless cards (and other contactless stuff) is what they're coded to be. In theory you could code the Oyster system to work with any contactless card or gadget. The cards really only serve to identify the rider and collect payment from the right account, so it's just a matter of programming to let the users choose what they want to use as identifier, and thus it can be made possible to just hold your smart watch up to the pad as equally valid payment. In Denmark we're able to use our phone as a contactless payment card, by using NFC, but not yet instead of the travel card, though it will likely come soonish as it already works as a replacement for all other ticket types. We do however still have a lot of issues with the reliability of the travel card system, and allowing phones as well would cause even more issues

[@markholm7050]

From great enough distance that it is not a practical concern for me, it does seem that the TFL fare structure is too complicated.

[@pegasustargaryen]

I have the London Visitor Card. I already came from Germany three times to your great city!

[@FouiAnimations]

0:16 Do you know until when is this oyster card available ?

[@alexb__4133]

Like with the EL Oyster cards, while stocks last.

[@geneard639]

Geoff Marshall, I gave this a 'thumbs up', but the system was showing '66' and after I gave it a thumbs up it still said '66'. Sent in a trouble report to KZbin, might want to keep an eye on that.

[@yahalyulmer2912]

Thanks Joeff. I'm actually older than the oyster card, by only 2 days!

[@oysterfarescentral]

Bus and tram pass Oyster cards are only available from ticket stops.

[@ThomasBailey-eg8wo]

Where can I pick one up I’m coming to London next week :)

[@LordMarkieMark]

I've still got my pink London 2012 Olympics Oyster Card (somewhere). I got it because I was due to do security for the Olympics.

[@tyrozone5]

0:43 That came to a shock to me!

[@pacmanseven2544]

There is a Zip Oyster card for children in two categories 11-15 years old and 16+ as well as an over 60 Oyster card and a veterans oyster card too

[@robbiemorrison7085]

Can you get the visitor cards at visitor centres?

[@alexb__4133]

From tfl. gov. uk/travel-information/visiting-london/visitor-oyster-card ... "You can't buy a Visitor Oyster card in London."...

[@UnmayoGaming]

I feel TfL are trying to make extra money from these cards. They subtly increased the admin fee from £5 to £7. Cheeky indeed!

[@ajs41]

As I've mentioned above, they also love to fine people for spending more than about 80 minutes in the system, where they assume you must have travelled to the furthest points of the network if you spend more than that amount of time in the system, even if you've just been in Zone One all that time.

[@markstramtrainbuscapades1729]

I've got the first of the Visitor designs! Bought it around 2013 from National Express's Birmingham Travel Centre-now gone!

[@JesseFeld]

My staff Oyster card is more of a white than a light blue, but spot on otherwise!

[@ajs41]

And do staff get reduced fares? Personally I don't believe in perks under any circumstances whatsoever, which I know will be a very unpopular opinion with many people. I think everyone should pay the same, no matter who they are (except for disabled people and children).

[@josephgriffiths5827]

I’ve seen the police ones , very unique indeed . I had the original Oystercard, but I lost that too.

[@MrGreatplum]

I’ve never owned one - I’ve only ever used travel cards when I go into London (although I believe they might be cancelled soon sadly)

[@ajs41]

The one good thing about paper tickets is they can't track where you are, so they can't fine you for spending too much time in the system, which is what they do with electronic cards of any type apparently. I think the cut-off is about 80 minutes.