Oyster Card

Oyster Card

Location	Greater London
Launched	July 2003
Technology	Contactless smart card by Cubic Transportation Systems
Operator	HP Enterprise Services and Cubic
Manager	Transport for London
Currency	GBP (£90 maximum load)
Stored-value	Pay-as-you-go
Credit expiry	None
Auto recharge	Auto top-up
Unlimited use	Travelcard
Validity	London Underground London Buses London Overground TfL Rail DLR Tramlink London River Services (limited validity) Emirates Air Line (cable car) National Rail Services Inside of the Black Broken Lines on this Map dead link] (except Heathrow Connect between Hayes & Harlington and Heathrow, and Heathrow Express)
Retailed	Online Telephone Newsagents Stations
Variants	Freedom Pass Bus & Tram Discount Visitor Card Zip Card OnePulse
Website	oyster.tfl.gov.uk

The Oyster card is a form of electronic ticket used on public transport in Greater London in the United Kingdom. It is promoted by Transport for London and is valid on travel modes across London including London Underground, London Buses, the Docklands Light Railway (DLR), London Overground, Tramlink, some river boat services, and most National Rail services within the London fare zones.

A standard Oyster card is a blue credit-card-sized stored-value contactless smartcard that can hold single tickets, period tickets and travel permits, which must be added to the card before travel. Passengers touch it on an electronic reader when entering and leaving the transport system in order to validate it or deduct funds. Cards may be "topped-up" by recurring payment authority, by online purchase, at credit card terminals or by cash, the last two methods at stations or ticket offices. The card is designed to reduce the number of transactions at ticket offices and the number of paper tickets. Usage is encouraged by offering substantially cheaper fares than with cash though the acceptance of cash is being phased out. On London buses, cash is no longer accepted.

The card was first issued to the public in July 2003 with a limited range of features and there continues to be a phased introduction of further functions. By June 2012, over 43 million Oyster cards had been issued and more than 80% of all journeys on public transport in London were made using the card.

As part of TfL's "Future Ticketing Programme" the Oyster card platform is due to be replaced or supplemented by contactless payment card systems such as contactless credit and debit cards. The first stage of this was completed in June 2015.

...
Wikipedia