Cash Fares

[Stuharris 6360]

Transport For London is proposing to go cashless on its buses from 2014 and are to consult on it this Autumn.

https://consultations.tfl.gov.uk/buses/cashless

They claim that not having to handle cash will be saving £24 million a year by 2020.

With the advent, shortly, of a smartcard fare payment system, are the days of cash fares in the West Midlands numbered?

[JackC]

Cash fares will still be around for a fair few years in the Midlands, no doubt. London has had the Oyster Card for 10 years and are just now getting ready to go cashless. The Midlands are only just introducing Swift and it'll take a few years to get most of the population on board (no pun intended  ::))

[nitromatt1]

So if I'm visiting London for a day, and want to use the bus network, how would I buy a day ticket?

[JackC]

So if I'm visiting London for a day, and want to use the bus network, how would I buy a day ticket?

Maybe something like a disposable pre-paid card you can buy at a newsagent?

[nx4737]

So if I'm visiting London for a day, and want to use the bus network, how would I buy a day ticket?

Day travelcard, cheapest and most flexible option for just a day.

London cash fares are shocking anyway.

[Kevin]

Don't go to London that much but have myself an Oyster Card, purely because it's handy for when I do go.
Actually for the same matter, I go to visit family in Holland even less but have a dutch version of the Oyster Card aswell (the OV card, valid all over the country, makes everything so much easier and cheaper)

[JackC]

Do you reckon we could ever see a kind of Oyster Card that works nationwide on every bus company all across the country? Obviously not in the near future but it's something that could happen maybe?

[Nathan4775]

Is there a London Card that covers all zones

[Tony]

Is there a London Card that covers all zones

There is, if you are going by train it can be added on to your train ticket cheaper than buying one down there. Chiltern do a one day travelcard that is valid from Birmingham to London then on all public transport.

The initial Oyster card will cost you £5, but I have one as when I go to London I never really know how much public transport I am going to use down there. The oyster will charge you for individual journeys, but as soon as you hit £7.70 it stops and all travel after that is 'free'

[Kevin]

There is, if you are going by train it can be added on to your train ticket cheaper than buying one down there. Chiltern do a one day travelcard that is valid from Birmingham to London then on all public transport.

Awesome ticket that, 35 quid and I can get to London, travel all around and come back home. Done that a number of times

[Stuharris 6360]

Is there a London Card that covers all zones

There is, if you are going by train it can be added on to your train ticket cheaper than buying one down there. Chiltern do a one day travelcard that is valid from Birmingham to London then on all public transport.

The initial Oyster card will cost you £5, but I have one as when I go to London I never really know how much public transport I am going to use down there. The oyster will charge you for individual journeys, but as soon as you hit £7.70 it stops and all travel after that is 'free'

If you just use the buses, which i often do, you only have to spend £4.40 on your oyster and then its free for the rest of the day.

[Stu]

I think it 'tops out' at the equivalent of the day ticket value depending on what mode of transport you use.

So yes, if you only travel on buses, it's £1.30 a pop until you reach the equivalent of the 'Daysaver' they have down London (whatever that's called) for buses. If you travel on Tubes also, then it maxes out at the equivalent day rate, etc etc.

It's exactly how I'd like the Swift card to work up here too, Centro please take note!

[Stuharris 6360]

I think it 'tops out' at the equivalent of the day ticket value depending on what mode of transport you use.

So yes, if you only travel on buses, it's £1.30 a pop until you reach the equivalent of the 'Daysaver' they have down London (whatever that's called) for buses. If you travel on Tubes also, then it maxes out at the equivalent day rate, etc etc.

It's exactly how I'd like the Swift card to work up here too, Centro please take note!

Exactly Stu, no matter how many journeys you make a day, it should never charges more than you would pay for a Daysaver, Nbus ticket or Daytripper dependant on what mode(s) of travel you use.

[Nathan4775]

Is there a London Card that covers all zones

There is, if you are going by train it can be added on to your train ticket cheaper than buying one down there. Chiltern do a one day travelcard that is valid from Birmingham to London then on all public transport.

The initial Oyster card will cost you £5, but I have one as when I go to London I never really know how much public transport I am going to use down there. The oyster will charge you for individual journeys, but as soon as you hit £7.70 it stops and all travel after that is 'free'

Thanks Tony