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How to Get an Oyster Card. Traveling around London is simple with an Oyster Card. Get
one, and you'll be able to zip around town without having to worry about paper tickets,
rail cards, or any other passes. You will need Internet access and credit card. Step
1. Visit the Transport for London homepage at tfl.gov.uk. Step 2. Look over the maps
that show the routes for the London Underground, bus system, and other public transportation
modes that accept the Oyster Card. Think about your travel needs in London and see which
areas you can access using an Oyster Card. Use the maps and the Journey Planner feature
on the Transport for London website to help you estimate costs. Step 3. Decide between
Oyster Card ticket options. Get "Pay as You Go" if you aren't sure how much travel money
you need on your card. Think about an "Annual Pass" if you will be in London for a full
year, and choose a "Travelcard" if you want unlimited travel options for a shorter period
of time. Step 4. Use a credit card to order your Oyster Card online from the Transport
for London website. Select the options that best suit your travel needs. You can also
purchase cards in person at over 3,700 outlets across London. But be aware that you may have
to wait in a line. Step 5. Create an Oyster Card account on the Transport of London website.
Link your account with your Card number to allow you to refill your card online, view
your card's use history, and give you protection against the loss or theft of your card. Allow
up to two weeks for your Oyster Card to be delivered, particularly if you're ordering
from outside of the U.K. Step 6. Use your Oyster Card as a method of payment when traveling
around London on the Tube, public buses, trams, and National Rail. Touch your card to one
of the yellow readers when you start your trip, and touch out when you reach your destination.
In no time, you'll be zipping through lines and whizzing around town like a local. Did
you know London was home to the world's first underground railway system. The four-mile
long Metropolitan line opened on January 10, 1863.