opinions4u Posted March 7, 2010 Share Posted March 7, 2010 (edited) I am spending more and more time on business in London, which inevitably needs me to use the tube to get around. While there is no problem claiming back full fares from my employer, it looks like I could typically half or better the expenses bill by using an Oyster Card. So, a couple of quick questions for those in the know: - does an Oyster Card used 2 or 3 times a month (sometimes peak, sometimes off-peak) really save money? - is it easy to itemise costs (e.g. online statement) to document genuine business expenses for a claim? - are there any other catches / expiry dates / hidden costs that could snooker the money saving idea? Additionally, anybody using mainline stations and buying food from the over-priced concessions there should get themselves a Bite Card .... it knocks 20% off the bill at virtually all of them (e.g. Burger King, Real Pubs, Upper Crust, Cafe Ritazza etc)! It can bring that morning coffee down to under £3 in price!! Edited March 7, 2010 by opinions4u Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zorrro Posted March 7, 2010 Share Posted March 7, 2010 I believe that all fares are cheaper using an Oyster card, yes. You can get an online log of all the journeys you make. I don't think your PAYG balance expires; I had a few quid left on mine for about 12 months that I didn't need, and that never disappeared. I'd wait for a real expert to arrive, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opinions4u Posted March 7, 2010 Author Share Posted March 7, 2010 I believe that all fares are cheaper using an Oyster card, yes. You can get an online log of all the journeys you make. I don't think your PAYG balance expires; I had a few quid left on mine for about 12 months that I didn't need, and that never disappeared. I'd wait for a real expert to arrive, though. Cheers. Wonder where the real experts are??!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsslatic Posted March 7, 2010 Share Posted March 7, 2010 Cheers. Wonder where the real experts are??!! Whilst I'm far from being an expert, in my experience every fare is cheaper with an Oyster rather than just buying normal tickets or travelcards, both peak and off-peak. From Zone 2 to Zone 1, I pay something like £1.80 for a single off-peak and I think it's something like £2.60 peak, when before I got mine (when I was in my first week here and naive of the ways of the tube), it could cost around £4 for a single depending on the time of day I was going in. Buses are only £1.20 anywhere (I believe) with an Oyster, but £2 without. Travelcard thresholds too are lower on an Oyster than just buying one, unless you've got a standard 16-25 railcard where you can get a Zone 1-6 Travelcard for a fiver. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opinions4u Posted March 7, 2010 Author Share Posted March 7, 2010 (edited) Looking pretty compelling then. That moreorless confirms how I'd understood things. Next trick is to work out how to pay Oyster fares and claim back full price ....!! Edited March 7, 2010 by opinions4u Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crusoe Posted March 7, 2010 Share Posted March 7, 2010 (edited) Yeah, Oyster is much cheaper for single fares (pay as you go journeys). For Zone 1 (central) to Zone 2 (just outside, e.g. Camden Town) it's £4 for a cash fare, £2.30 for a peak Oyster fare and £1.80 for an off-peak Oyster fare. And jsslatic has it right about buses, too - £2 cash, £1.20 Oyster. If you get one, register it online - that way you can check journey history (PAYG only - don't think you can if you have a season ticket), and if you lose it they'll give you a new card with the same balance. (And the auto-top-up is quite handy too - automatically debits your bank account when your balance runs below a certain level.) Edited March 7, 2010 by Crusoe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeslover Posted March 7, 2010 Share Posted March 7, 2010 It gets a bit fruity for me when I am making journeys that are part covered by my normal season ticket now that the overland rail works with it, but other than that you shouldn't lose. I just select the print receipt option whenever I top up with 10 or 20 and use that as the receipt against my itemised journeys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rudemedic Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 My Mum, who spends on average 2 days a week in London, swears by her Oyster Card as not only does it provide cheaper fares, you can update it online, and use it on both buses and trains. You may not be able to claim full price for tickets used but you could always stick a few personal journeys on the card (say trips on a Saturday to watch Latics) and just send your monthly top-up bill in for expenses, obviously I will deny all knowledge of this if it ever comes out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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