How do buses work in London?

I'm going to a summer school at KCL in two weeks time. I'm planning on getting a bus from Victoria coach station to where I'm going. Do I pay the fare on the bus or do i need to get a special ticket beforehand??

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Reply 1

UWS

Touch your Oyster card on the reader or you can purchase a ticket from the bus driver

Reply 2

Michael_98

You can't pay your fare in cash anymore, you have use an oyster card, travel card, or a contactles

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 3

teenhorrorstory

Original post by Michael_98

You can't pay your fare in cash anymore, you have use an oyster card, travel card, or a contactles

Posted from TSR Mobile

Oh right. My card isn't contactless, and I don't think it'd be worth getting an oyster card for 2 journeys? How do the travel cards work?

Reply 4

loveleest

You can use your contactless credit card or an oyster card that needs topping up

Reply 5

shawn_o1

Original post by teenhorrorstory

Oh right. My card isn't contactless, and I don't think it'd be worth getting an oyster card for 2 journeys? How do the travel cards work?

You won't need to take a bus. Just walk to the tube station and get the District line to Temple. Tube fares are much easier to pay for by cash

Reply 6

JT_888

Original post by teenhorrorstory

Buses are now cashless. You can get an Oyster Card and top up with credit for use on public transport, alternatively contactless payments are accepted including Apple Pay.

Reply 7

teenhorrorstory

Original post by JTran38

Buses are now cashless. You can get an Oyster Card and top up with credit for use on public transport, alternatively contactless payments are accepted including Apple Pay.

Can I get an oyster card on the day of the travel from a local shop or something, or is it something you need to order in advance?

Reply 8

BasicMistake

Original post by teenhorrorstory

Can I get an oyster card on the day of the travel from a local shop or something, or is it something you need to order in advance?

Go to TFL's website. I would do it quickly because it might take a week for it to arrive.

Reply 9

Trapz99

Original post by teenhorrorstory

Can I get an oyster card on the day of the travel from a local shop or something, or is it something you need to order in advance?

Yeah you can get them from shops at or near tube stations.

Reply 10

teenhorrorstory

Original post by shawn_o1

You won't need to take a bus. Just walk to the tube station and get the District line to Temple. Tube fares are much easier to pay for by cash

I'm going from London Victoria to Stamford street, and according to google maps, taking the bus 211 is easiest and quickest route

Reply 11

teenhorrorstory

Original post by BasicMistake

Go to TFL's website. I would do it quickly because it might take a week for it to arrive.

Original post by Trapz99

Yeah you can get them from shops at or near tube stations.

Confused

Reply 12

Prince of Punani

You can buy paper tickets from machines and newsagents but they're not very good value for money compared with contactless debit and oyster cards.

Reply 13

BasicMistake

Original post by Trapz99

Yeah you can get them from shops at or near tube stations.

I wasn't aware you could get Oyster cards from a shop? Surely you need to register your details with TFL first right?

Are you thinking of travelcards?

Original post by teenhorrorstory

Confused

Reply 14

Serpentine111

Original post by teenhorrorstory

Confused

You can get them straight away at tube stations.

Reply 15

Napp

1] Find the right bus
2] Get on
3] Touch your Oyster card/contactless card on the reader
4] Try your best not to make awkward eye contact
5] Hold your nose
6] Ring the bell before your stop
7] Get off

Reply 16

Trapz99

Original post by BasicMistake

I wasn't aware you could get Oyster cards from a shop? Surely you need to register your details with TFL first right?

Are you thinking of travelcards?

There are top-up Oyster cards as well which have the adult price which you top up at the shop. The oyster zip cards (the ones for teenagers) you need to order from the Internet.

Reply 17

Napp

Original post by BasicMistake

I wasn't aware you could get Oyster cards from a shop? Surely you need to register your details with TFL first right?

Are you thinking of travelcards?

Almost all of the corner shops sell Oystercards or atleast let you top up.

Reply 18

JT_888

Original post by teenhorrorstory

Can I get an oyster card on the day of the travel from a local shop or something, or is it something you need to order in advance?

You can get it from a local Oyster Card shop but I think it's best to order one in advance just in case. :smile:

Reply 19

teenhorrorstory

Original post by Trapz99

There are top-up Oyster cards as well which have the adult price which you top up at the shop. The oyster zip cards (the ones for teenagers) you need to order from the Internet.

So I could go to a shop and pay for an Oyster card with lets £10 topped up and get it straight away?

Also roughly how much are day travel cards? And how much is one bus journey