If you enjoyed my film and want to help me make more films then please throw me a one-off contribution via paypal! www.paypal.me/julianmcdonnell No one pays me to make these films so all proceeds go towards improving my productions and paying for a cameraman to eat a crust of bread! Or if you want to chip in $1 or $2 a month you can support me on Patreon: www.patreon.com/joolzguides Thanks everyone....one of thee days I'll be a star!!!!!!!
It all depends on what your budget is. London is massive. Most of the sites are in zone 1 but that means that prices will be higher for accommodation. You could try staying in the halls of residence for the University of London perhaps, if you are trying to save money. That's convenient as it's quite central...near Russel Square. There are lots of hotels near Kings Cross which is ok these day. Bayswater would be nice too. There are really too many places though. I'd stay somewhere within zones 1 or 2 (on the tube map) if possible though.
So pretty much just put 15 pounds in the Oyster Card, tap in, tap out, stay on right side of the escalator, dont stand like a lemon outside of the gates and i will survive public tranportation in London.
@@Joolzguides I got spectacularly yelled at my first time on the tube escalator because I accidentally dropped my suitcase as I was about to exit it. (Mind you, I was v. ill, v. jet lagged, had little sleep in 48 hours, and overwhelmed). A tube worker at the bottom of the escalator started yelling at me as if I had planned to that all along. (Yes, yes, I did! I saved for years for my only visit to England just to do that....) Welcome to London! Fortunately, the rest of the trip went much better.
On the tube, your Oyster card or contactless card is debited with the maximum fare when you tap in at the start of your journey. Tapping out at the end calculates the actual fare. Always tap out!
Is Oyster and contactless different or the same card? I keep reading "Oyster or contactless" and I still don't understand if it's just the traditional sadistic british way of giving one thing many names just to confuse everyone?
@@leytonexile Oh that's what contactless is. A bank card. :-))) Oh you gotta love the brits. Daesh, jab, ground floor, colour. :-)) Thanks for the explanation.
@@Maloy7800 if my credit card is issued outside of UK, do I need to register it somewhere online before tapping or do I directly use it without any registration? Then how do the daily and weekly caps work?
I'm HOPING the other person had agreed to act out that scene. In real life the person trying to walk down on the left usually just seethes impatiently behind the blocking person, in my experience.
I am a foreigner, i just realized Oyster card is so useful, I normally use it for underground and bus, but never others, thanks for the video. I really like your very British accent, like the English I heard from tv drama of downtown abbey, hehe...
@@Nellhatesyou when you top up zones 1-2 (travel card) you can use it on the buses, trains, trams, etc... well the buses aren't zone restricted. So you can get off the train at the end of zone 2 and then bus your way to zone 6 if you want.
I don't understand the zones. I'm visiting London from the US and I am from a smaller city that doesn't have a ton of public transportation. Where are the zones?
@@pcbassoon3892 I like to compare the zones to a fried egg. Central London is like the yolk (zones 1 and 2) and everything further on the outskirts is like the white (zones 3+) the further you go out, the greater the number. When you top up your oyster card (London travel card) you will want to find out where you'll be travelling to and from. If you're staying close to central, then a zone 1-2 transport pass will suffice. But if you want to go further out, then you may need to find out the zone for that area and top up for that zone and anywhere else you might want to visit. But as I said in my original comment, buses are not ruled by zones, so it's worth having a look at the bus routes to save some money. Hope that helps and have fun on your trip!
Transit in London blew my mind. I rode it at rush hour just for the experience. Northern Canada, has very little transport at all. Almost everyone drives where I live. LOL, I talked to everyone while there, it was great.
I love love loveee the old number 15 and recommend it to everybody I'm taking sightseeing or who I know just recently moved there because it's just such a cool lil piece of history❤ (for anybody who wants to take it, they're in service saturday/sunday)
Oh yes, thanks. Well, I do wonder too when I see some of the stuff out there but I don't think it's anything to do with the quality of the films. It seems that youtube rewards other things like frequency of uploads and how well you do the SEO. It's a real mystery to me too. Maybe it's a generational thing. I think my style is more old school BBC but a lot of younger people like a different style... Who knows! I'm glad you like them though and thanks for the kind words. If you can share the videos and channel and stuff that would be great!
It could just be me, but I had some difficulty subscribing. The button would just sort of fade out when pressed, and it wasn't until I went to your channel to a tab where there wasn't a video playing until I could actually subscribe. Great video though. Thx.
Thanx for this my friend. I come in on the Queen Mary 2 tomorrow and I'm gonna be that guy that knows nothing and is lost, oyster capping sounds great for a tourist. Oyster card it is. Love how your escalators are just like Vancouvers. Thanx for the tips.
Hello There, this is a really useful and informative guide on how to use the Oyster Card, I much appreciate it. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and for adding a humorous spin to it. Cheers Peter :)
Just a note to newer travelers: You no longer get a refund for your Oyster card! And you might not be able to get refunded the remaining balance at the station, if you are only using the card for a few days.
It's not rocket science, you put money on The oyster card, no need for a 5 minute video, The Guy who Made this video is so cheesy and desperate for views
Just got back from London for a week long trip. Got my remaining balance on my oyster card from a machine, only thing to note is your balance must be less that 10 pounds. Also the security deposit gets converted into credit a year later, so essentially only 5 pounds are stuck in the system for a year.
That's what happened to me just this week. Leaving London I wanted to get my remaining credit and the deposit for my visitor's card back. No way! The machine says no, the contact person at the airport says no, the gentleman at the airport tube station says: "you have to go back to King's Cross to get your refund". This is how the TfL is ripping off tourists 😠
seriously if you want to know about my old city this is the best videos you can get i just watch this now for remembering that i lived here once and it was my city. you dont need london books or anything just have Jools videos. jools thanks for these mate.
I never visit London without taking a black cab ride. Its like magic riding through the west end in the evening. Great videos, so glad to find this channel. Its got me pining for the fjords of Kensington. Thank you.
I’ve been watching so many videos cuz I’m not scared I’m planning my 1st trip to Europe including New Year’s Eve in London. Everything it’s bit confusing but thanks u made it so simple and I’m feeling bit confident.
hiya jools, we discovered your tours on you tube ,me and my mrs really enjoy watching, you are a kool guy, very eccentric, snazzy dresser, luvin the bowler, your a funny guy, thanx for making us laugh, also very informative, keep up the good work, from keith and caroline in liverpool,
We’ve recently traveled to UK just last month for HM’s platinum jubilee & had a wonderful time there. I’ve ordered the visitor Oyster Card before our flight so it worked really well for us- & will going back next to visit again 😂
And if you're using the bus, it's cheapest! The 'hopper fair' allows you to ride on as many busses and trams in an hour for the same price as one single journey! A new scheme in London!
So...if you are on and off busses within an hour...after you used your oyster card...at the first bus you are keep using the card without charging it??
@@MaCreationsZ if you change buses/tram during the 60mins after you first tap in, you wont get charged anything extra, so basically you travel for 1,5£
London is very comfortable in term of : no cash needed. I spent 5 days (end of march 2022), and spent nothing in cash. i even paid the 50 p entry for loo in hammersmith station with my debit card, (german one!). and btw, when you pay for the bus, you pay for one hour journey, so if you have to change the bus and tap your card again and it was still under 1 hour since you got charged last time, you would see : still valid till… only catch : everyone needs a different card. So if you are with 4 family members, you can’t just tap your card 5 times.
I wish I had seen these 10 years ago when I first started traveling to the UK regularly. It took me and my daughter quite a while to figure all of the things you covered.
I have my final medical school exams in 10 days and I'm procrastinating over your videos ! love them and london too, I have been twice and can't wait to visit again over summer
Oh dear. Thanks! I hope I won't be the cause of you failing!! Good luck with them. You'll probably like this one with the medical museum in it! th-cam.com/video/48n4EeIKHZg/w-d-xo.html
Well, Joolz, I have been a lurker on your channel for awhile but now I have decided to make a commitment and subscribe, My wife and I travel to London/UK at least twice a year (with the exception of the dreaded 2020) and we've seen you around town more than once. Of course we are both somewhat reserved even though we are Americans so we didn't bother you. We're enjoying your channel very much and we're slowly working our way through your videos. Enjoying it so much that we might even make a donation (a small donation) to keep you going. Thanks for all the info and fun. Ron in Boston USA
I found your video amazing! I learned about the airline with it, and found it really interesting! Thank you very much! All these information helped me a lot! Looking foward to meet London!
As teenagers, going to Leicester Square on a Saturday night, my friend and I used to try to make people laugh by staring at them (or worse, smiling). A nice (if rebellious) way to start a wild evening.
Using the Oyster Card from the airport isn't always the the best way to go. This is how it works. Heathrow - the tube goes right into the airport so buy a card from the machine and off you go. 50 pounds will be about right for a week. Stansted - no Oyster available so all you can do is take the express to Liverpool Street and use the Oyster from there. It's a pretty decent ride of almost an hour. Tickets are cheaper if you buy online in advance. Gatwick - this system was designed by a civil servant so of course it's confusing. You can use an Oyster to get in to London but if you do you will pay full price. You are better off buying in advance online and then using the Oyster once you arrive at Victoria or St Pancras.
Very happy with your video it is great, I feel like a very old Britain when I watch your video, very very happy, please keep uploading posts like this, our best wishes to you, thank you.
I'm late for this but the oyster caps at £4.50 for buses (not sure for tubes or train since I'm a bus person) and each bus ride is £1.50 and tubes and trains vary depending on how far you go.
thanks uncle joolz ... your channel is very useful im an student from indonesia so that i need a lot of information how to travel to london for my student exchange next year ..
Thanks for the oyster card tips. I travel to london every now & then & just get an underground card for the day. Never knew the oyster was so convenient. 👍👍👍
I like your videos, especially all the real-world advice, not just some official information! Didn't realised that I have been amateur on the tube for so many years, haha :)
Thanks for the video going to London tomorrow was unsure whether to get oyster card or travel card but now I've seen you use the machine I'll go with oyster
Thank you so much sir after I watch your episode. Me and my son went to emirates air line and we loved..... we won’t be never seen this part of London but because of you we celebrate Eid day out ones again thank and keep it up
4 Qs here. . Thank you 🙏 for helping. 1. Just curious how the public boat system works in London? How are the ride costs determined? 2. What bus no. would you recommend us take to sightseeing London without joining the Private tours? I saw you taking bus no. 15. Is it that one? 3. Which transportation will you recommend save us money and most time efficient to take from central London to Gatwick Airport? 4. Is citymapper a useful app? Many thanks!
For Q3, Gatwick Express is the fastest, but quite expensive. It goes into Victoria, connecting to the Circle and District lines, as well as the Victoria line. You can take a Southern service into Victoria as well, which is slower. Southern also links up to the Jubilee and Northern lines at London Bridge. The final option is Thameslink, that also goes to London Bridge and then goes directly into the City via Blackfriars. Hope this helps, though it's 3 years late.
Haha would of loved to seen the looks look the hus driver's face! But paying with coins is a pretty reasonable thing to assume, since nearly all other UK cities accepts a coins
OMG! Now I finally know what a 'contactless' card is! LOL #feelsostupid Thanks, Joolz! I'm doing research for that next trip I've got planned. It's been way too long since I've visited (from California): 4 years!!! (Anybody in the UK who wants to switch places with me, please let me know. 😄 I belong in UK, not CA! 😉👍🇬🇧❤️)
I live in Sussex, but very close to London, so paper Travelcards are a part of my life (I live outside of the TfL area), but contactless payment is the shizzles if I'm "stuck" in London after my TC expires.
In Australia we follow the car overtake rules for escalators. You only overtake from the right if you are rushing and everyone else on the left stands still. Also Public transport is for Molesters!
2:55 The Oyster Card "You can even use it on the boat" Its an Oyster card for God's sake! The boat is one of the most logical places to use it! (Not just Bus, Tube, Tram and Train)
I have been ring round all morning , from 8 30 a it is now gone 10 ! Trying to get information on oyster cards . This is the best info I have found thank you for posting!
FEED YOUR BRAIN, The very last song is called Those Were The Days, I don't know who was singing that version but the one that I know is done by a singer called Mary Hopkin and was released in 1968.
having been a Londoner but living abroad for some time I find this video very interesting and useful. I will look up Joolz guide as I am so out of touch with London. thanks
SO PLEASED I HAD REACHED 62, AS AT 60 ACQUIRED TFL 60+ OYSTER CARD WHICH LASTS UNTIL IM 66, THEN GET A PROPER FREEDOM PASS. SO NOW ITS TOTALLY FREE TRAVEL.
Joolz, you are a gem! I really love your guides. I’m from North London, (mentioned this when I commented on another video of yours) and I’m so gobsmacked at the things I didn’t know but wasn’t even aware of. Well done, mate! Well done!
A really helpful video, thanks for this useful information. I never thought about getting an oyster card as i have to catch a few trains before the London marathon. It's the first thing I'll do when getting off at euston
Thanks mate, I live in Kent ( its south of London ) and I had no idea about this card, so I banged Oyster in the search , and you came up. Good , you made it look so easy, jolly good Ill be getting my first card tomorrow. Stand on the right side of an escalator , is because most people are right handed. Even though we drive on the left.
You can keep it. Shame you are not old enough to remember how great and beautiful london was over 30-40 years ago. That was london. Hardly any crime,safe streets and not totally overcrowded like now .
I have never been, but my cousin visited several times and she loved it. I would love to visit buy I don't think that I could take the 8 to 11 hour plane ride.
You never did explain what an "oyster card" was so that we colonists have an idea so so I assume it's the same as any other city's "metro" or fare card? And why Oysters?
Ah...sorry. I guess I'm so used to them I just make assumptions. It's a card which is used for the transport services in London. Trains, buses, underground, some boat services. Sorry if I wasn't clear. I suppose they're trying to say "The world is your oyster" . I noticed that in Hong Kong they have something similar called an octopus card. Not sure where the obsession with seafood comes from!
That's what I assumed. I used to travel good deal and I always found it worthwhile to sit in a spot for a while and watch people interact with their transportation system to find out how it worked. Some things (like swiping your metro card when you leave a station) aren't obvious and *not* being the 'Ugly American' was usually paramount on my list.
Fun London Guides - Julian McDonnell Films the Octopus Card was so named as the tentacles of the HK Metro were likened to the many tentacles of an octopus spreading out through the suburbs.
Thanks for sharing the information. However, I am a little confused about how travelcard works on discounted 18+ student oyster cards especially when your daily commute involves both tube and bus. Is the 18+ student oyster going to treat my travelcard as a normal travelcard valid for both bus and tube, but with an added discount or do I have to add the travelcard to avail discount on tube and bus season ticket to have discounted bus travel on my student oyster.
So the 18+ discount only works for buying travel cards. You will receive 1/3 off the total cost of travel card and NOT off PAYG. For example, if you bought a zones 1-2 travel card, instead of costing approximately £38.40, it will cost £26.80. The PAYG cost will remain £2.50 a journey in zone 1 or £2.60-£2.90 in zone 2, with a day cap of £7.70. There is absolutely ZERO benefit of your 18+ card in regards to PAYG so to make the most of it, always buy the weekly/monthly passes. The travel card includes buses and trains. The same 30% discount applies when purchasing weekly and monthly bus and tram (no train) passes, and again, if you try using PAYG for bus, there is NO discount. Hope this helps, albeit very late.
@@zakrs130 You mentioned "The same 30% discount applies when purchasing weekly and monthly bus and tram (no train) passes" So if I get a 7 day pass, is that a set price at a discount (cheaper then PAYG?) So we can ride bus/tram as many times in that 7 days at a set price for that card? What about getting a 7 day pass for the tube? Is it a set price to ride as many times as you want? (and is it cheaper then PAYG?)
@@TheK9Shepherd yes thats correct but that is only with the discount of the 18+ oyster card as mentioned in my post. A regular oyster card does not have this discount. The tram is a cross between a bus and a train kind of. It runs on rails like a train, but also runs on the road alongside cars. They are only found on the fringes of south London so you may not even find use for one most of the time. So if you buy a "bus/tram" pass, just be aware this will not allow you to travel on the tube/train. Its a common mistake a lot of tourists make. And if ever in doubt, ask the staff at the station, they will help, I should know, I am one of them!
@@TheK9Shepherd just so you are aware, you CAN buy a travelcard/ bus pass on ANY oyster, but the regular oyster will cap your PAYG to a price equal to the price of your weekly travelcard/ bus pass. There is no savings between the two, other than that if you make a mistake with your oyster (fail to touch in or out, or you entered a station but then immediately left as you didnt want to travel) the travelcard should not charge you, but with PAYG you will be charged almost £10 each time this happens, so if you plan to travel a lot throughout the week/month, a travelcard / bus pass is advisable
@@zakrs130 Thanks for this information !! It's greatly appreciated. One more question. I am traveling with my wife and daughter (she's 3) I understand my daughter will not have to pay for public transport correct? Also, I am using one credit card the entire time we are in the UK. If I use just one credit card to tap in and out on public transport for me and my wife, how does that work? Will the system think I taped in/out immediately? Or is it smart enough to understand that I am really tapping for two people? So when I exit I'll tap twice again for me and my wife? Would that also satisfy the daily cap or because I am double tapping, the system understand it's for two people so the daily cap will be x2? Hope that makes sense...sorry, that was more like 2 or 3 questions 🙂
If you enjoyed my film and want to help me make more films then please throw me a one-off contribution via paypal! www.paypal.me/julianmcdonnell
No one pays me to make these films so all proceeds go towards improving my productions and paying for a cameraman to eat a crust of bread!
Or if you want to chip in $1 or $2 a month you can support me on Patreon: www.patreon.com/joolzguides
Thanks everyone....one of thee days I'll be a star!!!!!!!
It all depends on what your budget is. London is massive. Most of the sites are in zone 1 but that means that prices will be higher for accommodation. You could try staying in the halls of residence for the University of London perhaps, if you are trying to save money. That's convenient as it's quite central...near Russel Square. There are lots of hotels near Kings Cross which is ok these day. Bayswater would be nice too. There are really too many places though. I'd stay somewhere within zones 1 or 2 (on the tube map) if possible though.
Thanks! I'll keep trying my best!
So pretty much just put 15 pounds in the Oyster Card, tap in, tap out, stay on right side of the escalator, dont stand like a lemon outside of the gates and i will survive public tranportation in London.
Fun London Guides - Julian McDonnell Films I absolutely love this guy
Subscribed to your channel. Now just need to find a way to go to London. Must find a contract job for 1 year there.
Any suggestions?
OMG! That’s me on the tube, I’m the Northerner!!!! 🤣😂 Thought he was a bit strange 🤣😂
Who'd have ever thought you'd be watched by over a million people..must feel odd 😂
I love’d youre smile and good vibes 🤩
You’re so pretty, he’s a smart man to throw you into the video!
You're famous and very cool!!!
Hi beautiful how are you and were are you from
"If youre standing on the wrong side, you basically have no human rights" LMAOOOOOOO!!!!!!
Yes....you can get thrown!!! It's dicing with death!
no not LMAO, nor barely funny, you need to get out more
If you're standing on the wrong side of the escalator either move or prepare to get pushed aside.....
Over 40 years since I lived in London, I still think ' London Underground Rules" when using any UK escalator. It should be enshrined in Law!!!!
He's absolutely right.
“If you’ve just arrived and you don’t know Where you live and What your name is”
Lmao, yup that will be me
Your name is Sierini Käjäs. Memorize n o w .
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Wow I'm just shocked someone mentioned expert Mrs Lucy Mary Liam I thought I'm the only one trading with her.
I remember starting this journey with half BTC but in 14 months I have made 17.8 BTC form days and swing trading with expert Mrs Lucy Mary Liam.
Ever since I lost my job with the ministry I have been surviving through my investment with Mrs Lucy Mary Liam, I'm so glad I invested when I did.
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“If you’re standing on the wrong side of the escalator you basically have no human rights & you’ll be ploughed out of the way” 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣👍 so true.
Even if you are overhanging the centre line by one centimetre!
@@Joolzguides I got spectacularly yelled at my first time on the tube escalator because I accidentally dropped my suitcase as I was about to exit it. (Mind you, I was v. ill, v. jet lagged, had little sleep in 48 hours, and overwhelmed). A tube worker at the bottom of the escalator started yelling at me as if I had planned to that all along. (Yes, yes, I did! I saved for years for my only visit to England just to do that....) Welcome to London! Fortunately, the rest of the trip went much better.
@@catsinhouse Typical London. You don't realise what bastards they can be (excluding Jules) until you've lived or travelled there.
this rule is very much during 5-6:30 pm and in the morning 7:30- 9:30 and definitely in the city sq mile.
i did that on my first try. im northern with no human rights
On the tube, your Oyster card or contactless card is debited with the maximum fare when you tap in at the start of your journey. Tapping out at the end calculates the actual fare. Always tap out!
Is Oyster and contactless different or the same card? I keep reading "Oyster or contactless" and I still don't understand if it's just the traditional sadistic british way of giving one thing many names just to confuse everyone?
@@Maloy7800 Different cards. Oyster is specific to TfL. For most of the system you can use an Oyster card or any contactless credit or debit card.
@@leytonexile Oh that's what contactless is. A bank card. :-))) Oh you gotta love the brits. Daesh, jab, ground floor, colour. :-))
Thanks for the explanation.
@@Maloy7800 you're welcome.
@@Maloy7800 if my credit card is issued outside of UK, do I need to register it somewhere online before tapping or do I directly use it without any registration? Then how do the daily and weekly caps work?
London legit sounds like the perfect place. No one says hello, eye contact to be met with a half grimace or looking away. Perfect.
"get out of the bloody way" What a gentleman
I'm HOPING the other person had agreed to act out that scene. In real life the person trying to walk down on the left usually just seethes impatiently behind the blocking person, in my experience.
@lindavies9948 you'll have people speaking much worse than that if you don't abide by the rules 😂
I am a foreigner, i just realized Oyster card is so useful, I normally use it for underground and bus, but never others, thanks for the video. I really like your very British accent, like the English I heard from tv drama of downtown abbey, hehe...
Also useful info for tourists, only get zones 1-2 on your oyster card because you can use buses on all zones to continue your journey 😉
what do you mean?
@@Nellhatesyou when you top up zones 1-2 (travel card) you can use it on the buses, trains, trams, etc... well the buses aren't zone restricted. So you can get off the train at the end of zone 2 and then bus your way to zone 6 if you want.
@@graceshrines oh my god why i didnt know that ive been 3 times to london and spent so much on public transport. thank you!
I don't understand the zones. I'm visiting London from the US and I am from a smaller city that doesn't have a ton of public transportation. Where are the zones?
@@pcbassoon3892 I like to compare the zones to a fried egg. Central London is like the yolk (zones 1 and 2) and everything further on the outskirts is like the white (zones 3+) the further you go out, the greater the number. When you top up your oyster card (London travel card) you will want to find out where you'll be travelling to and from. If you're staying close to central, then a zone 1-2 transport pass will suffice. But if you want to go further out, then you may need to find out the zone for that area and top up for that zone and anywhere else you might want to visit. But as I said in my original comment, buses are not ruled by zones, so it's worth having a look at the bus routes to save some money. Hope that helps and have fun on your trip!
Transit in London blew my mind. I rode it at rush hour just for the experience. Northern Canada, has very little transport at all. Almost everyone drives where I live. LOL, I talked to everyone while there, it was great.
I love love loveee the old number 15 and recommend it to everybody I'm taking sightseeing or who I know just recently moved there because it's just such a cool lil piece of history❤ (for anybody who wants to take it, they're in service saturday/sunday)
its criminal how few subs this channel has so well produced!
Oh yes, thanks. Well, I do wonder too when I see some of the stuff out there but I don't think it's anything to do with the quality of the films. It seems that youtube rewards other things like frequency of uploads and how well you do the SEO. It's a real mystery to me too. Maybe it's a generational thing. I think my style is more old school BBC but a lot of younger people like a different style... Who knows! I'm glad you like them though and thanks for the kind words. If you can share the videos and channel and stuff that would be great!
It could just be me, but I had some difficulty subscribing. The button would just sort of fade out when pressed, and it wasn't until I went to your channel to a tab where there wasn't a video playing until I could actually subscribe. Great video though. Thx.
then share it mate
You deserve the big rewards coming to your channel very soon Jules...!!! 👏👌
You are unique and a very informative gentleman...!!! 🎩🔎📚😀🔝👍
He deserves zero subs for his thumbnails
Thanx for this my friend. I come in on the Queen Mary 2 tomorrow and I'm gonna be that guy that knows nothing and is lost, oyster capping sounds great for a tourist. Oyster card it is. Love how your escalators are just like Vancouvers. Thanx for the tips.
Hello There, this is a really useful and informative guide on how to use the Oyster Card, I much appreciate it. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and for adding a humorous spin to it. Cheers Peter :)
I grew up in London but have lived abroad for 15 years. This video has been a super help!! Thank you!
Just a note to newer travelers:
You no longer get a refund for your Oyster card!
And you might not be able to get refunded the remaining balance at the station, if you are only using the card for a few days.
It's not rocket science, you put money on The oyster card, no need for a 5 minute video, The Guy who Made this video is so cheesy and desperate for views
Just got back from London for a week long trip.
Got my remaining balance on my oyster card from a machine, only thing to note is your balance must be less that 10 pounds.
Also the security deposit gets converted into credit a year later, so essentially only 5 pounds are stuck in the system for a year.
That's what happened to me just this week. Leaving London I wanted to get my remaining credit and the deposit for my visitor's card back. No way! The machine says no, the contact person at the airport says no, the gentleman at the airport tube station says: "you have to go back to King's Cross to get your refund". This is how the TfL is ripping off tourists 😠
Would you suggest to just use a contactless credit card? Like visa
seriously if you want to know about my old city this is the best videos you can get i just watch this now for remembering that i lived here once and it was my city.
you dont need london books or anything just have Jools videos.
jools thanks for these mate.
I must say traveling on the tube was pretty daunting at first, but once you get used to it it is quite helpful and easy to figure out.
I never visit London without taking a black cab ride. Its like magic riding through the west end in the evening.
Great videos, so glad to find this channel. Its got me pining for the fjords of Kensington. Thank you.
I’ve been watching so many videos cuz I’m not scared I’m planning my 1st trip to Europe including New Year’s Eve in London. Everything it’s bit confusing but thanks u made it so simple and I’m feeling bit confident.
hiya jools, we discovered your tours on you tube ,me and my mrs really enjoy watching, you are a kool guy, very eccentric, snazzy dresser, luvin the bowler, your a funny guy, thanx for making us laugh, also very informative, keep up the good work, from keith and caroline in liverpool,
Heading to London this weekend for the first time... Your videos have been exceptionally helpful in planning! Thank you so much!
That's great to hear! Yes, there are rather a lot of them. You can even use the map view on my site www.joolzguides.com and tell your friends!
We’ve recently traveled to UK just last month for HM’s platinum jubilee & had a wonderful time there. I’ve ordered the visitor Oyster Card before our flight so it worked really well for us- & will going back next to visit again 😂
Good time, now sadly enough the queen is dead
Our students LOVE this city. Thank you for sharing the video. Hope to join one of your walks
I live in London, why tf am I watching this 😂😂😂 BUT HEY I LIKE IT
I don’t live in London and have no plans to visit so I really don’t know how I ended up here 😂😂
You are very lucky
I guess we ❤ London😉
Same with me. I know where I'm going, but why not watch this video?
London‘s is just so big. I heard that America is going to be its 56th postal district.
The best guide about London that I read. Thanks!
Using an app for cheap tickets. Can share!
And if you're using the bus, it's cheapest! The 'hopper fair' allows you to ride on as many busses and trams in an hour for the same price as one single journey! A new scheme in London!
Great!
So...if you are on and off busses within an hour...after you used your oyster card...at the first bus you are keep using the card without charging it??
@@MaCreationsZ if you change buses/tram during the 60mins after you first tap in, you wont get charged anything extra, so basically you travel for 1,5£
MaCreationsZ that’s right. You still tap your oyster every time you get on a bus and the system won’t charge you if it’s within an hour
London is very comfortable in term of : no cash needed. I spent 5 days (end of march 2022), and spent nothing in cash. i even paid the 50 p entry for loo in hammersmith station with my debit card, (german one!).
and btw, when you pay for the bus, you pay for one hour journey, so if you have to change the bus and tap your card again and it was still under 1 hour since you got charged last time, you would see : still valid till…
only catch : everyone needs a different card. So if you are with 4 family members, you can’t just tap your card 5 times.
I wish I had seen these 10 years ago when I first started traveling to the UK regularly. It took me and my daughter quite a while to figure all of the things you covered.
I loved the double decker bus, we would sit up top, first row and watch the city go by.
i wanna go to the UK. i love british people so much.
Yes, we aren't so bad once you get to know us!
@@nationalistkommando4151 hahaha why are you watching this video then haha? You are just adorable little guy!
British people are very polite as far as I’m concerned
We’re pretty alright. Notice most of the people that slate us, live in England, and don’t wanna move away ;)
DIE SOVIET DEMOKRATIESE VOLKSREPUBLIEK VAN SILANSIA said by the guy with “DIE SOVIET DEMOKRATIESE VOLKSREPUBLIEK VAN SILANSIA” .... hypocrite much?!
Educational in an entertaining way. Very good, thank you for this!!
Thankyou just returned to London after working in California for a few years
Cheers!
Gr8 stuff mate lived on Lambeth walk as a squatter for quite a time across the road from Bligh's house. Cheers. Keep it up.
I loved this video! Loved your sense of humour! Thank you!
I have my final medical school exams in 10 days and I'm procrastinating over your videos ! love them and london too, I have been twice and can't wait to visit again over summer
Oh dear. Thanks! I hope I won't be the cause of you failing!! Good luck with them. You'll probably like this one with the medical museum in it! th-cam.com/video/48n4EeIKHZg/w-d-xo.html
Great sense of humor! Appreciate your advice.
Using an app for cheap tickets. Can share!
Well, Joolz, I have been a lurker on your channel for awhile but now I have decided to make a commitment and subscribe, My wife and I travel to London/UK at least twice a year (with the exception of the dreaded 2020) and we've seen you around town more than once. Of course we are both somewhat reserved even though we are Americans so we didn't bother you. We're enjoying your channel very much and we're slowly working our way through your videos. Enjoying it so much that we might even make a donation (a small donation) to keep you going. Thanks for all the info and fun.
Ron in Boston USA
I found your video amazing! I learned about the airline with it, and found it really interesting! Thank you very much! All these information helped me a lot! Looking foward to meet London!
As teenagers, going to Leicester Square on a Saturday night, my friend and I used to try to make people laugh by staring at them (or worse, smiling). A nice (if rebellious) way to start a wild evening.
Goodness. That's risky..actually making eye contact?
fluffyfour that’s brave, try this in south London and you get stabbed
Using the Oyster Card from the airport isn't always the the best way to go. This is how it works.
Heathrow - the tube goes right into the airport so buy a card from the machine and off you go. 50 pounds will be about right for a week.
Stansted - no Oyster available so all you can do is take the express to Liverpool Street and use the Oyster from there. It's a pretty decent ride of almost an hour. Tickets are cheaper if you buy online in advance.
Gatwick - this system was designed by a civil servant so of course it's confusing. You can use an Oyster to get in to London but if you do you will pay full price. You are better off buying in advance online and then using the Oyster once you arrive at Victoria or St Pancras.
Thank you SO much for this very helpful video! It made things much easier and less hectic for my family on our visit! 😊
Congrats Joolz, your team is in the Champions League final!
Epic game!
Carlos, from Cordoba, Argentina.
I am quite impressed by the cleanliness of that bus you happen to be on.
i miss England..
glad im moving back
Oh! Welcome back. Have a look at some of my other films! (They're better than this one!)
Great! I've been riding bus number 15 but didnt know the old one are in service also! and all those Oyster card tips with a boat and air line! cheers
Very happy with your video it is great, I feel like a very old Britain when I watch your video, very very happy, please keep uploading posts like this, our best wishes to you, thank you.
I'm late for this but the oyster caps at £4.50 for buses (not sure for tubes or train since I'm a bus person) and each bus ride is £1.50 and tubes and trains vary depending on how far you go.
Right, yes. It's cheaper if you only use the bus. I should have said that too.
So look amazing sharing
Beautiful place nice country 👍👍 London
The best way is by foot, everywhere you go you’ll find something unique
But I'm legless---most of the time
@@MrDaiseymay 🤣🤣
thanks uncle joolz ... your channel is very useful im an student from indonesia so that i need a lot of information how to travel to london for my student exchange next year ..
Thanks for the oyster card tips. I travel to london every now & then & just get an underground card for the day. Never knew the oyster was so convenient. 👍👍👍
Does this work in other UK cities too?
@@samahamara8543 No. There may be other similar schemes but not Oyster. Hope this helps.. 👍
We used the card in our visit to London and it was wonderful!
I like your videos, especially all the real-world advice, not just some official information! Didn't realised that I have been amateur on the tube for so many years, haha :)
Thanks! Funnily enough I had a drink with none other than Woody Harrelson yesterday and he said a similar thing!
Seriously?! That's amazing! You've got a big star as your fan already!
Thanks for the video going to London tomorrow was unsure whether to get oyster card or travel card but now I've seen you use the machine I'll go with oyster
THANK YOU TONS!!! Very helpful, short video, I enjoyed that, next time in London I'll surely get my Oyster card too!! :)
You're welcome. I have many others too! Have a look!
Thank you so much sir after I watch your episode. Me and my son went to emirates air line and we loved..... we won’t be never seen this part of London but because of you we celebrate Eid day out ones again thank and keep it up
Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it! I also go on the Emirates Airline in my Greenwich video!
4 Qs here. . Thank you 🙏 for helping.
1. Just curious how the public boat system works in London? How are the ride costs determined?
2. What bus no. would you recommend us take to sightseeing London without joining the Private tours? I saw you taking bus no. 15. Is it that one?
3. Which transportation will you recommend save us money and most time efficient to take from central London to Gatwick Airport?
4. Is citymapper a useful app? Many thanks!
Ella Wu Citymapper is very useful
With the exception of buses, the longer the ride the bigger the fare. But as he said, there is a max per day.
For Q3, Gatwick Express is the fastest, but quite expensive. It goes into Victoria, connecting to the Circle and District lines, as well as the Victoria line. You can take a Southern service into Victoria as well, which is slower. Southern also links up to the Jubilee and Northern lines at London Bridge. The final option is Thameslink, that also goes to London Bridge and then goes directly into the City via Blackfriars. Hope this helps, though it's 3 years late.
@@mar07in helped me, I am flying in to Gatwick in the morning, traveling from the US. We'll look for Thameslink trains.
@@GeorgeWhittam Nice, hope you enjoy your stay in my country!
You really captured the London spirit of riding the tube!!
I should have watched it before going to London. I tried to pay the bus with coins. 😂
Haha would of loved to seen the looks look the hus driver's face! But paying with coins is a pretty reasonable thing to assume, since nearly all other UK cities accepts a coins
@@SteppingStonevlogs, thank God the bus driver felt pity and allowed me to enter giving me a ride. God bless him!
Absolutely adore your videos, such fun in dear old London town, and my, hasn't it changed since 2017... and not always for the better!
OMG! Now I finally know what a 'contactless' card is! LOL #feelsostupid Thanks, Joolz! I'm doing research for that next trip I've got planned. It's been way too long since I've visited (from California): 4 years!!! (Anybody in the UK who wants to switch places with me, please let me know. 😄 I belong in UK, not CA! 😉👍🇬🇧❤️)
Where are you in CA?
Oh, hello Joolz! 😃 I'm situated on the south-eastern side of the San Fran Bay Area. About 15 miles north of the official Silicon Valley. 😄
Oh, hello Joolz! 😃 I'm situated on the south-eastern side of the San Fran Bay Area. About 15 miles north of the official Silicon Valley. 😄
Oh, hello Joolz! 😃 I'm situated on the south-eastern side of the San Fran Bay Area. About 15 miles north of the official Silicon Valley. 😄
Does Apple Pay work as well?
I moved from Sussex to London in April.
Was like visiting Mars I had no idea what was going on...
This video helped
Thanks! I'm glad!
I live in Sussex, but very close to London, so paper Travelcards are a part of my life (I live outside of the TfL area), but contactless payment is the shizzles if I'm "stuck" in London after my TC expires.
This was totally helpful. I'm going to London next week and this made things easier. Thank you :)
Well, how was your trip? Did you use an oyster after all?
Best explanation in the whole web, thank you (I've seen many... really)
Thank you for the video 🙂
You're welcome! I'm glad you liked it. Check out my others too!
In Australia we follow the car overtake rules for escalators. You only overtake from the right if you are rushing and everyone else on the left stands still. Also Public transport is for Molesters!
You forgot to mention, when using your contact-less bank card, if you have more than one bank card, make sure you swipe in & out with the same card
Thank you so much. This has really come in handy organising our holiday to Btitain🥰
Great work yet again!
Cheers Jonny.
I’m going to London in March and I’m bing watching all of these
Same here.. I'm scared as hell😣
I love London. Its capital of the World in 21-th century!!! But could be cheaper obviously
Love it! Miss London so much! Be there soon! God's willing!
2:55 The Oyster Card "You can even use it on the boat" Its an Oyster card for God's sake! The boat is one of the most logical places to use it! (Not just Bus, Tube, Tram and Train)
Good point! And in Hong Kong it's called an Octopus card I think
I have been ring round all morning , from 8 30 a it is now gone 10 ! Trying to get information on oyster cards . This is the best info I have found thank you for posting!
Thanks! Oh, that's splendid news. I'm glad it was of help! Do subscribe to the channel too!
This is great information--thank you! I'm headed to London for the first time next week and will be checking out your other guides as well.
great! thanks!
Brilliant . Thanks....so much easier than reading loadsa info
What is the name of the last song. Its a very popular composition in my country, but with Persian lyrics.
FEED YOUR BRAIN, The very last song is called Those Were The Days, I don't know who was singing that version but the one that I know is done by a singer called Mary Hopkin and was released in 1968.
I am grateful for your reply.❤
having been a Londoner but living abroad for some time I find this video very interesting and useful. I will look up Joolz guide as I am so out of touch with London. thanks
Thanks Diana. It's funny that this video is the most popular. In my opinion it's not one of my best but I guess people find it useful.
Fun fact: In Victorian times you paid your fare with actual oysters, hence the name.
Wow really didn’t know that thanks 😁
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
No
Don't believe everything you read on the internet, some people like to tease tourists
Another great video and you information is always welcome you make us feel like we are right with you
SO PLEASED I HAD REACHED 62, AS AT 60 ACQUIRED TFL 60+ OYSTER CARD WHICH LASTS UNTIL IM 66, THEN GET A PROPER FREEDOM PASS. SO NOW ITS TOTALLY FREE TRAVEL.
Joolz, you are a gem! I really love your guides. I’m from North London, (mentioned this when I commented on another video of yours) and I’m so gobsmacked at the things I didn’t know but wasn’t even aware of. Well done, mate! Well done!
I live in London and I enjoy all the videos on this channel....
Thank you. Yes, I recognise your name!
A really helpful video, thanks for this useful information. I never thought about getting an oyster card as i have to catch a few trains before the London marathon. It's the first thing I'll do when getting off at euston
" Excuse me , i´m going to look down at my phone now " . lol
Thanks mate, I live in Kent ( its south of London ) and I had no idea about this card, so I banged Oyster in the search , and you came up. Good , you made it look so easy, jolly good Ill be getting my first card tomorrow.
Stand on the right side of an escalator , is because most people are right handed. Even though we drive on the left.
I think it's just to confuse tourists!
Does the credit card cap up like the Oyster card?
No.
Yes, it does. In addition to the daily cap, using a contactless credit/debit card, gives you the advantage of a weekly cap.
If you register it on the website yes.
Yes
Good tips for public transport in London.Thank you.
I had visited London, England over 12 times!!! I totally fucking miss London!!!!!!
You can keep it. Shame you are not old enough to remember how great and beautiful london was over 30-40 years ago. That was london. Hardly any crime,safe streets and not totally overcrowded like now .
I have never been, but my cousin visited several times and she loved it. I would love to visit buy I don't think that I could take the 8 to 11 hour plane ride.
@@Arsenali28 it's all that diversity! 😣
Best video ever if you're an international student like me.
Oh so when you tap in the barriers and tap out it then takes your money afterwards after seeing how far you have travelled?
Yeah...except on buses. You only have to tap in once on buses.
this could literally be the most helpful video I've seen in years
You never did explain what an "oyster card" was so that we colonists have an idea so so I assume it's the same as any other city's "metro" or fare card? And why Oysters?
Ah...sorry. I guess I'm so used to them I just make assumptions. It's a card which is used for the transport services in London. Trains, buses, underground, some boat services. Sorry if I wasn't clear. I suppose they're trying to say "The world is your oyster" . I noticed that in Hong Kong they have something similar called an octopus card. Not sure where the obsession with seafood comes from!
That's what I assumed.
I used to travel good deal and I always found it worthwhile to sit in a spot for a while and watch people interact with their transportation system to find out how it worked. Some things (like swiping your metro card when you leave a station) aren't obvious and *not* being the 'Ugly American' was usually paramount on my list.
I think the original idea was that an oyster shell looks unexciting until you open it and find the pearl inside, metaphorically speaking.
Really? I know in Hong Kong it's called an Octopus card. They must be obsessed with sea life.
Fun London Guides - Julian McDonnell Films the Octopus Card was so named as the tentacles of the HK Metro were likened to the many tentacles of an octopus spreading out through the suburbs.
Brilliant video! I've always wanted to go to the UK. Looks like it's all wired up over there. I got to hear some Cockney!
Thanks for sharing the information. However, I am a little confused about how travelcard works on discounted 18+ student oyster cards especially when your daily commute involves both tube and bus. Is the 18+ student oyster going to treat my travelcard as a normal travelcard valid for both bus and tube, but with an added discount or do I have to add the travelcard to avail discount on tube and bus season ticket to have discounted bus travel on my student oyster.
So the 18+ discount only works for buying travel cards. You will receive 1/3 off the total cost of travel card and NOT off PAYG. For example, if you bought a zones 1-2 travel card, instead of costing approximately £38.40, it will cost £26.80.
The PAYG cost will remain £2.50 a journey in zone 1 or £2.60-£2.90 in zone 2, with a day cap of £7.70. There is absolutely ZERO benefit of your 18+ card in regards to PAYG so to make the most of it, always buy the weekly/monthly passes. The travel card includes buses and trains.
The same 30% discount applies when purchasing weekly and monthly bus and tram (no train) passes, and again, if you try using PAYG for bus, there is NO discount.
Hope this helps, albeit very late.
@@zakrs130 You mentioned "The same 30% discount applies when purchasing weekly and monthly bus and tram (no train) passes" So if I get a 7 day pass, is that a set price at a discount (cheaper then PAYG?) So we can ride bus/tram as many times in that 7 days at a set price for that card? What about getting a 7 day pass for the tube? Is it a set price to ride as many times as you want? (and is it cheaper then PAYG?)
@@TheK9Shepherd yes thats correct but that is only with the discount of the 18+ oyster card as mentioned in my post. A regular oyster card does not have this discount.
The tram is a cross between a bus and a train kind of. It runs on rails like a train, but also runs on the road alongside cars. They are only found on the fringes of south London so you may not even find use for one most of the time. So if you buy a "bus/tram" pass, just be aware this will not allow you to travel on the tube/train. Its a common mistake a lot of tourists make. And if ever in doubt, ask the staff at the station, they will help, I should know, I am one of them!
@@TheK9Shepherd just so you are aware, you CAN buy a travelcard/ bus pass on ANY oyster, but the regular oyster will cap your PAYG to a price equal to the price of your weekly travelcard/ bus pass. There is no savings between the two, other than that if you make a mistake with your oyster (fail to touch in or out, or you entered a station but then immediately left as you didnt want to travel) the travelcard should not charge you, but with PAYG you will be charged almost £10 each time this happens, so if you plan to travel a lot throughout the week/month, a travelcard / bus pass is advisable
@@zakrs130 Thanks for this information !! It's greatly appreciated. One more question. I am traveling with my wife and daughter (she's 3) I understand my daughter will not have to pay for public transport correct? Also, I am using one credit card the entire time we are in the UK. If I use just one credit card to tap in and out on public transport for me and my wife, how does that work? Will the system think I taped in/out immediately? Or is it smart enough to understand that I am really tapping for two people? So when I exit I'll tap twice again for me and my wife? Would that also satisfy the daily cap or because I am double tapping, the system understand it's for two people so the daily cap will be x2? Hope that makes sense...sorry, that was more like 2 or 3 questions 🙂
Wow!I'm visiting London in a few days and you're really helpful!
Thanks. I'm glad I could help.
“Get out of the bloody way “ 😂 loool