London Transport for Students: Oyster Cards and Travel Passes Explained

If you’re a student moving to London, getting around the city doesn’t have to break the bank. But figuring out how to pay for buses, tubes, and trains can feel overwhelming. The good news? There are simple, affordable options built just for students. You don’t need to pay full price every time you ride. With the right card or pass, you can save up to half your transport costs - and avoid the stress of fumbling for cash at ticket machines.

What Is an Oyster Card?

An Oyster card is a reusable smart card that works across most of London’s public transport: the Tube, DLR, London Overground, Elizabeth line, buses, trams, and some National Rail services. It’s not a ticket - it’s a wallet. You load money onto it, and the system automatically charges you the cheapest fare for each journey.

For students, this matters because Oyster cards can be linked to a 18+ Student Oyster photocard. That’s the key. Without it, you pay adult fares. With it, you get 30% off Pay As You Go (PAYG) fares and free travel on buses and trams. You can also cap your weekly spending - meaning if you take 5 trips a day for 5 days, you won’t pay more than the price of a weekly Travelcard.

How to Get a 18+ Student Oyster Photocard

You’re eligible if you’re 18 or older and studying full-time at a London-based college or university. That includes universities like UCL, King’s College, and Imperial, but also colleges like City & Guilds, Barking & Dagenham College, and others. Part-time students don’t qualify.

To apply, go to tfl.gov.uk/studentoyster and sign up. You’ll need:

• Your student ID number
• Your course start and end dates
• A passport-style photo
• Your home address in the UK

Processing takes 2-3 weeks. You can’t use the card until it arrives in the mail. Plan ahead - don’t wait until your first day of class. While you wait, you can use contactless payment (Apple Pay, Google Pay, or a debit/credit card) and still get the 30% discount if you link your Student Oyster card later. TfL will automatically refund the difference once your card is active.

Travelcards vs. Pay As You Go

There are two main ways to pay: Travelcards and Pay As You Go.

A Travelcard gives you unlimited travel within specific zones for a set time - daily, weekly, monthly, or annually. If you’re commuting 5 days a week and travel across multiple zones (say, Zone 1 to Zone 4), a monthly Travelcard might save you money. But if your trips are irregular - maybe you only go into central London twice a week - Pay As You Go is better.

With Pay As You Go and your Student Oyster card, you pay 30% less than adult fares. You also get daily and weekly capping. For example:

• Adult PAYG cap in Zones 1-2: £8.10 per day
• Student PAYG cap in Zones 1-2: £5.67 per day

That’s a £2.43 daily saving. Over 20 days a month, that’s nearly £50. And if you only take 2-3 trips a day, you’ll never hit the cap - meaning you pay even less.

What About the 16+ Zip Oyster Card?

If you’re under 18 and still in school or college, you don’t use the 18+ card. Instead, you apply for a 16+ Zip Oyster photocard. This gives you free travel on buses and trams, and 50% off Pay As You Go fares on the Tube, DLR, and Overground. You can use it until you turn 18 or finish your course, whichever comes first.

Eligibility is based on your school or college’s location, not your home address. If your school is in London and you’re enrolled full-time, you qualify. Apply through your school’s admin office - they’ll help you fill out the form and send it to TfL. Processing is faster than the 18+ card - usually under 10 days.

What Doesn’t Work With Student Discounts?

Not all transport is covered. The 30% discount on Oyster cards doesn’t apply to:

• Heathrow Express
• Thames Clippers river buses
• London Cable Car (Emirates Air Line)
• Some National Rail routes outside London zones

Also, you can’t use your student Oyster card on trains to cities like Oxford, Cambridge, or Brighton. Those are outside TfL’s network. For those trips, look into railcards like the 16-25 Railcard - it gives you 1/3 off national train fares year-round.

How to Top Up and Check Your Balance

You can add money to your Oyster card in five ways:

1. At any Tube or rail station ticket machine
2. At TfL Visitor Centres (like at Victoria or King’s Cross)
3. Online via your TfL account
4. Using the TfL Oyster app (iOS and Android)
5. At over 4,000 London convenience stores with a PayPoint sign

To check your balance, tap your card on any reader - even a bus validator. You’ll see your remaining credit and recent journeys. The TfL app also shows your journey history and auto-top-up settings. Turn on auto-top-up if you want to avoid running out of credit. You can link a debit card and set a minimum balance (like £5). When it drops below that, £10 automatically adds.

What Happens If You Forget Your Card?

If you forget your Oyster card, you can still travel using contactless payment. But you won’t get the student discount unless your 18+ Student Oyster card is already linked to your contactless card or phone. TfL doesn’t automatically apply discounts to regular debit/credit cards.

So if you’re without your Oyster card, you’re paying full adult fare. That’s why keeping it in your wallet or bag is non-negotiable. Most students attach a lanyard or clip to their card so it doesn’t get lost.

How Much Can You Save?

Let’s say you live in Zone 3 and commute to university in Zone 1 every weekday. Without a discount:

• Single peak fare: £3.40
• Return trip: £6.80
• 5 days a week: £34
• 4 weeks: £136

With your 18+ Student Oyster card:

• Single peak fare: £2.38 (30% off)
• Return trip: £4.76
• 5 days a week: £23.80
• 4 weeks: £95.20

You save £40.80 a month - that’s enough to cover a month’s worth of groceries or a few textbooks. And if you use buses instead of the Tube, you ride for free. Buses don’t have peak pricing. You can hop on as many as you want in one hour for no extra charge.

Common Mistakes Students Make

Here are the top errors students make - and how to avoid them:

• Waiting until the last minute to apply. Processing takes weeks. Apply the day you enroll.
• Using an adult Oyster card. If you don’t have the photocard, you’re paying full price. No one checks your ID on the bus - but you’re still paying more.
• Not checking your balance. Running out of credit on a bus means you can’t board. Keep at least £5 loaded.
• Thinking Travelcards are always cheaper. If you travel irregularly, PAYG with capping saves more.
• Using someone else’s card. Oyster cards are personal. TfL can fine you if caught sharing.

What to Do After You Graduate

Once your course ends, your student discount ends too. Your Oyster card will automatically switch to adult PAYG rates. You’ll get a notice in your TfL account before your card expires. If you’re still in London and need to travel, consider a 16-25 Railcard for train trips or just stick with PAYG - it’s still the most flexible option.

Don’t throw away your card. You can keep using it as a regular Oyster card. Just top it up like anyone else. And if you return to London for work or travel later, you can still use it - no need to get a new one.

Final Tip: Use the TfL Journey Planner

Before you leave home, open the TfL app or go to tfl.gov.uk/modes/oyster. Type in your start and end points. It will show you the cheapest route - and how much you’ll pay with your student discount. It also shows real-time delays, platform changes, and step-free access info. Use it every day. It’s free, accurate, and built for students.