On Fri, 3 Feb 2006 12:06:46 +0000, Ian Jelf
wrote:

In message , CLYDE
DEMPSTER writes
Hi

No doubt this has been asked and answered before but i have been wondering
why an oystercard is called an oystercard?

I presume (though without any justification) that it's a pun on "the
world is your Oyster", implying how far and how much you can do with
one. (Enter discussion about Pre-pay validity on NR, peripheral bus
routes and so on.......)

As Tom points out, I assume it's partly because the Hong Kong version
is called "Octopus", and partly because you can keep it closed when
you go through the barriers.