wrote:
In article ,
(Neil Williams) wrote:

On Sun, 23 Nov 2008 18:06:10 -0600,
wrote:

Online top up really is a pain, especially for small amounts.
But it's pretty well the only option if you live in the USA.
Can't you just obtain a card and top it up at Heathrow station?

Once you've got the hang of Oyster, probably. But explaining it to my
brother wasn't trivial and I've not started on my sister-in-law. They
don't really do public transport in Columbus.

Then the whole system is likely confusing. But for those who do do
public transport, manually adding value to a card is found in many more
cities than automatic top-up.

Then there are the (rare) trips not entering the UK through Heathrow.

For which Oyster is useless until arrival in London proper. Except for
arrivals (not direct from the US) into St. Pancras and London City,
where I believe Oyster cards are readily available. (Or are Oysters not
available at DLR stations?)
--
David of Broadway

David of Broadway wrote:
wrote:
In article ,
(Neil Williams) wrote:

On Sun, 23 Nov 2008 18:06:10 -0600,
wrote:

Online top up really is a pain, especially for small amounts.
But it's pretty well the only option if you live in the USA.
Can't you just obtain a card and top it up at Heathrow station?

Once you've got the hang of Oyster, probably. But explaining it to my
brother wasn't trivial and I've not started on my sister-in-law. They
don't really do public transport in Columbus.

Then the whole system is likely confusing. But for those who do do
public transport, manually adding value to a card is found in many more
cities than automatic top-up.

Then there are the (rare) trips not entering the UK through Heathrow.

For which Oyster is useless until arrival in London proper. Except for
arrivals (not direct from the US) into St. Pancras and London City,
where I believe Oyster cards are readily available. (Or are Oysters not
available at DLR stations?)

Oyster isn't available at DLR stations, unless they are also LU
stations (eg Canning Town).

In message , at 18:55:16
on Mon, 24 Nov 2008, remarked:
But it's pretty well the only option if you live in the USA.

Can't you just obtain a card and top it up at Heathrow station?

Once you've got the hang of Oyster, probably. But explaining it to my
brother wasn't trivial and I've not started on my sister-in-law. They
don't really do public transport in Columbus.

The most confusing place for visitors to grapple with the UK's public
transport, ticketing especially, is probably Gatwick. Unless they ignore
the "local" trains and get Gatwick Express.

But the UK in general is much friendlier than most places I visit -
where ticket machines rarely take notes or credit cards, and you need
either coins (the last thing someone arriving in a country for the first
time has) or the local cash-on-smartcard (ditto).
--
Roland Perry

In message , at 18:55:17
on Mon, 24 Nov 2008, remarked:

Heathrow Express is cheaper than a taxi.

That surely depends on where the destination is in relation to Paddington?

If the passenger is going to Windsor, then Heathrow Express isn't going
to be very useful; but it's designed to get people into Central London
and keep traffic off the M4 corridor. You are 'allowed' to get a taxi
from Paddington onwards. One size won't fit all, but it fits most.

If you are regular visitor, then an unused Oyster balance is down
in the noise level (a typical cheap transatlantic fare is £500).
I've got a few Euros balance on my Brussels "cardboard carnet",
it's just part of the cost of doing business.

It depends who's paying th air fares. Not my brother very often for sure.

I'm not sure what your point is. Generally whoever pays the airfare will
also be paying to get from the airport.

However, I agree a £20 Oyster top-up would suit him fine.

--
Roland Perry

Andrew Heenan wrote:


Fazackerly. If it *really* matters that much, why leave the
auto-topup until you know you'll be using the tube? Make it a special
occasion, why don't you?

Because we're talking about people who _don't_ live near a tube station,
remember? If I know I'm going to be using the tube, I'll buy a One-Day
Travelcard, so I can use the National Rail train to take me to Victoria
or London Bridge where I can get on the tube.

So I'd still end up paying more if I used Oyster PAYG on the tube, even
if I'd planned it in advance for a special occasion.

Like I keep saying, Oyster is designed primarily for tube users, and is
inconvenient for the rest of us. That's why TfL are forced to bribe us
into using it with cheap bus fares.

I'd be much happier if they just reduced the cost of cash fares so we'd
have a free choice.

In article ,
(David of Broadway) wrote:

wrote:
In article ,
(Neil Williams) wrote:

On Sun, 23 Nov 2008 18:06:10 -0600,
wrote:

Online top up really is a pain, especially for small amounts.
But it's pretty well the only option if you live in the USA.
Can't you just obtain a card and top it up at Heathrow station?

Once you've got the hang of Oyster, probably. But explaining it
to my brother wasn't trivial and I've not started on my
sister-in-law. They don't really do public transport in Columbus.

Then the whole system is likely confusing. But for those who do do
public transport, manually adding value to a card is found in many
more cities than automatic top-up.

Then there are the (rare) trips not entering the UK through
Heathrow.

For which Oyster is useless until arrival in London proper. Except
for arrivals (not direct from the US) into St. Pancras and London
City, where I believe Oyster cards are readily available. (Or are
Oysters not available at DLR stations?)

I was thinking of someone with an existing Oyster who needs to top up
online and collect on arrival. They have to know the point of arrival at
the time of the online top up.

--
Colin Rosenstiel

"Roland Perry" wrote:
So how are people who live in the USA expected to pay for their
Underground/bus/etc. rides when they visit London?
By getting a new Oyster card when they arrive.
This isn't a plot to disadvantage tourists - as far as I'm aware you can't
buy a local e-ticket for any USA or European metro systems by mail order,
ahead of arriving there from the UK.

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/faresa...kets/5185.aspx

Andrew

wrote:
I can top up a mobile phone at a cash machine. They need to know who I am
to charge me but the phone I'm topping up may not be registered at all and
has no problem being topped up. Same with Oyster cards, surely?

They need to know who you are - and the phone number.
Or the Oyster card number.
No difference.
--

Andrew

Interviewer: Tonight I'm interviewing that famous nurse, Florence
Nightingale
Tommy Cooper (dressed as a nurse): Sir Florence Nightingale
Interviewer: *Sir* Florence Nightingale?
Tommy Cooper: I'm a Night Nurse

Campaign For The Real Tommy Cooper

"solar penguin" wrote:
Like I keep saying, Oyster is designed primarily for tube users, and is
inconvenient for the rest of us. That's why TfL are forced to bribe us
into using it with cheap bus fares.
I'd be much happier if they just reduced the cost of cash fares so we'd
have a free choice.

And you keep being wrong.
Buses (and bus users) benefit much more from Oyster; the time taken for
loading-unloading is much, much quicker, and TfL's aim was to extend the
'West End but ticket before boarding and touch in' to the whole of London.

The focus on bendies and 'free buses' (like upstairs on the Routemaster)
have probably put paid to that plan, but it was Oyster that convinced Ken
that conductors were an expense too far (Boris will 'get it' one day).

Oyster isn't all about you and your problems; there are approaching 10
million people in London; try to see the big picture.

Electronic payment is *obviously* a better way to go than cash fares, if
nothing else, it provides statistical info that helps route planning. With
he side beneft that it feeds the paranoia of the civil rights idiots, who
seriously believe that they are being watched 24/7 (like, who cares?).

In message , at 09:56:38 on Tue, 25
Nov 2008, Andrew Heenan remarked:
So how are people who live in the USA expected to pay for their
Underground/bus/etc. rides when they visit London?
By getting a new Oyster card when they arrive.

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/faresa...kets/5185.aspx

I'm underwhelmed by their marketing campaign - that's the first I've
heard of them.

"Not an overseas visitor, so not the target market" I hear someone say -
but I am interested in cards like this and would notice them if they
were advertised properly.

Interesting that there doesn't seem to be a sales outlet at Heathrow,
you'd think they could at least get the HEx offices to sell them.
--
Roland Perry