Oyster Card Change of Address

Everything You Need to Know About Changing Your Oyster Card Address

Completing Your Oyster Card Change of Address

London is one of the top travel destinations in the world, but navigating this big city can be tricky, especially for a first-time visitor. Using an Oyster Card is a simple way to save time and money when using public transport in the English capital.

What Is an Oyster Card?

An Oyster card is a contactless smart card used for travel on public transport in London. It can hold pay-as-you-go credit, Travelcards, and Bus & Tram Passes. Oyster cards are widely used for their convenience and cost-effectiveness.

Why It's Important to Update Your Oyster Card Address

Keeping your Oyster card information up to date is essential for:

Security: Ensures that any correspondence, including replacement cards or refunds, reaches you directly.
Account Management: Facilitates the replacement process if your card is lost or stolen.
Discounts and Concessions: Certain discounts may be linked to your residential address; updating it ensures continued eligibility.

Marishka Morris

“An amazing website to help make this side of your move less stressful as it covers so many different accounts and things you may not think of updating.. the time it saves too not having to update everything separately, it really is absolutely worth checking out. Highly recommended for any movers!”

How to Use an Oyster Card

Pay As You Go

With pay-as-you-go, you add credit to your Oyster card and the cost of each journey is deducted from your balance. To use:

Touch in at the start and touch out at the end of your journey on yellow card readers.
For buses and trams, only touch in at the start.

Auto Top-Up

Auto top-up ensures you never run out of credit. When your balance falls below £20, your Oyster card will automatically be topped up with either £10, £20, or £40 from your bank account. To set up auto top-up:

Sign in to your Contactless and Oyster account.
Select ‘Auto top-up’ and follow the instructions.
Activate the auto top-up by touching your Oyster card on a yellow card reader within four days.

Where Can I Use an Oyster Card?

Oyster cards can be used on:

London Underground (Tube)
London Buses
London Overground
Docklands Light Railway (DLR)
Trams
Elizabeth Line (Oyster cards aren’t accepted at Elizabeth line stations between Reading and Iver.)
River Bus services
Most National Rail services in London

How Do I Get an Oyster Card?

You have a couple of options when it comes to buying an Oyster Card, and these differ depending on whether you’re looking to purchase the standard Oyster Card or the Visitor Oyster Card.

Buy an Oyster Card Online

The standard Oyster Card can be purchased online, but can only be shipped to UK addresses.

The Visitor Oyster Card can also be purchased online, but, unlike the standard Oyster Card, is available for shipping worldwide.

Buy an Oyster Card in Person

You can purchase a standard Oyster Card from a number of places throughout London, including major tourist arrival points, such as London’s Heathrow Airport and Gatwick Airport.

You can also purchase standard Oyster Cards from Underground ticket machines, Oyster ticket stops, London Overground ticket offices, train station ticket offices and Transport for London Visitor Centres.

Download the app

The TfL Oyster and Contactless app allows you to manage your Oyster card on the go. With the app, you can:

Check your balance and journey history
Top up your pay-as-you-go credit
Set up or change auto top-up settings
Report your card as lost or stolen

Download the app from the App Store or Google Play.

Register Your Oyster Card

Registering your Oyster card provides benefits such as protection against loss or theft and access to your journey history.

To register:

Create a Contactless and Oyster account on the TfL website
Add your Oyster card to your account by providing the card number and other required information.

Create and Manage your Oyster Account

To manage your Oyster card online:

Visit the TfL account registration page
Provide your personal details and follow the instructions to set up your account.

Once registered, you can:

Check your pay-as-you-go credit and top up
Check historical payment and journey information
Register your card to apply for refunds or replacements
Report your card if it’s lost or stolen so no one else can use it
Pay unpaid fares

How to Update Your Address on Your Oyster Card?

To update your address linked to your Oyster card, you have two options:

Online via the TfL Website:

Sign in to your Contactless and Oyster account.
Navigate to Personal details in the menu.
Click on Update details next to your address.
Enter your new address using the postcode lookup or manual entry.
Click Save to confirm the changes.

By Phone:

Call TfL Customer Services at 0343 222 1234, available daily from 08:00 to 20:00.
Provide your Oyster card details and new address to the advisor.

Please Note:

Address updates cannot be made in person at station ticket offices.
The TfL Oyster and Contactless app does not support editing personal details; it is primarily for balance management, top-ups, and viewing journey history.

How Much Does an Oyster Card Cost?

Both Standard and Visitor Oyster card costs £7, or free via the mobile app.

A visitor card is pre-loaded with pay as you go credit for you to spend on travel. You can choose how much credit to add to your card: £10, £15, £20, £25, £30, £35, £40 or £50.

The credit on your card never expires – it stays there until you use it. If you run out of credit on your card, it’s easy to top it up and use it again.

How Much Credit Should I Add?

This can be a tricky one to answer as it does depend on how much travelling you intend to do on your visit but, Transport For London advises the below:

If you’re visiting London for two days, start with £15 credit
If you’re visiting London for four days, start with £30 credit

Conclusion:

So, there you have it—everything you need to know about updating your Oyster card address. While SlothMove doesn’t currently handle Oyster card updates, it’s on our radar!

If you’re moving home, SlothMove can help you notify essential organisations and services all in one place, saving you from hours of phone calls, multiple emails, and app downloads. Let us take the hassle out of your move so you can focus on settling into your new home.