Limited edition Oyster card to celebrate 20 years of paperless subway travel
Limited edition souvenir version oyster card Released to commemorate the 20th anniversaryth anniversary.
First launched on June 30, 2003, the smartcard revolutionized travel in London by allowing passengers to do away with paper bus and tube tickets.
This Souvenir Edition can be purchased from the ticket machines in Zone 1 of the Underground for £7 and is a special oyster commemorating the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, the 2012 Olympics, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the opening of the Elizabeth Line It follows.
The brainchild of former Transport for London Finance Director Jay Walder, Oyster was introduced following the success of Octopus Card in Hong Kong. Other names for oyster were considered, such as Gem and Pulse.
More than 125 million people use the Oyster card to travel around London, benefiting from faster travel and the ability to ‘load’ credit onto the smartcard instead of using cash.
This heralds the introduction of a “pay-as-you-go” system and eventually daily and weekly fare caps, ensuring travelers always get the cheapest fares.
A daily fare cap was introduced in 2005 and a weekly fare cap was introduced in 2021. In 2010 the Oyster network was expanded to include all commuter rail services within Greater London.
However, its popularity has declined as customers have switched to contactless bank cards. Built into smartphones and smartwatches. In the last 12 months, he has used 16.7 million Oyster cards on public transport in the capital. TfL has chosen not to issue commemorative oysters for the coronation of King Charles.
Shashi Verma, Chief Technology Officer at TfL, said: “Our customers love the convenience of pay-as-you-go travel and we are very proud to celebrate his 20th anniversary of his Oyster card, which makes traveling in London easier.
“This cements TfL’s reputation for being at the forefront of innovation and paves the way for the use of contactless payments on public transport not just in London, but around the world.”
Transport Deputy Mayor Seb Dance said: “Introduced in 2003, Oyster was a pioneer in urban travel, helping millions of Londoners streamline their journeys and buy tickets for every trip. We don’t have to stand in line anymore,” he said.
“It is admired around the world, inspiring and setting the standard for a world-class public transport network.”
“The Oyster card has become as synonymous with London travel as black taxis and red buses,” said Michael Roberts, chief executive of London Travelwatch, a travel group.
“Oyster cards help people manage their finances because they allow them to budget their charges. They can also be linked with rail cards, which often offer useful discounts.”
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/limited-edition-20th-anniversary-oyster-card-b1089466.html Limited edition Oyster card to celebrate 20 years of paperless subway travel