FOI request detail

Oyster card costs

Request ID: FOI-2848-1819
Date published: 19 February 2019

You asked

Please provide the cost per card - including any commission - to TfL of issuing a new Oyster card through each of the following means: London Underground self-service machines London Overground outlets National Rail outlets London Underground ticket offices London Underground Visitor Centres Oyster ticket stops

We answered

Our ref: FOI-2848-1819

Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 25 January 2019 asking for information about Oyster card costs.

Your request has been considered under the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and our information access policy. I can confirm that we do hold some of the information you require.

However, there are no specific costs that we can identify in relation to distribution of Oyster cards at each of the channels through which they are available, as any such costs are part of the overall ‘business as usual’ services offered by the outlets you have listed. Many costs are fixed and cannot be separated out into issuance of cards, topping up or other actions.

The current contract for the provision of cards expires in May this year and we expect the OJEU notice to be issued for the new competition shortly. The average cost of producing a card ready for use is currently less than 60p.

The refundable deposit of £5, which is charged whichever sales channel is used, is not related to the cost of issuing Oyster cards. It exists because for customer convenience we allow cards to go into a negative balance at the start of rail journeys or on bus journeys. In the absence of the deposit there would be an incentive to discard the card and get a new one, thus adding substantial costs to fare revenue collection. All deposits are refundable and we have made it easier for customers to get this refund from any ticket machine on the Underground in addition to other channels.

If this is not the information you are looking for please do not hesitate to contact me.

If you are not satisfied with this response please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal.

Yours sincerely

Graham Hurt

FOI Case Officer

FOI Case Management Team

General Counsel

Transport for London

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