Does everyone need their own Oyster card?

Oyster cards... hmm, do you really need one for everyone? I mean, honestly, it seems a bit much, doesn't it? Especially when you're travelling with a big group, right? Like, that time my family visited London – seven of us! Seven Oyster cards! It was a nightmare keeping track of them all. Felt like I was herding cats, except the cats were tiny plastic cards and way more expensive.

The thing is, yeah, you technically need your own way to pay. Each person has to tap in and out for the fare to be calculated correctly. Otherwise, you end up paying way more than you should, or worse, getting a nasty surprise when the bill comes. I learned that the hard way once, trying to share a card with my sister – we almost got fined!

But you know, contactless is super easy now. I usually just use my phone. So much simpler. Plus, if you're a big group like my family was, you could look into those group day travelcards for a bit of cost saving. They might be worth it, depending on how long you’re there, and how many people are travelling together. It’s definitely something to consider!

So, to answer your question directly – no, not necessarily everyone needs their own Oyster card, but everyone needs some form of payment. Weigh up the cost of individual Oyster cards versus contactless versus group tickets – what works best for you, really.