The state of contactless or mobile pay in London.

Efour

Efour

Efour

Caporegime
Joined
8 Sep 2005
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Location
Norrbotten, Sweden.
I'm coming back to England for a holiday and wondering just how cashless I can do it now.
Oyster cards, wireless on the tap bankcard (20quid? Max). What mobile phone option is there? Android pay? Is that a thing and would it work connected to a swedish bank account?
I keep a quid coin for airport luggage trollies that's about it.

Thx
 
Android and Apple Pay is everywhere now. I don’t think I’ve come across a contactless terminal that doesn’t accept it. I reckon you could easily spend a week in London using contactless except obviously with anything anything over £30, then you’ll need your pin, but you can still go pretty much cash free.

Apple Pay is available in Sweden, so I see no reason why it shouldn’t work over here.
 
Rarely have to use cash in London, and also quite rare I use a proper card. Android pay up to £100 in 98% of places
 
London you can be completely cashless for 99% of things. Even oysters aren’t needed anymore, just use contactless.
 
delta0 said:
London you can be completely cashless for 99% of things. Even oysters aren’t needed anymore, just use contactless.
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Does it still have the same daily capout price?
Whatever that may be these days.
 
I can't stand those idiots who walk to a tube barrier and spend the next fifteen minutes fingering their phone to get their bloody pay thing to work. Just use a card like normal people ffs. Don't even get me started on the apple watch crowd.
 
rG-tom said:
Rarely have to use cash in London, and also quite rare I use a proper card. Android pay up to £100 in 98% of places
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Totally agree. Even my workplace canteen has come contactless/android/apple pay. I very rarely use cash now and when I do need it, it really does mess me up ie I want to buy something from the newsagents or I need to pay a parking meter.

Android Pay just works 95% of the time and I've not tried payments (Samsung Pay) on my Gear S3 watch yet.
 
Diddums said:
I can't stand those idiots who walk to a tube barrier and spend the next fifteen minutes fingering their phone to get their bloody pay thing to work. Just use a card like normal people ffs. Don't even get me started on the apple watch crowd.
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Says the obvious Londoner :p (I totally agree!)
 
Diddums said:
Don't even get me started on the apple watch crowd.
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It's quicker than using a phone and it's quicker than reaching into my wallet to get my card out. Does it bother you that I can get through quicker? ;)
 
Oh well all pie in the sky. My bank and Sweden is not yet advanced enough to even have the android pay app or issue a card with wireless payment.

For such a cashless society it's freaking backwards here. Looks like I'll be filling up my Oyster card in the corner shop again :p
 
Diddums said:
I can't stand those idiots who walk to a tube barrier and spend the next fifteen minutes fingering their phone to get their bloody pay thing to work. Just use a card like normal people ffs. Don't even get me started on the apple watch crowd.
Click to expand...
Surely, like a sensible person, they get their phone out before they reach the pay terminal and have it ready to go? Or is that asking too much?
 
Diddums said:
I can't stand those idiots who walk to a tube barrier and spend the next fifteen minutes fingering their phone to get their bloody pay thing to work. Just use a card like normal people ffs. Don't even get me started on the apple watch crowd.
Click to expand...
It’s such a pain, just use your bank card! And @Feek even the watch has a slight delay!
 
I think the contactless payment limit is set by the vendor, it's usually £30 for me.

OP, if you want a contactless prepayment card I'd recommend Revolut.
 
Diddums said:
I can't stand those idiots who walk to a tube barrier and spend the next fifteen minutes fingering their phone to get their bloody pay thing to work. Just use a card like normal people ffs. Don't even get me started on the apple watch crowd.
Click to expand...
To be honest I rarely see that (Paddington and Liverpool Street most days). More annoying I find where you queue up for a ticket machine and there is some yellow and black tape over the slot so you can only use contactless, which is useless to me with a travel card.
 
I live in the UAE and come to London regularly on holidays, taking the tube and travelling around. No need for cash if you have a contactless card at all!
 
Diddums said:
I can't stand those idiots who walk to a tube barrier and spend the next fifteen minutes fingering their phone to get their bloody pay thing to work. Just use a card like normal people ffs. Don't even get me started on the apple watch crowd.
Click to expand...

My favourite is the the 6' 6" brick ****house of a bloke, in a pink fairy costume with wings and tutu... Obviously removed the chip from his oyster card and embedded it in the end of his sparkly pink wand. Walked up to the barrier, tapped it with his wand and walked through.

Laughed for about 5 minutes solid after that. :D
 
Mysterae_ said:
I think the contactless payment limit is set by the vendor, it's usually £30 for me.

OP, if you want a contactless prepayment card I'd recommend Revolut.
Click to expand...
That's the best suggestion I've had in weeks, thanks. Signed up on a basic account that does everything I need for free and their exchange rate is decent too.
Massive Ty.
 
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