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Subway Travel: London's Oyster Coming to Cell Phones

September 9, 2008 at 9:20 AM | by amandak | 1 Comment

London's subway system got a bit more convenient to use (although no cheaper) when it started using stored-value Oyster cards to pay for your tickets. New trials with specially equipped cell phones could make our London Underground experience even easier.

Nokia and O2 joined forces to test out using cell phones that could be "read" by the same machines that people tap their Oyster card across. The 500 guinea pigs who tested the system were impressed: 89 percent would want such a system on their phones.

With the 2012 Olympics in London not all that far away (!), IOC officials are keen to make the technology widespread as part of their "cashless Olympics" campaign. Of course, the other way to make the Olympics cashless is to make transport (and everything else) free. Any officials listening?

Related Stories:
· Oyster Phones a Step Nearer [Business Traveller]
· London Traffic [Jaunted]
· The Oh-So-Confusing London Subway [Jaunted]

[Photo: amandabhslater]

1 Comment

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  1. katehedges1

    Jaunted Member

    Oyster Cards

    Good story but it is important to emphasize that using an Oyster Card for London transport is not only convenient but also saves a lot of money.

    For example, a bus ride paying cash costs £2 but if you use an Oyster Card its £0.90. A Zone 1 Tube ticket paying cash is £4 but with the Oyster card its £1.50.

    Kate Hedges
    www.nocrowds.blogspot.com

    September 9, 2008 at 12:09 PM
    #Permalink

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