Loughton is on the central line (tube into london) flipflopper, very close to me . Yes you can use your oyster card . I always think of "overground" as any station operated by national rail and for these you cannot use your oyster . Basically you can use your oyster for any station on the london underground here http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/standard-tube-map.pdf .
you will see national rail stations on that map but that just means there is a conection there.

A little tip if you are travelling back to loughton from london . The central line splits at this end before loughton .You will need to get a train bound for Epping or loughton . Dont get on the one bound for Hainult or woodford via something or other .

If you need any more help just shout .

lynwestie

thank you

You have reassured me. I'm taking my kids 10 and nearly 7 to see the Tower of London and Madam Tussauds during half term. My wife wants to go to covent garden too.

I want to take the kids to Hamleys.

we've got two to three days there. we should get that all in.

thanks for the tip

flipflopper

filpflopper

I'm not sure we've got to the bottom of this.

Loughton is on the Central line which is part of the Underground (even when it's above ground) so that part of the question is answered. But...

Overground was a phrase which was previously used as lynwestie says to describe the old BR lines which were privatised and are now referred to as National Rail. However, the North London lines were recently taken out of the old Silverlink franchise and put under the control of TfL who have rebranded them as London Overground! On the map from lynwesties link you can see this as the open orange line curving across the top half of the map.

I also wonder how up to date your info is, the current TfL pages do say that Oyster is valid on London Overground. In fact it's recently become valid on a few National Rail services as well. Do you actually have an Oyster card? You say you want to travel for 3 days, would a Travel Card be better value, especially with accompanied kids for £1? Just to confuse things, the Travel Card is valid on National Rail within the zones but may be loaded onto an Oyster card! I think it might be an idea to start at http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/default.aspx
and compare Oyster with the 1 and 3 day tickets in the middle column.

And I thought the Lisbon travel cards were getting complicated!!

I agree steve . It would be worth checking . Ive used 1 day off peak travel cards before and in that case the price was about the same as oyster but the oyster card would cost you a one off payment of £3 for the card if you dont have one . typically it will cost you between £4-5 return into london from loughton using oyster depending on if you travel peak/off peak . double that if you purchased a normal return ticket from the machine/booth. Unfortunately im not familar with all the diferent travel cards . I dont think it would work out any cheaper that way but may give you more flexibility if you want to go outside of the underground system.

Oyster is a very simple system . once you have the card and load your credit on ,there is no queing etc for tickets or trying to work out how to use those ticket purchasing machines and you just touch in and touch out again on the barrier with your card. the london underground is a very busy place so the more hassle you can avoid the better . Its more relaxed at this end of the central line (im at woodford , 2 stops from loughton) and you may even get a seat for the ride in

wow

great info steve8482 I will check before we set out and let you all know unless someone here knows for sure.

Now. This is where I stand.

I've bought my Oyster cards, one for me and the other for my wife. I am right in thinking my kids go free accompanied by us at off peak times?

lynwestie I've travelled from loughton into london a couple of years back and cant really remember the cost. So your cost advice is invaluable. Is it easy to top up these cards because we have £10 credit on each. Sounds like they wont last long.

However the convinience is a big plus.

A really big thank you to you both.

I am right in thinking my kids go free accompanied by us at off peak times?

hmm If they do I didnt know that .My kids automatically get oyster cards issued anyway because we live in a london borough but my youngest is 12. They have free bus travel and pay 50p each way for the underground so if we need to get the train I just put a £1 on their oyster card . Up to a certain age they travel free anyway so I will check what age that applies to.

lyn

Looks like at 10 and 7 they travel free at any time http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/faresandtickets/1022.aspx

I had a feeling it was under 11 someone will just let your children through the gate

You can top up your card at any station either at the machine or if open (many arnt at certain times) the ticket office at the station. Also any newsagent that has the Oyster logo in its window . when you touch in at the station it will automatically deduct the full £4-£5 fare and then when you touch out at your destination the oyster discount will be applied . You must make sure you do this otherwise you will be paying the full fare both ways . Its not easy to avoid anyway because you will have to go through the barrier but late at night some barriers out here in the suburbs are left open . When you "touch out "the barrier display will tell you how much credit you have left.

hope im not confusing you too much now
lyn

Again thank you so much

really helpful info

We had a great trip to london folks

the card works well and our kids did travel free

we did well on our first day we travelled from loughton right to oxford circus because we didnt see anyone at the station to ask how to scan the pass. my 6 yr old boy worked it out but we ignored him only realising later he was actually making sense.

at oxford circus a tube worker just looked at us in disgust and opened to barrier and let us through

free travel !!!!! nothing better

flipflopper

excellent well done FF. Glad you enjoyed your trip