Under 11 Oyster with mainline fares

[35B]

I'm going to be in London next week with my 7 year old daughter, who already has an Oyster photocard to make tube travel easier.

Because of the strikes we'll also be needing to use mainline trains (SWT/SE). Despite spending ages on the Oyster site, I can't find anything to tell me whether:
1. We can put credit on the card,
2. Whether fare capping will apply, and
3. How using Oyster will compare with buying her a paper travelcard.

Can anyone advise?

Thanks in advance

 

[34D]

Yes you can, off peak cap is £1.50 in general, note that there are red, green and special green rail routes- see https://tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-payments/travel-for-under-18s/travelling-with-children#on-this-page-2

Your child will 'like' using oyster more than a paper ticket, I would suggest.

 

[cool110]

A 5-10 Oyster on NR works in the same way as an adult Oyster using the fares and caps in this table. This will be much cheaper than a paper Travelcard (unless going beyond zone 6 in the morning peak).

 

[deltic]

I'm going to be in London next week with my 7 year old daughter, who already has an Oyster photocard to make tube travel easier.

Because of the strikes we'll also be needing to use mainline trains (SWT/SE). Despite spending ages on the Oyster site, I can't find anything to tell me whether:
1. We can put credit on the card,
2. Whether fare capping will apply, and
3. How using Oyster will compare with buying her a paper travelcard.

Can anyone advise?

Thanks in advance

Is it an Oyster Zip card for under 11s?

If so you sadly face London's north/south divide. Rail travel is free on most rail lines north of the Thames if you have a under 11 Zip card but not on most lines south of the Thames see https://tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cms/documents/pay-as-you-go-tarrifs-national-rail.pdf for details.

beaten to it by 34D

You can certainly load credit on an under 11 Zip card but I dont know the answer to the other two questions.

 

[35B]

Thanks both for that. Now for my wife to remember the account details.

 

[PermitToTravel]

If she can't and you have to top it up in London, newsagents are likely to have less of a queue than mainline rail stations

 

[MikeWh]

Just to re-iterate:

Yes you can put credit on.
Yes it will cap, after 0930 this is only £1.50.
Normal child travelcards cost £6.00.