MasterCard brand Oyster card wallets

TfL just announced a multi-million pound partnership with MasterCard who will be exclusively branding Oyster card wallets in 2011. All new cards issued from Tube, rail stations & travel information centres will eventually come with the new branding. About six million wallets are expected to be distributed.



MasterCard will also be branding London Underground ticket barriers which is all part of their strategy to raise awareness for their PayPass 'Tap & Go™' contactless payment system. Other cities already use a system where commuters pay travel fares directly at gates & barriers with the same credit, debit or prepaid card used to make everyday purchases.

Hany Fam, President of the UK & Ireland Division at MasterCard, said:

"Oyster has been a huge success, providing millions of consumers every day with a convenient way of accessing London's transport system. But we believe that MasterCard PayPass can offer even more. Frustrations such as missing a train because you have to queue up to buy a ticket, or waiting for a bus only to find that you don't have enough value to travel, could be a thing of the past."  (not sure what happened to a similar contactless system Barclays had with Oyster)

Boris's transport advisor Kulveer Ranger says of the branding partnership "The revenue generated will make a significant contribution to protecting frontline services and maintaining investment in the Tube upgrades and delivery of Crossrail."

Great to get the extra cash, but I wonder how many people keep their original Oyster card wallet? I've not used a TfL wallet for years now. Tons of companies produce Oyster card holders as cheap promo items. There's also loads of companies (including TfL and London Transport Museum themselves) who produce their own designs for the holders.



Do you have your own holder are are you a traditionalist, sticking to the blue Oyster card wallet TfL supplied? Do you even use a holder or just carry the card in your pocket, wallet or purse?

London Underground; Tube Posted by annie mole Tuesday, January 18, 2011 Permalink COMMENT HERE
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