Whats the difference between using Oystercard and Travel cards in London?

Whats the most convenient/cheapest optoin for traveling around London for three days and for regular trips aswell?
If you are only in London for three days, forget the Oyster card - the two options available (pay as you go and travelcards) are either too expensive, or too inconvenient.

There are still a couple of other options available to you, depending on how early you like to get up, and what days you are travelling.

If you like to get out and about early, and you will be travelling befor 9.30am on mon-fri on at least one of your days, you can get a three day travel card for ??17.40. This will cover central London (zones 1 and 2) which is sufficient to cover almost all of the tourist attractions. If you don't, or if you are undecided, the one day cards are ??5.30 after 9.30 (you can buy them up to 4 days in advance, so you can buy them all at the beginning of your trip - don't worry if you buy one and decide later that you are going further, or travelling before 9.30, just take it to the ticket office where you bought it, or another of the same company, and pay the difference to upgrade it), or ??6.80.

You will hear the terms peak and off peak quite a bit in London. On the underground, the peak is before 9.30 mon - fri, and off peak is the rest of the time (the more expensive tickets allow you to travel in the peak time, as does the three day card. All travelcards allow you to travel on the buses too.

If you are going to be travelling to one of the airports on one of the three days, then tell the ticket office when you buy your tickets - it is easier to buy the right one at the start than it is to change the ticket later.

Most importantly, don't be afraid to discuss your travel plans for your trip with the clerk in the ticket office, we'd much rather sell you the right ticket to start with!