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London Tube Fares 2024

Transport fares vary depending on when and where you travel, and on the payment method you choose.

Time of the day:

If you travel during peak hours, costs will be more expensive than during off-peak hours. Peak hours are Monday to Friday, between 6:30 am to 9:30 am, and between 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm, except on public holidays.

Ticket type:

• Paper ticket or cash ticket: Single tickets cost between £6.70 and £9.80 . 
• Pay-as-you-go (PAYG) or contactless payment methods:  By using an Oyster card, which is a prepaid or contactless option, you can save significant money on each journey. For example, if you use it in Zone 1, your ticket will cost less than half the price of a paper ticket. It is worth learning more about this money-saving payment option; see below for more information.

Distance between stations:  

When you are in front of the ticket machine, first you must choose the zones you will be travelling through in the next few days.  If you are a tourist, you will usually travel within zones 1 and 2. Our suggestion is to select this option because it is where you will find the most famous attractions in London.

Another tip is to add enough credit for 3 days' travel, for example for a family of two adults and two kids: £20 per adult and £10 per child under 15.

Children under 15 are eligible for discounts and free travel. Children aged 5 to 15 pay half the adult fare, while those under 5 travel for free. To access these discounts, ask for assistance at the station; TfL staff will help you.

You must scan your card or ticket at the ticket barrier's reader upon both entering and exiting the Tube platforms.

Oyster Card and Travelcard

When travelling in London, using a prepaid card such as an Oyster Card or Travelcard is the savvy way to go. Not only do these cards offer cheaper fares compared to paying with cash, but they also come with daily spending limits to help you save even more.

The Oyster Card, costing just £5, can be ordered online and sent directly to your home before you arrive in London. Once you have it, you can top it up with as much credit as you need. This credit doesn't expire – it's yours to use whenever you're in London. Travel on the Tube, buses, and other TfL services becomes more cost-effective, thanks to the daily caps on spending. For example, if you hit the daily cap of £8.50 with an Oyster Card, you won't pay a penny more for any additional trips that day.

Remember, if you don't use all your credit, you can easily get a refund for up to £10 at any ticket machine – although the initial £5 cost for the card itself isn't refundable. The card is reusable for your next visit, though!

And if you prefer to travel light, you can tap in with a contactless bank card. Just keep an eye on any potential bank charges. Similar to the Oyster or Travelcard, contactless bank cards also benefit from a daily cap on charges, ensuring you don’t spend more than a set amount each day, regardless of how many trips you make.

Here are the tables that outline the fare caps and Travelcard prices:

Pay as you go (PAYG) caps: For trips on the Tube, DLR, London Overground, TfL Rail, and National Rail, there are daily and weekly spending caps that apply.

Travelcards: These cards give you unlimited travel within the chosen zones and are available for different lengths of time.

We highly recommend using a card when travelling around London – it's cheaper than cash and caps your daily spend. Grab an Oyster Card or a Travelcard for just £5. They're both prepaid, which means you can add money to them and only pay for the travel you use.

Before you come to London, you can buy an Oyster Card online and have it sent to your home. It's a durable card that never expires, ready for your next London adventure.

In addition to the Oyster Card, the Travelcard is an excellent option for those planning to make extensive use of public transport. You can purchase a Travelcard for periods of 7 days, a month, or even a year, making it ideal for regular visitors or residents of London. Unlike the Oyster Card, which charges per trip up to a daily cap, the Travelcard allows you unlimited travel within the zones you have selected, without concern for the number of trips you make.

For added convenience, both the Oyster Card and Travelcard can be topped up online, at ticket vending machines, or at any London train or Tube station. With these cards, you can fully enjoy all that London has to offer, moving around the city efficiently and cost-effectively.

Where to buy tourist tickets online?

Questions and answers.

Where can I buy tickets to travel on public transport in London?

• Tickets and prepaid card top-ups can be purchased at the ticket machines that can be found at the Tube stations. You can pay by credit/debit card or in cash (coins or notes). Ticket vending machines are available in different languages.

How much do young children pay on London transport?

• Children under 5 travel free with a fare paying adult.
• Children aged 5 to 10 travel free on buses and trams with an Oyster card, no ticket needed.
• Children aged 11 to 15 can receive the following benefit through an Oyster card: 50% off adult-rate pay-as-you-go fares and daily caps on a bus, Tube, tram, DLR, London Overground, Elizabeth line, National Rail services, and London Cable Car.

For more information on discounts, visit the official transport website . Tourists should note that the Oyster Card can be bought online before travelling to London and be delivered to their home address. The card costs £5. Then you decide how much credit you want to top it up with. This prepaid card has no expiry date.

Where can I find precise information for the rest of the fares and tickets?

• You can find detailed information on all fares and tickets in the official announcement regarding the March 2024 prices, available at this link: www.london.gov.uk/media/104143/download .

If you notice any errors on this website or have any suggestions, please use our contact form , and we will try to solve the problem as soon as possible.

Thank you for visiting our London Tube fares page, we hope you found it useful.

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London Oyster Card

The Oyster card is a reusable electronic card which is used to pay for travel on all types of public transport in London: buses, underground, DLR (Docklands Light Railway), trams and local trains.

There are two main ways to use the Oyster card:

As a Pay as you go (PAYG) Oyster card You add money to the Oyster card and use it to pay for single journeys or for travel for the whole day (the ‘daily cap’). It’s a bit like a Pay as you go SIM card for mobile phones. When you use your card (by tapping in and out at the ticket barriers), the cost of travel is deducted from your Oyster card balance. To store season tickets Weekly or monthly Travelcards or Bus Passes are ‘loaded’ onto an Oyster card.

See Travelcards or Bus tickets & passes

You can also add some extra money to your Oyster card if you have a Weekly or Monthly Travelcard. This is useful if you need to travel outside your weekly Travelcard zone.

Are you visiting London for the first time? Read our guide to London’s transport tickets and passes .

Pay as you go (PAYG) Oyster card: an overview

The PAYG Oyster card is the cheapest and most flexible way to pay for travel, especially if your visit to London is between 1–5 days. Even if it’s only for a few journeys, it’s much cheaper than paying the full cash fare.

How much does an Oyster card cost?

The Oyster card costs £7 . You then add money to the card to pay for your travel. The £7 fee is not a deposit. You do not get this money back.

How does it work?

Once you have an Oyster, you add money to it (‘ top up ‘) and the fare for your journey is taken from your Oyster card balance when you use it.

It works out the cost of the journey and how many journeys you take when you tap your card on the Oyster card reader (‘ tap in and out’ ) at a tube or train station ticket barrier, or by tapping the reader when you get on a bus.

Oyster single fares: 2024 prices

The Pay as you go Oyster card is the cheapest way to pay for single tickets on the underground. For journeys in central London (zone 1), ticket prices are more than 50% cheaper with an Oyster card.

Here’s a comparison between Pay as you go Oyster card single fares and the standard tube ticket fare from a ticket machine (‘Cash single’).

Oyster single fares 2024

See single ticket prices for travel in zones 2,3,4,5 & 6

Oyster single fares: peak and off-peak times

If you use your Pay as you go Oyster card only few times a day, the price you pay for each single journey depends on the time of day you travel.

Peak Monday–Friday 6.30am–9.30am and from 4pm–7pm. If you travel into central London (zone 1) from an outer zone, there is no afternoon peak fare . The off-peak fare is charged. Off-Peak Off-peak fares are charged at all other times, including Public Holidays.

Oyster one-day fares: 2024 ‘daily cap’ prices

If you plan to travel by tube at least 3 times in one day, you benefit from the Oyster card ‘daily cap’. This is the maximum amount deducted from your card for travel in one day.

Oyster Daily Cap 2024

There’s a cheaper ‘daily cap’ if you only use the buses

How does the Oyster daily cap work?

For example, if you load £10 onto your Oyster card and travel by underground in central London (zone 1- off peak):

• If you make 1 journey £2.70 is deducted from your card
• If you make 2 journeys, £5.40 is deducted
• If you make 3 journeys, £8.50 is deducted. You have now reached the ‘daily cap’ and all other journeys until 4.30am the following morning are free. £1.50 of Pay as you go credit will remain on your Oyster card

Oyster Weekly Travelcard Cap

Your Oyster card will automatically cap at the weekly Travelcard fare (this is also available on a contactless card ). The cap starts on Monday and ends Sunday, so it mainly benefits Londoners or those working in London.

How much money do I need to add to an Oyster card?

It’s up to you how much money you add to the card. The beauty of the Oyster card is that it’s flexible.

Some people add enough for a single journey, especially if they’re not a frequent traveller. Some add the price of the daily ‘cap’ for the zones they’re visiting for that day. Others just add £15 or £25 and keep an eye on the balance.

Best option for visitors

For visitors, the best option is to add the cost of the daily cap to your card x the number of full days in London. Add a little extra to cover any single journeys at the start or end of your trip if necessary. For example, to and from Heathrow airport.

If you do this then you won’t need to worry about topping up your card again. If there is money on your Oyster card at the end of your trip, you can get it back or keep it on your card for your next visit (it never expires).

Aim to have £10 or less of Pay as you go money on your card at the end of your trip and you can easily get a refund at an underground station ticket machine . Refunds are more complicated if you have more than £10 left on your card.

Where to buy an Oyster card

Oyster cards are available from the following outlets. You can usually top up your card as well.

Underground ticket machines

There are no longer any underground ticket offices. Oyster cards are available from ticket machines. The machines take notes (not £50 notes), coins and credit/debit cards.

Local shops and newsagents

Many newsagents and corner shops are licensed to sell London Transport tickets including Oyster cards. They normally have signs in the window saying ‘Oyster Ticket Stop’.

Find an Oyster Ticket Stop .

London train stations ticket machines

Oyster cards and oyster top-ups are available from ticket machines in London train stations

TfL Visitor Centres

Transport for London has several Visitor Centres at Heathrow, Victoria, Kings Cross/St Pancras International, Liverpool St & Piccadilly Circus.

How to use an Oyster card

Underground.

It’s important to touch in and out when using a PAYG Oyster card. Even if there’s no physical barrier or if the barriers are open, you still need to touch the yellow card reader when you enter and exit the station. If you don’t, the full cash fare (£4–£7) is deducted for your journey.

If you have a lot of luggage or are pushing a pushchair, station attendants will quite often push open the barrier for you. Do make sure you touch the yellow reader for the reason mentioned above. The attendants don’t always remind you to do it.

Place your card flat on the yellow card reader near the driver when you get on the bus. You do not need to touch out when you get off the bus.

How to check your Oyster card balance

If you want to check how much money you have on your Oyster card, there are several ways to find out:

From an underground station ticket machine

Place your card on the yellow card reader on a ticket machine and your remaining balance will flash up on the screen. This is the easiest way to check your balance.

Via an Oyster account online

If you register your card online with TfL , you can check how much money you have on your card.

Via the Oyster app

Check your balance on the official Oyster app. You will need to register your Oyster card. ( ios or android ).

On an underground station ticket barrier

When you place your card on the yellow card reader on a ticket barrier, the balance on your card flashes on the screen. When you arrive at your destination and touch out at a barrier, your remaining balance flashes on the screen along with the fare charged for that particular journey. This doesn’t work on all barriers.

How to get back unused money on your Oyster card

Anyone can get any unused money on your Pay as you go balance. See how to claim back unused money on a PAYG Oyster card .

The Visitor Oyster card

The Visitor Oyster Card is aimed at tourists — you might be offered one by a tour company or airline before you arrive.

The card comes pre-loaded with money and there’s a £5 fee (plus postage).

You can’t load a weekly Travelcard or Bus Pass to a Visitor Oyster, which makes it less flexible than the ‘ordinary’ Oyster. It can only be used as a Pay as you go card, and the ‘daily cap’ is still applied.

The Visitor Oyster Card is only worth buying if:

• You’re happy to pay for postage to your country and you can order it in advance
• You want to pay for your travel before you arrive
• You’re arriving after the tube stations have closed and can’t use a contactless card payment and want to use the night buses

Otherwise, just wait until you arrive in London and get an ordinary Oyster card from one of the places listed above.

Related pages

• Guide to London’s transport tickets & passes
• Oyster single tickets
• Oyster refunds
• Contactless cards
• London Transport zones

Last checked: 22 June 2024

Transport tickets & passes

• Guide to London's transport tickets
• One day & weekly Travelcards
• Zone 2–6 weekly Travelcards
• Bus tickets & passes
• Oyster card
• Oyster card refunds
• Child tickets & passes
• Local train tickets

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London Oyster card

The Oyster Card is the most recommended option for use to travel on London´s public transport. It is what Londoners tend to use on a daily basis for commuting, and it is normally the cheapest way for tourists to get around London.

In this article we will explain what the Oyster card actually is, how it works and how to decide if it is the right option for you if you are planning a trip to London. Paying for your travel in London with an oyster card is much cheaper than paying for single tickets, but we will tell you how this works in detail in this article.

What is a London Oyster Card?

Visitor oyster card: the london oyster card for tourists.

Visitor Oyster Card Discounts

• Bon Vivant Restaurant in Bloomsbury: Free Prosecco or fizzy drink per person.
• Brasserie Blanc Restaurant: 20% discount.
• Paul: Free croissant when ordering a hot drink before 11 am.
• Skylon: 10% discount on food and drink.
• London Transport Museum: 15% discount on food and drink from the museum cafeteria.
• Kew Gardens: 10% discount in-store and hot drinks in the cafeteria.
• London Bridge Experience: 2-for-1 tickets are available when visitor oyster cards are presented at the ticket office.
• Foyles Bookstores: 15% discount.
• Beatles Store: Free souvenir bag from the Beatles store when you spend over £5.
• M&M’s store: 15% discount on all products in the store.

Some of these offers are subject to change – please check with TFL!

Do I need an Oyster Card if I visit London?

The simple answer to this question is yes, unless you have a debit or credit contactless card that you can use.

The Oyster card guarantees you the absolute minimum fare for each journey, and the daily cap makes it a no-brainer. Even if you are in London just for one day, if you are going to use public transport a few times during the day, it works out cheaper to buy an Oyster Card and use this to get around, rather than paying for single fares every time. What is more, you can’t pay cash on a London bus any more, so if you are planning on using the bus, you will need a valid oyster card, travel card or contactless card.

A few years ago, we used to recommend the oyster card to everyone – or a travel card if you were staying in London for more than five days. We now recommend using contactless payment on London Transport  – as the fares applied when using contactless are exactly the same as if using an Oyster Card.

How does the oyster card work?

Using the oyster card on london underground, overground and dlr.

To use the oyster card for travelling on the London Underground, Overground, DLR or trains, you simply have to touch the yellow card reader that is located to your right at the barriers with your oyster card. The barriers will open as soon as you touch the yellow reader if there is enough balance on the oyster card. Once you have completed your journey, you will need to touch the yellow reader again with your oyster card for the barriers to open when you exit the station.

The fare that you pay using an oyster card will be calculated at the time you touch the yellow reader at the exit barriers. The fare will depend on the travel zones that you have travelled to and from and the time of the day that you have travelled, as there are peak and off-peak fares.

This is why one oyster card is needed for each person. If you fail to touch the reader with your oyster card when you enter or exit, you will pay the maximum fare possible as a fine, so if you get to the station and you find that the barriers are open, make sure you use your oyster card to touch the reader anyway to make sure you pay the right fare.

Using the oyster card on the bus

To use the oyster card for getting around London on the bus, you only have to touch the yellow reader with your oyster card when you enter the bus. There is a reader next to the driver and another one by the back door on the new double-decker buses. You don´t need to touch the reader again when you leave the bus.

Where to buy a London Oyster Card or a Visitor Oyster Card

Buying an oyster card at underground stations.

You can buy a London oyster card at any underground, overground, DLR or TFL rail station in London. At these stations you will be able to buy an oyster card at the ticket office or at one of the self-service machines. You can also buy the oyster card at the Heathrow airport underground station and you can also buy a Visitor Oyster Card at Gatwick airport train station.

Buying an Oyster Card at Oyster Ticket Shops

It is also possible to buy the London oyster card in some shops in central London, these shops will have a sticker displayed on their door or window with the words “Oyster Ticket Shop”.

Buying an Oyster Card Online

You can also buy a Visitor Oyster Card online at  Visit Britain shop .

How to top up a London oyster card

You will find self-service machines at each underground, overground, TFL rail and DLR stations where you can top up your oyster card. To do so, you just need to tap your oyster card on the yellow card reader and follow the instructions on the screen.

You can top up your oyster card with cash, or you can choose to add a travel card to your oyster card. Travelcards entitle you to unlimited travel for the zones and number of days chosen. Normally, if you are going to be spending more than five days in London, then a 7-day travel card is probably advisable. However, if you are going to be in London for less than five days, then we recommend that you just use your oyster card with pay-as-you-go and top it up when necessary.

You can use a debit/credit card or cash (coins and notes) to top up or add travel cards to your oyster card.  Once you have paid for your top-up, you need to confirm the transaction by tapping the yellow reader again with your oyster card. If you don’t do this, your oyster card will not be topped up.

Do not forget that you must tap the yellow reader with your oyster card twice: at the beginning and at the end of the process.

How much does each journey cost when you use an oyster card?

• London Travel Zones: the fare that you pay will depend on the travel zones that you travel to and from. See more about London Travel Zones here: London Travel Zones .
• Time of the day: The fares will depend on the time you travel, as there are peak-time fares and off-peak fares.  Peak times are considered 6.30 am – 9.30 am and 4 pm – 7 pm Monday – Friday (excluding bank holidays. If you travel during off-peak times, the journey will normally be a little cheaper.

Oyster card and Visitor Oyster Card Fares from 5th March 2023

Returning your oyster card.

Until now, we could return our oyster card when we no longer needed it and get the deposit back (used to be £5) along with any remaining balance.  This is still the case if you bought your oyster card before February 2020, but if you bought your Oyster Card after February 2020, this is no longer the case.

Oyster cards bought before the 23rd of February 2020

If you bought an oyster card before the 23rd of February 2020, you can return it and get your £5 deposit back.

If you already have an oyster card, bought before February 2020, you can use it to travel on London’s public transport as it does not expire. You can also lend it to someone if someone you know is visiting London.

Oyster cards bought before the 23rd of February 2020 can be returned and cancelled, and when you do so, you will be able to claim the deposit back and any remaining balance. If the remaining balance is less than £10, you can use any self-service machine at any underground station. Just touch on the yellow card reader with your oyster card, and choose refund or return oyster card. If the balance on your oyster card is greater than £10 you’ll need to go to the ticket office at the station. They will normally give you cash. You can also register your card on TFL’s website and cancel your card once logged it, and any remaining balance will be transferred to your bank account.

So, for example, if you have an old oyster card with £2.80 balance, you can still claim your £5 deposit plus the £2.80 balance.

Oyster cards bought from 23rd of February 2020 to 3rd of September 2022

If you bought an oyster after the 23rd of February and before the 4th of September 2022, you will get the deposit back automatically as credit on your oyster card a year after you bought it.

This is good news if you bought your oyster card and are going to continue using it, but if you never return to London, you won’t get your deposit back.

If you ever travel to London again, you can use your oyster card again, and the deposit will appear on your oyster card as credit. You can also lend your oyster card to a friend or relative if they are visiting London, as it does not expire.

You can also register your card online and, after a year, cancel it and request the credit be transferred to your bank account through their website.

Oyster cards bought after the 2nd September 2022

If you bought an oyster card after the 4th of September 2022, you will no longer receive the deposit as credit on your oyster card after a year, and you won’t be able to get a refund for the fee paid (£7) if you do cancel your oyster card. You will still be able to get any unused credit back and cancel your oyster card.

More information on using Public Transport in London

Using contactless.

It is possible to use a contactless debit or credit card to pay for public transport in London. To do this, you simply need to touch in and out on the yellow reader when using it for travel on the underground or overground and trains or DLR, or just touching in when you get on a bus. One contactless card is needed for each person.

The rates that apply when using contactless card are exactly the same as when using oyster card, with the same daily capping.

The only drawback is that if you are not a UK citizen your bank may charge you commission, and this could actually make travelling in London much more expensive than using an oyster card.

Travelling in London with kids

Generally, children under the age of 11 travel free when using London’s public transport, but we have written an entire article to explain how and when they can travel free and what transport passes they can get if they are older than 11.

⇒ More information: Travelling in London with kids

London Travel card: The other London transport card

The travel card is the other transport pass available for use to travelling in London. You can buy 1 day, 7 day, monthly or annual travelcards for specific transport zones in London .

Generally speaking, a daily travelcard is more expensive than the daily capping applied to an oyster card, so we don’t normally recommend daily travelcards. The 7 day travelcard is useful if you are going to spend more than 5 days in London, as for anything else I would normally still recommend that you used oyster card pay as you go.

Related Posts

London underground, london travel zones, contactless payment on london transport, 14 comments.

Hi I visit London about two or three times a year as a rail photographer (hobby not professional) I always use a Travel Card but I’m thinking towards an Oyster Card

I could, lets say travel from Waterloo to Clapham Junction & spend a couple of hours there before moving on. If I were to get an Oyster card how would this work for me if I dont leave the station immediately?

It depends on how long you spend at the station without touching with the Oyster Card to get out. The important part would be to at least go outside at an Station before you go back to the first station where you started your journey. If you don’t get out anywhere and then you simply change platforms and go back to the first station, you will be charged the maximum daily amount.

Hope it helps!

what time does the shop open for me to buy the card at heathrow as I arrive at 5.30am on a sunday morning?

Hi, You should be able to buy an oyster card from the self-service ticket machine at Heathrow underground station. Hope that helps!

Does the oyster card have an expiry date- I bought one some years ago and have not used it since or asked for a refund

Hi David, sorry about the delayed response. We were off yesterday.

In theory the credit you have on your Oyster card never expires. If the card stops working for any reason, just go to one of the stations and talk to one of the assistants there, they should be able to give you a refund.

This is what TFL says on their website: “The pay-as-you-go credit on your Visitor Oyster card never expires, so you can keep your card until your next visit or lend it to family and friends.”

I hope that helps!

Have a nice day.

Hello and GD: My question is as follows? I am planning to visit your nation in the coming month’s. How do I know if my financial institution will charge a commission or not ? I will be coming from the state’s. I am thinking of getting an oyster cd.

Hi William, it might be a good idea to ask your bank what commission rates they apply when using your card abroad. One option is to get a card that you can use abroad without paying commissions or extra fees when used abroad, these are made specifically for travelling and can work out much cheaper. We sort of explain it briefly in this article: https://plantriplondon.com/contactless-payment-london-transport/ Hope that helps!

To tell the truth, it is so wonderful that you enlightened people about the London Oyster card because this card can provide you with a wide range of opportunities and can be a truly necessary attribute in your travelling. I can say that this card has a great deal of advantages and can make your trip more comfortable if you use it in the right way. I really like the fact that it is possible to return the card and get your £5 deposit back because it saves you from many difficulties. I think that such cards are a necessary thing during your journey because it is a really profitable way to travel by public transport and it is a really modern solution.

Thank you for your comment Marina!

how far out of London does an oyster card work? i live in Kent, at what point on a journey from London Victoria does an oyster cease to be valid?

Hi Glen, On this TFL´s map you will see oyster´s pay as you go area which is basically London Fare Zones 1 – 9: https://content.tfl.gov.uk/london-rail-and-tube-services-map.pdf You will also find a bit more info here: https://tfl.gov.uk/fares/find-fares/national-rail-fares-beyond-zone-9 But if you let me know what station you´ll be travelling to London to and from I can look into it a bit more for you. =)

Question If you get on a bus , use your card and get charged 1. 50. , only go 2 stops to change to another bus , when you get in the next bus , are you charged another 1.50 ??

Hi Mike, No, you would only pay £1.50 for both journeys, as long as you touch in on both buses with the same oyster card within one hour. This is called the “Hopper fare” – you get unlimited journeys on London buses for £1.50, for one hour. Hope that helps!

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London Underground - 2024 fares and how to use them

Be informed and in control using london's underground / metro system.

For the visitor to London the Underground or Tube will probably be the transport of choice to get around town. The Underground is normally the fastest way to get around town, often much faster than any taxi.

There is invariably an underground station nearby where you want to go and also your hotel and finding your way around the system is very easy. 

There are currently 13 Underground lines, with the Elizabeth Line the latest, which opened in May 2022.

Journey planner   Map   DLR, overground & TfL   Oyster card, contactless & Travelcards   Night service   Fares   Concessions   Child fares   Group tickets   Purchasing tickets   Access

Key points about the London Underground

It is still encouraged to wear a facemask when using public transport in London, but it is no longer mandatory.

The authorities penalise you heavily for buying single journey tickets. In the centre you can pay more than double the price than if you used an Oyster Card for example.

A single journey on the London Underground can involve 1 or 2 changes of train. Your journey starts when you go through the ticket barrier of the station entrance you depart from and finishes when you pass through the ticket barrier at the exit of your destination. You cannot break a journey on a single fare, once you go though an exit barrier of a station that is journey completed.

The buses, Underground, DLR and London suburban trains are managed by a central government body called Transport for London (TfL) chaired by the Mayor of London. The transport passes that nearly everyone uses, Oyster and Travelcard, allow you to travel seamlessly across all modes of transport, bus, Underground, train and DLR using the same ticket/pass.

Children under 11 travel free on the London Underground and DLR (Docklands Light Railway) at all times. Child fares are available for those under 16 and it is possible to get discounted fares if you are under 18 or studying in London with an ID card.

There are no seniors fares for visitors. If you reside in London and are over 60 you can get a pass that makes free bus and Underground travel available. If you have an English National Concessionary bus pass you cannot use it on the London Underground (but you can use it on London's red buses).

The London Underground is closed from around midnight until around 5am, getting started a little later on Sundays. However on Friday and Saturday nights, much of the Underground runs through the night. In Central London there is a very good night bus network when the Underground is closed.

You will rarely have to wait more than 5 minutes for an Underground train at any time of the day.

London Journey Planner - for all types of transport across London

Use the TfL (Transport for London) journey planner to plan your travel. The journey planner covers all public transport.

TFL Journey planner

London Underground map

The London Underground map is a classic design that when first launched was immediately taken up worldwide for similar systems. The clarity, simplicity and ease of use compromises strict geographical accuracy.

The Circle line doesn't really go around in a squashed circle and it is not apparent for instance that Bayswater Underground is only 100 yards from Queensway.

In 2016 the Night Tube was introduced. On Friday and Saturday nights only Underground trains run through the night. For lines that operate a night service see the Night Tube map linked below or on the right-menu.

In May 2022 the long awaited Elizabeth Line opened its first section. The Elizabeth Line provides a route connecting East and West London. Find out more about the new Elizabeth Line .

Underground map   Tube & rail map   Night tube map

Docklands Light Railway (DLR), overground and TfL rail trains

To the east of London in the Docklands region you will see a region covered by something called the DLR (Docklands Light Railway). You can treat this network as just another Underground line.

Not in the centre of London, but in the suburbs you will find a train network called the Overground which can also be thought of as being part of the Underground for ticketing purposes.

Commuter trains into the suburbs are very confusing for the visitor. You can still use Oysters and Travelcards on these but those lines run by the national railways only give free travel to children under 5.

In the north and east of London most of these services are now run by TfL Rail or the Overground so free travel is available to children under 11, but to the south and west of London, services are still dominated by national railways companies.

The Tube and rail map usefully shows which railway stations are in which travel zones. Travel zones are the basis for fare charges on London's railways and Underground system.

London Underground Night Service - the Night Tube

In 2016 the London Underground began to introduce a full 24/7 service on Friday and Saturday nights only. Introduction has been on a phased basis.

Night Tube services are now running on the Central, Victoria, Jubilee line, Northern line (Charing Cross branch) and Piccadilly line (but not Acton to Uxbridge branch). The Night Tube will offer a 24-hour service on Fridays and Saturdays. Standard off-peak fares are levied for travelling on the Night Tube using Oyster and Contactless cards.

Travelcards are valid from the first day of issue (using the date printed on the card), and for journeys starting before 4.30am the following day. For example, if you buy a 1-day Travelcard at 11am on Friday, you can use it until 4.29 on the following Saturday.

Night Tube map - current lines operated

London Underground fares

The London public transport system is divided up into zones that radiate from the centre. Nearly all the hotels and the main sights are in Zone 1. Heathrow Airport is in Zone 6 and the furthest zone out is Zone 9.

The majority of visitors will only travel in the two most central zones 1 and 2. The Underground Map (link above) has the stations and their zones marked.

Some stations, such as Turnham Green, are in two zones. You use whichever zone for these stations is most beneficial in working out your fare.

Underground fares

You can see from the table below there is big financial incentive not to purchase individual tickets and use an Oyster card or Contactless payment card .

The other main way of paying is purchasing a Travelcard , which is a pass giving you unlimited travel for a set time period. The cost goes up with the coverage of zones required. The more zones you require the more expensive the Travelcard.

London Underground Fares from 3 March 2024 - March 2025

Oyster cards, contactless payment cards & travelcards.

As you can see from the above fare structure the authorities do not want you to buy single tickets, they want you to purchase one of the three payment options, Oyster cards, Contactless payment cards or Travelcards.

The Oyster card is a permanent reusable electronic ticket which is topped up from time to time by its owner. Londoners also have their season tickets loaded onto Oyster cards as well and there are passes for one weekly and monthly durations. All can be loaded onto the one electronic Oyster card.

Contactless cards are standard credit or debit cards that support the contactless payment technology, the total cost of all the journeys that you make in one day is calculated at the end of the day and a single charge is made to your Contactless payment card account.

Unlike the Oyster card the contactless facility has a 7-day cap as well as the Oyster daily cap used by Oyster.

You can use Oyster cards on all of London's public transport, not just the Underground, but buses, overground, DLR, suburban rail services and some river services.

Travelcards are another alternatives. Travelcards are valid on the same modes of transport but are unlimited travel passes for a fixed flat fee. Travelcards are available for 1 and 7 days, 1 month and 1 year durations.

You can purchase and subsequently top up Oyster cards and Travelcards from Underground stations and a wide variety of other outlets throughout London including neighbourhood stores, but not Contactless payment cards.

Oyster cards - more details

Contactless payment cards - more details

Travelcards - more details

Seniors concessions

There are no seniors fares for visitors. If you reside in London and are of pensionable age you can get a Freedom pass giving free travel. If you are 60+ and live in London the Seniors Oyster ID Card that makes free bus travel available. You can apply online or get a form from your local Post Office.

Anybody with an English National Concessionary bus pass can use that on London's red buses too and travel free of charge.

If you have a Senior Railcard you can get your 1/3 discount on off-peak Oyster fares. You have to ask a member of staff to load the concession on to a standard Oyster card (note, not a Visitor Oyster card) at an Underground station after showing your Seniors Card.

If you have a Senior Railcard you can also buy a 1 day off-peak zone 1-6 Travelcard at the discount applied.

Child concessions

This is a very complex subject and is covered in detail in the table below. Generally, a child is defined as under 16 years old, but in the last couple of years it has been possible to get child fares after jumping through a few hoops up to the age of 17.

Children under 11 can travel free on the London Underground, DLR and buses without a ticket. If a child is between 11 and 15 years old, you require an Oyster 11-15 Photocard (which has a fee, see below). This allows 11 to 15 year olds to travel at child fares on the Underground, DLR, Overground and some trains, free on the buses.

If you are a short-term visitor (in London for up to 14 days) with kids between 11-15 you can take advantage of the Young Visitor Discount. This means you can get half price fares on an Oyster card on a temporary basis for your child without going through the hoops and expense of getting an Oyster ID card. You do need to read carefully the rules of this scheme though.

Children's Fare Concessions

Group tickets - 1-day group travelcard for groups of 10 or more.

This ticket is for groups of 10 or more travelling together.

This in scope is the same as a 1-day off-peak Travelcard for zones 1-6 and 1-9 providing unlimited travel on all services after 9.30am Monday to Friday and all day Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holidays.

The pricing is particularly attractive if you have kids in the group and those staying in one of the outer zones, however if you are staying in the centre of London zones 1 to 3 it will be cheaper to purchase individual Oyster cards.

If you are a group of 10 or more then do check out this product.

Purchasing tickets & fares levied

There are no longer manned ticket offices at Underground and DLR stations. All tickets are dispensed by ticket machines in the ticket hall and there will be a member of staff hanging around these.

The same machines will allow you to top up your Oyster cards or see what the balance is on your Oyster card and they will also allow you to cancel your Oyster card and get your deposit and any cash left on the Oyster refunded.

If you prefer talking to people selling the tickets there are Oyster ticket stops. These are many of these and typically are convenience stores or news-stands that sell public transport tickets as a sideline. These outlets will have a sign in their front window.

The fare you pay is set by which zone your departure and destination stations are in. Your journey starts when you go through the ticket barrier of the station entrance you depart from and finishes when you pass through the ticket barrier at the exit of your destination. You cannot break a journey on a single fare, once you go though an exit barrier of a station that is your journey completed.

Access to platform & luggage

To gain access to the platforms, and again to exit a station you have to pass through automatic barriers (pictured). There is always one wide ticket barrier for wheelchairs, pushchairs and people with large suitcases.

If you have a single ticket, the barrier at your destination will not return your ticket. There is a manned side gate by the barriers. If you have a Travelcard you insert the Travelcard into the same slot as for the single tickets, the barrier will check that your Travelcard is valid for both date and zones travelled.

If you have an Oyster card or Contactless payment card you swipe the card over a bright yellow pad, the barrier will check validity and will record the station you have started your journey before opening the barrier. The barrier may display the balance on your Oyster too.

At your destination station, exiting through the barrier in effect tells the system you have ended your journey and it works out the fare to be deducted from your card.

BUY VISITOR OYSTER CARD & TRAVELCARD FOR LONDON

Visiting London? Save time and money on London public transport

• Visitor Oyster Card • Travelcard for 1 day anytime / off-peak or 7 days anytime • Group day travelcards available

LONDON TUBE MAPS (PDF)