London Tube Fares 2024
Updated: April 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.
| Trips between | Single | Oyster / Contactless Peak | Oyster / Contactless Off Peak |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | £6.70 | £2.80 | £2.70 |
| Zone 1 to 2 | £6.70 | £3.40 | £2.80 |
| Zone 1 to 3 | £6.70 | £3.70 | £3.00 |
| Zone 1 to 4 | £6.70 | £4.40 | £3.20 |
| Zone 1 to 5 | £6.70 | £5.10 | £3.50 |
| Zone 1 to 6 | £6.70 | £5.60 | £3.60 |
| Zone 1 to 7 | £8.30 | £6.40 | £4.70 |
| Zone 1 to 8 | £9.50 | £7.80 | £4.70 |
| Zone 1 to 9 | £9.80 | £7.90 | £4.80 |
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.
| Zone(s) | One Day Anytime | 7 day |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 only | £8.50 | £42.70 |
| Zone 1 and 2 | £8.50 | £42.70 |
| Zone 1, 2, and 3 | £10.00 | £50.20 |
| Zone 1, 2, 3, and 4 | £12.30 | £61.40 |
| Zone 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 | £14.60 | £73.00 |
| Zone 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 | £14.90 | £78.00 |
Travelcards: These cards give you unlimited travel within the chosen zones and are available for different lengths of time.
| Zone(s) | One Day Anytime | One Day Off-peak | 7 Day | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 only | £15.90 | £15.90 | £42.70 | £183.00 | £2,226.50 |
| Zone 1 and 2 | £15.90 | £15.90 | £42.70 | £183.00 | £2,226.50 |
| Zone 1, 2, and 3 | £15.90 | £15.90 | £50.20 | £215.14 | £2,617.57 |
| Zone 1, 2, 3, and 4 | £15.90 | £15.90 | £61.40 | £263.14 | £3,201.57 |
| Zone 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 | £22.60 | £15.90 | £73.00 | £312.86 | £3,806.43 |
| Zone 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 | £22.60 | £15.90 | £78.00 | £334.29 | £4,067.14 |
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?
On the Tiqets website, you can buy all kinds of tickets online, for the main attractions in London: museums, shows, monuments, and other very nice places. On some tickets (few) you can save between 5% and 20%. It will also save you from queuing at many places.
Tip: It can also give you great ideas of places to go! (even if you don't buy tickets) ;)
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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