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London Transport Zones

London is divided into 1–9 zones*, but most of it fits into zones 1–6. Central London is zone 1, zone 2 is the ring around zone 1, zone 3 is the ring around 2 and so on.

*zones 7,8 and 9 cover a small area just outside North West London including Watford, Croxley Green, Rickmansworth, Amersham or Chalfont & Latimer.

It’s important to be aware of London’s transport zones and to find out what zone a station is in. Ticket prices for One Day, Weekly or Monthly Travelcards or the money deducted from a Pay as you go Oyster card or contactless card can vary considerably according to how many zones you travel through.

The zones do not apply to bus travel . You can travel by bus all over London (zones 1–6) with any Travelcard.

First time visitor to London? See our guide to London’s transport tickets

London zone map

You can see the zones on a tube map, coloured in either white or grey.

• View a standard PDF version of the tube map
• If you stay in a part of London that is not on the tube network, see the National Rail services map (pdf) to find the zone for your closest train station.

What London transport zones do I need?

Find the closest underground or train station to your accommodation. Then find the zone of the station you want to travel to. If you’re visiting London for sightseeing or to shop this will probably be zone 1.

When you know the zones you need to pay for, what you do depends on the type of ticket/pass you buy:

Weekly or monthly Travelcards

You buy a Travelcard that covers all the zones between where you stay and where you want to visit/your regular final destination. For example:

• if you stay in Shepherd’s Bush (zone 2) and plan to visit central London (zone 1), you need a zone 1-2 Travelcard.
• If you stay in Wimbledon (zone 3) and travel to/from central London, you need a zone 1-3 Travelcard.

Pay as you go Oyster card

If you use a Pay as you go Oyster card , top-up your card with enough money to either pay for a single journey for the zones you travel through or add enough money to cover the cost of the ‘daily cap’ if you want unlimited travel for the day.

Contactless

With a contactless card, you do not have to worry about the zones as the system will calculate the fare for you the next day. Remember to always touch in and out on the tube or local trains (with the same card!) to ensure you are charged the correct amount.

How to pay for transport outside your normal transport zone

There may be occasions when you need to travel outside the zones on your weekly or monthly Travelcard.

The procedure is slightly different if you have a Travelcard loaded on an Oyster card, or a paper Travelcard:

Travelcards on an Oyster card

If you already have a weekly Travelcard for certain zones and want to visit a place outside that zone, top-up your Oyster card with some Pay as you go money to cover the cost of travelling between the last zone on your Travelcard and the zone you want to visit.

For example, if you have a zone 1-2 weekly Travelcard and you want to visit Richmond in zone 4, you need to add extra money to your Oyster to cover the fare for zones 3 and 4.

See Oyster single fares to find a fare. You can add extra money to your Oyster card at a tube station ticket machine.

Paper Travelcards

If you have a paper version of the Travelcard, you need to buy an extension ticket from the underground station ticket machine.

Stations in two zones

Some stations are on the border of two zones. These stations have a white box around their name on the tube map. Tickets to these stations are slightly different.

For example:

• Earl’s Court tube station is in zone 1/2. If you stay in Earl’s Court and take the tube to any other station in zone 1 (central London), you pay the zone 1 single fare with a pay as you go Oyster or contactless card.
• If you travel from Earl’s Court to Heathrow (zone 6), the single fare is charged from zone 2 to zone 6, not from zone 1-6.
• ABBA Arena is in zone 2/3. From zone 1, you pay the zone 1-2 fare. If you are staying in outer London and are travelling to the stadium without travelling through central London (zone 1), you pay the the fare to zone 3.

How to save money on travel to central London from zones 2-6

A major benefit of the Travelcard is that it’s valid on the buses for the whole of London, regardless of the zones you buy.

If you stay in zones 2-6 and want to travel to zone 1 (central London) a good money-saving tip is to buy a weekly or monthly Travelcard excluding zone 1 , but including zone 2. You can then take the tube/train to the zone 2 station close to zone 1 and then use the bus to travel to and around zone 1.

This only works with a weekly or monthly Travelcard, but you will save a money.

• If you stay in zone 5, a zone 1-5 weekly Travelcard is  £73.00 .
• A zone 2-5 weekly Travelcard is £42.50 , saving you £30.50 a week
• A zone 1-5 monthly Travelcard is  £280.40
• A zone 2-5 monthly Travelcard is  £163.20 a saving of £111.70 a month

Popular places to visit outside central London (Zone 1)

Tourist attractions.

Chiswick House – zone 2 (Turnham Green) Cutty Sark – zone 2 Dulwich Picture Gallery – zone 2 Ham House – zone 4 Hampton Court Palace – zone 6 Kenwood House – zone 2 (Archway) Kew Gardens – zone 3 National Maritime Museum – zone 2 Osterley House – zone 4 RAF Museum Hendon – zone 4 William Morris Gallery – zone 3

Westfield London (Shepherd’s Bush/White City) – zone 2 Westfield Stratford – zone 2/3 Camden Market – zone 2

Sport and music venues

The O2 – zone 2/3 Twickenham Rugby Stadium – zone 5 Wembley Stadium – zone 4 Emirates Stadium – zone 2 ABBA Arena – zone 2/3 (See stations in two zones above)

Greenwich – zone 2 Richmond – zone 4 Wimbledon – zone 3

Related pages

• One Day & Weekly Travelcards including zone 1
• Weekly & monthly Travelcards excluding zone 1
• Oyster cards
• Contactless cards
• Bus tickets & passes

Last updated: 23 February 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 single tickets
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Detailed guide to london zones 1 to 6.

Table of Contents

London is the capital city of England and the United Kingdom , stretching an area of 1,572 km2. There are 32 boroughs in London, which requires an efficient transportation system. Thus, London is divided into different zones, namely 1-9 zones, but most fit into 1-6 London zones.

Zone 1 is central London, and Zone 9 is the outskirts of London.

The London zone system was developed to connect these zones. Each zone is given a station on the London Underground, London Overground, Docklands, Light Railway, and National Railway.

London is expensive, and cracking the way on how to travel through these zones can save you big bucks! So, here’s a guide to familiarize you with each zone in London. Find out the zone that is close to your student accommodation in London . 

What are the different zones in London? 

There are 6 main London zones which are listed below:

• Zone 1- Central London
• Zone 2- Inner London 
• Zone 3- Between Inner London and Outer London
• Zone 4- Outer Part of London
• Zone 5- Suburbs of London
• Zone 6- Suburbs of London

What is London Zone 1?

London Zone 1 covers central London and fare zones of 2, 3,4, 5 and 6 forming a concentric circle around it. It is the main transportation station for London’s zonal fare system.

Areas covered in Inner London: Central London: City of London, Camden, Hackney, Islington, Kensington & Chelsea, Lambeth, Southwark, Tower Hamlets, Wandsworth and Westminster

The major attractions in London Zone 1 are Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, the Tower of London, the London Eye, Madame Tussauds, the British Museum, the Science Museum, etc.…

What is London Zone 2?

London Zone 2 is the inner city that rings around Zone 1. It is not in the city center but closer to the center than zone 3. The zone covers areas and neighborhoods close to central London.

Areas covered in Inner London: Camden, Hackney, Hammersmith & Fulham, Islington, Kensington & Chelsea, Lambeth, Lewisham, Newham, Southwark, Tower Hamlets, Wandsworth and Westminster.

Areas covered in Outer London : Brent, Ealing, Greenwich, Hounslow, etc.

The main attractions in London Zone 2 are Regents Park, London Zoo, Shoreditch, Arsenal FC Stadium, Chelsea FC Stadium, Clapham Common, etc. 

What is London Zone 3?

London Zone 3 is the inner zone of Transport for London’s zonal fare system. London Zone 3 rings around zone 2. It is 29 minutes away from Central London.

Areas covered in Inner London: Camden, Hackney, Haringey, Islington, Lambeth, Lewisham, Newham, Southwark, Wandsworth, etc. 

Areas covered in Outer London: Barnet, Brent, Bromley, Croydon, Ealing, Greenwich, Hounslow, Merton, Richmond upon Thames, Waltham Forest, etc. 

The main attractions in London Zone 3 are Wimbledon, Kew Gardens and London City Airport, Elephant and Castle ( 11 min underground), London Bridge (12 mins), etc.

What is London Zone 4? 

London Zone 4 is the outer zone of Transport for London’s zonal fare system. Zone 4 rings around zone 3. London Zone 4 is only 33 minutes from Central London (Zone 1).

This zone is emerging as a livable area in London. Areas covered in Inner London: Barking and Dagenham, Barnet, Bexley, Brent, Bromley, Croydon, Ealing, Enfield, Greenwich, Hounslow, Kingston upon Thames, Merton, Redbridge, Richmond upon Thames, Sutton, Waltham Forest, etc. 

Areas covered in Outer London: Epping Forest (Essex)

The main attractions in Zone 4 are Petersham Nurseries, Eltham Palace, Modern Hall Park, Bang Bang Oriental, Kingston Upon Thames, RAF Museum, etc.

What is London Zone 5? 

London zone 5 is an outer zone and rings around zone 4. Zone 5 is 30 minutes away from Central London (zone1)

Zone 5 covers Outer London and Outside London areas:

Areas covered in Outer London: Barking and Dagenham, Barnet, Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Ealing, Enfield, Harrow, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Kingston upon Thames, Richmond upon Thames, Sutton, Waltham Forest, etc.

Areas covered in Outside London: Epping Forest (Essex), Epsom and Ewell (Surrey)

The main attractions in London Zone 5 are Eel Pie island, Ruislip Lido, Alexandra Palace, Kew gardens, etc. 

What is London Zone 6?

London Zone 6 is the outer zone of Transport for London’s zonal fare system. Zone 6 rings around zone 5. Zone 6 covers outer London and outside London areas:

Areas covered in Outer London: Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Enfield, Harrow, Havering, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Kingston upon Thames, Richmond upon Thames, etc.

Areas covered in Outside London: Elmbridge (Surrey), Epping Forest (Essex), Epsom and Ewell (Surrey), Hertsmere (Hertfordshire), Reigate and Banstead (Surrey), Tandridge (Surrey), Three Rivers (Hertfordshire, etc. 

What are the types of Transportation in London Zones?

Staying in London is a blessing in disguise. It’s expensive, yet with its cost-efficient transportation system, it’s cheap, comfortable and easy to travel around the London zones. Below are the types of transport in London zones:

London Underground

The London Underground is one of the world’s oldest underground railways. It is the rapid transit system serving all 9 London zones. Also known among the locals as the ‘ Tube.’ It is identified by its blue and red roundel across the city. It is part of the TfL transport system with over 270 stations across London. 

The 24-hour service is on Jubilee, Victoria, Central, Northern and Piccadilly Lines.

Payment: You can pay using an Oyster card or contactless.

London Overground

London’s overground suburban rail network serves the London zones. It is part of the National Rail, but a branding of TfL, which is assigned as an Orange roundel in all stations, maps, trains, etc. 

It operates above street level from the city center to another metropolitan area outside of central London. It covers about 71% of London districts, covering 100 stations. London Overground has limited 24-hour services.

Docklands Light Railway

Docklands Light Railway is an automated light metro running on 149 trains except for the four below-ground stations. It is part of the London Ground Network. It covers dockland areas of London, east and south-east London, and connects with cable car and Emirates Airline.

On weekdays, it starts from 5:30-12:30 am, while on weekends, it starts late and finishes early.

London Buses

The London Buses has been part of the public transportation since 1829. It is cheap, efficient, and part of the zone system. The buses travel to many routes and bus stops, with the hopper fare allowing you to take many rides at a low price. 

If you have a travel card, you can use it in all of London, even from zone 1 to zone 6.

Emirates Air Line (Cable Car)

The London cable car is known as Dangleway, but today, it is called the Emirates cable car as its sponsored Emirates. The cable car links across the River Thames, London, England.  It is about 90 m ft, offering panoramic views of London city. The cable car is part of the Tlf transport system traveling from Greenwich to Royal Victoria Dock.

The cable car travels to all London zones.

The River Bus

The river bus has six routes from 23 piers between Putney and Woolwich. It is operated by Upper Boat by Thames Clippers. The river bus is a covered boat with an open outside deck area. There’s a place to eat and enjoy snacks, too. You can get access to toilets too. Bikes are allowed, and dogs need to be on a lead.

The boat departs every 20 minutes; therefore, plan your journey for the zones in London. The River Bus is among the best ways to enjoy London’s riverfront and scenic beauty.

How to pay for the  London travel zones

The most common modes of payment for traveling on London transport systems are listed below:

Travelcards

Travel cards are available on a weekly and monthly pass, giving you unlimited travel on trams and buses.

 It is valid in all London zones. It is a bit more expensive than an Oyster card. They can be loaded into your Oyster cards.

To travel from Zone 1 to Zone 3, you will need a Zone 1-3 travel card. 

A Day Travel Card Cost

• Zones 1-2: Cost £15.20
• Zones 1-3: Cost £15.20
• Zone 1-4: Cost £15.20
• Zone 1-5: Cost £21.50
• Zone 1-6: Cost £21.50

Oyster Cards

The visitor oyster card is the only card offering discounts on all London fare zones. It’s non-refundable. The regular oyster card is a card that doesn’t expire. It is refundable with a £5 security deposit. The top-up costs £5, and the card price is £7. It is available at all tubes, most overground and Elizabeth line stations, and DLR stations.

Oyster cards are not accepted between Reading and Iver.

A Day Oyster Card Cost

Zones 1-2: Cost £8.10

Zones 1-3: Cost £9.60

Zone 1-4: Cost £11.70

Zone 1-5: Cost £13.90

Zone 1-6: Cost £14.90

Contactless Payment

A foreign card is accepted as a form of contactless payment option. It can be a credit/debit card, and you can make countless purchases. The card can be used to pay for all modes of public transportation. If you have used an Oyster card, it works similarly. You can swipe at the ticket barriers at the start and end of your journey. Make sure you keep track of the cost of the ride.

Add supported payment to Apple Pay and swipe through iPhone or watch.

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