London Travelcard Prices 2024 - One Day, Weekly & Monthly Pass

  • Adult travelcards
  • Child travelcards

What is a travelcard?

How long does a travelcard last.

  • Anytime and off-peak
  • Where to buy travelcards
  • Are travelcards the cheapest way to travel?
  • Where to use travelcards
  • Using travelcards on the bus
  • Using travelcards on the train
  • Which is best: travelcards or Oyster?

Travelcard prices for children

London travelcards come in two different types. The cheapest version just covers buses and trams, whilst the more expensive one includes the trains as well.

Travelcard printed on orange National Rail paper

Travelcards bought at a National Rail station (the big overground hubs like Waterloo , shown with a symbol on the London underground map ) are printed on orange paper. Travelcards bought at an underground station are printed on pink paper. Other than the colour of the paper, there is no difference between the two. It’s also possible to load a travel card onto a blue Oyster card . (Note: It is not possible to load them onto a Visitor Oyster card or contactless card .)

Travelcard printed on TFL paper

If you buy a pass that includes the trains then you will also have to choose which fare zones you want it to cover. If you buy a one day travelcard then you’ll only have three options: zones 1-4, zones 1-6 or zones 1-9. If you buy a weekly, monthly or annual travelcard then you can choose a combination of different zones between 1-9.

Important note: there are no trams in central London, only in zone 3 and beyond (in places like Beckenham, Croydon and Wimbledon). So if you buy a zone 1-2 travelcard then you won’t find any trams to travel on.

What are the benefits of a travelcard?

  • London travelcards can cover one day, one week, one month or one year, depending on how long you’re staying in London
  • They’re very easy for tourists to understand: you simply choose the zones and dates you want it to cover, pay once, and then you can make an unlimited number of journeys between those dates
  • Depending on which one you buy, travelcards can be valid on the tram, bus , Docklands Light Railway, London Underground , London Overground, TFL Rail and National Rail
  • You can also benefit from a discounted fare on the cable car and Thames Clipper riverboat

What are the downsides of a travelcard?

  • Depending on how many journeys you make, you might find that Oyster prices and contactless prices are cheaper than travelcard prices
  • You’re only allowed to travel in the fare zones you chose at the start. If you later decide to travel outside the zones then you’ll have to buy a completely separate ticket
  • Two people are not allowed to share one travelcard
  • If you lose a paper travelcard then there’s no way of replacing it, or getting your money back

A travelcard lasts for one day , one week , one month or one year , and you choose which one you want when you buy it. You can then travel as many times as you like during that period.

You always have to choose a start date when you buy it. The date can be in the future, but it’s not possible to buy a dateless card.

One Day Travelcards (Anytime) – Valid for the date shown on the ticket, plus any journeys that start before 4.30 AM the next morning

One Day Travelcards (Off-peak) – Valid for the date shown on the ticket, but only after 9.30 AM on Mon-Fri, plus any journeys that start before 4.30 AM the next morning

Weekly, Monthly & Annual Travelcards – Valid between the start date and end date shown on the ticket. And they all have to be consecutive days (it’s not possible to buy a 7 day travel card that skips a day in the middle, for example).

Can two people share one travelcard?

No . Two people are not allowed to share one travelcard between them. And you can’t share an Oyster card that has a travelcard loaded on to it either.

What time is Anytime and Off-Peak?

Anytime – Anytime is valid for the dates shown on the ticket, and up to 4.30 AM the following morning. (So if your travelcard expires on the 10th, you can actually travel up to 4.30 AM on the 11th.)

Off-Peak – Off-Peak travelcard holders are restricted to travelling after 9:30 AM on Mon-Fri, but can travel at anytime during the weekend or on a public holiday.

Is it cheaper to use a travelcard?

Travelcards are not always the cheapest way to travel in London.

1-Day Travelcards – The Oyster daily cap and contactless daily cap are always cheaper than a one day travelcard (by around two-thirds).

Weekly Travelcards – Weekly travelcards are always cheaper than buying seven one day travel cards, but whether it works out cheaper than the Oyster card weekly cap depends on how many journeys you make. If you make two or more journeys on each of the seven days, or three or more journeys on six of the days, then a weekly travelcard is likely cheaper. But the only way of knowing for sure is to add up all your journeys on a calculator (sorry!).

Monthly Travelcards – Monthly travelcards are always cheaper than buying four weekly travel cards.

Annual Travelcards – Annnual passes give you 12 months travel for the price of ten and a half.

Where can you use a travelcard?

Buses – All travelcards are valid on TFL buses , regardless of which zones they cover. That’s because buses don’t have zones. So if you buy a zone 1-4 travelcard then you can ride the trams and trains in zones 1-4, but you can ride the buses all the way out to zone 6.

Trams – Bus & Tram travelcards don’t have zones, so they’re valid on all the buses, and all the trams. But Train, Bus & Tram travelcards are only valid on the trams if they cover zones 3 and beyond, because there aren’t any trams in zones 1-2.

London Underground, London Overground, Docklands Light Railway, TFL Rail, National Rail – A Train, Bus & Tram travelcard is valid on all of these trains as long as it covers the right zones (you choose which zones you want when you buy it). The exceptions are the Heathrow Express, Gatwick Express and Stansted Express, Heathrow Connect to Hayes and Harlington, and high-speed Southeastern services between St. Pancras and Stratford .

IFS Cloud Cable Car – You can’t actually use your travelcard to ride the cable car , but if you present it at the ticket window you’ll get a 25% discount off the price.

Thames Clipper – You can’t use it on the Thames Clipper river boat service either, but if you show it at the window you’ll get a 33% discount off some of the fares.

Where can you buy a travelcard?

Day Travelcards (for Bus & Tram only) – It’s not possible to buy a day travelcard for the Bus & Tram from the TFL website. It’s not possible to buy one in advance either. You can only purchase them on the day of travel from a train station or London Visitor Centre.

There are seven Visitor Centres in London: Euston station , King’s Cross , Liverpool Street , Paddington , Piccadilly Circus , Victoria and Heathrow airport.

These will always come as a paper ticket.

You can also buy a Bus & Tram pass from an Oyster Ticket Stop, but these ones will be put onto an Oyster card instead. Oyster Ticket Stops are just normal shops (usually newsagents) which have a blue Oyster sticker in their window. (Note: The usual £7 deposit will apply if you need to buy a new Oyster card, which will come on top of the day travelcard price. It is not possible to load a travelcard onto a London Visitor Oyster Card .)

Day travelcards do not require a photocard.

Day Travelcards (for Bus, Tram & Train) – Paper tickets for the Bus, Tram & Train are available to buy online from the TFL website and from train stations and Visitor Centres.

Group Day Travelcards – Group Day Travelcards can be ordered from the TFL website . They only last for one day and you need to be travelling in a group of at least ten people during off-peak hours (after 9:30 AM Mon-Fri, or any time during the weekend).

Weekly Travelcards – Weekly Travelcards can be bought online at TFL’s Visitor Shop , You can also have it loaded onto your Oyster card at a train station, Oyster Ticket Stop, London Visitor Centre or TFL’s Oyster website (but you need to set up an Oyster account with them first).

Weekly travelcards do not require a photocard.

Monthly Travelcards – Monthly Travelcards can be loaded onto your Oyster card at train stations, Oyster Ticket Stops, London Visitor Centres and TFL’s Oyster website .

Annual Travelcards – Annual travelcards can be loaded onto your London Oyster card at TFL’s Oyster website , and most London Overground, TFL Rail and National Rail stations… but not London Underground stations, London Visitor Centres or Oyster Ticket Stops.

What zone travelcard do you need?

Most tourists will choose a travelcard that covers zones 1-2, which covers the touristy heart of London.

Zone 3 is for places like Highgate Cemetery , Kew Gardens , Wimbledon and London City Airport . Zone 4 will take you to Wembley Stadium . And if you’re flying into Heathrow then you might need a zone 1-6 travelcard.

How do you use a travelcard on a bus?

Oyster card reader on a bus

Using a travelcard on a London bus is easy. If you have a paper travelcard then just show it to the driver as you board the bus.

If you have an Oyster travelcard then touch it against the big round yellow reader by the front door (some buses also have Oyster readers by the middle door and back door). There’s no need to touch the travel card down again when you leave the bus – you only have to do that for trains.

How do you use a travelcard on a train?

Contactless card reader at a train station

Using a travelcard on the London Underground is easy. If you have a paper travelcard then just insert it face-up into the slot at the front of the barrier. The same ticket will then pop out of the slot on the top. The gate won’t open until you remove your travelcard from that slot.

If you have an Oyster travelcard then all you have to do is wave it in front of the big round yellow reader and the gate will open automatically.

Which is better: Travelcards or Oyster?

TFL travelcards are very easy to understand – you simply choose the starting date, the duration, which zones you need (probably just zones 1-2 if you’re here on holiday), and then you pay just once and can make an unlimited number of journeys until the travel card expires.

The downside is that travelcards are only available for fixed periods – either one day, one week, one month or one year – so if you’re visiting for a different number of days then you’re better off buying an Oyster card .

Train travelcards are also limited to the zones you buy it for, so if you decide to make an extra journey out of the blue then you’ll have to buy a completely different ticket, whereas the pay-as-you-go credit on an Oyster card can be used in all zones.

London Squire book

Your comments and questions

CC Hi, I want to know if I buy the one day card does it means it lasts 24 hrs? Or just till midnight of the day I purchase it?

Staff Hi CC. It actually lasts until 4.30 AM the next morning. So if it's dated for the 1st, it will last until 4.30 AM on the 2nd.

Leanne Hi there, I am travelling to London with 3 children aged 8, 10 & 11 and will need a travelcard that will cover us all. We have a few things planned but im not sure of which travelcards I need and for which zones? We will need to travel from Paddington station to Waterloo, and will be visiting the Cambridge Theatre and also Knightsbridge. Is it possible to buy a 3 day ticket that will cover those areas? Ive not been to London before so would like to plan as much as I can in advance. Thank you

Staff Hi Leanne. It's not possible to buy a 3-day card unfortunately - they only come as 1-day or weekly cards (or monthly). And the only travelcard that covers multiple people is the Group Day Travelcard, but that's for a minimum of ten people. The good news is that your 8 and 10 year old will travel for free on the tube, so I recommend that you use your contactless bank card, and you get an Oyster card for your 11 year old. That's because contactless and oyster fares are cheaper. The most you will pay each day is the 'daily cap' for zone 1, which is less than the cost of a 1-day travelcard (all of the places you mentioned are inside zone 1). Unfortunately you will also have to pay a £5 deposit the first time you buy a new Oyster card - but you can claim that back at the self-service ticket machine at the end if you want.

Leanne Thank you very much, that's very helpful

Csaba Is it possible to buy a new Oystercard and put a 7-day Travelcard on it at the newsagents generally? Do I have to have a minimum pay-as-you-go balance on it if using a Travelcard loaded onto my Oystercard?

Staff Hi Csaba. You can just have the travelcard on your Oyster card if you want. There's no need to have any pay-as-you-go credit on there as well, but you can do that as well if you want. You should be able to do it at any newsagent displaying the Oyster symbol in their window - not all of them have it.

Lafont If I have a travelcard on my Oyster card for zones 1 and 2, and I want to visit Hampton Court, how to proceed.

Staff Hi Lafont. Hampton Court is in zone 6, so you just need to add some pay-as-you-credit onto the same card to cover zones 2-6. You can see that fare here - city-guide.london/​transport/​adult-train-fares.php . When you tap it down on the gate the computer will recognise that the travelcard already covers zones 1&2 and just use the credit for the extra bit.

Pamela Laurie I need only a paper 1 day Oyster ticket, is it over 24 hours from when you buy it? ie. 12am one day till 12 am next day ?

Staff Hi Pamela. You buy it for a particular date. It will then last for the whole of that date, and up to 4.30 AM the next morning.

Ch What time can you use your travelcard from on a Sunday?

Staff Hi Ch. If it's a 1-day card then it's all day Sunday, right up to 4.30 AM Monday morning. If it was a midweek one then it would be different, because there are two cards available midweek: anytime and off-peak. The off-peak ones wouldn't start until 9.30 AM

Awi If I buy a zone 1-6 travelcard from Vauxhall rail station will that entitle me to the National Rail 2for1 promotion? Thanks

Staff Hi Awi. You have to be careful because you need a National Rail paper ticket for the 2for1 offer. Don't buy it from the underground station because then it will be a TFL ticket. That won't be valid. Buy it upstairs from the National Rail windows, and make sure they give you a paper ticket rather than putting it on an Oyster card, because that won't be valid either.

Diane Can you use a one day travelcard on any of the London tour buses?

Staff Hi Diane. No, sightseeing tour buses have got nothing to do with normal buses, so you'll have to buy a ticket from them.

Cathy If I buy a weekly travelcard from a train station, will the start day to use to card be the day I buy it? Or can I tell the counter staff which day I would like to start to use the travelcard? For example, I want to buy the paper travelcard at London Paddington Station on July 1st and I would like to start using it on July 6th. Is it possible? Thanks for your help.

Staff Hi Cathy. Sure. You can tell them which date you want it to start. It doesn't have to be the same day that you buy it. Paper tickets will then have the start date printed on the front.

Elle Hi, With weekly travelcards, do I need to get an identity card to go with it? Thanks

Staff Hi Elle. Not if you're an adult, no. You only need to provide a passport photo for monthly and annual travelcards, but not weekly ones. And a child would need a photocard

Ray Does the one day travelcard include journeys to Heathrow? Thank you Ray.

Staff Hi Ray. You have to choose the zones when you buy it. If you choose the one that covers zones 1-6 (or 1-9) then it will.

Cozzieanne Hi there, I'm soon going to be travelling four times a week from Ealing Broadway to Leytonstone station on the Central Line. If I buy an annual Zones 2-9 travelcard, does that mean that I can get on and off at literally any stop, on any line, at any time, as long as I'm within those zones? And does it include buses? Thank you! Cozzieanne

Staff Hi Cozzieanna. A zone 2-9 travelcard won't get you from Ealing Broadway to Leytonstone on the central line, because that journey goes straight through zone 1, so you'll need a zone 1-9 instead (actually, you only really need a 1-3 for that journey, unless you've got some other plans out to zone 9 that you haven't mentioned). A zone 1-9 travelcard will let you get on and off at any stop within zones 1-9, at any time, as many times as you like. And you can use it on the bus as well.

Graham Can a London Travelcard be used on both the Underground and on Network Rail trains? I'm planning to travel from Baker Street to Monument on the Circle Line, then from London Bridge to Waterloo East on normal Network Rail. Is the Travelcard valid for both journeys?

Staff Hi Graham, It works on both the underground and National Rail trains within the zones you buy it for. So assuming your travelcard covers zone 1 (which all those journeys are in), then it will be fine

Harmeen I just want to know that if I opt for a weekly travelcard for Zone 1 and 2, how many trips am I allowed in a week?

Staff Hi Harmeen. As many as you like. There's no limit with travelcards

Lailiyah McInnes Can I buy weekly travel card to London zone 1-2 and5? And how much the cost weekly and monthly .I just from Bromley south to Victoria to Fulham

Staff Hi Lailiyah. You can buy one for zones 1to5 (price is in the table above), but not zones 1,2+5. They don't sell one for just zone 5 on its own either. If you really wanted to then you could put a zone 1-2 travelcard on your oyster card, and then top it up with some pay-as-you-go credit as well. Then every time you tap it down on the gate the computer will recognise that you have a travelcard for zones 1-2, and only take the fare for zones 2-5 from the pay-as-you-go credit

Heather Is there a student discount on Oyster cards.

Staff Hi Heather. There is a discount, but you have to apply for an 18+ Student Oyster photocard to get them. All the details are here - tfl.gov.uk/​fares/​free-and-discounted-travel/18-plus-student-oyster-photocard

amar Can I use oyster card on traine

Staff Hi Amar. You can, yes. But it depends what train you’re talking about. It has to be within the Oyster zones. If you're talking about putting a travelcard onto an oyster card, then the train will have to be in the zones you buy the travelcard for

Jerry I need Travelcard from zone 2 to 8. How can I get one?

Staff Hi Jerry. It sounds a bit bonkers, but they don't sell travelcards for zones 2-8. You can get one for zones 1-8, or zones 2-9 instead which is a bit cheaper

Jerry I don`t understand why I have to pay more for something what we don`t need.

Staff Maybe you could try using a contactless card instead, because there's a cap for zones 2-8 on that. But if you want the weekly cap then it only works from Mon-Sun (not Tue-Mon, or any other combination of 7 days) - city-guide.london/​transport/​contactless-cards.php

Bob Scrivener Where do you find a zone map?

Staff Hi Bob. Here's one - content.tfl.gov.uk/standard-tube-map.pdf

Nigel Hi, I plan to come to London in the Autumn. It looks as if I’ll need to travel in zones 1-3 between my University and accommodation. Can you advise what the weekly cost is for a travel card

Staff Hi Nigel. All the prices are shown in the table above - at the moment it's £43:50 for zones 1-3

Karen Wilce Are there any concessions

Staff Hi Karen. If you mean senior concessions then you can get something called a Freedom Pass or a 60+ Oyster card, but you need to live in a London borough to qualify. If you live outside London then you can get a Senior Railcard. There are more details here - city-guide.london/​transport/​senior-train-fares.php

Theresa I have a monthly travel card zones 1 to 4, but i need to get to zone 6, what do i need to do.

Staff Hi Theresa. Assuming that it’s on an Oyster card, all you have to do is go up to a ticket machine and load some pay-as-you-go credit on to it. When you tap down on the gate the computer will recognise that the travelcard already covers zones 1-4 and just charge for the extra zones. You can see the price on our Oyster card page - city-guide.london/​transport/​oyster-cards.php

Anita Ganea My daughter is a 2nd year university student living in London, travelling to university and also to her place of work. She has now got a student oyster card and also has a 1/3 16-25 railcard. Does she have to link these to get the full benefits of the oyster card. I said that her travel will be a 1/3 cheaper if she gets the oyster card but obviously if she uses it as a pay as you go it is still the same, why is this?

Staff Hi Anita. She needs to get the railcard loaded onto her Oyster card, then she can use the Oyster card like normal and it will charge the discounted fares. She needs to take both cards to a London Underground station and then ask a member of TFL staff to load it on. You can usually find one standing behind the ticket barriers. Bear in mind that she doesn't get a discount on all Oyster fares, just off-peak ones, and zone 1-9 travelcards (if bought together with another National Rail ticket) - full details here 16-25railcard.co.uk/​using-your-railcard/​travel-times-tickets/

Steven Gatting Hi folks,,, returning uk resident arriving with Family from US for 7 day visit covering all areas on tube. Kis are 10. 14 and 16 . Shall I just get 7 day travel cards.Will be making plenty travel around the tube on all days. Thanks Steve Gatting

Staff Hi Steven, if you’re staying seven days then a weekly travelcard usually works out cheapest if you’re making at least two or more journeys on each of the seven days, or three or more journeys on six days, but it depends what zones you buy (most people only need zones 1-2). Your 10 year old will travel for free, but bear in mind your 14 and 16 year olds will have to pay for adult passes because it won’t be worth paying out extra for photocards to qualify for the kid prices.

Michael Just to make sure it will work: I want to buy a weekly 1-2 zones paper travel card at Paddington railway station. All I need is to bring £37 and paper-sized photo, right? No need to buy Oyster card or something like that?

Staff Hi Michael. You can only get a paper travelcard if it’s a 1-day travelcard. Weekly ones will go onto an Oyster card. If you don’t have an Oyster card you’ll have to go to an Oyster Ticket stop shop (newsagent) in the National Rail part of Paddington (and pay £5 deposit for a new card on top). The underground bit only has self-service machines. If you do have an Oyster card then you can load it on at a self-service machine. You don’t need a photo

Selina Rahman Hi, If I want to travel from Woodford to Bermondsey by train and then bus from Bermondsey to Bricklayer's Arms by bus, can I buy a weekly oyster card from zone 2-4? If not, please suggest how I can make this journey with the most economical option? Thanks,

Staff Hi Selina. Thats okay for Woodfood to Bermondsey (assuming you don't choose a route that passes through zone 1). theres more than one bricklayers arm’s in london so we don't know which one you're talking about, but it should be alright because buses don’t have zones. all travelcards are valid for bus travel in zones 1-6, regardless of which zones they cover

Polya Genova Why when I transfer via Wimbledon from Streatham to Fulham Broadway I am overcharged for zone 1.??? I notice 3 times on my way going but mot charge in my way back. The pink rider was no clear sound.

Staff Hi Polya. You're only supposed to tap down on the pink readers if your journey would normally take you across London through zone 1, and you're changing trains to bypass zone 1. But the journey you're doing wouldn't normally go through zone 1 anyway, so I would stop tapping down on the pink reader and see if that helps - just tap down at the beginning and end of your journey instead

Lorraine I am travelling to london from Leigh on sea going to Wood Green station / Shepherd’s Bush there are 6 of us all together 2 adults 4 chikdren under 11 years we have bought the Kidszania tickets What would be the cheapest fares to travel on the tube

Staff Hi Lorraine. your national rail tickets would be separate, but if all four kids are under 11 then they travel for free on the tube, and the adults should just use their contactless cards to pay (oyster is the same price as contactless, but you have to pay a £7 deposit to get hold of the cards)

MR JOHN ROZNOWSKI Is there any discount for ENCTS pass holders who live outside London?

Staff Hi John. Not if you want to buy a travelcard, but you should be able to use it to travel for free on TFL buses (with time restrictions) if it has the red rose symbol on it. Theres some more information here - city-guide.london/​transport/​senior-bus-fares.php

Engrid Hello, Do children travel for free with a parent who purchases a travel card?

Staff Hi Engrid. Only if they’re under 11. They travel for free with a fare paying adult - city-guide.london/​transport/​child-train-fares.php

Pauline My partner and myself are travelling on Avanti train from Lancaster for the day.Can we buy I day travel cards when we buy our train tickets in Lancaster. Thankyou

Staff Hi Pauline, we cant really help with what’s for sale in Lancaster, but we doubt that the train company will sell them. But you’d be better off just using your contactless card to pay anyway (assuming that you both have one), because the ‘daily cap’ for contactless is half the price of a 1-day travelcard - city-guide.london/​transport/​adult-train-fares.php

John Evans RAIL CARDS OR SENIOR BUS PASS Are they valid with one day travel card off peak

Staff Hi John. A senior bus pass with the red rose symbol lets you travel for free on TFL buses, with time restrictions, but you cant use them to buy a travelcard, A Senior Railcard will give you a discount on “Anytime Day Travelcard Zones 1-9 when bought as part of ticket to London from outside London (subject to minimum fare)” - city-guide.london/​transport/​senior-train-fares.php

James allison Is their a pensioner discount

Staff Hi James. Not for travelcards, no, unless you have a senior railcard as mentioned in the comment above. But you can travel for free on the buses and trains if you have a freedom pass or 60+ oyster card (with time restrictions). More info here - city-guide.london/​transport/​senior-train-fares.php

Paul Hoelzley Good afternoon, We are Canadian seniors (82 & 76) and will be in London for 5 days early January 2023. Could you kindly help us and advise us on what is the cheapest card to use during our stay. There seem to be so many different choices and fares and this is very confusing to us. Thank you for taking the time to answer our question (s). Regards, Paul H.

Staff Hi Paul. A Visitor Oyster card will be the cheapest, and you can buy it online before you go and have it delivered to you in Canada - more information about that here: city-guide.london/​transport/​visitor-oyster-cards.php . You’ll have to choose how much credit you want on it, so just work out which fare zones you’ll be travelling through each day (most tourists just need zone 1), and look at the ‘daily cap’ for that zone in the fares chart. That will be the maximum you will be charged that day. Add up all the daily caps for the five days, and thats how much credit you’ll need. Alternatively… you can just buy a weekly travelcard when you arrive in London. You’ll lose a little bit of money, but its a lot less complicated because you can make unlimited journeys for the whole week

Mark Hi, we will be travelling to London from Melbourne in September. Four adults For five full days. We are flying into Gatewick. What is the best way to get to accommodation near Hyde park and where should we get recommended pass?

Staff Hi Mark. I would buy tickets for the Gatwick Express into Victoria on their website, and then get Visitor Oyster Cards for everyone and have them delivered to Australia before I travel. Oyster cards have the cheapest fares, and you can use them on the tube to wherever it is you're staying around Hyde Park. Info about where to get Visitor Oyster cards here - city-guide.london/​transport/​visitor-oyster-cards.php

Ali Need a travel pass ticket in London for tube and buss

Staff Hi Ali. We've explained how you can get one on this page

Jordi Hello, I'm going to travel to London for a 7 days in July. 2 adults and 1 of 14 years. We move for zones 1-3. Wich is the best option? and Where can I buy better?

Staff Hi Jordi. It depends how many journeys you're making. If you make two or more journeys on each of the seven days, or three or more journeys on six of the days, then a weekly travelcard should be cheaper. Otherwise the adults should use their contactless cards if they're from the UK, or Oyster cards if they're from abroad (which have the same fares as contactless, but you have to pay a £5 deposit on top). The 14-year old should get an Oyster card and have the 'Young Visitor Discount' applied to it, as explained on this page - city-guide.london/​transport/​child-train-fares.php

Keith Morgan How much will a 1-6 zone one day travelcard for 2 adults and two children with a family railcard

Staff Hi Keith. You dont get a discount if you buy the travelcard on its own. You need to be coming into London on another train. According to their terms: “With your Railcard you can get 1/3 off Anytime Day Travelcard when bought as part of your journey to London from outside London Zones 1-9 (subject to a minimum fare which is currently £20,30)” - familyandfriends-railcard.co.uk/​help/​faqs/

DEREK SPELLER Good afternoon.......we are travelling into Heathrow from Canada in August and staying in Paddington. The London Transport Travelcard will allow us onto the Tube at Heathrow but NOT the Heathrow to Paddington Airport Train.....am I correct?

Staff Hi Derek. That's correct, yes. You can use an Oyster card on the Heathrow Express, but not a travelcard. If you want to use a travelcard on the tube from heathrow to paddington then you'll have to get one covering zones 1-6

Muraleedharan vp Which are the places covered by differrnt zones?

Staff Zone 1-2 covers the central touristy part of London, which is good enough for 99% of tourists. but maybe you'll want zone 3 for kew, and zone 6 for heathrow

Reda Weekly travel card zone 2 to zone 4. Travelling from zone 4 to zone 4 without crossing zone 1 , why I got charged £2.50 at the end of the day.

Staff Hi Reda. Is the travelcard loaded onto an Oyster card? £2.50 is a zone 1 fare, so the only thing I can think of is that you didn’t tap out at the end.

B Walker Can I purchase a weekly anytime travel card as ticket? Not plastic oyster

Staff Hi B Walker. Only if you buy it online from the TFL shop - visitorshop.tfl.gov.uk/​en/​london-travelcard . If you buy it anywhere in London then it will be loaded onto an Oyster card.

Veronica We are a family of five traveling into London Kings Cross on 7th Oct children are aged 15,15,14, We are staying for 9 nights at Twickenham and will be travelling in/out London and going to attractions. What would be the best travel option?

Staff Hi Veronica. We always recommend that adults use their contactless bank card. (oyster cards have the same fares, but you have to pay a deposit on top.) and then get oyster cards for the kids. but get the ‘young visitor discount’ applied to the oyster cards when you arrive in London, which is explained here - city-guide.london/​transport/​child-train-fares.php

Veronica Which zone is Twickenham in. Should I order the child oyster card before we arrive and do they require a photo

Staff Its in zone 5. you can order it in advance if you want to, they don’t require a photo. its all explained on our oyster card page - city-guide.london/​transport/​oyster-cards.php

PEDRO Do foreign children between 11 and 15 have a discount with the one-day travelcard? I think no...

Staff Hi Pedro. They can do, but only if you get them an Oyster Zip photocard as well. But you have to pay extra for those, which will wipe out any savings you make. So we dont recommend getting one if its just a one-off visit - city-guide.london/​transport/​child-train-fares.php

Alex If I buy a travelcard at Heathrow and need to travel to Hammersmith but only on the next day do I need to make another journey (in zones 1 and 2), can I buy a 7 day travelcard at the same time as buying some PAYG but somehow POST-DATE the 7 day travelcard so it is only active from the NEXT day?

Staff Hi Alex. You can do. You always have to choose the start date when you buy a travelcard so i would do that first, then load some credit on after. Another way is to just buy a zone 1-2 travelcard at heathrow, from the first day, and load some extra credit on to cover the zones 2-6 bit

Alex Hello again. Travelling from Buckhurst Hill to Hampton Wick with a Zone 1-2 Travelcard and PAYG. I see this necessitates a National Rail Journey from Zone 1 to 6. Will it cost a Zone 1 to 6 fare from PAYG despite the travelcard because it's National Rail and not Overground/Underground? Does one have to check in/check out at a station on the border of zones 2-3? Pink card reader or something?

Staff As long as the National Rail station is within the oyster zones (which your stations are) then you can pay with a travelcard and oyster - theres no difference. you dont have to tap down on a pink reader. you only use those if you're making a detour to avoid zone 1, on a journey that would normally go through zone 1. you just have to tap down at the beginning and end of your journey like normal

ELHAMUDDIN ZAHID Hello I am student and have class two days a week and live in zone 5 which option will be cheap for me. Many thanks

Staff Hi Elhamuddin. The easiest and cheapest thing to do is to just use your contactless card - city-guide.london/​transport/​contactless-cards.php

Alex Hi. I just phoned up TFL and got my PAYG balance refunded (£8:70) from my oyster into bank account. I'm no longer on London and couldn't do it at machine in London as I still had a valid travelcard on my last day! Now the oyster card has been removed from the app! Is the card still valid should I return to London in the future? Or did refunding the PAYG balance cancel the card? I paid £7 for the card. Perhaps they canceled the card and refunded the £7 as well as the £8:70?

Staff Hi Alex. The card gets voided at the same time as the refund, so you wont be able to use it anymore. The deposit would have been converted into PAYG credit after 12 months, but if you've had it less than that then you don't get it back.

JOHN Hello everyone, I have a crucial to me question that puzzles me when I try to buy online a London weekly anytime travelcard for my planned trip to London next month, i.e. November 2022, landing at Heathrow airport. As far as I understand, a 7-Days (weekly) London anytime travelcard does not have a peak, or, off-peak option (As 1-day travelcards do). They are valid throughout the whole day (And, if I am not mistaken valid until 04:30 am of the next day after their expiry). I am trying to buy the card from abroad (within EU) prior my arrival & ordering it to be mailed to my home country. I choose adult, Ticket Duration = 7 Day (only option), Ticket Zone = Zones 1-6, Then it requires me to choose (Under: “Admission)” an option, BUT, the only option available in the: “Peak”. Then date of first use which I provide and then the total price is £70.30. Question is, in the field entitled: “Admission” the only option being: “Peak”, What do they mean by the word: Peak ? If I choose Peak (the only option available) will I purchase a weekly anytime travelcard that I will be able to use throughout the whole day, OR, will I be able to ONLY use it during Peak hours (i.e. prior 09:30 am) which does NOT make any sense as a 7-Days (weekly) anytime travelcard (As the name clearly states) is valid throughout the whole day ? I am at a loss. What do they mean by the option: Peak ? Can somebody please help me ? Many thanks in advance for your time & effort. Looking forward to your reply/assistance. Many thanks & Best Regards

Staff Hi John. The way they've worded it does look a bit confusing (they should have called it 'anytime') but it will definitely be valid for an entire week, both off-peak and peak hours. That's the only version you can buy for a weekly travelcard.

JOHN Many thanks for your reply ref London weekly anytime travelcard. Much appreciated. If I land to Heathrow during weekend will I be able to buy a London weekly anytime travelcard from Heathrow Visitor Center, OR, from a Heathrow ticket machine ? In this case do I need an oyster card ? Can I use the very same card to travel (By tube and/or overground rail) from, AND, to Heathrow airport (E.g. Heathrow to Waterloo)? In the latter case, are there any specific tube/overground trains I cannot use, i.e. express ? Many thanks in advance for your time & effort. Looking forward to your reply/assistance. Many thanks & Best Regards

Staff You won't be able to buy a paper travelcard at Heathrow, but you will be able to get one loaded onto an Oyster card. Assuming that you haven't got an Oyster card already, that will add another £7 deposit on top. But if you do get an Oyster card then you may as well forget the travelcard and load some credit onto it instead, and pay normal Oyster fares, which might work out cheaper depending on how many days you're staying. Oyster credit can be used on buses and trains in all the zones, including Heathrow. But if you catch the Heathrow Express then the credit will be used to pay the normal Heathrow Express fare instead (rather than a cheaper Oyster fare - you'd have to catch the tube for that). More info about all that here - city-guide.london/​transport/​oyster-cards.php - If you want a paper travelcard then your only option is to get it from the TFL site and have it posted to you.

Matt Greer Are weekly travelcards discontinuing in January 2023? If so, what is replacing it for tourist weekly travel?

Staff Hi Matt. There was talk about scrapping them last year as well, but nothing has happened so far. If they do disappear then people will have to use the weekly cap on Oyster and contactless instead (which is the same price as a weekly travelcard). So tourists will have to buy an Oyster card.

Eva Ticket type Hi, I found Super Off-Peak Day Travelcardincludes London Travelcard with Travel conditions Same day return off-peak travel including unlimited bus, tube, tram and DLR journeys around London. I would like to use with the 2 for 1 promotion wisiting London Eye. I would like to be sure that this train ticket is accepted by them. thank you

Staff Hi Eva. It has to be from a National Rail station rather than an underground station (so it has to be printed on orange paper), and you have to book the London Eye in advance rather than turn up on the day. You can check the ticket here - daysoutguide.co.uk/​travel-by-train/​is-my-ticket-valid-for-2for1-and-other-offers

Muhammad Athar Masood I am coming to London on March 29 and shall stay here upto April 11. During my stay, I intend to travel in almost all zones of the city using bus, tube, tram or train whichever convenient. Please guide me if should buy a Travle Card or an Oyester Card.

Staff Hi Muhammad. Price-wise you're probably going to be better off with an Oyster card rather than a travelcard, but there are advantages and disadvantages to each. Have a read of this page which explains them all - city-guide.london/​transport/​oyster-contactless-travelcard-comparison.php

Sandr Hi, Me and my husband are coming to London with our kids age 8,15,16.We will be there one week.Is the seven days travelcard best options for us?

Staff Hi Sandr. Travelcards usually work out cheaper if you make 2 or more journeys on each of the 7 days, or three or more on 6 of the days. Otherwise you’ll be better off with Oyster cards (unless you have UK bank cards, then you can just use contactless instead)

Sandra Thank you very much for your answer.We surely will be using it more than 2 times a day.And my daughter age 8 doesn't have to have a travelcard?My daughter age 15 has a child travelcard?Does it have to be with a photo? Thanks for your help.

Staff You can only get a child travelcard if you have a child photocard, but you have to pay extra money for those which means you’d wipe out all the savings. So its not worth it. Your 8 year old travels for free. Its all explained on our child fares page - city-guide.london/​transport/​child-train-fares.php

Kathe Conway Hello, riding here i am curious, i will be in london for seven days thinking it is best to get a travel card, can you buy this at Heathrow ? Also if for one day I am traveling to zone four does it make more sense just to buy a single trip that day? sorry so confusing :)

Staff Hi Kathe. You can get it loaded on to an oyster card, but youll need the oyster card first. You can have a paper one posted to you if you order it online (even abroad - its all described in the ‘Where can you buy a travelcard?’ section above). If you want to use it from heathrow into central london that would be zones 1-6, which would also cover zone 4. You wouldnt be travelling zones 1-6 all week though, so it would be a bit of a waste of money. I would probably recommend getting an oyster card instead, which you can get from heathrow - city-guide.london/​transport/​oyster-cards.php

Giuluano Hi there, how much cost me a travel card zone 1to 6 on Sunday?

Staff Hi Giuluano. Sunday is off-peak so get the off-peak one - 15,20

Richard Can I buy the 1 day Travelcard at any national trainstation (planning for Knockholt)? As this is a requirement for 2for1

Staff Hi. Richard. You can, yes (assuming you mean one of the stations in London). But you have to get it from the windows/machines upstairs, in the National Rail part of the station. If you go downstairs to the London Underground part then it will be printed on different paper, which is no good for the offer.

Richard Thanks. Indeed we drive from SevenOaks to Knockholt national railstation, with our Diesel from the Netherlands, which I want to leave outside LEZ. Thus parking in Knockholt (which is in Zone 6) and then use for the Saturday and Sunday the 2 day paper travelcard. This should allow our group of 6 to have the cheapest means of transportation into London, benefitting from 2FOR1, as long as we purchase the cards at Knockholt national Railwaystation (Can we purchase them at this station!? ). Can you confirm this is the best strategy? Thx

Staff Knockholt is in zone 6, so they should sell them. Its not the cheapest way of travelling (using contactless/oyster would be cheaper) but you’d make all the money back and more from doing the 2-for-1 offer, so it sounds like a good plan. You can buy the off-peak ones if youre travelling at the weekend. And its definitely a lot cheaper than driving into london. If youre talking about this saturday and sunday remember the coronation is on, so everywhere will likely be packed

JOSE CARVALHO If I have a travelcard card for zones 1 and 2, and I want to go Canning Town (zone 2/3) and return, how to proceed.

Staff Hi Jose. if you coming from the direction of zone 1 or 2, and get off at Canning Town, then you're fine, your travelcard will cover the whole journey. If you’re going into zone 3 and your travelcard is on an oyster card, then you can just load on some extra pay-as-you-go credit to cover the fare for zone 2-3 (which can be seen here - city-guide.london/​transport/​adult-train-fares.php )

Lynn I am arriving in London from overseas and need just one train ticket from Paddington Station to Kings Cross Station. What is the best way to pay for this trip please

Staff Hi lynn. If it's just a one-off then I would buy a single ticket from the self-service machine in the station

Derek Scriven Is there still a concession on 1 day travelcards with a senior railcard?

Staff H Derek. There is, but only this specific one - "Anytime Day Travelcard Zones 1-9 when bought as part of ticket to London from outside London" - senior-railcard.co.uk/​using-your-railcard/​travel-times-tickets/

Richard I want to find out about the cheapest weekly cost for travel card from Brockley station to Reading.

Lala If I want to travel to London zones 1-6 and I need the weekly travel cards, how much is it and how do I buy it? I also have a 16-25 Railcard, can it be applied when buying?

Staff Hi Lala. the prices for zone 1-6 are all shown in the table at the top. The different ways to buy it are described under ‘Where can you buy travelcards’. The railcard wont get you a discount on a weekly travelcard. The only travelcard you can get a discount on is a “one day travelcard, zones 1-9, when bought together with a National Rail ticket to London (when coming from outside London)”

ALAN Can I use a Rail Travel Voucher issued by Transport for Wales for a cancelled journey to buy a TFL Travelcard?

Staff Hi Alan. I wouldn't imagine so, but it's probably best to ask Transport for Wales - tfw.wales/​help-and-contact/​rail/contact-us

Edward Gould Do I need a photo for an annual season travel card

Staff Hi Edward. You’ll need to get an oyster card and register it on the TFL website. You’ll then be able to buy the annual travelcard through that website and load it straight onto your card

Malcolm Oates What is price of off-peak one day travelcard zones 1-6 for a senior railcard holder. it was 34% off.

Staff Hi Malcom. The normal price is £15,20 and the discount would only apply if you bought the ticket as part of a longer National Rail journey from outside zones 1-9 - senior-railcard.co.uk/​about-the-railcard/​using-your-railcard/

Tahira If I bought a Train, Bus & Tram Travelcard covering zones 5-6, what buses would be covered? Will it always be buses up to zone 6? Or is my case different?

Staff Hi Tahira. Buses don't have zones, so whichever train travelcard you buy it will always cover buses in train zones 1-6

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What is a travelcard.

A Travelcard gives you unlimited travel within London zones 1-4 or 1-6 on the Underground, Overground, TfL Rail, Docklands Light Railway, buses, trams, and most National Rail services in London*.

You can also use your Travelcard to get discounted fares on the Emirates Air Line and a third off River Boat fares on selected services.

Which Travelcard is right for me?

Anytime day travelcard.

Use for the date issued all-day on the ticket right up until 04:30 the next day.

Off-Peak Day Travelcard

Use for the date issued from 09:30 (Monday to Friday), anytime on weekends or public holidays right up until 04:30 the next day.

Group Day Travelcard

Travelling as a group of 10 or more? Use for the date from 09:30 (Monday to Friday), anytime on weekends or public holidays right up until 04:30 the next day.

Travelcard season tickets

Your Travelcard season ticket can start any day of the week and you can travel right up until 04:30 on the day after your Travelcard expires.

Choose a seven-day, monthly, three-month, 6-month, custom or annual Travelcard season ticket.

How do I get a Travelcard?

Travelcards can be sold with an Anytime , Off-Peak , Super Off-Peak , Advance  or season  (except Flexi Season ) train ticket to London on our website, app or at your local station.

You can add London Travelcards to your SWR touch smartcard , making it easier for you to tap in and out across the capital.

*The small print

Travelcards can’t be used on services operated by Heathrow Express

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London Travelcard v Oyster Card v Contactless card in 2024

Make an informed choice on the right london travel pass for you.

London Travelcard versus Oyster card

For the visitor to London, the question of which travel pass to purchase can be confusing. Those living and working in London will almost always have an Oyster Card in their wallet and, as a general rule of thumb, the Oyster Card is the benchmark to be beaten, although people are fast migrating to contactless payment cards.

Many will have a long-term travel pass attached to the Oyster, and these can be valid for as short as a week or as long as a year.

Buying a single ticket for one journey is rare, you are penalised very heavily financially. A one-way single ticket on the Underground in Central London is double that of an Oyster fare and not far off the maximum you can pay in a day of unlimited rides using Oyster.

Where to use   Where to buy   Visitor Oyster   Returning the card   Cheapest option   Price caps   Fares   Concessions   Group tickets   Child fares

tootbus promo priced tickets sale London

On the buses buying a one-way ticket is just not an option offered.

The Contactless payment card is the newest option available along with mobile payments and the authorities hope this will become the dominant channel in the longer term. However for short-term visitors the adoption rate is far less and for good reason, especially if you are from overseas and do not have a British sterling or pound currency credit/debit card.

For the tourist or those making short visits to London there are aspects of the Travelcard that make them appealing and if understood can make Travelcards cheaper than Oyster cards or Contactless payment cards, especially if you are visiting the major sights on a first time visit.

So all in all it can be quite confusing for the visitor planning their visit to London to make an informed choice.

This page discusses the differences between Oyster, Contactless Payment Cards and Travelcards so you can identify the right product for you. Our detailed Travelcard , Contactless payment cards and Oyster card pages give a full explanation of each.

Where you can use London travel options

All three options, Oyster card, Contactless payment card and Travelcards cover the same London public transport, with the exception of Gatwick Airport (see below):

- The London Underground network.

- The London red local bus network.

- The railway network in Greater London.

- Docklands Light Railway, TfL Rail and Overground Railway.

- Heathrow Express

- Discount on many scheduled river services (though not Contactless payment card and fragmented implementation on Oyster/Travelcard).

Using Oyster and Travelcards on the Heathrow Express and other Heathrow services

From 19 February 2019, Oyster cards, contactless bank cards and mobile devices are accepted on the Heathrow Express. This will speed up the process of ticketing for this train for customers who can now enter with just a tap of your card on the ticket barrier. Prices are the same as buying your ticket at the station, with a single peak charged at £25 and off peak £22. You can save money by booking your tickets online in advance or in advance using the Heathrow Express app. Children aged 15 and under can use a Zip Oyster card to travel free on the service.

You can also use Travelcards on the London Underground and TFL Rail train services to Heathrow.

Using Oyster and Travelcards to and from Gatwick Airport

You can use Oyster or Contactless payment cards on the trains to/from Gatwick Airport but it may well be cheaper to buy tickets from the railways instead. You cannot use Travelcards to/from Gatwick Airport and it may be cheaper to travel using rail tickets between Gatwick and London than using Oyster.

Stansted, Southend, Luton airports and City Airport and London's public transport system

Stansted , Southend and Luton airports are outside London and beyond the scope of London public transport or TfL, so the airport buses and trains from these airports are not covered.

City Airport is serviced by the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) and is covered.

Ask Bob about Oyster Cards London

Differences in ease of purchase/charges

Both Oyster and Travelcard can be purchased on demand from Underground stations, Visitor Centres and literally hundreds of retail outlets, such as newsagents and convenience stores inside London.

There are few places outside London you can purchase them. Note at Underground and DLR stations there are no manned ticket desks, just ticket machines.

You can purchase Oyster cards and Travelcards online from the TfL online shop (banner link below) and have them delivered to your home address wherever in the world.

Oyster cards you purchase in this way are Visitor Oyster cards, the differences are explained further down the page.

Please note: Contactless payment cards are your normal personal credit/debit cards, so as long as your cards support the Contactless payment technology then you don't have to do anything. You just use your credit/debit card as an Oyster card.

Deposits & admin charges

When you buy a Visitor Oyster card you pay an activation fee (currently £5) which is not refundable. For standard Oyster cards purchased in London you pay a £7 deposit which is refundable (see Oyster v Visitor Oyster section below).

For short-term visitors, contactless payment cards and Travelcards are the only travel passes where you do not incur the deposit/admin charges of Oyster purchase.

Oyster Card v Visitor Oyster Card

Oyster Card

There are two types of Oyster card. If you buy in London you get the standard Oyster card. If you buy outside London, including airport trains and National Express coaches, overseas agents and online you will get a Visitor Oyster card.

Oyster & Visitor Oyster card differences - key facts

Oyster fares and caps are the same whether you use a standard Oyster or a Visitor Oyster, a common misconception.

For Visitor Oyster cards you pay an activation fee (£5 in 2024) which is non refundable. If you buy an Oyster card in London you pay £7 in 2024.

You cannot load 7 day Travelcards on Visitor Oyster cards only standard Oyster cards. If you are in London for 5 plus days having a 7 day Travelcard loaded on your Oyster can save you significant cash. For 5 days daily travel in London, Oysters and 7 day Travelcards for most visitors will be almost identical in price. For 6 or 7 days the sixth and seventh days are effectively free for a 7 day Travelcard compared to the Oyster total price.

At the end of your trip both Visitor Oyster cards and standard Oyster cards you can cancel at ticket machines and get any cash left on the Oyster refunded (in cash/coins).

For a standard Oyster card you can, if you wish, register online. With Visitor Oyster cards you cannot. The main advantages of being registered online is that if you lose your Oyster you can stop its use, you can get a good audit trail of your journeys and you can request a refund of cash left on your Oyster online direct into your bank account.

Visitor Oyster cards have “special offers” made available to purchasers, normally discounts on anything from food to theatre tickets relevant to visitors. Whether you would make use of any of these offers is another thing and the specifics of offers are often not clear.

Transport for London

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London Travelcard & Oyster Card

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

Returning your Oyster card at end of trip

If you plan on returning to London at some time then you can retain your Oyster and use it again on your return however far in the future.

Otherwise you will want to reclaim your Oyster deposit and any cash balance left on your Oyster or Visitor Oyster. You can do this using any ticket machine (though notably not at Gatwick Airport). The machine will cancel the Oyster card and refund your deposit plus any cash left on your Oyster up to £10.

If you forget to get the refund whilst in London you can post the Oyster card back to TfL customer services requesting the refund. For overseas visitors the big disadvantage is that the refund will be in the form of a cheque in British pounds.

This procedure is the same for both Oyster cards and Visitor Oyster cards.

Can I share Oyster cards? Do I need photo ID?

Only one person can travel with an Oyster card at any time. If 2 people are travelling together they need 2 Oyster cards. However, if you only have pay as you go credit on your card, another person can use your Oyster card when you are not travelling. If you have a Travelcard, Bus & Tram Pass or discount added to your Oyster card, you can't lend it to someone else.

No photo is required for an Oyster and your name is not stamped on the card.

You can register the Oyster card if you want but that is entirely voluntary. For concessions, principally child fares, a separate Oyster Photo ID card is often required if your child is 11 years or older and wants child fares (see bottom of the page).

No photo ID is required when you buy an Oyster card, except where children are concerned. You may well need an Oyster Photo ID card of one kind or another to access child rates. See the child concession table at the foot of this page for which one (if any) and fees.

No photo ID is required when you buy adult Travelcards from anywhere but railway stations.

For a 7 Day Travelcard or longer (adult or child) bought from a railway station ticket office (not Underground) you need to bring along a passport size photo for a rail photocard to be made up on the spot and free of charge.

7 Day Child Travelcard or longer bought from anywhere but a railway station or with TfL online shop requires an Oyster ID Card. Adults do not. See the child concession table at the foot of this page for which Oyster ID Card (if any) and fees.

Contactless payment cards - are your cards compatible?

Like all new technologies, compatibility and speed of introduction varies across the world. To make sure Contactless payment cards are even going to be an option for your credit/debit cards take a look at our Contactless payment card dedicated page linked below.

Also do remember if you are a visitor with a non-UK issued credit/debit card you'll probably be hit for foreign exchange charges by your card issuer like all other foreign purchases.

Contactless payment cards - more details

Oyster card compared with Contactless payment cards + Travelcard - which is cheapest?

As a general rule a Travelcard is more expensive than an Oyster card or Contactless payment card. The exception is if you make 3 or more journeys for 6 days or more within a 7 day period. In this case a 7 day Travelcard works out cheaper than an Oyster or Contactless payment card. Otherwise an Oyster on a Pay As You Go basis or a Contactless payment card is cheaper. If you are a resident or long-term visitor there are monthly and annual Travelcards.

You can load 7 day Travelcards onto an Oyster card and switch between Oyster Pay As You Go and Travelcard as your travel patterns change. You cannot do this on a Contactless payment card.

If you use a credit/debit card using Contactless payments whose home currency is not British pounds your card will be charged like any other overseas purchase so you should check whether you will be hit for punitive foreign exchange charges by your card issuer - there is a wide variance between different cards. The best cards have no fees.

If you have children under 16 year of age then your decision will probably be driven by access to child fares. Travelcards often give you access to child rates much easier than Oyster for short duration visits - see the getting child rates section further down this page.

Discount entitlements can't be added to a Contactless payment card. So if you are eligible for free or discounted travel, you should continue using your existing Oyster card. This in effect rules out children using Contactless payment methods.

If you are doing the sights in London like the Tower of London. London Eye, Madame Tussauds etc. then you really should read about the 2 for 1 admission promotion which Travelcards can qualify you for, but Oyster cards do not.

Oyster v Contactless payment cards v Travelcard peak & off peak travel - the differences

Price caps apply to Oyster cards and Contactless payment cards. A price cap is the maximum you can pay in any one calendar day (see next section down).

The 1 day Travelcard peak travel period is Monday to Friday before 9.30am, there is no afternoon peak period. If you travel in the peak period you need a peak 1 day Travelcard. The substantial variance in fares is detailed on the price table below. All Travelcards with a duration 7 days or longer cover both peak and off-peak times.

Oyster / Contactless payment cards price caps v Travelcard prices

Travelcards are a flat rate pass where you have unlimited rides for the time period purchased.

Oyster / Contactless payment cards are charged on a per journey basis but has a daily maximum you can be charged. Once you hit this 'price cap' through individual fares aggregating, you are charged no more for subsequent journeys made that day.

The daily Oyster/Contactless payment cards price cap is less than the cost of a 1 day Travelcard so over one day is cheaper. Over longer periods Travelcards can work out cheaper depending on your travel. For instance a 7 Day Travelcard is less expensive than an Oyster or Contactless payment cards if you travel 3 or more times each day for 6 days or more in a 7 day calendar period.

Travel zones

All travel (except the buses) is charged by the number of zones you travel through. Most tourists never get out of zones 1 and 2 where all the main sights and hotels are, but there are exceptions like Heathrow Airport in Zone 6. Look at the London Underground page for a full explanation and zone maps.

Using an Oyster card with a 7 day Travelcard loaded onto the Oyster card

Most visitors will just travel in the central zones, 1 and 2. If you are staying more than 5 days in Central London then a 7 day Travelcard zone 1-2 is probably going to be cheaper than just an Oyster card.

7 day Travelcards can be loaded onto your Oyster card and be used in combination with Oyster on a Pay As You Go basis for a single journey.

Note this flexibility is not available on Visitor Oyster cards or Contactless payment cards.

This is useful if you want to take the occasional trips outside the central area (zones 1 & 2), perhaps to Heathrow Airport in zone 6 from Central London in Zone 1. By loading some PAYG money onto your Oyster as well as the Travelcard zone 1-2 the ticketing system will recognise the zone 1 and 2 Travelcard for the zone 1 and 2 segment of the journey and take the fare for zones 3 to 6 from the Oyster PAYG amount on your card.

Similarly if you are staying in London for 9 days you might buy an Oyster Card and use it on a PAYG basis for 2 days and have a 7 day Travelcard loaded and use that for the remaining 7 days.

Price caps for Oyster & contactless card payments, compared to Travelcard prices

From 5 march 2023.

* Travelcard peak fares apply for any travel made Monday to Friday before 9.30am. All other travel is off-peak.

** Prices for a 7 day Travelcard. Also the 7 day cap for contactless payment cards between Monday to Sunday - not available on Oyster.

SPECIAL CAP FOR BUS TRAVEL ONLY: £5.70 (When you only travel on London's buses on 1 day).

CHILDREN'S OYSTER CAPS: Off-peak: £1.70 (zones 1-9). Peak: approx half of adult cap.

Oyster Card & Contactless Payment Card Fares - Compared to Single Cash Fares from 5 March 2023 - March 2024

No return fares.

ANY BUS JOURNEY: £1.75 (no fare zones)

* Peak fares apply Monday to Friday between 6.30am and 9.30am and 4pm to 7pm except public holidays

Should your journey not use TFL services (London buses/trams, Underground, Overground, DLR and TFL Rail), completely, for example part of your journey is via a different operator, most likely a railway company, then the standard Oyster/Contactless single fare based on zones may not be followed.

Children travel free if under 11 year old or are between 11 and 15 years with an Oyster 11-15 Photocard. On services operated by the railways such as Gatwick trains for example, only children under 5 travel free, child rate fares are available with the appropriate age Oyster Zip card.

Children's fares (11-15 yrs old) with an Oyster 11-15 Photocard on Oyster for any trip within zones 1 to 6 is £0.85 off peak, £0.90 peak

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 railways Seniors 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 onto a standard Oyster card (note, not a Visitors Oysters card) at an Underground station after showing your Seniors Card.

If you have a railways Seniors Railcard you can also buy 1 day off-peak zone 1-6 Travelcards at with the discount applied.

Child concessions

This is a complex subject and is covered in detail at the foot of the page. 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.

Child Fares - more details

Group tickets - 1-day Group Travelcard for groups of 10 or more

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 and read more on our page below.

Group Travelcards - more info

Group travelcard full details and prices in London for groups of 10+ people

Oyster versus Travelcard - getting child rate travel

One of the biggest nightmares for those on short visits to London with children is accessing child rate fares if they do not qualify for free travel.

Note child fares are not supported by Contactless payment cards.

If after reading the table below you find that you require an Oyster ID Card, then are taken aback by the cost and time required to obtain one for your child read on. These are your options for travelling without the Child Oyster ID Card (if your child is under 16) at child rate:

Pay for individual journeys at child rate

Buy an adult Oyster Card and load a Young Persons Discount onto it. For short-term visitors staying less than 14 days this is probably the best choice.

Purchase a 1 day Child Travelcard each day

Purchase your Travelcards or Oyster Cards online from the TfL online shop (banner below)

Purchase 7 Day Travelcards or longer from railway stations (you will need to bring a passport size photo with you for a railways photo card which is made up on the spot free of charge).

Children's Fare Concessions

London transfers between airports, cruise ports and hotels

PlanTripLondon – Things to do in London

London Travelcard

LONDON TRAVEL CARD

The London Travelcard is a transport pass which entitles you to unlimited travel on London’s public transport. You can use a travelcard to travel on the London Underground, overground, public buses, DLR (docklands light rail), TFL rail and other trains, as long as you travel within London’s travel zones.

It is designed for people who are planning on using London’s public transport a lot when visiting London or for people who commute into London on a daily basis. Still, a London Travelcard may sometimes not be the cheapest option even if does entitle you to unlimited travel.

London Travelcard: What do I need to know before I buy one?

When buying a London Travelcard there are three things that you need to know:

1. The duration of the card:

You can buy a travelcard for one day, 7 days, one month or annual.

2. The travel zones of London that will be using:

When you buy a travelcard you need to choose what travel zones you want use. If you are going to travel between zones 1 and 2, you will need a travelcard that is valid for these two zones, but if you are going to travel between zones 1 and 5 every day, you will need a travelcard that covers zones 1 to 5. This does not apply to travelling by bus, as any travelcard will allow you to travel on buses to and from any zone within London’s travel zones. So for example, if you have a travelcar for zones 1 and 2, you can still use a bus to get to zone 3 or zone 5 with that travelcard at no extra cost.

Most of London’s tourist attractions are located in zone 1, and only a few of the most popular attractions can be found outside zone 1, such as Camden Town Market which is in zone 2. Make sure you know what zone your hotel is in before you buy a travelcard.

3. Off-peak or Anytime

If you are buying a 1 day travelcard  (which we don’t normally recommend as an oyster card has a daily cap that is cheaper than a one day travelcard – see below) you will have to choose if you want it to travel anytime of the day, or just during off-peak times (Monday – Friday from 9.30 am; all day Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays).

This does not affect 1 day travelcards for zones 1 to 4, so if you are visiting London you probably don’t need to worry about this at all as you are unlikely to be travelling to zone 5, 6 or beyond.

Which Travelcard to buy if you are planning a trip to London

1 day travelcard.

The price of the 1 day London travelcard for zones 1, 1-2, 1-3 and 1-4 costs £15.20. We don’t normally recommend using the 1 day travelcard, as it is actually cheaper to use an oyster card, a visitor oyster card, or a contactless card as these payment methods have a daily cap. The daily cap applied to these zones are: £8.10 for travel within zones 1-2; £9.60 for zones 1-3 and £11.70 for zones 1-4. Once you have reached this daily cap you will be able to travel within the same travel zones for free. It is still necessary to tap in and tap out on the yellow reader with your oyster card, visitor oyster card or contactless card when using public transport.

Find out more about choosing between an oyster card, a travelcard or using contactless on London Transport here: Oyster card, Travelcard or Contactless .

7 day Travelcard

The 7 day travelcard for London travel zones 1-2 costs £40.70. When comparing oyster card/visitor oyster card/contactless fares to a 7 day travelcard, I would probably say that it is convenient to get a 7 day travelcard if you are going to be travelling around London for more than 6 days. If you are going to be in London less than 6 days then I would recommend using an oyster card (vistor oyster card or contactless if you are a UK resident).

Where to buy a London travelcard

london travel card week

Buying a London Travelcard at an underground station

It is possible to buy a London travelcard at any underground station in London, by either using a ticket machine at the ticket office or a manned desk in a the ticket office (if available). When you buy a 7 day, monthly or annual London travelcard at an underground station you will normally get an oyster card with the travelcard incorporated in it. So your oyster card will be pre-loaded with the travelcard you have chosen. This way you can also use this oyster card with pay as you go for any trips that are not included in the travelcard.

So, as an example, if you have a 7 day travelcard for zones 1 – 4 in your oyster card, you will be entitles to unlimited journeys within these  travel zones for 7 days, and you can use your oyster as you normally would, by touching in and touching out. But, if one day you need to go to zone 6, you will be able to use the same oyster with pay as you go balance. One example when this might happen, is if you arrive at Heathrow airport (zone 6) but you want to buy a 7 day travelcard for zones 1 – 4. It will be much cheaper to use they oyster card with pay as you go for the journey from Heathrow to central London and the journey from central London to Heathrow Airport on your last day and adding a 7 travelcard for zones 1 – 4, than using a 7 day travelcard for zones 1 – 6.

Buying a London Travelcard at a train station

It is possible to buy a London travelcard at any train station located inside London’s Travel Zones . When you buy a travelcard at a train station, you will normally get a paper travelcard and not an oyster card.

Stansted, Luton or Gatwick airports are all outside London’s Travel Zones so these stations won’t normally sell London travelcards.

Buy a London Travelcard online

One of the easiest ways to buy a London travelcard is by buying it online. The price is exactly the same as what it would cost you to buy it in London but you will pay a little extra for delivery.

Buy a London travelcard at Heathrow airport

London travelcard fares from 5th march 2023, travelcard for children.

Children under the age of 11 travel free within London travel zones. Children over 11 can also benefit from reduced fares; you can learn more about this in our article: Travelling in London with kids .

Find out more

For more information, visit London’s official transport website: Transport For London

Related Posts

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Explore London with a Visitor Oyster card

The Visitor Oyster card is your ticket to exploring the city and covers all your transport needs. It’s simple, easy to use, and activates upon entry at any ticket barrier. Just tap in on the circular yellow card reader and tap out again when you finish your journey.  

What are the perks of purchasing a Visitor Oyster card?

You'll have access to all London transport networks.

       ✔ London Underground (Tube)        ✔ Buses        ✔ Docklands Light Rail        ✔ Overground Trains        ✔ River Boat         ✔ Elizabeth Line

You can travel at any time of day, on any day of the week, around Central London.

It's the cheapest and most flexible travel around the city.

It saves the hassle of buying daily tickets: the Visitor Oyster card is your all-inclusive travel card.

You won’t be charged after your first three journeys thanks to its daily cap. 

Please note: children under 11 years of age can travel for free on London Transport with an adult holding a valid Visitor Oyster card.

london-graphic

Using your Visitor Oyster Card

The Visitor Oyster card is not stamped with a start or expiry date which means you can start using it whenever you want and any remaining credit can be used during any future trips to London. You can also easily top it up with cash or card at any TFL ticket counter.

Download the London Underground map

Plan your London tube journey in advance with a handy  London Underground map.

How much is a Travelcard?

A Visitor Oyster Card costs £5. You can then pre-load the card with pay-as-you-go credit, in quantities of £10, £15, £25, £40 or £50.

The Visitor Oyster card is the cheapest way of getting around London as the maximum daily charges mean you travel free after you reach the 'daily cap'.  

London Travel Zones

While London has a total of 9 zones expanding outwards from its center, most attractions on The London Pass can be found in  Zones 1–3 . The more zones you travel through, the more money is likely to be deducted from your Oyster credit. If you prefer a time based card, check out the  travel card prices . It's a good idea to check what zones you plan to travel between before you set off exploring.  Check out this handy tool here . Some visitors prefer to just be taken around. That's where our  Hop on Hop off Big Bus or Golden Tours  offer comes in handy.  

Visitor Oyster card FAQs

Below is an example itinerary of where you could go with your credit while visiting the wide range of London attractions included in The London Pass®.

Day 1: Zones: 1 – 2 Stay within central London for your first day and visit  Tower of London ,  Tower Bridge  and  Westminster Abbey  to discover the rich history and heritage of the capital. Then hop on a  River Cruise  at the end of the day to watch the sun go down from the Thames.

Day 2: Zones: 1 – 6 Travel further afield to the sprawling estate of  Hampton Court Palace , the former home of King Henry VIII. See the huge Tudor Kitchens, impressive gardens and maze and learn about the fascinating history of the British Royal Family between the 14th-18th centuries.

Day 3: Zones: 1 – 2 Spend the morning in the picturesque Royal Borough of Greenwich visiting the  Royal Observatory  and  Cutty Sark  before heading back into central London to see more royal attractions –  Kensington Palace .

Even in just three days you can travel across all of London's main zones and visit an impressive eight top London attractions. Thanks to the daily caps, your Visitor Oyster card will save you money.

If you need to add more credit to your Visitor Oyster card you can simply 'top up' at one of the machines in the stations, or by going to one of the Transport for London ticket desks. Any credit you don’t use can be kept on the Visitor Oyster card for use at a later date. If you want to claim a refund on any unused credit, visit a Transport for London ticket desk.

London’s transport network is broken into nine main zones, and each zone has a separate charge rate. But no matter which zone you travel across, any journeys after your third journey that day will not be charged – helping your credit last even longer.

Over 40 attractions included in the London Pass are in Central London Zone 1-2 but the Visitor Oyster card is valid to use across all London Zones 1-9.

This includes travel to and from Heathrow Airport and London City Airport. If you have chosen to get your Visitor Oyster card sent out to you before you arrive, you can use it to get into London.

Travel to Gatwick, Luton and Stansted Airports is not included.

Travelcard prices

View a price breakdown for the Visitor Oyster card per London Pass duration. Learn more

London transport zones

Plan ahead and determine which zones you'll need to visit. Plan your trip

Buy with confidence

Free cancellation.

Plans can change, we get it. All non-activated credits packages are eligible for a refund within 90 days of your purchase date.

Got a question?

Check out our FAQs or live chat with our customer service agents now

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Weekly and Monthly Travelcards excluding Zone 1

Weekly and Monthly Travelcards are available for zones excluding zone 1 (central London). So if you’re working, studying or visiting relatives in the suburbs of London, you don’t need a Travelcard including zone 1 unless you travel through zone 1 to reach your destination or enter or exit a station in zone 1.

Travelcards excluding zone 1 are cheaper and for occasional visits to the centre, you can top up your Oyster card with Pay as you go money to pay the difference between the zones your Travelcard covers and zone 1.

Top Tip: A Travelcard for any zone entitles you to travel by bus all over London, including central London (zone 1).

  • See where to buy a Travelcard
  • See London transport zones to find the zones you need
  • See Travelcard fares including zone 1

Zone 2–3,4,5 or 6 Travelcards from 3 March 2024

Zone 3–4,5 or 6 travelcards from 3 march 2024, zone 4–5 or 6 travelcards from 3 march 2024, zone 5–6 travelcards from 3 march 2024, related pages.

  • One day and weekly Travelcards including zone 1
  • Guide to London’s transport tickets
  • London transport zones

Last updated: 22 February 2024

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London travelcard cost for each zone and fare caps for individual journeys in 2023

Fares rose by 5.9 per cent back in March

  • 12:37, 17 APR 2023

Pay-as-you-go and travelcard fares rose by 5.9 per cent in March 2023

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Back in March 2023, London travelcard prices and rail fares saw a staggering 5.9 per cent increase - the biggest rise in over a decade. Fares across the country have seen hundreds of pounds added to the cost of many annual season tickets, and individual journeys or day travelcards now cost significantly more.

In London, TfL prices all went up with pay-as-you-go fares rising by an increase of 10p to 30p. The price increase also impacted bus and tram fares, daily and weekly caps, daily and weekly travelcards, river bus services and the IFS cloud cable car. The adult peak pay-as-you-go fare for a journey in Zone 1 is now £2.80, while for off-peak it is £2.70.

Before March 2023, a pay-as-you-go single fare was £1.65 on buses, now it is £1.95. The daily cap for zones 1 & 2 used to be £7.70 and a weekly cap of £38.50. Now, it is £8.10 daily and £ 40.70 weekly. In case you've lost track of the new costs, we've compiled a list of the cost of every single travel card in each TFL Zone as well as the maximum fares for a single journey.

READ MORE: Drivers warned of '20p hack' which could save you from being slapped with huge £10k fine

The price of travelcards and pay-as-you-go fares rose back in March

For a one-day anytime or one day off-peak journey it would cost you a maximum of £8.10. For a Monday to Sunday 7-day travelcard, it would cost £40.70 A one-day anytime travelcard would cost £15.20, the same for off-peak journeys. While a 7-day travelcard would cost £40.70, monthly it is £156.30 and annually it is £1,628.

Zone 1 and 2

A Zone 1 & 2 one day anytime journey costs a maximum of £8.10, the same as off-peak. It costs the same amount for a Zone 1 & 2 travelcard as it would for one covering just those individual zones, so £40.70 weekly, £156.30 monthly and £1,628 annually.

Zone 1, 2 and 3

In Zones 1-3 it costs a maximum of £9.60 for a one-day anytime and off-peak journey as if you are travelling within those three zones. It is £47.90 for a 7-day Monday to Sunday ticket. One day anytime or off-peak travelcards cost £15.20, or they are £47.90 for a 7-day, £184 monthly and £1,916 annually.

Zone 1, 2, 4 and 4

A one-day anytime ticket costs a maximum of £11.70, the same as off-peak. A 7-day Monday to Sunday travelcard costs £58.50. One day anytime or off-peak travelcards cost £15.20, or they are £224.70 monthly and £2,340 annually.

Zone 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

One day anytime journeys cost a maximum of £13.90, the same as off-peak and for a 7-day Monday to Sunday ticket it's £69.60. A one-day anytime travelcard costs £21.50 while an off-peak costs £15.20. While a 7-day costs £69.60, monthly it's £267.30 and annually it's £2,784.

Zone 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6

One day anytime costs a maximum of £14.90, the same for off-peak journeys. Monday to Sunday 7-day travelcards cost £74.90. A one-day anytime travelcard costs £21.50, while off-peak costs £15.20. A monthly travelcard is £285.70 and annually it's £2,976.

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  1. Get Unlimited Travel With A London Travel Card (Zones, Prices and More

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  3. Get Unlimited Travel With A London Travel Card (Zones, Prices and More

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COMMENTS

  1. Travelcards and group tickets

    A Travelcard (in the zones it's valid for) gives you unlimited travel at any time on bus, Tube, Tram, DLR, London Overground, Elizabeth line and National Rail services in London. You can use it on all buses, and if valid in zones 3, 4, 5 or 6, on all trams. Travelcards can start on any day.

  2. London Underground Tickets & Travelcards

    Weekly Travelcards: 2024 prices. If you stay in London for 6-7 days and use the underground, trains, and buses every day, the weekly Travelcard is the most cost-effective travel pass. The one-week pass including central London (zones 1-2) is £40.70. ( £42.70 from 3/3/24) It can start on any day of the week.

  3. Caps and Travelcard prices

    Places. Choose postcodes, stations and places for quick journey planning. Covers Travelcards and Cap fares for Tube, DLR, London Overground, Elizabeth line and most National Rail services.

  4. Oyster cards and travelcards in London

    You can buy Travelcards for a single zone or a combination of Zones 1 to 9. Day Travelcards have two timing options: Use Anytime Day Travelcards at any time on the day of validity, any day of the week for journeys until 4.30am the following day. Use Off-Peak Day Travelcards after 9.30am Monday to Friday and all day on Saturday and Sunday.

  5. London Travelcard Prices 2024

    London travel card prices for 2024 - Anytime and off-peak cost of a one day, weekly, monthly and annual pass on a TFL bus, tram or underground tube train ... Sandr Hi, Me and my husband are coming to London with our kids age 8,15,16.We will be there one week.Is the seven days travelcard best options for us? Staff Hi Sandr. Travelcards usually ...

  6. London Travelcard Prices and Types

    Pay daily or buy a weekly London Travel card - it's up to you. Daily Travel Card Prices. If you only need to use public transport for a day or two of your trip, TFL's (Transport for London) day pass with a price cap is all you need to know about. ... Weekly Travel Card Prices. If you have a week in the city and you know you're going to be ...

  7. London Day Travelcard

    Travel to and from Heathrow Airport — use your Travelcard for tube travel from Heathrow Airport into central London (with a Zone 1-6 Travelcard) Receive an exclusive 33% discount on the Thames Clippers River Bus services. Get a same-day-dispatch when ordering any weekday before 9:00 am (UK time).

  8. Oyster card or Travelcard in London: How to choose

    The cheapest one-day travelcard for costs £15.20. This is the price of the 1-day travel card for zone 1, zones 1-2, 1-3 and 1-4. The maximum daily cap when using an oyster in zones 1 and 2 of London is £8.10, £9.60 for zones 1-3 and £11.70 for zones 1-4.

  9. London Travelcard prices for public transport pass in 2024

    Transport pass for 1 day, 7 days, 1 month or much longer for buses, trains & Underground. Travelcard: with rail logo on bottom left corner. The London Travelcard is the original pass for public transport in London. It is very simple to understand. You pay up front for a ticket which gives you unlimited rides for a stated number of calendar days.

  10. London Day Travelcard

    The Visitor Oyster Card is a contactless smartcard that carries credit which you can use to pay for journeys on all public transport on the Transport for London (TfL) network. It is valid in all travel zones and automatically calculates the cheapest total fare for all the journeys you make in a single day. The Travelcard is a paper ticket valid ...

  11. Visitor Guide to London Transport Tickets

    If you buy a ticket from a ticket machine, the full cash fare is £6.70. If you use your card to pay for transport in central London for the whole day, the 'daily cap' - the maximum amount deducted is £8.10 ( £8.50 from 3 March 2024) The next best option, if you don't have an Oyster or a contactless card, is a One Day Travelcard.

  12. London Travelcard Ticket Options

    London Travelcards TfL Off Peak Fridays Tap2Go pay as you go travel Railcards and discount cards ... Your Travelcard season ticket can start any day of the week and you can travel right up until 04:30 on the day after your Travelcard expires. Choose a seven-day, monthly, three-month, 6-month, custom or annual Travelcard season ticket. ...

  13. London Travelcard or Oyster? Identify the right pass in 2024

    Oyster & Visitor Oyster card differences - key facts. Oyster fares and caps are the same whether you use a standard Oyster or a Visitor Oyster, a common misconception. For Visitor Oyster cards you pay an activation fee (£5 in 2024) which is non refundable. If you buy an Oyster card in London you pay £7 in 2024.

  14. London Travelcard: How does it work, fares, when do you need one

    1 day Travelcard. The price of the 1 day London travelcard for zones 1, 1-2, 1-3 and 1-4 costs £15.20. We don't normally recommend using the 1 day travelcard, as it is actually cheaper to use an oyster card, a visitor oyster card, or a contactless card as these payment methods have a daily cap. The daily cap applied to these zones are: £8.10 for travel within zones 1-2; £9.60 for zones 1 ...

  15. Visitor Oyster card

    A Visitor Oyster card costs £5 (plus postage) and is pre-loaded with pay as you go credit for you to spend on travel. You can choose how much credit to add to your card: £10, £15, £20, £25, £30, £35, £40 or £50. The credit on your card never expires - it stays there until you use it. If you run out of credit on your card, it's easy to ...

  16. Transport for London

    A Visitor Oyster Card costs £5. You can then pre-load the card with pay-as-you-go credit, in quantities of £10, £15, £25, £40 or £50. The Visitor Oyster card is the cheapest way of getting around London as the maximum daily charges mean you travel free after you reach the 'daily cap'.

  17. Weekly and Monthly Travelcards excluding Zone 1

    Weekly and Monthly Travelcards are available for zones excluding zone 1 (central London). So if you're working, studying or visiting relatives in the suburbs of London, you don't need a Travelcard including zone 1 unless you travel through zone 1 to reach your destination or enter or exit a station in zone 1.. Travelcards excluding zone 1 are cheaper and for occasional visits to the centre ...

  18. Oyster, Contactless and Travelcards

    A Travelcard gives you unlimited travel in the zones for which it is valid on National Rail services, London Underground and DLR. You can use it on all London Buses and, if valid in zones 3, 4, 5 or 6, on all London Trams. Travelcards can start on any day. They can be bought for 1 day, 7 days, 1 month and any period between 1 month and 1 year.

  19. Fares

    How much it costs and how to pay to travel around London. Find out what's the best ticket for you and how to use contactless and Oyster cards, view fares, check if you can get a refund or replacement and see if you're eligible for free and discounted travel. ... We're open from 08:00 to 20:00, 7 days a week. Chat On Facebook or Twitter. Call ...

  20. London travelcard cost for each zone and fare caps for individual

    Back in March 2023, London travelcard prices and rail fares saw a staggering 5.9 per cent increase - the biggest rise in over a decade. Fares across the country have seen hundreds of pounds added to the cost of many annual season tickets, and individual journeys or day travelcards now cost significantly more.. In London, TfL prices all went up with pay-as-you-go fares rising by an increase of ...

  21. London Travelcards

    Travelcards are tickets which allow unlimited travel on almost all public transport within the selected zones in Greater London and occasionally just outside Greater London. Validity is based on a zonal system, starting at Zone 1 in central London, extending outwards in a series of rings to Zone 6 in the outskirts of Greater London.

  22. Wells Fargo Plans Travel Card to Rival Sapphire Preferred

    Wells Fargo & Co. unveiled a new credit card and is bolstering how it rewards customers for their spending, crucial steps in Chief Executive Officer Charlie Scharf's mission to make the fourth ...