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NEWS... BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT

How much do London Tube and bus fares cost?

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As more Londoners return to venues and offices around the capital, surely that’ll mean a few more bus and Tube rides, too.

Perfect timing! On March 1, Transport for London ’s fares will see the biggest price hike in a decade …

While the (average) 4.8% rise in ticket costs may be inevitable due to the pandemic, it’s useful to know how much you’ll be shelling out for your daily bus journey or Tube trip going forward.

Here are the current prices – and what they’re going up to.

How much does the London Tube cost?

Right now, a single Tube journey in one zone costs £2.40. By March 1, the cost will rise by 10p to £2.50.

How much you’ll need to pay for a single fare or ticket really depends on where you’re going, though. TfL has a single fare finder which will tell you the cost of your planned journey.

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Daily caps will rise, too, but again how much by will depend on what zones you need to travel through – and whether you need to travel Anytime or during Off-Peak hours.

For Daily Anytime caps, the change will be as follows:

Zone 1 only: £7.40 currently, rising to £7.70

Zone 1 – 2: £7.40 currently, rising to £7.70

Zone 1 – 3: £8.70 currently, rising to £9

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Zone 1 – 4: £10.60 currently, rising to £11

Zone 1 – 5: £12.70 currently, rising to £13

Zone 1 – 6: £13.50 currently, rising to £14.

Tube passengers on the Metropolitan Line

Weekly caps (covering Monday to Sunday) will also rise, going up to:

Zone 1 only: £37 currently, rising to £38.60

Zone 1 – 2: £37 currently, rising to £38.60

Zone 1 – 3: £43.50 currently, rising to £45.20

Zone 1 – 4: £53.20 currently , rising to £55.20

Zone 1 – 5: £63.30 currently, rising to £65.70

Zone 1 – 6: £67.70 currently, rising to £70.30.

The more zones you need to include, the more chance there is your daily/weekly cap will be higher. It can also vary depending on whether or not you need to travel through Zone 1.

How much are London bus fares?

Two London buses going to Liverpool Street and Edmonton Green

Bus tickets for a single journey are set to rise from the current price of £1.55 to £1.60.

The daily cap, covering journeys happening in the space of 24 hours, will rise by 30p. It’s currently £4.65, and from March 1 will be £4.95.

And the weekly cap is going up to £23.30 – which is £1.40 more than the existing £21.90.

These price rises will also apply to the caps on London’s network of trams, too.

Fortunately, the Hopper Fare will still be in place, meaning you can change to another bus or tram within an hour of tapping in, and only get charged for one journey.

Full list of fare hikes from March 1 across bus and Tube network

  • Cost of pay-as-you-go Tube journeys within zone one will go up by 10p to £2.50.
  • Bus trips to increase by 10p to £1.65 (the Hopper fare allows multiple journeys within the hour)
  • Daily cap on multiple pay-as-you-go Tube journeys to rise by 3.8%.
  • Daily bus journeys cap to go up 30p to £4.95.
  • Minimum cash fare on the Tube up 80p to £6.30.
  • Trips on the Emirates cable car to go up 25% to £5, with return tickets no longer available.

The above figures on include adult fares, but there are discounted fees for young people (under 18s), apprentices and those who are currently unemployed.

People over 60 are entitled to free travel across London’s transport network, too, with a photo ID Oyster card.

But to work out your own daily, weekly or monthly costs for specific bus rides, Tube journeys – and whether you save money with a travel card instead – visit Transport for London for their full list of fees.

MORE : How much do TfL monthly travel cards cost?

MORE : Biggest rise in Tube and bus fares in a decade as cost of trips increase by 5%

MORE : ‘Low risk’ of catching Covid on Tube if people actually wear masks

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Local London Train Tickets

London has a huge train network which covers a much larger area than the underground. The Pay as you go Oyster card, contactless cards/devices and One Day, Weekly & Monthly Travelcards can be used to pay for London’s local trains.

London single train tickets

Single fares on suburban trains in London vary according to the zone .

The Pay as you go Oyster card or contactless debit or credit card  are the cheapest ways to pay for single journeys on all trains within the London area. Fares are the same with both payment methods.

To find single train fares, see TfL’s single fare finder .

To find the zone of a train station, view the rail zone map (pdf) .

One day pass for London trains

If you make several train journeys a day, you have two options:

  • Use a Pay as you go Oyster card or a contactless card and the daily cap will apply. This is the maximum amount deducted for one day travel in London.
  • If you don’t have an Oyster or contactless card, buy the more expensive One Day Travelcard .

Top Tip: If you’re visiting London and planning to do some sightseeing, a train ticket or One Day Travelcard bought at a train station entitles you to 2 for 1 discounts at major London attractions — a huge money-saving deal.

London weekly train fares

  • Travelcards

If you’re staying in London for 6-7 days, and plan to use the trains every day, as well as the underground or buses, buy a weekly Travelcard . This is loaded onto an Oyster card, weekly ‘paper’ Travelcards are no longer available.

If you don’t think you’ll be using the trains (or underground) every day paying with a Pay as you go Oyster card/Contactless card will be cheaper.

If you’re staying longer, monthly Travelcards are available.

Season Tickets

If your stay in London is for a week or longer and you need to use the train to travel to central London, but don’t need to use the bus or underground at the start or end of your journey, then a Season ticket is cheaper than a Travelcard .

Season tickets are available from the train station ticket office.

Check the Season Ticket calculator to find the cost.

London airport trains

Travelcards and Pay as you go Oyster cards are not valid on the Heathrow Express train or between West Drayton and Heathrow on the Elizabeth Line.

Luton airport

Luton airport is outside London’s transport zone area. Travelcards and Pay as you go Oyster cards are not valid on trains to these airports. However, you can use a contactless card to pay for the train to/from Luton Parkway, and again on the connecting DART train to/from the airport.

Stansted airport

Travelcards, Pay as you go Oyster cards or contactless cards are not valid on trains to/from Stansted airport

Gatwick airport

You can use a Pay as you go Oyster card or contactless debit or credit card on the trains between London and Gatwick airport. See our guide to travel to/from Gatwick airport .

Related pages

  • Visitors guide to London transport tickets & passes
  • Getting around London by train
  • Oyster cards
  • Contactless cards
  • London Transport zones

Last updated: 6 October 2023

Transport tickets & passes

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

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London Underground - 2024 fares and how to use them

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

Earls Court Underground Station London

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

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

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

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

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Key points about the London Underground

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

London Journey Planner - for all types of transport across London

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

TFL Journey planner

London Public Transport Journey Planner

London Underground map

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

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

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

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

Underground map   Tube & rail map   Night tube map

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

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

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

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

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

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

London Underground Night Service - the Night Tube

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

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

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

Night Tube map - current lines operated

London Underground fares

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

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

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

Underground fares

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

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

London Underground Fares until March 2024

Oyster cards, contactless payment cards & travelcards.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Oyster cards - more details

Contactless payment cards - more details

Travelcards - more details

Understand the differences between Travelcard, Oyster Card and contactlessd card. Ask bob if still confused.

Seniors concessions

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

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

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

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

Child concessions

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

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

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

Children's Fare Concessions

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

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

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

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

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

Ask Bob about Oyster Cards London

Purchasing tickets & fares levied

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

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

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

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

Access to platform & luggage

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

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

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

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

Transport for London

BUY VISITOR OYSTER CARD & TRAVELCARD FOR LONDON

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

LONDON TUBE MAPS (PDF)

London transfers between airports, cruise ports and hotels

London Bus Fares: Ticket Prices, Passes & Daily Caps 2024

  • Adult fares
  • Senior fares
  • Child fares
  • Return fares
  • Free Hopper fares
  • What’s the cheapest way to travel?
  • Daily & Weekly price caps
  • Using travelcards
  • Using contactless and Oyster cards
  • Which is best: contactless, Oyster or travelcard?

tfl single journey cost

Paying with Oyster

tfl single journey cost

Paying with contactless

tfl single journey cost

Paying with a travelcard

Can you use cash on a bus?

No . It is not possible to pay with cash on a London bus. The only way to pay for a single bus ticket nowadays is with a contactless card , Oyster card (or Visitor Oyster card ), or a travelcard – all of which have to be obtained before you board the bus (bus drivers don’t sell any tickets).

How much is a return fare on the bus?

There’s no such thing as a return fare on a London bus. If you travel both ways then you just pay two single fares.

How do you get a free Hopper fare?

You can get a free Hopper fare by using an Oyster card or contactless card , and boarding a second bus within sixty minutes of the first one.

Bear in mind that the sixty minutes begins as soon as you board the first bus – not when you get off. That’s because you only have to tap your card down when you enter the bus – the computer hasn’t got the faintest idea when you get off. So if you board your first bus at 10 AM and disembark at 10.30 AM, you’ll need to board the second one by 10.59 AM to get it for free.

Note: Bus Hopper fares only apply to adults, not children, and you have to remember to use exactly the same card each time (using a bank card the first time, and the same bank card attached to a mobile phone won’t work – you’d have to use the actual bank card both times).

In the early days of the Hopper fare there used to be a rule that you couldn’t squeeze in a train journey between your two bus journeys, but that rule was scrapped in 2018.

What is the daily and weekly cap?

Daily price cap – Oyster bus fares and contactless bus fares have a daily price cap which limits the maximum amount of money that you’ll be charged each day.

It doesn’t matter how many London buses you board during each 24-hour period, the total amount of money that the computer will take from your card will never exceed the daily cap. And the daily cap will always cheaper than the cost of a one day travelcard .

Bear in mind that you have to stick with the buses all day. If you use a mixture of buses and trains (or just the trains on their own) then you’ll have to pay the train daily cap instead, which is more expensive (see our London Underground fares page).

Weekly price cap – The weekly cap limits the maximum amount of money that you’ll be charged each week to the same cost as a weekly travelcard.

Unfortunately it only applies from Monday to Sunday, and not to any other stretch of seven days (like Wednesday to Tuesday, for example), so if your week starts on another day then you’ll probably be better off buying a 7 day travelcard instead.

Do children get cheap fares on the bus?

Yes. Children under the age of 11 can travel for free on London’s buses without a ticket. Children aged between 11-17 can get a discount if they have the right travelcard or photocard. See our child fares page for more details.

Do seniors travel for free on the bus?

Senior citizens from abroad aren’t eligible for free or discounted travel on a London bus, but senior citizens from the UK have two ways to get cheaper fares:

60+ London Oyster photocard

60+ London Oyster photocard – If you live in a London borough and you’re aged 60 and over then you can apply for a 60+ Oyster Card . This allows you to travel for free on TFL buses outside of the morning peak period (4.30 AM to 9 AM, Monday to Friday), plus the trams, tubes, London Overground, TFL Rail and some National Rail trains (usually after 9.30 AM on weekdays and any time during the weekend ).

You can apply for a 60+ Oyster photocard online at tfl.gov.uk/​fares/​free-and-discounted-travel .

Note: Once you’re old enough to qualify for a Freedom Pass then you’ll have to get one of them instead.

London Freedom Pass

Freedom Pass – If your principal home is in London and you’re old enough to receive a woman’s state pension (regardless of whether you’re a man or a woman), or you have an eligible disability, then you can get hold of a Freedom Pass .

A Freedom Pass entitles you to travel for free on TFL buses outside of the morning peak period (4.30 AM to 9 AM, Monday to Friday). You can also travel on the trams, London Underground , London Overground, TFL Rail, and some National Rail trains within London (usually after 9.30 AM on weekdays or at any time during the weekend , but check with the train company).

Freedom Passes are supplied by your local council and you will need to fill in an application form and provide a passport-sized photo to get one. Check their website for details: londoncouncils.gov.uk .

Can you use a senior pass on a London bus?

National bus passes

If your senior bus pass was issued by a non-London council then you can benefit from the English National Concessionary Bus Travel Scheme – but only if it has a red rose symbol on it (visible in the accompanying photo).

These allow you to travel for free on any bus carrying the TFL bus symbol:

If the bus doesn’t carry the TFL symbol then you should check with the driver first. (They might still allow you to use it, but you might have to travel at certain times of day, like after 9:30 AM.)

Unfortunately you can’t use your OAP bus pass on the train – only the buses.

What’s the cheapest way to travel on a London bus?

The cheapest bus fares are always with Oyster and contactless – but bear in mind that you also have to pay a £7 deposit the first time you buy an Oyster card, so unless you already own one then contactless is probably the better option.

The daily cap on Oyster and contactless is always cheaper than buying a 1 day travelcard , and the weekly cap is always the same price as a weekly travelcard. But the weekly cap on Oyster and contactless only applies from Monday to Sunday, and not to any other combination of days (like Wednesday to Tuesday, for example), so if you’re not travelling between Mon-Sun and make two or more journeys on each of the seven days, or three or more journeys on six days, then a weekly travelcard will likely work out cheaper.

How many stops can you travel on one fare?

London buses use a flat fare. It doesn’t matter whether you travel one stop or fifty stops, you always pay exactly the same fare. But your journey ends as soon as you get off the bus. If you board another one straight after then you’ll have to pay another fare (unless you get a free Hopper fare ).

Note: It’s not possible to stay on the same bus all day, because as soon as it reaches the end of the line any remaining passengers will be told to get off so the driver can take a break. If you board the same bus when he starts up again then you’ll have to pay another fare.

Do you have to pay twice if you change buses?

Yes. Each bus journey is charged separately. It’s not possible to buy one bus ticket that covers multiple buses. But if you board the second bus within sixty minutes of the first one then you can benefit from a free Hopper fare .

What is ‘One More Journey’ with Oyster?

One of the benefits of using an Oyster card on a London bus is that you can get ‘one more journey’ if you don’t have enough credit to pay the fare. But you do need some credit on the card (it can’t be totally empty). The computer will simply take whatever’s left and leave you with a negative balance. You won’t be able to use the card again until you’ve topped it up and cleared the negative balance.

How do you use Oyster and contactless on the bus?

Oyster reader on a bus

All you have to do is wave your contactless card or Oyster card in front of the big round yellow reader by the front door.

Some of the modern buses also have a reader by the middle door and back door, and you’ll see lots of people boarding the bus through them as well, but if you’re a newbie to London then we always recommend boarding it by the front door because that will always have a reader (if you try and board through a door that doesn’t have a reader then people might think you’re trying to dodge your bus fare).

If the card registered correctly then you should hear a beep and see a little green light by the reader. If it didn’t work then try holding it flush against the reader.

There’s no need to touch the card down again when you leave the bus – you only have to do that for trains.

How do you use a travelcard on the bus?

If you have a paper travelcard then all you have to do is board the bus through the front door and show it to the driver behind the glass. He will then nod you through.

If your travelcard has been loaded onto an Oyster card then just touch it against the big round yellow reader.

There’s no need to touch your Oyster travelcard down again when you leave the bus – you only have to do that for trains.

Which is best: Contactless, Oyster or travelcard?

Oyster card, contactless card and travelcard

Lots of visitors to London assume that a one day travelcard is the cheapest option, but the contactless and Oyster daily cap is quite a bit cheaper. However… you should bear in mind that you also have to pay a £7 deposit to get a new Oyster card if you don’t already have one, so contactless might be the best option. (We don’t recommend contactless for overseas visitors because your bank might add on a transaction fee every time you use it abroad, which will likely apply to each individual bus ticket.)

That Oyster deposit will also wipe out any savings you make if you’re only here for one day, so if you’re on a day trip then we recommend getting a 1-day travelcard instead.

If you’re visiting for between two and five days then contactless and Oyster are better value.

If you’re here for six or seven days and you’re planning on making three or more journeys on six days, or two or more journeys on seven days, then a weekly travelcard will work out cheaper if you’re not starting on Monday. (That’s because the weekly cap for contactless and Oyster is identical to the cost of a weekly travelcard , but it only applies from Monday to Sunday, whereas a travelcard can start on any day you like.)

The verdict: Contactless is always the best option for UK visitors. A one day travelcard is the best option for foreign tourists staying for just one day, and Oyster is the best option for tourists staying for more than one day. A weekly travelcard might be the cheapest option for a stay of 6-7 days, as long as it doesn’t start on Monday.

London Squire book

Your comments and questions

Marcela Rock Hello. I just started to use my contactless card around one month ago. I just checked on my bank records for the first time, and there must be a mistake as I have never been charged £1.50 for a bus fare. Could you please tell me why? I just have records of £4.50 and more! Doesn't a bus fare (Woolwich Arsenal-Beckenham) cost £1.50? Thank you

Staff Hi Marcela. The system doesn't take each fare out of your account straight away. It waits until the end of the day, because it needs to see whether you reached the daily cap. So presumably it has totalled up all your fares for the day and charged you that (which wouldn't come out of your account until the next day). That's probably what's happened. But if you've registered your contactless card on the TFL website then you should be able to see a record of all your journeys - tfl.gov.uk/​fares/​contactless-and-oyster-account

Luis I use the bus for the whole of London however I need to use the train for zones 1 and 2 would I need to buy both a monthly bus pass and monthly travelcard for those zones or can I just use the monthly travelcard and use it for the bus as well outside of zones 1 and 2

Staff Hi Luis. If you buy a zone 1-2 travelcard for the buses/trams/trains then you can only use that on trams/trains in zones 1-2, but you can use it on buses all the way out to zone 6 (which is a bit confusing, but that's how it works!)

Ren How much does a day bus ticket for London cost? Where do I buy it on arrival at Limehouse station considering that I do not have the Oyster, travelcard or UK bank cards. Regards

Staff Hi Ren. It's not possible to buy single tickets with cash anymore. If you haven't got a contactless bank card then you need to get an Oyster card or travelcard beforehand.

Ren Can I use an Oyster card at the self service machine in Limehouse station to buy a day bus ticket?

Staff If you've got an Oyster card then just use that on the bus. There's no need to buy another ticket. It's not worth buying a day bus ticket (i assume you mean a 1-day travelcard). If you look at the fare table above then the maximum you will pay with an Oyster card is the 'daily cap', which is cheaper than a 1-day travelcard

San What's the best option for a visiting adult and 17 year old to travel on buses from Sunday to Tuesday in the city?

Staff If you mean the cheapest then its Oyster and contactless, which both have the same prices. But you have to pay a £5 deposit to set up a brand-new Oyster card if you haven't already got one, so contactless is probably better

Carol How many stops is covered by a single fare

Staff Hi Carol. It's a flat fare, so it's the same price whether you travel 1 stop or 50 stops. Buses don't have zones either, so it doesn't matter what train zones you're in.

Anne Mellal The weekly price cap for travelling by bus only is the same as my weekly bus pass on Oyster. What will happen if I complete an Underground journey? Will the weekly price cap increase due to this journey? On Oyster I have the choice to pay any Underground journey in addition to my weekly bus pass. How does this work on contactless?

Staff Hi Anne. If you want to pay the bus weekly cap then you have to stick with the buses all week. If you use a mixture of buses and underground then you have to pay the train weekly cap instead, which is more expensive. If I understand you correctly you are saying that you have a bus travelcard on your Oyster card, plus some extra pay-as-you-go credit as well - all on the same card. You can do this with Oyster, but unfortunately it's not possible to load a travelcard onto a bank card. If you're just making a one-off journey on the tube then you might be better off paying with a totally different card, or buying a single ticket, because then it won't interfere with your weekly bus cap

Anne Thanks for clarifying this for me. Which one do you think is a better option for me: travelling with an Oyster weekly bus pass plus some additional pay-as-you-go credit for approximately 0-4 Underground journeys/week or using a different contactless/Oyster card for the occasional Underground journey? I know it's more flexible with contactless, in case I decide to walk more and don't reach the cap. Will the new bus hopper fair (2 bus journeys completed within 60 min) be taken into account on both, contactless and Oyster? Does the hopper fair even count towards the contactless weekly bus cap? If yes, then the latter would be the most lucrative option as it might even be less than a weekly bus pass. Do you agree?

Staff The Hopper fare does apply to both Oyster and contactless. If it was me I think would forget the weekly bus travelcard and just stick a load of pay-as-you-go credit onto my Oyster card, and use that exclusively for the buses. If I hit the weekly bus cap then great, but if I don't then I haven't wasted extra money on a travelcard. If I want to make an underground journey during the week then I'd use my contactless card instead.

Anne That sounds good, but regarding the weekly cap only applying from Monday through to Sunday... does that mean I HAVE to make a journey on Monday, otherwise I won't qualify for the weekly cap?

Staff You don't have to make a journey on Monday (or any other day, for that matter), but it will only total up the journeys between Monday and Sunday. If the running total hasn't reached the weekly cap by the end of Sunday night then it will start from zero again on Monday.

Anne I think I understand now. It's so complicated! But thanks for your help

JJ Visiting London for one day, myself and two friends will be travelling around London and try to see as much as we can within a day. From judging it, it's looking more like we will at some point need to jump on one or two buses. As I'm their so called tour guide, I would be the only one with a contactless card. Can I pay for all three of us to board a bus or does each passenger need to pay with their own card? The other thing is, if I wanted to buy a daily cap could I buy one each on my card, I assume from what I've read that the daily cap is the same as what we call a day ticket here in Birmingham. Thanks JJ

Staff Hi JJ. If each person wants to pay a contactless fare then each person will need to have their own bank card. You can't pay multiple fares with just one bank card (it's not possible to tap down more than once and have it deduct multiple fares). You can't buy a daily cap. The way it works is this: every time you tap down the computer charges you a fare. The computer keeps track of how many fares you've paid that day, and as soon as it recognises you've reached the daily cap it stops charging you (but you still have to carry on tapping down). What you're describing is a 1-day travelcard. From what you've written it sounds like that's what you'll need -- but you'll have to buy three of them (which you can do with just one bank card). I've explained about travelcards here: city-guide.london/​transport/​travelcards.php

Chriselda Monrose How much is a weekly bus pass

Staff Hi Chriselda. All the prices are shown in the table at the top. At the moment it’s £21:90

Penny I'm a mature student and have a National Rail 16-25 railcard. I live in London. Can I get a discount on bus fares?

Staff Hi Penny. Not for bus fares on their own, no. It does entitle you to get some money off an 'Anytime Day Travelcard' (zones 1-9), which could be used on the buses, but only if you buy it as part of a train ticket coming from outside London, so that's probably no use.

Takako Sato I have senior Oyster card Can I get discount when I use it on the bus and tube? If so what is the time zone I can use it?

Staff Hi Takako. Assuming that you're talking about the 60+ Oyster card then you can travel for free on the buses and tube after 9 AM Mon-Fri, and anytime on Sat-Sun. It's all explained here: city-guide.london/​transport/​senior-bus-fares.php

Urja If I travel in a bus at 10.00 am then take the second bus at 10.30 am then take the third bus at 11.05 am. Will it deduct another 1.55 ? On third bus?

Staff Hi Urja. you get unlimited bus and tram journeys within one hour of touching in, so you”d have to board the third one by 10:59 to get it for tree

semy Hi i want to buy weekly buss pass.Can I buy it without having oyster card or contactless card?thanks

Staff Hi Semy. You can do, yes. Theres a list of all the places you can buy a weekly bus/tram pass here - tfl.gov.uk/​fares/​how-to-pay-and-where-to-buy-tickets-and-oyster/buying-tickets-and-oyster

Zdenka Can a senior tourist using Oyster card pay lower fair?

Staff Hi Zdenka. Not with a normal Oyster card, no. You need to get yourself a 60• Oyster card instead. But it’s only available to people who live in London - city-guide.london/​transport/​senior-train-fares.php

julie I have a Portsmouth senior bus pass and am coming to london for two days can i use it on your buses

Staff Hi Julie. If it has the red rose symbol on it then yes, it will be okay. You can see what the red rose symbol looks like on the 'Freedom Pass' on this page - city-guide.london/​transport/​senior-bus-fares.php

Sonia Hello, may I ask can I use the oyster travel card to pay when using the bus from Victoria to Gatwick airport please? (If I buy a weekly oyster travel card apply for zone 1+2 only, how can I use this card for the bus to Gatwick, how should I pay more?)

Staff Hi Sonia. you can use an Oyster card to pay for the Gatwick Express train (which also goes from victoria), but not buses or airport coaches. gatwick is too far away for that. If you get the train then you’ll have to load on some extra ‘pay as you go’ credit to cover the gatwick express ticket - gatwickexpress.com/​tickets/​buy-tickets/oyster-and-contactless/oyster

Jinold Hello, I will be visiting the UK next week. I would like to know about "using a contactless" card to travel around London. Is this card a normal credit card from my bank which has a "contactless" symbol on it? Is the using of it to pay for a bus fare just like the way I pay for grocery here in Canada? Or, do I need to install or register some specific "TfL" feature beforehand to make it functional when I arrive London and start using it to pay for a bus trip from Heathrow airport? My 2nd question is: can I use an "Oyster card" to pay for a bus fare travelling from Langley in Slough to Green Park in London? Thank you and have a nice day!

Staff Hi Jinold. Its just your normal everyday bank card that you use to do your shopping. Everything is explained here - city-guide.london/​transport/​contactless-cards.php - you dont have to set anything up, but be aware that not all foreign cards work, and overseas banks sometimes add on an extra transaction fee everytime you use it abroad, which will bump up the price. Slough is too far away from central London to work with Oyster

Mark Re. the Hopper Fare, am I correct in thinking that if using Contactless on a bus: 1) every time you get on a bus you need to wave your contactless card at the reader; 2) the system works out which subsequent journeys have started within an hour of the first swipe and doesn’t charge for any additional journeys?

Staff Hi Mark, thats right, yes. As long as you use the same card every time then the computer will work it out automatically

Paul G Which bus runs from Clapham Common to Camden markets please How much are the fares

Staff You can get the 88 to camden high street. The fares are all shown in the table at the top of this page

Iestyn Davies What bus would I need to take from Holloway Road campus to Aldgate campus. And are there any student discount . Thanks

Staff Hi Iestyn. There's nothing direct but you could get the 21 to Moorgate station and walk the rest of the way. There's an 18+ student photocard but it costs money and you have to be living in a London borough. It gives you a discount on travelcards, rather than individual fares - tfl.gov.uk/​fares/​free-and-discounted-travel/18-plus-student-oyster-photocard

Thanos Hello! I would like to ask something about the free Hopper fare. Do I have to tap the Oyster Card when entering the second bus or just the tap of the first bus is enough? And furthermore you mentioned that free Hopper fare does not apply to children. That means that my 12-year daughter has to tap the Oyster card twice (one for each bus)? Thanks

Staff Hi Thanos. You always have to tap when entering a bus, but the computer will know not to charge you. Your daughter will have to tap every time as well.

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The best ways to get from Heathrow Airport into London

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After a long flight to London's Heathrow Airport (LHR), you'll probably want the easiest possible plan to get to the hotel and relax before taking in the United Kingdom capital's world-renowned landmarks.

Heathrow is in Greater London. It's roughly 16 miles from Central London, where you'll find the London Eye, the South Bank of the River Thames, the shopping haven of Covent Garden and the famously frenetic Oxford Street, as well as plenty of luxury and points-friendly hotels.

Related: Watch us race to London Heathrow by cab, Heathrow Express and the Elizabeth Line

There are many ways to reach Central London and elsewhere in the city from Heathrow, including taxis, the Tube, a dedicated train service called Heathrow Express and the new, unmistakably purple Elizabeth Line. The best option to get from Heathrow into London depends on what you're looking for — a low price, ease, speediness, or ample space for luggage.

Here are the best options for traveling from Heathrow to London, so you can start your trip off on the right foot.

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London Underground (aka the Tube)

Heathrow is conveniently located on the Piccadilly Line, one of several Tube lines that make up the London Underground. The popular service — run by Transport for London — connects the airport to plenty of Central London locations. So, you may not have to transfer once you've made it to the city center.

Taking the Tube from the airport is likely the cheapest option. However, it may not be the most comfortable if you're weighed down by myriad heavy suitcases, or you're traveling during peak commuter hours.

Depart from: Heathrow Terminals 2 and 3, 4 and 5 Underground stations.

Possible destinations: The Piccadilly Line directly serves, among other stops, Hammersmith, Gloucester Road, South Kensington, Hyde Park Corner, Green Park, Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square, Covent Garden, Holborn and King's Cross St. Pancras.

When does it run? Typically you can expect Tubes from all terminals from around 5 p.m. until 11:30 p.m.; nighttime services from Terminals 2 and 3 stations and the Terminal 5 station run on Fridays and Saturdays. Check the timetable here .

Transit time: It depends on where you're headed, but from Terminal 5, it takes approximately 50 minutes to reach Piccadilly Circus or an hour to reach King's Cross St. Pancras.

Estimated cost: Single journeys to destinations in Zone 1 (such as Piccadilly and King's Cross) cost 5.60 British pounds ($7) if you pay contactless or with an Oyster card. Buying a ticket to Central London at a machine will cost around 6.70 British pounds ($8.29) per person. Children under 11 travel free with a fare-paying adult.

If you're going outside of Zone 1 (such as to Hammersmith, in Zone 2), then you're looking at a smaller fare of 2.10 British pounds ($2.60) to 3.40 British pounds ($4.21) depending on travel time.

Paying for your trip: To pay for your tube journey or get a ticket, you have several options. The most convenient method is to pay using your contactless card by touching it on the yellow card readers found at Tube entrances or before the platforms.

You can also tap in on the yellow card readers using a prepaid Oyster card. You can buy them at all Tube, Overground and most Elizabeth Line stations for 7 British pounds ($8.69). They're also available at most newsstands and visitor centers throughout London. Once you've purchased your Oyster, you can use the ticket machines inside Underground stations to add money to the card for individual journeys or a daily or weekly travel card covering various Zones.

Note the card readers aren't always connected to gates and are sometimes free-standing. Keep an eye out for them. If you don't tap in and out at the start and end of your journey, you'll get charged for traveling through Zones 1 to 9.

Alternatively, you can buy paper tickets from the ticket machines at each Tube, Overground or DLR station. These tickets allow for one-way and return journeys or daily and weekly travel cards. To use the tickets, insert them in the signposted areas on the gates as you head to the line you're traveling on.

Some stations will also have a staffed kiosk that you can use instead of ticket machines; you can ask for advice here on the best tickets to buy or routes to take.

Elizabeth Line

Opened in 2022, the Elizabeth Line (also run by TfL) is a swift option for traveling into Central London from LHR. It strikes a nice balance of price and efficiency. While not as cheap as the Tube, the trains are newer, roomier and air-conditioned, and they have Wi-Fi. Like the Heathrow Express, these trains stop in Paddington, but there are other destination options, too. It takes a bit longer than the Heathrow Express, but it's also more affordable.

Depart from: Terminals 2 and 3, 4 and 5 railway stations.

Possible destinations: The Elizabeth Line travels direct from Heathrow to Abbey Wood — serving Paddington, Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road, Farringdon, Liverpool Street, and Canary Wharf. See the full map on TfL's website here. There are no longer direct services between Canary Wharf and Terminal 5 except for some early morning and late evening services. Trains arriving at Heathrow from Canary terminate at Terminal 4.

When does it run? Times vary by terminal and whether you're transiting on a weekday or weekend. Typically, the first trains leave between 5:15 a.m. and 6:05 a.m., while the last trains leave the airport between 11:46 p.m. and 12.13 a.m. Find specific timings here.

Transit time: It depends on where you're headed. It takes about 35 minutes from Terminal 5 station to Paddington or about 45 minutes from Terminal 2 and 3 stations to Liverpool Street.

Estimated cost : Heathrow's website claims any journey to or from the airport that starts or ends in Zone 1 costs 12.80 British pounds ($15.83) per person. Whether you use contactless payment or Oyster, TfL's single fare finder shows a single journey from Terminal 5 to Paddington on the Elizabeth Line costs 12.20 British pounds ($15). A journey from Terminals 2 and 3 stations to Liverpool Street costs 13.30 British pounds ($16.45).

However, these prices apply to contactless payments or Oyster payments only. Buying a paper ticket via the ticket machines in stations will cost you a small amount more — as discovered by TPG recently when we paid 14.30 British pounds for an off-peak ticket from Liverpool Street to Heathrow via the Elizabeth Line. Generally speaking, although the savings are only minor, it's better to pay for your travel by contactless or Oyster card.

Children under the age of 11 travel free with a fare-paying adult.

Heathrow Express

Heathrow Express will be the fastest way to get from Heathrow to Paddington Station. It's a direct train, so there are no extra stops along the way. Also, there are luggage racks and plugs for charging phones, which is always handy. For onward journeys, Paddington is well connected to multiple Tube lines. The downside is that the Heathrow Express can be expensive compared to other rail options.

Depart from: Heathrow Terminals 2 and 3 station and Terminal 5 railway station. You'll need to take a free connecting shuttle service to the station if you land in Terminal 4.

Possible destinations: Paddington Station. For an extra cost, you can change to the Tube lines Bakerloo, Circle, District, Hammersmith & City or the Elizabeth Line.

When does it run? Typically from 5:10 a.m. until around 12 a.m., though it can vary. Trains run every 15 minutes. See the full Heathrow Express timetable here.

Transit time: 15 minutes to Paddington from Terminals 2 and 3 station or 20 minutes from Terminal 5 station.

Estimated cost: Typically, a single Heathrow Express journey from Paddington to Heathrow costs 25 pounds ($31) per person though you sometimes can pay less if you book in advance. If you're from Great Britain and have a National Railcard, this price could drop down to 16.50 British pounds.

If you don't have a National Railcard or are not from Great Britain, you can sometimes find discounts online by searching for Heathrow Express vouchers or coupon codes you can use when booking online.

While the Heathrow Express can be a more expensive rail option, it may be a better deal than it seems for families since children under 15 travel free with a fare-paying adult.

If you are returning to the airport within one month of your ticket, then an anytime ticket may be cheaper overall at 37 British pounds ($45.76) or 24.40 British pounds with a National Railcard.

If public transport doesn't appeal to you, or you're landing in the middle of the night when no public transportation is operating, you can use Uber to get to and from Heathrow and Central London. Naturally, you'll pay more than you would for a Tube ride or train ticket.

Depart from: Terminal 2, 3, 4 or 5's short-stay parking lot. The app will tell you where to go once you've requested a ride and your driver is confirmed, but typically pick-up spots will be here:

  • Terminal 2 — Level 4, Row H (Short Stay Car Park 2).
  • Terminal 3 — Level 3, Row A (Short Stay Car Park 3).
  • Terminal 4 — Level 1, Private Hire Pickup.
  • Terminal 5 — Level 1, Row R (Short Stay Car Park 5).

Possible destinations: Direct service wherever you like, which can be a benefit with luggage and tired kids.

When does it run? In theory, you can get an Uber at any time.

Transit time: Varies depending on traffic, destination and other factors. (Pay attention to rush hour and commuting times.) As a rough guide, it typically takes around 50 minutes to reach Paddington by car or one hour to reach Piccadilly Circus from Terminal 5 (on a good day). This means it isn't necessarily the quickest option during many times of the day as the Heathrow Express makes that trip to Paddington in just 15 minutes.

Estimated cost: The cost of an Uber depends on traffic, your destination and other factors. As an example, it can cost 59 British pounds ($73) from Terminal 5 to Paddington or 63 British pounds ($78) to Piccadilly Circus – both UberX rides, excluding tips.

If you're traveling in a group of more than four or have more than a small suitcase or two, you'll likely need a bigger car. Expect to pay more for an Uber Lux or Comfort journey.

Related: Everything you need to know about the Uber Rewards program

Taxis (including black cabs, WeKnow and Addison Lee)

Beyond Uber, numerous other options exist for getting a taxi into London from Heathrow. Options include hailing an iconic London black cab at the taxi rank, pre-booking an electric car from Heathrow's private hire transfer service WeKnow or arranging a car from a company such as Addison Lee.

The latter two options provide a meet-and-greet service to help get you and your luggage straight into the car. Addison Lee also requires your flight number at booking, which means the company can adjust your ride in case of a delay. Again, this type of transfer will cost you more than rail services.

Depart from: The relevant taxi rank outside Terminals 2, 3, 4 and 5 for a black cab. For another service, the pick-up location will be specified in your booking, or your driver will meet you at the terminal.

Possible destinations: Again, wherever you'd like.

When does it run? In theory, you should be able to arrange a taxi or car transfer anytime.

Transit time: Varies depending on traffic, destination and other factors. From Terminal 5, it typically takes about 50 minutes by car to Paddington or one hour to Piccadilly Circus. Although, Addison Lee estimates it'll take one hour and 10 minutes for a journey to Paddington around 6 p.m.

Estimated cost: This will vary, depending on the type of taxi you go for, among other considerations such as traffic. Some estimates are below.

  • Black cab: The meter will start running when your ride begins. TfL, which manages London's black cabs, says a Heathrow to Central London journey can range from 52 pounds ($64.31) to 97 pounds ($120). Find out more about black cab fares here .
  • WeKnow: Prices are fixed, so you'll know what you pay when you book. A trip from Terminal 5 to Paddington or Piccadilly Circus costs 70 pounds ($86.57) to 94 pounds ($116.25) depending on the car size you need. A meet-and-greet service costs 14.99 pounds ($18.54) extra. Use WeKnow's calculator to work out your exact journey price.
  • Addison Lee: Prices are fixed, so you'll know the price when you book. A sample Terminal 5 to Paddington journey (leaving ASAP) was quoted online as 94.32 pounds ($116.66) or up to 122 pounds ($150.89), depending on the car size needed. The meet-and-greet is included in both prices. For an exact quote, visit Addison Lee's website and input your flight number and journey details.

Coach (including National Express and Megabus)

Coaches operated by National Express and Megabus drop you off at Victoria Coach Station. They're usually inexpensive and often have Wi-Fi and phone charging points. They can also carry your luggage in the hold – check Megabus limits and National Express limits .

However, buses are not the fastest way to reach Central London. How long they take depends on traffic, time of day and other factors.

Photo by Pajor Pawel via Shutterstock

Depart from: Heathrow Central Bus Station between Terminals 2 and 3 is the quickest departure point for both National Express and Megabus coaches. If you leave Terminal 4, take the free shuttle to the bus station. You can also alight a coach from Terminal 5 (look for arrivals level stops 13, 14 and 15 for Megabus).

Possible destinations: Victoria Coach Station. From there, it is a short walk to the Victoria Line at Victoria Station; the line stops at Green Park, Oxford Circus, Warren Street and King's Cross (at an extra cost).

When does it run? National Express coaches usually run throughout the day, with a service gap between 1 a.m. and 3.45 a.m. Check the exact timetable for your route here. You can find out more about Megabus times on its website.

Transit time: From Terminals 2 and 3, National Express coaches take anywhere from 55 minutes to one hour and 20 minutes to reach Victoria Coach Station, depending on the time of day you travel. Megabus lists transit times of 45 and 55 minutes for the same journey.

From Terminal 5, National Express coaches can take anywhere from one hour and 20 minutes to one hour and 35 minutes.

Estimated cost: For National Express coaches, a single journey starts from 6 pounds ($7.42) per person. For Megabus coaches , a single journey starts from 8 British pounds ($9.89).

Other travel options

You can take local bus 285 from Heathrow Central Bus Station (serving Terminals 2 and 3) to Feltham train station. It's 16 stops away. From there, you can hop on a 30-or-45-minute train to Waterloo via Clapham Junction.

London bus "hopper fares" cost 1.75 British pounds ($2.16), and train tickets start from 8.60 pounds ($10.64) per person. This option is on the cheaper side. However, it's very long-winded, especially since you can reach Waterloo Station from Paddington via the Bakerloo Line and the Piccadilly Line (with a change to Jubilee Line at Green Park).

For those traveling somewhere in Greater London, rather than Central London, there are several local bus routes from the airport. View them here.

Bottom line

The best way to get from Heathrow Airport to London depends on your budget, your amount of luggage, and how much time and hassle you are willing to invest in the journey.

If you want to avoid street traffic and save money, the Elizabeth Line and Tube are our top picks. If speed is your primary concern, it's hard to ignore the Heathrow Express. Need to get away from dragging luggage around or just want the absolutely simplest path from Point A to B? Consider an Uber or taxi.

Additional reporting by Kathleen Porter Kristiansen, Hayley Coyle and Jordan Waller.

Evening Standard

TfL prices: About 40% of journeys on London public transport network to cost more despite Sadiq fares freeze

A bout 40 per cent of journeys on London’s public transport network will be more expensive due to the limited impact of Mayor Sadiq Khan’s “fares freeze”, it can be revealed.

It means that Transport for London’s income from fares will increase by up to £75m over the next 12 months, if travel returns to pre-pandemic levels – the bulk from more expensive Tube journeys.

Mr Khan’s partial fares freeze – which leaves the cost of pay-as-you-go journeys on the Tube, London buses, the London Overground, Elizabeth line, DLR and Croydon tram unchanged until March next year – came into effect on Sunday.

But because the “cap” on the cost of multiple pay-as-you-go journeys has increased, alongside a 4.9 per cent average increase in Travelcards, many passengers will end up paying more.

According to TfL, the overall impact will be an average rise of 1.7 per cent, “which is the net impact of fares set by the mayor being frozen and all other fares and prices increasing by 4.9 per cent”.

The cost of Travelcards is set jointly by rail companies – which follow Government orders on how much they can charge for “regulated” fares such as commuter fares and season tickets – and TfL.

This means Mr Khan does not have the power alone to freeze the cost of Travelcards, which allow travel across national rail and TfL services.

TfL advice to Mr Khan prior to him implementing his partial fares freeze stated: “Such a fares freeze is expected to apply to around 60 per cent of fare-paying journeys made on TfL services.”

It said that TfL’s annual yield from all fares changes would be up to £75m - £55m from Tube travel, £14m from bus travel and £6m from TfL train services.

Mr Khan’s decision to freeze pay-as-you-go fares – which follows similar partial freezes in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 – keeps the bus fare unchanged at £1.75.

Tube or TfL train fares within zone 1 remain unchanged at £2.80 peak (£2.70) off peak, while a peak-hours journey between zones 1-6 remains £5.60 (£3.60 off peak).

Mr Khan contrasted his approach with the 4.9 per cent hike in national rail fares, which also came into effect yesterday.

He said he had frozen TfL fares to ease the cost of living crisis that “continues to hit Londoners hard”.

He has allocated £123m from City Hall funds to plug the gap in TfL’s finances – it had budgeted for fares to increase by four per cent.

Mr Khan said: “Not only will this keep money in people’s pockets and make transport more affordable for millions of Londoners, it will encourage people back onto our public transport network. This will help to boost London’s culture, retail and hospitality sectors.

“From yesterday, people around the country faced another hike in their rail fares, but I simply wasn’t prepared to stand by and see TfL customers face a similar hike.

“This is the fifth fares freeze I’ve done since becoming mayor, making transport in our city 21 per cent cheaper than it would have been had fares risen by inflation.

“This shows that whenever I can freeze fares, I do so. Making public transport more affordable and appealing will continue to be a key part of my plan.”

In addition to the partial fares freeze, Mr Khan has also struck a deal with the train firms to trial the scrapping of peak Tube and train fares in London on Fridays from March 8 until May 31. The initiative will cost City Hall £24m.

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Mayor reveals plan to cut fares on Fridays

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First refuelling for Russia’s Akademik Lomonosov floating NPP

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tfl single journey cost

The FNPP includes two KLT-40S reactor units. In such reactors, nuclear fuel is not replaced in the same way as in standard NPPs – partial replacement of fuel once every 12-18 months. Instead, once every few years the entire reactor core is replaced with and a full load of fresh fuel.

The KLT-40S reactor cores have a number of advantages compared with standard NPPs. For the first time, a cassette core was used, which made it possible to increase the fuel cycle to 3-3.5 years before refuelling, and also reduce by one and a half times the fuel component in the cost of the electricity produced. The operating experience of the FNPP provided the basis for the design of the new series of nuclear icebreaker reactors (series 22220). Currently, three such icebreakers have been launched.

The Akademik Lomonosov was connected to the power grid in December 2019, and put into commercial operation in May 2020.

Electricity generation from the FNPP at the end of 2023 amounted to 194 GWh. The population of Pevek is just over 4,000 people. However, the plant can potentially provide electricity to a city with a population of up to 100,000. The FNPP solved two problems. Firstly, it replaced the retiring capacities of the Bilibino Nuclear Power Plant, which has been operating since 1974, as well as the Chaunskaya Thermal Power Plant, which is more than 70 years old. It also supplies power to the main mining enterprises located in western Chukotka. In September, a 490 km 110 kilovolt power transmission line was put into operation connecting Pevek and Bilibino.

Image courtesy of TVEL

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tfl single journey cost

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  2. TfL single fares and caps changes from March 2023

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  3. London Underground Fare Changes

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COMMENTS

  1. Single fare finder

    Single fare finder. Find the cost of a journey between any two stations on Tube, DLR, London Overground, Elizabeth line and National Rail services where pay as you go (contactless or Oyster) is accepted. Fares between two stations may vary depending on the direction of travel, time of day and day of the week. Single fare finder only shows the ...

  2. Find fares

    Transport for London. Search the site. Fares; Help & contacts; Maps; Plan a journey; Status updates; ... Single fare finder. Find the cost of a single journey between two stations. ... Journeys Plan a journey and favourite it for quick access in the future.

  3. Fares

    Contact us about contactless. Or send a letter to: TfL Customer Services. 9th Floor. 5 Endeavour Square. London. E20 1JN. Information about fares for all TfL services.

  4. Single and return tickets

    You can buy a single and return ticket if you don't travel regularly, you're making a one-off journey, or want the ticket for expenses. However, it's cheaper to pay as you go for your travel using contactless (card or device) or an Oyster card. For expenses, it's easy to use an Oyster and contactless account.

  5. Tube and rail fares

    On Tube, DLR, London Overground, Elizabeth line and National Rail services in London: Peak fares - Monday to Friday (not on public holidays) between 06:30 and 09:30, and between 16:00 and 19:00. Off-peak fares - at all other times and if you travel from a station outside Zone 1 to a station in Zone 1 between 16:00 and 19:00, Monday to Friday.

  6. Fares from 3 March 2024

    The adult off-peak pay as you go fare for a journey in Zone 1 will be frozen at £2.70; The adult off-peak pay as you go fare in a single zone (not Zone 1) will be frozen at £1.80; Cash fares, also known as paper single tickets, for Zones 1-6 will be frozen at £6.70 where TfL fares apply.

  7. OysterCalculator

    Bus & Tram Journeys Multiple bus rides made in a one hour period count as a single bus journey. Tube & Train Journeys ... Add journey Fares Travel day. Card type. Calculating. Your fare is. £0.00 Bus & tram fares ... rail and bus journeys in London. Calculate Oyster card fare costs on the London Underground, DLR, TfL Rail and National Rail ...

  8. Oyster Card Single Tickets on the London Underground 2024

    Zone 6. £1.80. £1.90. £6.70. If you know the station name but don't know the zone, use TfL's Single Fare Finder. Last checked: 23 February 2024. 2024 single fares on the London Underground with a Pay as you go Oyster card or contactless card. Cost of tickets for one way tube travel in all zones.

  9. Oyster Card

    For example, if you load £10 onto your Oyster card and travel by underground in central London (zone 1- off peak): If you make 1 journey £2.70 is deducted from your card. If you make 2 journeys, £5.40 is deducted. If you make 3 journeys, £8.10 is deducted (£8.50 from 3/3/24). You have now reached the 'daily cap' and all other journeys ...

  10. How much do London Tube and bus fares cost?

    Perfect timing! On March 1, Transport for London's fares will see the biggest price hike in a decade ... Right now, a single Tube journey in one zone costs £2.40. By March 1, the cost will rise ...

  11. London Train Tickets

    London single train tickets. Single fares on suburban trains in London vary according to the zone. The Pay as you go Oyster card or contactless debit or credit card are the cheapest ways to pay for single journeys on all trains within the London area. Fares are the same with both payment methods. To find single train fares, see TfL's single ...

  12. London Underground fares, prices & maps 2024 plus best passes

    The transport passes that nearly everyone uses, Oyster and Travelcard, allow you to travel seamlessly across all modes of transport, bus, Underground, train and DLR using the same ticket/pass. Children under 11 travel free on the London Underground and DLR (Docklands Light Railway) at all times. Child fares are available for those under 16 and ...

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    If you have a non-concessionary 11-15 Oyster photocard, you get 50% off adult fares. Pay as you go. Daily cap. 7 Day Bus & Tram Pass. Monthly Bus & Tram Pass. Annual Bus & Tram Pass. £0.85.

  14. Single and return tickets

    You can buy a single and return ticket if you don't travel regularly, you're making a one-off journey, or want the ticket for expenses. However, it's cheaper to pay as you go for your travel using contactless (card or device) or an Oyster card. For expenses, it's easy to use an Oyster and contactless account.

  15. London Bus Fares 2024

    23. 24. London bus fares for 2024 - Look up the cost of single tickets, daily caps, day/weekly passes, and the price for Oyster, contactless and travelcard journeys.

  16. Tube and rail fares

    On Tube, DLR, London Overground, Elizabeth line and National Rail services in London: Peak fares - Monday to Friday (not on public holidays) between 06:30 and 09:30, and between 16:00 and 19:00. Off-peak fares - at all other times and if you travel from a station outside Zone 1 to a station in Zone 1 between 16:00 and 19:00, Monday to Friday.

  17. The best ways to get from Heathrow Airport into London

    Estimated cost: Heathrow's website claims any journey to or from the airport that starts or ends in Zone 1 costs 12.80 British pounds ($15.83) per person. Whether you use contactless payment or Oyster, TfL's single fare finder shows a single journey from Terminal 5 to Paddington on the Elizabeth Line costs 12.20 British pounds ($15).

  18. 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.

  19. About 40 per cent of journeys on London public transport network to

    Tube or TfL train fares within zone 1 remain unchanged at £2.80 peak (£2.70) off peak, while a peak-hours journey between zones 1-6 remains £5.60 (£3.60 off peak).

  20. Moscow to Elektrostal

    The cheapest way to get from Moscow to Elektrostal costs only RUB 119, and the quickest way takes just 50 mins. Find the travel option that best suits you. ... Tickets cost RUB 120 - RUB 170 and the journey takes 44 min. Train operators. Central PPK Phone 8 (800) 775-00-00 Website

  21. First refuelling for Russia's Akademik Lomonosov floating NPP

    The KLT-40S reactor cores have a number of advantages compared with standard NPPs. For the first time, a cassette core was used, which made it possible to increase the fuel cycle to 3-3.5 years before refuelling, and also reduce by one and a half times the fuel component in the cost of the electricity produced.

  22. Ryazan → Elektrostal

    Tickets cost RUB 310 - RUB 450 and the journey takes 2h 44m. Alternatively, Asian Express operates a bus from Ryazan Bus station to Moscow Kotelniki Bus Station once a week, and the journey takes 3h 40m. Train operators. Central PPK Phone 8 (800) 775-00-00 Website central-ppk.ru

  23. Elektrostal to Moscow

    The cheapest way to get from Elektrostal to Moscow costs only RUB 119, and the quickest way takes just 39 mins. Find the travel option that best suits you. ... Tickets cost RUB 120 - RUB 170 and the journey takes 29 min. Train operators. Central PPK Phone 8 (800) 775-00-00 Website