London Tube Fares

Updated: May 2023

London tube 2023 fares. Transport fares will be higher or lower depending on when and where you travel, and on the payment method you choose.

Time of the day:

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

Ticket type:

Paper ticket or cash ticket: Single tickets cost £6.30 at off-peak, and £9.30 at peak time.
Prepaid or contactless card: By using an Oyster prepaid card, you can save a lot of money in each ride. For example, if you use it in Zone 1, your ticket will cost 2.5 times less than a paper ticket. It's worth learning more about this money-saving payment option, see below for more information.

Distance between stations:

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

Another tip is to top-up money for 3 days, for example for a family with two kids: £20 for adults and £10 for kids under 15.

Children under 15 are eligible for discounts and free travel. Kids aged 5 to 15 pay 50% off adult fares, and kids under 5 travel free. To access this benefit, you need to ask for help in the station, TfL's members of staff will help you with this issue.

It is compulsory to pass your card/ticket through the reader, both when entering and leaving the Tube platforms.

Cards

It is strongly recommended to use a card, since they have significant discounts on fares. The Oyster Card and Travelcard are prepaid cards, they cost the same (£5) and you load the money you want, so you can pay as you go.

Tourists need to know that the Oyster Card can be bought online before travelling to London and be posted to their home. The card costs £5. Then you decide how much credit you want to top it up with. This prepaid card has no expiry date (it does not expire).

The same card can be used to travel on the Tube, trains, buses and trams. Another advantage is that these cards have a daily cumulative spending cap and when this cap is reached, subsequent journeys that day are free (Oyster has a cap of £7.70 and TravelCard, £14.40).

For example, if you use the Oyster card on many rides, and you get to spend £7.70, then the rest of the day's journeys are free.

Tip: if you have money unused on the card before you leave London, you can apply for a refund (note that the £5 that you paid for the card are non-refundable, but that same card can be used on future trips to London). To claim the refund (maximum £10) go to a ticket vending machine, pass your Visitor Oyster Card through the yellow card reader and select an option called 'Oyster refund'.

Tip 2: You can also use any Contactless bank card (VISA, MASTERCARD, American Express), but it is important to verify that the bank does not charge you additional fees for using it, and keep in mind that unlike Oyster Cards or TravelCards, bank cards do not have a "spending cap".

Questions and answers

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

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

How much do young children pay on London transport?

Children under 5 travel free with a fare paying adult.
Children aged 5 to 10 get free travel with an Oyster Card.
Children aged 11 to 15 can receive through an Oyster card this benefit: 50% off adult-rate pay-as-you-go fares and daily caps on a bus, Tube, tram, DLR, London Overground, Elizabeth line, National Rail services, and London Cable Car.

To learn more about discounts, visit the official transport website.
Tourists need to know that the Oyster Card can be bought online before travelling to London and be posted to their home. The card costs £5. Then you decide how much credit you want to top it up with. This prepaid card has no expiry date (it does not expire).

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

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

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