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London Oyster card 2024

Transport pass for buses, trains & underground in london.

The majority of Londoners currently use an Oyster card routinely to pay for all their public transport needs.

However, many are fast migrating away from Oyster cards to contactless payment cards , typically the Visa, MasterCard or American Express cards they use for everyday expenditure.

For short-term visitors to London it's not as clear cut and the Oyster card continues to dominate as the preferred option for public transport around London. The Visitor Oyster card is a popular choice.

What is an Oyster Card?   Where can you use   Visitor Oyster Card   Returning your Oyster Card   Sharing   Where to buy   Fare zones   Daily price cap   Oyster fares compared   Groups   Concessions   Child fares

Why visitors mostly use Oyster cards and not Contactless payment cards

For an overseas visitor to London, your credit or debit card that supports contactless payment will probably incur significant foreign exchange charges as fares are converted from pounds sterling to your local currency.

Overseas transaction fees or charges can often apply for non-UK cards. This will be one charge per day, not each time you travel, depending on your card issuer.

This is compounded by the nature of continuous small daily debits on your account that is the nature of contactless payment.

Like Oyster card you need a contactless card for each person travelling and you cannot use contactless payment for child fares.

If you are staying 5 or more days in London with an Oyster you can load a 7 day or monthly Travelcards electronically on to the Oyster card which has the potential to make significant cash savings - this is not available with contactless cards or Visitor Oyster Cards.

Contactless payment cards - more details

What is an Oyster card? And why few people buy single tickets

Unless you are going to make just one single journey on public transport in London then you should really be looking to use either an Oyster card, contactless payment card or a London Travelcard travel pass and not pay for single tickets.

For example, paying cash for a single Underground journey in the centre of London is more than double the price of the same fare with an Oyster card.

The Oyster card is a permanent reusable electronic ticket of credit card size (see image above) which is topped up from time to time by its owner with cash that is used to pay the fares. You can top it up at ticket machines or for standard Oyster cards if you register the card.

After each journey the fare is taken from the cash on your Oyster card. This is called Pay As You Go.

Key Point : The Oyster fare for any individual journey is the lowest fare available (contactless card fares are identical to Oyster). For each calendar day there is a fare cap (the maximum you can pay in a single day on public transport) and this is always less than the alternative 1 day Travelcard. Oyster fare caps are explained in more detail further down the page.

The alternative travel pass called Travelcard is a much more simple product. You buy it for durations of 1 day, 7 days, 1 month or one year and it gives you unlimited travel in those days for a set fee paid upfront. We have a dedicated page for the London Travelcard .

Key Point : If you use an Oyster card for 5 or more days in any 7 calendar days, a 7 Day Travelcard will normally be cheaper than using Oyster on a Pay As You Go basis every day.

Oyster cards (but not Visitor Oyster cards) have the flexibility to load a 7 day Travelcard electronically on to the Oyster and you can use both Oyster Pay As You Go and a 7 day Travelcard seamlessly together. So if you are in London for 10 days, you can use Oyster for 3 days and the 7 day Travelcard for the other 7.

Where you can use an Oyster card

The Travelcard pass covers:

- The London Underground network

- The London red local bus network

- The railway network in Greater London

- Docklands Light Railway (DLR), TfL Rail Services and Overground Railway

- Heathrow Express - from 19 Feb 2019, Oyster cards can be used on the Heathrow Express for the first time.

- TFL railway services including the TFL Heathrow Airport train

- 33% discount on many scheduled river services

- Train services between London and Gatwick Airport.

Oyster cards & Heathrow/Gatwick trains

You can now use London's Oyster cards and contactless payment options to pay for fares on the Gatwick Express, Thameslink and Southern Trains services between London and Gatwick Airport.

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

From 19 February 2019, Oyster cards, contactless bank cards and mobile devices have been 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 Oyster cards on the TFL Rail service from Heathrow to Paddington in addition to the London Underground.

Using Oyster and Travelcards to and from Gatwick Airport

For the Gatwick Express train service the cheapest fares are obtained direct from Gatwick Express and not using an Oyster, so do look at the Gatwick Express page.

Thameslink and Southern trains

For Thameslink and Southern Trains the Oyster is a cheaper for a single journey using Oyster but for return journeys and visitors arriving then departing at Gatwick there are good reasons to buy train tickets instead.

Oyster cards & Visitor Oyster cards

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 you will get a Visitor Oyster card.

Oyster & Visitor Oyster card differences - the key facts

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

Visitor Oyster cards you pay an activation fee (£5 in 2024) which is non-refundable. If you buy a standard Oyster card in London or online after 4 September 2022 you now have to pay £7 for the card. This is not a credit to be used against travel, it's the cost of the card now. If you already have an Oyster card from before 23 February 2020, you can still get your original £5 deposit refunded. Cards purchased between these two dates now add the £5 deposit as credit towards travel.

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 with both Visitor Oyster cards and standard Oyster cards you can cancel at ticket machines or at a Visitor Centre and get any cash left on the Oyster refunded (in cash/coins). However, at the time of writing there is no such facility at Gatwick Airport to get refunds. You can also get your refund by phone or post, handy if you have left the country and discover the card in your wallet when you get home. The refund will be in British pounds though in the form a cheque.

A standard Oyster card you can if you wish register, Visitor Oyster cards you cannot. The main advantages of being registered 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 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.

BUY VISITOR OYSTER CARD FOR LONDON

Visiting London? Buy your Visitor Oyster Card here

Valid on bus, Tube, tram, DLR, London Overground, Tfl Rail and most National Rail services in London

Returning your Oyster card at end of your trip

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

If you do not intend to return for some time or at all, you can claim back any unspent amounts on the Oyster. You can no longer claim back the deposit paid when you purchased the Oyster in the first place. You can claim back unspent funds using any ticket machine. The machine will return any unspent money on your Oyster.

If you forget to get the refund while 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 another person can use your Oyster card when you are not travelling.

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 required (see bottom of the page). For short term visitors of less than 2 weeks, there is a facility called the Young Persons Discount that enables child fares for a short period without photo ID - see bottom of page.

Where is best place to buy an Oyster card?

The most convenient place to buy Oyster cards for visitors are Underground stations, including Heathrow Airport. You can pay cash or credit card.

However there are no longer manned ticket offices at Underground and DLR stations, you have to buy from a ticket machine.

If you prefer a human to serve you there are also many Oyster Ticket Stops all over London in neighbourhood stores, newsagents etc. that display a sign in their window.

If you feel nervous purchasing a public transport pass from a ticket machine after entering a strange country you can buy Visitor Oyster cards from Transport for London (see link below) and have them delivered to your home address internationally. See section above for differences between the Oysters bought in London and Visitor Oysters.

Using your Oyster Card

You can use Oyster Cards in two ways:

Oyster 'Pay As You Go' mode

You purchase say £10 to be loaded on to your card. Every time you make a journey the appropriate fare is deducted automatically from your original £10 on the card. The fare deducted is far cheaper than if you purchased tickets individually.

You then top up the Oyster card with further amounts as required. A key point is that there is a daily price cap (see section further down the page) where however much you travel in a day your total outlay never goes above this price cap.

Fixed duration, flat fee with unlimited travel

You can buy Travelcards and electronically load them onto your Oyster (but not 1 day Travelcards and you cannot load any Travelcard onto a Visitors Oyster card). This gives you a fixed cost for unlimited travel for a set time period 7 days, 1 month or one year. If you travel less than 5 days in any 7 then the Oyster Pay as You Go option will almost certainly be cheaper. This way of combining Oyster cards and Travelcards is covered in more detail on our London Travelcard page .

Gaining access to trains

To gain access to the trains of all types, and again to exit a station you have to pass through automatic barriers. There is always one wide ticket barrier for wheelchairs, pushchair's and people with large suitcases.

You swipe the Oyster Card over a bright yellow pad, the barrier will check validity and then open the barrier. This process is repeated at the destination and the fare is calculated and deducted from your Oyster.

On buses you swipe the Oyster over the same yellow pad. That's it, you don't swipe again on exit.

The London public transport system is divided up into zones that radiate from the centre. Nearly all the main hotel districts and the main sights of London are in Zone 1.

For the vast majority of visitors you will only travel in the two most central zones 1 and 2, though many may make an odd trip to places like Heathrow Airport or the Harry Potter Film Studios in the outer zones.

The Underground map (link right) has the stations and their zones marked.

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

The fare you pay is set by which zones 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 the exit barrier of a station that is journey completed. At London Underground and DLR interchange stations you do not normally go through a ticket barrier to switch train and your fare is calculated as one journey, the exit barrier at your ultimate destination being the end point of your journey.

At major railway stations like Victoria and Euston, where you may interchange between a commuter train and the London Underground, you will normally have to go through ticket barriers to make the interchange. At these stations you are given a short time period (15-30 minutes) to make the interchange - have a coffee or take a longer break and you will be charged for 2 separate journeys.

London's red buses do not have zones. With Oyster, a flat fee per bus journey is charged wherever and whenever you ride.

Fare zone maps (PDF)

The oyster daily price cap.

Price caps are the maximum you will pay in a day, a price ceiling. No matter how many individual trips you make in any 24 hour period between 4.30am and 4.30am you will not be charged more than the price cap amount. This price cap spreads across all modes of transport, so if you mix bus, underground and DLR in one day the same price cap applies.

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

From 3 march 2024 - march 2025.

* 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: £5.25 (When you only travel on London's buses on 1 day).

CHILDREN'S OYSTER CAPS: Off-peak: £1.80 (zones 1-9). Peak: approx half of adult cap.

Oyster & Contactless Payment card fares

Every time you make a journey on London's public transport your Oyster card is charged a fare. Once you reach the daily cap (see above) in a day no more fares are deducted from your Oyster card.

Oyster Card & Contactless Payment Card Fares - Compared to Single Cash Fares from 3 March 2024 - March 2025

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

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 and read more on our page below.

Group Travelcards - more info

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 Oyster 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 very 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

Children's Fare Concessions

Buy visitor oyster card & travelcard for london.

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

Fares capping

To ensure passengers get the best value for money when they travel, Transport for London (TfL) have fare caps which limit the amount people using Oyster or contactless cards pay for journeys they make in a single day or week. This is particularly useful for those who work part time. All you need to do is tap in and out whenever you travel using Oyster or a contactless card.

How does this work on the bus or tram?

Daily capping.

Once you have made three bus or tram journeys in a day using your Oyster/contactless card you will pay no more and can travel for free the rest of the day.

Weekly capping

Once you have made three bus or tram journeys on board any London bus or tram on 5 out of 7 days using Oyster/contactless you will pay no more that week. So if you work Monday to Friday, you can travel for free at the weekend.

How does this work on the Tube, DLR, London Overground, the Elizabeth line and National Rail?

Once you have made around three journeys (peak or off peak) in a day on any Tube, DLR, London Overground, the Elizabeth line or National Rail train within Zones 1-6 using Oyster/contactless you will pay no more and will be able to travel for free for the rest of the day.

Once you have made around three journeys on any Tube, London Overground, the Elizabeth line or National Rail train from Zones 7-9 using Oyster/contactless you will be able to travel for free for the rest of the day. However, there is a difference  between the cost of peak and off-peak travel.

Weekly capping  – now also available on Oyster

If you have reached the capping limit on 5 days out of 7 you will be able to travel for free for the other two days.

To ensure that capping applies, you must touch in and out for your journey (where touching out applies) regardless of if you have already reached the minimum journey threshold for that day/week.

Services not included in the capping prices

• On the Heathrow Express, Gatwick Express and High Speed services to and from St Pancras International (HS1)
• River boat services
• IFS Cable Car

For those taking advantage of the bus Hopper fare (which grants passengers as many bus trips as they like within a 1 hour period for the price of a single fare of £1.75), each trip will only be counted as one journey under the capping system.

Oyster Card Fares 2024 - London Bus, Tube & Daily Cap Prices

Oyster card charges for children, what is an oyster card.

An Oyster card is a credit card-sized piece of plastic. Other countries might call them a metro pass or travel smartcard. They come in four different types:

Oyster pay-as-you-go – The idea behind a pay-as-you-go card (or PAYG) is that you load it up with credit and the computer will deduct the correct fare every time you touch it against a reader. If you start running low on credit then you can simply top it up at a ticket machine . PAYG Oyster cards do not have expiry dates on, and your credit remains valid forever.

Visitor Oyster card – A Visitor Oyster Card is exactly the same as a normal pay-as-you-go card, but comes with a couple of extras that are primarily aimed at tourists. The most obvious difference is that it comes pre-loaded with credit to save you the hassle of having to load it on yourself. Check out our Visitor Oyster Card page for a full comparison of Visitor Oyster cards vs regular Oyster cards.

Oyster travelcard – Oyster travelcards work differently to pay-as-you-go cards because you don’t have to keep topping them up with credit. You simply choose your start date, and the zones you want it to cover, pay a one-off fee, and then you can make an unlimited number of journeys until it expires. Visit our London travelcard page for more details. [Note: it’s not possible to load a 1-day travelcard for the Train, Bus & Tram onto an Oyster card, and you can’t load any travelcards at all onto a Visitor Oyster card or contactless card , only the normal blue Oyster cards.]

Oyster travelcard + pay-as-you-go – It’s also possible to load some pay-as-you-credit straight onto an Oyster travelcard – but only the weekly and monthly ones.

This can actually be quite handy. Imagine that you’re travelling around zones 1-2 for a week, but you need to make a single journey into zone 6 for Heathrow airport . Buying a zone 1-6 weekly travelcard would be a waste of money just for a single trip, so you’re better off buying a travelcard for zones 1-2 and then loading on some extra pay-as-you-go credit on to cover it. The computer will recognise that your travelcard already covers zones 1-2 and deduct the difference from your credit.

What are the benefits of an Oyster card?

• Oyster is accepted all across the transport network: on the bus , London Underground , London Overground, DLR, TFL Rail, National Rail, Thames Clipper riverbus , and even the IFS Cloud Cable Car
• Oyster card prices for a single bus and tube journeys are always the lowest available (along with contactless), and the Oyster daily cap is always cheaper than buying a 1-day travelcard
• The Oyster daily cap means you can make an unlimited number of journeys without going above a set price
• Oyster pay-as-you-go credit can be used from zones 1 to 9, whereas travelcards are only valid in the zones you buy them for
• Oyster pay-as-you-go credit never expires, so if you have any left over at the end of your holiday you can use it on your next visit
• If you register your Oyster card and lose it then you haven’t lost all of your money – you can just put it onto a replacement card

What time is Peak and Off-Peak?

Peak – Peak fares apply to any tube journey that starts between 6:30 AM and 9.30 AM (Monday to Friday), and between 4.30 PM and 7 PM (Monday to Friday). It doesn’t matter what time your journey finishes.

Off-Peak – Weekends and public holidays are always classed as off-peak . Note: Between the 8th March and 31st May 2024 TFL are running a trial called ‘Off-Peak Friday Fares’, where Fridays will be classed as off-peak all day.

What is the Oyster daily cap?

Daily price cap – The big advantage in using a pay-as-you-go Oyster card over a TFL travelcard is the Oyster daily cap . Think of it as a price ceiling – it’s the maximum daily charge that the computer will take from your credit per day (it actually runs from 04:30 AM to 04.29 AM the following day). It doesn’t matter how many buses or trains you ride during that period, the max per day will never rise above the daily limit – and Oyster card cap rates are always lower than the cost of 1-day travelcard .

If you want to pay the bus cap (which is the cheapest one) then you’ll 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 cap instead.

Weekly price cap – Oyster users can also benefit from a weekly cap. This caps the price at the same rate as a weekly travelcard. Unfortunately it only runs from Monday to Sunday, and not any other combination of days, so if you’re here from Wednesday to Tuesday, for example, then you’ll just get 7x daily caps instead.

Note: Journeys to Gatwick airport and on the Heathrow Express don’t count towards the TFL daily cap, and journeys on the IFS Cloud Cable Car and Thames Clipper don’t count either. The computer will simply deduct the relevant charge from your credit.

What is the Young Visitor Discount?

If your child is aged between 11 and 15 then you can take advantage of the Young Visitor Discount to get cheap child fares . This allows kids to get 50% off the adult Oyster fare for fourteen consecutive days. The discount does not apply to travelcards.

All you have to do is buy your child a normal London Oyster card (not a travelcard), load some pay-as-you-go-credit onto it, and then ask a member of the TFL staff to apply the Young Visitor Discount to it. You can do this at London Underground stations, TFL Rail stations, National Rail stations within London, or at a London Visitor Centre (except the one at Gatwick airport).

Note: Your child must be with you when you do it (up to a maximum of four children per adult), and the member of staff may ask for proof of age.

Your child can then use the card in exactly the same way that they would normally, tapping it down on the yellow Oyster readers on the buses and trains.

Once the fourteen consecutive days are over any credit left on the Oyster card will still be there, but it will revert back to charging adult fares again.

Do seniors get cheap Oyster fares?

There are no senior citizen concessions for foreign visitors, but if you have an OAP bus pass with a red rose symbol on it then you can already travel for free on any bus carrying the TFL symbol:

Unfortunately it doesn’t apply to trains as well, just the buses. If you want to travel on the tube and live in a London borough then you’ll have to apply for a 60+ Oyster card :

60+ London Oyster photocard – This entitles you to travel for free on London’s buses , trams, London Underground , London Overground, DLR and TFL Rail after 9 AM on weekdays and any time during the weekend . Most National Rail trains within London can be boarded after 9.30 AM on weekdays and any time during the weekend.

In order to get one you have to be living in a London borough and be aged 60 or over. You can apply online at tfl.gov.uk by supplying some ID and proof of address.

Note: As soon as you’re old enough to receive a woman’s state pension (regardless of whether you’re a man or a woman) then you have to switch over to a Freedom Pass which offers similar benefits, but is supplied by your local council instead.

Can two people use one Oyster card?

Two people are not allowed to share one Oyster card if they’re travelling together. Each person will need to be in possession of their own card.

But if they’re travelling at totally different times then two people can share one card provided that they each have it in their sole possession for the entire journey. But this rule only applies to pay-as-you-go Oyster cards. If their Oyster card has a travel card loaded onto it then it cannot be lent to anybody else.

Can you pay two fares with one Oyster card?

No. It is not possible to pay two fares with one Oyster card. Lots of tourists tap them down twice making the perfectly reasonable assumption that it will subtract two fares, but the system doesn’t work like that. The first time you tap down the computer will think that you are entering the station, and the second time you tap down it will think that you are leaving the station.

At this point it all starts to get extremely confusing… if you tap down twice at the same station within 2 minutes then you will be charged for a ‘same station exit’, which is 1x maximum fare (from your station to the end of the line). This will automatically be refunded back onto your card if you begin a new tube journey within 45 minutes.

If you tap down twice at the same station within 2-30 minutes then you will be charged 1x minimum fare (from your station to the next one in the same fare zone). And if you tap down twice at the same station after 30 minutes then you will be charged 2x maximum fares (one for each tap).

Is Oyster the cheapest way to travel in London?

Oyster fares are the cheapest way to travel on London’s buses and trains (alongside contactless). But if you need to buy a brand-new Oyster card then you’ll also have to pay a £7 deposit on top – and you can’t get that money back. So contactless actually works out cheaper for first-timers.

The Oyster card cap is always cheaper than buying a day travelcard (but not if you have to pay the £7 deposit on top).

An Oyster card will also work out cheaper than buying a weekly travelcard, unless you’re planning on making three or more journeys on six days, or two or more journeys on seven days.

Where can you buy an Oyster card?

You can buy an Oyster card in four different ways:

From the TFL website – The easiest way is to buy an Oyster card online from the TFL website and have it delivered to you. This website is only suitable for people who live in the UK, though. If you want it delivered abroad then you will have to buy an Oyster card for visitors instead.

UK delivery typically takes between 2-4 days.

From a train station – The second way to get an Oyster smartcard is from a manned ticket window at a train station. TFL have removed all the manned ticket windows from the underground tube stations though, so if you want to speak to a human then you’ll have to visit a big National Rail station instead. (National Rail stations are the big overground hubs like Euston , Liverpool Street , London Bridge , King’s Cross , Marylebone , Paddington and Waterloo .)

From a Travel Information Centre – The third way is to buy one from a Visitor Centre at Euston station , King’s Cross station , Liverpool Street station , Paddington station , Piccadilly Circus station , Victoria station and Heathrow airport (there are actually two at Heathrow: one inside Terminals 2-3, and another one inside the Underground station).

From an Oyster Ticket Stop – You can also buy them from around 4,000 Oyster Ticket Stops all over London. These are basically just high-street shops (usually newsagents), which have a blue Oyster card symbol showing in the window.

Important – you have to pay a deposit of £7 the first time you buy an Oyster card, and you can’t use that money for fares. So if you decide that you want £20 credit then you will have pay a total of £20 + £7.

Where can you use Oyster in London?

Buses – You can use a London Oyster card on all TFL buses (but not sightseeing buses).

London Underground, London Overground, DLR, TFL Rail, National Rail – You can use Oyster cards on trains within Oyster zones 1-9, plus some stations outside the zones including Watford Junction (for Warner Bros Studios ) and Gatwick Airport.

Note: If you use it on the Gatwick and Heathrow Express then the fare won’t count towards the daily cap maximum charge. It will just deduct the fare from your credit.

Look at TFL’s handy map to see which stations are within the Oyster zones: http://​content.tfl.gov.uk/​london-rail-and-tube-services-map.pdf .

IFS Cloud Cable Car & Thames Clipper – You can pay for a ticket on the cable car and Uber’s Thames Clipper by touching your card down on the gate, in exactly the same way that you do for the buses and trains.

But bear in mind neither of these will count towards the travel cap, it will just deduct the relevant fare from your credit.

How do you top-up an Oyster card?

By using the TFL app – The simplest way to top-up an Oyster card is through TFL’s official Oyster and contactless app . Once you’ve bought yourself a card and registered it with TFL you can top it up with your debit card or credit card . You can also use the app to look up your journey history. [Note: You might have to wait for thirty minutes before the money actually appears on your card, which is something to bear that in mind if you’re in a rush!]

Through the TFL website – Similarly, once you’ve registered your Oyster card on the TFL website you can log in and top-up online.

At a train station – Another easy way to top-up is by using one of the self-service ticket machines at a train station. Just tap the card on the big round yellow reader and select top-up on the machine . You can either pay by cash, debit or credit card. Note that some ticket machines are only set up to take credit cards and debit cards, and not cash, so make sure you check the signage before you press any buttons.

At an Oyster Ticket Stop – The fourth of adding some credit to your card is at an ‘Oyster Ticket Stop’. These are basically just high-street shops (usually newsagents), which have a blue Oyster card symbol showing in the window. Just hand them your card and tell them how much credit you want to add on.

Automatic top-up – If you can’t be bothered to keep topping it up yourself then you can also take advantage of the Oyster card’s ‘auto top-up’ feature, which will automatically draw another £10, £20 or £40 from your bank account every time your credit drops below £20. You can set this up at the TFL website .

Note: The minimum amount of money that you can add at an Oyster Ticket Stop is £1.50. The minimum amount that you can add online or at a ticket machine is £5. The maximum amount that the card can hold in total is £90.

How much credit do you need on an Oyster card?

The amount of credit that you need on your Oyster card will depend on how long you’re staying in London for, and where you’re planning to go, but here are some tips for visitors:

Unless you fly in from Heathrow (zone 6) , you will probably spend the majority of your holiday inside zone 1 (the touristy bit). You might also visit zone 2 is for places like Camden , Canary Wharf and Greenwich.

Our tube journey planner will tell you which zones you pass through for each station. For example, if you look at the journey from Heathrow airport to Paddington then you’ll see ‘This journey is in zones 1-6’ written in the fares box.

Once you know which zones you’ll be travelling through each day, look up the ‘daily cap’ for those zones on this page. That is the maximum daily charge that the computer will take from your card for that day. If you add up all the daily caps for all the days that you’re staying in London, then the total will be how much credit you need to load onto your Oyster card. Easy!

Bear in mind that you will also have to pay a £7 deposit the first time you buy your Oyster card. And you can’t use that £7 towards fares. So if you decide that you need £20 credit then you will have to pay a total of £27.

How long does an Oyster card last?

The credit on an Oyster card lasts forever. If you don’t use the money up during your first trip then you can carry on using it during your next one.

If you load a travelcard onto an Oyster card then it will have an expiry date. Once you go past the expiry date the travelcard will be useless, but don’t throw away the empty Oyster card because you can always load another travelcard or some pay-as-you-go credit onto it.

How do you get an Oyster refund?

There are two main ways to refund the credit on your Oyster card :

At a train station – You can claim back any unused credit at a self-service ticket machine in one of London’s train stations – but only up up to a maximum of £10. Just touch your Oyster pass against the yellow reader and select ‘Oyster Refund’, and follow the on-screen instructions.

Note: It is not possible to claim back the deposit if your card was bought after 4th September 2022. If your card was bought between the 23rd February 2020 and 3rd September 2022 then you would have paid a deposit of £5 instead, and that money would already have been converted into pay-as-you-go credit on your card, which you can refund in the normal way.

Claiming a refund online – If you need a refund of more than £10 then you will have to visit the TFL website . But this only works if you set up an online account beforehand. And it’s not possible to set up an account for a Visitor Oyster card – only normal Oyster cards.

Keeping the credit – If you can’t be bothered to get a refund then don’t throw the Oyster card away. The credit never expires, so you can carry on using it the next time you’re in town.

How do you use Oyster on a bus?

Using an Oyster card on a London bus is easy. All you have to do is touch it against the big round yellow reader inside the front door. Some styles of bus will also have an Oyster reader by the middle door and back door, but if you’re a newbie to London and want to play it safe then always board it by the front door, because every style of bus will have one there.

If the card registered correctly then you should hear a beep and see a little green light on the reader. If it didn’t work then try taking it out of your wallet and holding it flush with the reader.

The computer will automatically deduct the correct fare from your card, and the remaining credit will be shown on a small screen close to the reader – which is a handy way to check the balance on your card .

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

How do you use Oyster on a train?

Using an Oyster card on the train is easy. All you have to do is wave your Oyster card in front of the big round yellow reader at the front of the gate, and wait for the green light to appear. If it worked correctly then the correct fare will be deducted from your card and the gate will open automatically.

If the gate refuses to move then try getting your card out of your wallet and touching it flush against the reader. If that doesn’t work then you’re probably out of credit.

Some of the smaller train stations might not have any gates, and you’ll find the Oyster reader on the platform or by the platform stairs instead.

You also need to touch down again at the end of your journey because the computer needs to work out which zones you travelled through. If you forget to touch down then it won’t know where you went, and you’ll be whacked for the maximum fare on that line.

Note: Sometimes the train station staff will open the gates to speed the flow of people through the station at rush hour, but you must STILL tap down. If there’s a busy event on (like a music festival or a football cup final) then you might not be able to, and the computer might try and guess your destination by itself. But you should always try and tap down to be safe, otherwise you might be lumbered with that maximum fare.

What are pink Oyster readers for?

Fifteen stations have pink Oyster readers: Blackhorse Road , Canada Water , Clapham Junction , Gospel Oak , Gunners­bury , Highbury & Islington , Kensington Olympia , Rayners Lane , Richmond , Stratford , Surrey Quays , West Brompton , Whitechapel , Willesden Junction and Wimbledon .

The pink readers are there because some journeys are cheaper if you avoid travelling through zone 1. For example, if you want to travel from Epping (zone 6) to Richmond (zone 4), then you would normally go through zone 1. But if you don’t mind a slightly longer journey then you can change onto the London Overground at Stratford and bypass zone 1 completely.

Unfortunately the computer has no way of knowing you did this because you don’t have to pass through any barriers when changing trains at Stratford – so it will continue to charge you for zones 1-6 regardless. So what you have to do is prove that you got off at Stratford by touching down on the pink reader.

Pink readers can usually be found on the platforms, or at the entrance to the platform stairs.

Which is best: Oyster, contactless or travelcards?

If you’re a foreign visitor coming to London for just one day then you’re better off with a day travelcard . The Oyster daily cap might work out cheaper than buying a 1-day travelcard, but when you factor in the extra £7 deposit then it actually works out more expensive.

If you’re a foreign visitor coming to London for more than one day then the Oyster card cost becomes better value… unless you’re planning on making three or more journeys on six days, or two or more journeys on seven days, in which case a weekly travelcard is likely to be cheaper.

We always recommend that UK visitors pay with contactless , regardless of how many days they’re staying. That’s because the fares are exactly the same as Oyster, but you don’t have to pay a deposit to get one.

Note: If you’re a foreign visitor then Oyster is still preferable over contactless, because your bank might add on a transaction fee every time you use it overseas, which will likely apply to each individual ticket.

The verdict: Contactless is the best option for UK visitors. Oyster is the best option for foreign tourists staying more than one day, and a 1-day travelcard is the best option for foreign tourists staying for just one day.

Your comments and questions

Isabel I am visiting London next month. This will be my first visit and I need some advice about the best way to get train tickets outside London, for instance, to Winchester and Cambridge. If I get an Oyster card, can I use it for national railway service?

Staff You can use an Oyster card for National Rail trains, but only for zones 1-6 and some of the stations in zones 7-9. Winchester and Cambridge are both too far away, so you'll need to buy a separate ticket from a site like nationalrail.co.uk

Kim Hi, I am planning a trip for my husband's 50th birthday. We are arriving at London Euston. We are staying at the Doubletree Hilton Tower Bridge. I want to pre-purchase my Oyster travelcard, but am confused as to what zones we will need to cover? Any help and advice would be most welcome! Regards Kim

Staff Hi Kim. Euston and Tower Bridge are both in zone 1, but if you're planning to put a travelcard onto your Oyster card then you can't buy zone 1 on its own. You can only buy zones 1-2. But that's okay because that will cover you out to Greenwich as well. But the easiest thing to do is to not bother with a travelcard at all, and just load some credit onto your Oyster card. Then you can use it as a 'pay-as-you-go' card. The computer will deduct the correct fare whatever zone you're in.

Wendy I'm a newbie to using an Oyster card on the tube and am only an occasional visitor to London, so I have just topped up my PAYG card which I purchased a couple of years ago. Cool, eh? I am planning a visit tomorrow and my friend and I are travelling from Richmond to Wimbledon. I have checked the route planner and it tells me that I have to get the District line to Earl's Court, then change trains but get on the District line again to Wimbledon. My question concerning the Oyster card is this: having tapped the yellow 'thingy' to begin my journey, then passed the card to my friend to allow him entry, when we exit the train and get on the other train to Wimbledon, do we have to tap anything and if so, what and where? I am just conscious that I may be charged more than the off-peak fare, which it should be running for this journey. Thanks for your help, Wendy

Staff Hi Wendy, that isn't going to work unfortunately. You each need your own pass. If you try and share one Oyster card between the two of you then you could be done for fare evasion. I suppose it is common sense to think that if you tap the same card down twice then it will charge you twice, but it doesn't work like that. Only one fare will be registered. But you don't have to tap down again when changing trains at Earl's Court. You should be able to walk between the platforms without going through any barriers. You only have to tap down again once you leave the station at Wimbledon.

Faye How far around London can you travel on an Oyster card? eg: can you go from Finsbury Park to Oxford/ Brighton/ Stratford Upon Avon with a Visitors Oyster card?

Staff Hi Faye. Oyster only works for zones 1-6, plus most of the stations in zones 7-9 (but not all of them), so you definitely can't go as far as Brighton or Oxford. Here is a map which shows you all the stations covered by an Oyster card: tfl.gov.uk/​cdn/​static/cms/images/london-rail-and-tube-services-map.gif

John My wife and I are in London next weekend from Friday to Sunday arriving in to Euston and staying near Pimlico station. Is it a good idea to pre order an Oyster travelcard? We plan to do the usual sightseeing in Central London.

Staff Hi John. If you've got enough time beforehand then it makes sense to order one online, but it will be less hassle if each of you just use your contactless bank cards instead (assuming you both have UK bank cards). It's the same price as Oyster, works in exactly the same way, and you don't have to pay the £7 deposit.

Patrick Hi there. I am new to this site. Please advise on the following scenario. Before I leave Australia, if I buy the 2 or 3 day London Pass with Oyster Travelcard option, can I begin using the Oyster card for a few days before I activate the London Pass? I assume the travel credit will be used up before the London Pass begins, at which point I would re-charge the Oyster to cover the days of the London Pass. Can I then continue to use the Oyster card for the following 2 weeks that we will be in London?

Staff Hi Patrick. You can do that, sure - the London Pass and Oyster card are two completely separate cards. The Oyster card will come with some money pre-loaded onto it. The exact amount will depend on which London Pass you buy, but it should be enough to cover the daily cap for each day. You can keep using it until the money runs out, and then you can top it up again at a self-service ticket machine.

Jools Hi there, first time I will have bought an oyster card, can one card be used for a family of four

Staff Hi Jools, no. If you're travelling together then you will each need your own Oyster card or ticket. If you touch the same card on the gate four times then it won't charge you four fares. The computer will just think that one person is entering the station, then leaving the station, then entering again, then leaving again

Park Is there an admin charge to set up an Oyster card? I'm on route to London now and am presuming I can buy one at a station. I'll be using my contactless bank card myself but need one for my adult daughter

Staff Hi Park. You have to pay a £7 deposit for Oyster cards. She can't use that money to pay fares, though, so you'll have to add some more credit on top.

Kory I have two Oyster card on my account with different numbers can my friend use one of these at the same time I am using the other one, as we will be travelling together.

Staff Hi Kory. As long as it's a pay-as-you-go Oyster card then that's fine. But if it's an Oyster card with a travelcard on it, or you get some kind of discounted travel on it, then that wouldn't be allowed.

G Thomas If I pay the £7 deposit to buy an Oyster card how long will it last? ie. will I be able to use it next time I visit London or will it have time-expired?

Staff Hi G Thomas. If you put some pay-as-you-go credit on an Oyster card then that last forever, so you will be able to use that the next time you come. But if you put a travelcard on an Oyster card then that will obviously expire on the finish date. But you can still carry on using the Oyster card by putting a new travelcard on it, or some pay-as-you-go credit.

Debbie My husband and I will be visiting London tomorrow. Can we buy an Oyster card valid for a year and say put £15 credit on each, and am I to believe the total amount for that day travelling would be £7.20 off our cards then the balance can be used on another day within that year. We will travel from Victoria, to Oxford Circus to Knightsbridge and Kensington and back. What is the total lay out we would need to pay for each card? Kind regards Debbie

Staff Hi Debbie. Oyster cards don't have dates on. The unused credit on them lasts forever. The maximum you would pay for the stations you mentioned is the daily cap for zone 1 = currently £7.20. The prices normally go up after New Year, so I don't know what it will be next year. But remember that you have to pay a £7 deposit for each new card, and you can't use that money for fares, so if you want to load £15 credit on to each card then you'd have to pay 2x£22.

john Sweeney Where can purchase i an oyster card for adults before travelling to london on holidayand how much will it cost

Staff Hi John. If you're in the UK then you can buy them from the TFL website and have it delivered to your house - oyster.tfl.gov.uk/​oyster/​link/0005.do - if you're abroad then you'll have to buy a Visitor Oyster Card instead (which is basically the same thing) - visitorshop.tfl.gov.uk/​tfl/​london-visitor-oyster-card - It's all explained in the 'Buy an Oyster Card' section above. The cost is up to you - you can load as much credit on as you want, depending on how much you need for your holiday

Jupin kheni I have a regular travel from Edgware to Tottenham. So, which zone travel card applied for me?

Staff Hi Jupin. if you’re talking about Tottenham Hale station then the stations themselves are in zones 3 and 5, but if you look at a tube map the journey between them goes into zones 1 and 2 as well. So you’ll need zones 1-5

Jim Can a child travel free with an adult using a contactless card or does it need to be an Oyster? Thanks.

Staff Hi Jim. They have to be with a fare paying adult on the train, so a contactless card is fine (assuming that they are under 11, of course). On the bus they can travel on their own.

Melanie Hi, I need to take underground (leichester square to kings cross) then overground (kings cross to Kidbrooke) the a bus. I am trying to understand how much will be charged in my oysters card. I have also linked the Railcard 16-15 for discounts. Thank you

Staff Hi Melanie. It will be zone 1 and zones 1-3 (not including the bus, which you might also be able to pay on your Oyster card, depending on what bus it is) your railcard will get you 1/3 off the zones 1-3 fare if you're travelling during off-peak hours

Gerard If you use contactless instead of oyster do you still benefit from the price cap?

Staff Hi Gerard. You do, yes - londondrum.com/​transport/​contactless-cards.php

Lorraine We are visiting London for 3 days sun until Tues 4 adults 2 children age 9 and 11arriving at Paddington staying near tower is it worth getting oyster cards if so can we buy at Paddington station when we arrive

Staff Hi Lorraine, assuming you're from the UK the adults are better off just using their contactless bank cards because they have the same fares as Oyster, but you don't have to pay the extra £7 deposit on top for each new Oyster card. Oyster cards can be picked up from the Travel Information Centre at Paddington station. The 9 year old will travel for free, and if it was me I would just get the 11 year old three 1-day travelcards, but you could get them an Oyster card and have the 'Young Visitor Discount' applied to it. It's all explained here - londondrum.com/​transport/​child-train-fares.php

Antonio We are staying near Penge East Station and the quickest way to get to Central London is with the Southeastern to Victoria. Is that train included in the Oyster or Contactless daily cap?

Staff Hi Antonio. Yes, Penge East in zone 4, so you’ll be paying the price for zones 1-4

Narendra Patel No wounder with the prices as they are there are more cars on the road. Only people who use TFL are the ones who work in London. For a couple we are looking at £28+ which unless you are born with a silver spoon is very expensive. I can see TFL continue to make losses. More TFL prices are hiked more losses.

David I have a question about daily caps. The tables appear to provide charges and caps as if the trips are all in one category. However, what if I use the Oyster card three times for trips from Zone 1 to 2 during a single day and have just exceeded the daily cap of £7.70. Then I travel from Zone 1 to Zone 6 on the same day. Am I charged for that trip? Does the cap change? And if so, to what?

Staff Hi David. The system looks at all the zones you travelled through that day together. So in your example the maximum you’d pay is the daily cap for zones 1-6. If the total for all your individual journeys doesn't reach that cap then you'd pay for the individual journeys instead. if you only want to pay the daily cap for zones 1-2 then you’d have to use a completely different card for the zone 1-6 journey (maybe you have a contactless card)

Robert Schultz My plans are to visit London. I will arrive at Heathrow on Friday May 27th and depart London Monday May 30th. I have a Hop on Hop Off Big bus tour pass to see some of the major attractions. Im trying to figure out which Oyster Card I need to move around London to see other places. I will be out of the city on Sunday so I need a rail card that will move me around London for Friday, Saturday and then to the train station on Monday morning. I dont really understand the different zones. Do you have any suggestions on what card I need and where to buy it when I arrive at Heathrow Airport friday morning?

Staff Hi Robert. I would just get an Oyster card from the Visitor Information Centre at Heathrow. you have to pay a £7 deposit and then add as much credit as you want. you’ll need to cover the fare for zones 1-6 from heathrow into central london, and then enough to cover the ‘daily cap’ each day (which is the maximum amount you'll be charged each day). most people just need the daily cap for zone 1, which covers the central touristy bit of london. but if you’re planning on travelling around on that sightseeing bus one day, then maybe you can use that instead

John I am a retired Network rail worker with a privilage travel card,i wish to travel from Euston sq. to Aldgate on 03/07 and from Aldgate East to Wimbledon and back to Aldgate East on 04/07,on 05/07 from Aldgate to Euston sq. Can you tell me if I can purchase a reduced Oyster card for these travels in advance?

Staff Hi John. You really need to ask your old employer as we don't have any information about Network Rail staff discounts. There's an email address listed here that might help you: networkrail.co.uk/​mybenefits/​

Ondrej Hi, I have 3 Oyster Cards registered on the TFL Website. Can I use 1 for myself, 1 for my wife and 1 for a child with a discount (11-15 years)? Regard Ondrej

Staff Hi Ondrej. Normally if an Oyster card only has pay-as-you-go credit on it, then yes, it's fine. But if you've loaded a travelcard or any kind of discount on to it, then no... if it's registered under your name then only you will be able to use it. If a non-registered person is found with a card registered in someone else's name then technically TFL can confiscate it and even fine them.

Sam Hi can you use the oyster card at East of India train station

Staff Hi Sam, yes. You can use it at all of the DLR stations

Susie I will be arriving next week for the marathon and will be staying in the Bloomsbury area for 5 days. I have loaded an Oyster card with £20. I can use this visitor Oyster card any time of the day?. Not sure what zones I will be in. Do I need to load more oney to cover my stay?

Staff Hi Susie, you can use it any time of day, but £20 probably won’t be enough to cover 5 days… but it all depends on how many journeys you make. the maximum amount its possible to spend each day, regardless of how many journeys you make, is the ‘daily cap’ for the zones you travel through (shown in the table above). the minimum amount you'll spend is probably a zone 1 single fare there and back each day, which still adds up to more than 20 quid over 5 days. and bear in mind that there will be a train strike going on which might affect people getting to the london marathon

Raul We are traveling to London next month, two adults and two children (13 and 15) from tuesday to saturday. We will take train from Feltham to Victoria Station (zones 6 to 1) and back at the end of the day. Will the daily cap be 14.10 pounds? Can I take later other transport such as the metro, bus, during the day (zones 1, 2, 3) and the limit is still 14.10? Thank in advance!

Staff Hi Raul. Thats right. You can make as many journeys as you like and the maximum price you’ll get charged is £14,10 (assuming that all of your journeys are within zones 1-6, of course)

RAUL Thanks you for your answer. Then I can mix several public transports (tube, bus, train) and the daily cup will be 14.10 if I move between zones 1 to 6

Staff Thats right, yes

PEDRO We will be traveling to London next month for 3 days and we are going to get 2 Oyster cards for the adults and other 2 with Young visitor discount for our children (13 and 14). From what I have read they will pay the half of adult fare but, what is their daily cap for them? is it the same that for the adults? Many Thanks!

Staff Hi Pedro. Everything is half what the adult fare is. The adult daily caps are listed in the table at the top

PEDRO Thanks so, is the daily limit cap 7.05 pounds for them?

PEDRO Sorry, I mean zones 1 to 6

Staff Thats right yes

Russell I will be travelling to London for 4 days, arriving through Heathrow, and staying in St Pauls area. I will be travelling with 24 fifteen year old children. What is the best way to pay for our travel whilst in London (visiting the usual tourist sites).

Staff Hi Russell. I would look at the Group Day Travelcards, that would probably be the easiest. but bear in mind they only last for one day each, can only be used after 9:30 AM (or at any time during the weekend), and you all have to travel together - visitorshop.tfl.gov.uk/​en/​group-day-london-travelcard

Carol How do I get Senior discount on Oyster card if I have a Senior railcard

Staff Hi Carol. You just have to ask a member of the TFL staff inside a station (you can usually find one standing by the ticket barrier). If you have both the Oyster card and Railcard handy (or the digital card on your phone) then they can add it on - tfl.gov.uk/​fares/​free-and-discounted-travel/national-railcard-discount (they mention it at the bottom of the page)

W Shes How can I check the remaining time I have on a 7 day oyster?

Staff Hi. You can tap it down on a self-service ticket machine at the station and follow the on-screen instructions

Susanne Hi! We will be in London in June and stay 7 days. We will do 3 journeys between Heathrow zone 6 and Victoria zone 1 and move a lot inside zone 1 and 2. If I buy an Oyster card for 7 £I understand I can pay as I go in zones 1 to 6 with a daily cap of about 9.50 £. Now as we will travel every day, would it be cheaper to put a Travelcard for 7 days zones 1-2 on the Oyster card and use the pay as you go for the Heathrow trips to zone 6? (Knowing that on 2 of the 7 days we will only do 2x Heathrow .) Or can we use the travel card for zones 1-2 to Heathrow as well with a supplement?

Staff Hi Susanne. A weekly travelcard usually works out cheaper if you're doing two or more journeys on each of the seven days, or three or more on six of the days. But like you say, it would definitely be better to put a zone 1-2 travelcard onto an oyster card, and then add some extra pay-as-you-go credit onto the same oyster card to cover the remainder of those journeys into zone 6. (PS the daily cap for zones 1-6 is a bit higher - £14,90 at the moment)

P Ray Harrington I arrive LHR April 13 and go to Greenwich and west ferry. April 14 Greenwich to green part and back to Greenwich. April 16 Greenwich to amersham, April 22 amweaham to green park and return. All of peak. What cars and credit should I apply please?

Staff Hi. I would get yourself an oyster card and add enough credit to cover the ‘daily cap’ each day. heathrow to greenwich and westferry is zones 1-6. Greenwich to green park is zones 1-2. Greenwich to amersham is zones 2-9. Amersham to green park is zones 1-9. The prices are all shown in the table above.

Fran Rae I am visiting London this Saturday with grandsons aged 14 and 17 and will be using the tube. I can pay pay by contactless but how do I pay for them? Thanks FR

Staff Hi Fran. If it's just a day trip then you're best off buying single tickets at the machine, or an adult 1-day travelcard at the machine for them. It's not worth getting them Oyster cards because you have to pay a deposit which will wipe out the savings. And you can't buy child travelcards unless they already have their own Oyster photocard

Theo Lemm What is the minimum credit to use the National Rail from London to Swanley?

Staff Hi Theo. its zone 1-8, so the minimum is £4.70 (off-peak)

Theo Lemm Ok. But Swanley has no gates. So what happens if I check in with less than 4.70 credit?

Staff When suburban stations don't have gates, they usually put the yellow oyster card reader at the foot of the stairs, or on the platform itself. Is there not one there?

Theo Lemm Swanley is the final destination.

Staff There must be a yellow oyster reader somewhere, otherwise they wouldn't be able to take oyster and contactless fares. it's not unusual for there to be no gates at suburban stations. check the platform, the stairs and by the exit

Manuel Brito from Portugal Excellent article, very informative, thank you!

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• Local transport
• Bus passenger experience

£2 bus fare cap

A list of bus companies and bus routes included in the £2 bus fare cap scheme.

Applies to England

This guidance lists the:

• bus companies that are taking part in the £2 bus fare cap scheme
• bus routes that are included in the £2 fare cap
• bus routes that are not included in the £2 fare cap

The £2 bus fare cap will run until 31 December 2024.

The lists include routes tendered or operated by local councils, including those supported by the Rural Mobility Fund.

East Midlands

East of england.

Routes listed as ‘not included’ in the national £2 fare cap may still offer a discounted fare as part of the locally run North West £2 fare cap initiative.

West Midlands

Yorkshire and the humber.

Routes listed as ‘not included’ in the national £2 fare cap may still offer a discounted fare as part of the locally run Yorkshire and The Humber £2 fare cap initiative.

Bus routes not included in the fare cap

Participation in the bus fare cap scheme is voluntary and some bus companies have chosen not to take part. If your local company is not included in the list, they may have other types of tickets that are suitable for your needs.

Some types of routes are not covered by this scheme so they are not included, for example, coach services, school-only services or airport services.

Fares are already capped in the following areas, so they are not included in this scheme:

• Greater Manchester
• West Yorkshire

Reporting fraudulent activity

If you think that someone is committing fraud, theft or corruption related to the bus fare cap you can report it by:

• calling the DfT fraud hotline on 07827 843 953
• emailing [email protected]

We will deal with your report in confidence.

Other help with transport costs

You can find more information about other kinds of help with transport costs and wider government support .

List of bus routes updated.

Bus routes updated to include routes supported by funding from local councils.

Bus routes taking part in the £2 bus fare scheme from 1 November 2023.

The £2 bus fare cap will now run until 31 December 2024.

Updated to show which bus routes are covered by the £2 bus fare cap from 1 July 2023.

The bus fare cap has been extended to 31 October 2023.

Bus fare cap extended to 30 June 2023.

We intend to extend the £2 bus fare cap until 30 June 2023.

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Avoid These Tourist Traps In London And Visit These Destinations Instead

O ne of the world's greatest cities, London is packed with tourist attractions so impressive that you'll want to add them all to your itinerary. From the Tower of London to Buckingham Palace to the Churchill War Rooms, the list of unmissable landmarks seems endless. Don't worry, though -- it's possible to visit most of them in just a two-day trip . When you're on a tight schedule, it's important to avoid time- and money-wasting tourist traps in favor of visiting sites that are worthy of your attention. 

Whether it's an overrated and overpriced wax museum, a kitschy dungeon experience, or a super crowded viewpoint, there are many places to avoid visiting in the U.K.'s heady capital. The confusing part? Some of them top multiple lists of must-see attractions. That's where we come in. 

As someone who lived in this captivating English city for six years, I have first-hand knowledge of the biggest tourist traps to avoid when traveling to London. Plus, I can offer more impressive (and often less costly) destinations to visit instead. Don't want to take my word for it? No problem. I combined my first-hand knowledge with reviews and suggestions from other locals to create this list.

Read more: 50 Underrated Tourist Destinations Around The World

Skip Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tours And Ride A London Bus

While hop-on hop-off bus tours can be a convenient way to explore a big city, they often come with a hefty price tag. If the tour is based in London, you can expect to pay over $50 per adult for a one-day pass. Instead, board a London bus, which will cost less than $7 for a day of travel. Bus fare for one ride is about $2 and the daily cap is under $7. To pay for their ride, visitors must use a contactless card or an Oyster Card, the visitor's version of which can be purchased online and mailed to your home before you leave.

Double-decker London buses offer spectacular city views, with many routes passing right by London's landmark attractions. One of our faves is the historic Routemaster Bus 15, which we suggest boarding at the Tower of London. Hop on at Great Tower Street (Stop TT) and ride west to Charing Cross Station. Be sure to sit up top for the best views along this heritage route -– you can't miss St. Paul's Cathedral and Trafalgar Square. 

Bus 24 is another great option for sightseers. Hop on at Victoria Station and ride it to Camden High Street. Along the way, you'll pass Westminster Abbey, the Horse Guard's Parade, Trafalgar Square, and Downing Street. Grab a bite at Camden Market when you disembark or stay on until you reach Hampstead Heath where you can catch unbeatable views of the city.

Skip Madame Tussauds And Visit Buckingham Palace

It may tout itself as a top London attraction, but Madame Tussauds would be more honest if they said they were the top rip-off site. Booking in advance will save some money -- the standard online rate for an adult begins at just over $47 versus the walk-up price, which begins at almost $60. But that's still a lot of quid to dish out for wandering around an overcrowded and noisy space filled with okay-ish wax replicas of A- and B-list celebs. Yes, it's fun to take photos with the royal family and fool friends into thinking you met them IRL, but is it worth it? We don't think so.

Instead, we suggest visiting Buckingham Palace for a potential King Charles III sighting. Realistically, you probably won't spy a royal outside the palace, but at least you'll see a historic monument up close. Celebrities more your thing? Book a reservation at one of the city's most popular restaurants. Chiltern Firehouse has hosted acting greats Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper as well as soccer superstar David Beckham. 34 Mayfair is another good bet for great food and celeb spotting. Imelda Staunton and royal family members have all eaten here.

Skip Changing Of The Guard And Visit The Queen's Gallery

While you should add Buckingham Palace to your list of must-see London tourist attractions, you may want to avoid a visit during the Changing of the Guard. This formal ceremony marks the change between the old guard (on-duty soldiers) and new guard (soldiers taking over duty) for the royal palaces. Marching with a band from Wellington Barracks to the Palace, the new guard will arrive at the palace at about 10:45 a.m. A well-known event, this is a big tourist draw, which means you can expect hefty crowds queuing up an hour or more in advance, as well as pickpockets who arrive to take advantage of the chaotic atmosphere. This tourist trap, which takes place every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday, is one you'll be happy to miss. Sadly, watching this famed ceremony these days feels more like witnessing an overhyped marching band than it does an esteemed historic ritual.

Instead, ditch the crowds and glimpse art from the Royal Collection in the Queen's Gallery or visit the Royal Mews , where you can see the royal stables and the 260-year-old Gold State Coach used at King Charles III's Coronation. The Mews are open Thursday through Monday from early March to early November. Neighboring St. James Park is another interesting place to visit. One of London's famed Royal Parks, it is bordered by three palaces and boasts a fabulous view of Buckingham Palace in particular.

Skip Platform 9 ¾ At King's Cross Station And Visit Warner Brothers Studio Tour London

If you're traveling with a Harry Potter-obsessed kid, you may want to visit Platform 9 ¾ at King's Cross Station. But if you're alone, or with other adults who couldn't care less, we advise you to skip this overrated tourist trap. If you're already planning to be in King's Cross Station and have time to scope out this attraction, that's one thing; but if you're traveling there with the sole purpose of visiting this site, think twice. 

Set between platforms 9 and 10 (obvs) this point of interest includes nothing but a brick wall denoted with a sign. Stuck into the wall is part of a trolley loaded with fake suitcases and an empty owl cage. Those hoping for a quick photo and to score some Potter swag will be pleased;  the Harry Potter Shop at Platform 9 ¾ is open daily, even on bank holidays, and it sells everything from wands to clothes to makeup. 

For those who'd rather have an unforgettable and truly magical Harry Potter experience, though, head to Warner Brothers Studio Tour London -- The Making of Harry Potter in nearby Leavesden. Instead of merely looking at a wall, visitors can board the Hogwarts Express, "fly" on a broomstick, walk through the Great Hall, and explore the Forbidden Forest. Step foot in Diagon Alley, try a Butterbeer, or check out some of the film's famous props and costumes. You won't be sorry you visited.

Skip London Dungeon And Visit The Tower Of London

No matter how much the kids beg you to visit the London Dungeon, stay strong and just say "no." This kitschy tourist trap is a waste of your hard-earned money (tickets start at over $37 for adults) and it's so hokey you'll roll your eyes more times than you can count on both hands. This pitiful attraction is peppered with costume-clad actors who like to scream and cackle and its two rides (the Drop Dead: Drop Ride and the Tyrant Boat Ride) will make you wish you were at Walt Disney World; even "It's a Small World" would be more enjoyable. An escape room has also been added to increase the venue's income stream –- it costs $153 for a private game for six people.

Want a historic experience with a side of chills? Head to the Tower of London instead. There, you can tour the Torture at the Tower Exhibition, where you can get up close and personal with the stretching machine (a.k.a. the rack) and other ancient torture devices in the Lower Wakefield Tower. The Bloody Tower is another point of interest you won't want to miss. The most infamous prison on the grounds, this is where you'll learn about the alleged murder of two young princes -– Edward V and his little brother Richard –- by their uncle, Richard III.

Skip The London Bridge Experience And Visit Churchill War Rooms

Looking for a good spooking? Do yourself a favor and skip The London Bridge Experience. A tourist trap designed to bring the city's macabre history to life with the help of actors with a penchant for jump scares, you can expect to meet zombie-like versions of ghastly heavyweights Jack the Ripper and William Wallace during your visit. Tickets cost about $37 for the experience, which takes anywhere between 35 and 50 minutes. That means you could be spending more than $1 a minute. Entry fees also include a trip to the London Tombs, deemed the U.K.'s "best scare attraction," according to their site . Zombified dentists, doctors, and creepy clowns await visitors in the lower vaults of this venue, ready to pounce and scream in your face.

Instead, we suggest visiting the Churchill War Rooms. Also located underground, this fascinating historic facility is part of the Imperial War Museums. Located in the basement of Whitehall, this once-secret complex was used by former Prime Minister Winston Churchill, top government ministers, and military planners to conduct meetings and develop plans during the country's war effort during World War II. Known as the Cabinet War Rooms, this clandestine spot was used daily during the war, until August 16, 1945. Or experience that stomach drop feeling by walking the glass floors at Tower Bridge. Set nearly 138 feet above the Thames, the views are both terrifying and impressive. Tickets cost under $16 per adult. 

Skip The Sherlock Holmes Museum And Visit The Sherlock Holmes Pub

We don't recommend visiting the Sherlock Holmes Museum unless you have a detective-obsessed kid who doesn't realize that the famed character is fictional. Set inside a Georgian townhouse at 221B Baker Street in Marylebone, this four-story museum has been open since 1990. Inside lie antique furnishings mentioned in the books and pretty creepy-looking mannequins. Tickets cost over $21 which isn't exorbitant, especially for London, but considering you won't be there long (the museum's quite small), this seems a bit of a waste.

Instead, head to The Sherlock Holmes  in St James. Self-described as a "Victorian-themed public house," this watering hole features a recreated version of the famed fictional detective's apartment upstairs. The entire pub is dotted with references to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's beloved books, making it easy to feel as if you're within the pages. Plus, there's a beer garden –- the museum certainly doesn't have one of those.

Skip The SEA Life London Aquarium And Visit The London Zoo

You'll find everything you'd expect to see at the SEA Life London Aquarium. From penguins to sharks to turtles, they're all there. And as far as aquariums go, this is a pretty good one. But when you're in one of the world's greatest cities that lies on the banks of a river, not an ocean, there are plenty of better things to see. Standard tickets to the Sea Life London Aquarium cost $24 online or $51 at the door. Again, that's pretty on par for London attractions, however, it's a steep price to pay for a tourist trap. 

Instead, visit London Zoo in Regent's Park. The oldest scientific zoo in the world, this family-friendly attraction was opened in 1828 for fellows of the Zoological Society of London. In 1847, the public was invited to visit. Today, the zoo is home to 14,0000 animals including a giant, 425-pound silverback gorilla, Sumatran tigers, and Linne's two-toed sloths. While tickets aren't cheap (an adult will cost about $40 to visit on a weekday), it's easy to spend a whole day here. Or, if you aren't willing to part with that much cash, visit the smaller, and lesser-known, Battersea Park Children's Zoo . Adult tickets are more reasonably priced, at $16. There are over 100 animals at this little zoo, including wallabies, meerkats, otters, and lemurs, and plenty of opportunities to interact with animals like coatis, donkeys, and goats.

Skip The Shard And Visit Level 10 At The Tate Modern

There's no denying that The Shard is impressive. In fact, it's one of the most spectacular buildings in the world . The viewing platform was opened by the queen on February 1, 2013, with the main restaurants (Aqua, Oblix, and Hutong) following suit that summer. Set across the Thames from another bucket-list-worthy London building, the Gherkin, this engineering masterpiece towers 1,016 feet above the city and boasts 11,000 glass panels. 

Dubbed a "vertical city," there's plenty to do inside, like spend serious coin on a meal with a view, or zip up one of the 44 elevators to the viewing platform. That 360-degree view will cost you, though -- about $36, or more if you add a glass of champagne. And if you visit on a day that's rainy or misty (honestly, London is often both of those things), you're basically paying for a ride in a lift.

Instead, head to Level 10 at Tate Modern, where you can enjoy a drink or snack (including sandwiches and salads) while ogling the impressive view of the Thames, St. Paul's Cathedral, the BT Tower, and Blackfriar's Bridge. You won't have to pay a thing unless you choose to grab a bite or a warm cuppa. The Skygarden at 20 Fenchurch Street is another must-visit for a free skyline vista. The highest public garden in London, this leafy space is as stunning as its views are remarkable.

Skip The London Eye And Visit Hamstead Heath

We are well aware that some of you will disagree with this addition to our list of tourist traps to avoid when traveling to London, but hear us out. Yes, the London Eye is iconic. Yes, it offers fantastic views of the city. And yes, it's deemed a top London attraction you won't want to miss . That said, visiting this popular landmark can cause more headaches than enjoyment. First created as a temporary point of interest, this 443-foot-tall, "cantilevered observation wheel" is the largest of its kind in the world, according to its website . And if you catch a ride on one of its 32 pods on a sunny day, you can see up to 25 miles in all directions. The problem is that thousands of others have the same idea, which means you could stand in line for more than two hours on a particularly busy day. Standard tickets start at over $32 online or more than $57 for a walk-up.

Instead, visit Hampstead Heath for a unique city view you probably never knew existed. Parliament Hill stands over 321 feet tall, making it one of the highest natural points in the city. If the weather is ideal, you can see to the Gherkin, St. Paul's Cathedral, and the Houses of Parliament. Speaking of the Gherkin, it's another great spot to enjoy unparalleled views. Grab a drink and snack at Iris Bar at Searcys at the Gherkin , then relax with a side order of stunning vistas.

Skip Harrods And Visit Peter Jones And Liberty

Harrods is to London as the Colosseum is to Rome -– a historic icon that's become synonymous with the city. The world's most famous luxury department store, this Knightsbridge institution is impossible to miss -– it's eight floors tall and an entire block long, not to mention over one million square feet in size. Inside, you'll find 20 restaurants, a beauty salon, a bank, and 300 separate departments selling over 5,000 brands. You'll also see price tags so high you might suffer sticker shock. Due to its notoriety, Harrods is often packed with tourists, making it difficult to enjoy the plush interior.

If you're hoping to shop during your London holiday, there are plenty of excellent places to visit instead. Sloane Square is home to the Peter Jones & Partners department store. Owned by John Lewis, this vast shop is filled with enough enticing merchandise that you'll find it tough to leave empty-handed. Grab a bite at The Top Floor Restaurant (on the 6 th floor) for captivating views of Chelsea and beyond.

Liberty is another recognizable landmark located on Regent Street. A heritage-listed building; this stunning Tudor-style store is as beautiful outside as it is indoors. Built between 1922 and 1924, it is worth a visit, if only to admire the impressive architectural features (the price tags here are also quite shocking).

Our Ranking Methodology

Having lived in London for six years with two young children, I visited pretty much every tourist attraction the city has. From renowned points of interest like the Tower of London to remarkable museums, I've seen the top sightseeing destinations multiple times, including many kitschy tourist traps I wish I'd skipped. To create this list, I used my experiences at these attractions to determine which locales are tourist traps that should be avoided and I included alternatives that are more than worthy of your time and money. I also consulted reviews from other locals and travelers, as well as their tips, to ensure the list is solid.

Read the original article on Explore .

NEWS... BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT

Idiot teenager clings onto back of moving bus while wearing flip-flops

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A teenager was spotted hitching a risky ride on the back of a double-decker bus in London .

The teen decided to surf on the back of a bus on Lansbury Drive in Hayes, west London.

He grabbed hold of the back of the number 90 bus as it whizzed along the 30mph residential road.

A video shows him desperately clinging on, but he kept slipping.

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

The boy eventually lost his grip, but he managed to remain upright as he landed on the ground.

He then ran off when the bus pulled over at a stop.

Some locals said they were fuming over the reckless act.

Karen Howarth said: ‘Bus surfing was stupid years ago, and continues to be.

‘Only ever ends in a hard life lesson learnt.’

Chris said he was a ‘very sad little boy,’ while local Max Strummer defended the daredevil, saying ‘more kids should be doing s*** like this.’

Vik Singh joked that the teen was like Marty McFly from Back to the Future films.

‘He should get a hoverboard like Marty,’ he said.

Latest London news

• New plans revealed for London’s next £400,000,000 mega skyscraper
• Woman mauled to death by her two XL Bully dogs
• Child dies after falling from upper-floor flat in south London

To get the latest news from the capital visit Metro.co.uk's London news hub .

The teen was wearing black slider flip flops, shorts, a t-shirt and a backpack.

The daring ride was captured by man in a car travelling behind the bus.

He says ‘this kid’s in flip flops’ as he watches the stowaway moment on Monday morning.

It is not known how old the lad was.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected] .

For more stories like this, check our news page .

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How to Use a Contactless Card on London Transport

Anyone with a contactless debit or credit card can use it to pay for travel in London. It’s ideal if you don’t have or want an Oyster card. Or if you run out of pay as you go credit on your Oyster card.

Your card is used the same way as an Oyster card – you tap in and out at the tube or train station ticket barriers or tap the yellow card reader when you get on a bus.

The main difference is that you don’t have to top-up your Oyster card with money, the fare is taken from your debit card or credit card the following day.

You need one contactless debit or credit card per person . You can’t pay for two or more people with one card.

Contactless single fares 2024

Underground.

For central London (zone 1) it costs  £2.70 off peak and £2.80 peak per journey with a contactless debit or credit card.

Read more about London’s zones .

What are the contactless peak/off-peak hours?

Off-peak fares apply on Fridays from 8 March until 31 May 2024

Monday–Thursday 6.30am–9.30am and from 4pm–7pm.

If you travel into central London (zone 1) from an outer zone, there is no afternoon peak rate . You are charged the off-peak fare.

Off-peak fares are charged at all other times, including Public Holidays.

Contactless Daily Cap 2024

If you want to use your contactless card to pay for travel for the whole day, there’s a ‘daily cap’. This is the maximum you pay for unlimited travel in one day. For central London, it’s  £8.50 .

Contactless daily cap from 3 March 2024

It’s  £1.75 for one bus journey or for unlimited bus journeys within one hour with a contactless card. If you use the buses all day,  £5.25 is the maximum amount deducted from your card.

There are no zones for bus travel in London.

Contactless weekly fares

If you use a contactless card to pay for travel between Monday and Sunday there’s a weekly cap – the maximum amount deducted from your card.

As it runs from Monday to Sunday, the cap does not benefit everyone.

For anyone visiting London for 5-7 days, a weekly Travelcard or bus pass might be cheaper depending on the day you first use public transport.

For central London (zone 1) it’s  £42.70 . Contactless weekly cap prices are the same as weekly Travelcard prices.

• You benefit from the contactless ‘weekly cap’ if you arrive in London on Monday or Tuesday and use it to pay for public transport every day until Sunday
• If you arrive in London on Wednesday to Sunday and use public transport every day for 6-7 days, buy a weekly Travelcard instead

The cost for bus travel between Monday and Sunday is  £24.70.

• You benefit from the contactless weekly bus fare if you arrive in London on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday and use the buses every day until Sunday
• If you arrive in London on Thursday to Sunday and use the buses for the next 5-7 days, buy an ordinary weekly bus pass instead

How do I use a contactless card?

Tap your contactless debit/credit card on the yellow card reader when you get on the bus. You don’t need to tap your card when you get off.

On the underground/overground

Tap your card on the yellow card reader to open the ticket barriers at the start of your journey. Do the same when you arrive at your destination. Even if the barriers are open, tap the reader otherwise you are charged the full fare.

The following working day, your journeys are added up and the money is deducted from your bank account or added to your credit card bill.

Non-UK issued contactless card

Visitors with non-UK issued cards should bear in mind that overseas transaction charges might apply when you use a contactless card. It’s probably best to check the fees with your card provider first.

If you have two or more contactless cards, make sure they’re not near each other when you tap your card on the reader. Decide which one you’re going to use and stick to it.

If you use different cards you will not benefit from the daily or weekly cap and you could be charged the ‘full fare’ (expensive!).

A record of usage is available, but you need register your contactless credit/debit card with TfL.

If you don’t want to do this, get an Oyster card instead. Receipts are available when you buy and/or top-up a card at an underground station ticket machine. You don’t get one automatically, you have to select ‘Receipt’ on the screen. Look out for the prompt – it’s easy to miss.

Related pages

• Guide to London transport tickets
• London transport zones

Last updated: 22 February 2024

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