Contactless or Oyster?
Both give you exactly the same fares and the same daily and weekly caps. The difference is the card itself.
- Contactless bank card, phone or watch: nothing to buy and nothing to refund. Check whether your bank charges a fee for payments in pounds.
- Oyster card: costs a £10.50 card fee that isn't refundable. You top it up with credit and get any unused credit back at the end. Useful if your bank charges foreign fees, or for children aged 11–15.
- Visitor Oyster: the same card, ordered online before your trip with credit already loaded, plus delivery.
Every traveller needs their own card. One card can't pay for two people.
Main fares in 2026
| Journey (adult, contactless or Oyster) | Price |
|---|---|
| Tube, Zones 1–2, peak | £3.60 |
| Tube, Zones 1–2, off-peak | £3.10 |
| Bus or tram, any single journey | £1.75 |
| Heathrow to Zone 1, Piccadilly line | £5.90 |
| Heathrow to Zone 1, Elizabeth line | £15.50 |
Peak times are Monday to Friday (except public holidays), 06:30–09:30 and 16:00–19:00. At weekends it's off-peak all day.
Daily caps: the most you'll pay in a day
Keep tapping the same card and TfL stops charging you once you reach the cap for the zones you've travelled in. The rest of the day's journeys are free.
| Zones travelled | Daily cap |
|---|---|
| Zones 1–2 | £8.90 |
| Zones 1–3 | £10.50 |
| Zones 1–4 | £12.80 |
| Zones 1–5 | £15.30 |
| Zones 1–6 | £16.30 |
| Buses and trams only | £5.25 |
The travel day runs from 04:30 to 04:29 the next morning. There's also a weekly cap from Monday to Sunday. If you take the Tube and the bus on the same day, your bus fares count towards the Tube cap.
The bus Hopper fare
On buses and trams you pay £1.75, then make as many more bus or tram journeys as you like within one hour of your first tap, for free. On buses you tap only when you get on, never when you get off.
Children
- Under 11: free on buses, trams, the Tube, DLR, Overground and Elizabeth line with a paying adult. No card needed.
- Aged 11–15: ask station staff to add the free Young Visitor discount to an Oyster card for half-price travel for up to 14 days.
How to avoid extra charges
- Always tap in and tap out on the Tube and trains. If you forget to tap out, you're charged a maximum fare that doesn't count towards the cap.
- Avoid card clash: hold only one card against the reader, not your whole wallet.
- Use the same card or the same phone all day, or the cap won't work.
- If you change trains at a station with a pink reader and don't go through Zone 1, tap it to avoid paying a Zone 1 fare.
Prices checked in September 2026 against TfL's 2026 fares. Bus fares may change later in 2026. Confirm on tfl.gov.uk before you travel.