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London fares · 2026 edition

Oyster or Contactless?

For most riders the answer is contactless. But there are six situations where another card actually saves you money. Follow the tree.

Contactless
Oyster
Travelcard
Photocard
Paper ticket
1
Where

Where are you travelling?

Some destinations rule out Oyster — or rule out PAYG entirely. Start here.

Elizabeth line west of West Drayton — Iver, Slough, Maidenhead, Reading. Oyster fails here.
→ Contactless
Gatwick Airport. Contactless and Oyster both work on Southern/Thameslink, but advance paper rail tickets are usually cheaper. Travelcards aren't valid to Gatwick.
→ Advance paper (or PAYG)
Beyond the PAYG area entirely — Brighton, Cambridge, long-distance rail.
→ Paper ticket
Anywhere within zones 1–9 (incl. Heathrow, all Tube/DLR/Overground).
↓ Step 2
2
Who

Are you a London resident with a photocard?

Children, students, apprentices, 60+, Freedom Pass holders all have purpose-built cards that beat anything else.

Eligible — child, 16+ student, apprentice, 60+, state-pensioner, disabled. See the card matrix below.
→ Photocard
None of those apply.
↓ Step 3
3
Visiting

Are you visiting from overseas?

FX fees per tap can wreck contactless. The fix is either an Oyster (one FX hit when you top up) or a fee-free travel card.

Your bank charges per-transaction FX fees and you don't have a fee-free card like Revolut, Wise, Monzo or Chase UK.
→ Visitor Oyster
You're travelling with an 11–15 year old — staff can add a Young Visitor Discount (50% off, 14 days).
→ Adult Oyster + YVD
No FX fees, no kids needing the discount.
↓ Step 4
4
Pattern

What's your travel pattern?

The trip shape is the deciding factor. Most people land on contactless — a few specific patterns don't.

You hold a National Railcard (16–25, 26–30, Senior, Disabled, Veterans, HM Forces, Network) — get 1/3 off off-peak PAYG.
→ Oyster + Railcard
You're a regular commuter on the same route — weekly, monthly or annual.
→ Travelcard
Your trip starts mid-week and you'll travel 5+ days — contactless cap only resets on Monday.
→ 7-Day on Oyster
Anything else. Casual, occasional, weekend — contactless caps Mon–Sun automatically.
→ Contactless

The six answers

What each route resolves to, and why.

For most adults

Contactless

Bank card or phone wallet. No card fee, identical fares to Oyster, automatic Mon–Sun cap. The default.

  • Same daily cap as Oyster
  • Mon–Sun cap (Oyster doesn't have one)
  • Phone + physical = two "cards" — useful for couples
FX fees · Railcard · 11–15 with adult

Oyster (standard or Visitor)

One top-up = one FX charge instead of one per tap. The only way to attach a National Railcard for 1/3 off off-peak PAYG.

  • £7 non-refundable card fee
  • Link Railcard at a Visitor Centre
  • Credit doesn't expire — keep for next visit
Mid-week visitors · regular commuters

7-Day Travelcard on Oyster

Loads onto Oyster and starts on any day — perfect when contactless's Mon–Sun cap doesn't fit your trip.

  • Also available monthly + annual
  • Unlocks 1/3 off River Bus
  • Watch zone boundaries — extension fares apply
Eligible London residents

Photocard

Free or heavily-discounted travel for kids, students, apprentices, care leavers, 60+, pensioners and disabled riders. Apply at photocard.tfl.gov.uk.

  • Admin fee typically £16.50–£22
  • Full table → see below
Beyond the PAYG area

Paper ticket

For Brighton, Cambridge, Gatwick Express, and any long-distance service outside zones 1–9. For Gatwick on Southern/Thameslink, PAYG works but advance paper is usually cheaper.

  • Travelcards aren't valid to Gatwick
  • Heathrow Express now accepts PAYG (since 2019)
  • Stansted Express accepts contactless (not Oyster)
A free upgrade for adults

Fee-free travel card on contactless

Revolut, Wise, Monzo or Chase UK on contactless sidesteps FX fees entirely — no Oyster admin fee, full Mon–Sun cap. Often the smartest visitor pick.

  • Watch out for card-clash in your wallet
  • Carry a backup card in case of dead phone

Photocard matrix

Which card matches which life stage. London residents only — apply at photocard.tfl.gov.uk.

5–10 years
Zip 5–10 · free travel
11–15 years
Zip 11–15 · free bus/tram, half-fare PAYG
16–17 years
16+ Zip · half-fare PAYG, free bus if eligible
18+ student
18+ Student Oyster · 30% off Travelcards
Apprentice
Apprentice Oyster · 30% off Travelcards
18–25 care leaver
Care Leaver Oyster · free bus/tram, discounts
60+ (pre-pension)
60+ London Oyster · free after 09:00
State pension age
Older Person's Freedom Pass · free
Eligible disabled
Disabled Person's Freedom Pass · free

Where each method actually works

Oyster and contactless aren't quite interchangeable. The boundary matters.

Both work

  • London Underground
  • DLR, Overground, Trams
  • All London buses
  • Elizabeth lineZones 1–6 + Shenfield branch
  • Most National Rail in zones 1–9
  • Thames Clippers (River Bus)Not included in caps
  • IFS Cloud Cable Car

Contactless only

  • Elizabeth line west of West DraytonIver, Slough, Maidenhead, Reading
  • Stansted ExpressContactless only — no Oyster
  • "Project Oval" stationsSurrey, Herts, Essex, Kent, Sussex outliers

Neither — paper only

  • Gatwick Express premium serviceRegular Southern/Thameslink accept PAYG
  • Long-distance services beyond zone 9Brighton, Cambridge, etc.

!Things that will cost you money

Most fines and max-fares come from the same handful of mistakes. Avoid these.

01Card clash. Don't tap a wallet with multiple contactless cards — the reader picks one at random.
02Dead phone mid-journey = max fare (~£29). Carry a backup card.
03Missing a tap-out = max fare. You can fix up to 3 per month via your TfL account.
04Mixing methods mid-journey. Tap in with Oyster, out with contactless = two incomplete journeys.
05Buses & trams are tap-in only. Flat £1.75 fare with the Hopper — unlimited transfers within 60 min. There's no need to tap out, and no benefit if you do.
06Travelcard zone breach. A 1–3 Travelcard charges an extension fare beyond zone 3.
07Heathrow via zone 1 = peak rate all day, regardless of when you travel.
08Penalty fares are £100 + the full single fare if caught without valid travel authority.

Going to or from a London airport?

Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, London City — fares, fastest routes, night travel, and what payment method actually works at each.

Airports guide →
i Accurate as of May 2026 · Bus fare frozen at £1.75 until July 2026
Fares and policies change. This is guidance, not a guarantee — always check current TfL information before travelling or relying on this advice for an important journey.