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The tariff system of the Capital is based on two fundamental elements: the timetable and the number of zones crossed.
There are 9 different fare zones in London. Zone 1 is the most central one. As the number increases, the distance from the center also increases. In all likelihood, it will be enough to buy London transport tickets for zones 1-2. Beyond zone 6, you go a long way from the center. Areas from 7 to 9 are served almost exclusively by the Metropolitan Line (Magenta).
Another element on which the cost of London transport tickets is based is the timetable. Between 06:30 and 09:30, and from 16:00 to 19:00, the highest fare (peak) is charged. In the other time frames, you will pay a lower rate (off-peak).
TYPES OF LONDON TRANSPORT TICKETS
Photo ©, Stephen Cannon
CONTACTLESS
oysters. Visitor Oyster. Traverlcard… forget all this if you intend to move around London by public transport and always prefer your contactless card.
Simple and immediate, with contactless payment you can pay the exact fare for your journey by bus and tram. All credit cards with contactless functionality (the symbol is printed on the card), and enabled mobile devices (Apple Pay, Google Pay…) are valid.
HOW TO PAY CONTACTLESS
On the metro, just place your card on the reader in front of the entrance. When exiting, always remember to mark otherwise the system could cause problems. On buses, on the other hand, the card must only be validated at the entrance, in front of the driver.
Always remember to use the same contactless mode and NEVER ALTERATE cards. If you mark the entrance with your phone, you must always use this and not a card. Same thing, if you mark with a card, you must always use this one.
WHY CONTACTLESS IS BETTER
Simply because you will have no additional costs and you can use your common credit card (even prepaid). You don’t risk leaving credit unused and you don’t have to pay the price of the Visitor Oyster Card. Savings and convenience. Plus, with the official TFL app (FREE) you can always keep track of all your expenses.
VISITOR-OYSTER OR TRAVELCARD
Before the introduction of the contactless payment system, the Oyster Card (also available in the visitor version) were the preferred London transport tickets. Today, on the other hand, it is absolutely preferable to use your credit card in contactless mode because you won’t have to run the risk of leaving unused credit. Furthermore, the price of the rides does not change. Even in contactless mode you can take advantage of the Daily Cap (see below)
The Travelcard, on the other hand, is a paper subscription, valid for travel throughout the day, until 04.30 the following day. There are different types of cards, based on the number of days and areas crossed. The only recommended one is the 1-day Travelcard because it allows you to take advantage of the 2X1 option on the most important attractions in London. More info from this link.
DAILY CAP LONDON TRANSPORT TICKET PRICES
The Daily Cap London is the formula designed to save money on public transport in London starting from the fourth trip. The Daily cap is applied automatically and represents the threshold beyond which you will no longer pay anything after one day or at the end of the week. Below is the detail for the purchase of London transport tickets.
BUS TICKETS
- SINGLE RIDE: £1.75
- DAILY CAP: £5.25
- WEEKLY CAP: £24.70
A single-journey ticket costs £1.75 and allows unlimited journeys on the buses within an hour of first validation. Always remember to stamp every time you get on the bus (if you do it before 90′ your card will not be charged).
TUBE, DLR, NRS TICKETS
- SINGLE RUN PEAK: £2.80
- SINGLE RIDE OFF PEAK: £2.70
- DAILY CAP: £8.10
- WEEKLY CAP: £40.70
Ticket is valid for a single journey on Tube, DLR, London Overground, Elizabeth lineand National Rail services.
Warning: unlike buses, tickets on the metro and trains must be validated at the beginning and end of the journey using the appropriate machines. Furthermore, the weekly cap is different because on trains it is calculated only from Monday to Sunday and not for 7 consecutive days.