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Travelcards for London

Westminster London Underground (Tube) sign. Copyright Transport for London, 2005

If you are in London and you're planning to travel to multiple destinations and want to take advantage of the city’s public transport system, you should opt for a Travelcard.

London Travelcards can be added to Oyster cards - an electronic smart card that replaces paper tickets. Oyster is almost always the best option, offering cheaper, hassle-free travel across the transport network.

Not only will you save money but you will be able to enjoy total freedom to hop on and off any form of public transport for the whole day on just the one ticket.

London Travelcards

Travelcards are a great way to travel easily and (relatively) cheaply around London. Buy a 1-day Travelcard if you're only here for a day, or use a pay as you go Oyster card, which will automatically cap your daily spend to the price of a 1-day Travelcard.

For more extensive travel, you can buy a 7-day, monthly or yearly Travelcard, which can also be easily loaded onto an Oyster.

Visitor Oyster cards are available to all residents of the UK, cost £12 and come fully charged with £10 credit. Buy your Visitor Oyster card now

International visitors can buy a standard pay-as-you-go Oyster card on arrival or buy a Visitor Oyster card in advance through Visit Britain.

Travelcards Offer Flexibility

Oyster card and reader. Copyright Transport for London, 2005

Travelcards give you complete flexibility when using public transport in London. There is no queuing for tickets and no need to have the correct money with you. You get unlimited travel on the Tube, trams, Docklands Light Railway (DLR), local trains, across the entire London bus network and also a third off riverboat services.

There is a wide range of Travelcards available. They can be brought for just one day, seven days, a month or a year.

For full details visit the Transport for London website.

Travelcard Areas - London Transport Zones

Travelcards cover different areas of London. The city is split into 6 zones, with Zones 1 and 2 in Central London and Zone 6 covering the outer edge of the capital. The cost of your Travelcard will depend on which Zones you need to travel through. Make sure that you purchase the right ticket for your journey to avoid a fine.

London Travelcard Prices

Once you have decided which Zones you are planning to visit, select the time you will want to commence your journey. Any travel before 9.30am (Mon-Fri) will require a Peak Travelcard. For journeys begun after this time, an Off-peak Travelcard works out slightly cheaper.

Here are some examples of what you might expect to pay:

Off-Peak One-day Travelcard

Valid from 9.30am Monday to Friday and all day (12.01am to 4.30am the following day) at weekends and public holidays:

Zones 1 and 2 – adult £5.60
Zones 1–4 – adult £6.30
Zones 1–6 – adult £7.50

Peak One-day Travelcard

Valid for travel until 4.30am the following morning:

Zones 1 and 2 – adult £7.20
Zones 1–4 – adult £10
Zones 1–6 – adult £14.80

Concessions on London Transport

Children under five can travel free at any time when accompanied by an adult with a valid ticket. A range of discounts is available for older children and students. Freedom Passes entitle older and disabled London residents to free travel. See the Transport for London website for information on how to apply.

Where to Purchase a Travelcard in London

Travelcards can be purchased online and delivered to your home address at no additional cost.

Alternatively, Travelcards can be bought all over the city: Tube station ticket offices, London Travel Information Centres and National Rail stations. Some London newsagents also sell Travelcards and pay as you go Oyster cards. At Underground stations self-service ticket machines are now available in five languages and these can save time queuing for the ticket office.

Not only will you save money but you will be able to enjoy total freedom to hop on and off any form of transport for the whole day on just the one ticket.