London’s public transport system is as iconic as the city itself. London boasts the world's first underground railway -the Tube- and possibly the world's most iconic bus, the red double-decker. Getting around on public tranport is not just convenient, it's a key part of any trip to the Big Smoke.
Here is an overview of London's public transport system.
If you'd like to read more, refer to this explainer (coming soon!).
Transport Mode | Validation Method | Pricing Logic | Peak/Off-Peak Fares | Automatic Capping |
---|---|---|---|---|
Underground & Overground | Tap in and out | Zone-based | Yes | Yes (daily and weekly) |
Buses | Tap on | Time-based (unlimited transfers within the hour) | No | Yes (daily and weekly) |
DLR | Tap in and out | Zone-based | Yes | Yes (daily and weekly) |
National Rail | Tap in and out | Zone-based | Yes | Yes (daily and weekly) |
Trams | Tap on | Time-based (unlimited transfers within the hour) | No | Yes (daily and weekly) |
Ferries | Tap in and out | Zone-based | No | No |
Cable Car (IFS Cloud) | Tap in and out | Flat fare | No | No |
Tap your contactless or Oyster card on any yellow reader to pay
Your contactless bank card is your ticket! You pay by tapping on any yellow reader. You can also pay via Apple Pay or Google Pay on your smartphone or smartwatch. Remember to always use the same device when tapping in and out.
Your fare will be automatically calculated and deducted. Daily caps are automatically applied. Weekly caps are also automatically applied if you travel from Monday to Sunday.
Tips: make sure your bank card is enabled for contactless payments and overseas transactions. Also make sure there are no hidden currency conversions fees. See below for tips on how to avoid these. For general guidance on using your contactless bank card as a payment method, see our contactless bank card guide
The Oyster card is London's reusable smart card:
Only the Railcards below offer discounts on London transport. To check if you qualify for one (and buy it if so), head to Trainline.
16-25 Railcard.
26-30 Railcard.
Senior Railcard.
HM Forces Railcard.
Veterans Railcard.
Disabled Person's Railcard.
Once you have your Railcard, you will need to ask a member of staff to add it to your Oyster card. You can find them at any major Tube station by the ticket machines.
There is no pricing difference between contactless cards and Oyster cards. Since you do not have to pay extra for your contactless card, I'd recommend going for that.
Additionally, Oyster cards are only valid in Zones 1-6. Contactless cards are valid further out, and new stations are being progressively added. For example, you cannot use Oyster to reach Luton airport, but you can use contactless. The same will apply to Stansted airport once support for contactless is added.
The only scenario where I'd recommend an Oyster card is if you qualify for a Railcard that gives you a discount on London transport and you plan on using it regularly. In that case, an Oyster card could turn out to be a lot cheaper than contactless.
Of course, you should also get an Oyster if you do not have access to a contactless card.
There are three options to get to Heathrow from London and vice-versa:
Contactless or Oyster on all services heading in and out of London.
Buy tickets from Trainline, the Stansted Express website or National Rail ticket machines.
You can switch to contactless or Oyster to continue your journey once you get off at Tottenham Hale or London Liverpool Street.
Likewise, if you are in London, you can use contactless or Oyster to get to London Liverpool Street or Tottenham Hale before continuing with a Stansted Express ticket.
Contactless payments coming soon: Contactless payments will soon be available on the Stansted Express. Oyster payments will not be possible. The launch is expected from the second half of 2025 onwards (source).
Contactless on all services heading in and out of London. Oyster is not accepted. You can also buy tickets from Trainline, or National Rail ticket machines.
Contactless or Oyster on all services heading in and out of London.
Buy tickets from Trainline, Greater Anglia or National Rail ticket machines.
You can switch to contactless or Oyster to continue your journey once you get off at Shenfield, Stratford or London Liverpool Street.
Likewise, if you are in London, you can use contactless or Oyster to get to London Liverpool Street, Stratford or Shenfield before continuing with your train ticket.
Find all the information on the Transport for London website.
There is no need to pay for an expensive hop-on hop-off bus.
London's buses are great, especially if you can get one of those coveted front-row seats upstairs.
Below are some recommended bus routes. They cover most of the city's key landmarks so they're a fantastic way to get an overview of the city.