Pay as you go (paying only for the journeys you make) is the easiest way to pay for travel in London. You don't have to work out the cost of your journey in advance. You can pay as you go using contactless (card or device), an Oyster card or a Visitor Oyster card.
No, but we do recommend that you set up a TfL online account and register your card. This gives you access to added benefits, plus you'll be able to see up to 12 months of journey and payment history. If you don't register your card, you'll only be able to view seven days' worth of journey history.
Is it cheaper to use Oyster or contactless? As both cards use the same Pay As You Go system and are compatible with the TfL Oyster & Contactless app, the costs are comparable. As a tourist in London, it can be worth getting an Oyster Card as part of the London Pass.
No, but if you sign up for a TfL online account and register your card, you'll be able to view your journey and payments history, and get other added benefits. If you don't register, you can only view 7 days' history.
Pay as you goYou don't have to work out the cost of your journey in advance. You can pay as you go using contactless (card or device), an Oyster card or a Visitor Oyster card. It also offers great value as pay as you go is cheaper than buying single tickets and you get daily and weekly capping.
In most cases, paying by card is more convenient than cash, though we do recommend carrying a small amount of cash for parking, taxis, small purchases and tips. Ideally, take a Wise Mastercard and a Visa debit or credit card with you – plus a small amount of cash.
Unpaid faresSometimes your card may be accepted by our card readers, but the payment is declined by your card issuer. If this happens: You've made a journey that you've not paid for. You won't be able to use your card again to travel until the unpaid fare has been paid.
You can use your debit card in most stores to pay for something. You just swipe the card and enter your PIN number on a key pad. Debit cards take money out of your checking account immediately.
Debit cards with a Mastercard or Visa logo are widely accepted in Europe. American Express is somewhat less common, except at tourist destinations. Most banks charge a foreign transaction fee and/or a currency conversion fee, so it is worth double-checking these costs before departure.
Supports cash: If you want to pay for your transport in London using cash, you can buy and top up an Oyster card with cash. This is normally a lot more cost effective than paying for a cash ticket, with the rare exception of a one-off single journey as you have to consider the cost of the Oyster card.
If the time between touching in at the start and touching out at the end of your journey is more than the maximum journey time limit, you'll be charged two maximum pay as you go fares. A single maximum fare is: up to £9.40 in Zones 1-9. up to £26.00 beyond Zone 9, including on the Heathrow Express.
Can I pay for more than one person with my contactless Barclays card on Transport for London (TfL) services? No, you can only pay for one person per journey with a single contactless card, just like with an Oyster card. Find out more about TfL's contactless card service.
If you're visiting London for 3 days or less, the best option is to get the Oyster Card, as it's the most cost-effective system. For stays of over 4 days, we recommend getting the 7-day Travelcard, since it's cheaper than getting 7 x 24-hour travelcards.
It is significantly cheaper to travel in London using an Oyster card than it is to purchase individual tickets for each trip. The only reason you would want to just buy individual tickets is if you are only using public transportation once or twice during your stay.