Can you use TfL with no money on card?

You may be able to complete your journey, but your card will then be temporarily stopped and you won't be able to use it to make any further journeys until the outstanding amount is paid to TfL. However, you should still be able to use your card with other retailers.



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Will contactless payments work if you have no money in your account? Contactless transactions could still go through even if you have run out of money. Retailers do not have to check how much money is in your account before accepting your card payment, meaning you could be charged interest if you go into an overdraft.

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If you can't pay an unpaid fare on your card through TfL, they'll try to take the payment the next time you touch in to make a journey or touch your card on a revenue inspector's device.

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If you haven't enough money left before you board a bus, you can make one more journey on this bus (but not change buses). This will create a negative balance on your card, and the card will be blocked for travel until you load money again.

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Travel free on bus, tram, Tube, DLR, London Overground and Elizabeth line. You can travel free on TfL services with your Older Person's Freedom Pass from 09:00 weekdays and anytime at weekends and on bank holidays. If you have a Disabled Person's Freedom Pass, you can still travel at any time on our services.

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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.

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All Oyster card balances, both positive and negative, stay forever until the customer cancels the card. This is unlike most other cities in the world where balances expire after a set period. A card with a negative balance may only be reused once it is topped up.

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The minimum top up amount is £5, and top ups must be made in increments of £5. Topping up at Newsagents You can top up your oyster card at many independent shops around London, just like you can at a station. Look out for the Oyster Card sign in the shop window. Why register my card online?

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If you still feel you've been incorrectly charged, you'll then need to contact TfL to resolve this for you. If you've been charged a maximum fare because you've touched in with one card and touched out with another, we're only able to refund the charge that applied to your Barclays debit card or Barclaycard.

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Oyster cards An Oyster card is a smart card that you add money to, so you can pay as you go. You can pay as you go to travel on bus, Tube, tram, DLR, London Overground, most Elizabeth line, IFS Cloud Cable Car and Thames Clippers River Bus services.

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Provided you have some balance on your card (and have your card with you), you can board a bus and receive an emergency fare advice slip, reminding you to top-up. The cost of the fare will be deducted from your Oyster card, taking it into a negative balance, which will be cleared the next time you top-up.

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Oyster cards also have a capping system, which can save you even more money. There is a maximum amount that you can be charged on a daily basis (days run from 4.30am to 4.29am the next day) for traveling in different zones. After you exceed that amount in one day, your travel is free for the rest of the day.

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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.

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