Always touch in on a yellow card reader at the start of your journey and touch out at the end to pay the right fare. (On a bus or tram you only need to touch in.)
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If your bank card shows the contactless payment symbol, you can use it to pay as you go straight away. You'll pay an adult rate fare.
You must tap your card on the TAP target any time you ride. Onboard fare inspectors can read your card to confirm that you properly tapped. If you fail to tap the bus or rail validator before boarding, you may be cited for fare evasion. So don't forget to TAP!
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.
Missed Tap Off CostIf you don't have a default set on your card and you forget to tap off at the end of your trip, you'll be charged the fare to the last stop on the train line or bus route and with your fare type and any applicable loyalty discounts applied.
Please wait at least 48 hours as you might receive an automatic refund: Oyster - we'll automatically add it to your card the next time you touch in or out of a rail journey Contactless - the refund... If you forget to tap in or out with your contactless card you'll get the same maximum fare as you would with Oyster.
If you don't have a contactless credit/debit card and don't want to purchase an Oyster card, you can purchase a One Day Bus Pass. The is a paper ticket that gives you unlimited travel until 4:29 AM the following day.
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.
Pay your fare on cash-free London busesLondon buses are card only, so you cannot buy a ticket with cash. Use a Visitor Oyster card*, an Oyster card, a Travelcard or a contactless payment card to pay your fare. Unlike the Tube zone fare system, a single London bus journey costs £1.75 no matter how far you go.
Pay as you go at adult rate on buses and trams and our Hopper fare gives you unlimited journeys for £1.75, made within one hour of touching in. Hopper fare also applies to discounted rate travel. Touch in using the same card or device on all journeys and you get our Hopper fare automatically.
Tap On, Tap Off for return journeysIn addition, if you decide to make several journeys in that day your fare will be capped at the daily rate. Using Tap On, Tap off means you only pay for the journeys you have made and gives you more flexibility should your travel needs change.
Cons: A £7 cost applies when you get a standard or visitor card. You'll need to top it up in advance of travel. You can't use an Oyster card at any station between Reading and Iver.
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 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.
London buses are all cashless, so you need an Oyster card, Travelcard or contactless payment card to ride. Bus fare is £1.75, and a day of bus-only travel will cost a maximum of £5.25. You can transfer to other buses or trams for free an unlimited number of times within one hour of touching in for your first journey.