Pay your fare on cash-free London buses London 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.

As of March 2026, London buses are entirely cashless, meaning you cannot pay with physical coins or notes on board. If you do not have an Oyster card, the standard way to pay is using a contactless payment card (debit or credit) or a mobile wallet like Apple Pay or Google Pay. The flat fare for a single bus journey is £1.75. One of the best features of this system is the "Hopper Fare," which allows you to take unlimited bus or tram journeys within one hour of your first "tap" for that same £1.75 price, provided you use the same card or device. If you don't have a contactless card either, your only other option is to purchase a "One Day Bus & Tram Pass" for about £6.00 at a Tube station or Visitor Centre before boarding. It is important to note that there is a Daily Cap of £5.25 for bus and tram travel; once you reach this amount in a single day, all subsequent bus rides are free. Because you cannot pay on the bus itself, always ensure your contactless device is charged or you have your card ready before the bus arrives to avoid being denied boarding by the driver.