What is a Travelcard? A Travelcard gives you unlimited travel within London zones 1-4 or 1-6 on the Underground, Overground, TfL Rail, Docklands Light Railway, buses, trams, and most National Rail services in London*.
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What is a Travelcard? A Travelcard gives you unlimited travel within London zones 1-4 or 1-6 on the Underground, Overground, TfL Rail, Docklands Light Railway, buses, trams, and most National Rail services in London*.
They are issued to cover all zones that you travel through on your journey into London, so a Travelcard to include Zone 1 is issued with the destination of Zones 1-6. Other zonal combinations are available, always including Zone 6, up to Zones 5-6 only.
As a general rule a Travelcard is more expensive than an Oyster card or Contactless payment card. The exception is if you make 3 or more journeys for 6 days or more within a 7 day period. In this case a 7 day Travelcard works out cheaper than an Oyster or Contactless payment card.
You will have been charged an extension fare, taken from your pay as you go balance. If you didn't have any pay as you go credit on your Oyster card, your balance will be negative and you will need to top up your card before you can travel again - even if you have a valid Travelcard.
The cheapest ways to get around London include walking, getting an Oyster card, avoiding travel at peak hours, cycling, taking the bus for long-distance, cruising the Thames Clipper, and taking the Docklands Light Railway (DLR).
A Visitor Oyster card* is one of the cheapest ways to pay for single journeys on the bus, Tube, DLR, tram, Uber Boat by Thames Clippers river bus service, London Overground, TfL Rail and most National Rail services in London.
As a general rule a Travelcard is more expensive than an Oyster card or Contactless payment card. The exception is if you make 3 or more journeys for 6 days or more within a 7 day period. In this case a 7 day Travelcard works out cheaper than an Oyster or Contactless payment card.
Yes, so long as your Travelcard is valid on the day of travel and covers zones 1-6. Heathrow Airport is on the Piccadilly Line in London travel zone 6, so Travelcards covering only zones 1-2 will not be valid.
Yes, so long as your Travelcard is valid on the day of travel and covers zones 1-6. Heathrow Airport is on the Piccadilly Line in London travel zone 6, so Travelcards covering only zones 1-2 will not be valid.
Oyster cardsYou 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. You can also travel on most National Rail services in London and some outside London. You can also add: Travelcard.
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.
A Travelcard (in the zones it's valid for) gives you unlimited travel at any time on bus, Tube, Tram, DLR, London Overground, Elizabeth line and National Rail services in London. You can use it on all buses, and if valid in zones 3, 4, 5 or 6, on all trams. Travelcards can start on any day.
The most affordable time to visit London will almost always be the winter months of January and February, as the holiday season is over and there's not a whole lot going on.
It's more than 50% cheaper than buying a paper Travelcard or single tickets with cash. Oyster cards have a daily price cap – once you reach this limit, you won't pay for any additional journeys (excluding Thames Clippers River Bus where there is no capping).
If you stay in London for 6–7 days and use the underground, trains, and buses every day, the weekly Travelcard is the most cost-effective travel pass. The one-week pass including central London (zones 1-2) is £40.70. It's valid for travel at anytime; there is no peak or off-peak rate.