What does capping on the Oyster card mean?

Fares capping To ensure passengers get the best value for money when they travel, Transport for London (TfL) have fare caps which limit the amount people using Oyster or contactless cards pay for journeys they make in a single day or week. This is particularly useful for those who work part time.



"Capping" on an Oyster card (or a contactless payment device) is a feature by Transport for London (TfL) that ensures you never pay more than a certain amount for your travel in a single day or week. Once your individual "pay-as-you-go" fares reach a certain threshold—the Daily Cap—all subsequent journeys on the Tube, DLR, London Overground, Elizabeth Line, and buses within those specific zones are free for the rest of the day. For example, in early 2026, the daily cap for Zones 1–2 is approximately £8.90. There is also a Weekly Cap that runs from Monday to Sunday, which limits your total spend to the price of a 7-Day Travelcard. This system is designed to provide the "best value" automatically; you don't need to choose a pass in advance, as the system tracks your taps and stops charging you once the cap is hit. To ensure the cap is applied correctly, you must always use the same card or device to "tap in and out" throughout your entire day of travel.

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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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What happens if my value/credit runs out? If you need to add more value/credit to your Visitor Oyster card you can simply 'top up' at one of the machines in the stations, or by going to one of the Transport for London ticket desks. Any credit you don't use can be kept on your card for use at a later date.

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If there is insufficient pay as you go credit on the 16+ Oyster photocard or if the holder does not touch in or out properly when using pay as you go, the photocard may stop working. If this happens, they must top it up before they can travel again. 1.

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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.

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You can add money to an Oyster card or use contactless (card or device) straight away. You only pay for the journeys you make and it's cheaper than buying a paper single or return ticket (train companies may offer special deals on some journeys).

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  • 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.
  • Some funds are likely to remain unused.
  • Taxis don't accept Oyster Cards.


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Daily capping Once you have made three bus or tram journeys in a day using your Oyster/contactless card you will pay no more and can travel for free the rest of the day.

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TapTapCap is Lothian Buses' capped contactless system. For adult passengers, tap the same card or mobile payment device for every journey across our entire network, and the following morning we'll automatically charge you the cheapest adult daily fare for the journeys you've made.

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In conclusion, the main difference between Standard and Visitor Oyster cards is that Standard Oyster cards are reusable, while Visitor Oyster cards are disposable. In addition, standard Oyster cards do not come with a daily price cap, while Visitor Oyster cards do.

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Great value. Pay as you go fares are cheaper than buying a paper single ticket or Day Travelcard. Your Visitor Oyster card offers daily capping. This means you can travel as much as you like in a single day and the amount you pay for your travel is limited (or capped).

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60+ London Oyster photocard This allows you to travel for free on most public transport in London. You can apply from two weeks before your 60th birthday.

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Pay as you go 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. It also offers great value as pay as you go is cheaper than buying single tickets and you get daily and weekly capping.

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