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How Much Does a Travel Card Cost?
Weekly London Travelcards valid in central London cost anywhere from £33.50 to £138.90, depending on where else you want to travel. Annual Travelcards valid in central London (Zone 1) start from £1,788. Read below to find out how daily, weekly and annual Travelcard prices change depending on where you're going.
How Much Does a London Travel Card Cost
The cost of a London Travelcard depends on the zones you have permission to travel in and the duration of the card. You can buy a Travelcard valid for one week or periods between one month and one year. For example, an adult, a one week Travelcard for Zones 1 through 6 costs £64.10. An annual Travelcard for the same stations would cost £3,264—that's equivalent to £63 per week, which means there is virtually no discount for Travelcards with a longer duration.
How Much Does a One Day, All Day Travel Card Cost?
A 1 day travel card covering central London (Zone 1) through Zone 4 is £16.60; to get a peak ticket covering Zones 1 - 6 (a larger area), it would cost £23.60.
A Visitor Oyster card, popular with tourists visiting the capital, starts from £17. Note, there is a £7 activation fee that is non-refundable fee yet to purchase a Visitor Oyster card. For example, if you buy the cheapest £17 Visitor Oyster card, £7 of this goes towards activation and the remaining £10 is for your fares.
A day of unlimited travel in central London within zones 1-2 is currently capped at £8.90. For example, a £30 card should cover 3 days of travel in zones 1-2, excluding travel to and from airports.
Peak times are more expensive than off-peak times. Peak times are Monday to Friday, 06:30 am - 09:30 am and 04:00 pm - 07:00 pm. All other times are off-peak.
How Much Does a Weekly Travel Card Cost?
A weekly travel card valid in central London starts from £44.70 for Zone 1 and 2. Travelcards covering more zones can go up in price to £138.90 for a week.
A one-week Travelcard covering Zone 1 through 9 + Watford Junction (to get to Warner Bros. Harry Potter studio tour) would cost £117. If you'll be in central London for a week and plan to spend one day at the Harry Potter studio tour in Watford, it's cheaper to buy a weekly Zone 1 to 2 Travelcard for £44.70 and then spend £30.90 during peak hours or £23.00 off-peak using Oyster card pay as you go getting from central London to Watford Junction separately (plus the return leg).
| 7 Day Weekly Travel Card Costs | |
|---|---|
| Valid for Zones 1, 2 | £44.70 |
| Valid for Zones 1, 2, 3 | £52.50 |
| Valid for Zones 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 | £64.20 |
| Valid for Zones 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 | £116.40 |
| Valid for Zones 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 + Watford Junction | £117.00 |
| Valid for Zones 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 + Watford Junction + Hertford East | £122.00 |
| Valid for Zones 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 + Watford Junction + Hertford East + Shenfield | £138.90 |
How Much Does an Annual Travel Card Cost?
Annual Travelcards for commuters start from £1,788 per year including travel in central London. Travelcards covering Zone 1 through Zone 9 + Watford Junction + Hertford East + Shenfield pay a whopping £5,556 per year. It used to be that Annual Travelcards gave you 12 months of travel for the price of 10.5 months—a savings of 12.5%—but we're not seeing those savings anymore. Those who don't need a Travelcard valid for Zone 1 will pay at 30% - 42% less, depending on valid travel routes. Here are prices for Annual Travelcards covering travel from Zone 1 and Zone 2 to the rest of the network.
| Cost of Annual Travelcards | From Zone 1 Through | From Zone 2 Through |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 2 | £1,788 | n/a |
| Zone 3 | £2,100 | £1,340 |
| Zone 4 | £2,568 | £1,484 |
| Zone 5 | £3,056 | £1,780 |
| Zone 6 | £3,264 | £2,236 |
| Zone 7 | £3,556 | £2,316 |
| Zone 8 | £4,196 | n/a |
| Zone 9 | £4,656 | n/a |
| Zone 9 + Watford Junction | £4,680 | £3,156 |
| Zone 9 + Watford Junction + Hertford East | £4,880 | £3,832 |
| Zone 9 + Watford Junction + Hertford East + Shenfield | £5,556 | £4,208 |
How Much Does a Child Travel Card Cost?
Depending on the age of your child and your own travel ticket, your child may travel for free (up to four children per adult). Children aged 5 to 10 travel free on Tube, DLR, London Overground and TfL Rail services if they:
- Have a 5-10 Zip Oyster photocard, or
- Are travelling with an adult who is using pay as you go, or
- Are travelling with an adult who has a valid ticket (excluding Group Day Travelcards), a Freedom Pass or an Oyster photocard
Once a child turns 11 they no longer travel for free. Here are Travelcard prices for a sample of Zone combinations for those aged 11 to 15 with an 11-15 Zip Oyster photocard:
| Cost of 11-15 Child Travelcards | Zones 1 and 2 | Zone 1 to 3 | Zones 1 to 4 | Zones 2 to 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day Anytime | £6.50 | £6.50 | £6.50 | £6.50 |
| Day Off-peak | £6.50 | £6.50 | £6.50 | £6.50 |
| 7 Day | £17.60 | £20.60 | £25.30 | £14.60 |
| Monthly | £67.60 | £79.20 | £97.20 | £56.10 |
| Annual | £704.00 | £824.00 | £1,012.00 | £584.00 |
What is a Travel Card Oyster Card?
A Travelcard gives you unlimited travel on buses, Tube, Tram, DLR, London Overground, TfL Rail and most National Rail services in London, for the zones you have paid for.
Off-peak Travelcards are valid from 09:30 (Monday to Friday), anytime on weekends or bank holidays for the date on the ticket and for journeys starting before 04:30 the next day.
Where to Buy Travelcards: For Visitors
One day and weekly paper ticket Travelcards can be purchased online at the TfL's Visitor Shop. If you'd prefer to buy them in person, you can do so once you get to London at tube stations (from a ticket machine or ticket office, where available) and visitor centres. In that case, you can either buy a one day paper ticket or have a weekly Travelcard put on an Oyster card, which requires a £5 deposit.
Where to Buy Travelcards: For Commuters
Regular travellers can buy Travelcards on Oyster in a variety of ways:
| Where to buy a Travelcard on Oyster | |
|---|---|
| Online with a contactless and Oyster account, if you have a UK bank account | 7 Day, Monthly, 3 month, 6 month or odd period and Annual Travelcard |
| Via the TfL Oyster and contactless app | 7 Day, Monthly and 3 or 6 month Travelcard |
| At Oyster Ticket Stops in many newsagents across London | 7 Day and Monthly Travelcards |
| At ticket offices at London Overground, TfL Rail and National Rail stations | 7 Day, Monthly, 3 month, 6 month or odd period Travelcard |
| At ticket machines at Tube, London Overground, TfL Rail and National Rail stations | 7 Day or Monthly Travelcard |
| At Visitor Centres | 7 Day, Monthly, 3 month, 6 month or odd period Travelcard |
What Zones Do I Need for London?
Most major tourist attractions are in Zones 1 and 2. See our table below to get an idea of zones for popular destinations. Remember also to check the zone of where you're staying, to be sure your travel card covers that zone as well. Use this TfL map to find the zone of the tube stop nearest your accommodation (you can find that using Google maps and turning on "public transport").
| Tourist Attraction | Nearest Station | Lines | Zone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big Ben | Westminster | Circle, District and Jubilee | 1 |
| Buckingham Palace | Green Park (or St. James's Park) | Jubilee, Picadilly and Victoria (or Circle and District) | 1 |
| Churchill War Rooms | Westminster | Circle, District and Jubilee | 1 |
| Cutty Sark | Greenwich | DLR (Thameslink and Southeastern) | 2/3 |
| Hampton Court Palace | Hampton Court | South Western Railway | 6 |
| Heathrow Airport | Heathrow Terminals | Picadilly | 6 |
| HMS Belfast | London Bridge | Jubilee and Northern | 1 |
| Kensington Palace | High Street Kensingtonn (or Queensway) | Circle and District (or Central) | 1 |
| Kew Gardens | Kew Gardens | Overground | 4 |
| London Dungeon | Waterloo (or Embankment) | Bakerloo, Northern, Jubilee and Waterloo & City | 1 |
| London Zoo | Camden Town (or Regent's Park) | Northern (or Bakerloo) | 2 |
| Madame Tussauds | Baker Street | Bakerloo, Circle, Jubilee, Metropolitan and Hammersmith & City | 1 |
| National Gallery | Charing Cross | Bakerloo and Northern | 1 |
| National Portrait Gallery | Charing Cross | Bakerloo and Northern | 1 |
| Royal Albert Hall | South Kensington | Circle, District and Picadilly | 1 |
| Royal Observatory | Greenwich | DLR (Thameslink and Southeastern) | 2/3 |
| Shakespeare's Globe | Cannon Street (or London Bridge) | Circle and District (or Jubilee and Northern) | 1 |
| St. Paul's Cathedral | Mansion House | Circle and District | 1 |
| Tate Modern | Cannon Street (or London Bridge) | Circle and District (or Jubilee and Northern) | 1 |
| The London Eye | Waterloo (or Embankment) | Bakerloo, Northern, Jubilee and Waterloo & City (or Bakerloo, Circle, District and Northern) | 1 |
| The Shard | London Bridge | Jubilee and Northern | 1 |
| Tower Bridge | Tower Hill | Circle and District | 1 |
| Tower of London | Tower Hill | Circle and District | 1 |
| Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter | Watford Junction | 9 + Watford Junction | |
| Wembley Stadium | Wembley Stadium | Jubilee and Metropolitan | 3 |
| Westminster Abbey | Westminster | Circle, District and Jubilee | 1 |
| Wimbledon | Wimbledon | District | 4 |
Note: You can use a Travelcard that is valid through Zone 6 to get to and from Heathrow on the Picadilly line. You cannot use a Travelcard to get to Heathrow on the Heathrow Express. You also cannot use a Travelcard to travel between central London and Gatwick Airport (you can use an Oyster card to get to Gatwick, however).