Can I buy train and underground tickets together?

Yes, you can buy National Rail train tickets and London Underground (Tube) tickets together as a single ticket, particularly when booking journeys to London from outside the city. These combined tickets allow travel to a London terminal and include a cross-London transfer via the Underground.

Can you buy a train ticket to include underground?

If you're travelling further across London, you can set your destination as any of the London Underground Zones. (If you're just passing through London on route to somewhere else, your transfer will be included in your ticket price.)

How do I add a London Underground to a train ticket?

Yes. If you need to use the London Underground (the tube) to complete your journey, we'll package up the cost of your Overground and Underground tickets for you. You can then select a ticket to that underground zone, i.e. Edinburgh to London Underground Zone 1.

What is the cheapest way to travel on the tube?

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.

Which is better, pay as you go or Travelcard?

If you make multiple rail journeys, or a mixture of rail, bus and tram journeys in one day,daily capping with pay as you go is better value than buying a Day Travelcard in London. If you travel frequently (e.g. commuting for work as well as leisure trips), then a Travelcard season ticket may be better for you.

HOW TO PAY FOR LONDON UNDERGROUND // Oyster vs Contactless Card

What is the 1 hour bus rule in London?

London's "1 hour rule" refers to the Hopper Fare, which allows unlimited bus and tram journeys for a single £1.75 fare within one hour of your first tap-in, using the same contactless or Oyster card. It means you can switch between buses and trams as much as you like, even linking with the Tube or DLR (though the main benefit is bus/tram hopping), without paying again, provided your subsequent taps are within 60 minutes of the initial touch. 

What is the unlimited train pass UK?

For an unlimited UK rail pass, international visitors usually buy a BritRail Pass, offering flexible or consecutive travel across England, Scotland, and Wales on the National Rail network, while UK residents have options like the All Line Rover (for most National Rail services) or regional passes like the Spirit of Scotland Pass, with passes allowing hop-on-hop-off travel for set periods. 

What happens if I don't tap out on Underground?

If you don't touch in and out, we cannot tell where you've travelled from or to, so your journey will be incomplete. As we cannot work out the right fare for your journey, we'll charge you a maximum fare.

Can I just tap my card on London Underground?

Pay as you go with contactless

If your bank card shows the contactless payment symbol, you can use it to pay as you go. Always use the same device or contactless card to touch in and out to pay the right fare. For example, don't touch in with your iPhone and touch out with your Apple Watch or contactless card.

How to tell if a train ticket includes underground?

If your journey involves travelling via or across London to connect with another National Rail service, your ticket should include the cost of transfer on London Underground, DLR, Thameslink or Elizabeth line services between the relevant stations. Your ticket will be marked with a cross ( + ) sign.

How much does it cost to go from zone 1 to 2?

A Zone 1 to 2 fare in London on Oyster or contactless is typically around £3.50 peak and £2.90 off-peak, with daily caps around £8.90 and weekly caps around £44.70 as of late 2025/early 2026, though fares change annually. Cash fares are much higher, around £7.00 for a single journey.
 

How much does a 1 day Travelcard cost in London?

Travelcard prices start at £16.60 for a central London 1 day Travelcard (zones 1-4). Child Travelcards prices start at £8.30 (zones 1-4).

What is the maximum tube fare per day?

A single Tube journey in London costs from £2.50 to £3.80 using Oyster or contactless, depending on the travel zone and whether it is at a peak or off-peak time. Tube fares are capped at £8.90 a day for zone 1 and £16.30 a day for zones 1 to 6, with a weekly cap of £81.60.

How to get a free travel pass?

To apply for a free travel pass (concessionary bus/travel card), you typically apply through your local council or a national transport body (like Transport for Wales/Scotland) by proving your age (e.g., 60+) or disability, residency, and identity with documents (passport, council tax bill, photo) online or in person, but specific requirements vary by region (UK, Ireland, etc.). Check your local authority's website or a national portal like GOV.UK for eligibility and application links. 

Is zone 1 the most expensive?

Yes, for London's public transport (Tube, buses, DLR), Zone 1, the central area, is generally the most expensive for single journeys and daily travel caps because it contains most major attractions, but you can sometimes find cheaper fares by cleverly crossing into it during off-peak times or by using specific Railcards, though staying out of Zone 1 usually costs less overall if you're not going far. 

What are zones 1 to 6 in London?

There are 6 main London zones which are listed below:

• Zone 1- Central London.
• Zone 2- Inner London.
• Zone 3- Between Inner London and Outer London.
• Zone 4- Outer Part of London.
• Zone 5- Suburbs of London.
• Zone 6- Suburbs of London.