What happens if I don't tap off my Oyster card?

If you do not tap off your Oyster card at the end of a train, Tube, or DLR journey, you will be charged a maximum fare, often ranging from £6.00 to over £20 depending on the location and time of travel. This occurs because Transport for London cannot calculate your correct fare without a destination.

What happens if I forget to tap out an Oyster?

If you don't touch in and out correctly using contactless (card or device) or an Oyster card, or you don't have a valid ticket, you may be charged a penalty fare.

How much does Oyster charge if you don't tap out?

The Short Answer: Yes, You'll Be Charged — Sometimes a Lot

Here's what that means in real numbers: Contactless card users: charged a “maximum fare” for your journey — often £7.70 to £9.40, depending on zones and time. Oyster card users: similar rules apply, with maximum fares ranging up to £8.60.

What happens if I forgot to tap off?

If you do not tap on and tap off correctly

you will be charged the default fare for an incomplete trip which is the maximum possible fare for that service, based on your Opal card type. You will never be charged over the Daily Travel Cap. you will miss out on Opal benefits.

Do you need to tap off with an Oyster card?

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.

How to pay for public transport in London (2025 UPDATE)

What happens if you tap on but not off a bus?

What happens if I forget to tap off? You will be charged the single fare from the point you boarded to the end of the route you were travelling on.

What happens when you tap on but not off?

We charge you a default fare if you don't tap off. This may not be the lowest fare for your trip. View default fares for metropolitan train, tram and bus fares.

What is the fine for not tapping on opal?

If you commit an offence, Authorised Officers or Police may issue a fine of $200 (up to a maximum of $550).

Is it cheaper to tap card or Oyster?

No, an Oyster card is generally not cheaper than tapping with contactless (bank card or phone), as they both use the same "pay as you go" (PAYG) system and have identical fare caps and discounts, making them the same price for most journeys. Contactless is often more convenient as it avoids the £5 Oyster card cost and the hassle of topping up, but Oyster can prevent foreign transaction fees if using a foreign bank card.

What happens if I topped up my Oyster but forgot to tap?

If you fail to tap your Oyster card after top up tfl should refund your money back to you credit card after 3 days. If you are worried you could phone the tfl helpline. 0343 222 1234.

What happens if I tap my card twice?

You won't get charged twice if you accidentally tap two cards on a reader at once – but you might find the payment goes from a different card to the one you want.

What do TfL charge if you forget to tap out?

If the time between touching in at the start and touching out at the end of your journey is more than the applicable time limit, you will be charged two maximum fares for your journey. If this happens, you may be able to apply for a refund. You should go to your TfL online account or call TfL Customer Services.

What if you forgot to tap out?

You will get an error message the next time you try to tap in at the MRT gantry, and have to go to the control station where the staff will ask you where was the last station you alighted and proceed to do the deduction from there.

What happens if you tap on but don't tap off?

You'll be charged the Single fare to the end of the journey of the bus you were travelling on - so please remember to 'Tap off'! We all make mistakes, so if you need any assistance let us know. Is this page useful?

Is it cheaper to use an Opal or debit card?

The cost to travel using your bank card will be the same as using an Opal card.

What happens if I tap on and forget to tap off?

Forgot to tap on or off

If you forget to tap off or tap on you will be charged the default fare for that trip.

How much is a single bus fare on an Oyster card?

On buses and trams an adult single pay as you go fare is £1.75 and the daily fare cap is £5.25. You can't use cash to pay for your bus fare. You can use pay as you go using your Visitor Oyster card on National Rail services between Gatwick Airport and central London.

How to get a refund on an Oyster card?

Oyster and contactless refunds

1. For contactless and adult Oyster refunds, sign in to your Contactless and Oyster account. If you don't have one, create an account now.
2. For Oyster photocard refunds, contact us via the Oyster contact form, selecting the 'child/student' or '60+' option.

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. 

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.