Free travel in London for Older Person's Freedom Pass and 60+ London Oyster photocard holders is generally available on TfL services from 09:00 to 04:29 the next morning, Monday to Friday. At weekends and bank holidays, free travel is permitted at any time. Restrictions apply during morning peak hours (04:30-09:00) on weekdays.
This photocard gives those aged 60 or over living in a London borough: free travel on bus, Tube, tram, DLR, London Overground, TfL Rail (excluding between West Drayton and Reading) and most National Rail services in London.
If you travel on Tube, DLR, London Overground, Elizabeth line, IFS Cloud Cable Car or River Bus services in between Hopper journeys, you'll be charged a standard fare. The Hopper fare will still apply to any further bus and tram journeys made within one hour of first touching in.
In London, buses are free for children under 11, some young people (under 22, with eligibility), older London residents (with a Freedom Pass), disabled individuals (with a Freedom Pass), and sometimes on specific trial routes like the Superloop SL4, Route 108, and Route 129, which were temporarily free for a period in 2025 after the Silvertown Tunnel opened, so check TfL for current promotions.
How to pay for public transport in London (2025 UPDATE)
How do you identify peak times?
Keep a journal of your activity logs:
Activity logs serves as an eye-opener in identifying your peak productivity hours and help you assign high-priority tasks to the right time of the day. You can achieve this by writing down and documenting key metrics such as; Start time of a task. End time of a task.
Can I use my Freedom Pass to go to Gatwick Airport?
You can use your London Freedom Pass to travel towards Gatwick Airport but not all the way to the airport itself, as it's outside London's fare zones; you'll need to buy an "extension ticket" for the section from the Zone 6 boundary (like Coulsdon South/East Croydon) to Gatwick, often by asking for a "Boundary Zone 6 to Gatwick" ticket, but the pass isn't valid on the fast Gatwick Express or Heathrow Express, only regular Southern/Thameslink services.
Yes, you can book train tickets with a free travel pass, but you must select the "Free Travel Pass" or "Concession" option during booking online or get a free ticket from the conductor/station, as the pass itself often requires a zero-fare ticket to validate your journey, especially on National Rail, buses, and local services in places like Ireland, UK, and Wales. The process involves choosing the correct passenger type on the booking site and may have time restrictions (like after 9:30 AM on weekdays).
You can use your pass on all local bus services in England. This includes services in London on buses bearing the Transport for London roundel logo (you cannot use your pass on the Underground, DLR, Trams or non Transport for London buses).
In England you can get a bus pass for free travel when you reach the State Pension age. If you live in London, you can travel free on buses, tubes and other transport when you're 60, but only within London. In Wales you can get a bus pass when you reach 60.
Volunteering is not only one of the best ways to travel for free, it is one of the best ways to travel for those seeking an authentic experience and genuine connection with communities around the world.
Common examples include rush hours during weekdays and holiday seasons like Christmas or summer vacation times. How do peak travel times impact business travel? During peak travel times, business travelers might experience longer delays, increased costs, and more crowded transport and lodging facilities.
A Visitor Oyster Card costs £5. You can then pre-load the card with pay-as-you-go credit, in quantities of £10, £15, £25, £40 or £50. The Visitor Oyster card is the cheapest way of getting around London as the maximum daily charges mean you travel free after you reach the 'daily cap'.
The UK's £2 bus fare cap, originally ending in 2023, was extended multiple times and eventually transitioned to a £3 cap in England (outside London) from January 2025 to December 2025, funded by the government to help with living costs. However, some regions, like Liverpool City Region and Telford, have stepped in with local funding to keep their specific £2 caps running longer, with Liverpool aiming for 2026, while the national scheme shifted focus to the £3 cap to support bus services long-term.
Cheaper pay as you go fares are available during off-peak hours, meaning you can save money travelling outside of hours 06:30 – 09:30 and 16:00 – 19:00 on weekdays. Off-peak fares also apply all day on weekends and bank holidays.
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.
Why am I seeing a $0.10 charge when paying for public transport?
When you tap your GXS FlexiCard on the fare gantry, a S$0.10 pre-authorisation charge is made to ensure your card is active and ready. Don't worry, this isn't your actual fare. It will be promptly returned once the final transaction details from SimplyGo are processed.
In London, buses are free for children under 11, some young people (under 22, with eligibility), older London residents (with a Freedom Pass), disabled individuals (with a Freedom Pass), and sometimes on specific trial routes like the Superloop SL4, Route 108, and Route 129, which were temporarily free for a period in 2025 after the Silvertown Tunnel opened, so check TfL for current promotions.
