TfL charges a temporary 10p (or sometimes £1) pending charge to verify that your contactless card or device is valid and has funds before you travel. This is not the final fare; it is a placeholder that is replaced by the correct, calculated fare (including daily caps) at 4:00 AM the following day.
You ever noticed a random 10 P charge from TFL? Well, it's actually not a fare. It's just a temporary check to make sure your card is valid before you travel.
This is just a temporary charge to check the card is valid. Once we've worked out your daily travel charge (which depends on how many journeys you made that day/night) we'll charge you for these journeys, and the 10p/£1 will be returned to your available balance.
Yep, the main reason is so they can work out how much to accurately charge you because in the case of TFL, there is a maximum daily cap but it doesn't know if you will only use one trip or multiple in that given day. So the 10p is just on hold until all trips have had a chance to be calculated.
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.
The 10p payment is to check that the card is valid and has some balance. The charge will get updated to the correct amount once the day has completed and TfL have been able to calculate where you went and how much they need to charge you.
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.
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.
Transport for London (TfL) say they are mostly funded by passenger fares, compared to other countries which receive larger subsidies from central government. Certain groups are eligible for discounted public transport, including those over 60 , children under 18, students, disabled people and jobseekers.
Is it cheaper to drive or use public transport in the UK?
What is the cost difference between driving vs off-peak train travel? Even travelling off-peak, fuel costs are cheaper than a train ticket almost 90% of the time, though driving does become the more expensive option though when considering full car expenses, driving becomes the more expensive option. Fun fact!
Children aged under five can travel free at any time on all TfL services (buses, Tube, DLR, London Overground and TfL Rail) as long as they are accompanied by an adult with a validated Oyster/contactless card or a valid ticket. No child ticket is required.
Using pay as you go (paying only for the journeys you make when you travel) is the easiest and cheapest way to pay for travel in London. You don't have to work out the cost of your journey in advance or buy tickets. You can pay as you go using: A contactless card or device (overseas charges may apply)
10p charges from us may seem random, but here's what's happening 👇 It's a temporary check to make sure your card is valid for travel. It's replaced with the actual fare once all your travel is complete over a 24-hour period, and this amount is usually charged at 4am.
Life in London is more expensive than life in most U.S. towns and cities. However, New York City and Los Angeles are more expensive to live in than London. If you want to live in a world-class city, you'll save a bit in London versus New York or Los Angeles. What's less expensive in London than in New York?
