London Underground : Tube train fares and guide (2013 ticket prices)

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< Up	Travel / Transport / London / Underground
Using London Underground (the Tube)


Sections:	Introduction
	Planning your journey
	Tickets
	Oyster card
	Ticket prices (2013)
	Group travel
	Tube etiquette
	Access for disabled
	DLR (Docklands Light Railway)
	Further information
	Links

INTRODUCTION

This page provides basic information about using the underground trains in London. The system is known as either London Underground or the Tube.
The underground map is divided into zones: there are 9 zones (zone 1 is central London, and zones 2-9 form rings around this). The cost of a journey depends on the zones through which you travel.

The Tube is run by Transport for London (TfL), which is also responsible for the Docklands Light Railway (DLR - an overground light railway in East London), London Buses, Tramlink (a tram system near Croydon, in south London) and London Overground (part of the overground train system in London).

	London all-on-one [Tube, bus and walking map for central London] Publisher: Quickmap Ltd Date: January 2009		London tube and walk [Tube and walking/sightseeing map for central London] Publisher: Quickmap Ltd Date: January 2009
	London: By Tube [explore London's tourist attractions by Tube] Author: Matthew Tanner, Joss Waterfall Publisher: Navigator Guides Date: July 2005		The Little Book of Tube Etiquette [a light-hearted look at bad manners on the underground] Publisher: Gibson Publishing Date: December 2010

PLANNING YOUR JOURNEY

Journey planning

To plan a journey by Tube, bus or train within London, use Transport for London's Journey Planner: http://journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk
Enter your starting point and destination the day and approximate time you want to travel, then click on the "Search" button.
You can find the postcode of your starting point or destination using this link: http://postcode.royalmail.com
You can use the "Advanced Options" at the bottom if you have some special requirements for the journeys, for example if you want to travel only by bus or if you have special mobility requirements.

Maps

Online maps of Tube stations: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/gettingaround/1106.aspx.
You can obtain a free printed copy of the Tube map at an underground station or at a Travel Information Centre.

To find out about train connections with the Tube, see the "London Connections" map on the Network Rail website:
http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/passenger_services/maps
You can obtain a free printed "London Connections" map from major train stations in London.

Service problems

It is wise to check if there are problems with Tube services before you travel, especially if it is important to arrive on time.
Planned engineering works are often carried out at weekends or on public holidays: replacement bus services should be available, but journey times may be much longer than normal.
For live travel news on the Tube, see: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/livetravelnews/realtime/tube/default.html
If you select a date you can see a map and details of planned engineering works on that day.

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TICKETS

Tickets can be bought from ticket machines or ticket offices at underground stations, or from some local shops such as newsagents. Note that it is cheaper and more convenient to use an electronic card called an Oyster card (for details, see: below).

You must buy a ticket before you travel which is valid for your whole journey, or you will have to pay a penalty. If you have a travelcard which only covers travel in certain zones, you need to buy a ticket extension before travelling.

You must buy an adult ticket if you are 18 years old or over. You can pay a lower child fare if you are between the ages of 5 and 15 (you will need an Under 16 Oyster photocard) and there is also a special fare if you are 16-17 (you will need a 16-17 Oyster photocard). Children under 5 can travel free. If you are a student and are studying in London for a long enough period of time you may be able to get a discount if you apply for a special student photocard (for details, see: Travel/Transport/London/Guide).

A single Tube ticket will allow you to make one journey on the underground, changing as many times as you need. If you are using a paper ticket this will be kept when you pass through the exit gate.

A travelcard allows you to use Tube, DLR, Tramlink and rail services (excluding the Heathrow Express) in the chosen zones, as well as all bus services run by Transport for London (this includes most of the local services operating within zones 1-6).

A one-day travelcard is valid only on the date shown on the ticket. The cards are cheaper if you travel off-peak (after 9:30am on weekdays, but any time at the weekend or on a public holiday). The cost depends on the number of zones you want to travel through.

A period travelcard is a season ticket which allows you to travel at any time of day for a week or a month or longer. It is cheaper than buying separate one-day travelcards tickets every day, and there are no restrictions about the time of day when you travel.

Tourists coming to London: buying travel tickets

The following are the main options for someone who is coming to London for a short visit:

(1) You may be able to buy a Visitor Oyster card before coming to London. For details see: http://visitorshop.tfl.gov.uk

(2) You can get an Oyster card after you have arrived in London, at an underground station's ticket office or at a London Travel Information Centre (note that you cannot buy them at a train station's ticket office). You pay a deposit for the card. You will need either to add some credit to your card, and top up your credit when you need, or perhaps you may choose to add a 1-week travelcard for the zones which you will be using each day. If you don't get an Oyster card you will need to pay more expensive fares for single journeys or one-day travelcards. Note that your deposit can be refunded (together with any remaining cash balance, up to a maximum of 10 pounds) if you hand in the Oyster card when you leave - you will only be paid back in cash if you paid for the card and credit using cash.

(3) If you have a friend who has been to London you can borrow his/her Oyster card. Note that you can only borrow a standard adult Oyster card (one which does not contain a photo).

If you are staying in central London for a week or more you may find it cheapest to buy a 7-day zones travelcard for the zones you need (many of the popular tourist attractions are in zone 1 or zone 2). For stays of less than a week the cheapest option is usually to use pay-as-you-go with an Oyster card, or to buy 1-day paper travelcards.

Heathrow Airport is in zone 6, so to get from here to central London you may want to buy either a single ticket or a zones 1-6 one-day travelcard (or you can use a faster but more expensive train service). London City Airport is in zone 3 (near a DLR station). London's other airports are outside the London transport area (if you travel by train you can ask for a ticket which includes a travelcard, so that you can use the same ticket to take the Tube to your destination).

Student visitors aged 18 or over pay the normal adult fares - student discounts are only for those who are studying in London and who have obtained the appropriate photocard. Children under 16 (or those aged 16 or 17 who have previously obtained a 16-17 Oyster photocard) can buy cheaper cash fares and travelcards. Children under 11 can travel free on the Tube and DLR.

OYSTER CARD

Instead of a paper ticket it is now cheaper and more convenient to use an electronic ticket called an Oyster card. You can get one by completing a form and paying a small charge (£5 in 2011).

You can put credit onto your card: this is known as Oyster pay-as-you-go. The cost of each journey you make is automatically deducted from your pay-as-you-go balance when you exit the Tube system. If you have made several journeys on the same day, the amount you pay is capped at the cost of a one-day travelcard (there are two different caps, depending on whether your first journey was made during peak or off-peak times).

When travelling on the Tube, DLR, London Overground or National Rail services in London you must place your Oyster card on the reader both at the start and end of each journey. You must put the card on the reader even if the ticket gate is open (gates are left open when there are not enough staff at the station, for safety reasons). If a member of staff allows you through the special wide gate (for people who have luggage or who cannot use the automatic gates for some reason), remember to place your card on the reader on the other side of this gate. There are a few stations at which there is no barrier: at these stations you still need to find the card reader and place your card on it. If you do not place your card on the reader at the end of your journey your card will be charged the highest possible cash fare for your journey. If you do not place your card on the reader at the start of your journey you may have to pay a fine.

If you have a period travelcard you can travel as often as you wish within the zones covered, but you still need to put your card on the reader at the start and end of all journeys. If you travel outside your normal zones within the Tube, DLR or London Overground system your pre-pay balance is used to pay for extensions. If you travel on National Rail services within London, starting in a zone covered by your period travelcard but ending in a zone outside it, you must get an Oyster Extension Permit on your Oyster card immediately before you start this journey.

You can top up the credit on your Oyster card and check the balance remaining (or see what amounts have been charged) in the following ways:
- by placing it on the Oyster card reader on one of the ticket machines in a Tube station (when you are adding credit, you must finish by placing your Oyster card on the reader a second time)
- by asking at the ticket office of a Tube station
- by going to the Oyster card website: http://www.oystercard.com. You can arrange for your card to be topped up automatically every time that the balance falls below a certain amount - this is known as Auto top up (you need to register your debit card or credit card)

The advantages of having an Oyster card are:
- you save time, because you do not need to queue to buy tickets each time you want to travel
- it is simpler
- fares are cheaper, and you should automatically pay the cheapest fare if you make several journeys on the same day

Most National Rail stations in London accept Oyster cards, but on some routes the fares charged may be different from the fares for similar journeys on the Tube. For some National Rail journeys it may be cheaper to use paper tickets on the train (for example if you hold a railcard or are travelling as a group, or if you travel at certain times).

At a few stations, normally where you can change between London Overground and Tube lines, there are special Oyster card readers which are pink instead of yellow. These are known as Oyster route validators. When you change at one of these stations you should put your Oyster card on the pink reader - this identifies which route you have taken, so that you pay the correct fare.

Oyster card

Oyster card reader

Oyster route validator

TICKET PRICES (2013)

The tables below show a summary of the London underground fares which are introduced on 2 January 2013. Only adult fares which include zone 1 are shown (cheaper fares are available for children and for journeys which exclude zone 1).

Payment method:	Cash	Oyster pay-as-you-go	Oyster pay-as-you-go	Oyster pay-as-you-go	Oyster pay-as-you-go
Services used (*):	Transport for London	Transport for London	Transport for London	National Rail only	National Rail & Transport for London
Zones (#)	Cash single fares	Single fares: Peak (off-peak **) [off-peak with railcard ###]	1 day daily price cap Peak (off-peak **) [off-peak with railcard ###]	Single fares Peak (off-peak **)	Single fares Peak (off-peak **)
1	£4.50	£2.10 (£2.10) [£1.40]	£8.40 (£7.00) [£4.60]	£2.20 (£1.70)	£3.70 (£3.10)
1-2	£4.50	£2.80 (£2.10) [£1.40]	£8.40 (£7.00) [£4.60]	£2.40 (£1.90)	£3.90 (£3.30)
1-3	£4.50	£3.20 (£2.70) [£1.80]	£10.60 (£7.70) [£5.10]	£3.10 (£2.20)	£4.60 (£3.60)
1-4	£5.50	£3.80 (£2.70) [£1.80]	£10.60 (£7.70) [£5.10]	£3.60 (£2.50)	£5.10 (£3.90)
1-5	£5.50	£4.60 (£3.00) [£2.00]	£15.80 (£8.50) [£5.60]	£4.70 (£2.90)	£6.20 (£4.30)
1-6	£5.50	£5.00 (£3.00) [£2.00]	£15.80 (£8.50) [£5.60]	£5.70 (£3.90)	£7.20 (£4.90)
1-7	£6.70	£5.50 (£3.90) [£2.60]	£19.60 (£11.60) [£7.60]	£5.70 (£3.90)	£7.20 (£4.90)
1-8	£7.80	£6.70 (£3.90) [£2.60]	£19.60 (£11.60) [£7.60]	£6.70 (£3.90)	£7.20 (£4.90)
1-9	£7.80	£6.70 (£3.90) [£2.60]	£19.60 (£11.60) [£7.60]	£6.70 (£3.90)	£7.20 (£4.90)

Payment method:	Oyster pay-as-you-go	Oyster Travelcard	Oyster Travelcard	Oyster Travelcard
Services used (*):	Transport for London	Transport for London	Transport for London	Transport for London
Zones (#)	1 day price cap (*) Peak (off-peak ) [off-peak with railcard ###]	1 week Travelcard Adult (Student ##)	1 month Travelcard Adult (Student ##)	1 year Travelcard Adult (Student ##)
1	£8.80 (£7.30) [£4.60]	£30.40 (£20.40)	£116.80 (£81.50)	£1216 (£848)
1-2	£8.80 (£7.30) [£4.60]	£30.40 (£20.40)	£116.80 (£81.50)	£1216 (£848)
1-3	£11.00 (£8.00) [£5.10]	£35.60 (£23.90)	£136.80 (£95.70)	£1424 (£996)
1-4	£11.00 (£8.00) [£5.10]	£43.60 (£29.20)	£167.50 (£117.20)	£1744 (£1220)
1-5	£16.40 (£8.90) [£5.60]	£51.80 (£34.80)	£199.00 (£139.10)	£2072 (£1448)
1-6	£16.40 (£8.90) [£5.60]	£55.60 (£37.30)	£213.60 (£149.40)	£2224 (£1556)
1-7	£20.40 (£12.10) [£7.60]	£60.40 (£40.50)	£232.00 (£162.10)	£2416 (£1688)
1-8	£20.40 (£12.10) [£7.60]	£71.20 (£47.80)	£273.50 (£191.30)	£2848 (£1992)
1-9	£20.40 (£12.10) [£7.60]	£79.00 (£53.00)	£303.40 (£212.00)	£3160 (£2208)

Notes:

* Transport for London services include Tube, DLR (Docklands Light Railway) and London Overground. National Rail services are run by other train operators. Oyster cards can be used on most lines for journeys which start and finish within zones 1-6, but different single journey fares apply if you use National Rail for all or part of your journey. Oyster cards cannot be used for the Heathrow Express service from Paddington to Heathrow terminals.
** Peak Oyster single fares apply to journeys started between 6:30am and 9:30am or between 4pm-7pm on normal weekdays (Monday-Friday, excluding Bank Holidays) - the start of a journey is determined by the time when you pass through the ticket barrier. Off-peak Oyster single fares are for journeys made at other times (any journey on a Saturday, Sunday or a Bank Holiday, and any journey on a normal weekday which starts before 6:30am, between 9:30am and 4pm, or after 7pm).
*** The Oyster daily price cap is the maximum you will pay if you use your Oyster card to make journeys during the day.

# Cheaper fares are available if you don't need to travel through zone 1 (the cost depends on the number of zones through which you need to travel), or if you are a child, 16-17 or a senior citizen. Some different fares apply on the London Overground route from Euston to Watford Junction.
## If you have a Student Oyster Photocard you can buy travelcards for 1 week or longer at a cheaper price. These cost about 30% less than the equivalent adult prices (there are no special student discounts for single or 1-day tickets). Note that these are only available to people over 18 who are studying in London and requires a special card (you cannot get a discount with an ISIC or NUS card). For details of how to apply for a Student Oyster Photocard, see: Travel/Transport/London/Guide.
### If you have a 16-25 Railcard (or a Gold Card/Disabled Persons/HM Forces/Senior Railcard) and you register this Railcard on your Oyster card (by showing it at the ticket office of a Tube station), your Oyster off-peak single fares and daily cap are reduced by about a third. A 16-25 Railcard can be bought by anyone aged 16-25 or by any full-time student (even if you are aged 26 or over), and this railcard also allows you to get a third off off-peak travel on the UK train system. The daily price cap is not reduced if any of your travel is during peak times.

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GROUP TRAVEL

Groups of 10 or more people travelling together can buy a Tube and DLR and London Overground Group Day Ticket. There is a lower price for members of the group who are under 18 (they can travel at the child rate without needing a photocard).

If you are organising travel on the Tube with a large group may wish to contact the station supervisor at the starting station before travelling.

The 2013 prices for group travel are as follows:

Zones (#)	Tube and DLR Group Day Ticket Adult	Tube and DLR Group Day Ticket Under 18
1-6	£4.50	£1.70
1-9 (plus Watford Junction)	£6.50	£2.20

Groups of children from London schools may be able to apply for the School Party Travel Scheme. This allows free travel on Tube, DLR, bus, tram and National Rail services (within Greater London only) to visit places of educational and cultural interest, travelling off-peak between Monday and Friday. Schools need to have registered to be part of this scheme. For details, see: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/14311.aspx

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TUBE ETIQUETTE

Below are some rules about correct behaviour when using the Tube in London:

- If you are lost or waiting for someone, stand to one side or next to a wall - try not to get in people's way, especially near the top of escalators or near ticket barriers

- Stand on the right on escalators (moving stairs). People who are in a hurry walk up the left side, and they will be annoyed if you are standing there or block it with your luggage.

- When the Tube train arrives stand to the side of the doors to let people get off the train easily. Get on the train only when all passengers who want to get off have done this.

- Wait for the next train if the doors on a train are about to close when you arrive on the platform. Never hold the Tube doors open - it is dangerous and causes delays.

- When you get into a crowded lift or train, move inside as far as you can, so that other people can easily get on behind you. Don't lean against the doors: this may stop the train from moving.

- If you have large bags, get on the train using the double doors in the centre of a carriage, not the single door at the front or back of a carriage. Make sure that your bags do not get in the way of other passengers.

- Offer to give up your seat if you see someone who needs to sit down - for example, someone who is old, disabled, pregnant or who has young children. These people may need a seat close to the doors.

- Try not to eat while on the train, especially hot food or anything which gives off smells.

- Smoking is illegal everywhere on the Tube (for safety reasons).

- You are not allowed to drink alcohol on the Tube. Throw away any opened cans or bottles of alcohol before you try to enter a station.

- Take any rubbish with you when you leave the train (you can put it in a bin when you are outside again). For security reasons there are no litter bins inside underground stations.

- Do not take a photograph using flash while you are on the platform. If a train is coming the driver will be temporarily blinded by the flash, and this may affect safety.

- Always respect the Tube's members of staff. Remember that it is not their fault if there are delays or problems.

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ACCESS FOR DISABLED

A special version of the London underground map is available called the "step-free Tube guide map", which can help people in a wheelchair to plan a Tube journey avoiding stairs and escalators. "Large print" versions of bus and underground maps are available for people who have poor vision. See: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/gettingaround/1106.aspx

Ask at your nearest Tube station or Travel Information Centre or call London Travel Information on 0843 222 1234 to request free printed copies of these maps or booklets.

The Journey Planner described above allows you to plan journeys which avoid stairs, escalators or lifts, or which need wheelchair accessible vehicles (to select these requirements, click on "More Options").

The most accessible parts of the system are the newer lines, such as the Jubilee line east of Westminster and the DLR. For these stations you can use lifts to travel from the street to the platform, and there is level access from the platform onto the train. The trains have space for a wheelchair user. If possible it is recommended to avoid the morning and evening rush hours on weekdays, eg 7-9am and 5-7pm.

Wheelchair users should use the
wide access gates

Getting on a Tube train
at an accessible station

There is space for a wheelchair
near the double-doors

At Heathrow (both the Tube and Heathrow Express platforms) there are special gates which are designed to stop people from trying to take luggage trolleys out of the airport and onto the trains. Unfortunately these also prevent wheelchair access, so you will need to ask a member of staff for help to unlock the barrier and let you pass.

Ask a member of staff to unlock
barriers at Heathrow

If you need help on the Tube you can speak to a member of London Underground staff or press the Information button on the Help Point on the platform. Someone can help you to get onto a train or can meet your train to help you get off or change lines. Travel in the front carriage (nearest to the driver), so that the driver can see you getting on and off and so that an assistant knows where to meet you.

Help Points are available
on the platforms

Press the Information button
to speak to a member of staff

A member of Tube staff
providing assistance

For further information about the accessibility of London Underground services, see: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/gettingaround/transportaccessibility/1167.aspx

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DLR (DOCKLANDS LIGHT RAILWAY)

Docklands Light Rail (DLR) is a train service in east London. There is no driver, but there is sometimes a Passenger Service Agent at the front of the train.

If you are using Oyster pay-as-you-go you must remember to "touch in" at the start of your journeys and to "touch out" at the end - there are no barriers at most of the stations, so you need to use one of the Oyster card readers which is on or near the platform [if you forget your statement may show an "incomplete journey" and you will be charged extra].

For more information, see: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/dlr

The DLR is accessible for wheelchair
users: use the lifts to get between
platforms or to reach the exit

FURTHER INFORMATION

If you need further information about London Underground services, try one of the following:
- the London Underground website: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tube.
- the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) website: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/dlr
- telephone London Travel Information on 0843 222 1234 (this service is available 24 hours a day).
- ask at a Travel Information Centre (these are located in some of the busiest stations in central London)

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LINKS

London buses and trams: Travel/Transport/London/Buses
Guide to London transport: Travel/Transport/London/Guide

Air travel and airports: Travel/Transport/Air
Driving a car: Travel/Transport/Car.htm.
Taxis: Travel/Transport/Taxi
Railways: Travel/Transport/Train

Home page: Home

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