Should I get a London Travelcard or Oyster Card?
The Visitor Oyster Card is a contactless smartcard that carries credit which you can use to pay for journeys on all public transport on the Transport for London (TfL) network. It is valid in all travel zones and automatically calculates the cheapest total fare for all the journeys you make in a single day.
The Travelcard is a paper London travel pass which is valid for either a single day or seven days, and is available for certain combinations of travel zones. It is also valid on all public transport on the TfL network.
Whether you should get the Travelcard or Oyster Card depends on how long you’re staying in London and how frequently you’ll be using public transport.
If you are in London for a week and plan to use only the central London Travelcard zones on a daily basis then a 7 day Travelcard might be the most cost-effective option. If you plan to stay in London for a shorter time or want to travel to the outskirts of the city, the pay-as-you-go Oyster Card cost might be cheaper.
Can families or groups all use the same Travelcard?
No, each person must have their own London Travelcard, except under 11s who travel free with a paying adult.
What are the different London Travelcard prices?
Travelcard prices start at £7.30 for a central London 1 day Travelcard and go up to £57.20 for a 7 day Travelcard covering zones 1-6.
Child Travelcards are approximately half these prices.
Where can I buy a London Travelcard? Can I buy a London Travelcard online?
Buy your London Travelcard using either of the links below and it will be mailed to you at your home address, ready to use for when you arrive in London.
BUY YOUR LONODN TRAVELCARD HERE
Buy your London Travelcard here
BUY YOUR VISITOR OYSTER CARD HERE
Buy your Visitor Oyster Card here
More questions answered
Can I use my London Travelcard to get the Tube from Heathrow to London or from London to Heathrow?
Yes, so long as your Travelcard is valid on the day of travel and covers zones 1-6.
Heathrow Airport is on the Piccadilly Line in London travel zone 6, so Travelcards covering only zones 1-2 will not be valid.
How long does the Tube from Heathrow to London take, or from London to Heathrow?
The journey time between Heathrow Airport and central London is around 45 – 50 minutes.
Is it valid for trains to Gatwick Airport?
No, as Gatwick Airport is not connected to the Transport for London network.
The fastest way to travel from Gatwick to London or from London to Gatwick is the Gatwick Express train. Gatwick Express tickets are available from the VisitBritain Shop.
Is it valid for trains to Stansted Airport?
No, as Stansted Airport is not connected to the Transport for London network.
The fastest way to travel from Stansted to London or from London to Stansted is the Stansted Express train. Stansted Express tickets are available from the VisitBritain Shop.
Is it valid for trains to Luton Airport?
No, as Luton Airport is not connected to the Transport for London network.
The fastest way to travel from Luton to London or from London to Luton is by train. Luton to London train tickets are available from the VisitBritain Shop.
Can I use my Travelcard on National Rail services in London?
Yes, you can use your Travelcard on most National Rail services within the zones you have purchased it for, except for:
Heathrow Connect services between Hayes & Harlington and Heathrow
Heathrow Express services
Southeastern High Speed services between St Pancras International and Stratford International
Children under 11 years of age may travel for free without their own Travelcard on London buses and tubes, but they need their own ticket to travel on any National Rail service.
I’m going to Watford Junction. Which ticket do I need?
You can’t use a zone 1-2 or zone 1-6 Travelcard to travel to Watford Junction station. Watford Junction is in zone 9, so you’ll need a separate ticket.
You can buy a return train ticket to Watford Junction from National Rail stations, such as Euston.
Alternatively, you can buy a Travelcard covering zone 9 to travel to Watford Junction. A zone 9 Travelcard can be bought from tube station ticket offices in London.
You can also travel with a Visitor Oyster Card, which can be preloaded with credit to cover your journey to Watford Junction. Visitor Oyster Cards are available from the VisitBritain shop and will automatically calculate the correct fare for your journey.
Can I use my Travelcard on a bus?
Yes, your Travelcard can be used on any regular London bus operated by TfL, regardless of which zones you are travelling through.
Travelcards are not valid on London Sightseeing buses or buses operated by companies other than TfL.
Travlecards
Travelcards let you travel as often as you like on bus, Tube, tram, DLR, London Overground and National Rail services within the London travel zones. They are valid for either one or 7 days and are issued as paper tickets from the Visitor Shop.
Children under 11 travel free on Tube, DLR and London Overground services when accompanied by a fare paying adult. Children under 11 travel free on buses and at all times.
Options
Day Anytime – can be used at any time on the day of validity and for any journey that starts before 04:30 the following day.
Day Off-Peak - Can be used from 09:30 Mondays to Fridays, all day Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, on the day(s) of validity and for any journey that starts before 04:30 the following day.
7 Day - Can be used for 7 days during the period of validity and for any journey that starts before 04:30 on the day following the expiry date.
Zones 1-4
Adult (16+) £12.00
Child (11–15) £6.00
Under 11s travel free
Zones 1-6
Adult (16+) £17.00
Child (11–15) £8.50
Under 11s travel free
BUY YOUR LONODN TRAVELCARD HERE
Buy your London Travelcard here
VISITOR Oyster Cards
Visitor Oyster cards are plastic smartcards you can use instead of paper tickets. Put on pay as you go credit which you use when you travel. It is the cheapest way to pay for single journeys on bus, Tube, tram, DLR, London Overground and most National Rail services in London.
You can buy credits in the following values: £10, £15, £20, £30, £40 and £50 + £3 activation fee
How much credit do I need?
Sample Tube fares:
Zones 1 to 2 - Oyster £2.90 peak, £2.30 off-peak
Zones 1 to 6 - Oyster £5.10 peak, £3.10 off-peak
Single bus journey - £1.50
Unlimited journeys in one day in zones 1 and 2 - £6.40
Here for 3-4 days? Get a £30 card. You can always add more credit at a Tube station, ticket machine or Oyster ticket stop if you run out.
BUY YOUR VISITOR OYSTER CARD HERE
Buy your Visitor Oyster Card here