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London Underground Fares and Ticket Prices
The London Underground - better known as the Tube - is the world's oldest metro system, opened in 1863, and still one of the busiest. It runs 11 lines across 272 stations, covering 402 km of track through nine fare zones. Around 1.35 billion journeys are made on it every year, making it the backbone of travel across Greater London.
London Underground Operating Hours
How to Pay on the London Underground
Pay with an Oyster card or tap a contactless bank card or phone directly on the yellow reader at the gate. Both give you the same capped fares - the cheapest way to travel.
Touch in when you enter a station and touch out when you leave. Forgetting to touch out triggers a maximum fare charge that can be corrected but is a hassle to fix.
The network runs across nine fare zones. Zone 1 is central London - most tourist landmarks are in Zones 1 and 2. Your fare depends on how many zones you cross.
A daily price cap kicks in automatically. Once you hit the cap (for Zones 1-2 it is £8.50), every journey for the rest of that day is free. You never need to buy a day travel card.
Most lines run from around 05:30 to between midnight and 00:30. On Friday and Saturday nights the Central, Jubilee, Northern, Piccadilly and Victoria lines run all night as part of the Night Tube.
Download the free TfL Go app or Citymapper before you travel. Both show live departure times, service alerts and step-free routing.
Travel Tips for London
Stand on the right on escalators. The left side is kept free for people walking up or down - this is an unwritten rule Londoners take seriously.
Move down inside the carriage, away from the doors. Packed trains become much more bearable when passengers spread out rather than clustering near the doorways.
The Central, Northern and Jubilee lines get brutally crowded during rush hour (roughly 08:00-09:30 and 17:00-19:30 on weekdays). If you can shift your journey by 30 minutes either side, do it.
Walking between very close stations is often faster than taking the Tube. Leicester Square to Covent Garden, for example, is a 5-minute walk but the lift queue at Covent Garden alone can take longer.
The Elizabeth line is not part of the Underground map but uses the same Oyster and contactless payment. It is faster, quieter and more comfortable than most Tube lines for east-west journeys across London.
Heathrow Airport is served by the Piccadilly line (around 50 minutes to central London, roughly £5.50 with Oyster) and the faster Elizabeth line (around 40 minutes to Paddington, same fare).
Accessibility
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the Tube cost?▾
With Oyster or a contactless card, a single journey in Zone 1 costs £2.80 at peak times and £2.70 off-peak. The daily cap for Zones 1-2 is £8.50, so however many trips you make, that is the most you will pay in a day. A 7-day Travelcard for Zones 1-2 costs £41.80.
How many lines does the London Underground have?▾
The London Underground has 11 lines: Bakerloo, Central, Circle, District, Hammersmith and City, Jubilee, Metropolitan, Northern, Piccadilly, Victoria, and Waterloo and City. The Elizabeth line (Crossrail) shares stations with the Underground but is operated separately by TfL under its own name.
Does the London Underground run 24 hours?▾
Not on all lines. Most services run from around 05:30 until just after midnight. On Friday and Saturday nights, Night Tube services run all night on the Central, Jubilee, Northern, Piccadilly and Victoria lines. Sunday services generally start later, around 07:00.
Which line goes to Heathrow Airport?▾
The Piccadilly line runs directly to all Heathrow terminals (T2, T3, T4 and T5) from central London. The journey from King's Cross takes around 50-55 minutes. The Elizabeth line also serves Heathrow and is faster to Paddington (around 40 minutes), though both cost the same fare with Oyster.
How accessible is the London Underground for wheelchair users?▾
Step-free access is available at 107 of 272 stations. Many central Zone 1 stations - including Covent Garden, Leicester Square, Charing Cross and Green Park - still have stairs only. The TfL Journey Planner has a step-free option, and the Elizabeth line was built to be fully accessible throughout.
What is the difference between Oyster and contactless?▾
Both give you the same fares and the same daily cap protection. Contactless (bank card, phone or smartwatch) is the more convenient option - no top-up needed and your journey history is saved to your account. An Oyster card is useful if you want to load a period Travelcard, apply a railcard discount, or use the 18+ Student Oyster photocard.