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London Oyster, Contactless & Travelcard Calculator

Tell us when you arrive, how long you're staying and how you'll travel. We'll work out your pay as you go total with caps and whether a Travelcard beats it.

For most visitors, contactless or Oyster pay as you go is cheapest: fares cap at £8.90 a day and £44.70 Monday to Sunday in Zones 1–2. A 7 Day Travelcard costs the same £44.70, so it only helps when your week doesn't start on a Monday. Day Travelcards (£16.60) cost more than the daily cap.

1. Pay as you go or a Travelcard?

Peak: Monday to Friday 06:30–09:30 and 16:00–19:00. Bus journeys within an hour of each other count as one (the Hopper fare). To keep it simple, buses are added at the bus fare and bus caps in every option.

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2. Black cab fares

Good to know

  • Caps run Monday to Sunday, so a stay from Thursday to Wednesday spans two capping weeks. That's when a 7 Day Travelcard can win.
  • Use one card or phone for everything. Caps are counted per card, so switching between your phone and a plastic card can cost you more.
  • Heathrow: the Piccadilly line is £5.90 from Zone 1, always at peak fare; the Elizabeth line is £15.50. The Heathrow Express isn't covered by caps or Travelcards.
  • Taxi extras: £1.60 for journeys from a Heathrow taxi rank, up to £6 for terminal drop-off zones, and £4 over Christmas and New Year.

Frequently asked questions

Is a Travelcard cheaper than contactless in London?

Usually not. In 2026 a 7 Day Travelcard for Zones 1–2 costs £44.70, exactly the same as the Monday-to-Sunday cap on contactless and Oyster, and pay as you go also caps each day at £8.90. A Travelcard only wins when your seven days don't line up with Monday to Sunday and you travel enough to hit the cap in both weeks. The calculator above checks your dates.

What is the daily cap on the Tube?

It depends on the zones you travel in: £8.90 for Zones 1–2, £10.50 for Zones 1–3, £12.80 for Zones 1–4 and £16.30 for Zones 1–6. Once you hit it, the rest of the day's pay as you go journeys in those zones cost nothing more. Buses on their own cap at £5.55 a day.

Should I get an Oyster card or use contactless?

Contactless is the simplest for visitors: tap the same bank card or phone in and out and you get the same pay as you go fares and the same daily and Monday-to-Sunday caps. Always use the same card or device, because caps are counted per card.

How much is a single Tube fare in 2026?

A Zone 1 journey costs £3.10 at peak times and £3.00 off-peak; Zones 1–2 cost £3.60 and £3.10. Peak is Monday to Friday 06:30–09:30 and 16:00–19:00, except public holidays. Buses cost £1.85, with unlimited bus and tram journeys within an hour of touching in.

What's the cheapest way from Heathrow to central London?

The Piccadilly line, at £5.90 from Zone 1 (Heathrow Tube journeys are always charged at peak fare). The Elizabeth line costs £15.50 and is quicker. The Heathrow Express isn't included in caps or Travelcards. A black cab typically costs £70 to £120.

How much is a black cab in London?

A short ride of about a mile costs roughly £8.40 to £13 on weekdays, and two miles £12.60 to £20.20, according to TfL's typical fares. Fares are higher in the evening, at weekends, overnight and on public holidays, and the minimum fare is £4.40. There's no extra charge for paying by card.

Sources and how current this is

Every fare, rate and norm on this page comes from the official source below and was checked in November 2026. Operators change prices, so check the source before you rely on a number.

Left out because we could not confirm it from an official source: the Oyster card fee (TfL's fares pages we checked don't state it); Heathrow Express fares (not part of TfL caps).

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