London Travelcard

Should I buy an Anytime Travelcard or an Off Peak Travelcard?

It depends what time of day you will be travelling:

• Anytime Travelcards can be used at any time.
• Off Peak Travelcards are cheaper, but cannot be used Monday to Friday before 9.30am.

Which zones do I need a Travelcard for?

The centre of London, including most major attractions, is in Zones 1-2. Most suburban areas of London, including Wembley Stadium and Wimbledon Tennis Club, are within Zones 1-4.

Almost the whole of London, including both Heathrow and London City airports, are in Zones 1-6.

To check which zones the areas you want to visit are in, see the full map of the London transport network.

London Travelcards can be used on:

• London Underground (the Tube)
• Overground and National Rail trains in London
• London buses (in any Zone, irrespective of the zones shown on the ticket)
• Trams in South London
• Docklands Light Railway (DLR)

You can also get a 33% discount on river boats and a 25% discount on the Emirates Air Line cable car. 

Please note: You cannot buy a paper 7 Day Travelcard once you get to London. If you buy a 7 Day Travelcard in London, it will be loaded onto an Oyster card instead. An additional £5 deposit will apply. 

If you need several 1-day Travelcards to use on different days, you must add them to your basket one by one.

To do this:

• Under Start date, select the date you want to use your first Travelcard on 
• Choose the type and quantity, click ‘Add to basket’, and then click ‘Add more’
• Now, change the Start date to the date you want to use your second Travelcard on, and click ‘Add to basket’ again
• You have now added Travelcards for two different days to your basket. To add more, click ‘Add more’ again

PLEASE NOTE: once an order is placed you cannot change the start date.

This is a selection of the most common FAQs. For further information, please click on the blue box on the right hand side.

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 £12.70 for a central London 1 day Travelcard and go up to £62.30 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 from the VisitBritain Shop and it will be mailed to you at your home address, ready to use for when you arrive in London.

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 1-4 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 Travelcard from our shop to travel to Watford Junction station. Watford Junction is in zone 9, so you’ll need a separate ticket, or you can buy a Visitor Oyster card from the VisitBritain Shop instead.

• 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