London Tube Fare Calculator
Estimate your London Underground travel cost by zone, time, and payment method.
How this London Tube fare calculator works
This tool gives a practical estimate for Tube travel cost based on zone range, peak/off-peak timing, and payment method. It is designed for quick planning: commuting, budgeting, and comparing contactless versus paper ticket prices.
The calculator is especially useful when you want to answer questions like:
- “How much will my Zone 2 to Zone 1 commute cost this week?”
- “Will I hit the daily cap today?”
- “Is contactless cheaper than a paper ticket for my route?”
London Underground fare basics
1) Zones matter
London is divided into fare zones. In general, crossing more zones costs more. Journeys that include Zone 1 usually cost more than journeys staying in outer zones.
2) Peak vs off-peak pricing
Peak fares are higher and usually apply during weekday busy periods. Off-peak fares are lower and often apply outside rush-hour windows, weekends, and public holidays.
3) Contactless/Oyster vs paper ticket
Contactless and Oyster Pay As You Go are usually the best value because they can benefit from daily fare capping. Paper tickets generally do not benefit from capping and can be much more expensive.
Daily cap: why it matters
A daily cap is the maximum you pay in a day for eligible Pay As You Go travel within relevant zones. Once your running total reaches the cap, additional eligible journeys that day are effectively free.
In this calculator, if you choose contactless/Oyster, the estimated total is capped automatically based on your zone range.
Examples
Example A: Zone 1 to Zone 2 commuter
- Time: peak
- Payment: contactless
- Journeys: 2 (outbound + return)
- Result: typically lower than paper ticket and close to known PAYG rates
Example B: Multiple trips in one day
- Route: Zone 1 to Zone 4
- Journeys: 6
- Payment: contactless
- Result: total likely capped, so average cost per journey drops significantly
Tips to save money on London Tube travel
- Use contactless/Oyster instead of paper tickets whenever possible.
- Travel off-peak if your schedule allows.
- Check whether your Railcard can be linked for off-peak discounts.
- Track your most frequent routes and compare daily vs weekly travel patterns.
- For regular commuters, compare PAYG totals with Travelcard options.
Important note
This is an estimate tool, not an official TfL fare engine. Real fares can vary by line, route, interchange rules, and special fare conditions. Always verify final charges through official Transport for London sources.