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Pay as you go

Add credit to your Oyster card to pay as you go on bus, Tube, tram, DLR, London Overground and most National Rail services within London.

Cheaper, quicker and easier

Oyster single fares are generally cheaper than paying cash

Oyster automatically works out the cheapest fare for all your journeys in one day so you'll never pay more than the price of a Day Travelcard*. Find out more about Daily price capping
Put credit on your Oyster card then use it as you go. No more queuing for tickets
No need to plan your journey or buy a specific ticket in advance

* Does not apply for travel to/from Grays, Purfleet, Ockendon or Chafford Hundred.

Tube, DLR, London Overground, and most National Rail services

Peak and off-peak fares using pay as you go

Peak pay as you go fares apply from 06:30 to 09:30 and from 16:00 to 19:00 Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays). At all other times, the off-peak pay as you fare applies

Tube, DLR and London Overground only

Off-peak fares during the evening peak

If you travel from outside Zone 1 between 16:00 and 19:00 Mondays to Fridays, and your journey finishes in Zone 1, you will be charged an off-peak fare when using Oyster pay as you go. You could save up to £2.70 per journey

Travel via Zone 1

Some journeys have been defined as requiring travel via Zone 1 and will be charged accordingly, irrespective of the route taken.

Bus and tram services

There is a flat pay as you go fare on bus and tram travel, with no peak/off-peak difference.

River services

You can use Oyster pay as you go to pay for journeys on KPMG Thames Clipper river services which is cheaper than the cash fare. This does not count towards the daily price cap.

You can give your Oyster card to someone else

If your Oyster only has pay as you go credit at adult rate on it you can let someone else use it, even if the card is registered in your name.

No longer need your Oyster card?

Unused pay as you go credit stays on your Oyster card until you want to use it. If you no longer need your Oyster card, you can return it for a refund of any remaining pay as you go and your deposit. Find out more about refunds.

An Oyster card cannot be used by anyone other than the registered user if it holds a:

Download the Getting around with Oyster leaflet (PDF 2.57MB)