London Bus and Tram Fares Rise From 1st November 2026
Transport for London (TfL) bus and tram fares are due to rise on 1st November 2026. The adult pay-as-you-go fare will go up by 10p, from £1.75 to £1.85. The daily cap will increase by 30p to £5.55, and the Monday-to-Sunday weekly cap will rise by £1.40 to £26.10. The changes apply to TfL bus and tram services in London, not to bus fares across the UK.
Change at a glance
- When: From 4:30am on 1st November 2026
- Where: London, on Transport for London bus and tram services
- What: Adult bus and tram fares, caps and separate Bus & Tram Pass prices are increasing
- Who is affected: Passengers paying TfL bus and tram fares, with separate arrangements continuing for children and eligible concessionary passengers
- Adult pay-as-you-go fare: £1.75 to £1.85
- Adult daily cap: £5.25 to £5.55
- Adult weekly cap: £24.70 to £26.10
- What you need to do: No new application is needed. Check the new fare if you use TfL buses or trams regularly.
- Last checked: 17th October 2026
What is changing?
From 1st November, the adult pay-as-you-go fare for a TfL bus or tram journey will be £1.85, up from £1.75. That is an increase of 10p for a single journey.
The adult daily cap will rise from £5.25 to £5.55. The Monday-to-Sunday weekly cap will increase from £24.70 to £26.10.
TfL is also increasing the prices of its separate Bus & Tram Passes. The adult One Day pass will rise from £6.00 to £6.40, the 7 Day pass from £24.70 to £26.10, the Monthly pass from £94.90 to £100.30 and the Annual pass from £988 to £1,044.
How much will London bus fares cost in 2026?
What happens to the Hopper fare?
The Hopper fare is staying. From 1st November, the adult pay-as-you-go fare that covers eligible bus and tram journeys within one hour of the first touch-in will be £1.85. You can make unlimited eligible transfers within that hour, provided you use the same card or device and touch in on each bus or tram. Eligible discounted fares continue to use the relevant discounted rate.
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How do the daily and weekly caps work?
A cap is the maximum you pay for eligible bus and tram journeys during the relevant period. The adult daily cap will be £5.55 and the Monday-to-Sunday weekly cap will be £26.10 from 1st November. You may spend less than the cap if you make only a few journeys. Caps apply to eligible pay-as-you-go travel and are calculated using the same card or device.
Example: what could you pay in a day?
One separate adult fare
£1.85
Two separate adult fares
£3.70
Three separate adult fares
£5.55
These examples assume each journey is charged separately. Eligible bus and tram transfers within the one-hour Hopper period are covered by the same fare, so you may pay less than the examples suggest.
What about children and concessionary passengers?
Children aged 5 to 10 can travel free on TfL buses and trams without a Zip Oyster photocard. An 11 to 15 Zip Oyster photocard also gives free bus and tram travel. A non-concessionary 11 to 15 Oyster photocard is different: it gives 50% off adult fares, so check which card you have before travelling.
For 16+ Zip Oyster photocard holders, travel remains free on buses and trams for eligible London residents. Eligible 16+ users living outside London receive 50% off adult fares. From 1st November, the published half-adult fare is £0.90, with a £2.70 daily cap.
Discounted fares depend on which photocard or scheme you qualify for. The table below shows selected bus and tram prices from 1st November 2026. Check TfL’s rules before buying a pass, as not every discount applies to every ticket type.
Freedom Pass holders and people using a 60+ London Oyster photocard have separate concessionary travel arrangements and do not pay the standard adult bus and tram fare when travelling under the terms of those schemes.
Do Oyster and contactless payments change?
No new payment method is required. Adults can continue to use contactless cards or devices or an Oyster card for pay-as-you-go travel. The new fares will apply automatically from 1st November.
On buses and trams, passengers only need to touch in. If you are using contactless or Oyster, use the same card or device for your journeys so that the Hopper fare and applicable caps can be calculated correctly.
There is no cash fare for TfL bus and tram journeys, so the change does not involve an increase to a cash ticket price.
Are Travelcard prices changing?
Adult Travelcard prices are not part of this bus and tram fare increase. TfL’s published fares information says adult Travelcard prices are frozen until 2027. Travelcards can cover different transport modes and are separate from the Bus & Tram Passes listed in the table above. If you use the Tube, DLR, London Overground, Elizabeth line or other rail services as well as buses, check TfL’s latest fares information for the relevant ticket and journey.
Does this change affect the whole UK?
No. This is a London-specific TfL fare change. It applies to TfL bus and tram services in London and does not automatically change bus or tram fares in other parts of England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. England’s separate national bus fare cap is a different scheme; see our guide to the £2 bus fare cap in England from January 2027.
What should passengers do before November?
There is no new application or card to arrange. If you regularly use London buses or trams, it is worth checking how the new fare fits with the way you normally travel. Someone making several journeys in a day may reach the £5.55 cap, while someone making occasional journeys will simply pay the new £1.85 fare each time the Hopper fare does not apply.
London bus fare increase: frequently asked questions
When do the new London bus fares start?
The new fares take effect from 4:30am on Sunday 1st November 2026. Journeys before that time remain on the existing fares.
How much will one London bus journey cost?
The adult pay-as-you-go fare will be £1.85, up from £1.75. Eligible journeys within the one-hour Hopper period are covered by the Hopper fare when you use the same card or device.
Are children’s fares increasing?
Children who qualify for free travel can continue to use the relevant age-based arrangements or Zip Oyster photocard. Some half-adult and discounted fares will be 90p from 1st November. See the concessionary fares section above for details.
Do I need a new Oyster card or to change how I pay?
No. You can continue using a contactless card or device or Oyster for pay-as-you-go travel. Use the same card or device for linked journeys so that the Hopper fare and caps can be applied correctly.
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Information checked
The fares and rules in this article were checked against official Transport for London information on 17th October 2026. These are the main sources used to verify the details.
Mayor of London: November 2026 fare decision
Confirms that the existing bus and tram fare freeze ends at 4:30am on 1st November 2026, the overall increase is 5.7%, and the Hopper fare continues.
Transport for London: bus and tram fares
Confirms the 1st November 2026 start date and the new adult pay-as-you-go fare, daily and weekly caps, Bus & Tram Pass prices, Hopper fare and published child and concessionary fares.
Transport for London: fares from 2nd March 2025
Provides the background on the previous fare policy, including the stated freeze on adult Travelcard prices until 2027. This is separate from the bus and tram increases taking effect in November 2026.
London Councils: Freedom Pass conditions
Explains the conditions attached to the Freedom Pass and why eligible passholders have separate concessionary travel arrangements.
This article is general information based on official sources checked on 17th October 2026. Fares and travel conditions can change, so check TfL’s latest information before travelling if you need to confirm the cost of a particular journey.
