How to save money on transport in London

One of the questions people visiting the UK ask me the most is: how can I save money on transport in London?

England's capital is one of the most expensive cities in the world, but there are ways to avoid wasting pounds when travelling by public transport in the British city. In London, there are many different forms of transport - buses, trains, underground, bicycles, trams, boats and even cable cars (Emirates Air Line). Some are much more expensive than others.

However, the good news is that there is no shortage of ways to save money on transport in London and, with the exception of river boats and some national trains, they are all covered by a common or integrated payment system. However, fares can vary depending on how you pay (Contactless, Oyster Card, money, etc.).

For those visiting London for the first time - or even those who have visited London more than once - the sprawling transport network, prices and modes can be confusing or intimidating.

As I have more than a decade of knowledge of London transport, I've decided to share some tips on how to save money and time on your next trip to London.

Ways to save money on transport in London

Oyster Card

The OysterCard is a small plastic card that can be topped up at various locations (stations, airports, shops, etc). The Oyster Card works like a prepaid card that you can top up with the amount you want or that can also be used to add daily, weekly, monthly or even annualTravelcards.

The Oyster Card is valid for journeys on the London Underground(The Tube), city buses,trams (Tramlink), Docklands Light Railway (DLR), trains(National Rail) andoverground trains(London Overground). In some cases, with the Oyster card you can save up to 40 or 50 per cent compared to buying individual paper tickets.

The Oyster Card costs £5 and you can buy it from ticket machines at stations or anywhere in the city that displays the Oyster logo. Sometimes you have to pay a transaction fee in the shops, but if you do it at the station it doesn't cost anything (apart from the £5 deposit). You can also buy the London Pass with the Oyster Card.

Contactless

In addition to Oyster Cardyou can also use the payment methods Contactless. These are bank cards with a special symbol that have the technology to make payment with the simple touch of the card for purchases of less than £30.

If your card was issued in the UK by the Visa, MasterCard, Maestro or American Express network and has the contactless payment symbol, you can use it to travel on transport in London, namely on the bus, underground, DLR, Overground, trains and Emirates Air Line.

Contactless payment is available on debit, credit and pre-paid cards. Some Contactless cards issued outside the UK work on transport in London, but this is a method that may not save you money in London, as your bank will (most likely) charge fees for each transaction.

It's easier to keep track of transport costs in London if you use the Oyster CardWhen you get off at each station, this information is visible at the turnstiles or when you get on the buses. You can also check your card balance at one of the many machines at each station. With the Contactless does not have this information in real time.

And which system is best? Oyster, Travelcard or contactless?

Travelcard

It must first be made clear that the Travelcard exists in two formats: on paper and added to the Oyster Card. If you know you'll be travelling a lot in a week, it might be more convenient to buy the Travelcard.

However, never buy a Travelcard valid for one day only, as in some cases it can cost you almost twice as much and you won't be able to save any money on transport in London! For example, a Travelcard valid for one day for zones 1 and 2 (on paper or in the Oyster Card) costs £13 - whether it's rush hour or not. However, if you use the recharging system (pay as you go - PAYG) the most you'll pay per day is £7.

Imagine you're staying in zone 6. In this case you'll pay a maximum of £12.80 in the PAYG system, whereas with a Travelcard, the price will be £18.60.

Travelling outside the area covered by the Travelcard

If you are travelling outside the area covered by the Travelcardmake sure you buy a ticket before you leave, as it will be less expensive than buying an individual ticket between the last station covered by your Travelcard and destination.

It's not all bad, however, when it comes to the Travelcard. If you buy a paper ticket via the train (National Rail), will have access to offers 2FOR1 London's main attractions.

Bus

To save money on transport in London, the Underground is the least recommended solution. The Underground (Tube) is fast, but it has other disadvantages. As well as being dark and unattractive, it's expensive. So opt for London's iconic red buses.

In the city centre it pays to take the bus, especially if your destination involves taking one or more buses within an hour. You can currently make unlimited bus journeys and you'll only be charged for one journey (£1.50). The only condition is that no more than 60 minutes have passed since you boarded the first bus.

Additionally, buses cover large parts of the tourist areas and this is also a more economical way to do a kind of tour of London, without having to pay the exorbitant prices of tourist buses.

Some of central London's public transport bus routes pass several tourist attractions, such as the London Eye, London Bridge, Parliament, the Tower of London or City Hall. Pay £1.50 with your Oyster card and enjoy the sights of London by the River Thames.

Another advantage of using buses to lower your travel budget in London is that, unlike other means of transport, bus fares are always the same - regardless of where you're travelling in the English capital.

The daily limit, if you pay with an Oyster Card or Contactless, is £4.50, while the weekly maximum is £21.20. If your hotel in London is in Zone 1, I recommend using the bus rather than the Underground. Save money on transport in London and see more.

Weekends and rush hour

A very simple way to save money on transport in London is to travel whenever possible outside rush hour. Rush hour is Monday to Friday between 06:30 and 09:30 and between 16:00 and 19:00. These two times of day are obviously the busiest in the city - when most Londoners are travelling to and from work. If you travel outside these times, you'll pay less for transport in London and you'll also feel less like a tinned sardine.

At all other times - including weekends and public holidays - there are no restrictions and the lowest fare will always apply (Off Peak). For example, single journeys between Waterloo and Camden Town will cost you £0.50 less per journey if you travel on time off peak.

Avoid zone 1

If you want to travel around central London - and can avoid using transport in the Zone 1 area - you will pay a much lower fare. This applies to the pay as you go and also for the Travelcards. If you really have to travel in zone 1, skip the Metro and opt for the buses. Each journey on the Metro can cost £2.40, while if you opt for the buses a journey is £1.50, plus you can make more journeys free of charge in the space of an hour.

To save money, you can buy a Travelcard valid for Zone 2 or any others you need and then use the buses in Zone 1. But it is always prudent to check the rates and do the maths.

Bicycle

Swap the hustle and bustle of motorised transport for the pedals of 11,500 bicycles spread across 150 points in the city. The system was introduced in 2010 and renting a bike is very simple.

The access fee is £2 per day and can be paid by bank card. If it only takes you 30 minutes to get to the next "parking" point for your bike, there will be no extra charge. If you want to maximise the access fee, make several half-hour trips every 24 hours and you'll only pay the access fee. If, on any occasion, you exceed the free 30 minutes, you will have to pay £2 for each additional 30-minute block.

Unlike other cities, in London there are still few separation zones between cyclists and motorists and every year several people die in the city in accidents involving bicycles. If you choose this mode of transport, be very careful.

Walking

Walking is my favourite "mode of transport" in London. Of course, you can't go everywhere on foot, because the city is huge. However, if you want to marvel at the city's attractions and save money on transport in London, treat yourself to a good pair of shoes.

You can visit Parliament, Big Ben, the London Eye, Tower Bridge or the Tower of London without much effort. All these attractions are located on the banks of the River Thames and, if you plan your visit to London well, you can see them all in a day or less. In fact, I recommend a stroll along the river, starting at the London Eye and walking all the way along the south bank to Tower Bridge.

You can also visit Trafalgar Square and the National Gallery, walk down Whitehall to Big Ben and the Westminster Parliament. As you walk, your eyes will be much more open than if you were on the Underground or buses, for example.

Many visitors to London think they have to use the Underground to get everywhere. That's a mistake. For example, between Leicester Square and Covent Garden, it's much quicker to walk and the most effective way to save money on transport in London. The walk is only 8 minutes, whereas if you take the Underground it will take longer.

And since you're walking, you can also take the opportunity to take a tour of the city of London.

Important notices

Touch in / touch-out

With the Oyster system Pay as you go or Contactless is fundamental "play" at the turnstiles at the beginning and end of each journey. Failure to do so may result in a maximum fare or a penalty. On buses and trams, you only have to ring at the start of the journey.

Forget the money

Cash is by far the worst way to save money on transport in London. In fact, if you use cash you won't get any savings or benefits and it's something to avoid. Cash fares are much higher. For example, the journey between Covent Garden and Leicester Square will cost you:

On foot - 0£

Bus - 1,50£

Oyster Card / Contactless - 2,40£

Money - 4,90£

As you can see from the example above, buying individual tickets with cash is prohibitive. What's more, cash hasn't been accepted on buses for a few years now.

If you want to save more money in London, read this article too.

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