London transport capping: How to save money on travel with fare limits

When you use an London transport capping, a system that automatically limits how much you pay for public transport in a single day or week. Also known as fare capping, it means you never pay more than the price of a daily or weekly travelcard—even if you take multiple trips. This isn’t a ticket you buy. It’s built into your Oyster card, the reusable smart card used across London’s Tube, buses, Overground, and some National Rail services. Or if you tap with your contactless payment card, a debit or credit card you can tap directly on readers instead of using an Oyster card. The system tracks your trips, adds up the fares, and stops charging you once you hit the cap.

Here’s how it works in practice: If you take the Tube to work, hop on a bus for lunch, ride the Overground after dinner, and catch a train home—all in one day—you’ll pay the same as if you bought a Day Travelcard. No extra fees. No surprises. The cap resets every day at 4:30 AM. If you travel Monday through Sunday, the weekly cap kicks in automatically after your seventh paid journey within the same week. You don’t need to do anything. No apps to download. No tickets to remember. Just tap and go.

The real win? You save money if you’re not a daily commuter. Maybe you only take the Tube twice a week. Or you work from home three days a week. Maybe you’re a student who uses buses more than trains. Capping makes sure you’re not overpaying. It’s fair. It’s simple. And it’s one of the best hidden perks of living in or visiting London. You’ll never pay more than £8.80 for a day on the Tube and buses (as of 2025), and the weekly cap caps out at £45.20 for zones 1–2. That’s less than half the price of a weekly travelcard if you don’t use it every day.

What you won’t find here are complicated rules about zone changes or peak vs off-peak pricing. The cap works the same whether you travel at 7 AM or 7 PM. It includes buses, Tube, DLR, London Overground, Elizabeth line, and most National Rail services inside London. It even works with River Bus services if you tap in. But it doesn’t cover Heathrow Express, Eurostar, or long-distance trains outside the network. And if you’re using a paper ticket, forget it—capping only works with Oyster or contactless.

People who live here know this system inside out. Tourists often don’t. And that’s why so many end up paying more than they need to. If you’re staying for a few days, using contactless is the smartest move. Your phone, your watch, your card—it all works. Just make sure you use the same one every time. Mix cards or devices, and the system won’t recognize your trips as yours. You’ll get charged full price every time.

What you’ll find below are real guides from people who’ve used this system to cut their travel costs. Whether you’re a student on a tight budget, a tourist planning a week in the city, or a new resident figuring out how to get around, these posts show you exactly how to use capping to your advantage. No theory. No fluff. Just what works.