London Transport Refund: How to Get Your Money Back on Tube, Bus, and DLR

When your London transport refund, a process that lets you reclaim money for overpayments, delays, or system errors on public transit in London. Also known as Tube refund, it’s not just for tourists—locals get refunds too, if they know how to ask. You paid for a journey but didn’t complete it. Your Oyster card got charged twice. A train broke down and you sat for 20 minutes. These aren’t rare mistakes. They happen all the time. And Transport for London (TfL) will give your money back—if you follow the right steps.

Most refunds come from three places: the Oyster card, a rechargeable smart card used across London’s Tube, buses, DLR, and some overground services. Also known as contactless payment card, it tracks every trip and automatically caps daily spending., the contactless bank card, a debit or credit card tapped on readers instead of an Oyster, with the same fare rules and refund eligibility. Also known as pay-as-you-go card, it’s the default for most commuters now., and bus refund, a claim you can make if you were charged for a bus ride but didn’t board, or if the bus never came. Also known as bus fare dispute, it’s one of the easiest to fix.. If you were charged more than the daily cap, you’ll get the difference back automatically within 24 hours. No need to do anything. But if your journey was disrupted—say, a delay of 15 minutes or more—you need to file a claim. TfL’s delay repay scheme covers Tube, DLR, London Overground, and Elizabeth line. You don’t need to be a resident. You don’t need a ticket. Just your card number and the date of the delay.

Most people don’t know you can get a refund for a missed connection, a wrong fare, or even if you tapped in but changed your mind. You can claim up to 90 days after the journey. The process is simple: log into your TfL online account, find the trip, click ‘Request Refund’, and explain why. No forms. No calls. No waiting in line. If you used a contactless card, your refund goes back to the same card. If you used Oyster, it goes to your card balance or bank account if you’ve registered it. And yes—buses count too. If you tapped in but the bus didn’t stop, or if you were charged for a second journey when you didn’t move, you can get that money back. It’s not a loophole. It’s policy.

Below, you’ll find real stories from people who got refunds after delays, mistakes, and system glitches. Some got £10 back. Others got £40. All they did was ask. You don’t need to be an expert. You just need to know it’s possible—and how to do it.