TfL Refund: How to Get Money Back from London Transport

When you overpay, get charged twice, or your journey doesn’t go as planned, a TfL refund, a process to reclaim money paid to Transport for London for travel services. Also known as a Transport for London refund, it’s your right — not a bonus. Whether you used an Oyster card, contactless bank card, or bought a paper ticket, TfL owes you money if something went wrong.

You don’t need to be a Londoner to claim. Tourists get refunds too. Common reasons? A faulty gate, a missed connection, a delayed train that made you miss your stop, or being charged twice because your card tapped twice. The Oyster card, a reusable smartcard used for pay-as-you-go travel across London’s public transport network is the most common way people overpay. But even contactless payments, using a debit or credit card to pay for travel on London buses, Tube, and trains can trigger accidental double-charges. TfL’s system isn’t perfect. It sometimes charges you for a journey you didn’t finish, or applies the wrong fare because a gate didn’t read your card.

Here’s the simple truth: you won’t get a refund unless you ask. Most people assume it’s automatic. It’s not. You have to go online, log into your account, and file a claim. The process takes under five minutes. You can claim for up to eight weeks back. Lost your card? No problem. You can still get your money if you have the card number or the last four digits of your contactless card. Buses are the easiest — if you were charged but didn’t board, you can dispute it. Tube delays? If your journey was delayed by 15 minutes or more, you can claim a refund under the Delay Repay scheme. And yes, that includes the DLR, London Overground, and even Elizabeth line.

Don’t let a £2.50 overcharge slide. That’s a coffee. Or a bus ride. Or a slice of cake in Borough Market. Thousands of people get TfL refunds every month. You’re not asking for a handout — you’re getting back what you paid by mistake. The system is built to handle this. TfL even has a dedicated page for it. You just need to use it.

Below, you’ll find real stories from people who got their money back — and the exact steps they took. Some claimed £120 over six months. Others fixed a single £4 error in 10 minutes. Whether you’re a daily commuter, a weekend visitor, or a student on a tight budget, knowing how to get a TfL refund saves you money. No fluff. No jargon. Just what works.