Weekly Oyster Cap: What It Is and How It Saves You Money on London Travel

When you use an weekly Oyster cap, a daily spending limit set by Transport for London that resets every Monday. Also known as weekly travel cap, it means you never pay more than a set amount for travel no matter how many journeys you make in seven days. This isn’t a discount—it’s a hard stop. Once you hit the cap, your future trips that week are free. It’s automatic. No coupons. No apps. Just tap your card and go.

The Oyster card, a rechargeable smartcard used across London’s public transport network is the only way to get this cap. Contactless cards work too, but only if they’re linked to the same account. The cap applies to buses, trams, Tube, DLR, London Overground, TfL Rail, and most National Rail services inside London zones. It doesn’t cover Heathrow Express, Thames Clippers, or airport shuttles. You need to be in Zones 1-6 to get the full benefit. If you only ride the bus, your weekly cap is lower than if you’re jumping between zones.

For students, commuters, and anyone using public transport five days a week, the weekly Oyster cap, the maximum amount you can be charged for travel within a seven-day period can cut your costs by half. In 2025, the cap for Zones 1-2 is £85.20. That’s less than two daily peak fares. If you take the Tube to work, grab lunch in Camden, hit a concert in Brixton, and come home on the Overground? You still only pay £85.20. Without the cap, that same week could cost over £150.

Here’s what most people miss: the cap resets every Monday, not after seven calendar days. So if you start traveling on a Tuesday, your cap runs until the next Monday—not seven days later. That means if you’re away for a few days, you can still get the full benefit. And if you travel less than usual? You don’t lose the cap. You just pay less. It’s designed for people who move around, not just commuters.

You don’t need to do anything special to get it. Just load pay-as-you-go credit onto your Oyster or contactless card. The system tracks your spending automatically. You’ll see your running total on ticket machines and the TfL app. No sign-up. No registration. No paperwork. If you’ve ever paid £10 for a single Tube ride and thought, "There’s got to be a better way," the weekly Oyster cap is that better way.

It’s not magic. It’s math. And it’s built into the system because London knows people need to move. Whether you’re a student hopping between UCL and Imperial, a freelancer working from cafes in Shoreditch and Soho, or a tourist hitting three museums in one day—you’re already using it. The real question isn’t whether you should use it. It’s why you haven’t started yet.

Below, you’ll find real guides on how to use your Oyster card smarter, where to save on transport, and how to make London’s system work for you—not the other way around.