Contactless in London

You can now use your contactless payment card, Android Pay smartphone, bPay device or Apple Pay device on most National Rail services in the Oyster Pay As You Go (PAYG) area where contactless payments are accepted, as well as the bus, Tube, London Trams, DLR, TfL Rail and London Overground. 

PAYG has also been extended to several stations outside of the Oyster area. A map of PAYG stations and Tram stops can be found here

Please note, for National Rail services contactless is only available for use in Standard Class.

What is contactless?

Contactless payment can made in several different ways;

• Debit cards (check for symbol)
• Credit cards (check for symbol)
• Android Pay app enabled smartphones
• bPay devices 
• Apple Pay devices

All of these can be used to make payments for everyday purchases up to £30 per transaction without the need for a PIN or a signature. To use a contactless method to travel, just touch your card or device on a yellow card reader at the start of your journey and again at the end of it to pay.

If you use the same contactless method for every journey, you could benefit from daily Off-peak and Monday to Sunday capping.

Sign up for a Transport for London online account at tfl.gov.uk/oyster and register your contactless payment card or bPay device to see up to 12 months journey and payment history and apply for refunds. You can also create an account for any payment card that is linked to an Android Pay or Apple Pay device, and receive the same benefits.

Watch out for card clash

If you touch your contactless payment card on a card reader when it's in the same wallet or purse as other contactless smartcards (for example, an Oyster card or building pass) or devices, the reader might detect more than one card. When this happens, the card reader doesn't know which card to read.

To avoid card clash only touch the card you wish to pay with on the reader when touching in and out.

Daily capping

If you're unsure of the number of journeys you're going to make or where you want to go, contactless offers you flexibility and convenience. Make as many journeys as you like in a day and you'll never pay more than the daily cap for the zones you've travelled in.

The daily cap is calculated based on when and how you travel. Remember, you must continue to touch in and out even after you have reached a cap or you would still be charged a maximum fare.

Monday to Sunday capping

If you use the same contactless method to pay for all your journeys throughout the week until Sunday, you may be eligible for a Monday to Sunday cap. Details can be found at tfl.gov.uk/oyster

Always touch in and out

Always touch in and out on a yellow reader with the same contactless payment card, Android Pay smartphone, bPay device or Apple Pay device at the start of your journey and touch out at the end, even if the gates are open, to ensure you pay the right fare. When changing trains you may need to touch your card on a pink reader, and if you are travelling on a bus or tram you only have to touch in.

If you don't touch in and out on every journey you make we don't know where you have travelled, so we can't charge the right fare. If this happens your journey is "incomplete" and you could be charged a maximum fare. Maximum fares do not count towards a cap.

Register online to stay on top of your travel costs

You can see your journey and payment history simply and easily by signing up for a Transport for London online account and registering your card or device.

With an online account you can:

• View a summary of the journeys you have made so far that day
• See up to 12 months of your journey and payment history
• Get email alerts if there is an issue with your contactless payment card, Android Pay smartphone, bPay device or Apple Pay device which might stop you from using it to travel
• Apply for refunds for incomplete journey

Help with contactless

Should you have any trouble using your contactless payment card or for more information you can:

• Go online tfl.gov.uk/contactless
• Call Transport for London Customer Services on 0343 222 1234

It could be that your card is not accepted for travel and you may be advised to contact your card issuer.