Commuting in London could cost more than £3,000 a year in 2027 — but that figure is based on today’s fares, not a decision that has been made yet. Here is what Londoners could actually pay, and what is still to be decided.
On current fares, an annual Travelcard costs from £1,788 for Zones 1 and 2 up to £3,264 for Zones 1 to 6, according to TfL’s listed adult rates. Those are the prices in force now, and they are the best guide available to what a full year of travel could cost in 2027 — unless fares change in March.
That is the key date. TfL has confirmed that Travelcard prices and daily and weekly pay-as-you-go caps will remain frozen until March 2027, so commuters using those products will keep paying existing prices until the freeze ends. The Mayor of London still has to decide on fares for 2027, and no increase has been confirmed.
Under the Government’s multi-year funding settlement, TfL fares are expected to rise in line with the Retail Prices Index (RPI) measure of inflation plus one percentage point. But that is an expectation, not a confirmed increase for any specific journey — and the final cost of travelling through 2027 will depend on whatever is announced before March.
The most recent rises are already in force. Bus and tram fares went up from £1.75 to £1.85 on 1 November, while Tube, Elizabeth line, London Overground and DLR pay-as-you-go fares rose by an average of six per cent in March 2026, with some individual journeys up by 10p or 20p depending on route and time of travel.
Worked out over a year, the sums add up quickly. A person taking the bus twice a day, five days a week, pays around £962 a year at the current £1.85 fare — £18.50 a week, or £52 a year more than before the November rise. The daily bus and tram cap is now £5.55, and a seven-day Bus & Tram Pass costs £26.10.
Tube and rail commuters face much higher bills, especially those travelling across several fare zones. Someone commuting from outer boroughs such as Bexley, Bromley or Croydon into central London could pay very different amounts depending on their route and whether they use National Rail services as well as TfL.
There are ways to cut the bill. The Hopper fare still allows unlimited bus and tram rides within an hour of the first paid journey. And working from home part of the week makes a real difference: cutting office attendance from five days to three would reduce the bus example above from £18.50 to £11.10 a week, saving £384.80 over 52 weeks. Tube and rail users could also save, though the amount depends on route, fare zones, ticket type and whether daily or weekly caps are reached.
TfL also continues to offer free and discounted travel schemes for eligible passengers, including the 18+ Student Oyster photocard, the 18–25 Care Leaver Oyster photocard and concessionary travel for eligible older and disabled Londoners. Passengers with a qualifying Railcard can link it to an Oyster card for discounts on eligible off-peak journeys.
The advice for commuters is to compare pay-as-you-go with a Travelcard before buying a season ticket. For now, existing fares are the guide to what 2027 could cost — but the final figure will only be known once the Mayor’s fare decision is announced.
Bus fares have already climbed sharply in recent years — London bus fares are now £182 a year higher than in 2016 — while TfL is carrying a £6.5 billion repairs backlog that costs passengers an estimated 800,000 hours a week.
