Last month, the UK Government announced a freeze on railway fares, and the Mayor of London has announced that certain fares for Transport for London services have also been frozen.
Mayor of London Press release:
• The Government has made clear it expects TfL fares to rise by RPI+1 as part of its £2.2bn capital funding deal for TfL
• But as an emergency cost-of-living measure to protect Londoners on the lowest incomes, the Mayor plans to use City Hall funding for the seventh time to freeze bus and tram fares until July 2026
• Only Tube and TfL rail fares would increase from March 2026 and the Mayor plans to ensure Tube increases will be capped at 20p, with many rising by only 10p
• The Mayor’s record of freezing fares in London whenever possible means that Londoners would still be saving around 16 per cent compared to if Tube and rail fares had risen in line with inflation since 2016
• If Sadiq hadn't frozen bus and tram fares seven times over the years, bus fares in March would be 60p higher - or 34 per cent higher
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has announced plans today for Transport for London (TfL) fares in 2026, keeping them as affordable as possible.
As part of the Government’s £2.2bn multi-year funding deal for TfL - agreed in the Spending Review in July 2025 [1] - it expects TfL fares to rise by inflation plus one per cent (RPI+1) [2]. However, as an emergency cost-of-living measure, the Mayor plans to use City Hall budgets to help Londoners by freezing bus and tram fares until July 2026.
The plans would mean that only fares on Tube and TfL rail services would increase from March 2026.
The plans would also mean that Londoners would also still be able to make unlimited journeys within one hour on London’s buses for just £1.75, using the Mayor’s Hopper Fare. This is only 25p more than when Sadiq first came to office almost a decade ago. If bus fares had increased in line with inflation since 2016, they would be £2.35 today. Because of the Mayor’s seven interventions freezing bus and tram fares, customers would continue paying 60p less than they otherwise would have if the Mayor had not intervened.
The Mayor intends to ensure that no single pay as you go Tube fare will increase by more than 20p, with many rising by just 10p. This would mean:
• An off-peak pay as you go Tube fare from Tottenham Court Road in Zone 1 to Edgware in Zone 5 would rise from £3.60 to £3.80.
• Pay as you go fares on Tube and TfL rail services within Zone 1 only would rise from £2.90 to £3.10 in the peak, and from £2.80 to £3.00 during off-peak and weekends.
• An off-peak journey from Richmond (Zone 4) to Stratford (Zone 2) avoiding zone 1 would rise from £2.20 to £2.40.
• A peak journey from Upminster (Zone 6) to Cannon Street (Zone 1) would only increase by 10p from £5.80 to £5.90.
• And Piccadilly line fares from Zone 1 to Heathrow would rise from £5.80 to £5.90.
Elizabeth line fares from Zone 1 to Heathrow would rise from £13.90 to £15.50. This would still be much cheaper than the Heathrow Express and would only impact single journeys, mostly impacting tourists flying out of Heathrow. Londoners travelling to and from Heathrow for work will not be impacted as they will be protected by the cap.
In addition, it is proposed that the price of Travelcards will be frozen until March 2027 so weekly and daily caps will not change. This would mean that those who regularly travel using pay as you go would hit the caps sooner and therefore not see the cost of their travel increase significantly throughout the year.
Londoners continue to benefit from the Mayor’s previous fare freezes over six years, with anticipated Tube and rail fares in March 2026 set to be six per cent lower than if fares had risen in line with National Rail fares since 2016, and around 16 per cent lower than if they had risen in line with inflation throughout this period.
It is proposed that TfL’s wide range of concessions - including Zip photocards, the 18+ Student photocard, the 18-25 Care Leavers pass and the 60+ Oyster London photocards - will all remain unchanged, providing free or discounted transport for millions of Londoners.
The Government’s £2.2bn multi-year capital funding deal for TfL, which was announced earlier this year, is essential for London. It will deliver improvements to TfL services - improving the experience for customers, drivers, cyclists and pedestrians. The funding will help to replace aging fleets, upgrade signalling technology and improve buses, among many other projects to ensure better journeys for TfL customers. It will also help to make London greener, create new high-quality jobs, deliver more affordable housing and boost economic growth across London.
These intended fares changes are due to be considered for approval by the Mayor in due course, in a Mayoral Decision.
Proposed 2026 Tube fares
This is indeed interesting news from the Mayor of London. I stand by my suggestion that TfL, the Department for Transport, and other transport authorities should consult on fare changes and reform. With the expansion of contactless pay-as-you-go in the South East of England, I have suggested that fares, including zones, need to be reformed along with ticketing schemes to make them simpler and easier to use. I have also suggested the retention of paper tickets for various reasons, as outlined in my previous article. Additionally, I have suggested reforming the Travelcard Agreement to include transport services from outside Greater London.
I would like to extend an invite for you to follow me on X (formerly Twitter) for transport-related updates. You can find me by searching for @CLondoner92 or by clicking on the direct link to my X page here. I am also present on BlueSky and Mastodon. I look forward to connecting with you on these platforms. Thank you for your support.
