London buses have two fare caps that can save you money: a £1.75 hourly cap (the Hopper fare) and a £5.25 daily cap. Both apply automatically when you pay with Oyster or contactless.
The Caps at a Glance
- £1.75 - unlimited bus and tram rides within 1 hour
- £5.25 - maximum you pay for buses and trams in one day
- £24.70 - weekly cap for buses and trams (Mon -Sun)
The Hopper Fare (£1.75/hour)
Every bus or tram journey in London costs £1.75. The Hopper fare lets you take unlimited bus and tram rides within one hour of your first tap for that single £1.75 charge.
- The 1-hour window starts from your first tap-in
- You can change buses and trams as many times as you need within that hour
- Each new tap within the window is free
- Works on buses and trams only - not Tube, Overground, or rail
The Daily Cap (£5.25)
No matter how many bus and tram journeys you make in a single day, you will never pay more than £5.25. That means after your third paid journey (3 × £1.75 = £5.25), every additional bus or tram ride that day is free.
The daily cap runs from 4:30am to 4:29am the next day, matching TfL's operating day.
How It Works
The caps are applied automatically. There is nothing to activate. Just tap in with the same Oyster card or the same contactless card/device each time. If you switch between different cards, the system cannot link your journeys and the caps will not apply.
Weekly Cap (£24.70)
If you use buses and trams across the week, your total fare is capped at £24.70 from Monday to Sunday. This is roughly equivalent to 5 days at the daily cap.
All Bus & Tram Fare Caps
| Cap | Amount | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Single journey | £1.75 | Per tap |
| Hopper (hourly) | £1.75 | 1 hour from first tap |
| Daily cap | £5.25 | 4:30am - 4:29am |
| Weekly cap | £24.70 | Monday - Sunday |
Payment Methods
The fare caps work with:
- Oyster card - pay as you go balance
- Contactless bank card - Visa, Mastercard, Amex
- Mobile payment - Apple Pay, Google Pay, or any device linked to a supported card
Cash is not accepted on London buses. You must tap a card or device when you board.
Important Rules
- Same card every time. All taps must be on the same card or device for the caps to apply.
- Buses and trams only. These caps are separate from Tube/rail caps. If you mix bus and Tube journeys, a higher combined daily cap applies instead.
- Children under 11 travel free on buses and trams (no card needed).
- 11 -17 with Zip Oyster pay a reduced fare of £0.75 per journey.
Making the Most of the Caps
If you are sightseeing or running errands across London and don't need the Tube, buses are extremely cost-effective. Three paid journeys hit the daily cap, and everything after that is free. Combined with the Hopper fare for quick connections, you can cover a lot of ground for very little.
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