London’s bus and tram passengers will pay more from November 1, 2026, ending a fare freeze that has kept single journeys at £1.75 for more than three years. The increase will affect regular commuters, occasional travelers, and passengers using certain discounted travel cards.
A Three-Year Fare Freeze Comes to an End
Transport for London (TfL) has confirmed that adult bus and tram fares will rise by 10 pence, bringing the cost of a single journey to £1.85. The change marks the first increase since March 2023, when the current £1.75 fare was introduced.
According to Time Out, the announcement follows an earlier decision by London Mayor Sadiq Khan to extend the existing fare freeze beyond its scheduled expiration in July 2026.
At the time, Khan said he would ‘continue doing everything in my power to keep TfL services as affordable as possible, as I know the cost-of-living crisis is still hitting many Londoners hard’.
The extension gave passengers several additional months at the existing price. That arrangement will end at the beginning of November, when the revised fares take effect across London’s bus and tram network.
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What Passengers Will Pay Starting November 1
The new pricing structure affects more than individual tickets. TfL is also adjusting discounted fares and the maximum daily amount passengers can spend on bus and tram travel.
The confirmed changes include:
Adult single fare: Increasing from £1.75 to £1.85, a rise of 10 pence.
Hopper fare: Increasing to £1.85, while retaining unlimited eligible bus and tram journeys within one hour of the first tap.
Concessionary pay-as-you-go fares: Increasing by 5 pence for eligible passengers, including users of 16+ Zip Oyster and Jobcentre Plus travel cards.
Daily bus and tram cap: Increasing from £5.25 to £5.55, a rise of 30 pence.
For passengers making two single bus journeys each working day, the increase represents an additional 20 pence per day, or approximately £1 over a five-day working week.
The daily cap will continue to limit how much passengers pay for eligible bus and tram journeys, although the maximum charge will be higher.
The Hopper Fare Will Keep Its One-Hour Travel Benefit
One feature of London’s bus network will remain unchanged: the Hopper fare.
Under this arrangement, passengers can make unlimited eligible bus and tram journeys within one hour of touching in for their first trip, provided they use the same payment method.
The benefit is particularly useful for travelers who need to change buses to reach their destinations. Rather than paying separately for each eligible connection, they pay one fare for journeys made within the permitted period.
From November 1, that fare will cost £1.85 instead of £1.75.
The increase changes the price of the journey without removing the transfer benefit that has become a familiar part of London’s public transport system.
Tube Fares Will Remain Unchanged for Now
The November adjustment does not extend to the London Underground. Tube fares will remain at their existing levels for the time being, meaning passengers using the Underground will not face an immediate increase as part of this announcement.
London’s wider transport fares are normally reviewed in March, leaving the possibility of further changes during the next scheduled pricing cycle. No new Tube fare increase has been confirmed in the information released about November’s bus and tram adjustments.
For now, the confirmed changes concern buses and trams, with the new £1.85 adult fare and £5.55 daily cap taking effect on November 1, 2026.
