Transport for London (TfL) has confirmed that changes to Tube and rail fares across the capital will take effect from 1 March 2026, while bus and tram fares will remain frozen until 5 July 2026
in a move designed to support Londoners facing ongoing cost-of-living pressures.
The decision follows the Government’s £2.2bn multi-year funding settlement, agreed in the July 2025 Spending Review, which set an expectation that TfL fares would rise by inflation plus one per cent (RPI +1). However, the Mayor has chosen to use City Hall funding to shield lower-income Londoners by holding bus and tram prices steady for a further year.
What’s changing – and what isn’t
From March, only Tube and TfL rail fares will increase. Bus and tram users will see no change, continuing to benefit from the £1.75 Hopper Fare, which allows unlimited journeys within one hour.
TfL says that if bus fares had risen with inflation since 2016, a single journey would now cost £2.35. Instead, thanks to repeated freezes over the past decade, passengers are still paying around 60p less than they otherwise would have.
Travelcards and daily caps stay frozen
In another boost for regular commuters, Travelcard prices will remain frozen until March 2027, meaning weekly and daily fare caps will also stay the same. TfL says this will help pay-as-you-go users reach their caps earlier in the day or week, limiting the overall impact of fare increases on frequent travellers.
How much will Tube fares rise?
TfL confirmed that no single pay-as-you-go Tube fare within Zones 1–6 will rise by more than 20p, with many increasing by just 10p.
One notable exception is the Elizabeth line fare from Zone 1 to Heathrow, which will increase from £13.90 to £15.50. TfL notes this remains significantly cheaper than the Heathrow Express and mainly affects occasional travellers and tourists. Londoners commuting to Heathrow for work will continue to be protected by daily fare caps.
Free Silvertown Tunnel bus travel extended
Separately from the annual fare review, TfL has also announced an extension to free bus travel on routes SL4, 108 and 129, introduced to support the opening of the Silvertown Tunnel.
Originally due to end on 7 April 2026, the free travel offer will now continue until the end of Tuesday 26 May 2026. TfL says the scheme has already transformed cross-river travel in east London, with more than 32,000 journeys made on these routes on an average weekday. Cross-river bus journeys have jumped from 2,700 to around 10,400 a day since the tunnel opened.
The cycle shuttle service through the Silvertown Tunnel will also remain free for the foreseeable future, helping cyclists travel between Royal Docks and North Greenwich.
DLR refunds for cyclists extended
Cyclists will also continue to benefit from refunded cross-river journeys on the Docklands Light Railway, including routes between Greenwich / Cutty Sark and Island Gardens, and Woolwich Arsenal and King George V, until 26 May 2026.
TfL says the measures are aimed at encouraging sustainable travel while ensuring public transport remains affordable during a period of financial pressure for many Londoners. Photo by tompagenet (Tom Page), Wikimedia commons.