Pay as you go caps
What is a cap?
A cap limits how much you pay for all your journeys in one day or week.
Daily cap
A daily cap is calculated over 24 hours for pay as you go journeys that start at 04:30 and end on 04:29 the next day.
Weekly cap
A weekly cap limits how much you pay for all your journeys in a fixed Monday to Sunday period. It works using adult rate pay as you go on contactless (card or device) or Oyster.
How does a cap work?
We work out when you've reached a cap because we log every journey you make and keep track of:
- Zones you've travelled through
- The time you touch in on each journey
- All fares you pay
You must touch in at start and touch out at the end of every journey, using the same contactless card, device or Oyster card. You must then touch out for all journeys, except for buses and trams where you only need to touch in at the start. If you don't, we can't apply the cap and you may be charged a maximum fare.
For example, if you pay with your phone in the morning and a contactless card for your evening travel, these fares won't count towards a daily cap. Similarly, if you pay with your phone on Monday and a contactless card on Tuesday, these fares won't count towards a weekly cap.
What will I pay?
Depending on your travel pattern, you'll never be charged more than the relevant cap for a day or a week.
Caps for Tube, DLR, London Overground, Elizabeth line and National Rail services
The adult rate caps are the most you'll pay when using contactless or Oyster to pay as you go across all modes, within the zones you travel in.
| Zone(s) | One Day Anytime | Monday to Sunday |
| Zone 1 only | £8.90 | £44.70 |
| Zone 1 and 2 | £8.90 | £44.70 |
| Zone 1, 2 and 3 | £10.50 | £52.50 |
| Zone 1, 2, 3 and 4 | £12.80 | £64.20 |
| Zone 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 | £15.30 | £76.40 |
| Zone 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 | £16.30 | £81.60 |
Cap for bus and tram journeys
If you only take the bus or tram, you can also get daily and weekly capping.
| Bus and tram | Pay as you go | Daily cap | Weekly cap (Monday to Sunday) |
| Adult | £1.75 | £5.25 | £24.70 |
Visit our Caps and Travelcard prices tool for more information on cap prices, including reduced caps for concessions and discount holders.
If you travel outside of your capped zones, you'll be charged the additional fare. For example, if you've reached the Zone 1 and 2 cap for the day, any further travel within these zones will be free. However, if you then make a journey from Zone 1 to Zone 3, you'll be charged the difference and uplifted to the Zone 1, 2 and 3 cap. You can then travel free within Zones 1, 2 and 3 for the rest of the day, but you must continue to touch in and out as usual.
If you make several rail journeys, or a mixture of rail, bus and tram journeys in one day, daily capping is better value than buying a Day Travelcard for Zones 1-9.
If you do a single week of travel starting later in the week, for example from Thursday to Wednesday, there are not enough days up to Sunday to reach a weekly cap. So, you may find it better value to buy a 7 Day Travelcard.
Pay as you go with Monday to Sunday capping does not exceed the price of a 7 Day Travelcard and is likely to offer better value. With pay as you go, you only pay for the days on which you travel, which in some weeks might turn out to be less than you intend. With a 7 Day Travelcard you always pay for 5 days' travel whether you travel or not.
For travel including Zones 7-9, there are peak and off-peak daily caps depending on when you start your journey. For example, a cap between Zones 1-6 is the same price for anytime and for off-peak, whereas a cap for Zones 1-7 is cheaper at off-peak times.
Off-peak caps at different times
If you travel from a station listed below on a weekday, between the touch in time and 09:30, you're charged a peak pay as you go fare. However, your journey will count towards an off-peak cap.
| Station | Touch in from |
| Chalfont & Latimer | 09:20 |
| Amersham | 09:10 |
| Chesham | 09:10 |
| Bushey | 09:20 |
| Carpenders Park | 09:20 |
| Enfield Chase | 09:20 |
| Hertford North | 09:20 |
| Watford High Street | 09:10 |
| Burnham (contactless only) | 09:10 |
| Slough (contactless only) | 09:20 |
| Taplow (contactless only) | 09:10 |
| Maidenhead (contactless only) | 09:18 |
| Twyford (contactless only) | 09:10 |
Fare corrections
We calculate daily capping at the end of the travel day (04:29 the next day) and weekly capping at the end of the travel day on Sunday. This gives us time to process all fares and apply any necessary adjustments.
When checking your journey history, allow 48 hours after travelling for all your fares to be finalised.
In the case of an Oyster card, any adjustments or refunds calculated will be applied to your card the next time you touch in.