Bus and tram fares frozen for 2025 but tube and rail fares to rise in March
Transport for London (TfL) fares are to rise by an average of 3.6 percent next year, with higher rises for rail and tube journeys and frozen fares for buses and trams.
The fare changes, which come into effect on Sunday 2nd March 2025, will freeze the bus and tram pay-as-you-go (PAYG) fare at £1.75 and the one-day bus and tram cap at £5.25. The Bus & Tram Pass season price would remain frozen at £24.70 for a seven-day ticket. The Hopper fare on buses will also continue to permit unlimited free transfers within an hour of a first-paid-for bus or tram PAYG journey.
On the London Underground, DLR and other rail services in London where Tube fares apply, PAYG single fares will increase by 4.6 percent in line with the national rail fares policy, which is set by the government.
Travelcard fares and the associated PAYG caps for the Tube, and the other rail services in London where Tube fares apply, will also increase in line with the national rail fares policy.
PAYG is used for around 75 percent of journeys made on Tube and TfL rail services.
Adult PAYG fares on TfL rail services increases in March 2025
Number of zones travelled | Current | March 2025 | Increase | |||
Peak | Off-peak | Peak | Off-peak | Peak | Off-peak | |
Including zone 1 | ||||||
1 | £2.80 | £2.70 | £2.90 | £2.80 | 3.6% | 3.7% |
2 | £3.40 | £2.80 | £3.50 | £2.90 | 2.9% | 3.6% |
3 | £3.70 | £3.00 | £3.80 | £3.10 | 2.7% | 3.3% |
4 | £4.40 | £3.20 | £4.60 | £3.40 | 4.5% | 6.3% |
5 | £5.10 | £3.50 | £5.20 | £3.60 | 2.0% | 2.9% |
6 | £5.60 | £3.60 | £5.80 | £3.80 | 3.6% | 5.6% |
Excluding zone 1 | ||||||
1 | £1.90 | £1.80 | £2.10 | £2.00 | 10.5% | 11.1% |
2 | £2.10 | £1.90 | £2.30 | £2.10 | 9.5% | 10.5% |
3 | £2.80 | £1.90 | £3.00 | £2.20 | 7.1% | 15.8% |
4 | £3.00 | £2.00 | £3.20 | £2.30 | 6.7% | 15.0% |
5 | £3.40 | £2.10 | £3.60 | £2.40 | 5.9% | 14.3% |
Adult 7-day travelcard fares on TfL rail services increases in March 2025
Number of zones | 2024 | 2025 | Change |
Including zone 1 | |||
2 | £42.70 | £44.70 | 4.7% |
3 | £50.20 | £52.50 | 4.6% |
4 | £61.40 | £64.20 | 4.6% |
5 | £73.00 | £76.40 | 4.7% |
6 | £78.00 | £81.60 | 4.6% |
Excluding zone 1 | |||
2 | £32.00 | £33.50 | 4.7% |
3 | £35.50 | £37.10 | 4.5% |
4 | £42.50 | £44.50 | 4.7% |
5 | £53.40 | £55.90 | 4.7% |
Beyond the Greater London area, PAYG and cash single fares involving zones 7 to 9, applying on the Tube and certain rail services, will increase overall by 4.6 per cent, reflecting the NR fare policy.
London Overground services between Liverpool Street station and Enfield Town, Cheshunt (via Seven Sisters) and Chingford; and services between Romford and Upminster will all rise by 4.6 percent – in line with national rail rises.
All concessions, including Zip photocards, the 18+ student photocard, the 18-25 Carer leavers pass and the 60+ London photocard will remain unchanged, providing free or discounted transport for millions of Londoners.
TfL expects the changes to increase its revenue, on a like for like basis, by around £211 million in 2025 — with £129 million coming from tube passengers, £25 million from DLR and rail passengers, and £48 million from the Elizabeth line.
Although fares are frozen on buses, TfL still expects an additional £9 million from bus passengers due to increased usage by travelcard holders.
Away from the average commuter, fares to ride the Dangleway have sharply risen —a single trip on the cable car has jumped by 14 percent to £7 per trip.
The full decision paper is here.
Suspect this was a condition for next year’s funding of £500m or for capital projects. Notable how the biggest increases have been for non-zone 1 journeys.
I haven’t looked at the 2024 increase over 2023 but some years the increases for some fares are lower than others and there is a catch up the following year so if you then compare over a longer period all fares have gone up by (roughly) the same amount even though there may be some variance in some years.
Stop using your car, Mr Mayor and the green patrol. Use public transport they say. Why are our pubs and nightlight in London failing they say?
The worst part is that Londoners who pay extra on their council tax to the Mayor of London to subsidise TfL pay the same as tourists. Most other world cities let their residents pay less…
The GLAs council tax element related to TFL is £ 77.09 for a band D property.
The 4 elements of the GLA precept are
Met Police – £ 305.13
Fire – £ 66.74
GLA – £ 22.44
TFL – £ 77.09
Which ‘world cities’ have different transport rates for residents than they charge tourists?
Source –
https://www.london.gov.uk/md3243-approval-2024-25-council-tax-and-precepts-and-communication-council-taxpayers?ac-206608=206599