Let’s get down to brass tacks. As of 2026, a one-day Zone 1-2 Travelcard for an adult (paying with a contactless card or Oyster) costs £8.50 during peak hours. Peak means weekdays from 6:30 AM to 9:30 AM, and 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM—basically when everyone else is also trying to get to work and pondering their life choices.
If you’re a savvy traveler or a late riser, off-peak is your jam. Off-peak Zone 1-2 Travelcard? Just £7.50. That’s a whole pound saved—enough for a cheeky Greggs sausage roll or a packet of crisps to survive the Tube.
But wait—there’s a catch (isn’t there always?). The physical paper Travelcard is slowly being phased out like VHS tapes and flip phones. Most people now use a contactless card or an Oyster card, which automatically caps your daily spending. For Zone 1-2, that cap is exactly the same price as the Travelcard—£8.50 peak, £7.50 off-peak. So you’re not missing out; you’re just not collecting a soggy paper ticket.
But What About Children? (And Your Inner Child?)
Got kids in tow? Children under 11 travel free on Tube and buses when with a paying adult. That’s right—zero pounds, zero pence. It’s like London Transport decided to reward you for the squirming, snack-crumb-generating miniature humans you love.
For kids aged 11-15, you can get a child-rate Oyster card or Travelcard. Their Zone 1-2 Travelcard is roughly half price—so around £4.25 peak. That’s cheaper than a fancy coffee, and it won’t keep them up all night.
Zone 1 3 Travelcard Weekly
