TfL Tube and Rail Fares to Rise from March 2026

Transport for London (TfL) rail and tube fares are set to rise from March 2026, while bus and tram fares will remain frozen until July 2026.

This announcement follows government expectations outlined in a 2.2 billion GBP multi-year funding deal. The agreement anticipates fare increases of inflation plus one percent (RPI+1), aimed at supporting TfL’s capital investment programme.

The programme includes upgrading signalling technology, replacing ageing fleets, improving bus services, and delivering greener, more reliable transport across London.

Under the proposed plan, pay-as-you-go Tube and TfL rail fares will increase, but the Mayor has pledged to cap individual fare rises at 20p, with many only increasing by 10p. Examples include:

• Off-peak travel from Tottenham Court Road (Zone 1) to Edgware (Zone 5) rising from £3.60 to £3.80
• Peak travel from Upminster (Zone 6) to Cannon Street (Zone 1) increasing by 10p, from £5.80 to £5.90
• Piccadilly line fares from Zone 1 to Heathrow rising from £5.80 to £5.90
• Elizabeth line fares from Zone 1 to Heathrow climbing from £13.90 to £15.50

Travelcards and daily or weekly pay-as-you-go caps are set to remain frozen until March 2027, mitigating some of the impact for frequent commuters.

Although bus and tram fares will remain at 1.75 GBP under the Hopper Fare scheme, Tube and rail passengers will face the first substantial pay-as-you-go fare rises in several years. The Mayor highlighted that the planned increases, while modest, reflect the balance between keeping fares affordable and securing TfL’s long-term investment in London’s transport infrastructure.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said:

When the Government awarded TfL £2.2bn in vital investment - the biggest ever multi-year funding deal for London in more than a decade - it made clear it expects TfL fares to rise by inflation plus one percent. However, I remain committed to doing everything in my power to keep TfL fares as affordable as possible because I know how the cost-of-living crisis is still hitting many Londoners hard.

That’s why I’m announcing plans for an emergency cost-of-living measure, funded by City Hall, to continue freezing bus and tram fares until July 2026. This is the seventh time I’ve been able to freeze bus and tram fares, and it will particularly benefit those on the lowest incomes in our city.

The plans would mean that only fares on Tube and TfL rail services would now increase from March 2026. I also plan to ensure that increases to pay as you go fares on the Tube will be capped at 20p, with many only rising by just 10p.

The record number of TfL fares freezes I’ve put in place since 2016 mean that under the plans Londoners would still be saving around 16 per cent on tube and rail fares and 34 per cent on bus and tram fares compared to if fares had risen in line with inflation since 2016, and I’ll continue to do all I can to support Londoners as we build a fairer, greener London for everyone.

The proposed fares changes are pending approval through a Mayoral Decision. If implemented, they will continue a trend in which TfL fares are rising at a slower rate than the Government initially projected, but still above zero for rail services for the first time in several years.