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London public transport: How to get around in 2025
A local expert’s guide to London public transport. Learn about passes, Tube tips, apps, and the cheapest ways to travel in London.
There are many things to be excited about for your trip to London, no matter what time of year you’re visiting. Once you arrive, you’ll notice getting around the city is super easy thanks to London’s public transportation system.
This guide is based on my first-hand insights as a London-based writer and local expert at Holafly! I use various modes of London’s public transport almost daily, and this blog covers all the practical information you need to know before you visit: fares, routes, taxi apps, airport transfers, safety, unspoken rules, and the cheapest way to travel in London.
You’ll definitely need reliable mobile data to access essential apps like Google Maps or Citymapper. Consider a travel eSIM from Holafly to make sure you have unlimited data on the go.
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How great is London’s public transportation? 🤔
If you ask us locals, we’ll probably pride ourselves on London’s public transport being one of the best-connected systems in the world. While you can expect the occasional delay or tube strike, you can still rely on a quick service and lots of travel options across all London zones most of the time. Consider getting a travel eSIM or a local UK SIM card to stay updated on all the travel information in real-time.
The London Underground and Overground, especially, make it extremely convenient to reach almost every part of the city and even London’s main airports: Gatwick, Stansted, and Heathrow.
How to travel in London: Main modes of transport
There are multiple modes of London’s public transport, with the bus and Underground being the most popular. Along with these, you have the Overground, DLR, rail services, tram, taxis, river boat, and bicycles.
1. London Underground or “The Tube” 🚃
London’s Underground system, also known as “The Tube”, is the backbone of London’s public transportation system. When visiting the city, this is the main mode of transportation for most tourists.
The Underground covers London’s six fare zones, with Zones 1 and 2 being central London. This system is operated by TfL, “Transport for London”.
You’ll find an underground stop within walking distance in the majority of places in London, and trains tend to arrive within 10 minutes. Tube stations have a red and blue London Underground logo and are easily recognisable.
Services operate from 5 AM to midnight, with some 24-hour service offered on certain train lines as well.
How to ride the Tube in London
Stations typically have a barrier at the entry and exit, and tickets can be purchased from machines or ticket offices located at the station.
You can also purchase an Oyster card onto which you load money and railcards, or you can use contactless payment methods (like Apple Pay) to tap in at the station when you first arrive, and then tap out at your final destination.
The total journey price will depend on which zones you’re travelling through. Fare caps range from £8.90 to £16.30, depending on the zone. Ask for the “young visitor” discount for any teenagers, which will reduce their travel cost to half price.
I advise using TfL’s official fare finder tool to see how much a trip will cost you in advance.
Here are some of the unspoken rules of riding The Tube in London to help you blend in with the locals. Not all of these “rules” are related to public transport specifically.
✅Walk fast, or move to the slower lanes to let the speed-walkers by. If not, you’ll be met with huffs, puffs, and looks of disdain 😅
✅Stand on the right-hand side of escalators. Some people walk up moving escalators and will not like it if you’re blocking the way.
✅Try not to block pathways while standing in tubes and buses. Sometimes, this is impossible, especially during rush hour.
✅Try not to eat pungent food items on the tube (especially since you’re in such close proximity to other passengers).
✅If you’re sitting in a priority seat, be constantly mindful of anyone around you who might need it.
✅Let passengers off before entering!
Top tourist tips:
- Use Google Maps or Citymapper to see if there are any delays, plan your trips, and get estimated arrival times. These are usually very accurate.
- Try not to use the Underground during rush hour (7:30 AM to 8:30 AM and 4:30 PM to 7:00 PM Monday to Friday) if you don’t want to be packed like a can of sardines!
- If you’re using a physical Visa card to tap at the barrier entry, make sure it has the NFC symbol (a little WiFi signal-looking symbol) on it. This shows it can be used for tap payment purposes.
2. London Buses 🚌
Buses are in constant competition with the Underground as the most-used form of public transport in London. Over two billion journeys are taken on London buses each year.
With the abundance of bus routes in London’s transportation system, you can travel pretty much anywhere at a much cheaper fare. Bus fares have been fixed at £1.75 since March 2025 for a single journey, irrespective of the distance.
✅ Top tip: If you’re travelling by bus, expect your journey to be a little slow-paced due to London traffic, as compared to using the Underground.
How to use the public buses in London
All you have to do is touch your Oyster or contactless card on the yellow card reader when you board the bus. This is placed right next to the driver’s seat.
Take advantage of the hopper fare; every busy journey you take within the first hour of tapping in is included in the £1.75 fare.
Top tourist bus routes: Explore London by bus
🚌Bus 78: This bus takes you across the Tower Bridge and past the Tower of London
🚌Bus 24: Get on near Pimlico station, and travel past Houses of Parliament, Whitehall, Trafalgar Square, the West End, Camden, and end your journey at Hampstead Heath
🚌Bus 139: Get on near Abbey Road, and stay on for Baker Street, Oxford Street, Piccadilly, Trafalgar Square, and Waterloo Bridge.
🚌Bus 19: Take this bus to travel across Battersea Bridge, to Chelsea, Knightsbridge, and Hyde Park Corner. Then, take the 38 to Tottenham Court Road.
3. London Overground 🚄
The Overground is like the Underground, except it’s above ground and newly built. The logo is slightly different with an orange circle instead of a red one and the label “Overground”.
You can expect the same fares and zone-based rules, and the same payment methods (Oyster card or contactless payments) in this mode of London’s transportation system. However, Oyster cards are not valid if you’re travelling outside the city. These include:
- South London
- South East London
- Suburban neighborhoods
- Routes to Pancras International
- Connections to major airports
Purchase e-tickets online through SWR or Trainline or physical tickets at the station. Here is where a railcard will benefit you the most, but only purchase one if you expect to do a lot of travelling. With a railcard, you can get 1/3 off your rail fares.
4. DLR (Docklands Light Railway) 🚇
If you see this travel option on Google Maps or Citymapper, don’t be confused! This is an automated rail system that travels to the docklands of London in East and South East London.
It’s pretty much the same as the Underground and Overground, except there are no drivers, and this service is fully automated. Many DLR stations don’t have barriers, so make sure to tap in and out at the start and end of your trip to ensure you pay the appropriate fare!
5. London taxis, Uber, and Bolt 🚕
The iconic London black cab is definitely a popular experience in London’s transportation system. While black taxis are more expensive than any other regulated transport by TfL, many tourists seem to enjoy the experience. If you’re travelling in a large group and can split the fare, it can turn out to be cost-effective.
You can pay for your ride with cash or a debit/credit card. The total fare depends on the distance and time as indicated by the meter in the cab.
✅ Top tip: If you want to save time and travel via car, you can also settle for Uber or Bolt, which are cheaper than black cabs. Download the Uber and Bolt apps and link your credit/debit card to your accounts.
6. London river boat 🛥️
You can also use London’s river boats to travel across the city. If you’re visiting, there’s no better way to explore the big old river and London’s scenic views and skylines. It’s also an efficient form of public transport and should be a part of your London travel guide.
This system is operated by the Thames Clipper under license from the TfL. There are four total routes starting in Putney and going all the way to Woolwich, two ends of London.
Since it’s not the most-used form of public transport, it tends to be less busy, but it is still best to avoid rush hours.
The easiest way to pay is through a contactless card or your Oyster card. Tap in and out as your board and disembark. You can also purchase physical tickets at the pier or online.
7. Bicycle 🚲
Ever since London rolled out the bicycle as a public transport option, it’s been a hit. You’ll see bicyclists, cycle lanes, and public bike points all over the city. It’s a great and environmentally friendly way to explore the city, and locals use it to take short trips.
How to hire London’s public bicycles:
Head to a public bike station, scattered throughout the city. The most popular ones are Lime Bike and Santander Cycles. (You’ll need to have the Lime app downloaded and WiFi or mobile internet to use a Lime bike.)
You’ll need a credit or debit card to pay your activation fee. After your payment is successful, you can access public bike points all over London. Santander Cycle has over 800 docking points alone.
You can expect to pay £1.65 for 30 minutes of ride time. Each additional 30 minutes will cost £1.65. If you think you’ll be cycling around a lot, you can also go for a £20 membership, which includes unlimited rides of up to 60 minutes each. Each additional 30 minutes beyond 60 minutes for a single ride will cost £1.65.
Best London public transportation passes and payment methods
The most popular and convenient methods for paying for public transport in London include:
- Visitor Oyster cards
- Standard Oyster card
- Contactless card payments
- 24-hour or 7-day Travel passes
Locals and most tourists prefer contactless due to the daily cap that ensures you won’t pay higher than a certain threshold, no matter how many rides you take.
Essential travel apps for getting around London
To efficiently plan, reroute, avoid delays, and roam around in London like a local, download these in advance:
- Citymapper (best route planning)
- Google Maps (trip planner + walking routes)
- TfL Go (official app for delays + closures)
- Trainline (trains across the UK)
- Taxis: Uber and Bolt
Make the most of public transport in London with Holafly
For everything you plan to do in London, you’ll rely on your phone constantly. To make the most of public transport in London, you need fast, reliable data that works the moment you land.
With Holafly’s eSIM for the United Kingdom, you can update your trip planner, check the best routes on Citymapper and Google Maps, top up your Oyster card online, or buy train tickets instantly, without the need for a UK pocket WiFi device or worrying about UK roaming fees.
Choose an eSIM plan according to your trip dates, and get unlimited data + a daily hotspot allowance for every day in London and the rest of the United Kingdom. All you need is an eSIM-compatible phone – most modern phones are. If you want your journey to be smooth from the airport to every Tube station and bus stop, staying connected with Holafly is one of the most convenient options for your entire stay.
An eSIM you can rely on
Join over 10 million Holafly customers and get connected with our trusted, global services.
Disclaimer: The data in this article is accurate as of December 10, 2025, and is subject to change.
Q&A: Practical insights and advice from a local expert 🙋🏻♀️
After living here for a while, I have to give credit to the TFL. Sure, we have our tube strikes here and there, but you can’t deny how well-connected London is. You can expect minor delays (and major delays, from time to time), but overall, I would say public transport in London is definitely good and reliable.
Yes, and no. If you use London’s public transport as your main mode of transportation, you have to leave some room for delays/cancelled journeys. In my experience, public transport has been punctual (the majority of the time). But even when it’s not, I always have some wiggle room to avoid being late to my destination.
You can get an Oyster card at any Tube station, but you’ll have to put funds on it before use. Ask for the “young visitor” discount for any teenagers, which will make their travel half price. You can also just tap your bank card or use your phone’s Apple Pay at stations.
Generally, yes. But it’s also super important to be aware of your surroundings at all times.
Card! Contactless payment is what most people tend to use. I rarely see anyone with cash, unless they’re loading funds onto their Oyster card.
Final advice: London moves fast, but once you understand the basics of London public transport, your entire trip becomes smoother. Plan ahead, keep your contactless card ready, and use apps to find the best route every time.
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Born and raised in Queens, New York, I'm a Psychology graduate with a passion for writing that I've been nurturing since 2019. Over the years, I've enjoyed creating meaningful content across various niches, including sports, hospitality, and career development. At Holafly, I focus on crafting useful and inspiring pieces to make your adventures more effortless. One of the best perks of this role? Creating travel content always seems to inspire my next vacation destination!
