The zone system
TfL divides Greater London into nine concentric fare zones. Zone 1 is central, Zone 9 is the outer edge. The zone you start in and the zone you end in determine your fare.
What's in each zone
- Zone 1 — The West End, the City, Westminster, South Bank, King's Cross. Almost every major tourist sight.
- Zone 2 — Inner London neighbourhoods: Camden, Shoreditch, Notting Hill, Greenwich, Canary Wharf.
- Zone 3 — Wider London: Wimbledon, Hampstead Heath edges, Wembley.
- Zones 4–6 — Outer London. Heathrow is on the Zone 6 boundary.
- Zones 7–9 — Mostly outside Greater London — Watford, Amersham, Chesham on the Metropolitan line.
How fares scale
A single off-peak fare in Zone 1 only is around £2.80. Crossing more zones costs more, but daily and weekly caps mean you'll never pay more than a set ceiling no matter how much you ride.
Which zones tourists actually need
For a typical city break you'll spend 99% of your time in Zones 1–2. A daily contactless cap covering Zones 1–2 is the most common visitor fare.
Tips
- The Tube map shows zones as alternating shaded bands.
- Heathrow journeys span Zone 1 → Zone 6, but a separate fare structure applies on the Elizabeth line into the airport.
- The Night Tube and Night Overground use the same zonal fare structure on Friday and Saturday nights.