As Tube and London Overground fares are set to rise in March by more than inflation, millions of south Londoners travelling by bus or tram will get a three-month reprieve as an ’emergency cost of living measure’
Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan is freezing Croydon’s tram and bus fares until July 2026.
Keeping bus fares across the capital at £1.75 is being seen at City Hall as an “emergency cost of living measure”, as fares on London’s Tube network, Docklands Light Railway, London Overground and Elizabeth line were confirmed as increasing by above-inflation 5.8% from March.
The freeze in national rail fares announced last month will not apply to Transport for London, where the inflation + 1% increase on Tube, DLR and Overground has been agreed with government to get TfL’s finances on a firmer footing after the economic shock of the covid pandemic.
The fare rises are a condition of the £2.2billion capital funding deal that TfL agreed with central government in the spending review in June.
Tram and bus fares last increased in 2023. It is anticipated that bus and tram fares will rise, to £1.85, in July.
Buses are the best-used form of public transport in the capital, with about 1.8billion journeys a year.
The number of journeys taken on the tram network fell in 2024-2025, from 20million the previous accounting year to 17.2million. Transport experts suggest that this may be because of the frequent and lengthening closures of parts of the network, which links Croydon to Wimbledon in the west and Beckenham Junction in the east, often because of engineering works.
Mayor Khan’s Hopper fares and other adjustments to some tickets used by frequent travellers and commuters will also minimise the impact of any fare rises from March, as the cost of Travelcards will be frozen until 2027. Weekly and daily caps will not change.
Children’s Zip Oyster photocards, the 18+ Student photocard, the 18-25 Care Leavers pass and the 60+ Oyster London photocards will all remain unchanged, as will the Freedom Pass, which is funded by the London councils.
On the buses: it is not widely known that Sadiq Khan’s father was a bus driver
The Mayor has committed to retaining the Hopper fare, which allows passengers to change between buses within a 60-minute period without paying an additional fare.
But Tube fares will rise by 10p or 20p.
In Zone 1, peak hours fares will increase from £2.90 to £3.10. Off-peak fares rise from £2.80 to £3.00.
These rates relate to fares paid using an Oyster card or Contactless bank card.
“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,” Mayor Khan said.
“The plans would mean that only fares on Tube and TfL rail services would now increase from March 2026.”
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Many people do know that Sadiq Khan’s father was a bus driver just as many people know that Keir Starmer’s father was a toolmaker. I suppose that information burnishes their working class image?
Hi ho ho⛄️ Thanjs for reminding us – we can all identify with these two
Bus and tram fares are frozen until July 2026, which is only 4 months longer than the rise in other fares….do they think it will be easier to get a bus/tram fare rise accepted in the warm days of summer?