The mayor of London has announced that fares for the London Underground, Docklands Light Railway, and the Elizabeth line will increase by 5.8% next year.
This adjustment is 1% higher than the inflation rate and will take effect in March.
Unlike the freeze on national rail fares introduced last month, this increase will apply to Transport for London (TfL) services.
Sir Sadiq Khan stated his intention to maintain the price of Travelcards at their current rates until March 2027, which means that both daily and weekly caps will remain unchanged, and fares for London buses and trams will not see an increase.
He explained that the fare hike—set at one percentage point above the Retail Price Index (RPI) inflation rate—was a stipulation of the £2.2 billion funding agreement reached with the central government during the spending review in June.
According to the mayor, the freeze on bus and tram fares until July 2026 is an “emergency cost-of-living measure” supported by City Hall.
Sir Sadiq remarked, “This marks the seventh occasion where I’ve managed to keep bus and tram fares steady, which will specifically aid our residents with the lowest incomes.”
He indicated that, under the current proposals, only fares for the Tube and TfL rail services will be subject to increases starting in March 2026.
Furthermore, he plans to limit the increase for pay-as-you-go fares on the Tube to a maximum of 20p, with many fares only going up by 10p.
The fare increases will affect TfL-managed rail services, including the Elizabeth line and the London Overground.
The mayor noted that, for example, an off-peak pay-as-you-go fare from Tottenham Court Road in Zone 1 to Edgware in Zone 5 will rise from £3.60 to £3.80.
In peak times, pay-as-you-go fares on Tube and TfL rail services within Zone 1 will go from £2.90 to £3.10, and during off-peak and weekends from £2.80 to £3.00.
A peak-time trip from Upminster in Zone 6 to Cannon Street in Zone 1 will see an increase from £5.80 to £5.90.
The government funding deal is anticipated to facilitate the replacement of outdated train fleets, advancements in signaling technology, and enhancements to bus services.
The final decision on the fare increases will rest with the mayor.
