please empty your brain below
You could also travel on the trams without touching in. Ticket inspections do occasionally happen on trans, but not very often.

The big downside is, unless you live near a tram stop, could’ve taken a bus to get to get to the tram in the first place, so there’s nothing to be lost by just tapping in anyway!

solar penguin | 27.04.26 - 7:22 a.m. | #

On the TfL rail replacement buses - posters at the relevant stops/stations typically say you must have a ticket before using the replacement bus/coach service, and threaten penalty fares etc if not; but in practice there’s usually no way to touch in on the vehicles used.

andy c | 27.04.26 - 7:30 a.m. | #

.. or board a bus through the open exit door while the entrance door is busy.

Ian | 27.04.26 - 7:33 a.m. | #

60+ and Freedom passes are not valid on most National rail services until 0930, not 9am.

dg writes: indeed, but the post is about TfL services.

timbo | 27.04.26 - 7:42 a.m. | #

Wasn't there something about Olympic Gold Medalists getting free travel - can't find anything on the internet.

I believe bus drivers have been told not to intervene but to record it on their machines, also the other passengers do have places to go - it does create a sense of lawlessness though, most people passengers aren't mental health professionals and don't want to share their journeys with someone shouting and swearing into their phone whilst punching the windows.

Still Anon | 27.04.26 - 8:03 a.m. | #

Athletes' free travel on TfL FOI here.

Bob Walker | 27.04.26 - 8:16 a.m. | #

Some very dodgy tips today. You cannot travel for free on rail replacement buses. Drivers are not allowed to check tickets as they are not rail staff but there are frequently ticket checkers at the station boarding points. Like some of your other 'tips' do at your own risk.

davews | 27.04.26 - 8:17 a.m. | #

I have never had my ticket checked on a TfL replacement bus service.

diamond geezer | Homepage | 27.04.26 - 8:19 a.m. | #

I disagree with solar penguin. In my experience tickets are frequently checked on the trams - about 1 journey in 2 or 3, and it is not unusual to see a miscreant at a stop surrounded by ticket inspectors while they cough up.

Richard Thomas | 27.04.26 - 8:26 a.m. | #

You could add, be a mystery shopper with TfL, working for Ipsos. Only thing is, you have to go on specified journeys. And you pay for it first, and then get your travel refunded.

Lucy Garden | 27.04.26 - 8:28 a.m. | #

My main takeaway from this is that it costs HOW MUCH to ride the bloomin’ Dangleway now? That’s expensive. AND children aren’t free at all? What a lot of bolx, honestly. You won’t catch me using it.

Alan | 27.04.26 - 8:44 a.m. | #

In (counts in head) 17 years of Tube travel in London, I have had my ticket/Oyster checked three times - once on the Piccadilly at Rayners Lane, once on the Gateline at Edgware Road, and once on the Gateline at Paddington.

(Oh, and once on the Overground at ForestHill)

It’s such a rare occurrence that yes - i can recall the location for each time.

CliveD | 27.04.26 - 8:48 a.m. | #

Have to agree on frequent checks on the tram. It's the one part of TfL where I am regularly asked to show my ticket.

ap | 27.04.26 - 8:50 a.m. | #

Just last week I saw a couple get on the bus, the girl tapped in but the young guy didn’t, so the bus driver opened his door and called down to the miscreant “tap in, or get off!” And there were a few seconds until he slunk off with his girlfriend following behind looking embarrassed.

I inwardly applauded!

( thank you to all bus drivers who are unsung heroes )

emma | 27.04.26 - 8:54 a.m. | #

11-15 year old Zip card holders get free bus and tram but pay (albeit child rates) on tube, train and dlr.

dg writes: updated thanks

Mike on a bike | 27.04.26 - 9:33 a.m. | #

Every year, all participants and volunteers in the London Marathon get free TfL travel all day. They also get free travel on Southeastern, but only to the start lines.

Phil | 27.04.26 - 9:36 a.m. | #

Be Old: State pension age is currently 66 years and one month. Between 6th April 2026 and 6th April 2028 it’s in the process of being increased in stages from 66 to 67.

Bryn Davies | 27.04.26 - 9:41 a.m. | #

A few years ago I headed on board a Metrolink tram replacement bus service in Manchester, and was quite surprised to be asked by the driver to show a ticket. This was before Metrolink introduced contactless payments so you needed an app or paper ticket.

I was surprised because no one had ever asked to see my ticket on any rail or tube replacement service, ever.

But afterwards I thought about it and was surprised that TfL in particular haven't rigged up some system to temporarily add contactless pads on their hired vehicles. They must lose a fortune when engineering work is on. Because yes, I know you're supposed to tap on. But the bus stops are not always right outside the station, and I bet few do.

Andrew Bowden | Homepage | 27.04.26 - 9:49 a.m. | #

Not TfL, but I have occasionally used an open return ticket without needing to put it in any gates. So I think "I could use that again on another day". My next thought is "But I don't want to". It might be different if I was cash strapped. But I'm not, and I have an active conscience.

Malcolm of Kent | 27.04.26 - 9:57 a.m. | #

It's a shame they don't have this in Liverpool. It costs £2.60 (with a railcard) to do one stop across the Mersey with Merseyrail. The Woolwich Ferry and the Silvertown tunnel buses are both examples of where London got it right with cross river travel

Unknown | 27.04.26 - 10:10 a.m. | #

Why does the free blue transfer ticket state ‘not valid on London Underground’?

NLW | 27.04.26 - 10:12 a.m. | #

Technically you could ride the DLR or ungated tube stations for free but there could be ticket inspectors on the line. Also there are weird stations like West Harrow where this is only valid in one direction

Zach | 27.04.26 - 10:13 a.m. | #

I don't know whether this is still the case, but armed forces peronnel were advised not to travel in uniform to avoid being identified.

kev | 27.04.26 - 10:28 a.m. | #

You can have a free ride on the Dangleway on Saturdays before 10:30 if you show your parkrun barcode. Registering for parkrun is free but you don't have to take part.

Amanda | 27.04.26 - 10:54 a.m. | #

The Hopper fare applies to ALL bus/tram journeys within an hour, there's no limit after a Tube etc journey.

dg writes: updated thanks

Bob Walker | 27.04.26 - 11:34 a.m. | #

After an initial bus journey my TfL history regularly shows the next entry as a £2.40 refund. Anyone know why?

Anyway, that means TfL pay me 65p to travel, which is better than free. Where do I collect my prize?

Bob Walker | 27.04.26 - 11:40 a.m. | #

Amanda: The cable car freebie was a perk of the nearby Victoria Dock Parkrun, which permanently closed recently due to a persistent lack of volunteers. So I don't know if it still applies.

(there is a new Parkrun on the south side of the river)

Graham | 27.04.26 - 11:51 a.m. | #

I have a Hertfordshire senior bus pass, issued by English National Concessionary Scheme. It is valid on ALL local buses throughout England, including London (plus the remaining Green Line Services after 10.00 am). London buses do not automatically recognise the card, an I always tell the driver 'Hertfordshire card' and they waive me in, as they should. Once on a trip from Hendon Rail Station a driver refused to let me on unless I paid... when I got off I held up my smartphone which showed on a TFL page that it was valid. I did not get a refund though lol. All county concession cards carry the Red Rose emblem on the top left corner, the same as on the London issued Concessionary cards. Those cards are valid on all local buses in England as well.

Doug Robinson | 27.04.26 - 12:03 p.m. | #

Barrier pushers and bus fare dodgers don't even attempt to hide their sneers anymore.

I mostly ride the bus and applaud those drivers who do take a stand against such people, but they shouldn't need to.

Earlier in the month I encountered a ticket inspector on the Met line and then another one on the Southern rail train I took afterwards! Shame I didn't get one on the way back for the hat-trick!

Cornish Cockney | 27.04.26 - 12:41 p.m. | #

I don't think I've seen a day in months where there hasn't been a merry band of impressively well crowned ticket inspectors ready to catch any gate bargers at Finsbury Park. They're usually well accompanied by BTP officers too.

Andrew | 27.04.26 - 12:58 p.m. | #

The untypically large BTP presence often seen at FPK is, I've always presumed, due to the BTP office adjacent to the bus station.

I've never been able to board a rail replacement bus at FPK or Alexandra Palace - north or southbound - without having my ticket checked.

Frank F | 27.04.26 - 1:16 p.m. | #

This is what a tube replacement bus notice says.


It all seems very out of date in an era of contactless, and I'm not convinced anyone really expects you to tap in inside the station before and after a bus ride.

diamond geezer | Homepage | 27.04.26 - 3:26 p.m. | #

Graham -The parkrun freebie still exists. It was put in place for the ex-Victoria Dock parkrun as you say, and still applies because of the newer Greenwich Peninsula parkrun. You used to be able to arrive at parkrun by cable car but the change in Dangleway start time a few months back means you can now only use it afterwards.

Amanda | 27.04.26 - 5:39 p.m. | #

Further to National Senior Bus passes, for Herts residents journeys started in Herts have no time restrictions, so you can get the 142/258 TfL services into London, or even reduced stop 724/725 to Heathrow anytime.

If you try touching a TfL card reader, the card gets corrupted (it killed 2 cards for me) so they can only be shown. That might eventually get sorted...

Strangely, Herts don't care how long your journey is, but, e.g. in Lancashire, you have to get a free ticket with destination shown.

Nick K | 27.04.26 - 5:53 p.m. | #

There are pretty good reasons why I think TfL don't bother charging for replacement buses. Even if the replacement bus is free, if you have to catch the tube, then the replacement but, then continue on the tube you end up essentially paying twice anyway through no fault of your own.

The same also applies, naturally, when you are told to take a regular bus service in cases of unplanned disruptions where ticket holders can wave their physical ticket to bus drivers but Oyster/contactless users have to fork out another fare.

matthieu1221 | 27.04.26 - 7:30 p.m. | #

You have to do 20 years as an employee to get a retired staff pass.

mclm | 28.04.26 - 2:57 a.m. | #

The older person's Freedom Pass is valid to Shenfield too.

dg writes: so is a 60+ Oyster card

Leclerc | 28.04.26 - 6:22 a.m. | #

Technically one is supposed to pay the correct fare to travel on railway replacement bus services, some posters explicitly state this. However in this Oyster or contactless age it is effectively impossible to do this as stations’ gatelines are inaccessible when there is no train service! Latice or concertina gates are usually pulled shut if there is no train service at a station! I have seen railway revenue on a replacement bus but cannot remember whether this was BR or LT!

JOHN MAJOR GREENWOOD | 28.04.26 - 7:06 a.m. | #

The blue freeb transfer tickets can only be used on Heathrow Express and Elizabeth Line between the terminals, not the Picadilly Line. I don't know why, perhaps there is a technical reason why the Tube gates can't accept them.

timbo | 28.04.26 - 7:17 a.m. | #

Another frequently used free bus travel variant is to say "Sorry" loudly while walking past the driver.

Chris Atkins | Homepage | 28.04.26 - 8:05 a.m. | #

Had my card checked this morning within 10 seconds of stepping aboard a DLR train.

(also, confirmation that a 60+ Oyster is valid at 8.58am)

diamond geezer | Homepage | 28.04.26 - 9:06 a.m. | #

If inspectors are able to "read" a ticket or travel card to see if it is valid, how do they check a payment card or phone has been used at least to start a journey -eg sometimes a nominal small payment taken and then reassessed for full payment after the end of the day.

Patrick | 28.04.26 - 12:40 p.m. | #

Everyone's journeys are different, obviously, but I regularly see ticket inspectors in the tunnel between Victoria and Jubilee lines at Green Park. Uptick in inspectors at Blackhorse Road recently too.

Gunnersaurus | 28.04.26 - 2:20 p.m. | #

(also, confirmation that a 60+ Oyster is valid at 8.58am)
Some stations allow you through the gates a few minutes early as by the time you reach the platform its gone 9.00.

mclm | 28.04.26 - 2:32 p.m. | #











TridentScan v3.0.0 | Privacy Policy