Commute Cost Optimiser
Most Londoners are on the wrong TfL ticket. Find out if you are.
Enter your zones and working pattern — get your cheapest option in seconds. Free, no sign-up.
Your commute
From
Zone 3
To
Zone 1
Travel
Peak
Pattern
3 days / week
Extra trips
No
Railcard
None
💡 Could a railcard save you money?
If you qualify for a 16-25, 26-30 or Senior Railcard, you could get 1/3 off off-peak PAYG fares. Select your railcard above to see the impact.
Browse railcards →Recommended option
PAYG
Estimated annual cost: £1217
Updated using 2026 TfL fares, caps and railcard rules.
£23.40
per week
£101/mo
Why this wins
PAYG is £16.98/week cheaper than Annual Travelcard.
Potential saving
£883 per year
Compared with the next cheapest option: Annual Travelcard.
Recommendation
For your commute pattern, PAYG is cheaper than any Travelcard.
Your PAYG estimate is based on standard single fares. TfL caps were checked, but your selected travel pattern does not hit a cap.
Compare options
£101/mo · £1217/yr
£227/mo · £2730/yr
£202/mo · £2421/yr
£175/mo · £2100/yr
What if your office days change?
See which option is cheapest at each commuting pattern.
£7.80/wk · £406/yr
£15.60/wk · £811/yr
£23.40/wk · £1217/yr
£31.20/wk · £1622/yr
£39.00/wk · £2028/yr
How this was calculated
- ✓ Daily cap checked: not needed
- ✓ Weekly cap checked: not needed
- ✓ Peak fares used
- ✓ Based on 3 office days per week
- ✓ Extra journeys: simple return commute assumed
- ✓ Railcard: none selected
Estimates are based on your selected zones, travel time and office days. Actual costs may vary depending on your full journey pattern.
How it works
- 🚇PAYG with TfL capping — Oyster and contactless automatically cap your daily and weekly spend. For hybrid workers who don't commute every day, PAYG is often cheaper than a travelcard.
- 🎫Weekly, monthly and annual travelcards — buying in bulk gets cheaper per week, but only makes sense if you commute enough days to break even. This tool finds that threshold for your exact zones.
- 💳Railcard discounts — railcards give 1/3 off off-peak PAYG fares on Oyster only. They do not discount travelcards or peak fares. This tool applies the discount correctly and flags when your railcard won't help.
About the data
All fares, daily caps, weekly caps and travelcard prices are based on TfL's published fare tables, last updated March 2026. Fares are reviewed annually each March — we update this tool when new fares are published. Estimates are for guidance only; actual costs may vary depending on your exact journey pattern.
Common questions
Is PAYG always cheaper if I work from home some days?
Often yes — but it depends on your zones and how many days you commute. The break-even point varies. Use the "what if your office days change?" table to see exactly when a travelcard becomes worth it for your route.
Does my railcard work on the Tube?
Only for off-peak PAYG journeys on Oyster — not on contactless, not during peak hours, and not on any travelcard. Load your railcard onto your Oyster card at a Tube station or via the TfL app.
What counts as peak travel?
Peak hours on TfL are Monday to Friday, 06:30–09:30 and 16:00–19:00. Travelling outside these times qualifies as off-peak and attracts lower fares.
Why is the annual travelcard sometimes cheaper than PAYG at 5 days?
For longer zone combinations (e.g. Zones 1–6), the annual travelcard weekly equivalent can undercut 5-day PAYG because the bulk discount is significant. The calculator checks all four options and picks the winner for your specific route.