Single adult bus and tram fares in London increased by 10p to £1.85 from today, marking the first rise since March 2023. The new price also applies to the Hopper fare, which allows travellers to make unlimited journeys within one hour on buses and trams for a single payment. Concession card holders with eligible cards now pay 5p more.
TfL confirms fare rise and defends affordability
Transport for London (TfL) announced the change last month. A TfL spokesperson said: “We are committed to ensuring that London’s public transport remains affordable and accessible for all, with revenue raised via fares reinvested into improving services across London.”
The spokesperson added: “London’s bus fares remain some of the lowest in the UK, and this is only the third time they’ve increased over the past decade, meaning they are still 17% lower than if they had risen in line with inflation throughout this period.”
Mayor's earlier freeze and current reaction
Earlier this year, Mayor Sadiq Khan extended the bus and tram fare freeze that was due to end in July, describing it as an “emergency cost-of-living measure” to support Londoners on the lowest incomes. He said he would do “everything in his power to keep TfL services as affordable as possible.”
TfL has confirmed that price caps for Tube, rail and Travel cards will remain frozen until March next year. However, some Londoners have voiced concerns on social media. On TikTok, @MM said “this is getting out of hand,” while @Anon88 wrote “They do everything except increasing salaries and lowering house prices.” Others questioned paying more for a service they feel is declining.
Passengers split over value
Buses carried around 1.8 billion passengers across the capital in 2025, but not all riders are satisfied. @cherry_baby called the new price “ridiculously expensive,” adding: “The service isn’t even worth the cost. It’s awful and gets worse with every passing year!” @sianny_ noted: “They aren’t even as frequent as they used to be. Buses used to come every 7 mins – now you can be waiting for 20 mins and it’s more expensive.”
Others defended the fare. Under one TikTok video, @Ryan wrote: “Compared to the rest of the UK, a bus fare for £1.85 is a bargain.” @Josh added: “That’s still cheap for single ticket, especially in London! In the West Midlands it’s £3 for single.”
