Londoners face a hefty Tube fee increase in the new year after the City Hall confirmed plans to hike up prices.
The cost of travelling on the London Underground is set to go up by 5.8%.within months as part of the annual fee review, which has seen ticket prices rise above inflation in recent years.
The upcoming fee increase in March is likely to see prices go up by 5.8% after the London Mayor, Sadiq Khan, said the rise was a condition for TfL funding from Chancellor Rachel Reeves.
Meanwhile, National Rail train ticket prices have been frozen to help people with the cost-of-living crisis, but Tube fares will not be capped in a similar way, it was confirmed.
Here is a roundup of what is happening with Tube ticket prices next year.
Why are Tube fares going up?
Underground and Overground ticket prices are rising because TfL funding from the government for big capital projects is tied to the condition that it increases prices above the Retail Price Index, a source close to the City Hall told Metro.
The spending review in the spring said TfL will get investment for major projects if it shows financial ‘prudence’ and fares rise by the value of RPI+1.
They said the government has said TfL will get over £2 billion of capital funding as long as they increase the fares in line with the agreed rate.
Unless frozen, Tube fares typically tend to go up every March.
How much will Tube fares rise?
The 5.8% increase is likely to result in fees rising by between 5p-20p from March, depending on the ticket type.
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For a passenger paying around £3.50 for an off-peak Tube journey in Zone 1-2, the new higher price could be around £3.70.
However, further details of the new fares for all ticket types are expected to be confirmed in the coming weeks before Christmas.
What has Sadiq Khan said?
The London Mayor told The Standard that he thinks the government’s expectation for TfL to increase Tube fares is ‘not unreasonable.’
He said the government expects the transport authority to raise fares by RPI+1, which ‘pays for around £450 million towards capital investment.’
Khan confirmed that there will be no Tube fare freeze, which only applies to train tickets.
Travelcards fares are also expected to rise, The Standard reports.
What train fares are being frozen in 2026?
Tickets for trips between cities outside London will be protected by the freeze promised as part of the autumn budget – the first time in decades.
It is good news for passengers struggling with the rising cost of travel, with the freeze expected to last until March 2027.
The rail freeze applies to regulated fares on services run by England-based train operators.
Regulated fares usually include commuter routes, off-peak return tickets on long-distance routes and some flexible tickets.
We want to hear from you if you are affected by the Tube fare rise. Please email noora.mykkanen@metro.co.uk.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
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