Tourists in London primarily pay using contactless payment methods, including credit/debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Amex) and mobile wallets like Apple Pay or Google Pay, which are accepted almost everywhere. For public transport (Tube, bus), simply tap in/out with a contactless card or device to get the best fare.
Well, unlike the rest of England, London is mostly cash free so you don't need much. If I were traveling solo, I'd bring about 50 pounds that would be for small purchases and gratuity and because it's such a small amount, I would exchange it at the airport before leaving home.
Pay as you go (paying only for the journeys you make) is the easiest way to pay for travel in London. You don't have to work out the cost of your journey in advance. You can pay as you go using contactless (card or device), an Oyster card or a Visitor Oyster card.
Fares and capping are exactly the same whether you use an Oyster card or a contactless payment method. That means you'll never pay more than the daily or weekly maximum when travelling across different zones – whichever method you use.
It is best to have a contactless credit card for the UK, and ``tap and pay'' is the norm, especially for small amounts like morning coffee. And you can use it on the London transport--tube, bus, river boats---with the same benefits as an Oyster card (/daily capping).
Resist the urge to buy foreign currency before your trip.
Some tourists feel like they must have euros or British pounds in their pockets when they step off the airplane, but they pay the price in bad stateside exchange rates. Wait until you arrive to withdraw money.
If you're visiting London for 3 days or less, the best option is to get the Oyster Card, as it's the most cost-effective system ( £ 6.50 ( US$ 8.76)). For stays of over 4 days, we recommend getting the 7-day Travelcard, since it's cheaper than getting 4 24-hour travelcards.
Pay as you go with contactless
If your bank card shows the contactless payment symbol, you can use it to pay as you go. Always use the same device or contactless card to touch in and out to pay the right fare. For example, don't touch in with your iPhone and touch out with your Apple Watch or contactless card.
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How to save money in London
The London bus 1-hour rule refers to the Hopper fare, allowing unlimited journeys on London buses and trams within one hour of the first tap-in, for a single £1.75 charge (as of early 2025). You must use the same Oyster or contactless card/device for all taps, and it works automatically, enabling free transfers between bus and tram services within that hour.
“There are clear and distinctive categories – 50% for needs, 30% for wants and 20% to put aside as savings.” If £1,500 comes into your account each month, this means £750 would go towards your 'needs' – rent, council tax, energy bill, food and transport to and from work.
The British Pound Sterling (GBP/£) is the official currency of the United Kingdom. U.S. dollars are not typically accepted in most places in the United Kingdom; however, you can exchange currency at banks, exchange booths, ATMs and airports. All major credit cards are usually accepted.
To pay the right fare, always touch in on a yellow card reader at the start of your journey and touch out at the end. On a bus or tram you only need to touch in. Because where you touch in and out tells us where you've travelled from and to, so we can charge you the right fare for your journey.
To use London's Tube as a tourist, plan your route with apps like Citymapper, pay by tapping a contactless card/phone or an Oyster card at yellow readers when entering and exiting (touching in/out), follow station signs for your line and direction (e.g., Northbound), let passengers off first, stand on the right on escalators, and move to the center of the carriage to be courteous.
How much does a Visitor Oyster card cost? A Visitor Oyster card costs £10 (plus postage) and is pre-loaded with pay as you go credit for you to spend on travel.
Visitor Oyster cards from us cost from £20 to £60. These prices include a £10 activation fee, and the rest is credit that is pre-loaded onto your card. So if you buy a card for £60, for example, your card will have £50 credit on it.
Life in London is more expensive than life in most U.S. towns and cities. However, New York City and Los Angeles are more expensive to live in than London. If you want to live in a world-class city, you'll save a bit in London versus New York or Los Angeles. What's less expensive in London than in New York?
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