If you don't have a default set on your card and you forget to tap off at the end of your trip, you'll be charged the fare to the last stop on the train line or bus route and with your fare type and any applicable loyalty discounts applied.
If you don't touch in and out, we cannot tell where you've travelled from or to, so your journey will be incomplete. As we cannot work out the right fare for your journey, we'll charge you a maximum fare.
If you do not tap on and tap off correctly
you will be charged the default fare for an incomplete trip which is the maximum possible fare for that service, based on your Opal card type. You will never be charged over the Daily Travel Cap.
You will be charged for the full ride but don't worry it's not that expensive. They will charge you the full fare- which isn't much. Maybe about $2, that's all. Always charged till the end point of the route.
Travelling using pay as you go with contactless
Before you touch in at the start of your journey, make sure that pay as you go with contactless is available at your destination. If you do not touch out, this will show as an incomplete journey, and you will be charged a maximum fare of up to £29.
If you forget to tap off at the end of your trip, an amount for Missed Tap Off or Underpayment will be deducted from your PRESTO card, PRESTO in Mobile Wallet or charged to your credit or debit card at the start of your next trip in the GO network.
For most tickets, travel through Zone 1 is more expensive than journeys of similar length not crossing this zone. The zone contains all the central London districts, most of the major tourist attractions, the major rail terminals, the City of London, and the West End.
Check your Presto Account and see if it charges you a missed tap off. If it does just call GOTransit and explain and they will fix it. As long as you don't keep doing it they will refund you.
A Penalty Fare is an on-the-spot fare issued to anyone who does not have a valid ticket for their journey when they have had the opportunity to purchase one.
Same station exits
If you touch in when you enter a station and then touch out to exit it within a short period of time, you'll be charged a same station exit charge.
The Short Answer: Yes, You'll Be Charged — Sometimes a Lot
That's not a penalty fare or fine — it's just how the system works. Here's what that means in real numbers: Contactless card users: charged a “maximum fare” for your journey — often £7.70 to £9.40, depending on zones and time.
We charge you a default fare if you don't tap off. This may not be the lowest fare for your trip. View default fares for metropolitan train, tram and bus fares.
If you forgot to tap off with your physical PRESTO card, credit card, digital PRESTO card in Apple Wallet, digital PRESTO card in Google Wallet, debit card, or mobile wallet on phone or watch at an UP Express PRESTO Fare Payment Device, once you reach the final leg of your trip, you will be charged the maximum fare ...
Using the congestion charge checker is as easy as entering your number plate. This will tell you whether or not you need to pay the charge. You can also enter a London postcode or address to see if it falls within the Congestion Charge Zone (CCZ).
For your trip to be valid, you must tap on when you get on a service or enter the station, wharf or stop. You must tap off when you step off a service or leave a station, wharf or stop, if you do not you will be charged the default fare. You have one hour to return to tap off.
Does this mean I now have a criminal record, because I have been issued a Penalty Fare Notice? Being issued a Penalty Fare Notice doesn't mean that you have a criminal record.
According to Indian Railway rules, ticket inspectors, known as TTEs (Traveling Ticket Examiners), generally do not check tickets between 10 pm and 6 am. This rule is designed to ensure that passengers traveling overnight can rest without disturbance.
Fare evasion has increased since the opening of the Elizabeth line as more passengers use the TfL network, and many stations on the line don't have staffed barriers. The loss equates to 3.5% of all fare income. TfL wants to get that down to 1.5% by 2030 although it admits this will be a significant challenge.
If you don't touch in and out, we can't tell where you've travelled from or to. This means your journey will be incomplete and you will be charged the maximum fare.
Forgot to tap on or off
If you forget to tap off or tap on you will be charged the default fare for that trip.
If you don't tag on and off correctly
You will be charged the default fare, which may be more than the distance you travelled. For bus or train travel, the default fare equals 3 zones. On ferries, the default fare is the highest fare for any ferry service leaving through your tag-on point.
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.
Off-peak times are generally outside busy commuter hours. Exact times may vary by route and train company, but as a guide: Monday to Friday (except bank holidays): 09:30–16:00 and after 19:00.