IS YOUR CARD CONTACTLESS?
What are Oyster and Contactless payment cards?
Oyster and contactless payment cards are plastic smartcards used for quick and easy payments; you can use them instead of paper tickets to pay for travel.
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If you use an Oyster card, you either have to add tickets or credit to pay as you go before you travel.
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If you use contactless payment cards you do not need to add credit before you travel. Just pay as you go and all the travel you make in one day will be charged as a single transaction.
Oyster and contactless payment cards are the cheapest way to pay for single fares.
Can I use my UK contactless card to travel?
If your card was issued in the UK on Visa, MasterCard, Maestro or American Express and displays the contactless payment symbol (as shown), you should be able to use it to travel on bus, Tube, tram, DLR, London Overground, TfL Rail and most National Rail services in London.
You can't use contactless payment cards issued on other platforms, such as Diners Club, JCB or Union Pay.
Some UK card providers don't currently issue contactless payment cards. You can't use your payment card to travel on our services if:
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it does not display the contactless symbol
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your issuer has not advised you that it can be used for contactless payments
Even if it can't be used for contactless travel, you can continue to use your payment card to buy tickets at ticket machines at stations.
If you're still not sure if your card is contactless, check with your card issuer. To get more information about contactless payment cards, go to the UK Cards Association website.
Cards issued outside the UK
Most contactless payment cards issued outside the UK can be used to buy tickets or top up an Oyster card at ticket machines at Tube, DLR and London Overground stations, at ticket offices, and Visitor and Travel Information Centres, even if they can't be used for contactless travel.
The table below shows which cards issued outside the UK are accepted for contactless travel.
American Express (AMEX)
All American Express contactless payment cards.
MasterCard
Nearly all MasterCard and Maestro contactless payment cards issued outside the UK are accepted.
Some cards issued in the USA, Canada and the Netherlands are not accepted.If your card is rejected on our services, please contact your card issuer.
VISA
Some Visa and V PAY contactless payment cards from countries issued outside the UK are not accepted for contactless travel. Visa expects all its contactless payment cards to be accepted soon.
If you travel in London regularly, we suggest you contact your issuer and ask for a new contactless payment card (newer cards have the latest technology and should be accepted).
Last updated: 6 July 2015
Overseas transaction fees
Please be aware that overseas transaction fees or charges may apply for travel made with a card issued outside the UK; please check with your card issuer.
Pre-paid cards
If you have a prepaid card, it may be accepted for travel on our services. Contact your card issuer for more information
Joint accounts
If you have a joint account, you can both use your contactless payment cards to travel; you can travel at the same time and each card will be charged separately.
When you sign up for a TfL online account and add your contactless payment cards:
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If the cards have the same long card number and expiry date, you can only sign up for one TfL online account for both cards
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If the cards have a different long card number and / or expiry date, you can sign up for separate TfL online accounts for each card