Southeastern Metro and Thameslink fares in London will rise by up to 40p a journey from March 3, it was confirmed on Friday morning.

While the level of National Rail fare rises was announced by the government last month, full details of how they affect Oyster and contactless users in London were revealed by City Hall today.

Most TfL fares – including buses, Tube, DLR and much of the Overground and Elizabeth Line – will be frozen after London mayor Sadiq Khan, who faces re-election in May, used £123 million from London’s business rates. 

But Oyster and contactless fare caps, as well as many journeys including National Rail travel, will go up by about 4.9 per cent.

The zone 1-3 fare cap – covering stations including Charlton, Blackheath and Lee – will hit £10 for the first time. The zone 1-4 cap, covering Woolwich and Eltham, jumps 5.1 per cent to £12.30. The zone 1-6 cap hits £15.60.

54 bus with dog looking out of window
Bus fares are frozen under Sadiq Khan’s fares package but rail users are not so lucky. Image: The Greenwich Wire

For individual journeys, the combination of Khan’s fare freeze and the National Rail fare rise means a growing gap between fares on the two networks — even though they both operate on the same payment system. Khan had previously frozen most fares in his first four years as mayor.

A nurse travelling from Denmark Hill to Eltham will pay 80p more in rush hour and £1.10 more off-peak than a banker heading from Canary Wharf to Woolwich on the Elizabeth Line, even though both are zone 2-4 journeys.

Using Southeastern Metro from Woolwich Arsenal to Cannon Street at rush hour goes up 30p to £4.90, 50p more expensive than the frozen zone 1-4 TfL fare from Woolwich to Liverpool Street on the Elizabeth Line. Crowds at the new station are already so big that a queuing system has been put in place.

A commuter from Erith to Cannon Street will now pay £7.70 for an infrequent Southeastern service at rush hour, up 40p on what they pay now. An equivalent zone 1-6 trip from north of the Thames on TfL’s fare scale – from Upminster, for example – would cost only £5.60.

Woolwich Station with sign warning of queuing system
Frozen TfL fares could bring more passengers to Woolwich station. Image: The Greenwich Wire

Growing cliff-edges between the outer zones mean that commuters who drive closer towards central London and find a free parking spot near a station could save even more money — despite City Hall and some councils trying to nudge people into driving less.

A single rush-hour trip from zone 6 is now £1.70 more expensive than one from zone 5 and £2.80 dearer than a journey from a zone 4 station such as Falconwood, where Bexley Council has objected to Greenwich’s plans to clamp down on commuter parking.

Even paying the £12.50 day rate at the North Greenwich station car park for a return rush hour Tube trip to zone 1 will now only work out as £3.40 more expensive on a daily basis than taking a Southeastern Metro train from a zone 6 station such as Barnehurst.

Sample National Rail fares on Oyster and contactless from March 3:

  • Zone 1-2 (eg, Cannon Street to Greenwich): £3.50 peak, £3 off-peak (both up 20p)
    TfL equivalent (eg, London Bridge to North Greenwich) £3.40/£2.80
  • Zone 1-3 (eg, Blackfriars to Maze Hill): £4.20 peak, £3.30 off-peak (both up 20p)
    TfL equivalent (eg, Shoreditch High Street to Forest Hill) £3.70/£3
  • Zone 1-4 (eg, Victoria to Falconwood): £4.90 peak (up 30p), £3.60 off-peak (up 20p)
    TfL equivalent (eg, Tottenham Court Road to Woolwich): £4.40/£3.20
  • Zone 1-5 (eg, London Bridge to Belvedere) £6 peak (up 30p), £4 off-peak (up 20p)
    TfL equivalent (eg, Monument to Becontree) £5.10/£3.50
  • Zone 1-6 (eg, Charing Cross to Crayford) £7.70 peak (up 40p), £4.80 off-peak (up 30p)
    TfL equivalent (eg, St Paul’s to Epping) £5.60/£3.60
  • Zone 2-3 (eg, Deptford to Charlton) £3.20 peak, £2.80 off-peak (both up 20p)
    TfL equivalent (eg, Surrey Quays to Honor Oak Park) £2.10/£1.90
  • Zone 2-4 (eg, Denmark Hill to Eltham) £3.60 peak, £3 off-peak (both up 20p)
    TfL equivalent (Canary Wharf to Woolwich) £2.80/£1.90
Full table of fares
The full table of peak fares. “Through fares” involve both National Rail (“TOC fares”) and TfL. Image: Greater London Authority
Full fares table
The full table of off-peak fares. “Through fares” involve both National Rail {“TOC fares”) and TfL. Image: Greater London Authority

One piece of good news for a very small sub-set of commuters: fares on the London Cable Car are also frozen, including the £17 ten-trip carnet tickets aimed at locals and regular travellers. 

The full fare details, including TfL cash fares and other tickets, can be seen on the City Hall website.