Can I really travel in First Class for free?

Well, not all the time, obviously. You can’t just plonk yourself down on any train and travel for no extra cost. But, there are some trains that are effectively ‘Standard Class only’. Some companies will let you know that this is the case, but others keep it very quiet. If you’re ever unsure, just ask a member of staff.

ScotRail

If you’re travelling on ScotRail, then keep an eye out for the ‘eXpress’ branded trains. They have four carriages and run on a number of different routes around the Central Belt:

They mostly run between Edinburgh and Glasgow Queen Street. This ‘fast’ route between the two cities does have First Class, but any other route is Standard Class only.

This means that you can travel in First Class for free on routes like these ones:

• Edinburgh – Dunblane
• Alloa – Glasgow Queen Street
• Falkirk Grahamston – Glasgow Queen Street
• Edinburgh – North Berwick.

Usually, these routes will have the three-coach version of this train, which doesn’t have First Class, but swaps do happen. Just keep an eye out for the yellow markings around the windows, like in the photo above. If you do get a train that has a First Class area, you can expect a bigger seat, and a lot more space.

This isn’t the only type of train where you can try First Class for free. Trains to Cowdenbeath and Glenrothes, as well as local stopping trains between Edinburgh and Perth or Dundee don’t have First Class advertised, either. If you get one of these trains, you can sit in a First Class section like this one at no extra cost:

Stansted Express

So, most of the time, Stansted Express trains don’t have First Class. But, did you know that an almost-identical fleet of trains, which usually runs between Norwich and London, does? Sometimes, one of these trains will find its way onto the Stansted Express route. When it does, you can travel in First Class for free!

It’s a bit more spacious and in a 2+1 layout. Even in Standard Class, it’s a little more luxurious as it has full-sized tables.

How do you know if your train has First Class? You can do one of two things:

• Check the number on the front of the train. Trains with First Class will start with a 0, eg. 003. If it’s a ‘normal’ Stansted Express train, it’ll start with a 1, eg. 104
• See if the outside of the train has carriage letters. Trains with First Class have carriage letters marked by the doors.

Southeastern

This one is nice and easy. As of December 2022, Southeastern doesn’t have any First Class on its trains. This doesn’t mean that they’ve rushed to rip out all of the First Class seats, though.

If you’re on a train that has seating in a 3+2 layout, but there’s a section of 2+2 seating that looks a bit nicer, this is what used to be First Class. Feel free to take a seat! You’ll usually find these sections behind the driver’s cab.

Southern

A lot of suburban trains around London have carriages where you can sit in First Class for free. In particular, there are quite a few that are operated by Southern.

Now, they aren’t much to write home about. The seats are exactly the same, just with a marking on that says that they’re First Class. But, because not everyone knows that this only applies on some routes, it does mean that you have a better chance of getting a seat at busy times.

As of July 2023, the following trains are shown as ‘Standard Class only’ in the timetable:

• Horsham to London Victoria (via Dorking)
• Dorking to London Victoria
• West Croydon to London Victoria
• London Victoria to London Bridge
• London Bridge to Caterham and Tattenham Corner
• Beckenham Junction to London Bridge
• East Croydon to London Bridge
• Epsom to London Bridge
• Epsom Downs to London Victoria.

As well as this, there are some routes around Sussex that don’t have First Class advertised:

• Ashford International to Eastbourne
• Hove to Brighton
• Portsmouth & Southsea to Brighton
• Portsmouth & Southsea to Littlehampton
• Bognor Regis to Barnham and Littlehampton.

All of these trains share at least part of their route with another train that does have First Class advertised. So, we’d recommend checking with staff if you’re unsure. You can also check the timetable. If it has First Class, you’ll see a little ‘1’ symbol above the train.

South Western Railway

Travelling to Windsor, Hounslow, Reading or Weybridge via Chertsey? Then if you have a ‘Desiro‘ train, you can sit in First Class for free. They look like this:

As they normally run on longer-distance trains too, they have First Class. You’ll find the First Class section behind the driver’s cab on each four carriage train (so in carriages 1, 4, 5 and 8 on an eight-coach one). For your ‘free’ upgrade, you’ll get a bigger seat in a 2+2 layout, a table to work at and wireless charging.

Thameslink

You can always sit in First Class for free on Thameslink. You just need to make sure that you’re sitting in the right place. Basically, there are two First Class sections on every train, and they look like this:

You’ll get a much bigger seat, access to a power socket, and tables to work at. Basically, it’s a decent upgrade compared to Standard Class.

So, when can you use it? The rear First Class compartment is always counted as Standard Class. No matter which Thameslink train you use, you can always sit in the rear carriage of First Class for free.

On these routes, the whole train is counted as Standard Class:

• London Blackfriars to Sevenoaks
• Luton to Rainham
• Sutton to St Albans (via Wimbledon or Hackbridge).

West Midlands Trains

West Midlands Trains have abolished First Class as of May 2023. As a result, you can sit in any former First Class section for free when you have a Standard Class ticket.

Is there anything else I should know?

This list isn’t completely exhaustive, so you might come across other trains which allow you to travel in First Class for free. Just check the timetable and see if there’s a ‘1’ symbol above the train you want to use! It goes without saying that of course, free doesn’t mean completely free. You still need a valid Standard Class ticket to travel. If you’d like to know more about what First Class is like, you can take a look at our guide to the best First Class trains.

Looking to know more about First Class? Take a look at our dedicated page for First Class train travel. We’re here to help with our Top 5 Tips for getting cheaper fares and upgrading on board. We’ve also compared Avanti West Coast and LNER, as well as Standard Premium and First Class.

Thinking of taking a trip soon? You can book it all with SmartSplit. We’ll be sure to show you the slower and cheaper options, so you can get the best value fare for your journey.

Changed your mind? Need to travel on a different day? No problem at all. You can change or refund your ticket (if it’s refundable) without any extra fees.

^{_{All information stated on this page was correct at 06/07/23. It’s subject to change at any time and SmartSplit are not responsible for any loss or disappointment incurred as a result of the information provided. You always need a valid ticket to travel and it is your responsibility to ensure that it is valid.}}

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Can I get to London Airports by train?

Yes, all of the London Airports are accessible by train! One of them isn’t served by a ‘mainline’ train, though. Instead, you’ll take a driverless Docklands Light Railway train.

Let’s take a look through the list, so you know how to make your trip start without a hitch.

What are the London to Luton Airport train options?

There are two companies that run a London to Luton Airport train. First of all, you can take East Midlands Railway, which runs non-stop from London St Pancras. These trains are branded as the Luton Airport Express, and they run every half hour.

You can also take Thameslink. These trains make a few stops on the way, but you’ll find up to six of them every hour. They also serve London Blackfriars, City Thameslink and Farringdon. All of the trains, no matter which company you pick, go to Luton Airport Parkway, which is a short distance from the Airport:

Once you reach Luton Airport Parkway, you’ll need to take the DART. This is a driverless train which takes you direct to the terminal. When it comes to your London to Luton Airport train options, there isn’t any difference in cost between them.

An Anytime Return (valid to return within a month) is £46.60 without any Railcards, reducing to £42 if you’re travelling after 09:30. If you’re travelling out on a Saturday and returning on a Sunday/Bank Holiday, then it’s cheaper to buy a Super Off-Peak Single each way, as they’re £17.90 each before any Railcard discounts, bringing the total to £35.80.

As for which train you should pick, you’ll find that the Thameslink train has more luggage space and more space in general to move around. Don’t forget that the First Class area at the back of every train is always available for passengers with a Standard Class ticket!

What is the London to Stansted Airport train like?

The next of the London Airports that you can get to by train is Stansted Airport. Stansted Express runs all of the London to Stansted Airport train services.

It takes just under 50 minutes to make the trip, and trains run every half hour. This increases to every 15 minutes during peak hours on a weekday.

In terms of cost, an Anytime Return between London Liverpool Street and Stansted Airport is £36.30. It’s £23 if you’re just making a one-way trip. The return ticket is valid to return within one month.

All of the trains on the route are Class 745 ‘FLIRT‘ units. They have 12 carriages:

You’ll find plenty of luggage space on board, though there aren’t any full-size tables. Looking to know more? We’ve written a dedicated guide to getting to Stansted Airport.

What are my options for getting from London to Gatwick Airport by train?

Going to Gatwick Airport by train? You’ve got three options from London. The ‘headline’ choice is Gatwick Express. It runs every half hour from London Victoria and takes roughly half an hour to reach the Airport. It’s the most expensive choice, though. At £23 for a single and £45.80 for a return (valid for a month), you’ll be forking out a lot for a short trip.

You can also take Southern, if you prefer. They run from London Victoria as well, but the cost is a little lower. It’s £20.40 for a single, or £40.60 for a return valid for a month. If you’re making a short day trip though, you can get an Off-Peak Day Return for £20.50. The journey time is about the same as Gatwick Express, too.

Your final option for getting from London to Gatwick Airport is Thameslink. They run up to eight trains an hour, which serve St Pancras, Farringdon, City Thameslink, Blackfriars and London Bridge. The fastest trains (the ones bound for Brighton) take around half an hour to get to the Airport from London Bridge. The cost is the big winner too, as it’s only £25.70 for a return that’s valid at any time, and lets you return within a month. It gets even cheaper on weekends.

Want to know more? Have a read of our guide to getting to Gatwick Airport by train.

Are there trains to Heathrow Airport?

Heathrow is the London Airport you’ll be going to by train if you’re off on a big adventure. You have two train options for Heathrow Airport.

The Heathrow Express runs non-stop from London Paddington every 15 minutes, and can take as little as 15 minutes. If you’re buying on the day, it’s £25 for a single journey on the Heathrow Express, or £39 for a return. 

They have lots of luggage space and you’ll normally always have one waiting for you to board at each Paddington or Heathrow Terminal 5.

If you’re after cheaper trains to Heathrow Airport, then you can take the Elizabeth Line. They come from Abbey Wood, Shenfield and Central London. Four trains per hour go to Terminal 4, while two per hour go to Terminal 5. It’ll take just over half an hour to get to Paddington using this option.

It’s £12.30 for a single, or £24.60 for a return valid to come back within a month (from Paddington). If you’re coming from elsewhere in London, you might find that a London Zones 1-6 Travelcard is cheaper, as it’s £15.90 per day.

We’ve written an article about the best train to Heathrow, so you can take a look at both trains in detail.

Can I get the train to Southend Airport?

When it comes to getting to London Airports by train, this is probably the one you’re least likely to have heard of! Don’t worry though, you can get there in just under an hour from London Liverpool Street. All of the trains to Southend Airport are operated by Greater Anglia.

They run roughly every 20 minutes, and a single fare is £20.90. A return is £42.20 if you need to leave London during the weekday morning and evening rush hour, or arrive back in London before 10am on weekdays. If you can avoid these times, a return is £32.40.

The trains on the route are fairly new, but just beware that the aisles are rather narrow. We’d recommend walking down the platform in London to find the ideal seat, rather than trying to squash your way through it.

Is there a London City Airport train?

Well yes, sort of! London City Airport isn’t on the national rail network. It’s on the DLR network, which is a driverless train that links parts of East London to Stratford, Bank and Tower Gateway.

You can change onto the DLR from mainline trains at Woolwich Arsenal, Lewisham, Greenwich, West Ham, Limehouse, Stratford and Stratford International. If you’re coming from Fenchurch Street, then it’s just a short walk from there to Tower Gateway.

Trains run every few minutes on this route. If you’re heading to London City Airport by train, you’ll need to buy a rail ticket that includes travel to London Underground Zone 3. Alternatively, you can use your contactless card. Just remember to tap in and out at the start and end of your journey. A single fare from Central London is £3.00 (or £3.70 in peak hours).

What else do I need to know?

Looking for more information about London? Take a look at our page about travelling around London. You’ll find everything you need to know, including how to understand your ticket, and how to navigate the Elizabeth Line. Don’t forget to take a look at our quick guide to crossing London, either.

Ready to take a trip to one of the London Airports by train? You can book it all with SmartSplit. We’ll be sure to show you even the slower and cheaper options, so you can get the best value fare for your journey.

Changed your mind? Need to travel on a different day? No problem at all. You can change or refund your ticket (if it’s refundable) without any extra fees.

_{^{All fares stated on this page are for ONE adult with no Railcard discount and were correct at 14:00 30/05/23. They’re subject to change at any time and SmartSplit are not responsible for any loss or disappointment incurred as a result of the information provided.}}

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But which is most worth it for the money, and which train tickets to Gatwick Airport are most budget-friendly? There was only one way to find out. I was going to take a nice afternoon trip to Gatwick Airport, but sadly not for a flight somewhere exotic. I’d try out each company, and provide the very scientific results to you!

How do we work out the best train to Gatwick Airport?

As it’s only a short journey from London to Gatwick Airport, we’re most concerned about speed, cost and the ability to store luggage. After all, an airport train isn’t much use if you end up with suitcases scattered around left, right and centre!

Considering that a lot of tourists might use the train as well, it’s always good for there to be a decent WiFi connection, as well as somewhere to charge a phone. Of course, we care about price, too. We want to know about the best value train tickets to Gatwick Airport.

Spoilers though, don’t be expecting any fancy catering options or extra luxuries. No matter which train you choose, they’re all different versions of trains designed for commuters.

Thameslink

I started out first with Thameslink, and chose London Bridge as the starting point. You can pick any of the London stations that Thameslink serve though, and all of the same trains will take you to Gatwick Airport. You’ll find eight trains per hour on the route, which have a couple of different stopping patterns between London Bridge and Gatwick Airport:

• Four per hour to Brighton (calling at East Croydon)
• Two per hour to Horsham (calling at East Croydon, Coulsdon South, Merstham, Redhill, Horley)
• Two per hour to Three Bridges (calling at Norwood Jn, East Croydon, South Croydon, Purley, Redhill, Earlswood, Salfords, Horley)

You’re best aiming for a Brighton one, as most of the Three Bridges and Horsham trains will get overtaken. You might find them to be a little quieter though, if you really want a seat and time isn’t of the essence.

I was taking a Brighton train today, which was scheduled to take 29 minutes between London Bridge and Gatwick Airport.

The cost

Before any discounts, it’ll cost you £24.50 for an Anytime Return on Thameslink. This allows you to return at any time within a month, so it’s ideal if you’re catching a flight. An Off-Peak Day Return is £14.60 and if you’re travelling at the weekend, a Super-Off-Peak Day Return is just £11.40.

Just travelling one way? It’s £13.20 for a single on weekdays and £11.30 on weekends. Based on cost alone, you’ll likely find Thameslink to be the best option. They have the cheapest train tickets to Gatwick Airport.

The train itself

All Thameslink services are formed of Siemens ‘Desiro City‘ trains formed of either eight or 12 coaches. They were essentially designed as ‘people-eaters’ – that is, to get people on and off the train as quickly as possible! They aren’t renowned for their creature comforts, but they do the job of transporting people very well.

I was taking a 12-coach train today, which is the more likely one that you’ll get on Brighton trains.

Storing your luggage

You’ll find a number of luggage stacks dotted around the train near the doors. There are also overhead racks throughout, which look to be capable of storing your typical cabin-sized suitcase. Because the seats on the train are fairly narrow, the aisles are quite wide and this makes wheeling cases down the train fairly easy.

The seat experience

The seats on these trains are known widely as ‘ironing boards’, so that perhaps doesn’t bode well for comfort! Now, they aren’t quite the same as sitting on an ironing board, but they’re narrow. After all, they were designed to swallow up rush-hour crowds rather than transport you in luxury.

You won’t find any plug sockets in Standard Class, but some seats have a table attached. For most journeys of this length, that’d be fine. But if you want something a little better at no extra cost, don’t fear. There is a solution…

Fancy an upgrade?

Now, this looks just a little nicer, doesn’t it? First Class on these trains will get you a bigger seat as well as a power socket. It isn’t groundbreaking, but what if I told you that you could use it for free?

First Class at the very back of every train is always declassified. It’s still marked as First, but you can sit in it with a Standard Class ticket.

A lot of Thameslink passengers know about this now, but it’s still worth aiming for the back of the train. One thing you definitely shouldn’t do is book a First Class ticket for these trains – why pay more for the same thing?

Onboard service

In a nutshell, there isn’t any. These trains just have a driver on board. There are regular and informative automated announcements, though.

Staying connected

Free WiFi is available on the train. I connected to it pretty easily and the speed was fairly typical of what I’ve experienced for on-train WiFi in Great Britain. Pretty slow! Here’s what Google thought:

You can use it to browse (as I did), but that’s about it. Don’t expect to be watching your favourite TV series on the way to the Airport.

Final thoughts

Thameslink is the cheapest way to Gatwick Airport if you’re buying a paper ticket, so for many, that’ll make it the best train to Gatwick Airport, too.

If you can get yourself a seat in First Class at the very back, it’s ideal. With at least four trains per hour (and another four that are a little slower) there’s plenty of choice, as well. You won’t have long to wait until the next train.

My train was punctual, if a little dirty. It did exactly what it needed to do and I can’t say I expected anything different.

Gatwick Express

You’d expect the train that calls itself Gatwick Express to be the best train to Gatwick, wouldn’t you? Well, in theory, it could be. These trains run twice per hour between London Victoria and Gatwick Airport, with no stops on the way. It takes around half an hour to make the trip.

Today, I’d be taking the 13:10 train from Gatwick Airport to London Victoria. The trains usually leave from Platform 5 there, and from Platforms 13 and 14 in London.

The cost

See, this is the stickler. It’s expensive! A single from Victoria to Gatwick Airport is £21.90 or it’s £43.70 for an Anytime Return, before any discounts. This goes down to £33.60 if you want to buy an Anytime Day Return. These are some of the most expensive train tickets to Gatwick Airport.

Considering that it isn’t really any faster than Thameslink but has a massive price premium, it’s quite difficult to justify the cost. But, let’s take a look at the journey experience…

The train itself

All trains on this route are formed of Class 387 “Electrostar” units. They’ll usually run in pairs to form an eight-coach train, but can run as 12-coach trains as well.

They’re difficult to miss – the red livery is rather unmistakable!

Storing your luggage

These trains have a reasonable number of luggage stacks near the doors as well as overhead racks. However, for a dedicated Airport express service, they won’t be winning any awards for it.

These just looked like the normal luggage racks you’d get on any other variant of this train. Heathrow Express have the same kind of train, but they’ve gone to the effort of installing lots and lots of luggage space. So yes, luggage space exists. But surely, there should be more?

The seat experience

The seats are a similar kind of seat to the ‘ironing boards’ you get on Thameslink. They’ve been shaped a little better though, and you also get an armrest.

Every window seat gets a socket, too. You’ll (weirdly!) also find reading lights above every seat. They’re a bit high up, so I’m not sure how effective they’d be.

Fancy an upgrade?

Unless you have a First Class ticket from somewhere else, you really shouldn’t think about it. There is quite literally no difference. There’ll be a sticker on the window saying “First Class” and a tiny piece of cloth on the back of the seat saying the same.

We wrote more about the kinds of First Class on trains that are definitely worth it, and those that aren’t, here.

Onboard service

There was an On-board Supervisor on the train (basically a guard but they don’t do anything safety-critical) but I didn’t see her during the journey. On some services, they will check tickets (mostly to make sure you’ve paid full whack to use the train!)

She did however manage to make an announcement in English, French and Dutch which was pretty impressive. It’s quite rare for a member of railway staff in Great Britain to be speaking a different language!

Staying connected

You might expect a better WiFi connection with it being a ‘premium’ express service, but it didn’t look like that was the case. I got pretty much the same speed as on Thameslink. It would make sense, seeing as they’re essentially just brands of the same company (Govia Thameslink Railway), but a bit disappointing nonetheless:

Final thoughts

There’s nothing wrong with travelling on the Gatwick Express. But as a service, it’s far too expensive for what it is. On cost alone, it definitely isn’t the best train to Gatwick. That is, unless you have a ticket from somewhere else to Gatwick. In that case, it won’t have any restriction on it that stops you getting the Gatwick Express, so you may as well jump on!

The train was clean and I thought it was comfortable enough. We were punctual, too, but it was clear that the sheer number of trains running on the lines towards London meant that a ‘fast’ run was really difficult. You may as well call at East Croydon and Clapham Junction too – it probably wouldn’t add on much time.

Another issue is that it’s only half-hourly. If you just miss one, not only is waiting for the next one more expensive, but you’ll be letting multiple Southern services go as well.

Southern

Southern is probably who you’ll travel with if you need to travel from London Victoria but don’t want to splash out on the Gatwick Express. You’ll find up to six trains an hour heading to Gatwick, all of which have the same calling pattern. They all stop at Clapham Junction and East Croydon on the way to Gatwick, taking around 30 minutes. Yes, that’s the same time that the Gatwick Express takes!

The trains head to Eastbourne, Ore, Littlehampton, Southampton or Portsmouth. Trains heading to any of these places will do you just fine.

I jumped on a Littlehampton service – though decided not to take it all the way back to Gatwick yet again. I was more interested in what the train itself was like!

The cost

Before any Railcard discounts, you’ll find that a single costs £19.40, with an Anytime Return costing £38.80. An Off-Peak Day Return costs £19.50. There isn’t a huge difference between Southern and Gatwick Express in the peaks, but if you need to make an Off-Peak return journey on the same day, there’s a much larger difference.

Still, a £4.90 saving is money you could spend on your actual holiday!

The train itself

Southern services are operated by Class 377 “Electrostar” trains. They look pretty much the same as the Gatwick Express trains, but they’re a bit older. Most services will have eight or 12 coaches, depending on the time of day and where the train is going.

Storing your luggage

I noticed that this particular type of train didn’t have any stacks visible in the carriages. Instead, you just had the overhead racks which looked able to take a cabin-sized suitcase:

Because of the way the seats were laid out, you could also store some luggage between the seatbacks. It certainly isn’t the best train to Gatwick Airport for luggage, but only those with the larger cases would struggle. In any event, the stacks available on Gatwick Express would struggle with the biggest cases, too.

The seat experience

Weirdly, you’ll find two types of seat on most Southern trains. The outer carriages of each four-coach train (so on a 12-car, that’ll be coaches 1, 4, 5, 8, 9 and 12) have seating arranged in a 2+2 layout. You’ll find full-sized tables, too. It looks a bit like the image below (but without the First Class stickers):

In the ‘centre’ carriages of the train, it’s laid out a little differently. You’ll find seating in a 3+2 layout with smaller tables in the bays of four and six:

Both kinds of seats are fine, though naturally the ones in the top image are a little nicer. In fact, if we were rating the trains on seat comfort alone, then this would be the best train to Gatwick.

Some trains have sockets at the window seats, but not all. Southern is working their way through refurbishing their trains at the minute, so in time they’ll all have the same features. For example, one four-car set had them on my train, but the others didn’t.

All seats have reading lights – this seems to be a feature of all the Electrostar trains!

Fancy an upgrade?

On this trip, you really don’t. Much like on Gatwick Express, you aren’t getting much more for your money. You might get a power socket, but that’s about it. First Class on these trains used to be a way to get a seat in the morning peak rather than a chance to sit in the lap of luxury.

Save your money and treat yourself to something nice when you go on holiday instead!

Onboard service

Similar to Gatwick Express, there was an On-board Supervisor on the train. He made an announcement and said where he was located, so at least you knew where to go if you needed anything.

Staying connected

As I’d realised by now, the WiFi is the same as on Thameslink and Gatwick Express, so I didn’t test it. Basically, it’s fine for browsing but not much else.

Final thoughts

Is Southern the best train to Gatwick Airport? Well, luggage space isn’t great, but it’s a lot more frequent than Gatwick Express and it’s a little cheaper. There’ll always be a train waiting for you at Victoria to take during most of the day.

The train I caught was clean and there were lots of free seats, so it seems like a good and dependable option.

On a cost basis, I’d still prefer Thameslink – but Southern has the benefit of all trains taking the same amount of time and there being someone on board if you have any questions.

Verdict – what’s the best train to Gatwick Airport?

I’d have to say that Thameslink is the best train to Gatwick Airport. That’s for a number of reasons:

• It’s the cheapest option. The most expensive paper return ticket is £24.50, which isn’t too bad at all. Same-day return trips at weekends are exceptionally cheap, too. All round, they’re the cheapest train tickets to Gatwick Airport
• The choice of London stations. Unless you’re connecting through Victoria, you’ll probably find a Thameslink station that suits you well
• The chance to upgrade for free. Just aim for the back of the train and you’ll probably bag yourself a First Class seat for no extra cost
• Finally, the amount of space. The trains are well designed to leave as much room in the aisles as possible, so they’re easy to move through with heavy luggage.

It isn’t perfect, by any means. There’s nobody else on board other than the driver, and the amount of luggage stacks isn’t fantastic. But the thing is, none of the operators, in my view, offered enough luggage space.

Gatwick Express is simply too expensive for what it is. Plus a half-hourly train isn’t exactly turn up and go.

Whichever company you choose though, you can book without fees on SmartSplit. We won’t charge you any fees if you change your mind and need a refund on your Anytime, Off-Peak and Super-Off-Peak tickets, either.

Is there anything else I should know?

Looking for more information about London? Take a look at our page about travelling around London. You’ll find everything you need to know, including how to understand your ticket, and your best options for reaching other London airports, including Heathrow. Don’t forget to take a look at our quick guide to crossing London or the Elizabeth Line, either.

_{^{*All fares quoted in this article are correct as of 28/03/2023 and represent the options when purchasing an eTicket or paper ticket. Cheaper options may be available on some routes at some times of the day when using contactless payments. SmartSplit is not responsible for any loss or inconvenience as a result of the information provided. Visit tfl.gov.uk for more information.}}

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