Getting around London

London transport zones
London is split into different travel zones. These zones affect the price of tube and train tickets, depending on how many zones you are travelling in. The central part of London is Zone 1, the circumference of this is Zone 2 (which includes New Cross), and so on until Zone 6.

Types of ticket
There is a variety of different tickets you can buy for getting about by tube, train and bus in London. These include single tickets, Oyster cards, Travelcards, season tickets and bus tickets that you buy before your ride. You’ll need to decide what type of journey you are making before buying a ticket. Visit www.tfl.gov.uk for full ticket listings.

Students are eligible for a student Oyster card that can save you money on travel in and around London.

Things to remember:

• Buy tube and train tickets at stations before boarding
• Day return tickets are only available on trains and not on tubes and buses
• You’ll need to purchase a ticket before boarding buses in central London
• You can pay using your Oyster card, or buy tickets at the red-machines at the bus stops (but they don’t give change!)
• Most bus routes outside central London allow you to buy a single ticket from the driver, but generally if you see a red machine at a bus stop and a ‘yellow-route’, it’s a good indication that you will need to purchase a ticket before boarding
• If you’ll be using buses, trains and tubes regularly, you might want to think about getting a Travelcard, which can be used on tubes, buses and trains You can purchase a daily, weekly, monthly or annual Travelcard, according to what zones you are using and what time of day you’ll be travelling.

Travel discounts

18+ Student Oyster Photocard
An 18+ Student Oyster photocard offers students the opportunity to spend less on travel in and around London.

Having a student Oyster photocard entitles you to buy student-rate Travelcards and bus passes valid for seven days, one month or longer periods of up to one year, which costs 30% less than adult-rate season tickets. Money can also be added to an 18+ Student Oyster photocard to pay adult-rate Oyster single fares, which are cheaper than paying cash.

The discount scheme is open to full-time students enrolled on a full-time course at university.

Full terms and conditions and details of how to apply are available at the TfL website. Please note that the 16+ Student Oyster Photocard is only available to Goldsmiths students enrolled on a full-time Access course.
 
Young Persons Railcard
A Young Persons Railcard offers 30% discounts on national rail fares throughout Great Britain for a whole year. You’re eligible if you’re aged between 16-25, or over the age of 26 and enrolled on a full-time programme of study. The Railcard can be used at weekends, public holidays and during the week. The only restriction is that if you travel at or before 10am Monday to Friday (except during July and August) a minimum fare will apply.

Full terms and conditions are available at www.youngpersons-railcard.co.uk.