We were fortunate enough to be able to do a house sit in London for a month and while visiting we relied heavily on the public transportation network.

London transportation, TfL (Transport for London) is huge, it consists of:

• The London Underground (The Tube): It’s probably the main mode of transport you’ll use around the city.
• The London Overground: The London Overground, for simplicity, can be seen as an extension of the London Underground and DLR (Docklands Light Railway), as fares and zones are similar.
• Docklands Light Railway: Docklands Light Railway (DLR) is a light rail system that serves the Docklands area of east London. Think of it as a part of the London Underground, as they, in large part, share fare systems and interchanges.
• Tramlink: Tramlink is a light rail system that serves South London. It has connections with the London Underground, the London Overground and the National Rail system.
• River services: River Services are run by independent operators who manage their own tickets and services.
• National Rail: The rail/train service in London is extensive, especially when compared to US cities. While it’s run by separate companies, there has been a great push for integration with the rest of the transportation system.
• Buses: Buses do not accept cash, but they do accept the Oyster card and Travelcards as well as an assortment of contactless payment methods, similar to the London Underground, DLR, and trains.
• Taxis: Taxis are easy to spot, just look for the traditional British black cab. At the end of 2016 it was mandated that all taxis accept credit and debit cards. Taxi fares vary depending on the time you travel, check fares here.

Forms of payment include:

• Oyster Card: A pay as you go, reusable, and scannablepayment method.
• Visitor Oytser Card: A pay as you go, reusable and scannablepayment method. Almost identical to the Oyster card, but aimed towards visitors.
• Travelcard: A ticket that allows unlimited travel, for a specified amount of time, on buses, Tube, tram, DLR, London Overground, TfL Rail and National Rail Services in London.
• London Pass with Oyster Card: It’s just like a Travelcard and allows unlimited travel within London. If you choose this add-on to your London Pass, you’ll be paying a £3, non-refundable fee and the card will be mailed to you.
• Single Fare: Purchase a ticket for a single trip. This method is discouraged because of the high cost of travel.
• Mobile Payments:Apple Pay, Android Pay and Barclaycard & Barclays Contactless Mobile can be used as contactless payment methods. You'll need to set up a contactless and oyster account and link your mobile payment account.
• Conactless Payment: Credit cards with a contactless payment feature (using RFID, NFC or MST to make payment, Wiki) can be used for payment. Most UK cards have this feature and can be used as long as the bank approves charges under £30 without a pin. Outside of the UK, contactless payment cards from American Express, Master Card, Maestro and Visa cards may work as well.

Hopefully those considering visiting London find the London public transportation guide on our website useful, as we tried to be exhaustive and informative, yet included a lot of pictures, graphics, and external links to make the information a bit less dry.

Further reading: City Guide To London: How To Navigate London Public Transportation