Common London Underground mistake that could be costing you extra - here's how to avoid it

London should beware of overspending A simple contactless payment slip-up could be costing you more than necessary.

Transport costs have jumped since 2 March, with a ride in the heart of the capital now setting you back £2.90 in peak hours, a hike from the previous £2.80. (TfL) has slapped a 4.6% increase across the board, and the Elizabeth Line, London Overground, and DLR passengers are feeling it too.

Off-peak travel also crept up to £2.80. Although an Oyster or bank card is the savvy choice over a single ticket, some passengers might still be forking out extra cash without realising, reports .

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Bringing TikTok wisdom into play, Love and London advise: "To make sure you're charged correctly, make sure you use the same card or device throughout the day so all your fares can be tracked, and a daily cap can be applied.

"If you switched between different cards or devices throughout the day, the daily cap calculation might not work, and you might end up paying more than you should. It is important to stick to one payment method throughout the day to avoid double charges.

"Even if it's the same card account - using different devices like your physical card when you tap in and your phone when you tap out can result in the system treating them as separate payment methods. So, stick to one method of payment for all your journeys throughout the day."

Maxine McCreadie, personal finance guru at UK Debt Expert, also supported this advice. Speaking to the Standard, she mentioned: "Always ensure that the payment card you use is the same if you're doing multiple journeys in one day, as there is a price cap of £9 for a day's travel, so anything after that will be free.

"As long as all payments come from the same account; otherwise, it can't be tracked." McCreadie further advised that Oyster Card users with automatic top-up should note if their balance dips below £20, it auto-refills to the set amount.

For those strapped for cash towards the end of the month, Maxine stressed the importance of disabling auto-top ups to avoid unwanted charges.

She additionally pointed out that for short trips, one could just tap a contactless payment card or use Apple Pay at the Oyster terminal for a simple pay-as-you-go rate.

Her final valuable pointer was to always tap out with your contactless at your destination to get charged correctly, warning that failure to do so could result in hefty fines and even legal trouble.

Bus and tram fares in London will remain a pocket-pleasing £1.75 until 2026, offering a financial breather for commuters. For those looking to get around the city while keeping costs low, the Citymapper app is an ace up their sleeve, often revealing quicker and cheaper journey options.

When approached by the for a statement, a TFL spokesperson advised: "All customers using pay-as-you-go are required to touch in and out using the same card or mobile device to ensure that they pay the correct fare and avoid incomplete journeys. "

They added: "This is particularly important when using mobile devices as each device is treated uniquely. Regular announcements are made in stations and we also have information at stations and also on our website outlining this.

"However, where customers believe they have been overcharged, we are always happy to investigate and refund where we can. TfL will also look to automatically correct contactless journeys where we can based on previous journey patterns."