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London Transport Zones

London is divided into 1–9 zones*, but most of it fits into zones 1–6. Central London is zone 1, zone 2 is the ring around zone 1, zone 3 is the ring around 2 and so on.

*zones 7,8 and 9 cover a small area just outside North West London including Watford, Croxley Green, Rickmansworth, Amersham or Chalfont & Latimer.

It’s important to be aware of London’s transport zones and to find out what zone a station is in. Ticket prices for One Day, Weekly or Monthly Travelcards or the money deducted from a Pay as you go Oyster card or contactless card can vary considerably according to how many zones you travel through.

The zones do not apply to bus travel . You can travel by bus all over London (zones 1–6) with any Travelcard.

First time visitor to London? See our guide to London’s transport tickets

London zone map

You can see the zones on a tube map, coloured in either white or grey.

• View a standard PDF version of the tube map
• If you stay in a part of London that is not on the tube network, see the National Rail services map (pdf) to find the zone for your closest train station.

What London transport zones do I need?

Find the closest underground or train station to your accommodation. Then find the zone of the station you want to travel to. If you’re visiting London for sightseeing or to shop this will probably be zone 1.

When you know the zones you need to pay for, what you do depends on the type of ticket/pass you buy:

Weekly or monthly Travelcards

You buy a Travelcard that covers all the zones between where you stay and where you want to visit/your regular final destination. For example:

• if you stay in Shepherd’s Bush (zone 2) and plan to visit central London (zone 1), you need a zone 1-2 Travelcard.
• If you stay in Wimbledon (zone 3) and travel to/from central London, you need a zone 1-3 Travelcard.

Pay as you go Oyster card

If you use a Pay as you go Oyster card , top-up your card with enough money to either pay for a single journey for the zones you travel through or add enough money to cover the cost of the ‘daily cap’ if you want unlimited travel for the day.

Contactless

With a contactless card, you do not have to worry about the zones as the system will calculate the fare for you the next day. Remember to always touch in and out on the tube or local trains (with the same card!) to ensure you are charged the correct amount.

How to pay for transport outside your normal transport zone

There may be occasions when you need to travel outside the zones on your weekly or monthly Travelcard.

The procedure is slightly different if you have a Travelcard loaded on an Oyster card, or a paper Travelcard:

Travelcards on an Oyster card

If you already have a weekly Travelcard for certain zones and want to visit a place outside that zone, top-up your Oyster card with some Pay as you go money to cover the cost of travelling between the last zone on your Travelcard and the zone you want to visit.

For example, if you have a zone 1-2 weekly Travelcard and you want to visit Richmond in zone 4, you need to add extra money to your Oyster to cover the fare for zones 3 and 4.

See Oyster single fares to find a fare. You can add extra money to your Oyster card at a tube station ticket machine.

Paper Travelcards

If you have a paper version of the Travelcard, you need to buy an extension ticket from the underground station ticket machine.

Stations in two zones

Some stations are on the border of two zones. These stations have a white box around their name on the tube map. Tickets to these stations are slightly different.

For example:

• Earl’s Court tube station is in zone 1/2. If you stay in Earl’s Court and take the tube to any other station in zone 1 (central London), you pay the zone 1 single fare with a pay as you go Oyster or contactless card.
• If you travel from Earl’s Court to Heathrow (zone 6), the single fare is charged from zone 2 to zone 6, not from zone 1-6.
• ABBA Arena is in zone 2/3. From zone 1, you pay the zone 1-2 fare. If you are staying in outer London and are travelling to the stadium without travelling through central London (zone 1), you pay the the fare to zone 3.

How to save money on travel to central London from zones 2-6

A major benefit of the Travelcard is that it’s valid on the buses for the whole of London, regardless of the zones you buy.

If you stay in zones 2-6 and want to travel to zone 1 (central London) a good money-saving tip is to buy a weekly or monthly Travelcard excluding zone 1 , but including zone 2. You can then take the tube/train to the zone 2 station close to zone 1 and then use the bus to travel to and around zone 1.

This only works with a weekly or monthly Travelcard, but you will save a money.

• If you stay in zone 5, a zone 1-5 weekly Travelcard is  £73.00 .
• A zone 2-5 weekly Travelcard is £42.50 , saving you £30.50 a week
• A zone 1-5 monthly Travelcard is  £280.40
• A zone 2-5 monthly Travelcard is  £163.20 a saving of £111.70 a month

Popular places to visit outside central London (Zone 1)

Tourist attractions.

Chiswick House – zone 2 (Turnham Green) Cutty Sark – zone 2 Dulwich Picture Gallery – zone 2 Ham House – zone 4 Hampton Court Palace – zone 6 Kenwood House – zone 2 (Archway) Kew Gardens – zone 3 National Maritime Museum – zone 2 Osterley House – zone 4 RAF Museum Hendon – zone 4 William Morris Gallery – zone 3

Westfield London (Shepherd’s Bush/White City) – zone 2 Westfield Stratford – zone 2/3 Camden Market – zone 2

Sport and music venues

The O2 – zone 2/3 Twickenham Rugby Stadium – zone 5 Wembley Stadium – zone 4 Emirates Stadium – zone 2 ABBA Arena – zone 2/3 (See stations in two zones above)

Greenwich – zone 2 Richmond – zone 4 Wimbledon – zone 3

Related pages

• One Day & Weekly Travelcards including zone 1
• Weekly & monthly Travelcards excluding zone 1
• Oyster cards
• Contactless cards
• Bus tickets & passes

Last updated: 23 February 2024

Transport tickets & passes

• Guide to London's transport tickets
• One day & weekly Travelcards
• Zone 2–6 weekly Travelcards
• Bus tickets & passes
• Oyster card
• Oyster single tickets
• Oyster card refunds
• Child tickets & passes
• Local train tickets

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All the stations 'outside fare zones' on the London Underground map and what that means

No, it doesn’t mean you don’t have to pay fares!

• 11:00, 27 FEB 2022

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One of the most recent additions to the London Underground map and its sister London Tube and Rail network map is the phrase ‘outside fare zones’. It appears around National Rail stations beyond Greater London which are not in Travelcard zones 1-9. Previously Transport for London (TfL) used the phrase ‘special fares apply’ to describe these stations but the new phrase makes the boundary clearer.

You cannot use Oyster cards at most stations ‘outside fare zones’ and each one tends to have a unique set of fares. At these stations, paper tickets can often remain cheaper than contactless if you have a railcard or want to travel on child or super off-peak fares as these cannot be applied to contactless cards .

MyLondon explains the specific rules at each ‘outside fare zones’ stations so that you can make the quickest and most affordable journey when travelling to and from the capital.

READ MORE : The towns and cities just outside of London that get a 24 hour train service

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We will keep you informed about the latest news that affects your daily commute to work, as well as at the weekend.

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Watford Junction

Watford Junction is in a hidden fare zone all on its own. As the Hertfordshire town has three other stations with TfL services (Watford, Croxley and Watford High Street) and most people travelling into London from the station use London Northwestern Railway instead, fares are set at a special rate.

You can use Oyster, contactless cards or paper tickets here but you cannot use Avanti West Coast or Caledonian Sleeper services between Euston and Watford Junction regardless of ticket type as those services only stop at Watford Junction to take people to and from destinations in the North and Scotland. It is for this reason that these services do not appear on any TfL maps.

Note that at Watford High Street station, the next station south on the London Overground, off-peak fare capping starts from 9.10am instead of the usual 9.30am if travelling into London meaning you can get a cheaper ‘head start’ by starting your journey there. (The initial single journey will still be charged the peak fare though).

St Albans City, Harpenden, Luton Airport Parkway, Brookmans Park, Welham Green, Hatfield and Welwyn Garden City

At these stations, you cannot use Oyster - only contactless or paper tickets. This means if you have a railcard, need a child ticket or are looking to travel using a Thameslink/Great Northern super off-peak/GroupSave ticket, it could be cheaper for you to go to a ticket machine or manned counter and purchase a paper ticket from there instead.

Super off-peak, where cheaper tickets are available, applies to any train arriving in Central London after 10am on weekdays, any train departing Central London between 10am and 4.30pm or after 7pm on weekdays and any train all day on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. With a Super Off-Peak ticket you can travel to the almost 2000 year old historic market and cathedral city of St Albans , home to England’s oldest pub and newest forest .

Radlett, Potters Bar, Cuffley, Bayford, Hertford North, Broxbourne, Rye House, St Margarets, Ware and Hertford East

These stations also have super off-peak as stated above, but you can use Oyster too, meaning they get the best of both worlds! You can add a Travelcard season ticket to your Oyster card for travel beyond Zone 9, to and from Broxbourne, Rye House, St. Margarets, Ware and Hertford East.

It is generally cheaper to travel between Hertford North and Zone 1 than Hertford East and Zone 1 if you are travelling with Oyster or contactless.

Brentwood, Shenfield, Iver, Langley, Slough, Burnham, Taplow, Maidenhead, Twyford and Reading

These stations are served by TfL Rail (soon to be the Elizabeth line ) although the fares are set by Greater Anglia or Great Western Railway, whose trains also serve these stations. At all stations you can use contactless or paper tickets. At Brentwood and Shenfield, you can use Oyster but at stations between Iver and Reading you cannot. In both circumstances, if you have a railcard or are looking to buy a GroupSave ticket it could be cheaper for you to buy a paper ticket.

At Twyford (9.10am), Maidenhead (9.18am) and Slough (9.20am), off-peak capping starts a few minutes earlier than the usual 9.30am window, although if you touch in with your contactless card before 9.30am your initial journey will still be charged a peak fare.

Ockendon, Chafford Hundred Lakeside, Purfleet and Grays

These stations are in a hidden zone of their own roughly equivalent to Watford Junction’s fares, making them a sort of ‘de-facto Zone 10’. You can use contactless, Oyster or paper tickets here. On weekends and bank holidays, c2c (the train operator at these stations) offers super-off peak tickets all day, meaning it can often be cheaper to buy a paper ticket if travelling to or from them.

The many TfL red London bus services that operate in this area have completely normal, standard fares in line with the rest of London, such as the Hopper fare (£1.65 from March).

Merstham, Redhill, Earlswood, Salfords, Horley and Gatwick Airport

You can use contactless, Oyster or paper tickets here. These stations also have super off-peak although times vary so you should check journey planners to see if they are available for when you are travelling . If you are travelling between Victoria and Gatwick Airport, do check whether or not you are taking a Gatwick Express train as if you are, the fare is significantly more expensive regardless of ticket type. Thameslink is almost always the cheapest option and you can travel in first class at the rear of each train for added comfort even with a standard paper ticket, contactless or Oyster.

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Your Ultimate Guide To London Travel Zones 1-9

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Get in the zone!

London is a vast city that spans 607 square miles (or 1,572 km). Irrespective of its size, the city maintains a reliable public transportation network that connects each of the 32 London boroughs. There are several ways to get about, including the tube overground, river buses, a tram system, and even a cable car. It is expected that first-time visitors to the city could feel a little overwhelmed, but don't worry; reading the blog till the end will help you. Going forward, we're going to explore the different London zones 1 to 9, which will give you an idea of how to navigate your way through! 

What are London Zones?

At present, the London zones 1 to 9 are the most well-known. London travel zones are separated for transportation, with Zone 1 being the city centre and Zone 9 being the city's outskirts. Transport for London (TfL) uses the technology to determine a customer's journey distance and charge appropriately. Since most of London's major attractions and the city centre are located in Zone 1, most visitors won't need to venture outside. For those travelling far, it's crucial to consider how many London zones you'll pass through because this will influence the ticket you need. If you plan to travel around London as a student and are wondering what to do, our blog on student life in London can help you with a lot of insights!

The 9 London Zones

Rail transportation in London is divided into London zones 1 to 9, which are being managed by London Transport. Six fare London zones are given to each station on the London Tube zones, London Overground, National Rail, TfL Rail, and Docklands Light Railway. The central core region is covered by Zone 1 , while fare zones 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 are basically concentric circles around Zone 1. Zone 7,8, and 9 , which extend into Buckinghamshire, Essex and Hertfordshire, include all stations served by TfL services and some Southeastern and Greater Anglia services that are outside Greater London. However, these zones do not form complete rings around London. To purchase tickets faster, zones were created to lower pricing. In addition to navigating within the city, it's important to consider transportation options for journeys beyond the city limits, such as London airport transfers . Various platforms are providing reliable and convenient transfer services, ensuring a smooth transition to or from major airports like London’s Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, and City Airport. Here’s a breakdown of the London zones 1 to 9 and their locations for better understanding:

Zone 1: London City Centre

The heartbeat of the city, London Zone 1 encompasses iconic landmarks like Big Ben and the Tower of London, offering a blend of historical richness and modern vibrancy.

Zone 2: Notting Hill, Camden Town, London Zoo

Zone 2 is a cultural hub with the trendy streets of Notting Hill, the alternative charm of Camden Town, and the zoological wonders of London Zoo, along with two prominent football stadiums for sports enthusiasts.

Zone 3: Kew Gardens, Wimbledon and London City Airport

Embracing natural beauty, Zone 3 features the lush landscapes of Kew Gardens, the renowned Wimbledon tennis championships, and the convenience of London City Airport for quick getaways.

Zone 4: Wembley, RAF museum, Richmond Park

Zone 4 boasts the iconic Wembley Stadium, the fascinating RAF museum, and the tranquil expanses of Richmond Park, making it a diverse blend of sports, history, and nature.

Zone 5: Twickenham, England Rugby Union

A haven for rugby enthusiasts, Zone 5 is home to Twickenham Stadium, the world's largest dedicated rugby union venue, and serves as the heart of England Rugby.

Zone 6: End of the line for Central, District, Thameslink, Heathrow Express, Elizabeth, Metropolitan, Overground and Piccadilly

As the gateway to various transport networks, Zone 6 marks the termination point for multiple train lines, providing essential connectivity and convenience.

Zone 7: Zones A - Croxley, Rickmansworth and Watford and B - Chorleywood

Zone 7 encompasses charming towns like Croxley, Rickmansworth, and Watford in Zone A, and the picturesque surroundings of Chorleywood in Zone B, offering a mix of suburban tranquillity and urban accessibility.

Zone 8: Zone C - Chalfont & Latimer

Zone 8 features the serene locales of Chalfont & Latimer, providing a peaceful escape from the bustling city life.

Zone 9: Zone D - Amersham and Chesham

The outermost reaches of London, Zone 9's Amersham and Chesham, offer a more rural atmosphere, showcasing historic charm and scenic beauty.

What are London Travel Zones?

London Travel Zones help decide how much you pay for public transport in London. They cover the Tube, Overground, DLR, National Rail, and buses. The city is split into nine zones, starting with London Zone 1 in the center, which includes Central London and its famous sights. The zones then expand outward to Zone 9, reaching the outskirts and nearby areas. How much you pay depends on how many zones you travel through. Transport for London (TfL) provides maps to help you plan your trips and understand the fare system. Here are the main travel zones in London, from 1 to 6:

Zone 1: Central London – The city center with major landmarks and attractions.

Zone 2 : Inner Suburbs – Surrounds the center, with a mix of homes and businesses.

Zone 3: Outer Suburbs – Further out with residential areas and green spaces.

Zone 4 : Extended Suburbs – Mainly residential with some commercial areas and parks.

Zone 5: Outer Residential – Quiet suburban neighborhoods with parks and amenities.

Zone 6: Outermost London – Mostly residential areas on the city's edge, offering a quieter lifestyle.

How London Travel Zones Affect Travel Costs?

London Travel Zones significantly affect travel costs, as the fare structure for public transportation is based on the number of zones crossed. For example, during peak hours, a single adult fare on the Tube using an Oyster card or contactless payment costs £2.80 for a journey within Zone 1 London but increases to £3.70 if travelling from London Zone 1 - 3. A journey spanning Zones 1 to 6 costs £5.60. Similarly, daily caps and travel cards are priced according to the zones covered, with a daily cap of £8.50 for Zones 1-2 and £15.60 for Zones 1-6. By understanding the zone system, travellers can better plan their trips and manage transportation expenses.

Zones 1 – 6 Affect Rental Costs

London Travel Zones greatly influence rental prices. Properties in Zone 1 London are usually the most expensive because they are close to major attractions and business areas. As you move out to Zones 2 and 3, rent becomes cheaper, but you can still easily reach central London with public transport. For example, a one-bedroom flat in Zone 1 London can cost over £2,500 a month . In Zone 2, which includes areas like Camden and Hammersmith, rents drop to around £1,800 a month for a one-bedroom flat. In Zone 3, covering places like Stratford and Wimbledon, rents are about £1,500 a month. Zones 4 and beyond offer even cheaper options, but the commute to central London takes longer.

What are the types of London transport in London zones?

London is a massive city with various modes of transport, wherein everyone can travel on a budget and in comfort. The city provides London transport through buses, underground tubes, DLR, also known as Dockland Light Railways, Cable cars provided by Emirates, river buses, overground trains and the most efficient bicycles. With these many options, you can comfortably and conveniently travel within the zones in London, and also explore the city and visit the top restaurants in London . 

1. The Underground

First ride : 5 am Last ride : 12 am

The London Underground Zones or London Tube Zones 1 to 9 is the oldest underground rail network and one of the best London travel zones in the world. Locals call it the "Tube" because parts of the network's tunnels resemble round tubes running through the ground. Underground stations are marked with a red and blue roundel around the city. To know more, we have a detailed blog about how to use the London underground zones 1-6. London Tube zones are a hallmark of public transit in London. Take a look at our webstory on public transportation in London if you're a visual learner!

2. The Overground

First ride : 5:30 am Last ride : 12:30 am

The overground, which should not be confused with the " Tube ," runs above street level and connects the city centre to the larger metropolitan area using zones in London. To improve connectivity between the zones in London, it was introduced in 2007. North and West London railways had experienced serious degradation over the years. To build a complete orbital network to serve the Capital, London Overground sought to merge these older networks into new lines in east and south London, and now is one of the best London travel zones.

3. Docklands Light Railway

Unlike the rest of London's transport system, the DLR is one of the completely driverless London zones. The DLR connects with London's cable car, the Emirates Air Line, and serves the docklands neighbourhood of London zones, located directly east and southeast of Central London. Use the Light Rail to scout out the best living areas. Talking about scouring, our blog on the 10 best neighbourhoods in London does just that.

4. London Buses

First ride: 5 am Last ride: 12 am

In addition to being a great way to view the city, buses in London travel zones have one key advantage over all other forms of London transport: they are not constrained by the "zone" system. Why does this matter? There is a set rate of £1.65 for each trip, regardless of how far or where you are going. Additionally, they benefit from the hopper fare, which allows unlimited bus rides within an hour for a fixed fee of £1.75 .

5. Emirates Air Line (Cable Car)

First ride: 8 am Last ride: 8 pm

Don't be deceived by its misleading name; the UK's only urban cable car system will only take you 90 metres above London (295 feet). Enjoy stunning panoramic vistas of London zones 1-6 as it moves from Greenwich to Royal Victoria Dock—more magnificent than helpful. You can also use a Student Oyster travel card contactless card to make payments through the TfL system, just like you would if you were travelling by bus or train.

6. Boris Bikes

First ride: all-day Last ride: all-day

London 1-6 zones Santander Cycles, often known as 'Boris Bikes' locally, operates a public bicycle rental programme in zones in London 1-6 with more than 12,000 bicycles and 800 docking stations. Cycling around the city is a terrific (and environmentally responsible) way to explore. In the last ten years, the number of cyclists on London's roads has more than doubled.

7. River Bus

First ride: 5:30 am Last ride: 11:30 pm

The imprecisely called 'River Bus' runs 6 routes along the River Thames between Putney in the west and Woolwich in the east, departing from 22 piers. Since departures only occur every 20 minutes, we advise scheduling your trip in advance to prevent delays in travelling in London zones 1-8. The river bus is an excellent way to go around the city and enjoy fantastic views of London's riverfront and witness the scenic beauty.

What are the London zone fares?

While travelling in London, the fare you will pay depends on the zone you are travelling in. The fare is calculated according to the London zones you pass by while reaching your destination, considers your mode of transport, and covers underground buses and trains. There are also several ways to pay for your travel between London Zones 1 to 9. Keep reading to know all about the different ways you can pay!

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How to pay for London transport in London zones

Even though London's transport system is among the best in the world, a newcomer to the city could find it a little challenging to navigate. Oyster card , debit or credit card, and Apple or Contactless Pay. It is extremely important to keep in mind that every person requires their own means of payment; otherwise, you can be charged more than you are in general.

1. Apple Pay

Apple Pay is one of the most preferred options to pay for public London transport in London zones 1 to 9. Except for using your phone, this payment option is much the same as the contactless. You can tap the yellow card reader with your phone just like you would for a physical card if you have your credit or debit card set up in your Apple Pay or Google Pay wallet.

2. Oyster Cards

These convenient tiny cards make navigating the city easy when it comes to figuring out how to pay for public transport in London zones 1 to 6 or London zones 1 to 9. You can purchase them at the airport, several train stations, and many convenience stores in the city. You can top up your oyster card as many times as necessary, and they cost five pounds each. The London oyster card price is around £7, which is the price of purchasing the card. 

If you use a Pay as You Go Oyster card, top it up with enough cash to either pay for a single ride across the zones you travel through. Or you can add enough cash to cover the cost of the "daily cap" if you want unrestricted travel for the day. The cost of a Zone 1–5 weekly Travelcard is £65.70 if you stay in Zone 5. A weekly Travelcard for Zones 2–5 costs £38.20 , saving you £27.50 each week. To find out more information about oyster cards, head to our blog on the ultimate guide to oyster cards .

3. Contactless Payment

Contactless payment is available for those with a credit or debit card that accepts contactless payments. Check for the "contactless" icon on the card's front or inquire with your bank or card provider if you're unclear if your card has it. If you do have it, this is undoubtedly the simplest and most practical method for paying for London transport zones. The fare is automatically generated based on the distance you have travelled if you tap your debit/credit card on the yellow card reader at the ticket booth. To make sure that you are paying the correct fare and you are not overcharged, you should always tap it at the beginning and end of your tube ride. You simply need to tap in once on buses to begin your trip, making travelling in London zones easy for you.

4. Foreign contactless card

You may pay for transport in London with a contactless debit or credit card if you have one. If you don't have or don't want an Oyster card, it's perfect. Or if the pay-as-you-go credit on your Oyster card runs out. You tap in and out at the ticket barriers at the tube or railway station or press the yellow card reader when you board a bus to use your card like an Oyster card. The primary distinction is that the fare is deducted from your debit card or credit card the next day; you no longer need to load money onto your Oyster card.

You are all set to venture around London through the London zones 1-9! We hope our London zones guide will help you navigate the city easily and comfortably as a new traveller in the country. Remember to follow all the laws of the country, and don't forget to tap in and tap out to avoid any penalties on your travel cards. If you're a student planning to study in the UK, finding suitable accommodation might be a concern. Explore the amazing student accommodation options in the UK and start your journey today!

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best attractions in zone 1 london, how do london transport zones affect travel costs, what residential areas are located in zone 2 london, what are the key differences between zones 1 and 3 in london, what are the main business districts in london zones.

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London Travelcard

The London Travelcard is a transport pass which entitles you to unlimited travel on London’s public transport. You can use a travelcard to travel on the London Underground, overground, public buses, DLR (docklands light rail), TFL rail and other trains, as long as you travel within London’s travel zones.

It is designed for people who are planning on using London’s public transport a lot when visiting London or for people who commute into London on a daily basis. Still, a London Travelcard may sometimes not be the cheapest option even if does entitle you to unlimited travel.

London Travelcard: What do I need to know before I buy one?

When buying a London Travelcard there are three things that you need to know:

1. The duration of the card:

You can buy a travelcard for one day, 7 days, one month or annual.

2. The travel zones of London that will be using:

When you buy a travelcard you need to choose what travel zones you want use. If you are going to travel between zones 1 and 2, you will need a travelcard that is valid for these two zones, but if you are going to travel between zones 1 and 5 every day, you will need a travelcard that covers zones 1 to 5. This does not apply to travelling by bus, as any travelcard will allow you to travel on buses to and from any zone within London’s travel zones. So for example, if you have a travelcar for zones 1 and 2, you can still use a bus to get to zone 3 or zone 5 with that travelcard at no extra cost.

Most of London’s tourist attractions are located in zone 1, and only a few of the most popular attractions can be found outside zone 1, such as Camden Town Market which is in zone 2. Make sure you know what zone your hotel is in before you buy a travelcard.

3. Off-peak or Anytime

If you are buying a 1 day travelcard  (which we don’t normally recommend as an oyster card has a daily cap that is cheaper than a one day travelcard – see below) you will have to choose if you want it to travel anytime of the day, or just during off-peak times (Monday – Friday from 9.30 am; all day Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays).

This does not affect 1 day travelcards for zones 1 to 4, so if you are visiting London you probably don’t need to worry about this at all as you are unlikely to be travelling to zone 5, 6 or beyond.

Which Travelcard to buy if you are planning a trip to London

1 day travelcard.

The price of the 1 day London travelcard for zones 1, 1-2, 1-3 and 1-4 costs £15.20. We don’t normally recommend using the 1 day travelcard, as it is actually cheaper to use an oyster card, a visitor oyster card, or a contactless card as these payment methods have a daily cap. The daily cap applied to these zones are: £8.10 for travel within zones 1-2; £9.60 for zones 1-3 and £11.70 for zones 1-4. Once you have reached this daily cap you will be able to travel within the same travel zones for free. It is still necessary to tap in and tap out on the yellow reader with your oyster card, visitor oyster card or contactless card when using public transport.

Find out more about choosing between an oyster card, a travelcard or using contactless on London Transport here: Oyster card, Travelcard or Contactless .

7 day Travelcard

The 7 day travelcard for London travel zones 1-2 costs £40.70. When comparing oyster card/visitor oyster card/contactless fares to a 7 day travelcard, I would probably say that it is convenient to get a 7 day travelcard if you are going to be travelling around London for more than 6 days. If you are going to be in London less than 6 days then I would recommend using an oyster card (vistor oyster card or contactless if you are a UK resident).

Where to buy a London travelcard

Buying a London Travelcard at an underground station

It is possible to buy a London travelcard at any underground station in London, by either using a ticket machine at the ticket office or a manned desk in a the ticket office (if available). When you buy a 7 day, monthly or annual London travelcard at an underground station you will normally get an oyster card with the travelcard incorporated in it. So your oyster card will be pre-loaded with the travelcard you have chosen. This way you can also use this oyster card with pay as you go for any trips that are not included in the travelcard.

So, as an example, if you have a 7 day travelcard for zones 1 – 4 in your oyster card, you will be entitles to unlimited journeys within these  travel zones for 7 days, and you can use your oyster as you normally would, by touching in and touching out. But, if one day you need to go to zone 6, you will be able to use the same oyster with pay as you go balance. One example when this might happen, is if you arrive at Heathrow airport (zone 6) but you want to buy a 7 day travelcard for zones 1 – 4. It will be much cheaper to use they oyster card with pay as you go for the journey from Heathrow to central London and the journey from central London to Heathrow Airport on your last day and adding a 7 travelcard for zones 1 – 4, than using a 7 day travelcard for zones 1 – 6.

Buying a London Travelcard at a train station

It is possible to buy a London travelcard at any train station located inside London’s Travel Zones . When you buy a travelcard at a train station, you will normally get a paper travelcard and not an oyster card.

Stansted, Luton or Gatwick airports are all outside London’s Travel Zones so these stations won’t normally sell London travelcards.

Buy a London Travelcard online

One of the easiest ways to buy a London travelcard is by buying it online. The price is exactly the same as what it would cost you to buy it in London but you will pay a little extra for delivery.

Buy a London travelcard at Heathrow airport

London travelcard fares from 5th march 2023, travelcard for children.

Children under the age of 11 travel free within London travel zones. Children over 11 can also benefit from reduced fares; you can learn more about this in our article: Travelling in London with kids .

Find out more

For more information, visit London’s official transport website: Transport For London

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Detailed guide to london zones 1 to 6.

Table of Contents

London is the capital city of England and the United Kingdom , stretching an area of 1,572 km2. There are 32 boroughs in London, which requires an efficient transportation system. Thus, London is divided into different zones, namely 1-9 zones, but most fit into 1-6 London zones.

Zone 1 is central London, and Zone 9 is the outskirts of London.

The London zone system was developed to connect these zones. Each zone is given a station on the London Underground, London Overground, Docklands, Light Railway, and National Railway.

London is expensive, and cracking the way on how to travel through these zones can save you big bucks! So, here’s a guide to familiarize you with each zone in London. Find out the zone that is close to your student accommodation in London . 

What are the different zones in London? 

There are 6 main London zones which are listed below:

• Zone 1- Central London
• Zone 2- Inner London 
• Zone 3- Between Inner London and Outer London
• Zone 4- Outer Part of London
• Zone 5- Suburbs of London
• Zone 6- Suburbs of London

What is London Zone 1?

London Zone 1 covers central London and fare zones of 2, 3,4, 5 and 6 forming a concentric circle around it. It is the main transportation station for London’s zonal fare system.

Areas covered in Inner London: Central London: City of London, Camden, Hackney, Islington, Kensington & Chelsea, Lambeth, Southwark, Tower Hamlets, Wandsworth and Westminster

The major attractions in London Zone 1 are Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, the Tower of London, the London Eye, Madame Tussauds, the British Museum, the Science Museum, etc.…

What is London Zone 2?

London Zone 2 is the inner city that rings around Zone 1. It is not in the city center but closer to the center than zone 3. The zone covers areas and neighborhoods close to central London.

Areas covered in Inner London: Camden, Hackney, Hammersmith & Fulham, Islington, Kensington & Chelsea, Lambeth, Lewisham, Newham, Southwark, Tower Hamlets, Wandsworth and Westminster.

Areas covered in Outer London : Brent, Ealing, Greenwich, Hounslow, etc.

The main attractions in London Zone 2 are Regents Park, London Zoo, Shoreditch, Arsenal FC Stadium, Chelsea FC Stadium, Clapham Common, etc. 

What is London Zone 3?

London Zone 3 is the inner zone of Transport for London’s zonal fare system. London Zone 3 rings around zone 2. It is 29 minutes away from Central London.

Areas covered in Inner London: Camden, Hackney, Haringey, Islington, Lambeth, Lewisham, Newham, Southwark, Wandsworth, etc. 

Areas covered in Outer London: Barnet, Brent, Bromley, Croydon, Ealing, Greenwich, Hounslow, Merton, Richmond upon Thames, Waltham Forest, etc. 

The main attractions in London Zone 3 are Wimbledon, Kew Gardens and London City Airport, Elephant and Castle ( 11 min underground), London Bridge (12 mins), etc.

What is London Zone 4? 

London Zone 4 is the outer zone of Transport for London’s zonal fare system. Zone 4 rings around zone 3. London Zone 4 is only 33 minutes from Central London (Zone 1).

This zone is emerging as a livable area in London. Areas covered in Inner London: Barking and Dagenham, Barnet, Bexley, Brent, Bromley, Croydon, Ealing, Enfield, Greenwich, Hounslow, Kingston upon Thames, Merton, Redbridge, Richmond upon Thames, Sutton, Waltham Forest, etc. 

Areas covered in Outer London: Epping Forest (Essex)

The main attractions in Zone 4 are Petersham Nurseries, Eltham Palace, Modern Hall Park, Bang Bang Oriental, Kingston Upon Thames, RAF Museum, etc.

What is London Zone 5? 

London zone 5 is an outer zone and rings around zone 4. Zone 5 is 30 minutes away from Central London (zone1)

Zone 5 covers Outer London and Outside London areas:

Areas covered in Outer London: Barking and Dagenham, Barnet, Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Ealing, Enfield, Harrow, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Kingston upon Thames, Richmond upon Thames, Sutton, Waltham Forest, etc.

Areas covered in Outside London: Epping Forest (Essex), Epsom and Ewell (Surrey)

The main attractions in London Zone 5 are Eel Pie island, Ruislip Lido, Alexandra Palace, Kew gardens, etc. 

What is London Zone 6?

London Zone 6 is the outer zone of Transport for London’s zonal fare system. Zone 6 rings around zone 5. Zone 6 covers outer London and outside London areas:

Areas covered in Outer London: Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Enfield, Harrow, Havering, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Kingston upon Thames, Richmond upon Thames, etc.

Areas covered in Outside London: Elmbridge (Surrey), Epping Forest (Essex), Epsom and Ewell (Surrey), Hertsmere (Hertfordshire), Reigate and Banstead (Surrey), Tandridge (Surrey), Three Rivers (Hertfordshire, etc. 

What are the types of Transportation in London Zones?

Staying in London is a blessing in disguise. It’s expensive, yet with its cost-efficient transportation system, it’s cheap, comfortable and easy to travel around the London zones. Below are the types of transport in London zones:

London Underground

The London Underground is one of the world’s oldest underground railways. It is the rapid transit system serving all 9 London zones. Also known among the locals as the ‘ Tube.’ It is identified by its blue and red roundel across the city. It is part of the TfL transport system with over 270 stations across London. 

The 24-hour service is on Jubilee, Victoria, Central, Northern and Piccadilly Lines.

Payment: You can pay using an Oyster card or contactless.

London Overground

London’s overground suburban rail network serves the London zones. It is part of the National Rail, but a branding of TfL, which is assigned as an Orange roundel in all stations, maps, trains, etc. 

It operates above street level from the city center to another metropolitan area outside of central London. It covers about 71% of London districts, covering 100 stations. London Overground has limited 24-hour services.

Docklands Light Railway

Docklands Light Railway is an automated light metro running on 149 trains except for the four below-ground stations. It is part of the London Ground Network. It covers dockland areas of London, east and south-east London, and connects with cable car and Emirates Airline.

On weekdays, it starts from 5:30-12:30 am, while on weekends, it starts late and finishes early.

London Buses

The London Buses has been part of the public transportation since 1829. It is cheap, efficient, and part of the zone system. The buses travel to many routes and bus stops, with the hopper fare allowing you to take many rides at a low price. 

If you have a travel card, you can use it in all of London, even from zone 1 to zone 6.

Emirates Air Line (Cable Car)

The London cable car is known as Dangleway, but today, it is called the Emirates cable car as its sponsored Emirates. The cable car links across the River Thames, London, England.  It is about 90 m ft, offering panoramic views of London city. The cable car is part of the Tlf transport system traveling from Greenwich to Royal Victoria Dock.

The cable car travels to all London zones.

The River Bus

The river bus has six routes from 23 piers between Putney and Woolwich. It is operated by Upper Boat by Thames Clippers. The river bus is a covered boat with an open outside deck area. There’s a place to eat and enjoy snacks, too. You can get access to toilets too. Bikes are allowed, and dogs need to be on a lead.

The boat departs every 20 minutes; therefore, plan your journey for the zones in London. The River Bus is among the best ways to enjoy London’s riverfront and scenic beauty.

How to pay for the  London travel zones

The most common modes of payment for traveling on London transport systems are listed below:

Travelcards

Travel cards are available on a weekly and monthly pass, giving you unlimited travel on trams and buses.

 It is valid in all London zones. It is a bit more expensive than an Oyster card. They can be loaded into your Oyster cards.

To travel from Zone 1 to Zone 3, you will need a Zone 1-3 travel card. 

A Day Travel Card Cost

• Zones 1-2: Cost £15.20
• Zones 1-3: Cost £15.20
• Zone 1-4: Cost £15.20
• Zone 1-5: Cost £21.50
• Zone 1-6: Cost £21.50

Oyster Cards

The visitor oyster card is the only card offering discounts on all London fare zones. It’s non-refundable. The regular oyster card is a card that doesn’t expire. It is refundable with a £5 security deposit. The top-up costs £5, and the card price is £7. It is available at all tubes, most overground and Elizabeth line stations, and DLR stations.

Oyster cards are not accepted between Reading and Iver.

A Day Oyster Card Cost

Zones 1-2: Cost £8.10

Zones 1-3: Cost £9.60

Zone 1-4: Cost £11.70

Zone 1-5: Cost £13.90

Zone 1-6: Cost £14.90

Contactless Payment

A foreign card is accepted as a form of contactless payment option. It can be a credit/debit card, and you can make countless purchases. The card can be used to pay for all modes of public transportation. If you have used an Oyster card, it works similarly. You can swipe at the ticket barriers at the start and end of your journey. Make sure you keep track of the cost of the ride.

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Your guide to getting around London like a true Londoner

Business consultant

This post is part of our ultimate guide to moving to London as a graduate . It’s one thing to have your London crib all sussed out. It’s another to settle in and become a true Londoner. This is our guide to getting around London like you’ve lived here forever. 

I remember my first trip to London vividly. A friend and I, both newcomers to the UK, were on our way to a pal’s spare room in Turnham Green. Armed with paper Tube maps (we’d both run out of mobile data), we then got resoundingly lost on the London Underground. Damn millennials who can’t read maps. When we finally escaped the turgid air of our Piccadilly line train, I remember thinking one thing. “Surely there must be an easier way to get around.”

Since that fateful trip in 2011, much has changed. For one thing, we’ve got helpful apps like Uber and Citymapper to help us get around – arguably the two biggest game-changers for the city of London. The Night Tube has launched. Crossrail is coming. Things will continue to change, we reckon. However, there are some hacks that’ll assist you in getting around no matter how the Tube map changes. Let’s start with the basics.

Table of Contents

London zones.

We touched on this a little in our guide to picking a place to live in London . In a nutshell, the great Big Smoke is divided into areas called ‘zones’ when it comes to transport.

If you take a look at the map above, you’ll notice that the zones of London progress from inside out. So, Zone 1 is basically Central London, and the further out you get from Zone 1, the higher the zone number will be.

Zones are important if you’re thinking of taking the Tube, the Docklands Light Railway, the London Overground and National Rail services. The reason why the ‘zones’ system exists is because they’re Transport for London’s way of calculating a customer’s travel distance.

Here’s an example. If you live in Zone 3 (let’s say Dollis Hill) and have to travel to Zone 1 (let’s say Old Street), you pay a single fare of ВЈ2.80 during off-peak* hours. However, Willesden Green, just one stop away from Dollis Hill, will incur a charge of ВЈ2.40 to the same destination. Why? Because Willesden Green is in Zone 2.

* A note about off-peak and peak hours

Transport for London (TfL), like some other national transport providers, charge higher fares at busy times in the day. Peak fares in London are charged from Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays), from 06:30 to 09:30 and 16:00 to 19:00.

Public transport

Yo, guys. There are so many ways to get around London-town. Here, we’re going to cover the most likely ways you’ll be getting around. This means, however, that we’re probably going to exclude the following:

The  Emirates Air Line, Trams, River  and  Taxis & minicabs.  Why? The first three only cover small, specific areas of London and aren’t as commonly used. As for minicabs, we’ll discuss other, more economical alternatives later, as these can be super-expensive.

Getting around London by the Tube and by rail

Ah, the iconic London Tube. Everyone’s got their opinion about it, but love it or hate it, getting around on the Underground is, for most commuters, an absolute necessity.

Look, we’re not going to break each Tube line down for you. Everyone’s level of London Underground usage is very different. However, here are our top tips on how to ride the Tube like a pro.

• Plan ahead.  On the Docklands Light Railway and London Overground, there’s usually phone signal, but Underground you get nada. Some lucky people get WiFi depending on their phone networks, but only some. For your sanity, plot your route in advance.
• Understand your direction. Your route will be determined by the Line’s terminal destinations, and cardinal directions (northbound/southbound etc.) For example, in order to get from Colindale on the Northern Line to Elephant and Castle, you’ll take a “ Southbound train terminating at Morden .”
• Remember your line changes.  Often, getting from one place to another means you’ll change from one Tube line to another. Don’t be alarmed, just make sure you remember which stop to get off at to switch lines. There’ll be signage pointing to the other line, so keep an eye out.
• Walk on the left, stand on the right.  This is the absolute golden rule for London escalators. Breaking this rule will expose you as a newbie and slow everybody down. Don’t be that guy.

Getting around London by bus

Controversial opinion: London buses are underrated . For one thing, they don’t use the fare zones system, so each journey you take, no matter where you’re going and how far you’re travelling, will be a flat ВЈ1.50.

Also, London Mayor Sadiq Khan introduced the ‘ Hopper fare ‘ a while back making bus travel even cheaper. Make two bus journeys in a row, and you can get the second one for free. Pretty sweet, and great if you’re trying to budget on that tight graduate salary . Just bear these tips in mind:

• Just like the Tube, London buses are all cash-less.  Don’t leave the house without your Oyster card or a contactless credit card.
• Unlike the Tube, sussing out your bus route isn’t as simple.  You’d be wise to plan ahead using the TfL website to understand bus routes and your nearest bus stop.
• Many bus stops have multiple locations where buses stop, serving different routes.  Make sure you’ve identified the right bus stop, by taking a look at the letter of the stop.
• Most bus stops have destination finders and maps.  These can also be helpful for planning your journey.
• Some stops are request stops.  Buses won’t stop at these unless someone wants to get off or if you flag them down. Take a look at the stop to see if it says ‘request stop’ on it – otherwise you’ll be wondering why no bus will stop for you.
• If you can’t see the ‘next stop’ display, listen out for it.  Most buses will announce each of their next stops as they progress along the route. Make sure you get off at the right stop.

The Oyster Card and other payment methods

Look at this card. The double-blue, the smoothness of the white curve. This card, my friends, is the Oyster card. It’s literally your ticket to the city.

• Bus and rail travel in London is nearly 100% cash-less. You can top up your Oyster with cash credit and use it as a pay-as-you-go card.
• To use your Oyster card, there’ll be a yellow card reader you can tap to gain entry to a bus or to the Underground. (On trains, you need to tap in at the beginning of your journey, and tap out. On buses you don’t need to tap out, just tap in.)
• If you want, you can also load up your Oyster card with a weekly, monthly, or yearly Travelcard . This means you won’t need to top up as often, which is really convenient.
• The only other alternative to the Oyster card (bar paper season tickets), are contactless debit or credit cards . TfL introduced this system a couple of years ago, so, if you have a contactless card you can use that instead of the Oyster. The future, eh?
• You can buy Oyster cards from most Underground train stations. They cost (a refundable) ВЈ5, and then you top it up with whatever money you need.

Tickets and pricing

Guys… this is where it gets a little complicated. Remember our little talk about Zones earlier? That’s just the beginning of the various ways tickets and prices are calculated on London transport.

We’re not going to dive too deep into how much it costs to get from one zone to another. Instead, here’s a few things to keep in mind.

• Check your Oyster card balance before you travel.  You can do this online, or at any Oyster top-up machine.
• Keep capping in mind.  Capping is a feature of pay-as-you-go. It allows you to travel as much as you like either in a single day, or in a week (Monday to Sunday). It limits the amount you pay for all you travel – so, if for some reason you need to take a crazy number of journeys in a day, don’t stress! The travel cost gets capped.
• Weigh up the cost of a Travelcard.  Occasionally, just getting a season ticket will be more cost effective and convenient that using pay-as-you-go. Check your budget and see if you need one. The only issue with this is, if you’ve purchased a Travelcard for certain zones, it’ll only be valid for those zones. Traveling outside of them will incur some extra charges.
• Check if you qualify for a discount.  Under 25? Have a 16-25 Railcard? You can actually add your Railcard to your Oyster account online and get 1/3 discount on off-peak fares. Every penny counts, y’know.

Cycling in the city of London

You can hire bicycles in London to get around, which is possibly the best idea ex-London Mayor Boris Johnson championed during his tenure. Santander Cycles docking stations can be found literally all over London, which makes it super easy to get around and get exercise at the same time.

It’s an initial ВЈ2 to get access to a Santander Cycle for 24 hours. The first 30 minutes of each journey is free – after that it costs ВЈ2 per 30 minutes.

Useful apps you won’t be able to live without

We all know about Uber and Google Maps. How we got around without those two apps, I can’t even imagine. However, there are three more apps you should really clear some storage on your iPhone for:

Pals, my love for Citymapper knows no bounds. It is by far the best app for getting around London. It’s journey planner is probably the best part about it – allowing you to mix up bus and Tube journeys easily. It’ll also estimate walking times, and provide you with rain-safe options. Sweet.

We’re mentioning Trainline  here because of their fantastic user experience. It’s super easy to book train tickets if you need them (for when the city gets too much and you need an escape.) It’s also great for checking live train departures, if, like me, you commute using National Rail trains rather than a TfL service.

London Black cabs are usually more expensive than grabbing an Uber. However, if you’re pernickety about safety, you might feel more at ease in a licensed London Black cab. As a woman in a big city, I’ve found Gett to be a great Uber alternative. Plus, the fares are completely fixed, which is nice – no nasty fare surprises here.

What is the cheapest way to travel around London?

I asked Twitter about their top getting around hacks, and there was one common thread linking their responses. Their top tip?  Walk. 

Mine is to do more walking instead of tube – walk Leicester Square to Covent Garden etc see much more of London that way! – Louise Upchurch (@Loulou_Uberkirk) May 30, 2017

def walk, walk, walk! Never bother w tube for x3 z1 stops or less – Gail Emerson (@Gail_Em) May 30, 2017

@TfL do a great tube /walking map so you don’t have to stick to the underground. – Stuart Thomson (@Redpolitics) May 31, 2017

Heck, even TfL got involved.

Hi, if it helps at the map is available here – https://t.co/HMvycP4A8D – Transport for London (@TfL) May 31, 2017

Using apps such as Citymapper or even the TfL map above will help you plan the most effective way to get around. Trust us – if you’re traveling from Covent Garden to Leicester Square, it’s actually way more faff to take the Tube.

And there you have it! Check back next week for the final installment of our ultimate guide to moving to London as a graduate:

Your guide to meeting new people and making friends in London

Check out our available graduate jobs in London.

Say hi to us on Facebook , Twitter and LinkedIn ! We’d love to hear from you.

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What is TravelTime?

Travel Time Map Generator & Isochrones

I know i can get from a to b by public transport within my selected time, but it's not showing up.

If you're using public transport to do your analysis, it can look like we don't include a specific transit line. But it is rare that we have forgotten to add it! We have a full data team collecting transport data, and they're rarely caught out. It's usually due to understanding how we calculate travel time catchments. We build the area to include:

• Walking to the station platform
• Waiting for the next available departure
• Time spent boarding the train
• Giving enough time to take the A to B journey
• Depart on the station on the other side.

That means if you set your max travel time at 30 minutes, and the train journey you think should be included takes 28 minutes, it probably won't show up, because the other steps push it over the max 30 min limit. Try adding an extra 5-10 minutes to your max catchment area and see if this helps! Understand how we built our public transport model

You can't drive that far / you can drive much further than that

We recommend that you do a little experiment.

• Open another mapping app of your choice and enter an A to B route
• Select a departure time for tomorrow.

The average mapping provider gives very vague driving estimations. It's not uncommon to see a journey estimation between 30 minutes up to 2 hours. That's a lot of buffer room!

Our driving model only returns one singular best possible time estimate. We do this using our purpose-built driving model. Explore how we've built our driving model.

Still not convinced?

You can explain your data issue to us here and we can help you out. Please include in your request whether you're using the API for commercial or personal purposes.

About this tool

This demo was built to showcase the TravelTime API. To use the full capabilities of the API you will need coding skills, or experience with one of our integrations: QGIS, Alteryx or ArcGIS. Access to the API gives you larger travel time catchment areas, more transport mode options and large request volumes. Access the developer playground here.

What is a travel time map?

Our map tool allows you to create a 'How far can I go map' by transport mode and time limit. For example someone can ask how far can I drive from my home in 30 minutes. The tool outputs shapes, also known as travel time isochrones visualise where's reachable. Sometimes these shapes are incorrectly labelled as a 'travel time radius map'. A radius is always just a circular shape, but a travel time shape is completely unique as it analyses all locations reachable using a specific mode of transport.

How to create a drive time radius map or other modes

• Select a start location
• Select a maximum travel time limit
• Select a mode of transport, for example driving
• Voila! There's your driving radius map

Use cases for consumers

• Create a commute time map so you can see where to live based on commute time.
• How far can i travel in a given time: compare transport coverage for different areas.
• Create a drive time radius map: explore how far you can travel on a road trip.

Use cases for businesses

• Travel time mapping up to 4 hours & cross reference other data sets in GIS such as population data
• Site selection analysis: analyse the best location to locate a business by adding thousands of analysis points
• Create a distance matrix or travel time matrix & calculate travel times from thousands of origins to thousands of destinations
• Network analysis / travelling salesman problem: use spatial analytics to solve routing problems
• Commute time map - plot thousands of employee commute times for an office relocation

This web page is a limited demo that can do the following:

• Create up to 3 time polygons visualising where's reachable within 2 hours or less. Our API can create large travel time areas, talk to sales.
• Calculate travel times from an origin to various points of interest - in this demo we use points from Foursquare Give A to B routing details

Full access

We provide full analysis by all transport modes and all travel time areas in our full service. You can access this by:

• Book a demo
• Trial TravelTime API
• Trial QGIS Plugin
• Trial ArcGIS Pro Add-In
• Trial Alteryx Macros

Problem with the data?

Create a Travel Time Map

Draw a travel time area or make your own commute time map.

• See 'How far can I get' in X minutes
• Create a drive time map or any other transport mode
• Overlap many shapes & highlight overlap area
• Search points of interest within the area
• Get A to B routing details

What to know about Schengen zone, Europe’s ‘border-free’ travel system

Europe’s “border-free” Schengen zone has added travel protections for two more countries, making it easier for more people to explore the southeastern region of the continent.

Romania and Bulgaria partially joined the Schengen area on Sunday, which means visitors who arrive by air or sea from other countries in the zone can cross their borders without an ID check. Land borders will remain subject to ID checks because of opposition led by Austria, which has long cited irregular migration as a concern when it comes to welcoming the two Eastern European states into the Schengen agreement. The move comes more than a decade after Romania and Bulgaria joined the European Union.

The European Commission had previously recommended that Bulgaria and Romania be admitted to join the Schengen zone, starting in 2011 and most recently in 2023. A combination of internal problems in the two countries and opposition from other countries citing irregular migration concerns — especially after the so-called “migrant crisis” of 2015 — meant they were caught in “Schengen purgatory” until now, according to Leon Züllig, a researcher and Schengen expert at Germany’s Justus Liebig University Giessen.

What is the Schengen travel zone?

Often referred to as the “crown jewel” of European integration policies, the Schengen zone is the European Union’s passport-free travel space. It was first established in 1985 with the abolition of passport controls and the creation of a shared visa policy in Belgium, Germany, France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. With the inclusion of Bulgaria and Romania, it encompasses 29 countries without internal border controls. That means travelers, whether international tourists or European residents, can move freely between member states without having to worry about extra visas, immigration control or mandatory ID checks.

“In layman’s terms: It’s a partnership with all of these countries so that the border crossing can be really easy,” said Lia Vincent, owner of Oklahoma City-based travel agency Vincent Vacations. “It works really well for Americans when we go over there, because we can take the train from one country to another without worrying about borders.”

With the recent addition of Romania and Bulgaria, and the addition of Croatia last year, the Schengen area includes every country in the E.U. except Ireland and Cyprus. Four non-E.U. countries are also included: Switzerland, Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein.

What are the travel benefits of Schengen countries?

International travelers who are visa-exempt or have obtained a Schengen visa are free to move between member countries as tourists for up to 90 days within a 180-day period. This means that someone who is authorized to visit Romania, for example, is then also able to visit Croatia and France without another passport check.

The Schengen zone helps save travelers time and money, because there are no extra visas or passport checks when they travel between member countries.

What do Americans need to enter Schengen countries?

Americans can enter the Schengen zone with a valid U.S. passport for up to 90 days within a 180-day period. Longer stays, such as those for school or work, require specific visas from the country where you plan to spend most of your time.

While additional travel between Schengen countries would not usually require additional passport checks, the U.S. State Department recommends that travelers keep their passport with them while traveling, in case of temporary border control changes.

Is there a tax on visitors?

While a visa is not currently required for U.S. citizens to visit Schengen countries, “it’s going to change a little bit in 2025,” Vincent said, “because in travel everything changes all the time.”

Travelers from the United States and other “visa-exempt” countries to Europe may soon have to apply to enter through the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS). The application would be required of any traveler planning a short-term stay or combination of stays (up to 90 days within a 180-day period), and would be filled out online, at least a month before the desired travel date. The application will cost travelers 7 euros, or roughly $8, and will last three years.

While the E.U. has not yet announced a specific date when ETIAS verification will be implemented, the latest timeline projects the program will start in mid-2025 .

Are there any limits to travel in the Schengen zone?

While the Schengen zone was created to be a space totally free of internal border controls, some countries now implement temporary border controls , largely with the purpose of controlling and limiting migration from non-European countries. Recently, that has included Germany, Italy, Austria, Denmark, France and others.

These temporary border controls mean travelers may be stopped and asked to show identity documents, such as a passport.

Some experts claim temporary border controls go against the mission of Schengen , while others argue that they are illegal and violate the constitutional rights of E.U. citizens to move freely between member countries. Züllig called the temporary border controls a sign of a Schengen zone in “distress” and “a worrying trend, because it contributes to the erosion of the Schengen area and leaves the crown jewel of the European Union cracked.”

While travelers are technically able to move freely within Schengen and enjoy the same rights to movement as E.U. citizens, experts recommended they stay up to date on temporary border controls and other restrictions before and while traveling. While these extra passport checks could slow down travel times, “U.S. passport holders shouldn’t have any problems for any of these,” Vincent said.

Are there any restrictions on rental cars?

Just as there are no permanent restrictions for sea or air travel between Schengen countries, there are also no restrictions for land travel among the majority of Schengen countries. This means that travelers driving or taking a train from Italy to France, for example, would not have to show their passports or stop at an immigration checkpoint.

The only exceptions to this rule are Romania and Bulgaria. Though this restriction means the countries don’t yet enjoy the full benefits of being Schengen and E.U. members, leaders of both countries expect to expand Schengen entry to land borders sometime this year.

Vincent said rental car companies do require travelers to notify them if they plan to leave the county, adding that “there could be one-way fees if you pick up a car and drop it off at a different location.”

Will travel prices go up in new Schengen countries?

Croatia joined the Schengen zone in January 2023, which was also when the country adopted the euro. Locals and travelers alike claimed that prices had risen within a few days. According to the national tourist board , there were 20.6 million tourist arrivals last year, an increase of 9 percent from 2022.

Experts don’t foresee a big change in pricing for Romania and Bulgaria in the near future.

“I think both countries will economically profit from it, and I hope that for them the tourist industry will develop more dynamically as well,” Züllig said. “It might lead organically to an increase in prices, but I wouldn’t expect prices to peak now.”

Instead, he said, travel will only become “more comfortable” as the E.U.’s “vision of open borders” continues to expand .

Vincent agreed: “I think the biggest thing is that this will make these countries more accessible. It is so trendy right now for off-the-beaten-path-themed travel, so these will check the ‘something different’ box a lot of U.S. travelers are looking for.”

Even if prices do increase because of increased tourism and accessibility, Romania and Bulgaria still stand to be more affordable vacation spots than other European countries.

“These countries will always price less than the big cities like Paris and Rome, especially in accommodations,” Vincent said. “With Europe still riding a big post-covid travel boom, travelers are looking for more options.”

Paris Transportation Zone Map

Paris and the surrounding area is divided into 5 circular transportation fare zones for use in pricing Paris public transportation passes & multi-use tickets.  This applies to passes used on Paris RER trains, buses, trams and Transilien commuter trains.  Note : These fare zones do not apply to the Paris Metro system!  For the Paris Metro, all Metro lines and all Metro stations are not affected by fare zones.  We can effectively consider Paris Metro trains as operating in a single zone even if the Metro line crosses into zone 2 or zone 3.

Paris fare zones apply to transit passes/multi-use tickets used on RER trains and Transilien trains to Disney, Versailles, CDG/Orly airports, etc. By default, Navigo Week Pass passes cover all 1-5 zones. For the Paris Olympics, the Paris 2024 Pass covers all 5 zones . Multi-use tickets like Paris Visite and other passes like  Navigo Jour Day pass have several fare zone options, like Paris zone 1-3 or Paris zone 1-5. Examples of popular destinations and their zones:

• Chateau Versailles & Orly Airport – Zone 4
• CDG Airport & Disneyland® Paris – Zone 5
• Fontainebleau – Zone 5

This Paris Train Zone Map (880KB PDF) displays train zones for RER trains, Transilien trains, Trams throughout fare zones 1 to 5 which applies to:

• Pass Navigo / Pass Navigo Decouverte
• Paris Visite Pass
• Ticket Mobilis (day pass) discontinued Jan. 4, 2024
• Ticket Jeunes (day pass for 25 and under, valid only on weekends/holidays)

Paris Metro Zone

Paris Metro (urban city subway) is all a single zone even though it has stations in Zones 1, 2 & 3 as shown on this more detailed zone map including Paris Metro, RER and Transilien (intercity) trains (900KB PDF, opens a new window).   Paris Metro tickets are valid for travel anywhere* on the Paris Metro system, end-to-end, since it is a single continuous, zoneless system requiring only a single Metro Ticket / Ticket t+ (even if the Metro station is outside of Zone 1). * Orly Airport on Metro 14 is not included! ; Orly by Metro 14 has a “special airport fare”. See Orly Airport Train – Metro 14 article for more information.

The Paris regional RER train system is different & uses zones to set fare prices.

Travel between any RER stations in Paris zone 1 are the same price: the price of a single Paris Metro ticket .

Thus, we can use Paris Metro tickets to ride Paris RER trains, but only within zone 1.

Once a Paris RER train crosses the border between zone 1 and zone 2, a RER ticket (billet origine-destination) is required. For example on the south eastern edge of zone 1 are two RER C stations right next to each other: Bibliothèque François Mitterrand (in zone 1) and Ivry sur Seine (in zone 2). This trip takes 3 minutes, but costs 2.30€ with the proper RER ticket while a Paris Metro ticket (not valid for this trip) costs 2.15€ (in 2024).

Paris Zone 1 to Zone 2 needs RER ticket

If riding Paris Metro line 1, be careful at La Défense when exiting the Metro area.  Be sure to use the Metro exit and not the RER exit, both of which may be available to you due to fences which may be opened at particular times (rush hour).  A RER ticket is required to pass through RER exit turnstiles, while the Metro exit will not require a ticket and will open with weight or infrared operated gates & turnstiles.

What’s visible on the Zones map:

• Fare Zones (“Zones Tarifaires”) 1 through 5
• RER A , RER B , RER C , D, E train lines
• RER & Transilien train network in Ile-de-France (administrative region around Paris)
• Station names along all RER/Translien train lines
• Connections (“Correspondances”) and transfer possible between different RER, Transilien, and RER to Transilien trains
• Shuttle bus (“navettes bus”) from RER C station: Pont de Rungis and Orly Airport
• Orlyval train to Paris-Orly Airport between RER B station: Antony and Orly West / Orly South airport terminals, which requires a special fare (“tarification spéciale”)
• Major tourist sites (“Sites touristiques”) accessible from certain stations

(Zone map courtesy of RATP )

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Travel Inclusive Zone: What exactly is included?

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O2 Travel International Roaming Review: Countries, Speeds & Fair Usage

On O2, you can use your mobile phone abroad at no extra cost in up to 75 destinations, depending on your price plan.

The countries in which you’re able to use the O2 Travel offer depends on the price plan you have. On O2’s Pay As You Go plans, you’ll have access to international roaming at no extra cost in 43 European destinations. This increases to 48 destinations on Pay Monthly plans, and to 75 destinations on Pay Monthly Plus (and on regular Pay Monthly plans if you’re living in a Virgin Media household ).

In this article, we’ll review the O2 Travel offer including the countries where you’re able to use it and how much it will cost. We’ll also look at data speeds when abroad, the fair usage policy on O2 Travel and alternative roaming offers from other networks. Finally, we’ll look at how you can keep your current phone number if you’re moving to O2 to take advantage of their O2 Travel offer.

• 1.1 O2 Europe Zone Countries
• 1.2 O2 Travel Inclusive Zone Countries
• 1.3 O2 Travel Countries
• 2 Roaming Speeds
• 3.1 Within Europe
• 3.2 Outside Europe
• 4 Keeping Your Phone Number
• 5 More Information

What is O2 Travel?

On most O2 price plans, it’s possible to use your mobile phone abroad when travelling to other countries. The destinations that are included within the O2 Travel offer depend on the type of price plan you have:

For customers with an O2 mobile broadband plan , the O2 Travel offer isn’t currently available. This is because international roaming is not available on O2’s mobile broadband service.

O2 Europe Zone Countries

The following destinations are part of O2’s European roaming zone (locations marked with a † are only available on Pay Monthly plans) :

• Canary Islands
• Czech Republic
• French Guiana
• Isle of Man†
• Liechtenstein
• Netherlands
• Saint Barthelemy
• Saint Martin
• Switzerland†
• Vatican City

† If you’re an O2 Pay As You Go customer, inclusive roaming is not available in 5 European destinations (Guernsey, the Isle of Man, Jersey, Monaco and Switzerland). Instead, you’ll need to pay £1.99/day for up to 100MB of data in these countries.

Within Europe, you’re able to use your inclusive minutes and texts to contact any other number within O2’s Europe Zone. Your usage of European roaming is subject to the fair usage policy described here : the most important being that it should only be used “for periodic travel, like holidays or short breaks”. If you use your mobile phone abroad for 63 days or more in any four-month period, O2 reserves the right to apply a regulated surcharge to your usage (currently 3.3p/minute, 1p/text and £3.50/GB).

You’ll be able to use up to 25GB data per month when abroad (or less if your normal UK data allowance is less than 25GB).

On O2’s Pay As You Go plans including Big Bundles , roaming is not included in Guernsey, the Isle of Man, Jersey, Monaco or Switzerland. In these places, you can pay £1.99/day for 100MB of data.

O2 Travel Inclusive Zone Countries

Within O2’s Travel Inclusive Zone countries, you’ll get unlimited minutes, texts and data when abroad in the following destinations:

• El Salvador
• New Zealand
• United States

There’s traffic management applied when you’re abroad, so your download speeds could be slowed down, depending on your usage.

O2 Travel Countries

You can use the £6 per day O2 Travel offer in all of the following destinations:

• British Virgin Islands
• Cayman Islands
• Costa Rica*
• Dominican Republic
• El Salvador*
• Madagascar*
• Netherlands Antilles
• New Zealand*
• Saint Lucia
• South Africa
• St Kitts & Nevis
• St Vincent & the Grenadines
• Trinidad & Tobago
• Turks & Caicos islands
• United Arab Emirates
• United States*

* This country is also part of the O2 Travel Inclusive Zone offer. If your tariff includes this offer, you won’t need to pay the £4.99/day charge.

To opt-in to the O2 Travel offer, text TRAVEL to 23336. It can take up to 24 hours for O2 Travel to be enabled on your account so it’s best to opt-in before departing on your trip. To opt-out of the offer and to pay O2’s standard international roaming rates instead, text NOTRAVEL to 23336.

The £6 per day O2 Travel offer isn’t available to customers on O2 Pay As You Go .

Roaming Speeds

According to their terms and conditions , there’s now a download speed limit of 2Mbps when you’re travelling abroad in other countries. This has applied from June 2022.

The 2Mbps speed limit should be enough for most day-to-day use such as browsing the web, sending messages and using social media. It’s also enough for things like maps and for listening to music. If you’re streaming online video, it should be possible to stream in standard-definition. However, it won’t be possible to stream in HD quality.

Fair Usage Policy

O2 has a fair usage policy for their O2 Travel international roaming service. The fair usage policy depends on whether you’re travelling to another European country or to a country outside of Europe.

Within Europe

According to O2’s terms and conditions , a surcharge may be applied for your usage if you spend more 63 days abroad in Europe over a rolling 4-month period. If you exceed the 63-day limit, O2 should give you the opportunity to demonstrate prevailing use in the UK. They should also give you two weeks notice before a surcharge is applied at a rate of 3.3p/minute, 1p/text and £4.50/GB of data.

Outside Europe

• The download speeds available for file transfer, online gaming, peer-to-peer downloads and network backup services is restricted. According to O2, these services “may not work with O2 Travel”.
• Audio and video streaming optimisation are in use. This may reduce the quality of your streaming content when abroad.
• The use of tethering and personal hotspot is not permitted in O2 Travel countries. This means you’re unable to share your data connection with other devices.
• When using O2 Travel outside Europe, your SIM card can only be used inside a smartphone.

Keeping Your Phone Number

If you’re joining O2 to take advantage of their O2 Travel offer, it’s a straightforward process to keep your current phone number .

To do so, ask your current mobile network to provide you with a PAC Code . You can get this through your mobile network’s website or app, or by texting PAC to 65075.

Once you’ve received the PAC Code from your old network, order your new mobile phone or SIM card from the O2 website. When it arrives, you can provide the PAC Code to O2 by submitting it through this online form . Your phone number transfer will then be scheduled by O2, normally for the next working day.

For a step-by-step guide on moving your phone number to O2 , please select your current mobile network from the drop down menu below:

Select your current mobile network:

Your current mobile network... BT Mobile EE giffgaff O2 Sky Mobile Three Virgin Mobile Vodafone 1pMobile ASDA Mobile Honest Mobile iD Mobile Lebara Mobile Lycamobile Orange Plusnet Mobile Smarty Superdrug Mobile Talk Home Talkmobile TalkTalk Mobile Tesco Mobile T-Mobile Vectone Mobile VOXI

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For more information about O2 Travel, please see O2’s official website .

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It's normal to feel tired on travel days: Why it happens, what you can do about it

• Travel can wear us out for a number of reasons, including stress, jet lag and changes in routine.
• Bathroom habits can also be affected by travel.
• There are things you can do to help make travel less tiring, including adjusting your light exposure and activity schedule before you travel.

Travel days are exhausting. Whether you’re crossing multiple time zones in a plane or just driving a few hours to visit a relative, chances are you’ll be sleepy when you get to your destination.

As someone who is ready to take a nap whenever the opportunity presents itself, I always assumed my travel fatigue was personality-related. It turns out, however, that it happens to just about everyone.

But why? What is it about going from place to place that wears us all down so much? And what can people do to make their trips easier? 

I spoke to Dr. Charlene Gamaldo at the Johns Hopkins Center for Sleep and Wellness and a professor of neurology and vice provost at Johns Hopkins University. She said every body (and every brain) is different, but there are a few universal techniques to make travel easier on yourself.

Why travel wears us out

I travel a lot, but no matter how often I do it, I find myself drowsy when I first get to where I’m going. Gamaldo told me that’s totally normal.

“From a circadian rhythm standpoint, depending on what direction you’re traveling and how many time zones you’re traveling across, that can certainly contribute to you feeling tired,” she said. 

Traveling also takes people out of their usual routine. Stress can wear us all out, too. 

“There are things that are unrelated to sleep that add to it in terms of the angst about getting your flight, making sure flights aren’t canceled,” Gamaldo said.

It makes sense. I always feel hyper-aware when I’m in an airport, making sure I’m going to the right gate, dodging slow walkers in the terminal and seeking out my traditional water bottle and pretzel purchase at Hudson News before I board. By the time I get on the plane or on the ground at my destination, I’m ready for a rest. 

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Toilet talk

I’ve certainly noticed this myself, and a few of my closest friends have confirmed that our bathroom habits often get thrown off when we travel.

I wasn’t planning to ask about this because I didn’t think it was relevant, but Gamaldo, unprompted, told me that bathroom behavior is also part of the travel fatigue story.

“A big form that folks don’t always appreciate or in retrospect they never made the connection is that GI disruption is probably the most common symptom with jet lag, not even fatigue or a sleep-related issue,” she said. “It’s usually your gut trying to get into this new circadian rhythm.”  

Gamaldo said settling your stomach can help your body adjust more quickly overall and help you feel less tired throughout your journey.

“One of the things that can help with your gut is remaining hydrated,” she said. “It’s really important you get hydrated for fatigue as well to help with your gut mobility.” 

How to adjust

Whether your fatigue is caused by stress in the airport, an upset stomach or plain old jet lag, there are things you can do to help make travel less tiring.

First, she said, “it’s really important to reflect back to experiences you’ve had in the past to understand how aggressive you need to be in preparing for jet lag. If your body does have a proclivity to suffering from jet lag, you want to prepare a day for every hour of time change.”

It can also be helpful to get yourself into a routine when you travel. If you have a regular rhythm when it comes to packing, heading to the airport and getting to your gate, it can make the whole experience less stressful and therefore less tiring.

When it comes to regular jet lag, the best techniques for preparing your body clock are adjusting your light exposure and activity schedule before you travel, Gamaldo said. That can help you be better adjusted throughout your trip, too.

“If you are going to be going two time zones back, you want to try to have your light exposure in the morning two hours earlier and then to turn off the light exposure two hours earlier as well,” she said. “That’s actually the most powerful way to do it along with activity.” 

Gamaldo said it also helps to think about what your schedule will be when you arrive to prepare during the trip itself.

“On the plane, if you’re going to be arriving in the morning at your destination, as much as you can, you want to rest or sleep on the plane,” Gamaldo said. “If you’re going to be arriving and it’s close to dinnertime you actually, probably, want to refrain from eating on the plane if you can and having dinner there and transitioning into sleep.”

Gamaldo said it’s important to be diligent about giving your body time to adjust, even on short trips, especially if past experience tells you you’re prone to travel fatigue.

“Typically, if people have a short trip, they’re more inclined to do a quicker turnaround,” she said. “That’s a lot to ask your body to do.”

Ultimately, she said, there are no real shortcuts to adjusting. Time, intention and patience are your best tools for combating sleepiness when you travel.

“Things like melatonin can be helpful, but the good-old-fashioned using light and activity is the most effective way to re-anchor your circadian clock.”

Zach Wichter is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in New York. You can reach him at [email protected].

The Key Points at the top of this article were created with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and reviewed by a journalist before publication. No other parts of the article were generated using AI. Learn more .

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511 Travel Info

News releases

July 22, 2024

Latest news releases

I-90 off-ramps closed to Hwy 52 southbound through November southeast of Rochester

ROCHESTER, Minn. – Motorists traveling on Interstate 90 will encounter off-ramp closures to Highway 52 southbound through November southeast of Rochester, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

I-90 eastbound and westbound motorists wanting to go south on Highway 52 should use Exit 218 , travel north on Highway 52 and exit at 50th Avenue, turn left and exit to southbound Highway 52. I-90 motorists can also take Exit 224 near Eyota and go south on Olmsted County Road 7 to access Highway 52 north of Chatfield.

I-90 eastbound and westbound motorists exiting to Highway 52 will be able to go north on Highway 52.

It is anticipated the ramps will reopen to traffic in November. People can view 511mn.org or the free mobile app to see traffic impacts and updates on schedules.

Additional traffic impacts are scheduled for this summer. A culvert will be installed under Highway 52 at the I-90 interchange and that area will be closed and detoured. Work is tentatively scheduled in August and will last a few days. The schedule will be communicated once it is determined. The following is the detour for the culvert work:

• Motorists going north on Highway 52 should go north on County Road 7, exit to westbound I-90 and take the Highway 52 exit to access northbound Highway 52.
• Motorists going south on Highway 52 should go south on Highway 63, exit to eastbound I-90 and take the Highway 52 exit to access southbound Highway 52.

This work is part of a three-year project that started July 15. During the project, crews will be replacing the I-90 bridges over Highway 52, constructing a new ramp for southbound Highway 52 to eastbound I-90, reconstructing all ramps and loops and replacing large culverts under interchange ramps. The project is expected to improve safety on the interchange ramps and intersections, increase clearance under the I-90 bridges over Highway 52 and improve traffic flow and reduce traffic delays through the interchange, which is a busy commuter and freight route. To learn more about this project, go to MnDOT’s website where you can also sign up to receive email and text message updates.

Safety in work zones

Motorists should always be prepared to encounter traffic changes when approaching work zones including lane closures, lane shifts, uneven road surfaces, slow-moving heavy equipment and slow or stopped traffic. To keep everyone safe, drivers must: 

• Obey posted speed limits . The fine for speeding in a work zone is $300.
• Drive undistracted. Avoid using cell phones, mobile devices, adjusting the radio – even eating –while in work zones.
• Move over. Give workers room to safely complete their work.
• Know before you go. Get real-time information about traffic and road conditions at www.511mn.org or get the free 511mn smartphone app at Google Play or the App Store.
• Be patient. Expect delays, especially during peak travel times.
• Do the zipper merge .
• Avoid making unnecessary lane changes.
• Never enter a road blocked with barriers or cones.

Stay connected, informed

• Check out other MnDOT southeast Minnesota construction projects and sign up for construction updates.

More From Forbes

This new extreme hotel in patagonia takes adventure travel to new heights.

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A capsule at Ovo Patagonia

The accommodations are transparent capsules hanging off a rock wall nearly 900 feet up. The access involves a mountain hike deep within Argentine Patagonia, followed by a via ferrata. The experience requires harnesses, helmets and a good dose of bravery.

“We want to make once-in-a-lifetime experiences in contact with heights and in contact with our most intimate experience of being out of our comfort zone,” says Ezequiel Ruete, the cofounder of Ovo Patagonia . “That’s actually our slogan: Get out of your comfort zone in comfort.”

In fact, the project is squarely within Ruete’s comfort zone. The Argentine adventurer has practiced the sport of high line—walking on cables stretched between mountain faces—for more than a decade, along with his cofounder, the architect Luis Aparicio. Along with the idea of introducing non-climbers to the joys of being suspended over a void, the adrenaline rush of facing a fear, and the mesmerizing pleasure of gazing at the condors and clouds drifting past Fitz Roy, the pair wanted the challenge of making a low-impact, artistic installation that would be easy to remove. They call their company Perspectiva Aérea—aerial perspective.

The bedroom level

After more than three years of working with a specialized team of mountaineers, engineers and geomechanical technicians, they’re opening in December what they’re billing as the highest hotel in the world, and the one that’s most exposed to the forces of nature. What they’re selling is far more than a night of stargazing in Patagonia. They’re selling the power of nature.

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Although wind is all but guaranteed (though they’ll reschedule a stay if the gusts exceed about 60 miles an hour) and vertigo is a real possibility, Ruete emphasizes that Ovo Patagonia is for any luxury traveler with a reasonable level of fitness and a sense of adventure. Experienced mountain guides accompany guests on the journey up and down, deliver dinner and breakfast, and sleep nearby with their radios turned on. Guests can contact them any time if they need a little reassurance.

The nuts and bolts work like this: Guests book a night at Ovo Patagonia (from $1,600 for two people) along with a three-night stay (not included) at the nearby Estancia Bonanza, whose property also encompasses the installation. They begin in the town of El Chatlén, from which they go by 4x4 to the main lodge, where they’re given backpacks and gear. From there it’s about an hour’s walk to the staging area, followed by the five-minute via ferrata (a system of platforms and staircases; no rappelling) that brings them to their capsule. Snacks and wine are waiting.

Tea and telescopes are among the amenities

“It’s very easy, but it is very high,” says Cecile Stuart, who is marketing the project. “There's a lot of handholding. When I did it, on the way in, I was super-cautious, but on the way out I did it so quickly. One of the concepts of the product is to go and try new things. I've never been hanging outside and exposed to wind and looking down. Everything is new, and whatever is new generates [emotion]…. So it is very life-changing.

“It’s admiring nature,” she continues, “but it’s everything combined.” It’s also very comfortable, even though hearing and feeling the wind is part of the deal.

Each of the four capsules has a three-level design and many of the trappings of terrestrial luxury hotel rooms. On the highest level, there’s a plush bed that fills most of the floor space. The middle level is for the living area, small dining table and bathroom, which has a chemical toilet and running water for the sink. A hammock-like net on the lowest level offers another chill-out space.

Lounging in the chill-out area

If you’re like me, you’ll have questions about the “how?” as well as the “why?” Ruete says they spent years completing studies and making decisions based on the criteria of low impact and easy removal. They studied the flight paths of condors. They ran wind simulations. They made scale models in their workspace in Buenos Aires. And eventually they built it—not the easy way, with a road for heavy equipment, but the hard way, with an aerial elevator that had far lower impact.

“We did it in a very artisanal but industrial way,” says Ruete. The engineers documented their studies and process and had everything validated by top engineering schools, and then “a lot of people with altitude experience” climbed up there and implemented them.

That’s reassuring for anyone who might be worried about a loose screw. Without getting too technical about it, “those capsules are really heavy,” notes Ruete. “They’re about two tons each,” and the while the wind mind wiggle such heavy objects, it’s not going to move them. (As anyone who has been in a skyscraper on a windy day knows, structures need to be aerodynamic and have a bit of give to withstand the physical forces on them.)

The four capsules of Ovo Patagonia

And the standards for the rigging are “extremely exaggerated”; each of the nine anchors supports about 35 tons, and they’re arranged in two overlapping structural stabilization systems. Everything is tested for winds up to 115 miles per hour (even though they’ll call off the trip for much less). Since I am a travel writer and not an engineer, I’ll leave my physics questions there, but the design is clearly redundant, in the positive, science-y sense of the word.

There’s unlikely to be anything redundant or boring about the experience. The flight of birds, the drift of clouds and the glimmer of stars become captivating from such a high perch. And the capsules make it accessible even when conditions prevent normal climbing.

“Perhaps you cannot be outside in the wind today, but here you can be inside but with comfort. It is crazy,” says Ruete. “You don’t feel the wind directly, but you will perceive the wind. That’s the interesting part of the experience: to feel the nature around you without wanting that nature to not be alive.”

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Chaos and Confusion: Tech Outage Causes Disruptions Worldwide

Airlines, hospitals and people’s computers were affected after CrowdStrike, a cybersecurity company, sent out a flawed software update.

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By Adam Satariano ,  Paul Mozur ,  Kate Conger and Sheera Frenkel

• July 19, 2024

Airlines grounded flights. Operators of 911 lines could not respond to emergencies. Hospitals canceled surgeries. Retailers closed for the day. And the actions all traced back to a batch of bad computer code.

A flawed software update sent out by a little-known cybersecurity company caused chaos and disruption around the world on Friday. The company, CrowdStrike , based in Austin, Texas, makes software used by multinational corporations, government agencies and scores of other organizations to protect against hackers and online intruders.

But when CrowdStrike sent its update on Thursday to its customers that run Microsoft Windows software, computers began to crash.

The fallout, which was immediate and inescapable, highlighted the brittleness of global technology infrastructure. The world has become reliant on Microsoft and a handful of cybersecurity firms like CrowdStrike. So when a single flawed piece of software is released over the internet, it can almost instantly damage countless companies and organizations that depend on the technology as part of everyday business.

“This is a very, very uncomfortable illustration of the fragility of the world’s core internet infrastructure,” said Ciaran Martin, the former chief executive of Britain’s National Cyber Security Center and a professor at the Blavatnik School of Government at Oxford University.

A cyberattack did not cause the widespread outage, but the effects on Friday showed how devastating the damage can be when a main artery of the global technology system is disrupted. It raised broader questions about CrowdStrike’s testing processes and what repercussions such software firms should face when flaws in their code cause major disruptions.

How a Software Update Crashed Computers Around the World

Here’s a visual explanation for how a faulty software update crippled machines.

While outages are common, often caused by technical errors or cyberattacks, the scale of what unfolded on Friday was unparalleled.

“This is historic,” said Mikko Hypponen, the chief research officer at WithSecure, a cybersecurity company. “We haven’t had an incident like this.”

George Kurtz, CrowdStrike’s chief executive, said that the company took responsibility for the mistake and that a software fix had been released. He warned that it could be some time before tech systems returned to normal.

“We’re deeply sorry for the impact that we’ve caused to customers, to travelers, to anyone affected by this,” he said in an interview on Friday on NBC’s “Today” show.

Satya Nadella, Microsoft’s chief executive, blamed CrowdStrike and said the company was working to help customers “bring their systems back online.” Apple and Linux machines were not affected by the CrowdStrike software update.

A White House official said the administration was in “regular contact” with CrowdStrike and had convened agencies to assess the impact of the outage on the federal government’s operations.

CrowdStrike, founded in 2011 by Mr. Kurtz and others, has built a reputation over the years as a firm that could solve even the toughest security problems. It was tapped to investigate a 2014 hack of Sony Pictures and the 2016 hack of the Democratic National Committee, which exposed Hillary Clinton’s emails.

But problems stemming from CrowdStrike’s products have surfaced before. In April, the company pushed a software update to customers running the Linux system that crashed computers, according to an internal CrowdStrike report sent to customers about the incident, which was obtained by The New York Times.

The bug, which did not appear to be related to Friday’s outage, took CrowdStrike nearly five days to fix, the report said. CrowdStrike promised to improve its testing process going forward, according to the report.

On Thursday, the tech issues began when Microsoft dealt with an outage on its cloud service system, Azure, which affected some airlines .

Then CrowdStrike sent an update for its software called Falcon Sensor , which scans a computer for intrusions and signs of hacking. If everything had gone according to plan, CrowdStrike’s software would have received minor improvements and customers would have hardly noticed.

Instead, when CrowdStrike’s faulty update reached computers running Microsoft Windows, it caused the machines to shut down and then endlessly reboot. Workers around the world were greeted with what is known as the “blue screen of death” on their computers. Insufficient testing at CrowdStrike was a likely source of the problem, experts said.

As computers restarted themselves over and over, known as the “doom loop,” there was little CrowdStrike could do to fix the problem. Tech staff at affected companies were faced with a choice: walk around to each machine and remove the bit of flawed code, or wait and hope for a solution from CrowdStrike.

The problems cascaded instantly. At Sydney Airport in Australia, travelers encountered delays and cancellations, as did those in Hong Kong, India, Dubai, Berlin and Amsterdam. At least five U.S. airlines — Allegiant Air, American, Delta, Spirit and United — grounded all flights for a time, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

How the airline cancellations rippled around the world (and across time zones)

Share of canceled flights at 25 airports on Friday

50% of flights

Ai r po r t

Bengalu r u K empeg o wda

Dhaka Shahjalal

Minneapolis-Saint P aul

Stuttga r t

Melbou r ne

Be r lin B r anden b urg

London City

Amsterdam Schiphol

Chicago O'Hare

Raleigh−Durham

B r adl e y

Cha r lotte

Reagan National

Philadelphia

1:20 a.m. ET

Health care systems were crippled, forcing hospitals to cancel noncritical surgeries. In the United States, 911 lines went down in multiple states, though many of those problems were being resolved later on Friday. Britain’s National Health Service also reported issues.

“We knew we had a catastrophe on our hands,” said B.J. Moore, the chief information officer for Providence Health, which has 52 hospitals in seven states. He said 15,000 servers were down and 40,000 out of Providence’s 150,000 computers were affected, adding that it was “worse than a cyberattack."

The United Parcel Service and FedEx said they were affected. Customers with TD Bank, one of the biggest banks in the United States, reported issues accessing their online accounts. Several state and municipal court systems closed for the day because of the outage.

At CrowdStrike, engineers described an atmosphere of confusion as the company struggled to contain the damage.

Executives urged employees not to speculate on why the mistake happened and directed them to focus on a fix for the computers that were affected, said two engineers who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. Computers not connected to the cloud required a physical fix to the error introduced by CrowdStrike, they said, which could take weeks.

Within several hours of the faulty software going out, CrowdStrike sent out a software patch as a fix that would stop computers from endlessly rebooting.

Lukasz Olejnik, an independent cybersecurity researcher and consultant, said the outage would still take time to resolve because a suggested solution for some organizations involved rebooting each computer manually into safe mode, deleting a specific file and then restarting the computer.

While that is a relatively straightforward process, security experts said, it may not be easy to do at scale. Those with organized and well-staffed information technology teams could potentially fix the issues more quickly, Mr. Olejnik said.

Unlike the iPhone software updates that Apple sends to customers, the incident highlighted information technology systems that operate in the background. The CrowdStrike issues were compounded because the software being updated performed critical cybersecurity tasks, giving it access to scan a computer to look for viruses and other malicious attacks.

Cybersecurity tools operate quietly in the background to defend computers against attacks. The software is frequently updated with new defenses as hackers develop fresh methods of attack, but constant updates mean there are many opportunities for mistakes to happen.

“One of the tricky parts of security software is it needs to have absolute privileges over your entire computer in order to do its job,” said Thomas Parenty, a cybersecurity consultant and a former U.S. National Security Agency analyst. “So if there’s something wrong with it, the consequences are vastly greater than if your spreadsheet doesn’t work.”

On Friday, the stock price of CrowdStrike, which reported $3 billion in annual revenue last year, closed down 11 percent.

CrowdStrike’s stock price so far this year

The company faces questions about what liabilities it and other software makers face for major disruptions and cybersecurity incidents. The consequences for significant outages can be so minimal that companies are not motivated to make more fundamental changes, experts said. While a car manufacturer would face stiff penalties for faulty brakes, a software provider can often issue another update and move on.

“Until software companies have to pay a price for faulty products, we will be no safer tomorrow than we are today,” Mr. Parenty said.

Meaghan Tobin , Aaron Krolik and Jill Cowan contributed reporting.

Adam Satariano is a technology correspondent for The Times, based in London. More about Adam Satariano

Paul Mozur is the global technology correspondent for The Times, based in Taipei. Previously he wrote about technology and politics in Asia from Hong Kong, Shanghai and Seoul. More about Paul Mozur

Kate Conger is a technology reporter based in San Francisco. She can be reached at [email protected]. More about Kate Conger

Sheera Frenkel is a reporter based in the San Francisco Bay Area, covering the ways technology impacts everyday lives with a focus on social media companies, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube, Telegram and WhatsApp. More about Sheera Frenkel