Deep dive into how expensive Tube is compared to other global cities

Since the price rise, a one-day adult travelcard for Zones 1 to 6 costs £23.60 and a seven-day travelcard costs £81.60, but is this a lot for a major metro? Regulated rail fares across England and Wales rose by 4.6 per cent earlier in March, including on the Tube network.

The world’s oldest metro system, the London Underground runs more than 3million journeys daily according to Transport for London (TfL), serving commuters, shoppers and tourists. And yet, compared to other metropolises, it is expensive.

For instance, all single ride fares in New York are set at £2.30 (all currencies have been converted to pound sterling), while in London it costs between £2.80 and £5.80 depending on when and where you’re going. Commenting on the differences, both the Campaign for Better Transport (CBT) and TfL pointed to the funding structure.

Michael Solomon Williams, Head of Campaigns at CBT, said: “Unfavourable comparisons with other leading global cities suggests that TfL's exceptionally revenue-dependent model may act as a barrier to more affordable fares.” Meanwhile TfL cited the government subsidies and dedicated taxes that other metros receive which it says accounts for between 40 and 60 per cent of metro’s revenues in Europe and North America.

A spokesperson added: “If these weren't in place, fares in those countries would likely either be more in line with, or more expensive than TfL’s.” But just how much more expensive is travelling around London? We took a look at prices across five other major cities around the world to see how it stacks up.

New York

The Big Apple doesn’t offer a one-day travelcard, instead capping all single-ride fares at £2.30, no matter the distance. For comparison a single ride on the London Underground just in Zone 1 (central London) costs £2.80 in peak times; to travel from Zone 1 to 6 it’s £5.80 if you have an Oyster card.

For a seven-day travelcard ticket the difference truly is stark. To use the New York Subway and buses as much as you want for a week it’s £27.50, the equivalent for London is £81.60.

Shanghai

After a recent expansion Shanghai has reclaimed its title of the world’s largest metro system from nearby rival Beijing. Amazingly it has over double the track of the London Underground, which itself isn’t shabby at 250 miles. Equally, riding on it will be less of a punch to your purse.

A one-day travelcard for Shanghai costs just under two quid while its three-day pass will set you back £4.90 – that’s approximately a fifth of the price of one day in the UK capital.

Paris

In the city of love, a Navigo pass is the ticket most locals use. It allows unlimited travel across the city and the wider Île-de-France region for £9.90 for one day and just over £26 for a week. However, the Navigo is intended for locals and, instead, visitors are encouraged to buy the Visite pass, which costs £24.70 for twenty-four hours – more expensive than London – though it does provide discounts to some popular attractions.

Berlin

In the German capital, home of one of the world’s most infamous former walls and a global capital for electronic rave music, a BVG ticket costs around a tenner. It gives you access to all of Berlin’s transport systems for the day and is cheaper than the London equivalent.

Its seven-day ticket is £43.50, which is around half the price of London’s, and a single-ride across all its zones is £3.90, slightly more expensive than on the Underground at off-peak times, but almost two quid cheaper than during peak hours.

Mexico City

As well as hosting the annual Day of the Dead festival every November, Mexico City boasts North America’s second largest metro system (after New York). It will whisk you across the city for a paltry 20 pence per ride, no matter how far you go – although you will need to pay 60 pence for the original card, which can be used.

As such for the cost of a one-day travelcard in London, you can take 115 rides on the Mexico City subway, approximately two months’ worth of commuting.

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