When and where to use your freedom pass
Using your freedom pass to travel free is straightforward.
To help you, we have provided a list below which tells you which types of transport you can use and when you can use them.
You may wish to contact a particular transport service operator to check with them about your journey. Contact details for each service can be found below:
For general London travel information contact:
See www.tfl.gov.uk
Contact travinfo@tfl.gov.uk
Phone 020 7222 1234
Write to: 55 Broadway, London SW1H 0BD
Oyster contact details
See: www.tfl.gov.uk/oyster
Phone: 0845 330 9876
How to use your pass correctly
Times you can travel
The Freedom Pass can now be used 24 hours a day on all Transport for London services and on National Rail from 9.30am.
Where you can travel
The Freedom Pass allows you free travel in London. If you travel outside
the valid areas you will need to buy
a ticket or you may have to to pay a Penalty Fare.
Using your pass on the:
Bus
Tube
National Rail
Docklands Light Railway
Trams
Thames River services
Bus
The older and disabled person's Freedom Pass is now accepted 24 hours on London buses.
The Freedom Pass is valid on some local bus routes in and around the boundaries of London, which are not part of the Transport for London bus network. You should contact the relevant bus company to check if these special routes accept the freedom pass.
All freedom passes issued to older London residents and most freedom passes issued to disabled London residents can be used on local bus services anywhere in England.
Outside of London, these pass holders are able to travel free between 9:30am and 11:00pm Monday to Friday, all day at weekends and on public holidays.
You will need to show your freedom pass and photocard to the bus driver.
A freedom pass is only valid outside London if it has a 2010 expiry date, a red rose logo and a bus hologram. The pass is not be valid on tram, light rail, metro or train services outside London.
A minority of disabled passes are issued at the discretion of the local council and so under Government legislation are not valid for use ouside London. These have a different sticker with a 2010 expiry date and the words 'London Only'.
See: www.tfl.gov.uk/buses
Contact: customerservices@tfl-buses.co.uk
Phone: 0845 300 7000
Write to: London Buses, Floor 5, 84 Eccelston Square, London SW12 1PX
Tube
The Freedom Pass is accepted 24 hours a day, every day on TfL tube services.
See www.tfl.gov.uk/tube
Contact Online feedback form
Phone: 084 5330 9880
Write to: London Underground, Customer
Service Centre. Albany House 55 Broadway, London SW1H 0BD
National Rail
Free travel for all freedom pass holders in standard accommodation on most local rail services between 9.30am and 4.30am the following morning Monday to Friday, plus all day at weekends and on public holidays. On some routes Freedom Pass holders may travel free 24 hours. See the freedom pass travel map for further details.
The freedom pass is NOT valid for travel on train services operated by Arriva CrossCountry, Grand Central, Hull Trains, East Midlands Trains, Gatwick Express, National Express East Coast, Virgin Trains and Heathrow Express, or on Heathrow Connect between Hayes & Harlington and Heathrow.
For travel beyond the freedom pass area you must buy a separate extension ticket before you travel. Please show your freedom pass at the ticket office when buying tickets. Holders of Senior and Disabled Persons Railcards may be able to obtain a discount on the price of extension tickets.
See: www.nationalrail.co.uk
Contact: online feedback form
Phone: 0845 748 4950
Write to: National Rail, Customer Relations. Selecta Vost, 31 Rotherham
S97 32X
Docklands Light Railway
The Freedom Pass is accepted 24 hours a day, every day.
See www.tfl.gov.uk/dlr
Contact: cservice@dlr.co.uk
Phone: 020 7363 9700
Write to: Docklands Light Rail, Castor Lane, London NE12 8AE
Trams
The Freedom Pass is accepted 24 hours a day, every day.
See: www.tfl.gov.uk/trams
Contact: feedback@tramlink.info
Phone: 020 8681 8300
Write to: Tramlink, Coomber Way, Croydon CRO 40Q
Thames River services
Holders of Freedom Passes are entitled to a 50% discount on normal river fares after 09:00hrs Mondays to Fridays and at any time on Saturdays, Sundays and Public Bank Holidays on the following services:
- Thames Clippers - Embankment and London Eye to the O2 and Woolwich Arsenal
- Thames Clippers - Bankside to Millbank
- Thames Clippers - Hilton Docklands to Canary Wharf shuttle
- Thames Executive Charters - Putney and Wandsworth to Embankment and Blackfriars
- Crown River Cruises - Westminster to St Katherine's Hop-on, Hop-off circular
- City Cruises - Westminster and London Eye to Tower and Greenwich
- Thames River Services - Westminster to Greenwich (and Thames Barrier Cruise in summer only)
- Westminster Passenger Services (Upriver) - Westminster to Kew, Richmond and Hampton Court (summer only)
The Woolwich ferry is free to all users at all times.
Telephone 020 7222 1234 for further details
Accessibility
For advice on accessibility at stations and on vehicles and trains visit the Transport for London website or call 020 7737 2339 for buses, Tube, Docklands Light Railway and trams, or 08457 48 49 50 for National Rail.
The freedom pass is the 'travel permit' for the purposes of the GLA 1999 Act and the Concessionary Bus Travel Act 2007.
The scheme is managed by London Councils on behalf of all the London boroughs.
