Elizabeth line ticket prices: How much are fares and can you use your Oyster card?

The day finally arrived: to much fanfare, the first section of the new Elizabeth line, also known as Crossrail, was unveiled on 24 May.

It may be 41 months late and £4bn over budget, but the purple-branded transport link’s inauguration was met by much excitement.

The line will eventually connect Reading, southwest of the capital, to Shenfield in the southeast from May 2023, as well as running to Heathrow airport terminals. For now, the section from Abbey Wood to Paddington station is up and running (minus Bond Street, not currently accessible from the line).

But how much does it cost to take a ride on London’s shiny new line? Here’s everything you need to know.

Fares match those of the London Underground, priced according to the Zones passengers travel between. The central section that’s currently open has stations spanning Zones 1-4.

Transport for London’s (TfL) fare caps will also apply for those using Oyster or contactless payment to travel; it means those travelling within Zones 1 and 2 will never pay more than £7.70 no matter how many journeys they take in a day (Zones 1-3 capped at £9.00; Zones 1-4 capped at £11.00).

Using contactless or Oyster payment, a journey within Zones 1 and 2 costs £2.50; those buying a paper ticket would pay £6.30 (or £14.40 for a day travel card, which covers unlimited journeys between the two Zones).

Those travelling the full length of the Elizabeth line - Abbey Wood to Paddington - will pay £4.30 for a single journey at peak times (Monday to Friday, from 6.30-9.30am) or £3.10 at all other times, including public holidays, when using Oyster or contactless payment. Paper tickets cost £6.30 anytime (or £14.40 for a day travel card out to Zone 4, enabling unlimited journeys).

The entire line once finished will run out to Zone 9 in the east (Brentwood) and beyond; to the west it will run to Zone 6 (West Drayton and Heathrow airport terminals) and beyond. Fares within the Zones will reflect usual TfL prices - a journey from Brentwood to West Drayton will cost £9.10 at peak times (Monday to Friday from 6.30-9.30am and from 4-7pm) and £6.30 off peak (all other times including public holidays).

Jounreys from Heathrow Airport to Paddington will have their own cost: £10.70 off-peak and £12.70 at peak times.

Special fares will apply to Shenfield plus the following stations past West Drayton:

To ride the entire line from Reading to Shenfield (which will require two changes at Paddington and Liverpool Street respectively until late 2022) will cost you £29.60 at peak times (Monday to Friday from 6.30-9.30am) and £17 at all other times, including public holidays, when using contactless card payment.

Contactless card payment is fine to use across the entire line.

Pay As You Go Oyster cards and Travelcards are also accepted on some of the line, but they won’t be valid for stations west of West Drayton once that part of the Crossrail service is open.

Beyond West Drayton, travellers must use paper tickets or contactless payment, according to Transport for London.

When the Elizabeth line is fully open, those travelling to Reading, Heathrow or Shenfield will need to change at Paddington or Liverpool Street stations and tap out to continue their journey.