You tap in with your card. Then you tap out. Again and again. And somewhere in the TfL cloud of magic, a little computer keeps score. It adds up every bus ride, tube journey, and DLR trip you take.
At some point—poof!—the computer stops charging you for the rest of the day. That’s the cap. You hit it. And now you ride for free until midnight. It’s like an all-you-can-eat buffet, but for public transport. And with less regret.
Why you should care (beyond the obvious)
Here’s the fun part: the cap varies by zone. If you’re just knocking around Zone 1 and 2, the cap is lower. If you’re braving Zone 6 to see friends in Zone “why is it so far?”, it’s higher. But it’s always cheaper than buying individual paper tickets. Always. You’ll never pay more than the cap, even if you ride the tube like a maniac trying to visit every Pret a Manger in London. And yes, I’ve considered that challenge.
