You can use K Ring to pay-as-you-go on bus, Tube, trams, DLR, London Overground, TfL Rail, Emirates Air Line, Thames Clipper River Bus and most National Rail services in London. You can also use K Ring to pay on an increasing number of bus routes around the country and at some train and metro stations outside London.

Using K Ring on public transport

  1. Locate the “active area” of the card reader at Tube and train stations or on buses, typically indicated by the contactless payments symbol. At Tube and train stations, the card readers are usually located on the ticket barriers or near entrances/exits.
  2. Close your hand into this shape to make the Transmission Ready gesture. The flat part of your fingers indicated will need to be closest to the card reader.
  3. “Touch in” by lowering your hand over the card reader, so that your K Ring is directly over its active area – and no more than 4cm from its surface.
  4. Keep your hand in place until you see a green light and/or hear a beep – or see the barriers open. At Tube and train stations, you will also have to “touch out” again.

Using K Ring on TfL

If you use K Ring on London’s public transport network, you’ll benefit not just from a daily cap, but also from a Monday to Sunday weekly cap, which means that it will never cost you more than a daily or weekly travelcard.

However, it’s important to note that the cap runs Monday to Sunday, so if you were going to make many journeys in London over a seven day period that started on a day other than Monday, a weekly Oyster travelcard could be slightly cheaper... but much less convenient!

Don’t forget to also “touch in” at the pink Oyster readers when changing between lines at Tube stations; the pink readers track your journey across the Tube network and ensure you pay the cheapest fare.

Please note: to avoid card clash, make sure you're not holding a contactless payment card, Oyster card, wallet, purse or phone in your ring hand – or your payment may be taken from the wrong card or device.

Having difficulties?

  • Have you activated your K Ring and linked it to an account (either the K Wearables Virtual Prepaid Mastercard, or directly to your bank account)?
  • Is your K Ring set to authorise transactions (it must be set to "ON" in Devices)?
  • Are there sufficient funds in your account?
  • Are you using your K Ring in the way outlined above?

If you need more help, please use the Help button at the bottom of the screen to get in touch.