MasterCard's 'Fare Free Mondays' Returns to London Next Week for Apple Pay Users

MasterCard has announced that it will be relaunching its "Fare Free Mondays" promotion in London, England next week. Each Monday between February 29 and March 14, commuters using Apple Pay to touch in and out of the Transport for London network will be reimbursed for travel costs that are paid for with a U.K. MasterCard.


The promotion is valid for travel on London Buses, London Underground, London Trams, Docklands Light Railway, London Overground, TfL Rail, Emirates Air Line, and most National Rail services in London, where a yellow card reader is present. MasterCard will reimburse up to £28.10 per person on each of the three Mondays.

The exact dates and times for "Fare Free Mondays" based on London time:

- Monday, February 29 at 4:30 a.m. to Tuesday, March 1 at 1:00 a.m.
- Monday, March 7 at 4:30 a.m. to Tuesday, March 8 at 1:00 a.m.
- Monday, March 14 at 4:30 a.m. to Tuesday, March 15 at 1:00 a.m.

The promotion was first offered on Mondays between November 23 and December 14.

Related Roundup: Apple Pay

Popular Stories

Aston Martin CarPlay Ultra Screen

Apple's CarPlay Ultra to Expand to These Vehicle Brands Later This Year

Sunday February 1, 2026 10:08 am PST by
Last year, Apple launched CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. Nearly nine months later, CarPlay Ultra is still limited to Aston Martin's latest luxury vehicles, but that should change fairly soon. In May 2025, Apple said many other vehicle brands planned to offer CarPlay Ultra, including Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis. In his Powe...
Apple Logo Black

Apple Just Made Its Second-Biggest Acquisition Ever After Beats

Thursday January 29, 2026 10:07 am PST by
Apple today confirmed to Reuters that it has acquired Q.ai, an Israeli startup that is working on artificial intelligence technology for audio. Apple paid close to $2 billion for Q.ai, according to sources cited by the Financial Times. That would make this Apple's second-biggest acquisition ever, after it paid $3 billion for the popular headphone and audio brand Beats in 2014. Q.ai has...
Apple Logo Black

Apple's Next Launch is 'Imminent'

Sunday February 1, 2026 12:31 pm PST by
The calendar has turned to February, and a new report indicates that Apple's next product launch is "imminent," in the form of new MacBook Pro models. "All signs point to an imminent launch of next-generation MacBook Pros that retain the current form factor but deliver faster chips," Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said on Sunday. "I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated...
14 inch MacBook Pro Keyboard

Apple Changes How You Order a Mac

Saturday January 31, 2026 10:51 am PST by
Apple recently updated its online store with a new ordering process for Macs, including the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro. There used to be a handful of standard configurations available for each Mac, but now you must configure a Mac entirely from scratch on a feature-by-feature basis. In other words, ordering a new Mac now works much like ordering an...
Apple MacBook Pro M4 hero

New MacBook Pros Reportedly Launching Alongside macOS 26.3

Sunday February 1, 2026 5:42 am PST by
Apple is planning to launch new MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips alongside macOS 26.3, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "Apple's faster MacBook Pros are planned for the macOS 26.3 release cycle," wrote Gurman, in his Power On newsletter today. "I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated for the macOS 26.3 software cycle, which runs from...

Top Rated Comments

Gasu E. Avatar
130 months ago
Ah yes. And Visa uses get the shaft.
How about doing it EVERY MONDAY from now on, instead of a virtuous "Aren't we wonderful!" promo month? If you are giving something kind, make it PERMANENT.
As Americans, we inherited much from our English forebears; including language, concepts of government and human rights, and the ability to be ungracious entitled ingrates. Thanks, England, for your many gifts!
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JohnApples Avatar
130 months ago
"There's no way my fellow MacRumors readers will be able to put a negative spin on something like this!"

I'm ashamed of my own naivety and stupidity.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ArtOfWarfare Avatar
130 months ago
How about doing it EVERY MONDAY from now on, instead of a virtuous "Aren't we wonderful!" promo month? If you are giving something kind, make it PERMANENT.
Uh, what? This is pretty generous - they're losing up to $120/person during each of these promotions. There's no way they could afford to make it permanent.

The aim of the promotion is to make customers try it and see how convenient it is. Once they realize how convenient it is, MasterCard hopes they'll keep doing it (without the financial incentive).

I guess they could have a permanent promotion of "The first 3 days that you use Apple Pay to commute, we'll reimburse you up to $40/day."
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Amazing Iceman Avatar
130 months ago
Why don't we get a "Free Gas Monday" here in the U.S.???
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mike2413088 Avatar
130 months ago
Well at least you guys in London have the brains to use contactless cards, chip, and mobile payments.

Here in America we listen to:
"What? Contactless? What's that?"
"No, I'm not using a contactless card, they're stupid and dangerous."
"Mobile phone payments aren't safe, I'll just swipe my card instead."
"Why do I have to insert the card instead? That's stupid."
[doublepost=1456418042][/doublepost]
Ah yes. And Visa uses get the shaft.
Why would you even use a Visa anyways? MasterCard is more widely accepted, and there's no advantage to choosing a Visa over a MasterCard.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
uid15 Avatar
130 months ago
Seems rather... unfare
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)