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

m5 macbook pro deal

Why You Shouldn't Buy the Next MacBook Pro

Tuesday February 10, 2026 4:27 pm PST by
Apple is planning to launch new MacBook Pro models as soon as early March, but if you can, this is one generation you should skip because there's something much better in the works. We're waiting on 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, with few changes other than the processor upgrade. There won't be any tweaks to the design or the display, but later this...
iOS 26

Apple Releases iOS 26.3 and iPadOS 26.3

Wednesday February 11, 2026 10:07 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 26.3 and iPadOS 26.3, the latest updates to the iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 operating systems that came out in September. The new software comes almost two months after Apple released iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. According to Apple's release notes, ...
Apple Logo Zoomed

Apple Expected to Launch These 10+ Products Over the Coming Months

Tuesday February 10, 2026 6:33 am PST by
It has been a slow start to 2026 for Apple product launches, with only a new AirTag and a special Apple Watch band released so far. We are still waiting for MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, the iPhone 17e, a lower-cost MacBook with an iPhone chip, long-rumored updates to the Apple TV and HomePod mini, and much more. Apple is expected to release/update the following products...
iPhone 16e Bottom Crop

Apple Reportedly Unveiling a New iPhone Next Week

Tuesday February 10, 2026 1:51 pm PST by
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld. The report said the iPhone 17e will be announced in a press release on the Apple Newsroom website, so do not expect an event for this device specifically. The iPhone 17e will be a spec-bumped successor to the iPhone 16e. Rumors claim the device will have four key...
Apple Logo Black

Apple Acquires New Database App

Wednesday February 11, 2026 6:44 am PST by
Apple acquired Canadian graph database company Kuzu last year, it has emerged. The acquisition, spotted by AppleInsider, was completed in October 2025 for an undisclosed sum. The company's website was subsequently taken down and its Github repository was archived, as is commonplace for Apple acquisitions. Kuzu was "an embedded graph database built for query speed, scalability, and easy of ...

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)
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)