Our Greater London Megathread

exiledelbows · 08-09-2014 12:01am

Muahahaha wrote: »

Whats the best/cheapest way to get tickets for the West End? Preferably online, I know its possible to get tickets last minute there but would prefer book in advance as we want to see the Book of Mormon and it seems popular.

I checked on ebay but no bargains there, seems Stubhub are the only ones selling overpriced tickets. Where can you find people selling tickets for dates they cant make, is there a site where you can get advance tickets at least at some discount ?

They do a lottery on the day so that might be your best bet, as you've basically already mentioned the only ways people who don't want tickets sell them on. If you really want to see it, then book it a few months in advance and then book your flights around it. It's incredibly popular, so it's unlikely you'll find tickets for whatever couple of days you happen to be in London

schemingbohemia · 08-09-2014 10:53am

Muahahaha wrote: »

Whats the best/cheapest way to get tickets for the West End? Preferably online, I know its possible to get tickets last minute there but would prefer book in advance as we want to see the Book of Mormon and it seems popular.

I checked on ebay but no bargains there, seems Stubhub are the only ones selling overpriced tickets. Where can you find people selling tickets for dates they cant make, is there a site where you can get advance tickets at least at some discount ?

When I went to see it (brilliant show) there was a huge queue waiting on returns don't think many of them got in.

TheBandicoot · 08-09-2014 11:51am

What's the best option for getting to Gatwick quickly on a Sunday, ideally from London Bridge(hotel is near Tower Hill tube station too)? I'm thinking a Southern service from Victoria, since there seem to be no direct service?

My inward journey is on a Friday, can get an FCC fast service to LBG so that's ok- but if I got an open return would it be valid for the Southern service? Should I just get two separate singles?

exiledelbows · 08-09-2014 12:26pm

Return tickets from airports rarely save you that much money anyway. If there's no trains from London Bridge, check from Blackfriars (same line) as maybe they're just not stopping at London Bridge due to improvement works.

To get a full overview, go to National Rail's journey planner and put in Gatwick > London {all stations}

TheBandicoot · 08-09-2014 12:54pm

Thanks, in the end went with two anytime singles, an FCC one for Friday and a Southern one for Sunday. Will walk from London Bridge to hotel on Friday and take the tube to Victoria on Sunday.

exiledelbows · 08-09-2014 1:09pm

Good call. FYI the Circle/District line isn't running that weekend. But you can just get the Jubilee from London Bridge and change at Green Park for the Victoria line instead, just give yourself a bit more time.

TheBandicoot · 08-09-2014 1:18pm

Wow, thanks for that, didn't think to check. Guess that puts a bit of a spanner in the works, but nothing major to work around like you say. Thanks for pointing that out.

Dr. Nick · 14-09-2014 7:19pm

Travelling just afer Christmas with wife, 17-old, 12-y-old. Four day stay and apartment looks like the best option, opinions? Looking at homelettings.co.uk but if there are other recommendations I'd appreciate it.....

cocoman · 14-09-2014 10:04pm

Dr. Nick wrote: »

Travelling just afer Christmas with wife, 17-old, 12-y-old. Four day stay and apartment looks like the best option, opinions? Looking at homelettings.co.uk but if there are other recommendations I'd appreciate it.....

You could try Airbnb.com. I haven't used it but i have been looking at it for a trip to London next year. There's an option to select an entire property rather than the traditional b&b. Some lovely places available. I would be interested to hear if anyone has used Airbnb for London stays

Diairist · 15-09-2014 8:24pm

Completely unpredictable but worth a look is toutless:

http://www.toutless.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=19698&sid=262be724aac4e2e2311a9a33cf765eac

anne burnell · 15-09-2014 8:53pm

check out the premier inns.... they are super, and if you book well in advance you can get rooms for 4 people for £29 for the room....I'm heading next friday and staying in the Premier Inn at Wembley stadium for £200 for 4 nites....there are 2 of us, so thats only £25 per nite each...

ultraman1 · 22-09-2014 8:53pm

What's the minimum connection time in stanstead,..leaving Dublin on Ryanair at 06:35,,,,to connect with Ryan air leaving stanstead at 08:45.....enough time? Thanks in advance

kerry4sam · 22-09-2014 10:10pm

ultraman1 wrote: »

What's the minimum connection time in stanstead,..leaving Dublin on Ryanair at 06:35,,,,to connect with Ryan air leaving stanstead at 08:45.....enough time? Thanks in advance

A quick search tells me your flight over will be approx, all-going-well, 1hr 15mins giving you 55mins roughly.
Are you checking in luggage?

Thanks,
kerry4sam

athtrasna · 22-09-2014 10:53pm

ultraman1 wrote: »

What's the minimum connection time in stanstead,..leaving Dublin on Ryanair at 06:35,,,,to connect with Ryan air leaving stanstead at 08:45.....enough time? Thanks in advance

There's no connection as such, Ryanair are a point to point airline meaning you need to exit arrivals and then go to Departures and go through security and head to gate. You're treated like any other departing passenger, no allowances for flight being late or security queue being too long.

I wouldn't allow less than two hours at Standstead, got stuck behind two flights going to Israel at security once, queue was 90 minutes.

Marcusm · 22-09-2014 11:18pm

athtrasna wrote: »

There's no connection as such, Ryanair are a point to point airline meaning you need to exit arrivals and then go to Departures and go through security and head to gate. You're treated like any other departing passenger, no allowances for flight being late or security queue being too long.

I wouldn't allow less than two hours at Standstead, got stuck behind two flights going to Israel at security once, queue was 90 minutes.

+1 on this; there is no MCT (minimum connection time) because there are only separate tickets and you are not protected even in the event that the inbound aircraft is late.

jrar · 28-09-2014 8:26pm

Hi, heading to London for 3/4 days for mid-term with wife and 2 girls (11 & 14) and looking at booking apartment rather than a hotel room because of cost (and would give us some flex to even in once or twice rather than dining out every lunch/dinner etc.)

Trying to work out what's our best option for travel each day - don't fancy paying per trip but the multi-trip options are a bit confusing. There's a Travel Card option and an Oyster Visitor Card option - wouldn't be travelling extensively every day but being a large city, we'd certainly be hopping on and off the odd tube or bus.

The oyster card option seems to imply that once you've swiped £8.40 worth of trips, that's the max you will be charged i.e. all further trips that day are "free". Am I being naive to think that one person could have a card and "swipe" for travel for all 4 or would each of us require one i.e. over £30 sterling per day min. to cover travel ?

Visitor cards can only be bought outside of the country so I need to get this element of the trip sorted before we go (especially as buses are all cashless now)

Anyone used any of these tourist/visitor cards recently who can recommend the best way to get max. value from them ? Not interested in discounts from the various museums as we've visited a lot of those on previous trips, so it's for travel only. Hoping to stay in Zone 1/2 territory so not looking for something to cover the LHR to city element - will just buy a reg. tube ticket for that journey each way.

athtrasna · 28-09-2014 8:30pm

jrar wrote: »

The oyster card option seems to imply that once you've swiped £8.40 worth of trips, that's the max you will be charged i.e. all further trips that day are "free". Am I being naive to think that one person could have a card and "swipe" for travel for all 4 or would each of us require one i.e. over £30 sterling per day min. to cover travel ?

You use the card to tag on at the start of your journey on the underground and tag off at your destination. Every passenger needs their own card

Fred Swanson · 28-09-2014 10:04pm

This post has been deleted.

anne burnell · 29-09-2014 8:31pm

buy a day ticket... £8.90 to go as far as zone 6... it can be used onthe tubes and the busses... used it last week and found it super.... also we ate it a lot of the JD weatherspoon bars.... super chep... a chicken fillet burger, salad or chips ,which includes a pint of beer a spirt or a glass of wine for £6.39....

Sala · 30-09-2014 1:03pm

My friend lives in London and is supposed to be flying to holidays with us end of next week but has lost her passport. She needs to get her long form birth cert from here and apply, but her drivers licence was Australian (I don't know if it's just expired, or expired and mislaid). Is there any way to fast track an application or is there no hope, given she needs to order the birth cert and has no id

munchkin_utd · 30-09-2014 1:14pm

bit of a vague post.
Is your friend Irish/ British/ from Australia or somewhere else?
Is "holidays", a holiday Ireland, Europe or somewhere far away?
If flying to Ireland, are they flying with Ryan air (who ALWAYS require a passport) or aer lingus etc who are grand with a valid id of some sort, so long as youre irish/ british ?

tenifan · 30-09-2014 1:21pm

Sala wrote: »

My friend lives in London and is supposed to be flying to holidays with us end of next week but has lost her passport. She needs to get her long form birth cert from here and apply, but her drivers licence was Australian (I don't know if it's just expired, or expired and mislaid). Is there any way to fast track an application or is there no hope, given she needs to order the birth cert and has no id

It doesn't sound like she'll be going anywhere.

if she lives in London her best bet is to contact the Irish embassy. She'll need that birth cert and proof of address. Not sure what they do about photo ID if she doesn't have any.
I wouldn't rely on them to fast-track it for her.

Sala · 30-09-2014 1:42pm

munchkin_utd wrote: »

bit of a vague post.
Is your friend Irish/ British/ from Australia or somewhere else?
Is "holidays", a holiday Ireland, Europe or somewhere far away?
If flying to Ireland, are they flying with Ryan air (who ALWAYS require a passport) or aer lingus etc who are grand with a valid id of some sort, so long as youre irish/ british ?

Sorry. Irish passport holder and lives in london. Flying to Portugal

Vic_08 · 30-09-2014 4:57pm

jrar wrote: »

Hi, heading to London for 3/4 days for mid-term with wife and 2 girls (11 & 14) and looking at booking apartment rather than a hotel room because of cost (and would give us some flex to even in once or twice rather than dining out every lunch/dinner etc.)

Trying to work out what's our best option for travel each day - don't fancy paying per trip but the multi-trip options are a bit confusing. There's a Travel Card option and an Oyster Visitor Card option - wouldn't be travelling extensively every day but being a large city, we'd certainly be hopping on and off the odd tube or bus.

The oyster card option seems to imply that once you've swiped £8.40 worth of trips, that's the max you will be charged i.e. all further trips that day are "free". Am I being naive to think that one person could have a card and "swipe" for travel for all 4 or would each of us require one i.e. over £30 sterling per day min. to cover travel ?

Visitor cards can only be bought outside of the country so I need to get this element of the trip sorted before we go (especially as buses are all cashless now)

Anyone used any of these tourist/visitor cards recently who can recommend the best way to get max. value from them ? Not interested in discounts from the various museums as we've visited a lot of those on previous trips, so it's for travel only. Hoping to stay in Zone 1/2 territory so not looking for something to cover the LHR to city element - will just buy a reg. tube ticket for that journey each way.

Working out what exactly is best for visitors to London can be complex.

For the 2 adults I would suggest you get 2 Oyster Cards before you board the tube in Heathrow. It requires a £5 refundable deposit and then enough credit for your travel needs. Any excess credit and the deposit cab be refunded at Heathrow on your way back or you can hold onto them for any future travel in London by you or anyone else, the credit does not expire.

It would be cheaper to use them for your trips to and from Heathrow as well Heathrow - zone 1 is £5.70 cash, £5.00 oyster peak, £3.00 oyster off peak.

For the children there are 2 options.

You can apply online and get a zip oyster for 11-15 year olds. It costs £10 and you need to apply 4 weeks in advance of collecting them. You can collect them from the Heathrow travel centre. With a zip oyster they can get very cheap fares, tube single is £0.80 peak, £0.75 off peak, daily cap is £4.20 zone 1-2 peak or £1.50 all zones off peak and buses are free.

It would be worthwhile getting it if your children are likely to be going back to London again before they are 16.

https://www.tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-payments/students-and-children/11-15-zip-oyster-photocard

If that is not an option or too much hassle then paper child day travelcards (£3.60 off peak zones 1-6) for each day would be the best option and avoid traveling before 09.30am Mon-Fri. Child single to/from Heathrow is £2.80 so if taking no other trips that day buy single otherwise get day travelcard for those days too.

JohnMearsheimer · 01-10-2014 1:28am

There is an Irish passport office in London. If she has lost her passport she will be treated as a first time applicant again so I'm not too sure she'd get a passport by the end of next week.

She can order her birth cert from certificates.ie

killer007 · 02-10-2014 7:20am

We have 2 9 year olds travelling with us in London. I know that they are free on tube etc but do we need a separate ticket for them or do they go through the barriers with us on our adult tickets?

Vic_08 · 02-10-2014 11:28am

killer007 wrote: »

We have 2 9 year olds travelling with us in London. I know that they are free on tube etc but do we need a separate ticket for them or do they go through the barriers with us on our adult tickets?

https://www.tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-payments/students-and-children/5-10-zip-oyster-photocard?intcmp=1777

Adamocovic · 23-10-2014 10:01pm

Going to London this weekend and was wondering what are the tubes and buses like? I imagine very hectic, are they easy to manoeuvre around and buy tickets for?

Also I assume it's too late to get an oyster card for travel yes? Would we be able to get an oyster card in the airport and top it up there or do you have to set up online and then get them delivered to your home? Thanks.

Fred Swanson · 23-10-2014 10:19pm

This post has been deleted.

Adamocovic · 23-10-2014 10:24pm

Fred Swanson wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Thanks, do you just top them up straight from a machine there? also how much is it for the card alone?

Fred Swanson · 23-10-2014 10:34pm

This post has been deleted.

Adamocovic · 23-10-2014 10:41pm

Fred Swanson wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Thanks a million!

exiledelbows · 23-10-2014 11:19pm

As you're here for the weekend, check for service disruptions here as it always catches people out that they do work at weekends: http://tfl.gov.uk/tube-dlr-overground/status/?startDate=2014-10-25T00:00:00&endDate=2014-10-26T23:59:59

Luckily not a whole lot to worry about, just a central part of the Circle/District Line

zagmund · 24-10-2014 9:30am

As above, it's a very good idea to check the line closures for any weekend you are planning on being in London. I've seen some great deals in the past for hotels which at first glance look to be accessible (a minutes walk from a tube station), but on checking the line closures found out that the line the hotel is on is going to be closed for the weekend . . . hence the low room rate.

Bus substitutions tend to be pretty good, so it's not like you will be stuck in the middle of nowhere (in London terms), but it will just not be as easy as jumping on a tube at the end of the day and arriving at your hotel.

z

cao93 · 07-11-2014 7:57pm

Hey guys,
Myself and my boyfriend are going to London at the start of December for a weekend away. We're staying in the Kingscross area and flying into Stansted so looking for the cheapest easiest way into the Kingscross area?
Thank you in advice for the help :-)

macker64 · 07-11-2014 8:08pm

Overhead train runs from Stanstead Airport to Central London.

You will get off the train @ Tottenham Hale, go down the escalator to Tottenham Hale tube station and hop on a tube to Kings Cross St. Pancras.

Very easy and convenient.

Enjoy your weekend, Lots to see in London!!!

grimm2005 · 08-11-2014 11:52pm

You've several options, one would be to get the Stansted Express train option. This is the fastest option (but not by a huge amount). This will cost £8 each way if you book online more then 30 days in advance, £12 each way if you book more then 7 days in advance or £33 return if you book within a week or at the station. These are open tickets that can be used on any service. This takes 47minutes to Liverpool St. which will leave you 4 stops on the tube to Kings Cross.

Another option is the terravision coach service which can take you to Victoria for £15 return if booked online at any stage, £14 return to Liverpool St. or to Stratford for £11 return. The latter option leaves you a few extra stops on the tube to Kings Cross. These services take between 50 and 75 minutes depending on destination. They all leave you at tube stations so any would be suitable.

By far the cheapest option is easyBus which will drop you to Baker st or Old st depending on which service you choose. The Old St. service takes around 60mins and the tube here is 2 stops away from Kings Cross. The Baker St. service is around 70mins and leaves you 3 stops from Kings Cross. Both these services cost anything between £4 and £10 return depending on which time you book but will rarely go higher unless you leave it till last minute.

Personally I'd go for easyBus since it's much cheaper then the train and only slightly longer service but if you want to splash out and have the added comfort of the train, by all means go for it, but personally I'd only consider if I was within the 30+ day advance booking window as anything more then £16 return would be pushing it (otherwise it defeats the point of flying cheaper to Stansted!)

Alanbyrne88 · 15-11-2014 12:40pm

Hi I'm planning on taking my girlfriend and two young children to legoland windsor for our first holiday kids are aged 3 and 4 months. Looking to stay for 2-3 nights, the legoland hotel looks great but for the price is it worth it even for one night. Also I would like to travel to London for the day.where is the best place to stay where there is public transport to London and legoland.

garbanzo · 15-11-2014 12:45pm

Kids at those ages are a bit young for Legoland IMHO. Sorry to be negative.

coylemj · 15-11-2014 2:19pm

You get to Windsor by mainline train, to either Windsor & Eton Central (from Paddington, change at Slough. 30-40 minutes) or Windsor & Eton Riverside (direct from Waterloo but stopping at lots of small stations, 56 mins). It's outside the Oyster area so you have to buy tickets in the railway station. Not sure about Waterloo but Paddington is usually full of tourists as it's the departure station in London for Oxford, Bath and Bristol so there's usually a decent queue in the ticket office. I suspect people travelling on the Heathrow Express buy their tickets from machines, the tourists usually end up in the queue!

http://www.legoland.co.uk/Plan/Directions/By-Rail/

afatbollix · 17-11-2014 10:57pm

Fly into Gatwick and then you will be able to get the train to Chesington via Clapham Junction. It will take a while as you have to go past it and then change out on a different line. It would be quicker to get a train to Croydon and then a mini cab the final bit if you dont want to spend long on the train.

To get to Legoland get the train to Clapham junction and change for a train to Windsor and a cab the final bit of the way.

Then after lego land fly back via Heathrow (Would be cheaper to get a taxi for this bit) I have codes for £10 off ubers which would give you a few pound off. But you can use train to Staines change and then train to Heathrow.

Zascar · 18-11-2014 8:12pm

I'm looking at some cheap ryanair flights to London Gatwick. Then I need to get into London - but the Gatwick express is surprisingly expensive! Nearly €80 return for two.

Does anyone know if there is a normal train I can get? I'm not in a major rush.

Thanks

jaymcg91 · 18-11-2014 8:17pm

Not really surprising, it's primarily a tourist service - mission to gouge the poor foreigners.

Returns start from £20 on the regular Southeastern Railway (no stops, it takes me an extra 9 mins compared to the Gatwick Express). Just have to look at the departures board at Victoria to make sure the train you take stops at Gatwick Airport.

http://www.southeasternrailway.co.uk/

I actually get day returns (I'm in and out a fair bit) for £12.60. Not bad value at all.

lc180 · 18-11-2014 8:31pm

I'm flying into Gatwick next weekend and instead of the train I'm using Easybus to get into the city centre.

Obviously it's not as quick but I managed to get a return ticket for £5 so pretty hard to beat. The earlier you book the cheaper.

Louche Lad · 18-11-2014 9:17pm

Southern Railway can be a lot cheaper. Just checked, and it comes to around £35 for two return. It depends on the time of travel though: you can get even cheaper tickets for some specific trains, but it's maybe not worth taking a risk getting a particular train in case of flight delays.

NB: it's Southern (not Southeastern) who operate most of the trains through Gatwick.

Zascar · 18-11-2014 9:25pm

jaymcg91 wrote: »

Not really surprising, it's primarily a tourist service - mission to gouge the poor foreigners.

Returns start from £20 on the regular Southeastern Railway (no stops, it takes me an extra 9 mins compared to the Gatwick Express). Just have to look at the departures board at Victoria to make sure the train you take stops at Gatwick Airport.

http://www.southeasternrailway.co.uk/

I actually get day returns (I'm in and out a fair bit) for £12.60. Not bad value at all.

Thanks, a quick look and there seem to be trains for £10 each way. £40 for two return which is €50 - still not cheap but saves me €30 anyway!

Do I have to book online or can I do it there? Seems to be loads of trains, every few minutes almost

Jubo · 18-11-2014 9:43pm

An alternative would be a National Express coach to Victoria station. The number bus is A3 and it goes from downstairs from the south terminal (where ryanair fly into). They run hourly and it's about £10ish each way (I think?!)

spurious · 18-11-2014 10:08pm

lc180 wrote: »

I'm flying into Gatwick next weekend and instead of the train I'm using Easybus to get into the city centre.

Obviously it's not as quick but I managed to get a return ticket for £5 so pretty hard to beat. The earlier you book the cheaper.

I use easybus too. Huge savings.

Vic_08 · 18-11-2014 10:49pm

Zascar wrote: »

Thanks, a quick look and there seem to be trains for £10 each way. £40 for two return which is €50 - still not cheap but saves me €30 anyway!

Do I have to book online or can I do it there? Seems to be loads of trains, every few minutes almost

The best ticket depends on what you are doing and when.
off-peak day returns are the best value but if you are not returning the same day then 2 singles or anytime returns are needed.

Cheapest single is £7.40 Sat/Sun BH only on Thameslink to London Bridge, Blackfriars, Farringdon or St Pancras at.

Cheapest weekdays singles are on the thameslink route at £10.00 or £19.00 return those fares are only valid on the thameslink route but are unrestricted for time, return is valid any train for 1 month.

If you are going to be traveling around London on the same day then a day travelcard from Gatwick is likely to be cheapest.

A Thameslink off-peak 1 day travelcard is the cheapest at £13.50 This gives one day return trip from Gatwick to any London station on a Thameslink service (East Croydon is the first station inside London zones, beyond there all trains/routes are allowed) and then unlimited travel within London zones 1-6 on all Trains, Underground, Buses, DLR.

This is an off-peak fare valid on any Thameslink route train leaving Gatwick after 09.32

All of these fares can be bought at the station, no advance booking necessary.

exiledelbows · 19-11-2014 12:15pm

Vic_08 wrote: »

The best ticket depends on what you are doing and when.
off-peak day returns are the best value but if you are not returning the same day then 2 singles or anytime returns are needed.

Cheapest single is £7.40 Sat/Sun BH only on Thameslink to London Bridge, Blackfriars, Farringdon or St Pancras at.

Cheapest weekdays singles are on the thameslink route at £10.00 or £19.00 return those fares are only valid on the thameslink route but are unrestricted for time, return is valid any train for 1 month.

If you are going to be traveling around London on the same day then a day travelcard from Gatwick is likely to be cheapest.

A Thameslink off-peak 1 day travelcard is the cheapest at £13.50 This gives one day return trip from Gatwick to any London station on a Thameslink service (East Croydon is the first station inside London zones, beyond there all trains/routes are allowed) and then unlimited travel within London zones 1-6 on all Trains, Underground, Buses, DLR.

This is an off-peak fare valid on any Thameslink route train leaving Gatwick after 09.32

All of these fares can be bought at the station, no advance booking necessary.

i'd recommend buying in advance. Gatwick station is always packed with confused tourists who don't know what they're doing, and finding that fare on the ticket machines can be a nightmare. Buying in advance means you just walk up the those machines with a code and your card and you're done.

Our Greater London Megathread

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