London - Travelcard vs Oyster

broin

Pardon my thickness.

So I'll be in London at the weekend, staying three days. I'll be doing lots of touristy things, and taking at least half a dozen Tube trips each day, all within Zone 1 and 2.

Does it make more sense to get an Oystercard or a Travelcard?

moco

broin wrote: »

Pardon my thickness.

So I'll be in London at the weekend, staying three days. I'll be doing lots of touristy things, and taking at least half a dozen Tube trips each day, all within Zone 1 and 2.

Does it make more sense to get an Oystercard or a Travelcard?

I think a travelcard would be best but they'll probably put it on an oystercard for you. With a travel card I think you get unlimited travel for the few days and that would work out cheaper than putting pre pay on an Oystercard if you're going to be taking loads of journeys. They're very helpful in the stations though, just tell them what you said here and they'll give you your cheapest options!

broin

Very helpful public transport?

Sorry, I've been around Dublin Bus too long, clearly.

Thanks very much!

jonny68

Yeah id say a travelcard is your best option.

sikes

You have to pay a deposit to get an oyster. But then just top up with 10 or whatever. The max ull be charged for a day will be the cost of a travelcard for the zones that u travelled in. So no need to buy a travelcard.

moco

Oyster deposit is only £3 and you get it back if you give the card back when you're leaving.

tman

sikes wrote: »

You have to pay a deposit to get an oyster. But then just top up with 10 or whatever. The max ull be charged for a day will be the cost of a travelcard for the zones that u travelled in. So no need to buy a travelcard.

Zone 1-2 travel is £2.20 peak and £1.60 off peak with an oyster card, so if they make 6 trips a day without a travelcard, the cash will soon add up.
A three day anytime travelcard would be your best bet imo, should be £18.40.
As has been said before, TFL employees are normally dead on and always happy to assist.

Fratton Fred

tman wrote: »

Zone 1-2 travel is £2.20 peak and £1.60 off peak with an oyster card, so if they make 6 trips a day without a travelcard, the cash will soon add up.
A three day anytime travelcard would be your best bet imo, should be £18.40.
As has been said before, TFL employees are normally dead on and always happy to assist.

The Oyster card has a capped limit so you never pay more thana travel card would cost. The advantage is that you canpay less if you don't use it as much.

Check out www.tfl.gov.uk for full details. A very useful site, it even has a bit about Oyster for visitors.

ncmc

However, if you purchase a Travelcard in a rail station (as opposed to a tube station) you can avail of 2 for 1 offers from this website http://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/ it includes things like Tower of London which is normally £16.50 per adult and Wesminster Abbey which is normally £12. As you can see, you wouldn't be long making real savings. All you have to do is print out the voucher of the attractions you want to see and produce it with your valid railcard to avail of the offer (that's why the card has to be purchased in a train station rather than a tube station)

bellucio

ncmc wrote: »

However, if you purchase a Travelcard in a rail station (as opposed to a tube station) you can avail of 2 for 1 offers from this website http://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/ it includes things like Tower of London which is normally £16.50 per adult and Wesminster Abbey which is normally £12. As you can see, you wouldn't be long making real savings. All you have to do is print out the voucher of the attractions you want to see and produce it with your valid railcard to avail of the offer (that's why the card has to be purchased in a train station rather than a tube station)

That sounds great:D We will be heading to London on Thursday, getting into London on the Stanstead Express (RyanAir are the cheapest to get these of aren't they ?) so where would be the best place to get this TravelCard ? Our plan from Liverpool street is to head to Bond Street to a hotel in WelBeck Street
Cheers

ncmc

bellucio wrote: »

That sounds great:D We will be heading to London on Thursday, getting into London on the Stanstead Express (RyanAir are the cheapest to get these of aren't they ?) so where would be the best place to get this TravelCard ? Our plan from Liverpool street is to head to Bond Street to a hotel in WelBeck Street
Cheers

You can purchase it in Liverpool Street station, just make sure you buy it in the above ground train station rather than the underground station. It sounds a bit silly, but it has to be a train ticket rather than a tube ticket to qualify for the offers. Just ask if you're unsure, they're pretty helpful on the whole.

bellucio

ncmc wrote: »

You can purchase it in Liverpool Street station, just make sure you buy it in the above ground train station rather than the underground station. It sounds a bit silly, but it has to be a train ticket rather than a tube ticket to qualify for the offers. Just ask if you're unsure, they're pretty helpful on the whole.

Cheers ncmc..
This Travel Card will cover the Tube as well I presume:o

ncmc

bellucio wrote: »

Cheers ncmc..
This Travel Card will cover the Tube as well I presume:o

Yes it covers the tube. It is exactly the same travelcard, but because it was purchased in a train station as oppsed to a tube station, it counts as a train ticket and entitles you to the discount!

Find out more about the travel cards here

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/faresandtickets/1059.aspx

when I was there last year, the 7 day were about £25 per adult if memory serves correctly!

mikedragon32

Old thread.

Please use the London sticky at the top of this forum.