Our Greater London Megathread

rainbow kirby

Stansted Express train tickets, if prebooked, can be used on any train that day.

Also, if there's space, National Express drivers will let you on another bus anyway with a prebooked ticket from a previous service if your flight was delayed.

panama

We're there in July, so will be very busy - peak season and all.

2 quick questions -

Considering we'll be around the West End for shows and socialising, what would be a good suburb to check out for cheaper hotels that would be fairly accessible using the night bus service and how late/often do they run?

Lapin

panama wrote: »

We're there in July, so will be very busy - peak season and all.

2 quick questions -

Considering we'll be around the West End for shows and socialising, what would be a good suburb to check out for cheaper hotels that would be fairly accessible using the night bus service and how late/often do they run?

My response a few posts up regarding The Crown in Cricklewood could be an option.

Nighbus N16 departs from Victoria every 20 mins and drops you right outside the door. They run throughout the night.

panama

Thanks for that.

joedavey1996

I am planning to pick up my friend from the airport and because I'm a tight a*se I don't really want to pay anything. I know my friend can get a bus to the midstay car park and I can pick him up from there. I believe its 1 hour free.

Was just wondering if anyone has used this before and got experience, like do I have to book and how does it work ?

Any help would be really appreicated

exiledelbows

Lapin wrote: »

My response a few posts up regarding The Crown in Cricklewood could be an option.

Nighbus N16 departs from Victoria every 20 mins and drops you right outside the door. They run throughout the night.

There's also a Travelodge a 5-minute walk from the Crown. Should be cheap and cheerful: http://www.travelodge.co.uk/hotels/528/London-Cricklewood-hotel

Marcusm

Nightbuses run all throughout London and some normal routes are 24hr. I'd concentrate on finding a suitably priced/spec'd hotel and then check the bus routes. I'd be surprised if you could not find somewhere more easily/quickly accessed from the west end. There are lots of cheap hotels in Bloomsbury.

anne burnell

if u are flying with Ryanair, ya can book national express bus tickets on their website for cheaper than buying on the day and ya can use the ticket for any national express bus as ya dont have to specify a time when booking....

Fred Swanson

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Marcusm

If I remember correctly, the visitor one has some imagery on it to make it "collectible" rather than simply functional.

Fred Swanson

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enda1

Fred Swanson wrote: »

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They deliver by post to Ireland.

Fred Swanson

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enda1

Fred Swanson wrote: »

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Where are you seeing that price?

http://visitorshop.tfl.gov.uk/oystercard/product/oyster-card.html
Seems quite expensive here

I thought the normal oyster was a fiver bought in a station or newsagents.

Fred Swanson

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enda1

Fred Swanson wrote: »

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Shipping costs £4 though. So you're down £2.
Also I'm not sure if it's a refundable deposit on the card (which it is with a normal oyster).

Marcusm

Fred Swanson wrote: »

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Looking at in more detail, looks like it's practically impossible to get a refund if unused Oyster credit on a visitor card if coming from overseas - must apply fir refund by post and refund is by GBP cheque. Also looks as if online tracking and top ups are not catered for - with a normal oyster you can get a print out of your journeys (perhaps part of the tourism record?). This may be available with a visitor one but it's not highlighted.

enda1

On ebay you can pick one up for cheap link

Won't be possible to get the £5 deposit back as I assume it was issued before the deposit system was in place.

Shipping from Latvia and seller has only 7 reviews. maybe not such a good idea actually.

Fred Swanson

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schemingbohemia

Your credit never expires on the oyster card, just buy one on arrival or borrow one off a mate.

Marcusm

Fred Swanson wrote: »

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Tube or bus?

If bus, you could use a contactless debit card if you have one. Tube not yet set up for this but will be soon.

Fred Swanson

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Charliebull

Anyone ever been and would you recommend, 6 year old and 3 year old

Bicycle

We haven't been in quite a few years, as the kids get older, they tend to grow out of it.

But 6 and 3 are ideal ages for Legoland. I found that once ours hit the 10-11, they felt it was too young for them.

It is a well managed park, good facilities. And Pizza Hut in Windsor is lovely for a meal afterwards.

For a fun - well sort of - location to stay, Premier Inn in Heathrow is interesting. They have triple glazed windows and if you are at the back you can look out and see the planes landing.

When we stayed there, our gang had the Heathrow Arrivals on the teletext and were comparing the planes landing with the planes on the screen :)

John from ennis

Charliebull wrote: »

Anyone ever been and would you recommend, 6 year old and 3 year old

I was there 10 years ago.it was good tbh.
the put on a show involving captain jack an the goodies an the bad guys from what I remember.
there was a girl mc and the show was outside involving climbing ropes and a high diving board...
for a kid ot was good..ffor an adult it was funny..as they used all that cartoon music to some of their actions.

there was an eating place and a little train ride. .cant remember anymore...

Pixied

I was wondering the same!

Several families in dd school have gone and enjoyed it so I've gone ahead and booked.

Cost is a killer though. This is our big trip as kids are similar in age to yours. I booked the hotel in the resort, pretty expensive though. I have heard good things about staying in the hotel in Heathrow, apparently there is a bus that can take you to Legoland but you'd have to check the details. I booked the resort as I have 3 smallies and they get tired.

Little tip, register to get emails when I did this they sent me a voucher code to get 5% off my booking if I booked within 7 days. I used it just outside of this and it still worked.

Also try to avoid UK school holiday times.

Also Windsor cabs allow you to book online in advance and they will pick/ drop you off to Legoland from Heathrow. I think it's about £25 each way.

Now need to find flights..not sure what the best time to leave in the morning. If anybody has any tips on booking flight times there and back it will be much appreciated. I'm going via Dublin.

Hope that helps, one set of neighbours went twice.

Adamocovic

Hi, I'm travelling to London with a few friends in a few months. We're going to a match in Wembley and thinking of staying the weekend. Any ideas what are the best and most affordable places to stay near Wembley. Never been there before so not really sure the best places to stay. Also any tips, like places that we shouldn't go near or places we should, and just general tourist tips. Thanks guys

coylemj

Adamocovic wrote: »

.... and just general tourist tips. Thanks guys

Get an Oyster card, makes travelling on the tube much easier (no queueing behind tourists at the ticket machines) and the fares are lower plus there is daily capping.

You can apply for a card online here.. http://www.tfl.gov.uk/travel-information/visiting-london/visitor-oyster-card

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVFVaYR1i5A

frag420

From my experience of being up Wembley way there is not much there apart from Wembley. London has awesome public transport so I would stay in town and get tube to and from Wembley. If you book well in advance you will get decent accom rates depending on when you are travelling over.

Anonymagician

I was going to a concert in Wembley last year and stayed in the Premier Inn there for the whole weekend. Great location - five minute walk to the stadium and directly beside the tube station. Get either an oyster card or buy a full day ticket for the tube each day and you can easily get in and out of the city. There's not a whole lot in Wembley itself but with the tube it really doesn't make a difference.