London tips?

Pauliedragon

Hi guys. On a whim I'm heading to London for a couple of days this week and was wondering what tips anybody might have. I've a night in Camden and one in Westminster. Just wondering what's the best way to do the underground ticket, using the the currency as in tapping my debit card or using sterling from the ATM etc good places to have a pint and a meal. Any suggestions would be welcome.

Vic_08

Contactless debit/credit card is the best for tube/bus/train, you will get a single charge per day use calculated on all travel. Any FX currency or transaction charge on this will be down to your bank.

Strumms

In Camden… The Hawley Arms is great for a pint / food… check out The Stables market….

WishUWereHere

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119957830#Comment_119957830

OP, if You are flying into Stansted, be VERY VERY careful. Contactless card’s don’t work on the Stansted ‘Express’.

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g1577375-d10199993-r864632407-Stansted_Express-Stansted_Mountfitchet_Essex_England.html

Vic_08

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119957860#Comment_119957860

Well, yes. Stansted is not in London, it is a considerable distance away. Luton and Southend are the same.

Only London City and Heathrow are actually in London, Gatwick is also outside but there is an arrangement for use of Contactless/Oyster from there.

Unless you like throwing money away avoid Heathrow and Gatwick Express services. Southern fast services (trains with 1 or 2 intermediate stops only) from Gatwick to Victoria are just as fast, Thameslink to London Bridge and stops to Kings Cross St Pancras are also useful depending on your destination.

Not sure what the significance of that tripadvisor review you posted is is but it appears that gent didn't collect all his tickets. He only has 3, two outward and one return instead of 6 (2 of each). He presented 2 invalid tickets and will be lucky if he doesn't get fined or prosecuted.

Pauliedragon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119961924#Comment_119961924

Cheers. Just arrived at Gatwick now. Pre booked a train to Victoria Station.

WishUWereHere

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119961924#Comment_119961924

I was that gent. I got all the tickets it threw out. One has return on it the other 2 don’t. All three came from the same machine and each cost the same money.When we got back to Stansted there was about 4 people waiting to check the tickets. Like I said in TA, I had tickets the other people who got off the train didn’t . To this day I have heard nothing from them nor have I paid a fine.

Sorry, I’m deviating. I only attached the TA link for the OP just to warn Him/Her in case they were flying into Stansted. Nowhere was it stated that a separate ticket is needed. Anyhow, they commented above that they flew into Gatwick.

Enjoy the holiday OP.

Vic_08

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119965506#Comment_119965506

As I said, you only have 1 and a half full return tickets there. Whatever about the attitude, the inspector was correct, you didn't have 3 valid tickets when checked.

British railway return tickets are always printed as 2 pieces, one for the outward journey, one for the return. Note the way they are written. Either you picked up the first 3 printed and didn't wait for the rest of them or the machine failed part way, probably the former, it happens quite a lot with people unfamiliar with the machines which can be rather slow to produce the full stack of tickets.

finbarrk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058274556/london-tips

Oyster card for me. It's handy. Top up with loose change at the stations. The worlds End is worth a call for a beer.

https://www.designmynight.com/london/pubs/camden/the-worlds-end

mfceiling

In a pickle. Booked flights to Gatwick in January. Now it looks like there's a train strike when we're there.

Any ideas for getting into the city centre? Family of 5 with a couple of suitcases. Bus?

Pauliedragon

Try national express busses. I used them. I can't post a link but that's the company name.

theteal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120003288#Comment_120003288

there should be buses, I expect they'll be busy though if the strikes go ahead. It may be better to budget for a taxi which I can't expect will be cheap as Gatwick is a fair way out

theteal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119973829#Comment_119973829

I can't remember the last time I used my oyster card, I must return for refund. Any contactless will work instead. A Revolut would be much easier to manage, free currency exchange and doesn't leave you with money locked on the card that you'll never use again

rightmove

Just wondering if anyone has travel ticket tips for family of 2 adults and 3 kids staying for 3 days london. Arriving into Gatwick and leaving from standsted. Just trying to minimise the outlay on tube/transfers etc and see if there is combo deals with travel cards. I usauall get caught paying for single tickets and not gettting the best deal so with a family I would be looking to avoid chasing my tale for a change 😉 and maybe getting sorted from the get go

WishUWereHere

The Oyster card works excellently on the tube. We were there in September last year and used our own AIB debit card. Worked a treat.

Leaving via Stansted? Just be WARY that You have a separate ticket for the train out to Stansted:

https://www.tripadvisor.ie/Attraction_Review-g1577375-d10199993-Reviews-Stansted_Express-Stansted_Mountfitchet_Essex_England.html

McSween

You can buy a national rail ticket from Gatwick to Victoria which has the option of including a tube pass for one day. Download the Trainline app. You can opt to het paper tickets for ease of passing through the barriers

Dont take any chances with the stansted express. Have been stung twice by delays/cancellations in and out of London

rightmove

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120117084#Comment_120117084

Just wondering is there any way to get the train in and have a pass for the 3 days then on the tube etc?

Also I understand you can get an osyter card and convert it for the kids to half fares?

theteal

You don't need an oyster card anymore for the tube, any contactless card will work. Be mindful that your Irish bank will add an exchange fee for each day but this will still be less in total than the £5 the oyster will cost (which you can claim back but nobody actually does). Obviously use Revolut for this and that negates the exchange fees.

I actually don't know what kids fares are. Our oldest is 6 an I've never actually paid for her....must check that

Below is the travel card options and I see nothing for a family. I think cheapest way will be the exchange free debit card. You can have multiple cards on a single Revolut account although I'm sure you have pay for physical card...perhaps load virtual card into to google/apple pay and tap with phone (if kids are old enough to have phones)

https://tfl.gov.uk/fares/how-to-pay-and-where-to-buy-tickets-and-oyster/travelcards-and-group-tickets#on-this-page-1

Vic_08

The free and discounted child Zip Oyster cards are available to non London and UK but you need to apply well in advance of travel. There is a £15 fee for the application so it may not be worth it for one short trip.

A simpler option is to have a temporary visitor child discount added to a standard oyster at any tube station, this is valid for 14 days.

Child rate Travelcards are available, these are paper tickets for unlimited travel.

Qwerty27

Are kids under 10 not free on the tube?

https://tfl.gov.uk/fares/free-and-discounted-travel/5-10-zip-oyster-photocard?intcmp=55572

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120164879#Comment_120164879

Literally explained in the post above why that's not a handy option for a tourist.

theteal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120164879#Comment_120164879

ha ha, I only recently learned this myself. Our little one has been a fare dodger for 2+ years!

As I've advised above, we just received a 2nd Revolut card for my account so she can use this - I assume it'll work as it's a different long number so both can be used on the same trip.

Mrtm17

I'm going out this Friday and the trains are on strike:(

Fred Astaire

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120177421#Comment_120177421

They may still have a limited service running. Where are you arriving into?