Travel cards vs. Oyster for a family with young kids
Nov 9th, 2012, 07:06 AM
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Travel cards vs. Oyster for a family with young kids
Hello, Heading to London in 2 weeks with a family of 5-- 2 adults and a 15, 11, and 5 yr old. We are flying in from Naples to Gatwick, planning to get the Group Save round trip tickets on Southern Railway into London. We want to get the 2 for 1 coupons!
We will be staying in an apartment near DLR Royal Victoria. Is this within zones 1-6?
We arrive on a Monday afternoon and depart on Saturday morning, so we have Monday evening, and 4 full days(Tues-Friday). I keep seeing mention of 3 day travel cards but do not see them listed as an option. We also would like to travel to Canterbury and possibly Oxford and Stonehenge.
Please advise on the Oyster cards vs. travel cards as to which would be cheaper for our family.
Also, are the 2 for 1 a better deal than the family ticket rates at the attractions? Thank you SO much for any help you can provide sorting this all out.
We will be staying in an apartment near DLR Royal Victoria. Is this within zones 1-6?
We arrive on a Monday afternoon and depart on Saturday morning, so we have Monday evening, and 4 full days(Tues-Friday). I keep seeing mention of 3 day travel cards but do not see them listed as an option. We also would like to travel to Canterbury and possibly Oxford and Stonehenge.
Please advise on the Oyster cards vs. travel cards as to which would be cheaper for our family.
Also, are the 2 for 1 a better deal than the family ticket rates at the attractions? Thank you SO much for any help you can provide sorting this all out.
Nov 9th, 2012, 08:13 AM
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Royal Victoria on the DLR is in zone 3 so you will need a zone 1-3 pass for your family. (Is there a reason for staying here - it is really not a great place to stay as a visitor!)
Your 5 year old travels free with a companion.
You have missed the deadline to get a 11-15 year old travel card for free travel for your other children as you need to apply 4 weeks prior to travel so they will need to get the same ticket as you. http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/14310.aspx
If you have a round trip ticket Gatwick - London - Gatwick then you can use those tickets to get the 2for1 deals.
There is no longer a 3 day travel card. For 4 days I always recommend getting a 7 day ticket. You get unlimited travel and it works out about the same as the daily limit on a pay as you go Oyster.
When you get to the train station in London go to the ticket window and ask for a 7 day zone 1-3 Oystercard for the 4 of you. It will be £34.20 each, and a small deposit for each Oyster that you will get back if you return your Oystercard to a ticket office prior to leaving London. http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/14416.aspx
Canterbury, Oxford and Stonehenge are outside of London so you will need to purchase tickets at a train station. Although with only 4 days I cant imagine that you will have time as each of these would require a full day.
Hope this helps.
Your 5 year old travels free with a companion.
You have missed the deadline to get a 11-15 year old travel card for free travel for your other children as you need to apply 4 weeks prior to travel so they will need to get the same ticket as you. http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/14310.aspx
If you have a round trip ticket Gatwick - London - Gatwick then you can use those tickets to get the 2for1 deals.
There is no longer a 3 day travel card. For 4 days I always recommend getting a 7 day ticket. You get unlimited travel and it works out about the same as the daily limit on a pay as you go Oyster.
When you get to the train station in London go to the ticket window and ask for a 7 day zone 1-3 Oystercard for the 4 of you. It will be £34.20 each, and a small deposit for each Oyster that you will get back if you return your Oystercard to a ticket office prior to leaving London. http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/14416.aspx
Canterbury, Oxford and Stonehenge are outside of London so you will need to purchase tickets at a train station. Although with only 4 days I cant imagine that you will have time as each of these would require a full day.
Hope this helps.
Nov 9th, 2012, 08:22 AM
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Just wanted to add that I am unsure if the Gatwick Express tickets are valid for 2for1s - some say yes, some say no. Southern Rail operates regular trains for quite a bit cheaper into London Bridge and Victoria and their tickets are definitely valid for the 2for1 deals. They take slightly longer but not significantly.
Nov 9th, 2012, 09:03 AM
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You don't want the Gatwick Express - you're staying somewhere in the vague east for some unfathomable reason and Victoria station is not at all convenient.
Take the Southern train that will get you to London Bridge station and then some transport from there.
The Southern train is less expensive than the Gatwick Express and only about 2-3 minute longer. The Gatwick Express makes no stops but cannot travel at top speed because the Victoria-Gatwick corridor is the most congested rail area of the UK. The Southern train will bring you about 15-20 minutes closer to your apartment than the Gatwick Express.
And go look at this: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/gettingaround/14091.aspx
You need to familiarize yourself with the Tube and the DLR. You will be riding it a lot.
Take the Southern train that will get you to London Bridge station and then some transport from there.
The Southern train is less expensive than the Gatwick Express and only about 2-3 minute longer. The Gatwick Express makes no stops but cannot travel at top speed because the Victoria-Gatwick corridor is the most congested rail area of the UK. The Southern train will bring you about 15-20 minutes closer to your apartment than the Gatwick Express.
And go look at this: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/gettingaround/14091.aspx
You need to familiarize yourself with the Tube and the DLR. You will be riding it a lot.
Nov 9th, 2012, 09:33 AM
#5
The OP does say they are taking Southern - not the GEX.
>><i>planning to get the Group Save round trip tickets on Southern Railway into London</i><<
So the 2for1's should be taken care of.
As for all those day trips . . . Is this your first visit to London? If so, I would not take ANY of them. All are worthwhile, but you will barely have time to see much IN London, let alone 2 or 3 day trips. If you want a terrific 1/2 day trip, go to Hampton Court Palace
>><i>planning to get the Group Save round trip tickets on Southern Railway into London</i><<
So the 2for1's should be taken care of.
As for all those day trips . . . Is this your first visit to London? If so, I would not take ANY of them. All are worthwhile, but you will barely have time to see much IN London, let alone 2 or 3 day trips. If you want a terrific 1/2 day trip, go to Hampton Court Palace
Nov 9th, 2012, 09:38 AM
#6
Meant to add . . . whether the 2for1's are better than family tickets will depend on each individual attraction/site.
But since the 2for1's don't cost anything until you are standing at the ticket window (well except for the few cents ink to pre-print the vouchers) Plan on using the 2for1's and when you arrive at a site -just double check the prices posted. Use which ever works out cheaper.
But since the 2for1's don't cost anything until you are standing at the ticket window (well except for the few cents ink to pre-print the vouchers) Plan on using the 2for1's and when you arrive at a site -just double check the prices posted. Use which ever works out cheaper.
Nov 9th, 2012, 12:52 PM
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Our experience is that the 2for1's are better than family ticket but you will be getting two kids in free not 1 adult and 1 kid.
But, like janisj says, it's free money. You will already have the required train tickets -- just print out any voucher that is the slightest possibility and take them with you.
But, like janisj says, it's free money. You will already have the required train tickets -- just print out any voucher that is the slightest possibility and take them with you.
Nov 9th, 2012, 12:54 PM
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<i>You have missed the deadline to get a 11-15 year old travel card for free travel for your other children as you need to apply 4 weeks prior to travel so they will need to get the same ticket as you.</i>
Just to clarify, I don't think the 11-15 travelcard gets you free travel, it just allows you to get the reduced children's rates. That's what we did for our 13 year old on this recent trip.
Just to clarify, I don't think the 11-15 travelcard gets you free travel, it just allows you to get the reduced children's rates. That's what we did for our 13 year old on this recent trip.
Nov 11th, 2012, 11:36 AM
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Thank you all very much! I appreciate the help!
We found an apartment via HouseTrip.com so this is why we are staying near Royal Victoria DLR. The first apartment that we found via Homeaway.com was in East Croydon which did not have favorable reviews in terms of the area.
Now, it seems this area is NOT good either. The reviews mentioned it being a good area and close to public transport.
I don't know if we can cancel and I really wouldn't know how to choose any better area, lol.
We found an apartment via HouseTrip.com so this is why we are staying near Royal Victoria DLR. The first apartment that we found via Homeaway.com was in East Croydon which did not have favorable reviews in terms of the area.
Now, it seems this area is NOT good either. The reviews mentioned it being a good area and close to public transport.
I don't know if we can cancel and I really wouldn't know how to choose any better area, lol.
Nov 11th, 2012, 11:55 AM
#10
"<i>I really wouldn't know how to choose any better area, lol.</i>"
Well . . . if you find out you can cancel . . . the best way to find a good area is to ask here
(You had to go some to find a place out in East Croydon - about as far south as one can go and still be considered 'London'. My guess you jumped at the price and didn't research locations much at all. How much are you paying at Royal Victoria? It definitely isn't as gawd awful as East Croydon but is quite far east.)
Well . . . if you find out you can cancel . . . the best way to find a good area is to ask here
(You had to go some to find a place out in East Croydon - about as far south as one can go and still be considered 'London'. My guess you jumped at the price and didn't research locations much at all. How much are you paying at Royal Victoria? It definitely isn't as gawd awful as East Croydon but is quite far east.)
Nov 13th, 2012, 11:32 AM
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"It definitely isn't as gawd awful as East Croydon"
It jolly well is. East Croydon is actually a vibrant suburb, with a good smattering of (OK, mostly, chain-y) restaurants and pubs - and even a significant concert hall, though the repertoire isn't what it used to be.
Royal Victoria is a tube station with a dismal collection of out of town not very much around it. But if you're really determined to stay there, it's got one unique attraction: the cross-Thames cable car.
It takes you to North Greenwich, which is just an arena surrounded by lots of chain restaurants (still a million times more enticing than the nothing Royal Victoria's surrounded by). But on a fine sunny day (in November a lot more common than many people think) you get truly fabulous views up and down the river.
With the excellence of the tube/DLR/cable car system round there, you can get to the nice bits of Greenwich, or the surprisingly good restaurants in the Westfield Stratford mall and Canary Wharf, astoundingly quickly. The "mass-market" shops in Canary Wharf are worth looking at too (enormous displays of £180/bottle scotches, for example, in the main supermarket): this is absolutely not your normal suburban mall.
It jolly well is. East Croydon is actually a vibrant suburb, with a good smattering of (OK, mostly, chain-y) restaurants and pubs - and even a significant concert hall, though the repertoire isn't what it used to be.
Royal Victoria is a tube station with a dismal collection of out of town not very much around it. But if you're really determined to stay there, it's got one unique attraction: the cross-Thames cable car.
It takes you to North Greenwich, which is just an arena surrounded by lots of chain restaurants (still a million times more enticing than the nothing Royal Victoria's surrounded by). But on a fine sunny day (in November a lot more common than many people think) you get truly fabulous views up and down the river.
With the excellence of the tube/DLR/cable car system round there, you can get to the nice bits of Greenwich, or the surprisingly good restaurants in the Westfield Stratford mall and Canary Wharf, astoundingly quickly. The "mass-market" shops in Canary Wharf are worth looking at too (enormous displays of £180/bottle scotches, for example, in the main supermarket): this is absolutely not your normal suburban mall.
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