If they operate as in past years - in a month or so, the new 2 for 1 offers from June 1 onwards will be published.

thanks janis. I am going around first of June. Hope the 2 for 1 comes out in time for me to print before I go.

mariebut: >> Does it work on calendar days or hours <<

Calendar days, a day being defined as lasting until 0430 the following morning (if by any chance you're a night owl).

Only you know how much use you're likely to make of public transport during your stay, but for a Monday arrival and a Thursday departure, it would probably be worth going for Oyster pay-as-you-go rather than a 3-day travelcard, since that would get you reduced fares on your extra day. Your fares on any one day would be capped at 50p less than the cost of a 1-day travelcard - start after 0930, and it works out cheaper than a 3-day travelcard even without the difference between cash and Oyster PAYG fares for the extra day.

Concerning 2for1--we're going in July and I already printed out the 2for1 vouchers for a few places (Tower, West. Abbey, e.g.) and I can't see a date on the voucher. I plan to revisit the 2for1 site and print out newer ones before I go, but unless the voucher's appearance (color or something) changes, I can't see why the voucher printed now wouldn't work, unless the deal is cancelled with the particular place. So--you could print out now and then check again right before you leave, maybe?

texasbookworm-

Under Terms & Conditions below the voucher:

Offers valid until 31st May 2008 unless offer states otherwise.

yk (not trying to hijack your thread, jonmck)
Yes, on the terms and conditions page that printed I saw that--but on the actual blue voucher there's no date. I plan to print out new ones, but then do I need to take whole kit and kaboodle, voucher and all else that prints out? Do you know the answer to this minor question? Just don't want to cart around more paperwork than need be; don't want to arrive without necessary paperwork, either. THANKS!--A

And I thought the Carte Orange was complicated! We will be flying into Heathrow and staying a week in London. Can the 7 day paper Travelcard be purchased at the airport or do we need to get to a railway station? I believe that card is for unlimited peak and off peak and costs 24 pounds and change. If we do manage to get a paper Travelcard is it good for 2/1 all week?

Hello travel experts! I am not one at all, and I am finding this all very confusing also.

We are traveling to London - arriving May 20th and leaving May 29th. The travelcard vs oyster but best to buy the travel card so you can get the 2 for 1???
I am SO confused !

We are arriving at Heathrow and staying in Bloomsbury. I don't know which to buy or where?? The 2 for 1 sounds great, what do you recommend? I read another thread that recommended buying the family pass/for the year/ that gets you into the tower of london,hampton court, kew, etc..at a reduced rate...but I know we will want to ride the HOHO bus . What is the best for travel for our time frame but also to get the best discount on sightseeing. Hampton Court, Tower of London & Greenwich & a day trip maybe to Bath?? our on our list of wants though we have no itinerary yet just lodging is complete. I am very behind I am afraid on my planning!!

InMiami,

Paper travelcards are only sold at mainline train stations so you cannot buy one at Heathrow. Whatever travelcard you buy (one-day, three-day, or seven-day, the 2-for-1 offers are good for the validity period covered by the card.

However, there also are 2-for-1 offers associated with the Oyster card. See here: http://tinyurl.com/6q6lba. At Heathrow you can load a seven-day travelcard on an Oyster card.

hendrenl,

For information on how to get to Hampton Court, go here: http://tinyurl.com/2xcmbd and also here: http://tinyurl.com/5n2tnu.

A travelcard will not be of any use for getting to Bath. You'll need to either take a National Express coach or a Great Western train. See www.nationalexpress.com and www.nationalrail.co.uk.

You people who live in London and so kindly help us figure out these travelcards and 2 for 1s must get so tired of explaining this! I have tried to understand, read a heap of threads and still I'm unclear. They couldn't have made this more confusing to the uninitiated!

4 of us (3 adults, one 12 yr old) will be in London for 6 nights staying near Sloane Sq. We are probably getting a car to take us from the airport, but intend to use public transport the rest of the time.

We want to go to the Tower, probably the day following our arrival. We also want to go to Hampton Court but not sure which day. These are the main 2 for 1 deals we probably want.

What card or ticket or paper ticket should we buy and when and where?

LynAK,

How many days will you be in London? Your answer will help people to give you the best travelcard recommendation.

LynAk- you are so right, I am sure they are so tired of explaining but it is very confusing - I am glad I am not the only one asking for repeats and additional explainations!!

A kind fodorite in another thread suggested that I buy the oyster card but buy the paper travelcard when I know I want to use the 2 for 1 deals. I haven't gotten a map of the city yet but intend to try to get one from a local bookstore so I can attempt to figure out the area a bit better. Maybe then I can put together an outline of where we are wanting to visit and figure out when I need to buy the paper travelcard for the days I want the 2 for 1 -& If it is cheaper to buy a multiple day travelcard then maybe I can use the 2 for 1 back to back on visits to Hampton Court and the Tower of London???and I know we will want to do the Hop on Hop off bus. ----I am still confused.

I will be looking to your thread here for additional answers! Thanks.

We are staying in Bloomsbury- Can anyone tell me the closest place to buy a paper travelcard ? I am guessing I could use the oyster card with a stop on the way to get a paper travelcard for the 2 for 1 deal.
I also read that you can get a family membership for entry into Tower of London, Kew etc.. Has anyone done this- I think it would be a savings??

hendrenl,

Euston is just north of Bloomsbury and would be your closest mainline station. Charing Cross is south of Bloomsbury.

Hi TimS...buried in my post is the info that we'll be there for 6 nights....arrive on a Thursday mid-a.m. at Heathrow- Depart on the following Wed. very early in the morning from Gatwick...so we'll be there 5 full days and about a half day on our arrival day.

LynAK,

Sure enough! The reference is there "in plain sight."

My quick look at the 2-for-1 Oyster card offers shows no reference to the Tower of London. Therefore I suggest that you buy a seven-day zone 1-2 paper travelcard at a mainline train station. Both the Tower of London and Hampton Court Palace will be included.

Hi..thanks very much. So two last questions on this I hope!

Is Victoria a Mainline stations and is it the closest mainline station to Sloane Sq.?

We'll be getting there by car from the airport midday on a Thursday and want to go to the Tower on Friday morning, weather willing.

I suppose we could send one person on Thursday afternoon to get to a mainline station to buy the travelcards for everybody, paying the one time, one way tube fare from Sloane Sq. Is that the best idea?

thanks so much for your advice TimS!

Yes - there is a mainline station at Victoria - also a tube station. You'd have to go to the ground level train station to buy the paper travelcards - not the Underground station.

Sloane Sq is an easy walk from Victoria - and an easy walk is good thing to clear out the cobwebs/jet lag. Maybe 1/2 a mile.

Victoria is a mainline station and it is one Tube stop away from Sloane Square. You would have to pay £4 for a two-minute ride. It would be cheaper to take a bus (11, 211, or C1). Or just walk (less than 20 minutes). Here is a <A HREF="http://www.viamichelin.com/viamichel...;map<A/>.

Obviously my attempt to give you an imbedded link to a walking route map didn't work. You can find it for yourself by using www.viamichelin.com.