A trip to Greenwich
 

I'm planning a trip to Greenwich. I would appreciate any comments so that we take the most advantage of our time. I'm thinking of a boat trip down from Westminster station to Greenwich and coming back with Docklands lightrail. How much time do you think this trip would take us? What are in Greenwich to see? How much do the boat and lightrail cost? Would it make it cheaper if I load an Oyster card for that day?

You can use a zone 1 & 2 Travelcard or an Oyster card to get to Greenwich on the Docklands Light Railway.

Here is a quote from the riverboat guide: "Many operators offer 1/3 off normal advertised adult and child fares on production of a valid Travelcard or Oyster card charged with a valid Travelcard when purchasing a ticket. Some restrictions apply. Oyster cards with pre-pay are not accepted."

Things to see in Greenwich include the Old Royal Observatory, the National Maritime Museum, and the Cutty Sark clipper ship. There is a lively covered market on weekends.

For more information on riverboats including timetables and fares, visit www.tfl.gov.uk.

I wouldn't take the boat all the way from Westminster pier. That would be a pretty long ride. I'd leave from Tower pier instead.

TimS,

Would you elaborate on the quote from the riverboat guide. I'm totally lost. What is the difference b/w the Oyster card and the travel card? I thought they are the same.

Hi, Helen

An Oyster card is an electronic payment medium that you use instead of cash or a Travelcard (which is a paper pass). There's no particular advantage to loading a Travelcard on an Oyster, except that any other fares you buy (such as supplements to Heathrow) are much cheaper than single tickets.

The boats to Greenwich include lively commentary by the crew. I recommend the one from from Westminster, because there's a lot of interesting history between there and Tower Bridge. It probably takes an hour for the longer ride.

How long is the river boat from Westminster to Greenwich and how much would we save if we take it from the Tower as you suggested?

We went to Greenwixh with London Walks. You meet them at Tower Hill and take the boat to Greenwich. The price for a London Walk is 6 pounds and you add another 3 pounds for the boat trip. You have a nice two-hour guided walk which covers a lot of the interesting sights in Greenwich. Then you can walk up the hill to the Observatory and stand with one foot in the Eastern hemisphere and the other in the Western. We took the Docklands Light Rail back with our zones 1-2 fare card.

I also did the London Walk Greenwich, and enjoyed it a lot :)

From Westminster is a bit more than an hour to Greenwich..it's just half an hour from the tower. It's not the money, you just save one pound for a single journey.

It's worth getting of the Docklands Light Railways to check out Museum in Docklands:


http://www.plantcultures.org.uk/acti...docklands.html


It's a gem of a place and not many people seem to know about it. Also the city itself is a great place for a spot of retail therapy and a lunch.

If you don't feel like walking uphill to the observatory (I think the vertical distance is about 200 feet), there's a shuttle from the front steps of the Maritime Museum.

Beware that the above-mentioned shuttle runs only in the summer - we were there this time two years ago and there was no shuttle, had to hoof it up the hill. The OP didn't mention when she was visiting - you might want to research when the Greenich shuttle starts up.

Thought you may be interested llliking at the website (below) on the Werhner Collection at the Rangers House, Greenwich. Whilst I enjoyed the usual sites of G'wich, after seeing RH felt this English Heritage site was well worth a visit. Unfortunately it is located at the far end of arriving by boat or train - but don't miss it. Naturally EH members can view the premises without charge on showing their membership card.

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/s...onProperty.110
p.s. don't miss the wonderful rose garden around the corner from the front entrance of RH - again worth a glimpse. Jay

Westminster to Greenwich by boat takes an hour or a bit less, depending on the tide and whether the crew slow down to give their commentary (most of the sights are between Westminster and the Tower). Boats are run by City Cruises (www.citycruises.com) every 40 minutes, also calling at Waterloo and Tower Piers, and a consortium called Thames River services (www.royalriverthames.co.uk) every 30 minutes, calling at St Katharine's Pier. There is also a service from Embankment Pier to Greenwich (www.catamarancruisers.co.uk).
If you go to or from Greenwich by train and/or bus, it's covered by a travelcard for zones 1 and 2.

I've also taken the Westminster to Greenwich boat and I thought it was well worth it.

The commentary is done by the crew and are not professional guides, you tip them a pound the end. I found out lots of things like where the ship the Mayflower & the crew were from, old pubs and their history etc.

Geordie

You can get a slightly cheaper and quicker riverbus to and from Greenwich (but there's no commentary - which,as a Londoner, I would regard as a bonus - and, depending on the boat they're using, limited opportunities to sit outside):

www.thamesclippers.com

Thames Clippers run a commuter service. They do not call at Greenwich between 1030 and 1650 which is probably the time when most tourists are about.