ssander

We have used round-trip train tickets from LGW-Victoria three times successfully with 2-for-1 vouchers...saved over $100 each time...they were good for the entire stay.

We have also used a 1-day zone 1-6 travel card (bought at Victoria Station) to visit Hampton Court using the 2-for-1 vouchers.

This is my experience...yours may differ...but it's worth a try.

SS

PalenQ

janis - Is Hampton Court in London is my question - 2 for 1 exists for places all over England don't it - are you saying with a train ticket to London you can visit places 2 for 1 outside of London? Like windsor Castle (if it's in the scheme - you seem to say you just need a train ticket to London, not Windsor - apply same for Hampton Court, which to my knowledge is not in London though it is in the Travel Card scheme zones. I still have doubts about that unless Hampton Court is really in London as it may be I guess.

Hatfield House - 2 for 1 all you need is a train ticket to London not Hatfield you are saying?

Thanks for takaing time before to answer.

Cheers!

janisj

HCP is IN London. It is in tfl zone 6 . . .

Windsor is not on the Days out scheme.

Any paper travel card or train ticket for the day one is visiting a covered site qualifies for the 2for1's. Doesn't matter where the ticke(s) is to/from . . .

Any other questions?

ssander

Ditto...Hampton Court is, indeed, in London zone 6, as I said earlier. (See my post, three posts earlier.)

SS

PalenQ

Any other questions?>

I did not know Hampton Court was a part of London - yes it is in TFL travel Card but that don't mean it is in London, the city called London any more than Windsor is in London.

The Hatfield House example - is that in London or is your definition of London what is covered by TFL zones.

I am still leery that one may need a train ticket to Hampton Court or a TC covering zone 6 to technically be valid.

janisj

you must be on the paint again . . . .

PalenQ

I guess you don't really understand what I'm saying - if you don't have a fully valid ticket to Hampton Court, which is NOT in London then do you technically qualify? What do you base your answer on - any written policies, etc. I assume you need a valid ticket to places OUT of London - inside yes but again what about the Hatfield House example that you refuse to acknowledge - it's only accessible by national rail not tube and hampton Court fills that bill too - what is the difference.

PalenQ

Would a paper train ticket into London get me 2 for 1 at say Seven Oaks Knole or Churchill's estate - both are as close to London as Hampton Court? Are you just guessing at the answer but do you know for sure 100% - seems not.

janisj

>> if you don't have a fully valid ticket to Hampton Court, which is NOT in London then do you technically qualify?<<

YES!

>>I assume you need a valid ticket to places OUT of London - <<

NO!

>>Would a paper train ticket into London get me 2 for 1 at say Seven Oaks Knole or Churchill's estate -<<

YES!

You don't need a ticket to any specific place - or from any specific place -- as long as you have a paper travelcard/train ticket (as long at the paper ticket covers the same day(s) as the visit(s))

(You do know, all that paint eats the little gray cells . . . )

PalenQ

So a train ticket to and out of London qualified for 2 for 1 entry all over England - that's what you are saying? so anyone should be a cheap 5 quid ticket from any National Rail Station to any other such station in London and get 2 for 1 all over England - great deal. Thanks for clarifying that!

Kristina

I found these sites very helpful when trying to figure out how the 2 for 1 deal works:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g1...p.By.Step.html

http://www.londontoolkit.com/blog/tr...train-tickets/

PalenQ

Appears janis is right but there are only a handful of sites out of London included - any ole train ticket works as long as it's on paper - even for sites in Manchester!

PalenQ

http://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/faq.aspx#1

This site helps as well though is still a bit vague about whether you need a rail ticket with the destination on it where the attraction is but seems not, like janis says.

janisj

I rest my case . . . and do get off the paint. We worry about you.

Kristina

I wanted to follow up on this. Just back from London.

On our first full day we walked to Charing Cross Station to buy our paper 7 day, Zone 1-3 travelcards. Unfortunately, I forgot to bring photos, so we had to spend 5 pounds each to take pictures in a booth in the station.

We used the cards several times on Sunday for sightseeing and then to take the tube out to Chiswick where we were staying.

On Monday, we took the tube into the city and used the cards to get a discount on the Thames Ferry to Greenwich (about half the cost of a ticket) and 2 for 1 at the Cutty Sark. Tube back from Greenwich.

On Tuesday, we ending up driving to Hampton Court because my FIL had a car, but we still got the 2 for 1 admission discount with our travel cards.

Wednesday and Thursday were xmas eve and xmas and we stayed close to the house in Chiswick (plus no transport running on xmas day)

On Friday, we took the tube into the city and back to do one of the London Walks.

In the end, I think we broke even having the passes and getting the discounts. We certainly would have used the cards more if everything had not been closed for Christmas. I liked the flexibility the passes offered as well (no worries about peak/off peak or if we had enough money on our cards etc).

One thing; you MUST plan in advance or have access to a printer to print off the vouchers for where you want to use the 2 for 1. You won't get the discounts without them. Seems to me this part could be handled better for tourists.

dotheboyshall

<i>One thing; you MUST plan in advance or have access to a printer to print off the vouchers for where you want to use the 2 for 1. You won't get the discounts without them. Seems to me this part could be handled better for tourists.</i>

You can generally pick up brochures with blank vouchers in them at the same place you bought the Travelcard.

BUT is it really that hard to print off some vouchers before you travel - it's not as if it's then compulsory to use them.

PatrickLondon

>Seems to me this part could be handled better for tourists.<

Technically speaking, the whole promotion isn't primarily aimed at tourists, but rather at the rail companies' regular commuters, to get them to take their families on trips outside regular commuting times.

ssander

We always print out 2/1 vouchers before leaving the US...for every venue we even THINK we might visit, just in case.

Note...vouchers have an expiration date, so we don't print them out until a few days before we leave the US.

We also carry the PDF files with us as a backup. (The vouchers are PDF files downloaded from the 2/1 site.)

SS