Lambie123

LondonTown.com has an offer selling a sightseeing pass that says you can jump the queue. Has anyone had any experience with this?

It seems almost too good to be true - but if so, excellent! We leave in 2 days for our first trip to London, don't want to waste a minute.
Here's the link: http://www.londontown.com/lpass/

nona1

i suppose you are avoiding the queue to buy tickets, yes, but I wouldn't try marching to the front of any other ticket holders queing to get in. for example at the Tower of London, you may queue for tickets and then may also have a short wait at the separate entrance. But most places only have a ticket queue, so yes, in a way you do get to jump it.

make sure the pass works out well financially bearing in mind that a lot of places in london are free entry...where do you want to go?

the travel add-on is very poor value.

janisj

The London Pass is not a good deal for the vast majority of visitors. You have to sit down w/ a list and the prices of the major places you want to see and decide if you could get to enough of them in the short period covered by the Pass. Most of the time it doesn't pencil out.

Just about the only place it helps re queue jumping is at the Tower of London (also at Madam Tussaud's). And there are other ways to skip the Tower line (buying a ticket ahead of time at a tube station for instance)

Otherwise - there just aren't long queues at many or any London tourist attractions. So that isn't a good reason to but the LP. And whatever you do -- do NOT but the transport option.

helen_belsize

Only you know how many of these things you a) want to visit and b) will have the strength to visit, then it is a simple financial calculation. Will save buying tickets on the day and constantly getting more currency, could help focus your routes. Many of these are some distance apart so you will need to work closely with a map to make the best use of this. Don't forget the other attractions which are free, national museums and art galleries. Have a great holiday.

laurie_ann

You can also buy tickets to Tower of London and Buckingham Palace (and other things such as special exhibits at even the free museums) on line on their own websites before you ever leave home.

Lambie123

Many thanks for the responses - just what I needed to know. The Tower is at the top of our list, but we'll just buy an advance ticket for that some other way.

I love that so many of the attractions we are interested in are free, very welcoming!

janisj

good points - but "<i> . . . constantly getting more currency . . . </i>" really shouldn't factor in the decision? Almost every site that has admission charges takes cash or credit cards.

janisj

If you get to the Tower just before opening time (which is the best option to avoid the worst of the crowds) there is practically no queue. Buying ahead of time won't be a big advantage - but not a mistake either.

Also -- there are 2 for 1 vouchers on-line that you use w/ paper travel cards which would be a better bargain than pre-booking your tickets. http://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/ You would have to get in the queue to redeem the vouchers

Lambie123

Thanks for the link, janisj. London's public transportation is a little overwhelming to this first timer. Do you have any favorite links to help sort that out? The tube seems to be preferred, but I'm also interested in learning more about the bus lines.

janisj

After a few rides, the tube will be second nature (or at least less terrifying ) But honestly, the tube is easy.

This map shows the main bus routes for sites/sightseeing in central London
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloa...al_bus_map.pdf

BigRuss

The only place we saw a long line was at Windsor Castle, but because we bought vouchers at Waterloo Station before taking the train there (for 12 GBP versus 15.50 at the Castle), we went on the short ticketholder line and jumped in front.

The 2-for-1 offers are the best way to cut costs. You said "we" are going, that means more than one of you. Using the twofers at Hampton Ct. Palace and Tower and Cabinet War Rooms and British Library's Henry VIII will save you enough for a really good dinner. Check my name or another frequent poster "yk" for other posts, we've both written about the 2-for-1 deals.

Because so many of the museums are free, the London Pass is likely not a moneysaver. There are other posts in this forum discussing how the London Pass is not a good deal (those who've used it say that the Paris equivalent is). We ran the numbers and would have come out ahead without the Pass; add the savings from the twofers and you're better off without it.

Lambie123

Thank you! I've nixed the London Pass thanks to the responses here. Can you buy vouchers at all stations? Does that include the 2-for-1s (there are 2 of us on the trip), or do I need to buy them online before we leave?

Thanks also for the bus route map.

yk

Lambie123- go to the daysoutguide website (link provided earlier) and print out the 2-for-1 vouchers IN ADVANCE. You don't need to BUY these vouchers - they are free and you can print out as many as you need.

What you NEED to qualify for the 2-for-1 vouchers, is a PAPER TRAVELCARD with the Rail Logo. See this website for details:
http://www.londontoolkit.com/briefin...card.htm#2for1

yk

Just to clarify, with 2 of you, each person needs to have his/her own paper travelcard with rail logo in order to use the 2-for-1 vouchers.

Feldie

yk beat me to the londontoolkit website. You can read lauratg's trip report for her use of the London Pass, she had four kids in tow with her hubby. It worked for her.

I printed out about 50 vouchers (double since we were four) from the Daysoutguide website, along with the terms/conditions. I included everything I could possibly have wanted and it WAS overkill and a LOT of time. BUT when DS said 'hey there is a Dali Museum in London', I was prepared with a voucher. It is very difficult to get the voucher brochures in London, the rail stations tend to not carry them.

To use the vouchers, make sure you buy the PAPER ticket from a RAIL STATION (look for the red crows feet on the tube map) and NOT the TUBE station ticket windows. Oyster is another story; read about it on londontoolkit.

lennyba

I see you've changed your mind about the pass, but just for potential other readers - we picked up London Passes dirt cheap on eBay for our trip in March. Never would have considered them at retail price, but they were a great deal for what we paid ($50 US for two) and they absolutely sent you past the line in the places we used them (Windsor, Kew, and St. Paul's). You definitely have to plan your time carefully with them.

Lambie123

Travelcard, Oyster... This is where I got confused/overwhelmed. But think I comprehend now & thanks to all!

vicky52

Hi-
just found out from National Express that taking their coach from Heathrow Airport to Victoria Coach Station will qualify for using the 2 for 1 passes.
Question--does anyone know if we would avoid the long line at the Tower of London with a 2 for 1 pass? Can they only be used at the attraction themself--and in the same long queue as all tickets--or can we get them somewhere else and save the wait?
---or, how early would you advise us arriving on Friday 31 July so that we get into the Tower with the shortest wait?

thank you!
Vicky

janisj

1) I'm not sure about the coach qualifying for the 2 for 1 offers (admittedly, the last time I took a NE airport coach was a few years ago) - unless the ticket has the National Rail logo, it wouldn't.

2) The 2 for 1 doesn't really let you jump queues at the Tower since you have to stand in a line to redeem the vouchers.

3) Whether you use vouchers or not - the best plan is to get to the Tower just before opening time. That is when the lines are shortest.

vicky52

Thank you--I actually received an email back from national express saying that the heathrow trip would qualify--hopefully that helps someone. It's 4 pounds, just like the Tube.

We'll plan on getting to the Tower by 8:15 am, then--what order would you suggest we see things?

thanks