Cheapest paper ticket?
 

I am going to buy a paper ticket to get 2 4 1 deals.
What is the absolute cheapest ticket I can use for two weeks and how do I ask for it?
If my wife are together do we both need a paper ticket?

Looks like we'll use it for the Tower, Pub Tour and HCP..

Thanks

1. Go to railway station ticket office (NOT during busy times)
2. Tell the bloke what you want
3. Take his advice. That's what he's there for.

Yes, of course you each need a ticket.

The issue is much more complicated than to give a simple answer and will depend a great deal on your travel pattern in terms of where you're going and when you're going.

Bear in mind, cash tickets are ruthlessly expensive. So if you buy a paper zone 1 & 2 paper travelcard from a national rail office, what about the day you decide to do Hampton Court with the 2 4 1 which is in zone 6...hoe fo you hsndle it? Well if you say simply buy an extension ticket (for cash) to cover zones 3-6 you might find the price very high as a matter of fact higher than siply buying for that day a zone 1-6 travelcard (which could be tfl as your paper 7 day pass....or perhaps you're not going to be using the tube all that much on several days which might make PAYG a good alternative or want to use the buses several days alone or whatever in which case a 7 day (you said 2 weeks so you need 2 7 day travelcards) might in the long run be cheaper and the day before you want to do a 2 4 1 stop by a national rail office and pick up a national rail 1 day travelcard off peak or on peak depending on when yu intend to go....now others may say, and they wouldn't be entirely wrong, oh in the long run it's not going to make that much of a difference and be a make it or break it part of your holiday.

Of course the simplest solution, but I don't know if it's feasible, is to come in and out of Gatwick, buy a return ticket on one of the national rail Gatwick trans and then use tfl media for everything while in London...the round trip Gatwick train ticket will cover yo for the 2 4 1's while you're in London.

Anybody who tells you they can tell you the cheapest way to do this without taking all that into consideration doesn't undertand the fare structure all that well and how both the tfl and the national rail ticketing structures differ but whatever you decide to do, just remember what I said above. In the long run, it's really just a bit more money one way or the other and if you're spending all that much money for a holiday, forego a fancy dinner or two and downgrade your choice of restaurantsor stay at a cheaper hoteo or just grin and bare it. I choose the third (but then again sincer I travel as a single, the 2 4 1's are of no use to me!)

You don't need a train ticket to use the offers on daysoutguide.com

You can use a Travelcard bought at a London TRAIN station - generally the main ones in central London.

For a 2 week stay the cheapest option will be two consecutive 7 day Travelcards for zones 1-2 - which is where 99% of what you are likely to want to see. For HCP (zone 6) you'll need to buy an extension ticket at Waterloo Station BEFORE you travel.

The above advice applies if you are arriving at Heathrow or London City airports.

If you are arriving at Gatwick, Stansted or Luton then the train tickets you use to get into central London AND BACK TO THE AIRPORT can be used to get the 2-4-1 entry. In that case just get an Oystercard at any TUBE station, load it with consecutive 7 day zone 1-2 Travelcards plus about £15 for travel outside of zones 1-2. When you leave then return the Oystercard and reclaim the £5 deposit plus any unused cash.

I am arriving on the 14th and traveling to Edinburgh on the 19th with return on the 21st. Can I use those tickets the 14th thru the 19th?

Also, where can you pick up the coupon book?

Thank you

"<i>Also, where can you pick up the coupon book?

Thank you</i>"

It isn't a coupon book. Did you look at the site alanRow linked?

There is a coupon book circulating around the city.

I've done the 2 for 1 offers many times but have never seen a coupon book. Always had to print the coupons from the website.

The same website's FAQ has the info if you don't want to/can't print the vouchers.

(you can lead a horse . . .)

I can buy two return National Rail tickets from Charing Cross to Waterloo for £8.80. The return would be two weeks later and I can use the 2 4 1 vouchers the whole two weeks.

"I can buy two return National Rail tickets from Charing Cross to Waterloo for £8.80. The return would be two weeks later and I can use the 2 4 1 vouchers the whole two weeks."

BUT why? As has been explained several times you don't need to buy train tickets to use the offers - and as you'll be at a train station to buy / collect the train tickets you may as well buy a Travelcard.

As for the "coupon book", it's a leaflet that you get from a train station

>>As for the "coupon book", it's a leaflet that you get from a train station<<

Which is explained in those FAQ's -- the one about not printing the vouchers . . .

>>>BUT why? As has been explained several times you don't need to buy train tickets to use the offers - and as you'll be at a train station to buy / collect the train tickets you may as well buy a Travelcard.>>>

Okay then, let me get this...I will use National Rail from LHR to London is that correct? I have seen this many times, BUT, I haven't seen where that route is National Rail. I have always assumed it was part of the Tube system.

"<i>Okay then, let me get this...I will use National Rail from LHR to London is that correct? I have seen this many times, BUT, I haven't seen where that route is National Rail.</i>"

Only fools, rich people and those staying right AT Paddington take the train from LHR to London. And even if you are in one of those groups -- the two train lines (Heathrow Express & Heathrow Connect) are not valid for the 2for1 discounts.

Where are you staying -- normally the best ways to travel in to London are the tube or a pre-booked car service.

"<i>I have always assumed it was part of the Tube system.</i>"

The tube/Underground does run from LHR - That has nothing to do w/ 'trains'.