^^^
<i>"xyz123 on May 2, 12 at 5:19pm
Somebody made a good point on one of their trip reports....how would this work....buy one return ticket from a central London to a nearby station covering the days you're in London.the one return ticket you then use for the 2 4 1's and you can go with an oyster card either PAYG or a one week travelcard on it for the rest of your holiday!"</i>

If one were to follow this controversial approach, what would be a good "nearby station" to be the destination for that inexpensive return ticket?

If landing at Gatwick Airport simply buy a return ticket to London.

But Heathrow Express or Connect don't qualify.

But good question will wait for the answer - seems like you could buy a cheap return ticket from say Richmond to Londonor some national rail station that is closest to sny central London station.

Why bother trying to game the system when you can just get a 7-day travelcard from a rail station? The paper travelcard costs no more than a "travelcard" loaded onto an Oyster. All the suggestion above means is you pay more.

>>If one were to follow this controversial approach,<<

What is 'controversial'???

Totally OK -- but doesn't makes sense cost-wise . . . .

BigRuss, you're assuming we would use the tube heavily and we don't. We already have Oysters with generous credit leftover from last time. Travelcard is what - 32GBP or so for 7 days? If a return ticket could be had for a pittance, it would mean we pay less. And without "faffing" about with one day Travelcards which require more planning ahead that I'm prepared to do.

And Janis, I said controversial because in the post I read there were comments that this idea would be abusing the system. I can't find that post now, but perhaps xyz123 would be able to do so.

At any rate, I think it's an interesting possibility - thank you.

Folks like janis continually advocate "abusing" the system which was meant for folks coming into London by national rail (see a current thread of 2 for 1 for what I mean. It's not abuse if it is Hoyle.

Ok, given the existing loaded up Oysters, the plan can make sense. Based on the bare initial post alone, no way.

And if the system is there, why is it "abuse" - any bloody Londoner can use the paper travelcard to see sites around his own city. If the folks at TfL or any of the sites offering two-fers want to stop the practice, they can. But it's not easy to visit the Tower for > $120 for a family of four - much easier if the discounts are in place.

PQ: I am (seriously) getting worried about you. Either your new paint batch is too strong or you are losing it completely.

Back to the beginning, does anyone have suggestion for inexpensive return ticket <u>destination</u>? PQ mentioned Richmond as a possibility. And thanks again.

Victoria to Battersea Park

No idea (or interest) in whether this is going to work. But I don't think you can get below the £5.80 cost.

Simpler solution

Buy one day Travelcards for the day(s) you want to use the 2-4-1 offers, then leave the Oystercard in the hotel.

Flanner, thank you for Battersea Park.

Dottheboy, I'd like to have more flexibility than that. (Also, there's the trip to the rail station to buy the tc for that day.)
And one day travel cards are 8GBP or so, right? Not a bargain for our light tube use.

I do appreciate your time in answering.

If you're really averse to travelling, you don't - strictly speaking - need to go to Victoria. Just go to your nearest National Rail station. It's almost always possible - though it'll infuriate anyone waiting behind you - to programme the route onto the ticket machines.

It's always possible to buy the ticket over any counter, though you may have to queue for a century or two.

Note that if your two-fer deals are for destinations for which you need to take a train (Hampton Court Palace), the rail ticket from Waterloo (or wherever else) would cover you.

<i>(Also, there's the trip to the rail station to buy the tc for that day.)</i>

Do it the day before.

Alternatively cash in your Oystercard and get a 7 day Travelcard instead paying the occasional extra