Please help me to see if what I have figured out is correct.

We can buy an off-peak ticket online at Southern for our one way Gatwick-London and use it anytime after 10.00 a.m.. Will there be a machine we can purchase our Oyster card from at Gatwick to use once in London?

Once in London, we continue to Hammersmith to see a friend immediately, we will need to have purchased an Oyster card for zones 1+2. Is it best to disembark at London Bridge, or wait until Victoria to start our journey to Hammersmith?

We will later to go to the Covent Garden area and stay within zones 1+2 the same evening, and the next morning, returning to Victoria, with a stop at Baker's Street first. End of train travels.

Thanks for any tips on purchasing or where to change trains most easily going to Hammersmith. We will only have carry-on luggage.

Or you can buy a ticket from Gatwick to East Croydon and then from there use your Oyster Ticket the rest of the way and during your whole time in London

and you have a return paper train ticket to get the 2 for 1 admission at many sights by showing a paper train ticket.

I would take the overgroung straight to Victoria from Gatwick, buy your oyster card for zone 1&2 and then take the district line to Hammersmith.

You need to go west rather than east, so not London Bridge.

For the sake of completeness, you could theoretically change at East Croydon for a train that goes to Kensington Olympia, which is closer than Victoria to Hammersmith, but that would mean possibly an awkward change of platforms at East Croydon, and a longish walk at Olympia for a bus to Hammersmith.

So Victoria it is.

At Gatwick you can ask for a one-off add-on for Hammersmith when you buy your Southern ticket into London. You could ask if it's possible to buy a London travelcard with it - I believe it used to be, but the National Rail website firmly suggests buying a single ticket add-on. Queues for your Oystercard are likely to be less at Hammersmith than at Victoria.

I'm afraid PQ's suggestion doesn't work - East Croydon is way out in zones you wouldn't want to pay for on a travelcard, and I don't think you can get an Oystercard (to load up with pay-as-you-go money) at Gatwick.

Definitely go via Victoria..the other options make no sense. Also, if budget is a concern, take the regular overground train and not the Gatwick Express. It will add like 10 minutes to the ride but it's half the price of the Gatwick Express fare.

buses would probably be the cheapest way to go?

Thanks. Have no problem doing the Southern cheaper route. I just saw that one of Southern stops was L. Bridge, and was not sure if it were better just to start the London internal journey there for some reason.. platforms.. route..

We will go to Victoria as mentioned but first see if we can do an add on to Hammersmith. the Southern website does not allow it, however, I had already tried.

You can buy a combined train ticket & Travelcard at Gatwick which is a lot less hassle than sorting out an Oystercard epsecially for an overnight stay.

http://www.southernrailway.com/ticke...cket-types/17/

I'd suggest BTW that you'd stay overnight near Victoria or London Bridge so you can walk to the train station in the monring and save youself a Tube fare