getting around ...
 

Hello Foderites. I've tried my best to research this, but only wind up getting more confused. We are going to have 2 weekend days in London. Plan on just ambing around and getting an overview of area nad seeing a few museums. We are good walkers. Our hotel is in Hyde Park area. How does get around ? Oyster cards - are they good for such a short visit ? People refer to fact that tube is expensive. Reviews of tourist double decker buses seem mixed .. Can anybody help clarify any of this. Thank you so much.

I suggest repost along lines of "London for 2 days bus or tube?"

Someone will probably correct me on this but from my experience, if you are only going to be in London for 2 days it is best to just buy an all-day pass for the tube each day. I believe it will cost you about 5 pounds a day, and you can buy the pass (basically a ticket which is good for unlimited rides all day long) from the machines in the tube stations. I believe a one-way ticket costs about 4 pounds so for only approximately 1 pound more you get a whole days worth of riding! This makes it worth it if you think you are going to ride the tube more than once a day. I hope this helps!

Hi M,

I agree with bilboburgler, lousy title, repost for better results.

We just got back from London in June and we paid about 8 pounds each for an all day pass on the underground (I think... it might have been more, but it certainly was not less)
Here is a link that might help you...
http://www.visitlondon.com/travel/oyster/

A 1 day zone 1-2 travelcard is £6.60 (peak time) or £5.10 (off peak)

Hi marcielee.

The tube is normally the best way to get around London quickly, if it's working. They carry out engineering work at weekends so as not to interfere with the weekday commuters.
The daily ticket that Erin464 is refering to is the best way to go. It is sometimes called a "Travelcard".
The System is divided into zones, 1 -6. If you know where you want to go, check out what zones they are in. You can buy a Travelcard for a limited number of zones. May be even cheaper.

You can get information on the Transport For London website. I think it is www.tfl.gov.uk

As for the buses, despite the congestion charge zone, Central London can still be a bit like New York. You could spend a lot of time looking at the same building.
I personally would say that the city is too big to walk around in 2 days.

Have fun
Regards.

Forget the underground, it is time consuming. Use the bus service. Use the bus map to plot your travels. Perhaps you could get an early start and take an around London bus tour. Unless you are staying in a B&B or a student hostel your hotel cost will be XXX times the cost of local travel.

Laralynn paid way too much. My guess is she bought travel cards covering more zones than needed (unless they were staying out in the outer zones somewhere)

Where are you arriving in to London - Heathrow? If so there is a tube station right there and they can explain your options. I'd personally get an oyster card w/ about 10 GBP loaded on it. You can get a refund of the deposit/excess when you leave. And it will also be good for your trip in from LHR.

If you are arriving at a different airport you can just go in to the first tube station you see after getting in to the center.

(If you intend to only use buses, it will cost a lot less - but I'd still get an oyster - again from any tube station.)

The tube is expensive if you buy a single ticket for a short journey.

What you need is an all day travelpass for Zones 1-2. Buy one each day. If you only use it for one tube and one bus who cares? Forget about the cost - how much is 5 or 6 quid compared to the cost of the flight? What you are short of is time, so don't mess around!

Do the obvious thing. You can buy an all day pass from a machine. For an Oyster Card I believe you need a photo and all that stuff.

When you arrive at the airport - assume you are flying in - pick up a tube map and a bus map - all free - and peruse on your first night in hotel or restaurant.

no - you do NOT need a photo for an oyster card. (you do for some but definitely not in your situation)

Since you are talking Saturday and Sunday, two one day travelcards for each of you -- off peak -- will be good all day on those days. They are good for busses or the tube. There is no "peak" higher cost ticket for Saturday or Sunday.

But if this is a first time in London, for what you seem to want to do, I'd actually do a hop on, hop off bus. The ticket will be good all day, will give you a good overview of the main attractions, and actually provide you with transportation to the major more distant museums and attractions where you really can get off and then catch a later bus. Too many people use the hop on, hop off as just a ride instead of a tourist transporatation system.

Then the second day you might want to do a travel card -- or just walk concentrating on the central places.