Help with Transportation Options in London
Mar 23rd, 2017, 06:05 AM
#21
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see http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/e...ravelcard.html for pros and cons of contactless and Oyster cards
Mar 23rd, 2017, 06:17 PM
#23
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Chiming in here. I need to get this straight because I am confused 
Are these the steps to get the 2-4-1 and to get an unlimited tube travel card for a week in London?
1. Peruse 2-4-1 and print any and all vouchers we might want.
2. Fly to London from the USA, land in Heathrow
3. Somehow travel to Paddington station (or other train station?) to purchase a paper 7 day card. (For this reason alone, I am thinking the express to Paddington from the airport)
4. We need to bring passport photos for each person (2 adults and 2 children)--these photos are used for the cards.
5. Take the Tube from Paddington to our rental in Nottinghill.
I am having trouble believing that I can get all of these benefits by buying the 7 day card at Paddington. It's the same card I would buy at the Tube station (???) but because I bought it at Paddington, I can get all the 2-4-1 benefits. It just sounds too good to be true!!
Also--is there some giant line to get these cards? Does it take hours to complete the process? (Can you tell I am a skeptic? But Fodorites have never steered me wrong so I feel I have to believe that I can take advantage of this great offer!)
Thanks for helping me understand!
Are these the steps to get the 2-4-1 and to get an unlimited tube travel card for a week in London?1. Peruse 2-4-1 and print any and all vouchers we might want.
2. Fly to London from the USA, land in Heathrow
3. Somehow travel to Paddington station (or other train station?) to purchase a paper 7 day card. (For this reason alone, I am thinking the express to Paddington from the airport)
4. We need to bring passport photos for each person (2 adults and 2 children)--these photos are used for the cards.
5. Take the Tube from Paddington to our rental in Nottinghill.
I am having trouble believing that I can get all of these benefits by buying the 7 day card at Paddington. It's the same card I would buy at the Tube station (???) but because I bought it at Paddington, I can get all the 2-4-1 benefits. It just sounds too good to be true!!
Also--is there some giant line to get these cards? Does it take hours to complete the process? (Can you tell I am a skeptic? But Fodorites have never steered me wrong so I feel I have to believe that I can take advantage of this great offer!)
Thanks for helping me understand!
Mar 23rd, 2017, 06:32 PM
#24
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Mar 23rd, 2017, 06:47 PM
#25
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Stanton-Hyde--DD and I used the Heathrow CONNECT for a fraction of the cost of the Express from LHR to Paddington. Took longer, but time wasn't an issue. Boarded same platform--just had to not get on an Express. It got very crowded by the time we arrived, but we had seats all the time, with our small luggage with us. Just a cheapish option to the Tube, which we've used, or car service like Just Airports, which we've used.
Mar 23rd, 2017, 07:19 PM
#26
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wjm--thanks for that link--that has every answer I could need. As for the family pricing vs. 2-4-1, I think the fact that my kids are 12 and 14 may complicate things (some places maybe they are kids, others they are considered adults) It's good to do the math. Thanks for this great resource.
texasbookworm-how much longer did it take? I just used the route planner app noted above and it would take us around 20 minutes to get to Paddington and then only 3 minutes to get from there to NottingHill. I like that much better than, say, 60 minutes!
texasbookworm-how much longer did it take? I just used the route planner app noted above and it would take us around 20 minutes to get to Paddington and then only 3 minutes to get from there to NottingHill. I like that much better than, say, 60 minutes!
Mar 23rd, 2017, 08:09 PM
#28
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yestravel - was meant to be a laughing face - not sure what happens with emojis on fodors.
We always use Oyster cards in London and don't bother with 2 for 1 as the attractions on it are not what we want . Like oyster because we get any money not used back when leaving or leave it until next time.
We always use Oyster cards in London and don't bother with 2 for 1 as the attractions on it are not what we want . Like oyster because we get any money not used back when leaving or leave it until next time.
Mar 24th, 2017, 01:07 AM
#29
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>.I just used the route planner app noted above and it would take us around 20 minutes to get to Paddington and then only 3 minutes to get from there to NottingHill. I like that much better than, say, 60 minutes!<<
Yes, for Notting Hill and that side of London, Paddington can make more sense. For other places not so much (when you bear in mind the HEX is only every fifteen minutes, and onward transport from Paddington may not be that convenient).
Brace yourselves, btw, it won't be that long now before CrossRail comes into service......
http://www.crossrail.co.uk/route/maps/
Yes, for Notting Hill and that side of London, Paddington can make more sense. For other places not so much (when you bear in mind the HEX is only every fifteen minutes, and onward transport from Paddington may not be that convenient).
Brace yourselves, btw, it won't be that long now before CrossRail comes into service......
http://www.crossrail.co.uk/route/maps/
Mar 24th, 2017, 04:10 AM
#30
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Northie-I've wondered if we will use enough of the attractions to make the 2 for 1 worthwhile. I have to go thru the list and check admission prices against the cost of the travel card. We also tend to walk a lot so don't know if we will make a huge amount of use out of the transportation. At least I think I understand how it all works. I still haven't fount a current price for the travel card.
Mar 24th, 2017, 04:17 AM
#31
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Here's what I wrote about our experience with Heathrow CONNNECT in a TR I posted in 2015, so the pricing won't be the same:
After landing and getting all stuff done in LHR, DD and I and 2 other fellow travelers did this:
"As we followed signs toward the Connect/Express ticket office (I hoped), we walked by a Heathrow Express ticket kiosk where I asked about <b>Heathrow Connect</b> tickets; he showed us how to buy those tickets at the kiosk (no problem with our CC’s). We followed the signs to Heathrow Express for a long walk; at the platform we just had to wait about 20 minutes for the Connect train not the Express one, and then it took 30 to get <b>to Paddington. </b> After the first stop the train was quite packed. I wasn’t expecting commuters to use it. But I found this a good way to reach the city for pretty cheap—£10.10—if getting to Paddington works for where you are staying.
At Paddington we were very much the confused tourists and had to get help—kindly given—to figure out how to get up to the actual street level station. There we found ATM machine (J’s card had issues, but as a wise traveler, she pulled out her second one and it worked). They topped up their Oyster cards for their week of travel, while I went to the National Rail office and got the 7-Day-Zones 1-2 Travel Card; I had our passport-size photos with me so the whole process went pretty fast, even on this busy Monday morning."
Then we walked to our nearby hotel to drop luggage and came back to take the Tube to Hyde Park.
After landing and getting all stuff done in LHR, DD and I and 2 other fellow travelers did this:
"As we followed signs toward the Connect/Express ticket office (I hoped), we walked by a Heathrow Express ticket kiosk where I asked about <b>Heathrow Connect</b> tickets; he showed us how to buy those tickets at the kiosk (no problem with our CC’s). We followed the signs to Heathrow Express for a long walk; at the platform we just had to wait about 20 minutes for the Connect train not the Express one, and then it took 30 to get <b>to Paddington. </b> After the first stop the train was quite packed. I wasn’t expecting commuters to use it. But I found this a good way to reach the city for pretty cheap—£10.10—if getting to Paddington works for where you are staying.
At Paddington we were very much the confused tourists and had to get help—kindly given—to figure out how to get up to the actual street level station. There we found ATM machine (J’s card had issues, but as a wise traveler, she pulled out her second one and it worked). They topped up their Oyster cards for their week of travel, while I went to the National Rail office and got the 7-Day-Zones 1-2 Travel Card; I had our passport-size photos with me so the whole process went pretty fast, even on this busy Monday morning."
Then we walked to our nearby hotel to drop luggage and came back to take the Tube to Hyde Park.
Mar 24th, 2017, 10:48 AM
#32
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yestravel, for travel within zone 1 and 2 - which is where you will nearly always be - there's a cap of 6,60 per day. So if you load money on your Oyster card, and travel around getting on and off busses and tubes all day - you will not be charged more than that in zone 1. The weekly cap is 33 pounds - but that is when you use a contactless payment card, rather than an Oyster.
You can also buy a 7-day travel card as mentioned on other posts here, and if you buy that from a train station you will qualify for the 2for1 offers.
All fares are here;
http://content.tfl.gov.uk/adult-fares-2017.pdf
London is a very large city. You will use buses/tubes to get around all the time. It's very easy to spend 6,60 per day. If you are sightseeing, you will almost certainly use that. It's so easy to just jump on a bus, even if it's just for a short distance.
Use the citymapper app to plan your journeys. It's very easy to use.
You can also buy a 7-day travel card as mentioned on other posts here, and if you buy that from a train station you will qualify for the 2for1 offers.
All fares are here;
http://content.tfl.gov.uk/adult-fares-2017.pdf
London is a very large city. You will use buses/tubes to get around all the time. It's very easy to spend 6,60 per day. If you are sightseeing, you will almost certainly use that. It's so easy to just jump on a bus, even if it's just for a short distance.
Use the citymapper app to plan your journeys. It's very easy to use.
Mar 24th, 2017, 10:53 AM
#33
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So if you do not get a 7-day travel card, and instead use an Oyster card to get around Zone 1 and 2 for 7 days, it will cost you a maximum of 7 times 6.60 (which is the daily maximum cap).
If you use a contactless credit or debit card, you do not need to think about anything; you will never pay more than the 33 pounds per week. Or 6.60 per day.
Even if you use the 2for1 offers only once, you'll be better of getting the 7-day travel card. You can pick it up at Kings Cross when you get there from Edinburgh.
If you use a contactless credit or debit card, you do not need to think about anything; you will never pay more than the 33 pounds per week. Or 6.60 per day.
Even if you use the 2for1 offers only once, you'll be better of getting the 7-day travel card. You can pick it up at Kings Cross when you get there from Edinburgh.
Mar 24th, 2017, 11:44 AM
#34
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But I found this a good way to reach the city for pretty cheap—£10.10—if getting to Paddington works for where you are staying.>
I wonder if HEX Connect return tickets can be used for 2 for 1 offers -may have been said above but skimming thru missed.
I wonder if HEX Connect return tickets can be used for 2 for 1 offers -may have been said above but skimming thru missed.
Mar 24th, 2017, 01:18 PM
#35
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I suspect HE Connect may get crowded too at stations en route?
The official HEX often has 2 for 1 tickets, as said above, on their site making it not much more than the Connect and with baggage, etc and no stops after airport may be money worth spent -if not for much time savings?
The official HEX often has 2 for 1 tickets, as said above, on their site making it not much more than the Connect and with baggage, etc and no stops after airport may be money worth spent -if not for much time savings?
Mar 24th, 2017, 03:12 PM
#37
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Just an FYI regarding weekly capping with a contactless card - it only caps at a 7 day Travelcard amount Monday-Sunday, so depending on your days, you may be better off with a 7 day Travelcard.
https://tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-payment...hat-is-capping
https://tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-payment...hat-is-capping
Mar 25th, 2017, 05:17 AM
#40
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That's a possibility. I did read it has to be a U.K. Issued card, but if yours worked who knows? Information seems to be scattered all over. I have yet to find a comprehensive site with all the pertinent information.
