We are going to be in London for 4 days in mid-august...and have purchased London Visitor Travelcards for 3 days ....we have vouchers and are instructed to exchange these at Heathrow for our passes....I am reading in another posting that photos are needed for students for the 7 day pass...mine are 14 and 16...so do I need to bring photos for 3 day passes and do they need to be official passport ones or can we just use school ones??? or is the discussion on the other posting about some other transportation card???<BR>thanks again

we have London Visitor Travelcards for Central Zone....not the London Visitor Pass...just realized there would be some confusion about that<BR><BR>jj

Photos are not needed for any of the Visitor Travelcards.<BR><BR>Photos are needed for ALL of the 7-day travel cards that are bought in London; the first time you buy one, the guy at the tube station puts the photo into a pass-holder that you then re-use with each new 7-day pass (even years later). The photos can be anything that's roughly passport-size, even a cut-up snapshot.<BR><BR>In trying to clarify a difference between "London Visitor Travelcards" and the London Visitor Pass," you've only complicated things, I'm afraid, as the latter doesn't exist. The London Pass, which admits you to various attractions, looks like a credit card, complete with magnetic strip, and also does not require a photo. The London Pass and the Visitor Travelcards are often sold jointly, but can be purchased separately.

Ok, Suzy - to clarify - we have London Visitor passes already purchased for 7 days, all zones. Even with teenagers, since we bought them in the US and will turn in the vouchers at the airport or a local tube station, we STILL do NOT need photos, even for the kids?

I've only used the Visitor TravelCards,and I've never needed a photo. Even the clerks at the desk there can be confused about that. I hand them my voucher, and get back the travelcard. I think the "visitor" travelcard is exempt from the photo rule. In the past, I bought my Travelcards through my travel agent (that may be the only way you can get them), and surely your agent would know!!!

Since you (and we) are not sure what kind of pass you have and whether or not you need photos, why not just bring a passport-sized photo with you for everyone. You will have it if you need it and if you don't you can save for another trip. (Actually, it is probably a good idea to have an extra photo with you anyway, in case you lose your passport and need to get a replacement at the Embassy while you are there.)

What part of "Photos are not needed for any of the Visitor Travelcards" is so hard for you to understand? <BR><BR>The passport-sized photos are needed ONLY for the 7-day travelcards that are sold at the tube stations in London. And then only the first time, for the holder that you put the pass in.<BR><BR>Yes, there is a technicality that kids ages 14-15 (the upper end of eligibility for children's fares) are supposed to have a photo ID, but this is never ever enforced.

The requirement for a photo-pass for 14 & ar5 year olds is enforced by London Transport - by occasional spotchecks. I have seen it happen - and my 14year old daughter knows of it happending. But it's ok so long as the child is carrying proof of age, eg passport, school card that carries phot and date of birth.

Sorry, I stand corrected: It never, ever happens to us.