Hi -<BR><BR>Just got back from 8 days in London - and we didn't get rained on once. I couldn't believe what great weather we had. I purchased Visitor Travel Cards from the Britainontrack.com website prior to our trip - which turned out to be great. I got 7 day passes for Zones 1 and 2 for $33 each. They were shipped to me (2 day service) so I had the actual cards (not vouchers) when we arrived. Also got a great deal prior to departure from the Eurostar website for a day trip to Paris for $75 each. We stayed in the Notting Hill area which was very convenient. I'm convinced that March is a great time to see London - we didn't have to wait in the long lines I have experienced in June. We just walked right up to see everything - the Crown Jewels, London Eye, Westminster Abbey, etc. I'd be happy to answer any questions.<BR>Martha<BR>

What currency were they using there--EURO or Pound?

Martha, We are going to London at the end of March- I'd appreciate your opinion on clothing. What was the average daily temperature? Do we need winter weight clothing- corduroy and turtlenecks? Will leather top coats work? We plan to bring things we can layer- and check the weather web-site before we go. Thanks.

In Britain, they still use pounds. Most of continental Europe uses Euros now, so we got Euros for our trip to Paris.<BR><BR>You can check the weather on weather.co.uk. We experienced mostly highs around 50 degrees, with partly cloudy skies. Remember it is spring, so the weather will be changeable. Last week when I was there, the forsythias and flowering trees were in bloom and daffodils were up. I would advice layering with clothes, as always, so you'll be prepared for different temperatures.<BR>Martha<BR>

Martha, did you stay in hotel or B&B in Notting Hill area? Would you recommend it? Cost? Thanks.

The British Visitors Travelcard is a ripoff. Anyone in London can get a 7-day pass for Zones 1 and 2 for &pound;19.30, which is about $28.00. You just walk up to any tube ticketseller and ask for it! <BR><BR>They will need to also issue you a pass holder, for which you need a passport-sized photo (you can just cut up any old snapshot if your face is the right size). Bringing a photo is certainly a lot less trouble and expense than purchasing the visitors travel card in advance. The only imaginable advantage is that the visitor travelcard comes with some coupons for discounts at attractions, but discounts are available from other sources.

Mavis -<BR><BR>We stayed at the Comfort Inn Notting Hill, which is in a great location, just 1/2 block north of the Notting Hill tube station at Bayswater Road. The hotel was OK - the single rooms were closets, small ones, but my nephew and his wife had a double room which was really nice. We paid 65 lbs. for a single room and 81 lbs. for a double room. It comes with continental breakfast and had a nice lobby and bar. The boiler broke in the middle of our visit, so we transferred to the Comfort Inn Bayswater, which was smaller and much quieter but 4 blocks from Bayswater Road and about 7 blocks from a tube station.<BR>Martha<BR><BR>Ellen - <BR>The convenience of having the card in hand when I arrived in London was worth money to me.<BR>Martha<BR>

Martha, for future reference, you probably could have stayed in a much nicer hotel for what you paid -- especially in February and March -- by checking out the many on-line sources discussed on this website (londontown.com, etc).

Any ideas for a warm cozy Italian restaurant in London?

Try Salieri's on The Strand.

I just don't see the big advantage of throwing away $5 to have a Visitor's Travelcard in hand when you arrive. You easily purchase it from any Underground station...it's just one more nuisance thing you have to remember to bring.<BR><BR>When you arrive in London, you bravely march up to the clerk and ask for the 7 day zone 1 & 2 pass. I have news for people who may not be aware of it but the language in England believe it or not is English. Trust me, you will be able to comprehend every word spoken by English people...although there are many foreigners there now who don't speak the language all that well; especially waiters in many restaurants.<BR><BR>As far as travel cards, you indeed need a photo...that is the total "inconvenience" of waiting till you get to London to buy the travelcard. And important to remember, even if you start out at Heathrow and use the tube into town (a great way to get in if baggage is not a big problem), you still buy the zone 1 & 2 (actually I buy only the zone 1; the only things that interest me in zone 2 are the zoo and Greenwich) at Heathrow and ask for an "extension ticket" for the morning trip into town. As I will be buying the travelcard anyway, to me my cost to get into central London from Heathrow is the cost of the extension ticket, &pound;2.30. Sure beats &pound;15 for the Heathrow Express and you may save at most 20 minutes using Heathrow Express.<BR><BR>Just my thoughts.

I don't get it. Martha is nice enough to post a trip report and offers to answer questions and everyone jumps on her for having done the wrong thing. What kind of hospitality is that? Thanks, Martha, for your upbeat report and offer to answer questions.

Jeff, is there a type of "extension ticket" to the travelcard you can use for the Gatwick Express? Any type of discount at all for that?

Message: I don't get it. Martha is nice enough to post a trip report and offers to answer questions and everyone jumps on her for having done the wrong thing. What kind of hospitality is that? Thanks, Martha, for your upbeat report and offer to answer questions.<BR><BR><BR>I don't think it's gettong on a poster when one tries to correct errant information or present another POV.<BR><BR>The Visitor's Travelcard is not a good buy. It is more expensive than the same cards available in London and in many cases (Matha's excepted) you don't actually get the card; you get a voucher that has to be exchanged for the actual card only at certain Underground stations. The real travelcards are available at every station.<BR><BR>I have read on this board and on other boards such banal remarks as, "Who wants to be bothered after a long flight with trying to buy a transit pass in a strange foreign land after an exhausting flight?" Now, as I try to point out, one of the advantages of gong to England first is that the language is the same. I could understand having difficulty in Paris getting off a plan and negotiating the RER into town and the various passes. That is what the web is for or for sights like this. But in London?<BR><BR>Listen, I try to make clear that I post opinions and I don't put anybody down with other opinions. It is their right. But people have the right to see both sides of the coin so to speak.

Message: Jeff, is there a type of "extension ticket" to the travelcard you can use for the Gatwick Express? Any type of discount at all for that?<BR><BR>No....Gatwick Express is part of the main line rail system that used to be called British Rail before it was privatized. You pay for your ticket on the train. When you get to Victoria, you buy your travelcard.

Martha - Was the $75 daytrip to Paris a special? When I look at their website, the roundtrip prices are over $200. Tell me more, please!

Martha, I would also be interested in hearing more about how to get a $75 daytrip to Paris.<BR>Sarah

The Eurostar website shows weekend day return fares for 70GBP (the Apex round trip fare is 79 GBP).

About the day trip to Paris - Yes it was a special deal advertised on the Eurostar website as "early spring day trips". I forget when the last date was for the special. Another reason to check websites regularly to see if there are special deals available.<BR>Martha<BR>

My husband and I are travelling to London for 4 nights, and going on to Southend. The 3-day central zone travel pass from raileurope is $33.00 Cdn. Would it be cheaper for me to wait till we get to London and get passes there? Maybe get a 2-day pass for underground and regular buses, and go on a "hop on hop off" tour on the Big Bus one day. The London Pass for entrance to several museums, exhibits, etc. is $90 Cdn. for a 3-day pass.<BR>Does the Gatwick Express have a stop at Kings Cross station? We're staying in Bloomsbury.<BR>Any suggestions will be appreciated.<BR><BR>