London Questions
 

Hi all,
Headed on our second trip to London in February 2009. Last visited in 2005. Have a few questions I know all you "experts" will have answers for:

1. Oyster card- How should we decide how much to put on this at the beginning?
Travel:
-Heathrow to hotel (by Tower of London)
-Use of tube some each day for 6 days
-London to Stonehenge and return (or as far as we can get on it)
-London to Greenwich and return (I realize isn't that far)
-Hotel (by London Eye) to Heathrow

2. Last time we went in Feb, we received several sites to visit that gave us 2 for 1 coupons and half price theater tickets. Can anyone share deals with us again?

3. Suggestion for a memorable dinner to surprise husband. Good food- yes, but great atmosphere is more important. Something that will give us a special London memory.

Thanks for the discussion!
Debbie

1. For a trip of this length, I'd go for a 7-day travelcard for zones 1 and 2. Add-ons for getting to and from Heathrow will be minimal. Greenwich is in zone 2 anyway, and Stonehenge is outside London, and you will have to buy those tickets separately.

2. See other threads for the ins and outs, but there are separate 2for1 deals if you have your travelcard on Oyster

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/microsites/oysteroffers/

or buy a paper one from one of the national rail companies:

http://www.daysout.co.uk/

Up to you which of those schemes gives you more of what you want.

Both paper and Oyster travelcards have the same validity within the zones you have paid for, but you can only get the paper version from a station on the national rail system, i.e., not at Heathrow, so you'd pay a bit extra for those fares.

It's www.daysoutguide.com

You cannot use an Oystercard - even with a Travelcard on it for these offers.

You either have to buy a one or three day travelcard which can be obtained at all Tube & train stations or buy a 7 day paper travelcard which can only be bought at train stations.

There's nothing to stop you BTW "mix and matching" and getting an Oystercard PAYG - but then buy a one day travelcard for days when you are using 2-4-1 offers

Greenwich is within Zone 2 so can be reached on a zone 1-2 travelcard HOWEVER the easiest way for you to get to Greenwich via the Tower Gateway DLR station is currently closed

Easiest way for you to get to & from LHR is Tube to Hammersmith, walk to he adjacent platform (about 10 feet) and take a District line Tube to Tower Hill, for the return journey walk across Westminster Bridge and use Westminster Station changing at Hammersmith

You might like Simpson's in the Strand. I haven't been there in years but it's very traditional & the food was good when I was there.

http://www.simpsonsinthestrand.co.uk/

Les Trois Garcons is unique and great for food and atmosphere. The a la carte is expensive, but there's also a good fixed price menu. It's east of the City, so you might want to take a taxi (otherwise it's a number 8 bus from Liverpool Street Station).

http://www.lestroisgarcons.com/

Tower Gateway may be closed, but the main DLR service to Greenwich runs from Bank anyway.

<<<You either have to buy a one or three day travelcard which can be obtained at all Tube & train stations or buy a 7 day paper travelcard which can only be bought at train stations.>>>

Is there a train station at Heathrow where we could just by the 7 day paper travelcard with add on to/from the airport?

No train station at Heathrow. We plan to take the tube to Victoria Tube Station immediately upon arrival, purchase our 7 day Travelcard and then move on to our apartment to check in.

That way we won't have to pay for an additional fare later to go to Victoria Station to purchase the travelcards and we will be covered for the 2 for 1 deals.

good idea! thanks

bookmark

I don't get this 'bookmark' thing. What is it all about? Why not just save off the links instead of dragging months old threads to the top for something as silly as 'bookmarking'?