London Tube Travel
 

If I am staying ten minutes from Victoria Station in London, is that my major source of transporation? If so, should a buy a 5 day pass or should I use the bus? Is a tour better than sight-seeing by foot? Please help! Thanks

I would probably recommend using the tube. It is fast and convenient. The drawback is that there are no windows to look out of, like a bus.<BR><BR>When I as in London, I has specific places I wanted to to. We used the tube to get us to the right area and walked from there. We only took a bus twice in 9 days, although we did take a taxi once. <BR><BR>As for the &quot;tour vs on your own&quot; question, it depends on your personal preferences and budget. We took a one day tour of London as well as a day trip to Leeds-Cantebury-Dover. We also took a one day trip to Paris via the &quot;Chunnel&quot; train. However, when we wanted to see Warwick Castle, we just hopped on a train on our own.<BR><BR>I think that if you value convenience and like having a guide, tours are worth the money. You want to have fun on vacation, not sweat the details. However, the best bet is to mix and match. Take a day trip or two and do the rest on your own.

Don, good advise... I've been told taxis are expensive. Do you know if you purchase passes for the tube or do you just pay each time you use the tube?<BR>Thanks for the info!

http://www.jackdaw.u-net.com/ukfaq/trcard.html but I would(did) take a taxi at some point just for the experience.

Ann -<BR>You can buy a tube pass good for several days (5 or 7 I think) it is a paper credit card with a mag. strip. You just insert in the turnstile and the card pops up when you take it out the gate opens and you are on your way. It is neat &amp; cheaper than single or one day passes. You can buy them at almost any of the tube stations. You will see a service booth before you get into the train area. All routes are well marked and easy to find your way. Enjoy.<BR>

ann: There is no such thing as a &quot;tube&quot; pass. Transport passes are valid for the tube, buses, and even trains within the zones you choose. So if you want to take a bus one time and a tube the next the same pass is good for both.<BR><BR>If you are going to use any type of public transport (other than taxis) more than once a day you are better off buying a daily pass. <BR><BR>But if you plan on taking some public transport all 5 days, then a weekly pass is the way to go. It would be cheaper than 5 daily passes and it lets you travel at any time (the daily passes are only good after 9:30 AM)

The so-called passes mentioned above are actually called Travelcards. They can be purchased at any Underground ( tube) station.<BR>The daily Travelcards, weekend Travelcards, or weekly Travelcards are the ones that would suit your needs.<BR>The weekly Travelcard requires you to provide a passport sized photo which is then laminated onto a Photocard.<BR>The weekly Travelcard is a bargin, it will give you unlimited travel on the tube and on the bus routes . A weekly Travelcard for Zone One, in which your hotel near Victoria will be situated and in which most of the major London points of interest are in ,will cost &pound;16.20.<BR>

There is no tube pass like the above post said, but there is a bus only pass.<BR><BR>Check the search engine for London Transport website (?www.londontransport.co.uk or .com). It's #1 or #2 if you use Yahoo's search engine.<BR><BR>Many tourists don't take the bus too much because the tube maps are so good. Do what you think is best.<BR><BR>A guided tour is good for the 1) lazy, 2) first time visitor that is short on time, 3) business traveller that is short on time, 4) those that don't like guidebooks and prefer to see things before deciding on what to go back to visit.<BR><BR>Bring a small picture if you want a photocard which is needed for some passes.

<BR>I got the weekly travelcard, the magnetic one you put in the turnstiles, and it was great. If you are ten minutes from Victoria Station and don't want to walk or it is raining, or your feet hurt, you can take a bus to get yourself to the tube. As mentioned above, the travelcard is good for buses, tube, and some trains.<BR><BR>I would highly recommend the travelcard. You do need a photograph, but NOT passport sized. That is way too big, more like 3/4 inch. Cut your head out from a snapshot. That will do.

There are also special Visitor Travelcards, that look like a better deal than buying them when you're in London - see<BR><BR>www.ticket-on-line.com<BR>

You can also buy some travelcards at many newsagents, they generally have a sign in the window. For some of the longer term travelcards, you may need to provide a photo to make up an i.d. card, but there are photobooths in almost every tube station. Check on the London transport site. It is really handy to have a travel card as they are good on both the tube and buses. There are also good bus maps you can pick up at the tube stations, and as a tourist it is really nice to ride the buses instead of the tube as you can see (especially if you ride on the top!).

The passport size photo IS what's suggested by the London Underground and if you don't happen to have an extra passport photo you can use one of the photo making booths in many of the tube stations. <BR>The ticket agent trims the photo to fit onto the photocard.<BR>However, they will also accept a head view that you have cut out of a snapshot.<BR>How's that for confusion? <BR>

Another alternative is the Tourist buses. They have stops at just about any major attraction and in many cases near many major hotels in London. A 24 hour ticket allows one to hop off/on at any of the many stops. The advantage is that you will have a guide telling you what's what when approaching the next stop, so you could make a decision if you just want to look at it ot actually get off and explore it. The buses run about every 15 minutes so there is never a long wait. They also run in circle so no fear of getting lost as eventually you will get back to your starting point. <BR>Tube is a great way to get around town, but it does get crowded in the mornings and afternoon when people are traveling to/from work. <BR>Enjoy your trip!

Well, I got curious after a poster said a 3/4&quot; photo was the right size for a photocard. LOL<BR>So I got out my photocard and a ruler and the space lined out on the card for the photo is a fraction larger than a 1 3/4&quot;x 1 3/4&quot; square. More like passport size.

I bought my visitor pass on line a few days ago.<BR>You do not need a picture- and they send you coupons.<BR>I am now checking the London Pass to see if it something I would want.<BR><BR>You can also buy a London Pass that includes travel. I wish I had heard of that before...but I am going to check it out. I may not get money's worth out of the pass- I mainly want o to go to the museums- and I hear they are free anyways. My hotel is also giving me a pass to the Royal Academy's latest showing..

Depending on where you are going to , from Victoria, it is often nicer taking the Bus. Victoria is the main hub for buses, so the one you want most likely leaves from there. <BR><BR>When I was in London - we only took the tube a handful of times, but used the bus quite a bit. Especially in the middle of the day- often they are less croweded. <BR><BR>For sightseeing - do a Hop-on-Hop-off tour - kind of self directed, but gets you where you want to go, with some background info. We went on one that was a double decker , and got to see London from the top!.

http://www.londonpass.com/index2.asp<BR><BR>• FREE entry to over 60 attractions<BR>• Includes public transport <BR>• Over &pound;350 worth of entrance fees<BR>• Cut to front of lines at attractions<BR>• FREE 132 page guidebook <BR>• Many special offers and benefits<BR>• From just &pound;12 a day <BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>Here is what the London Pass will get you into.<BR><BR>Free entrance attractions <BR> <BR>Alexander Fleming Laboratory Museum<BR>Bankside Gallery<BR>The Banqueting House<BR>Battersea Park Children’s Zoo<BR>Buckingham Palace*<BR>Catamaran Cruisers<BR>Courtauld Institute Gallery<BR>Chislehurst Caves <BR>Chiswick House <BR>Curzon Mayfair Cinema<BR>Curzon Soho Cinema <BR>Cutty Sark<BR>Eltham Palace<BR>Estorick Collection of Modern Italian Art<BR>Fan Museum<BR>FirePower <BR>Firstbowl Queensway <BR>Florence Nightingale Museum <BR>Guards Museum <BR>Hampton Court Palace <BR>HMS Belfast<BR>Institute of Contemporary Arts<BR>Jason's Canal Boat Trip<BR>Jewel Tower<BR>Jewish Museum (Camden)<BR>Jewish Museum (Finchley)<BR>Kensington Palace &amp; The Orangery <BR>Kew Bridge Steam Museum <BR>London Aquarium<BR>London Bicycle Tour Company<BR>London Canal Museum<BR>London Wetland Centre<BR>London Zoo <BR>London’s Transport Museum <BR>Marble Hill House <BR>Old Operating Theatre, <BR>Museum and Herb Garret <BR>Pollock’s Toy Museum <BR>Richmond Filmhouse <BR>Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew <BR>Royal Mews<BR>Shree Swaminarayan Mandir <BR>Southwark Cathedral<BR>St Paul’s Cathedral <BR>Stepping Out Walks<BR>Thames Barrier Information &amp;<BR>Learning Centre <BR>The London Dungeon <BR>The Tower of London <BR>The Wernher Collection at Ranger’s House<BR>Wellington Arch <BR>The Chapter House<BR>Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum <BR>Wimbledon Tour Experience <BR>Windsor Castle<BR> <BR>

The rest of the story for the London Pass mentioned above.<BR>Adult Passes Price (inc. transport for zone 1-6)<BR> <BR>1-Day &pound;30.00 <BR>2-Day &pound;52.00 <BR>3-Day &pound;68.00 <BR>6-Day &pound;107.00 <BR>If one could actually wanted to see all the attractions that were free with the London pass , it might be a good buy.<BR>But if it is your first trip to London, then most off the attractions you would want to see are in Zone One so you do not need the extra 2-6 zone transport costs. <BR>

Well- I just bought my London Pass!<BR>It is still a good deal- even though I already bought my transportation pass(16 pounds-4 day).<BR>Here are the prices for just the pass-<BR>1-Day &pound;25.00 <BR>2-Day &pound;39.00 <BR>3-Day &pound;49.00 <BR>6-Day &pound;69.00 <BR><BR>I bought the 3 day pass. I will go to the museums and the london eye on my &quot;off&quot; days.<BR>I figured out if you went to the Tower of London, Kensington Palace, Hampton Place, Buckingham Palace, and Windsor Palace (all places I would like to see)<BR>it would cost 56. Pounds alone.<BR>So anything else is gravy!<BR>BTW- Sorry for the post being so long above- I should have formatted it...<BR><BR>

Karen, are you saying that you think you can get to the Tower of London and the 4 palaces in 3 days?!

I suppose the London pass might have value depending when you are going to be in London, on what you want to see, and the time you have allotted.<BR>Karen, is the pass you bought good for 3 CONSECUTIVE days or is it flexible?<BR>I think it would be possible to go to the Tower in the morning and then go to Kensington Place that same afternoon.<BR>Another day could be spent at Windsor Castle.<BR>And day three could be spent at Hampton Court.<BR>Unfortunately, Buckingham Palace is only open to tourists in the late summer, so if your trip is coming up soon you will not be able to go inside the palace. However, the changing of the guard ceremony is open to the public and is free, it takes place every other day this time of year.

I don't know how much I will get to- before I go I will map everything out that I want to see and arrange a tentative schedule.<BR>One thing I do not know is if the days have to be consecutive- by the sound of it- yes. <BR>I know I can move pretty fast without my kids! I arrive on a Monday morning and leave Sat. afternoon. I am planning on using the card Tues-Thurs.<BR>If I only use it 5 times it pays for itself- and you do get the guide and there is a visit to a movie theater in Sojo (the one in Mayfair is closed for renovation). I could go see a movie one night. I want to go to Westminster abbey one evening (5 pm for the service).<BR>I would buy my London Eye ticket ahead of time too- if I knew what the weather was going to be like for a particular day. But since I am not God- I will wait and see on that one.<BR>I want to go on a nice day......<BR>and one more place I would like to go, if there is time, is the Courtauld Insititute of art (covered by the pass).<BR>Courtauld is free Mondays 10-2pm btw-fyi! Karen

The London Pass days are consecutive.

Sorry, entered my wrong e-mail address!

The London Pass is very seldom a good buy. The transport portion is a definte rip off. The sightseeing portion is not a terrible waste - but on a short visit most people will be lucky to get to more than 2 or 3 of the covered properties. A few &quot;biggies&quot; are included -- but the vast majority are things most visitors would not get to on a frist (or 5th) trip to London. It is packaged/marketed very attractively - but honestly unless you go out of your way to see many minor attractions you will not get your money's worth.<BR><BR>The covered list is padded with things like bowling alleys, caves, cinemas, etc. and some like the Chapter House only costs 50p to get in.

Hi Ann,<BR>Go to www.tfl.gov.uk/ which is the official website for the London's transport system. This site will answer all your transport questions. If you decide to buy a 'Travelcard' as a visitor, you will only need a 2 zone card. The Travelcard is valid on city buses as well as the 'Underground' and from Victoria Bus station the no 11 bus to Liverpool St passes quite a number of familiar sights.<BR>I run an escorted sightseeing day, up to 12 people and I use both bus and underground for my tour as well as walking of course, which is by far the best way to do London. Personally, I think all you need is a good street map and a Travelcard then London's your oyster! I use to do commentaries on the 'hop on hop, off tours, they're ok for a panoramic drive around but not a good way of getting around generally... takes too long!<BR>Our underground system is a great means of getting around London, there is always a convenient station to where you are likely to go as a visitor.!<BR>Have a great trip, and mail me if you need any further help.

Hope no one minds if I continue this thread in the travel card direction. <BR><BR>Two quick questions:<BR>1: Londonpass makes refernece to including transportation and has a <BR>link to Heathrow Express on their site. Is the Heathrow Express included if you buy the Londonpass with transportation?<BR><BR>2: How much over lap is there with the English Heritage Overseas Visitors<BR>Pass, LondonPass and Great British Heritage Pass?<BR><BR>Thanx in advance for your help.<BR>

(1) No, the Heathrow Express is not ncluded in the visitors travelcard that you can get with the Londonpass, which is a travelcard good for tube and bus travel in zones 1-6. <BR><BR>You would be much better-ff with the Visitors' Travelcard purchased directly thru London Transport, which offers a travelcard that includes zones 1 and 2 (ie virtually all of the tourist attractions) and one return ticket (that's round-trip, in American) for Heathrow Expr.<BR><BR>http://www.ticket-on-line.com/cgi-bin/web_frameset.exe?crypto_block=E%2D%2D%2DPSrqEnPdBc lTbDWMtLQ8%2D0%2D%2DY&amp;lang=en&amp;user_id=lu&a mp;output_template=info_prices<BR><BR>(2) Not much overlap betwn the London Pass and the other 2.

The Visitors Travel Card is good for the tube or the red buses.

Don't forget<BR>Weekend Travelcards <BR>25% cheaper than two separate Off-Peak Day Travelcards, they allow travel on consecutive weekend days or public holidays (e.g. Easter Sunday and Easter Monday). <BR>Can be used from 0001 on the first day of validity and for any journey that starts before 0430 on the day following the expiry date. <BR>Zones 1 &amp; 2 &pound;6.10<BR>Zones 1,2,3 &amp; 4 &pound;6.70<BR>Zones 1,2,3,4,5 &amp; 6 &pound;7.60<BR> <BR>

If you want to take the bus, a 1 day bus only pass is 2.00 and a 7 day pass (you can start any day of the week) is 8.20. This is good for zone 1,2,3,4. This is cheaper than a LT card or Travelcard (bus/tube pass)

Thanx all for your help. Found a Tube map, and looks pretty straight forward. <BR><BR>Re the Buses, how difficult is it to plan a route using the buses. Is there a site that anyone can recommend that will tell you how to get from Point A to Point B?

The Transport for London website journey planner can be used for the tube or buses and trains...and even walking, If you click on More Options and check &quot;optimize walking&quot; you can set the time for the length of time you want to walk.<BR>http://journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk/user/XSLT_TRIP_REQUEST2?language=en<BR>