joni0702

Sorry - I just can't understand the Oyster Card and how it works I am arriving in London via the Eurostar. What type of ticket should I buy for my three day stay? Also, I thought I could get 2 for 1 at the London Tower by showing my ticket and a voucher but the website tells me that my ticket has to be good for the day of my visit and I will be arriving n London the day before I visit the Tower. Can anyone explains how this works?

jamikins

To take advantage of the 2for one you need a paper ticket bought at a national rail station like kings cross st Pancras where your eurostar comes in. Eurostar tickets are not eligible nor is the Oyster card.

Easiest is probably to go to the national rail station at kings cross (not the tube station) and ask for three 1 day tickets for your three day stay. You will get unlimited use of buses and tubes etc plus access to the 2for1 s with the tickets and printed voucher.

You could mess around with both the oyster pay as you go and paper tickets and it may save you a few pounds but it could be more hassle than it's worth.

Seamus

Since you mention on another post that you will be in London only 2-1/2 days I'd suggest you just get an Oyster card and load it with some funds for use pay as you go. With the Oyster the per trip fare in zones 1 & 2 is £2.80 peak/£2.10 off peak, with a cap on daily charge of £8.40 (peak travel) / £7.00 (off peak.) If you load £20.00 on your card you should be good for your visit, can always add more if needed. You can just purchase your Oyster card at the tube station when you arrive.

hpeabody

As an aside .. With an Oyster Card Pay As You Go, the deposit and remaining funds are totally refundable. Just do it at your last Tube station before you leave to go home.

dreamon

But the Oyster card won't be eligible for the 2:1 tickets. If you want the 2:1 do as jamikins says.

flanneruk

"Easiest is probably to go to the national rail station at kings cross (not the tube station) "

When arriving on Eurostar at St Pancras (there's no "Kings Cross St Pancras" railway station), the easiest thing is to stay in the St Pancras building, turn RIGHT as you exit the Eurostar area, ignoring signs for the Tube but following signs for Midland Mainline, Southeastern Trains or First Capital Connect, till you come to other ticket offices.

Neither Eurostar nor Transport for London (the bus & tube operator) ticket offices sell the paper Travelcards that offer the 2 for 1 ticket deals. To repeat: Oyster cards don't offer 2 for 1, and the 2 for 1 saving almost always outweighs the (illusory) money you might waste by only being in London for half a day on day 1

St Pancras has a number of ticket offices, operated by National Rail, that do sell the relevant Travelcards - and they're clustered round the platforms used by the three operators I've mentioned. Once bought, retrace your steps for the tube station, or follow the taxi signs.