thank you texasbookworm!

where are the train stations to buy the tickets so i can use the 2for1????? at kings cross where i will get off at tube???

will oyster cards work for 2for1 or just travel??

saving 16 pounds would be nice -

when buying the three or seven day can i buy them ahead - purchase on 12 to use for 13, 14, 15???

thanks so much for all the help!!

Oyster cards do not work for 2-for-1; you have to have the PAPER travel card for that offer.

From my experience and what's actually officially said, you must have a paper card for 2for1--Oyster will not be accepted. (I've read reports where ticket wasn't asked for when person presented 2for1 coupon, but we didn't risk that)

Sorry, I can't remember exactly about train stations and ticket offices but I think you can buy Tube travel cards at any station. It's probably listed on something out here in cyber land--or maybe someone else will say here for you.

And the paper card has to be valid for day you use the 2for1 and you can only buy 1 day card 1 day ahead. Which is what we did; we didn't want to start out our day by having to travel to a train station just for the travel card first thing so we got it the day before when we were actually already at a station (we were at Waterloo).

oh2doula - King's Cross is a train station.

<i>Author: oh2doula
Date: 01/01/2009, 11:19 pm

Please let me know IF I can do this AND IF it is cost effective -</i>

Yes, you can do it. No, it's not cost-effective.

Buy Oyster cards at LHR and load them with &pound;25.

Ride to King's Cross, buy a one-day Travelcard for one adult - for the day you want twofers.

When you get back to Heathrow, get your Oyster deposit and any remaining value refunded.

OK _ KIngs Cross IS a train station where I can buy a three paper travel card - correct??


Can i ride the tube from LHR TO Kings Cross Train Station or are they two different places???


is buying one day 7.50 pounds ticket for arrival day the way to go?

Author: oh2doula
Date: 01/02/2009, 09:22 am

OK _ KIngs Cross IS a train station where I can buy a three paper travel card - correct?? <b>Yes, King's Cross is a train station. No, you want ONE paper Travelcard for ONE day.</b>

Can i ride the tube from LHR TO Kings Cross Train Station or are they two different places??? <b>King's Cross Tube station and King's Cross National Rail station are connected by a short pedestrian tunnel.</b>

is buying one day 7.50 pounds ticket for arrival day the way to go? <b>NO. Buy Oyster cards, and use them for transport every day except on twofer day, when ONE Travelcard will be used by ONE person instead.</b>

I've used my Gatwick and Heathrow Express return tickets for 2 for 1 entries. They are valid for the whole month.

THANK YOU Robespierre!!!

I must have missed one of your postings.

Oyster card with 25 pounds at LHR - tube to Kings Cross - Walk Kings Cross Train station - buy ONE single day travelcard (paper) for day we will use 2for1

4 pounds back to LHR day we leave.

is this correct????

Almost. Your ride back to LHR will be the Oyster fare of &pound;3.80 (or &pound;2.20 after 9:30AM, but that's probably too late for you).

Remember - the Travelcard needs only to cover Zones 1&amp;2.

Hint: on twofer day, leave one Oyster at the hotel and carry only the Travelcard instead. This will preclude the possibility of charging on the Oyster by mistake.

oh2doula, just claryfying what Robespierre said:

Since there will be three adults, when you arrive at Heathrow, buy three Oyster cards and load each of them with 25 pounds (you'll pay 28 pounds, including the 3 pound deposit for each). Each person uses their own Oyster card for all travel every day you're there (including from Heathrow into London and from London back to Heathrow), <b>EXCEPT</b> on one day only, one person will get a 1-day <b>paper</b> travel card in order to use the 2-for-1 offers <b>that day</b> (that person will NOT use their Oyster card on the day they have the travel card). Then, when you get back to Heathrow to leave the country, you will go to the ticket booth and turn in all the cards, where they will refund the balances on the cards and the 3 pound deposits.

By doing this, you will get to use the 2-for-1, AND you will get the discounted and capped fares by using the Oyster card.

oh - sheesh - I though the kids were 12 and 16. Now I see they are older.

The savings is still not enormous but a bit more than my calculation.

I think sf7307's post most clearly explains how to maximize the savings using Oysters and one 1-day paper travel card. It really isn't as complicated as we sometimes try to make it.

And I think mine does, princess. Three lines, well spaced. Extraneous explanation expurgated.

Buy Oyster cards at LHR and load them with &pound;25.

Ride to King's Cross, buy a one-day Travelcard for one adult - for the day you want twofers.

When you get back to Heathrow, get your Oyster deposit and any remaining value refunded.

the Oyster card with 25 pounds on it will cover the tube from LHR to hotel and from hotel to LHr when we leave??

total for transportation will be 25 pounds for each of the oyster and then ONE one day travelcard (zone 1 and 2 )for the one day we use 2for1.

Robespierre, really, I was trying to help. You did say everything I said (and first), but I thought (still do) the OP needed more words, not fewer :-)

oh2doula - everything you <u>need</u> to know is:

Buy Oysters at LHR and load &pound;25
Get 1-day 2-zone TC for twofers*
Refund Oyster residual exiting LHR

* Person traveling on TC, leave Oyster at hotel that day

Yes, 25 pounds is plenty for each Oyster for your 5 days there, and there should be leftover which you can get back when you turn in your Oyster at the airport.

I just guessed at the 25. If they cap out every day, it will be 7.00+(3*5.10)+3.80 = 26.10

oh2doula - load &pound;26.10 on your Oyster cards, so you'll never have to top up. The TC user can load &pound;21.

And keep in mind that you can't travel during peak period (before 09:30 on the 12th &amp; 13th) without paying more.

March 14 &amp; 15 are weekends, so the cap is 5.10 no matter what time they travel.

To reach the cap, they'll have to take the tube 4 times or more each day.

One can easily &quot;top up&quot; the Oyster at any tube station using the machines. If you want to be on the safe side, then just put get 30 pounds worth of Oyster (which will give you 27 pounds for travel + 3 pound refundable fee).

As I said - peak period is before 9:30 on Thursday and Friday.

Monday's fare already accounts for the fact that they have to leave town during peak.