goddesstogo

I was just reading frenchwow's post and rather than tag on to that one, I thought I'd ask my own question because my stay is a little different and I'm probably not the 'average tourist' because of the length of my visit.

Beginning in September, we'll be in London for 15 weeks. There are two of us, so two-for-one offers might be worthwhile (depending on what the event or attraction is). Neither of us will be working, so we don't have to travel in rush hour, but we won't have a car so we'll definitely be using public transportation.

Oyster Card? Travel Pass? Which would benefit us most?

Also, on the other thread Dancing Bear said, "Plus the Oyster will have to be turned back in to recover your deposit". How much is the deposit for an Oyster card?

There seem to be so many threads about this and so much confusion, so please give me the simplest answer possible.

Thanks in advance for your help.
gtg

jamikins

3GBP deposit for each oyster card.

You would likely be best off buying a 1 month pass every month, then weekly for hte rest.

Weekly passes can be the paper tickets bought at national rail stations that you can use 2for1 specials OR on oyster cards.

I am not sure if you can buy paper tickets for 1 month passes, but I think the difference in price for hte 2for1 deals and the price of a 1 month oyster would outweigh buying weekly passes. you will have to price it out and then ask if you can buy a monthly paper pass from national rail...you likely can, maybe someone else can chime in here.

jamikins

The other option i guess would be to get a 1 month oyster, and then on days when you are going to the 2for1 sites travel by overland train and buy a national rail ticket for that day...not sure where you are staying...

avalon

The deposit is 3 GBP, hardly worth the effort of redeemimg. Just keep the card for future trips

flanneruk

You don't want even to think about the Travel Pass, which is a ripoff commercial product.

Your first choice is between a paper Travelcard (totally different from the larcenous Travelpass) and a proper Oyster like sensible people have.

You then might think you have to decide what package to put on your Oystercard.

In your case, it's probably a non-choice. If you don't have a detailed, day by day plan (and no-one here for 15 weeks could unless they're certifiably insane), there's no point in putting anything on the Oyster.

Your total daily spending will be capped, at a rate less than you'd pay if you bought individual fares. If there's a day you plan on doing something that would save money on a 2 fpr 1 Travelcard, buy it, postdated, the day before at a railway station. That way your Oyster won't be used that day, your travel will be charged to the Travelcard for about the same as the Oystercard daily cap and you get, in effect, half-proce admission to the Tower or wherever.

Ahd by then you'll realise that there really is no point wasting mental energy on knowing how much the Oyster deposit is. £3? £5? Who on earth cares?

PalenQ

Just keep the card for future trips>

or give it or lend it to others going to London Town

flanneruk

The fact that jamikins and I are giving different advice is crucial, and demonstrates the central fact of life in London:

<b> Only tourists from uncivilised parts of the world worry about the "right" TfL package </b>

You haven't got the faintest how you're going to spend every single day. So trying to optimise your TfL pass is as futile (and ineffably the mark of a provincial) as predicting London weather, or believing those absurd American weather sites that tell you the average temps for Sep 17 are worth the electric power they waste.

jamikins

I have to agree with flanneruk - I rarely give advice on these posts...because at the end of the day you are worrying too much about the nickels and dimes.

I always get my guests a 7 day paper ticket if they havent been before and send them to the 2for1s as they are interested...if they have done the major ones (tower, cabinet war rooms etc) then they just get our guest oyster cards and I tell them to put on a 7 day pass and get on with it. I just figure yeah, they may spend a bit more, but its not going to break the bank and it gives htem the freedom to not have to worry about how often they are using the thing. They can jump on and off without counting the times, worrying about the daily limit and whether they are getting the most out of it...etc

Saves the hassle.

goddesstogo

Thanks for your help with this.

janisj

My eyes glaze over reading most of the Oyster/paper travelcard threads. I either try to give some 'quick and dirty', easy to understand info, or skip them altogether.

But invariably there are a few posters who get into very detailed - and impassioned (?) arguments about every possible permutation, and wrangle over every little detail/option. Which in the long run only causes more (unnecessary) confusion and <i>might</i> save a person £3 or £4 at most.

In the long run - it isn't brain surgery. Flanner is right - you have no idea yet how/when you will the 2-for-1's. Get Oysters. And if you are still unsure what to load on them - just ask the tfl ticket agent. s/he won't cheat you. Don't over-think things, it will just give you a headache.

jamikins

Hear Hear, Janis!

goddesstogo

In my defense, I'd like to say that I wasn't 'over-thinking'. In fact, I'm barely thinking at all today, having had too little ~o).

I think this was my first post on this topic, so 'over-thinking' doesn't really apply yet, does it?

Once again, thank you for your help.

janisj

"<i>I think this was my first post on this topic, so 'over-thinking' doesn't really apply yet, does it?</i>"

Your title does seem to imply at least <i>some</i> (over or otherwise) thinking . . . If you are <u>still</u> confused

jamikins

Nah - dont take it personally - there are so many posts that are so confusing about London transit passes...

Honestly I would just get an oyster with a 1 month pass and then pay for the overland in when you want to go to something on a 2for1 - I think you are coming from Hampstead?

Enjoy London, its a fab city - we should plan a meet up!

goddesstogo

I promise that next time I won't even have a single thought about anything before I come here. Generally, that's pretty easy for me to manage.

Thanks, jamikins. Yes, we'll probably just go with the oyster card. Yes, we'll be in West Hampstead and would love to meet up. Are you inclined to post your email address? I'm going to get a gmail address but haven't gotten around to it yet.

jamikins

Would love to meet up!
Send me an email its jamie dot a dot shearer at gmail.com (dots = .)

Hope that makes sense
Safe travels!

PS: That should make it easy to get a paper ticket day of from West Hampstead train station...

alanRow

<<< London Oyster Card or Travel Pass issue >>>

1) It's Travelcard
2) Osytercard is a plastic card that can hold a Travelcard or Pay As You Go Money - in itself it doesn't allow you to travel

So the question is Oystercard PAYG vs Travelcard.

For short stays - under 5 days there won't be any difference in cost between Travelcard & Oystercard PAYG but for 5 days or longer it's 99.99% of the time cheaper to use Travelcards - whether on an Oystercard or as a paper card. The only exception is if you won't be using public transport very much

The big difference occurs when you want to use the 2-4-1 offers. In that case the Travelcard must be bought from a National Rail booking office (ie a train station, not the Tube station under it).

Personally for such a long stay I'd get an Oystercard, put monthly Travelcards on it plus £20 or so PAYG for occasions when you travel outside the zones the Travelcard is valid for. Then on the days you are using the 2-4-1 offers get a cheap train ticket (eg Charing Cross to Waterloo East) from a train station in order to satisfy the 2-4-1 rules

goddesstogo

Thanks, alanRow,
That's nice and clear.

jamikins, I'm hoping to set up my gmail address later today and I'm going to try it out on you!

jamikins

Woo hoo - look forward to your email! And the pint! London is fantastic, looking forward to sharing it with new friends!

goddesstogo

Alas, today came and went without gmail. Maybe tomorrow.