Train / Oyster question, London, York, Edinburgh
Jun 16th, 2010, 06:39 PM
#1
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Train / Oyster question, London, York, Edinburgh
Ok I have read many of the related posts but my head is spinning, so please have patience/mercy...
After some time in Edinburgh (2 adults, 2 teens), taking train to York, then another train to London a couple days later. Then staying in London for a week, with most time spent in zones 1&2, except for day trips to Bath and probably Windsor Castle.
So... are the train issues totally separate from tube issues?
1) Any advantage to buying train tickets ahead before arriving in UK?
2) Any guidance much appreciated on how Oyster or travel card would work in relation to the day trips
Or... just slap me twice and tell me the best plan.
Many thanks in advance!
After some time in Edinburgh (2 adults, 2 teens), taking train to York, then another train to London a couple days later. Then staying in London for a week, with most time spent in zones 1&2, except for day trips to Bath and probably Windsor Castle.
So... are the train issues totally separate from tube issues?
1) Any advantage to buying train tickets ahead before arriving in UK?
2) Any guidance much appreciated on how Oyster or travel card would work in relation to the day trips
Or... just slap me twice and tell me the best plan.
Many thanks in advance!
Jun 16th, 2010, 06:56 PM
#2
"<i>Or... just slap me twice and tell me the best plan.</i>" 
The short and dirty versions:
1) Any advantage to buying train tickets ahead before arriving in UK? <blue>definitely - trains are like flying -- the low cost/discount tickets are the first to sell out. Walk up fares can be very high The train to/from Windsor you can buy on the day. For your other trips - buy in advance if you can pin down the dates/times.</blue>
2) Any guidance much appreciated on how Oyster or travel card would work in relation to the day trips <blue>neither Windsor nor Bath are in London so Oyster/travel cards don't apply.
You've probably read lots of threads about the 2for1 offers. Those require a paper travel card which you can buy from a London train station on the day you want to use a 2for1. Otherwise - use your Oyster for traveling w/i London
The short and dirty versions:
1) Any advantage to buying train tickets ahead before arriving in UK? <blue>definitely - trains are like flying -- the low cost/discount tickets are the first to sell out. Walk up fares can be very high The train to/from Windsor you can buy on the day. For your other trips - buy in advance if you can pin down the dates/times.</blue>
2) Any guidance much appreciated on how Oyster or travel card would work in relation to the day trips <blue>neither Windsor nor Bath are in London so Oyster/travel cards don't apply.
You've probably read lots of threads about the 2for1 offers. Those require a paper travel card which you can buy from a London train station on the day you want to use a 2for1. Otherwise - use your Oyster for traveling w/i London
Jun 16th, 2010, 06:59 PM
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Like Janis says. Go to the journey planner at www.nationalrail.co.uk, put in your journeys, put in tomorrow’s date and then try it with a date 2 months from now and see the difference in cost.
If your teens are under 15, you may also want to look into the family railcard, http://www.familyandfriends-railcard.co.uk/
If your teens are under 15, you may also want to look into the family railcard, http://www.familyandfriends-railcard.co.uk/
Jun 16th, 2010, 07:09 PM
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A short first response:
Yes, train and tube are totally different, although there is sharing of stations. But train tickets and tube tickets are separate. (There are trains in London that are covered by Oyster card, but not the ones outside of London)
Probably the best thing is for you to "load" a 7-day zone 1-2 travelcard onto Oyster cards. The Oyster, as you've probably figured out, is just a plastic card that you can load with different values and use the card as your entrance to the tube each time you ride it. You can also just put some amount of pounds on it instead of a 7-day-travel-card value, but I think the consensus is that you are better off with the 7 day travel card instead of an amount of pounds (which is called payasyougo PAYG and can be added to easily if your balance runs low). You can purchase your Oysters when you arrive via train. The nice agents at the Underground ticket office will advise you best.
The only complication will be if you want to use any 2for1 vouchers; if so, you will need PAPER tube tickets. I'd look at the 2for1 website and decide if there are destinations on their list that you would go to and proceed from there. (The Tower of London is a must for your visit I hope and it is on the 2for1 site. If you decide to do this, you will probably need some sort of combination Oyster and paper travel card (Or maybe buy a paper 7daytravelcard at the National Rail Station when you arrive).
If you go to this page, at the bottom is a link to download a pdf brochure explaining the Oyster card. http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/14836.aspx
Figuring out how to navigate the tube itself is probably easier than trying to figure out what the Oyster is without hands on knowledge or trying to figure out the most economical option or trying to figure out the 2for1 stuff!
Yes, train and tube are totally different, although there is sharing of stations. But train tickets and tube tickets are separate. (There are trains in London that are covered by Oyster card, but not the ones outside of London)
Probably the best thing is for you to "load" a 7-day zone 1-2 travelcard onto Oyster cards. The Oyster, as you've probably figured out, is just a plastic card that you can load with different values and use the card as your entrance to the tube each time you ride it. You can also just put some amount of pounds on it instead of a 7-day-travel-card value, but I think the consensus is that you are better off with the 7 day travel card instead of an amount of pounds (which is called payasyougo PAYG and can be added to easily if your balance runs low). You can purchase your Oysters when you arrive via train. The nice agents at the Underground ticket office will advise you best.
The only complication will be if you want to use any 2for1 vouchers; if so, you will need PAPER tube tickets. I'd look at the 2for1 website and decide if there are destinations on their list that you would go to and proceed from there. (The Tower of London is a must for your visit I hope and it is on the 2for1 site. If you decide to do this, you will probably need some sort of combination Oyster and paper travel card (Or maybe buy a paper 7daytravelcard at the National Rail Station when you arrive).
If you go to this page, at the bottom is a link to download a pdf brochure explaining the Oyster card. http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/14836.aspx
Figuring out how to navigate the tube itself is probably easier than trying to figure out what the Oyster is without hands on knowledge or trying to figure out the most economical option or trying to figure out the 2for1 stuff!
Jun 16th, 2010, 10:18 PM
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As you will be arriving at Kings Cross the simplest thong for you to do is to buy 7 day Zone 1-2 Travelcards for the adults from the booking centre at Kings Cross itself. This is in the top left hand corner of the following map
http://www.networkrail.co.uk/documen...KingsCross.pdf
As for "teens", it depends on their ages as under 16yr olds can get one day Travelcards but 16-17 yr olds need a photocard which has to be ordered in advance
http://www.londontoolkit.com/briefing/travelcard.htm
http://www.networkrail.co.uk/documen...KingsCross.pdf
As for "teens", it depends on their ages as under 16yr olds can get one day Travelcards but 16-17 yr olds need a photocard which has to be ordered in advance
http://www.londontoolkit.com/briefing/travelcard.htm
