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Gallant May 3rd, 2005 10:02 PM

Travel Card
 
Hi,
We are going to be in London for 3 days. Can I purchase a TravelCard to ride the underground at a tube station in London or would the price be better to buy it in advance on-line.
Thanks.

AAFrequentFlyer May 3rd, 2005 10:14 PM

Looking at the official London Transport website:

<b>http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/</b>

it lists the -

<b>Benefits of purchasing a Travelcard online
No queuing for a ticket when you arrive in London
Purchase your ticket in your local currency
No need to worry which ticket to buy
No need to have the correct money or hunt for change
Tickets are sent direct to your home address in advance of your visit </b>.

It does not list any savings so I assume there is none.

Janiekb May 10th, 2005 10:19 PM

Gallant,
As AAFF suggested there are no discounts buying online but the benefits are the queueing. If you are landing in Heathrow the queue at the underground ticket office is always a nightmare. With your luggage and everyone elses luggage you will want to get out of Heathrow Underground station as soon as poosible - buy online for convenience sake.

janis May 11th, 2005 05:01 AM

&quot;the queue at the underground ticket office is always a nightmare.&quot;

I haven't found it so - probably bought tube tickets/travel cards there 20 or more times over the years and only once queued more than 5 minutes. Usually much less. But maybe I've just been lucky.

emjoy Jun 17th, 2005 09:45 AM

this may be a month too late...
there is a savings on longer days travel cards if you're a visitor. The 3 day pass is zone 1-6 (which isn't really neccessary but it's 18 pounds).
The real savings comes into the 7 day pass: zone 1 is 18pounds, zones 1&amp;2 is 21.50pounds. It's through www.ticket-on-line.com
or get to it from http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/ and go to 'tickets', 'visitor tickets'

the real benefit to this sort of ticket is it works on tube, buses and DLR unlimited use during the 7 days.
I bought passes like these a few years ago through raileurope.com but they don't have them anymore- I think because they're just being sold directly from the tfl site now.
the last few trips to London I wasn't there for 7 consec days so I bought day off peak and it really added up!

xyz123 Jun 17th, 2005 09:54 AM

EMJOY...

Hate to break this news to you...those are the same prices you pay in London for the same passes with the same abilities.

PalQ Jun 17th, 2005 10:05 AM

You can buy TravelCards at machines at tube stations without waiting in line at ticket windows, where, in my experience i have seen long lines at ones in major stations - very long at times.

ally67 Jun 17th, 2005 10:20 AM

Just a tip if buying from the machine:

We could only buy one travelcard per credit card. The second had to be purchased by a second credit card. Don't know if we weren't doing something right or that's the only way. We were purchasing 7 day cards.

Enjoy London!

PalQ Jun 17th, 2005 10:30 AM

so have one pound coins or fiver bills handy!

PalQ Jun 17th, 2005 10:33 AM

and you can buy TravelCards, including 7 day ones i believe but not sure, at many newsstands by your accommodation or en route to the station without any lines.

Intrepid1 Jun 17th, 2005 12:30 PM

In summary it looks like you'll pay the same if you buy it there and if you buy it ahead it will be delivered to your door before you leave.

Why wait in any line or at a machine if you don't have to and it costs the same?

emjoy Jun 20th, 2005 09:39 AM

price breaks:
I think I was just comparing the fact that I was buying day tickets not passes and that's how I managed to get sticker shock. But it is nice to have it all sorted and have a pass good for train and bus, and why not have it delivered to your door.
although if you're traveling off peak anyway and not at a busy station, I suppose there might be less of a queue to worry about.


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