New Question:

I will be spending 2 weeks in London in late September. I have seen two different travel cards for use as passes on the rail systems. One offers unlimited travel on the below- and above-ground rails and free entrance to several tourist spots (Tower of London, etc.) Another I ran across, is asimply a travel card. There is a 50-60 pound diffence in the cost. Is the free pass to the popular tourist spots worth it, or should I just buy the travel pass and pay as I go? I am quite sure I will not make it to all the places offered with the tourist-type card.

I can "name names" of the cards if required.

Any opinions?

Again, with sincere appreciation,

Ron

I would buy the travel pass (in London) enabling you to use all the transportation you want in a given day (after 9:30 am).

For the attractions, compile a list of those you intend to visit, with the costs of admission, and add them up to see if the card is a bargain or not.

You are talking about the London Pass and the Visitors Travelcard. They are really separate things: The London Pass is a credit-card type thing that gets you free admissions and various other perks. If bought in advance of your arrival, it can be purchased along with (or without) a Visitors Travelcard.

Most first-time and short-term visitors to London do not find the London Pass to be a good buy because so many of the major attractions are either free (major museums, British, V&A, Science, National Gallery, etc. etc.) or are not on the London Pass (e.g., London Eye). It's up to each visitor to cost it out for their own itinerary.

There have bene several very informative threads about the London travelcards. Basically, the Tube is divided into zones, with Zone 1 in the center and very few tourist attractions beyond it (zoo and Greenwich are in Zone 2) so most visitors need a pass only for zone 1 or 1&2. In London, you can buy one-day or 7-day or weekend travelcards. The 7-day Visitors travelcard is available for about the same amount as the 7-day card you'd buy in London and has free shipping if bought through the tube's own web site.

Tuck's information is incomplete; you can buy an all-day unlimited-travel pass before 9:30 AM, but it costs a bit more.

Visitors tavelcards and the weekend and 7-day travelcards purchased in London are good all day (not ust 9:30 onwards).

Wait till you get here and then buy a weekly travelcard for Zone 1 (and possibley Zone 2, though most tourist stuff is in Zone 1). It will be about $20 and you will be able to use all Tubes and trains within Zone 1 at any time. You can also use any bus at any time, including night buses. You don't need a photo either. From what I read, the London Visitors' pass and the Travelcard you can buy abroad are not worth it. You will be able to buy your Travelcard from rail and Tube stations and at some newsagent's shops.