I'm finding the information on the London Underground website very confusing. We will be in London for 4 days, and I'd like to purchase a 4 day visitor travelcard. Do I need to purchase that here before leaving, or can I get it at Heathrow? It seems from the website that it must be ordered through a U.S. travel agent.

We indend to use the tube/buses very frequently, and if the visitor card isn't available, what other option would be best --a weekend pass (we'll be there Sat. - Wed. a.m.) and then a carnet of 10?

Any advice would be great. Thanks!

Not sure about any Heathrow exceptions, but basically the Visitors Travelcards must be purchased before arrival.

Nevermind, since your best buy is a weekend travel card and then daily travelcards. Daily unlimited travelcards for Zone 1 & 2 cost £5 before 9:30 AM, £4 after; as you probably know, the weekend card is good all day and costs £6. So your 3 London-bought travelcards would total between £ 14-16.

An alternative for £16 is a 7-day travelcard for just Zone 1, which will suffice if you're not going to Greenwich, and will save you the trouble of multiple (or advance) purchases.

Carnet tickets, a book of 10 for £15, are good only for riding the tube within Zone 1, not for buses.

You do not have to use a travel agent if you want one or more delivered by mail to your home before you leave. You can order using the www.ticket-on-line.com website.

To: Question: Is the Visitor travel card the same as buying the tube card for all day travel on the tube? I bought the allday card at the tube station and used it quite frequently all day. BTW, the bus fare is only 1 pound whereas the one way tube fare is 1.6 pounds. I thought you could use the card on the bus as well even tho' it would be a bit more cost. Also, when I tried to buy a carnet at Heathrow tube station, I was told I couldn't buy it, but had to buy it at a different station. Confusing??

No the two cards are different. The Visitor Travelcard is purchased ahead of time in your country of origin.

Carnets are only good for travel and sold in Zone 1. Heathrow is Zone 6.

Confusing? Yes. HTH a little.

Thanks for helping me sort it out. We'll be getting the weekend travelcard and then 2 day cards. This works out to be a little less and leaves some flexibility for the last day. Elizabeth

HI
Just a couple of weeks ago, I was also told at Heathrow that the carnet tickets couldn't be purchased there.
Makes sense, carnet tickets are good for Tube (not buses) and only in central London.


The 4 day visitor travel card doesn't have to go through a travel agent, the Tube website sells it, as long as you allow 2-3 weeks for it to be mailed to you.

Advice here is that the card is worth it if you will be using the Tube or buses for at least 3 trips per day.

With the combination of days that you have, it seems that Anonymous's advice to just buy one weekly card for zone 1 when you arrive, is an equally good, or better deal, and no before 9:30 am restriction.

In any case, you will need separate tickets to and from H'row.

How does the Oyster card figure in or compare to these options?

We will be in London in March and I wuold like to order the 4 day travel card along with a round trip ticket on the Heathrow Express. However, I went to the London Undergroud website and was unable to figure out how to purchase the card. Could someone please let me know what link I am looking for?

Visitors travelcards aren't purchased directly from London underground, but (at least if you're in the US, Australia, etc.) through ticket-on-line. The following link is for a page that explains the alternatives (such as the one that icludes one return trip to heathrow) and there's a "Buy" link at the bottom of the page.

http://www.ticket-on-line.com/cgi-bi...te=info_prices

Carnets are not sold at Heathrow because you can't use them there -- since Heathrow's in Zone 6 and carnets are good only in Zone 1.

The Oyster card's main advantage is that it is renewable, or "refillable" and therefore handy for Londoners; not usually relevant for tourists, so don't worry about it.

One additional comment -- travelcards (regular and visitors) are good on buses in all zones, regardless of the Tube zone(s) that the card is for.

Thank you for the link. I went to the website and have one more question...We will be arriving on a Saturday and departing on a Saturday. If I purchase the 7 day card with the Heathrow Express, would the card expire on Friday? The site indicates that all travel on the express needs to be completed within the timeframe of the pass. I read this as I would need to return to Heathrow on Friday, which doesn't do us much good.

You read it correctly. Time to start costing out alternatives.

Glad this question was asked. Some of my questions were answered. I'll arrive in London (Gatwick) on a Friday, returning on Tuesday morning. I'm staying in Zone 2 and plan to use the underground and buses multiple times each day. So, a little help please, for Friday and Monday, a day travelcard; plus a weekend travelcard, will take care of me. All purchased in London. I'll figure out Hampton court later. Gatwick express - I purchase my ticket at the airport or on the train, correct? Thank you.

Betty, yes, correct. For the day you go to Hampton Court, simply buy the 6 zone travel card instead of the two zone one. On your arrival day, ask if you can buy a combined Gatwick Express ticket/day travel card; if you can, the savings won't be much, but there is a slight convenience factor.