London visit

[User]

 

[zimzum42]

Oyster cards workout cheaper, but to sort them out for the kids you would have needed to start filling out forms a few months back.

When you get to the first station, buy some oyster cards for you and the missus. I don't think there are any weekend passes, but you can put money onto the oyster cards and it will stop charging you after the cost of a one day travel card has been taken off.

For the kids, just buy a one day travel card each day....

 

[LLB]

I've always used day passes after 9am IIRC.

Sightseeing the big stuff like the eye and museums or doing 'tourist' areas ?

Wheeling a pushchair around on the tube network is not much fun, so make it a small folding one

 

[LLB]

The problem with London is that there is so much walking between the attractions, you can spend a lot of time just doing that so it pays to get a good idea of what you want to do with them and group them together for each day.

When I took my kids up when they were small (youngest was 5 or 6 at the time), we travelled in from StAlbans on the high speed link and ended up doing the dome as they were giving big discount tickets outside the London Eye which had massive queues.

 

[Aperitif]

yorkshiregoth is 'Our man in the know'

http://golondon.about.com/od/londontransport/qt/freechildren.htm

 

[LLB]

If your budget could stretch to this, I'd definitely consider it.

http://www.londonducktours.co.uk/aboutus.htm

 

[HelenD123]

Why do the boys need oyster cards if kids travel free?

Yes, linf, we've got a folding buggy so we should be ok.

So how do oyster cards work then? I thought you had to register them to an account? Can I just buy them from a station?

We're a bit behind in Birmingham. We still use old money.

I bought my Oyster card at Kings Cross. There was some sort of form to fill in but I can't remember what was on it. It was very straight forward. If you need to top it up during your stay you can do it at lots of corner shops (look for the symbol) rather than queuing at a tube station. It looks like you can buy them online as well and get them posted to you. I'd do this if you can as the queues at the station ticket offices are usually quite long.

For the boys, I guess they will need an Oyster card or ticket of some sort to be able to get through the barriers at the tube stations (this is only a guess mind).

 

[bonj2]

Why do the boys need oyster cards if kids travel free?
.

presumably because you have to prove they're under the age at which you pay. then the bus driver doesn't have to make the decision of whether a kid looks over 10 or not - as it is, simple - no oyster card, you're not coming on. or you pay full whack.

you should definitely get oyster cards just for the novelty of being able to use it without getting it out of your wallet. (it's magnetic in some way) - you just put your wallet *near* the scanner and it registers it.

 

[srw]

I know I'm being lazy, but the TfL site is horrible and some of you will know better.

We're doing a family weekend in London in a couple of weeks, staying in the docklands.

I want to know the best way of paying for our tube passes. Do the wife and I just get day passes each day, do they do a weekender, or would Oyster cards work out cheaper?

I understand that the boys will travel for free anyway (3 and 6)?

Thanks

Oh come on, you're being pathetic. Three clicks on the TFL website found me the following:

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/faresandtickets/1063.aspx
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/oysteronline/2732.aspx

You can buy an Oyster card at a station. If you're in Brum I assume you're being sensible and coming into Marylebone, which won't have big queues at the underground window. You'll pay a £3 refundable deposit and automatically get your fare capped at the travelcard rate.

Kiddiewinkies go for free. There are big posters at many stations which ask parents to ask staff to let them through the barriers.

Now that wasn't difficult, was it?

 

[LLB]

I've lived there, so I know my way around well enough.

Fair doo's

 

[tdr1nka]

I'd rather talk to people than a site that contradicts itself.

[panto mode] Oh no you wouldn't![panto mode/]

 

[srw]

Oh put your hair back on you big girl.

I'd rather talk to people than a site that contradicts itself.

Where's the contradiction? If you want to talk to a person, phone TFL on 020 7220 1234 - yes that was another two-click find. You'll get better information from there than some of the nonsense that's been spouted so far on this thread.

 

[ChrisKH]

If your budget could stretch to this, I'd definitely consider it.

http://www.londonducktours.co.uk/aboutus.htm

Considered this for my two, but when you look at the route (and cost) there's very little time spent in the water. Better value from a Tfl boat from Waterloo to Tower Hill or Greenwich and/or London Bus trip round the capital.
My two love the science and NH museum.

 

[tdr1nka]

Mr. P, check with TfL regarding the travelcards it might work out cheaper per day(depending on how much you use them)than using an Oyster card which is going to charge you for every single fare, whereas the travel card gives you unlimited
use.

 

[trj977]

Oyster caps when you reach the cost of a travel card and stops charging you. I seem to remember my daughters have some difficulty using their "free" oyster cards on the underground. From memory I think it was because there was no money on them, that's the way they came, so they needed to put a £1 on or something. Strange because this £1 was not used when travelling