Travelcard Questions

[wheatley]

I know there are a lot of posts on this topic & I've read them & still have questions. We will be in London 4 days precruise & 3 postcruise.

 

Is there some way to get a travelcard before we arrive in London?

 

If we have to wait and get it there, how do we take advantage of the 2 for 1 part as they must be printed off somewhere?

 

Can a travelcard be used to go from London to Southampton? to or from Heathrow?

 

Are there 3 & 4 day travelcards? Any idea of costs?

 

Thanks for any help you can give me on this topic.

[Twickenham]

Is there some way to get a travelcard before we arrive in London?

 

There's really no need. They are easily obtainable at any underground/rail station, and many newsagents.

 

If we have to wait and get it there, how do we take advantage of the 2 for 1 part as they must be printed off somewhere?

 

To be eligible for the 2 for 1 offers, you must purchase your travelcard from a rail station. Info on offers can be found on this site: http://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/attraction-types/2for1london.aspx

 

Can a travelcard be used to go from London to Southampton? to or from Heathrow?

 

Travelcards are valid within the specified London Transport zones. There are 6 zones, and you purchase your card for the zones you planned on travelling in. See this map: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/standard-tube-map.gif

 

Heathrow is within Zone 6, so you can get to-from there with a travelcard that covers that zone. However, if you purchase the card at the Heathrow Underground station, it will not be valid for 2 for 1s, as it is not a rail station.

 

Southampton is outside the London zones, so no, a travelcard in not valid for travel there.

 

 

Are there 3 & 4 day travelcards? Any idea of costs?

 

They have single day and 7-day travelcards. I've always found the 1-day travelcards best, as you can buy ones for use in different zones depending on that day's touring.

[Giantfan13]

I know there are a lot of posts on this topic & I've read them & still have questions. We will be in London 4 days precruise & 3 postcruise.

 

Is there some way to get a travelcard before we arrive in London?

 

If we have to wait and get it there, how do we take advantage of the 2 for 1 part as they must be printed off somewhere?

 

Can a travelcard be used to go from London to Southampton? to or from Heathrow?

 

Are there 3 & 4 day travelcards? Any idea of costs?

 

Thanks for any help you can give me on this topic.

 

Believe me, I know exactly how you feel. Before we traveled, I had so many questions, and even though people tried to explain things to me, I was still confused about some things. But that's what's great about this place. The people have the patience to continue to answer until we do understand, even if it is repetitious.

 

As far as the Travelcard is concerned. You do not need to buy it in advance to get the vouchers for the 2/1 offers. Go to the site http://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/attrac...or1london.aspx

 

 

and register. Then, find any of the offers you even might want to partake in, and where it says 'Claim this offer' or something like that, click on that and it will then have a voucher for you to print out. I'm not sure if there is an expiration date, but you can do this a week before you travel and you will be alright. You can print out as many different vouchers as you think you might need. There is no penalty for printing 10 and using only 4. Better to have them and not need them, then visa versa.

 

We only used the travel card for one day. On our return to London, we stayed with the Oyster Card, as it was just for transportation and that's what we wanted.

 

Again, ask any questions you feel you may have.

 

Le

[phabric]

I bought our London Travel Card through http://www.raileurope.com. In the Search (top right corner) put in London Travel Card. It will explain about the card and price. I bought a 3 day pass and cost $37/pp Canadian and they mailed it to me in Canada. They date stamp the card for the 3 days.

 

I also bought online our tickets for the London Eye http://www.londoneye.com, Hop On/Off (HOHO) http://www.theoriginaltour.com or http://www.bigbustours.com and London Pass http://www.londonpass.com and saved money. With the rate of exchange Canadian to GBP it helps to save and it is paid for before you go.

 

We felt we didn't get our monies worth with the London Pass. It was great for the Tower of London as we didn't have to wait in the huge line.

 

We did all 3 routes on the HOHO.

 

We took the National Express Coach http://www.nationalexpress.com to/from Southampton. It was a couple of hours, bus was comfortable with a bathroom on board. I was able to get 5 GBP (funfare price) a couple months in advance of our cruise. Took a taxi from bus station to pier for 5-7 GBP. Again booked online and saved.

[wheatley]

I bought our London Travel Card through www.raileurope.com. In the Search (top right corner) put in London Travel Card. It will explain about the card and price. I bought a 3 day pass and cost $37/pp Canadian and they mailed it to me in Canada. They date stamp the card for the 3 days.

 

I also bought online our tickets for the London Eye www.londoneye.com, Hop On/Off (HOHO) www.theoriginaltour.com or www.bigbustours.com and London Pass www.londonpass.com and saved money. With the rate of exchange Canadian to GBP it helps to save and it is paid for before you go.

 

We felt we didn't get our monies worth with the London Pass. It was great for the Tower of London as we didn't have to wait in the huge line.

 

We did all 3 routes on the HOHO.

 

We took the National Express Coach www.nationalexpress.com to/from Southampton. It was a couple of hours, bus was comfortable with a bathroom on board. I was able to get 5 GBP (funfare price) a couple months in advance of our cruise. Took a taxi from bus station to pier for 5-7 GBP. Again booked online and saved.

 

Thanks for the great info, everyone.

Do you know if I get the travelcard through raileurope.com, am I able to use it on the 2 for 1 deals?

[Twickenham]

I bought our London Travel Card through www.raileurope.com. In the Search (top right corner) put in London Travel Card. It will explain about the card and price. I bought a 3 day pass and cost $37/pp Canadian and they mailed it to me in Canada. They date stamp the card for the 3 days.

 

This is the Visitors Travelcard, a different product than what is discussed in the other posts in this thread. It's more expensive than just buying off-peak 1-day travelcards, and no, it would not be compatible with the 2 for 1 offers.

[Globaliser]

Travelcards are valid within the specified London Transport zones. There are 6 zones, and you purchase your card for the zones you planned on travelling in. See this map: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/standard-tube-map.gif

Although it will matter little to most visitors, there are actually now nine zones.

 

This map is the current map of all the zones. It also shows the non-Tube rail services on which Travelcards are valid. Prepaid Oysters are now also valid on all of these rail services. There are a tiny handful of exceptions, which are explained on the map.

Do you know if I get the travelcard through raileurope.com, am I able to use it on the 2 for 1 deals?

As stated above, you must buy the Travelcard at a (National Rail) railway station. raileurope.com is not a railway station.

[Twickenham]

Although it will matter little to most visitors, there are actually now nine zones.

 

This map is the current map of all the zones.

 

Cool, thanks for the link. I am glad the Oyster is now valid on trains, it was the last piece in the puzzle for me to consider it the ultimate way to get around in London - even without the 2-for-1 offers. Although, on that front, I wonder what the cheapest possible train ticket you can buy is, and wonder if the math would have it work out to being worth it for someone just to get a 2-for-1 somewhere...