London - Tube vs HOHO bus

[Tintown]

We have 2 days in London pre cruise and have been looking at transport. I know a lot of people use the HOHO buses, and many others the tube. I'd love to hear the opinions of those that have "been there done that" as to which options they preferred, and why. Thanks for your input.

[belle907]

We have always used the tube in London with all the traffic congestion in the city.

[Twickenham]

We like to get a day travelcard - or now will get a pay-as-you-go Oyster card - and ride regular buses. Get a Central London bus map, and find the bus that passes what you want to see. Remember, your pass/Oyster card can be used for both buses and underground. We use the underground to go to specific sites, but for just sightseeing, the top of a regular double-decker bus can't be beat. :)

[SuburbanMom]

Thanks for the info. I will be in London for 4 days post-cruise.

[CruiserPK]

I live in NE England and travel to London 4-5 times per year. Go with the Oyster card and use the tube or red busses. It is a much more effiecient way to get around for a short stay.

Cheers, Pam

[cruiseryyc]

I prefer to use the buses as then I can actually see London.

[PennyAgain]

I do half and half. Buses when I want to see what is going on (and have the time) and the Tube when I need to be on a schedule.

 

Wonderful to have choices!

[Johanna7]

For our week in London a few years ago we had the one week card good for 6 zones and it allowed us to use the tubes, the buses, the light rail, the regular trains in the area and it was wonderful.

 

If you can get a seat in the double decker buses you will see so much more than in the subway. Another thing about the subway is the climbing up and down the stairs and they also walk on the left side as well.

 

The week pass allowed a free ride on the subway from Heathrow to anywhere in London and also, it gives you discounts on many things such as restaurant meals, the Thames cruises. We took that, at a reduced rate, to Hampton Palace and then took the regular train back to London and that part was free - the train. It was about 3 hours on the Thames and we saw so much.

 

We went to Greenwich several times on the light rail thing and it was well worth it for us.

 

There is so much to see and do in London. A fantastic place and with the card you are not always putting your hand in your pocket looking for bus fare.

 

Enjoy your trip to London. A fantastic city.

[whogo]

The hop on/hop off bus is an acceptable way to get an introduction to the city, but is an inefficient method of transportation between attractions. Waiting times can be long.

[Tintown]

Thanks everyone for your input. We had been thinking of getting a London Pass, which covers all transport and entry to some of the sites around London. Also considering a one day HOHO pass as well, which also give us the river cruise. I know that's a lot of money, but it would cover all options I guess. London's a long way from NZ so we probably won't get back there for a loooong time!

[banditoo]

Are the hop on hop off buses people refer to different than the double decker buses? Are they part of the regular bus system or just something specific for tourists? I'm getting a bit confused. Someone mentioned the hop on hop off is inefficient to get between attractions, but I would think the intent is to take people to attractions or is it not? Any clarification would be appreciated.

[Twickenham]

Are the hop on hop off buses people refer to different than the double decker buses? Are they part of the regular bus system or just something specific for tourists? I'm getting a bit confused. Someone mentioned the hop on hop off is inefficient to get between attractions, but I would think the intent is to take people to attractions or is it not? Any clarification would be appreciated.

 

When people talk of hop on hop off buses, they are talking about special sightseeing tour buses run by companies such as The Original London Sightseeing Tour or The Big Bus London Sightseeing Tour . These are open-top double-decker buses, run on a set route, have live or taped commentary, and allow you to get off and back on as many times as you want during a 24-hour period. It's fine for a first-time visit, but as said before, not nearly as flexible or cost-effective as simply using the basic public transport system. This is separate, and includes buses (double-decker for the most part in Central London, some single-decker ones in the suburbs), the underground and trains.

 

Thanks everyone for your input. We had been thinking of getting a London Pass, which covers all transport and entry to some of the sites around London. Also considering a one day HOHO pass as well, which also give us the river cruise. I know that's a lot of money, but it would cover all options I guess. London's a long way from NZ so we probably won't get back there for a loooong time!

 

Make sure, before you buy any pass, that it will really be worth it to you. I just checked the prices, and for 2 days the London Pass would be 59 GBP. Now, considering just transport in Central London using day travelcards/Oyster card probably wouldn't cost you much more than 10 or 11 GBP, you have to make sure you'd be seeing 48 GBP worth of payed sights. The best way to determine this is to list all the sights you want to see, and calculate the regular entrance fees, if applicable (many museums, such as the British Museum, don't have entrance fees).

[sailingkiwi]

Twickenham offers very good advice.

 

I think that before considering whether or not you buy the London Pass you should consider what you want to see in London and whether or not this offers you good value.

 

I am tempted to say that you could get better value not purchasing it - especially when you take into account the exchange rate, which is around 2.5 at the moment (yes that's right you American's, it is even worse than yours!:p )

 

I would also consider jet lag, especially after a 24 hour flight. Is your two days including arrival day?

 

As a kiwi on her OE, I have done quite a bit of travelling and my best advice is to divide the day up into 3 parts - morning, afternoon and evening - and allocate one activity, visit or city area to each part of the day. It is very important to pace yourself and also plan within your physical capabilities (I learnt this when my Mum and Dad came to visit).

 

Another consideration, is where you are staying in London. Do you have a hotel booking yet?

 

Here is a way of getting around you could consider:

 

Buy off peak (travel after 9.30am weekdays), zone 1 & 2 travel cards. These are paper cards that get inserted into the entry barriers, rather than the plastic "oyster" card that gets placed on top. Zones 1 & 2 cover travel to all the attractions within central London and you can use the cards on the tube, buses, trains and light rail. This costs £5.30, per person, per day. So £21.20 for two days travel.

 

Using these cards, you can get 2 for 1 entry to many London attractions, by printing out the vouchers from this website: http://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/

 

To use this website, you may need to register with a UK postcode - just use the one for your hotel.

 

You can't use these vouchers if you have a plastic oyster card, and topping the card up with cash using the "Pay as you go" system. This is because the Days Out Guide is for rail travel and you can't use the Oyster Pay as You Go system for most rail travel in London. Don't worry if you haven't travelled by rail - having the paper travel card just proves you could of. If someone asks, tell them you travelled from Greenwich.

 

Also remember that many sites within London are within walking distance of each other. For example, The National Gallery sits on Trafalgar Square and it is a short walk from there to Westminster for the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben and Westminster Abbey.

[whogo]

There is little to add to the excellent advice from Twickenham and sailingkiwi. The London Pass is an expensive mistake for most tourists. To make the Pass pay for itself, you must get to 3 expensive attractions per day and ignore the free excellent free museums. A first time visitor has difficult choices to make for a two day visit. My top 12 attraction list would be:

 

British Museum*

National Gallery*

Westminster Abbey

St. Paul's Cathedral (£10 admission covered by Pass)

Tower of London (£16 admission covered by Pass)**

London Eye Ferris Wheel

Houses of Parliament/Big Ben viewed from outside*

Buckingham Palace viewed from the outside*

Imperial War Museum*

Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms (£12 admission covered by Pass)**

Shakespeare's Globe Theatre (£9 admission covered by Pass)**

Hop On/Hop Off bus

 

*Free attraction.

** On 2 for 1 offer at least through May.

 

Use the 2 for 1 offers instead of the London Pass: http://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/

 

The price list of attractions covered by the London Pass, that the London Pass website does not provide in any easy to access form, but that I have compiled at no small inconvenience and present to you free of charge:

 

£17.95 London Bicycle Tour Company

£17.00 London Zoo

£16.00 Tower of London

£15.00 Chelsea FC Stadium Tour

£14.80 Windsor Castle

£14.50 Wimbledon Tour Experience

£13.00 Hampton Court Palace

£13.00 Kew Gardens

£12.00 Churchill Museum & Cabinet War Rooms

£12.00 Kensington Palace & The Orangery

£10.00 City Cruises

£10.00 Curzon Mayfair Cinema

£10.00 Curzon Soho Cinema (before 5 exc.Su-Th)

£10.00 Museum of Rugby

£10.00 QUEENS Ice & Bowl

£10.00 St Paul’s Cathedral

£9.95 HMS Belfast

£9.95 Winston Churchill's Britain at War

£9.00 Chelsea Cinema

£9.00 Renoir Cinema

£9.00 Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre Tour & Exhibition

£8.95 London Wetland Centre

£8.50 Queen’s Gallery

£8.50 Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum

£8.00 Kew Bridge Steam Museum

£8.00 Royal Albert Hall

£7.90 Eltham Palace

£7.50 Jason’s Canal Boat Trip

£7.50 Royal Mews

£7.00 Benjamin Franklin House

£7.00 Chelsea Physic Garden

£6.00 Tower Bridge Exhibition

£5.80 Florence Nightingale Museum

£5.50 Wernher Collection at Ranger’s House

£5.30 Apsley House

£5.00 Chislehurst Caves

£5.00 Courtauld Institute of Art Gallery

£5.00 Eton College

£5.00 Firepower Royal Artillery Museum

£5.00 Foundling Museum

£5.00 Handel House Museum

£5.00 Museum in Docklands

£5.00 National Theatre Backstage Tours

£4.50 Banqueting House

£4.00 Bramah Museum of Tea and Coffee

£4.00 Cartoon Museum

£4.00 Fan Museum

£3.50 Estorick Collection of Modern Italian Art

£3.30 Wellington Arch

£3.00 Guards Museum

£3.00 London Canal Museum

£3.00 Pollocks Toy Museum

£2.90 Jewel Tower

£2.00 Alexander Fleming Laboratory Museum

[NancyIL]

We have done both. It's nice to ride the HOHO bus around the city to get a nice overview of places you'd like to return to. Then take the tube to go from place to place later.

[TLCOhio]

We have done both. It's nice to ride the HOHO bus around the city to get a nice overview of places you'd like to return to. Then take the tube to go from place to place later.

 

Lots of great comments and wisdom on this posting. We loved the card and doing the Underground. In large part, it depends on the distance you are traveling between stops and whether or not this is your first, introductory visit to London. If somewhat experienced there, time efficiency is important and the Underground will work best for speed. Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

[coxswain]

I visit London every few months and i use the Tube - but i see alot more by just walking !!

 

 

Great post info Whogo

 

 

 

 

jj.....

[boards]

We are planning on getting 3 day passes to tour around London. It is that sensible way to do it?

[whogo]

We are planning on getting 3 day passes to tour around London. It is that sensible way to do it?

A 3 day paper ticket Travelcard should be ideal; £17.40 for all your tube, bus, rail or DLR travel in zones 1 and 2. Use the Travelcard for the 2 for 1 discounts that sailingkiwi mentioned: http://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/

 

3 one day Travelcards save you a pittance on off-peak travel at £15.90. "Peak times are 0430-0930 Monday to Friday (except Public Holidays). Off-Peak is at all other times."

[banditoo]

Wow, you are all amazing! Thanks so much for this very valuable information and links. I am so appreciative of all the expertise. Will absorb it and now be able to make an informed decision.

[Tintown]

Once again, thanks to everyone, especially sailingkiwi and whogo for your input. We will have to do some serious thinking before making our decision.

[banditoo]

Once again, thanks to everyone, especially sailingkiwi and whogo for your input. We will have to do some serious thinking before making our decision.

 

Tintown, you are on the same sailing as us from Southampton August 30. We are flying into Paris for 3 nights then over to London via Chunnel for August 27-29 then to Southampton on the 30th. Have you figured out how you will go from London to Southampton? I am thinking we will pick up the train from the closest station and go that route about mid morning. We still haven't determined a hotel and I am still trying to calculate our best plans for the siteseeing and transport for the 3 days in London. Will probably do one of the Hop On Off plus river cruise for one day in London (maybe the day we come over from Paris) to get a general overview and then either the travelcard or London Pass with travelcard for the other 2 days depending on what sites we decide to take in. Am thinking to take in Windsor Castle which the London pass includes (admission and transport) but have to figure out how much of the day that would take up. So many choices and decisions to make!

[sailingkiwi]

We are flying into Paris for 3 nights then over to London via Chunnel

 

Just so you know, people don't really use the term chunnel at all. The name of the train is the Eurostar and this is how people refer to the rail crossing.

 

Am thinking to take in Windsor Castle which the London pass includes (admission and transport) but have to figure out how much of the day that would take up. So many choices and decisions to make!

 

Are you sure the London Pass includes travel to Windsor? The train to Windsor is not part of the London transport system, so any travel card for London (even if it is zones 1 to 6) will not cover the cost of getting there.

 

I would allow at least 3/4 of a day for Windsor. This gives you time to wander at leisure. The train takes around 45 minutes to an hour. You can buy tickets to Windsor Castle on line, or I think that when you buy your train ticket you may be able to get them from the station.

[banditoo]

The London Pass website specifically says that if you purchase their pass with the travelcard option the transport to Windsor is included when presented to the attendant even though out of Zones 1-6. I am still trying to figure out where Windsor Castle is in location to London as we could plan for other stops on our way in or out of the city depending on which direction the castle is.

[Tintown]

Tintown, you are on the same sailing as us from Southampton August 30. We are flying into Paris for 3 nights then over to London via Chunnel for August 27-29 then to Southampton on the 30th. Have you figured out how you will go from London to Southampton? I am thinking we will pick up the train from the closest station and go that route about mid morning. We still haven't determined a hotel and I am still trying to calculate our best plans for the siteseeing and transport for the 3 days in London. Will probably do one of the Hop On Off plus river cruise for one day in London (maybe the day we come over from Paris) to get a general overview and then either the travelcard or London Pass with travelcard for the other 2 days depending on what sites we decide to take in. Am thinking to take in Windsor Castle which the London pass includes (admission and transport) but have to figure out how much of the day that would take up. So many choices and decisions to make!

 

Hi Banditoo

We are staying at the Corus Hotel Hyde Park. We are planning on going either by train from Waterloo or coach from Victoria St Coach Station. Apparently you can book via megatrain.com and they have very cheap fares, but you can only book a max. of 45 days in advance. We are travelling with our 11 year old daughter, and the megatrain price was 20pounds for all three (vs 70 usually), and megacoach was 17pounds (vs 34.50 usually). We are planning on arriving in Southampton around midday, leaving London ~9-10am, but I don't really know what time you can embark - do you know this? I wonder if it is a standard time for all sailings? I would really like to see Windsor Castle but don't feel that we will have time. We will definitely go to Kensington as we can walk from where we are staying, and if we get the London Pass, would go to the Queen's Gallery and the Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace. Definitely a river cruise, everyone says how great they are, and you can see so much (and better views) from the river. So much to see, so little time! Still we will be happy with whatever we can manage. No doubt we will see you on board. This sailing doesn't seem to be very booked out yet though.