I'll be staying at the Novotel Blackfriar. When I check out of Novotel, I need to get to Paddington station to take a train to Marlow. Is there an underground near the Novotel to get me to Paddington?
How do I buy tickets in the stations. (both underground and train) ?
Is there a teller (person) where I can buy the ticket or do I have to use a machine....both for underground and for my train ride to Marlow. Do I have to reserve the train ride seat to Marlow?
thanks
One thought for you on the Underground. If you have a credit card, consider asking your credit card company for a contactless card. It looks like it has a symbol like the WiFi symbol on it. It allows you to get into and out of the tube without an Oyster card. Especially if you’re only going to use the tube once. My two cents.
My first question is: How do you plan to get to this hotel, and how do you plan to get around London if not by underground?
One of the first things to find out about any hotel before booking it is, how far is it from the nearest tube (underground station)?
I looked up the hotel website: https://www.accorhotels.com/gb/hotel-7942-novotel-london-blackfriars/index.shtml
And it says:
Novotel London Blackfriars
46 Blackfriars Road
London
SE1 8NZ
Along with a map which shows Southwark station approx 150 metres from the hotel.
Normally I would tell people to buy an Oyster Card to cover all public transport for their stay in London. You appear to be implying this will be your ONLY public transport trip in London (really??). In which case just buy a ticket to Paddington from the ticket machine. No idea if Southwark has a manned office.
At Paddington station, again buy a ticket to Marlow, either at a ticket machine (simpler) or from the manned ticket office.
The train to Marlow is a local/commuter train, no seat reservations possible. You will have to change trains at Maidenhead, no direct trains from London to Marlow.
You can see Marlow on the South-East England rail map here (square D3): https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/London_South_East_0519.pdf
Also, if that close to Borough Market, go check it out.
thanks for the heads up on the Southwark station. I just checked the map and its really close to the Novotel., where I will be staying for 2 nights. The reason I picked the Blackfriar Novotel is that it is an 8 minute walk to Stamford St apartments at Kings, where my teen-age grandson is staying for a summer program. He and I will be traveling from heathrow to his dorm via hired car. I'll leave him and walk to my hotel. I appreciate your recommendation for The Southwark station. That looks like an easy walk so I can get to Paddington from there , where I believe I can get a train to Marlow.
the other public transport I will have will be to Marlow, since I am spending little time in London this trip.
thanks for the referral for the Borough Market. that looks like a fun visit and easy walk from my hotel.
so in order to even get into the Tube station, I have to have an Oyster card. Where / how do I get that?
No you enter a tube station free of charge.
You can buy tube tickets with cash at machines in the station – not cheap but ok if it’s a one off journey.
Or use a contactless card from your bank credit/debit card
or buy an Oyster card for £5, top it up with sufficient cash to get you around, then get the £5 deposit and remaining funds back when you leave London.
Buy a separate ticket for Marlow at the train station. You don't need to reserve anything.
No idea if Southwark has a manned office.
Yes, it does.
Ramblin..
thanks for clarifying about getting into the tube station and how to buy a ticket for the tube ride. that sounds easy and I won't mind buying an Oyster at 5 pounds- that might be the thing to do. I have no plans for my 2 days in London, so I assume the Oyster pass will get me around. But on the other hand, I won't mind buying a single trip ticket. Also, I have a "debit" card, which I have been told by my bank to use at the Barclay ATMs if I need to get cash. So is the debit card like a contactless card. My banker here in U.S. has not mentioned that (contactless) card to me, so I assume I can use my debit card to buy a ticket.
Emma
...soooo helpful and reassuring. I think I will buy an oyster card, since you imply I can also use on a city bus....thanks for your insights and suggestions.
Good question on the debit card. I don’t know if US Banks offer debit cards with the contactless ability.
I have a Visa and MasterCard with the contactless. Having thought more about it, the contactless will make your life so much easier if available. There are so many small purchases you are able to make with a quick tap - coffee, water, lunch, souvenirs.
If you DONT have a contactless care, make sure you know the pin on the card you are using. You will have to insert your chip like you do in the USA but there is an added step of entering your pin. It may even help to let your check out person know it is an American bank card. I’ve had some experiences with a chip card over there where the check out person didn’t know American chip cards would require a pin and a printout. Never ended up being an issue but a heads up from prior experience.
But enjoy your trip. That sounds like a wonderful thing you are doing.
I don’t know if US Banks offer debit cards with the contactless ability.
I've had one for years, but it tacks on fees for foreign transactions. I've yet to figure out if it's $5, or 3%, or both.
TO EVERYONE
thanks for all of this great information. !!!
It seems that the Oyster card is the same type of payment card that I use in the U.S. in New York City. In NY It's called a "Metro card" and you buy the card for 2.50$, then you load in the amount of money you want to store on the card. You can buy the card with cash or use a credit / or debit card to pay for it. I usually put 20.00$ on the card and check at subway stations (on checking machine) to make sure I'm not running out of fare money. this metro card can also be used on the NY City buses (preferred to using cash), since the drivers won't take cash. So I'm familiar with the concept.
so one more comment about the contactless card. I checked my cards and I do have one, but the fees would be ridiculous if I use it...as someone implied in one of the responses. I'll go with the debit card, use my pin and won't get charged.
But one more question for clarification. I've read that there is a fare capping of 7 pounds, so you don't pay more than that in a day. Wondering if that only applies to the Visitor Oyster card, only, which I can't get, since I leave tomorrow from Florida and there's no time for it to get to my house. I'll buy the oyster card at the stations and designated shops.
thanks
Here are some introductory videos on using the London Underground (the Tube).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StFAuGQf2mM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzE0fA8BgkE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlZ_xDx2Zl0
There's a lot of duplication in these, but by watching them you'll get all the necessary basics.
Most US credit and cards are not contactless yet. And those that are can have fees for foreign use. So, unless you're SURE you have a contactless card and you're SURE you don't have fees for foreign use, just get an Oyster card.
While you can buy an individual ticket for each Tube ride, it's about double the cost per ride compared with using an Oyster. And London buses are now ticketless and cashless - you must have an Oyster or a contactless credit or debit card to ride them.
Good stuff, Harold ! thanks
The fare capping applies to any Pay As You Go Oyster, the one you can easily get from a machine or the "Visitor" Oyster which costs more and has fewer benefits.
Just get a normal Oyster when you get here. Before you go home you can cash it out, including the deposit (you can't get the deposit back on a "Visitor" Oyster). When you use it at the barrier in a station it will flash up (not for long) the balance. You can go to any Oyster ticket machine and tap the yellow pad and it will tell you how much is on the card, and you can top it up if you wish.
If you only have a small amount on the Oyster at the end of the adventure you might just keep it as a souvenir, and it will still be valid when you come back another year. Some Oysters have a nice design on the back. Or give it to the boy who will be able to use it.
More info on Oyster:
https://www.londontoolkit.com/briefing/oystercard.htm
thank you, Nigel. this is very helpful and clear. I'm leaving today so happy that I have all of this great info.
diane
This interactive tool will plan your routes to get around London.
Note that some so-called "contactless" cards will not work like an Oyster. It depends on country of origin. I just learned, with some annoyance, that my Canadian card will not work. Canadian banking is fairly advanced technologically so I wonder why not. There is more about this in the link I gave.
