Hello, my parents will be taking two grandchildren to London in July. I remember reading that I could purchase discounted Oyster cards for the kids (both under 16), if I did it enough ahead of time. My father thinks the pass that includes travel and site admission might be cheaper, but for all four of them it is about 1200 pounds. Seems like there should be a cheaper alternative. Can anyone advise me on this?
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16893 posts
How long are they staying in London? The highest prices I see for the London Pass + Travel for 6 consecutive days are about £160 per adult and £110 per child. But I would not be likely to buy these, for the reasons that Emma describes.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
32705 posts
one thousand two hundred quid to get into free museums, a few paying sites, and some tube?
Flippin' 'eck. They must be gold plated and include an audience with the Queen!!!!
Run, don't walk, as fast as you can from such a rip off.
Good grief.
Really. Most museums are free, travel can be capped, the few things which charge for admission are not unreasonable, I just don't get how you come up with £1200.
Posted by
Nashville, TN, USA
3747 posts
What Nigel said.
"My father thinks the pass that includes travel and site admission might be cheaper, but for all four of them it is about 1200 pounds. Seems like there should be a cheaper alternative."
No, your father is NOT correct on this one. The Pass that includes travel and site admission is a rip-off, pure and simple.
For four of them it's about 1200 pounds???? That's about a thousand pounds more than you'd ever spend traveling around London with a regular oyster card, and paying regular admission to sites.
Cheaper alternative: Simply buy a regular oyster card for each person when you get to London. Not through The Pass!! I refer you to Emma's post above.
Many museums are free. Pay the admission price to attractions as you go. Because you will not get to as many of them as you think you will. The main sights you will want to see, Tower of London and Westminster Abbey, for example, are not all that expensive. Waste of time: London Dungeon and Madame Tussaud's (unless you just love wax figures).
The London Pass lists lots and lots of attractions that are covered, but you cannot possibly get around to all of them unless you are in a "race mode" like the Amazing Race. Plus, here's the kicker; some of the sites you want to see are NOT covered by The London Pass, so you'll have to pay to see them ONTOP of what you've already paid for the London Pass.
My advice: pass on the London Pass.
Posted by
Oxford, United Kingdom
5326 posts
You no longer need to go through all the hoops for a Zip Oyster card for 11-15s to get child rate fares.
It is possible to get a "Young Visitor discount" by visiting an underground station in zone 1, or at Heathrow put onto an ordinary Oyster card providing it is registered to your address. It isn't quite as good as the 11-15 Zip as half fare is charged on buses, but it is much less of a rigmarole to get it for a one off short trip. The special rate expires after a fortnight.
Posted by
Hampshire, England.
1069 posts
Maybe they'll want to take advantage of the 2 for 1 offers, much better than the London Pass: