London Cards

I bought the London Pass in october, I bought the 6 days version.
After I had calculated what I had planned to visit, it was well worth buying. You can easily find deals at 15% off if you google london pass promo
But to know if it's good for you, you do have to take a few minutes and do some calculations.
Many museums are free.
As far as the Oyster card, it is for the Tube. There are 2 versions: The visitors one and the regular one.
The advantage of the regular is that whatever is left on the card, you can get your money back, and that also included the fee of the card itself, 5 pounds. But this one is not available at the airport. You have to get at a tube station(they have machines everywhere in the stations)
Below for more info:
https://www.visitlondon.com/traveller-information/getting-around-london/oyster

You may find that the 2 for 1 offers are more appealing than the London Pass:

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Travel-g186338-c133479/London:United-Kingdom:Paper.And.Oyster.Travelcards.2.4.1.Offers.html

Don't buy the Visitor Oyster card shown in Claude C.'s link.
Buy instead the regular Oyster card, available at all tube stations. You will see a machine that looks like a bank ATM. This will be the machine from which you can buy the Oyster card.
Put cash or credit card into the machine. Select the amount (use the buttons) you wish to load onto the Oyster card. The machine will spit out your Oyster card. (Don't forget to retrieve your credit card from the slot.)
Other places to buy the regular Oyster: grocery stores, convenience stores, gift shops, and the Visitors Center across the street from St Paul's Cathedral.

You do not need to buy an Oyster card before you arrive in London.

"They list a lot of attractions,"
If you are referring to the London Pass, it pays off for some people, but does not for others.
Most of the museums in London are free, so if that is what you will be doing mainly, just drop a donation of one or two pounds (totally voluntary) in the box as you enter.

I have never used the London Pass, and will not on return visits.
It just doesn't make sense for me.
You asked, "They list a lot of attractions, but I won't have to visit most of them. Is it worth it? "
No, in my opinion.
They make it look good because they list so many attractions, but you would never get to even half of them. And most of the things listed are not on my itinerary of must do's anyhow.

The six day London Pass with travel (when it's not on sale) is 199 pounds per person. (Roughly $300. US Dollars) That's an outrageous amount.
Your Oyster card will do for travel, and you only need about 20 to 40 pounds on it.
Museums cost zero.
Tower of London and Westminster Abbey may be the only things you pay to see. Not expensive.

Tower of London--Buying your tickets online is the cheapest way to visit the Tower.
Adult (age 18+): £22.70
Seniors, full-time students, disabled visitors: £17.70
Link to their website to buy:https://www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/visit/tickets-and-prices/#gs.X=o8VIs

Westminster Abbey--Use their website to book tickets:https://www.westminster-abbey.org/visit-us/prices-entry-times/
Adults: For fast track entry buy online-- £20.

So £20. plus £22.70 plus a £20. Oyster card, and your cost is £62.70.
Fill in some days with free museums.
That's a lot better than £199. for London Pass and not using it to the fullest advantage.
You may decide to visit no attractions one day, just walk in London's beautiful parks, eat lunch at a pub, and take a long walk along the River Thames. Your Oyster card is good for transportation on the Thames Clipper boats.

For 5 days for two of you, the sensible options are:

1) Each of you gets an Oyster Card and loads it with some money. This is called Pay As You Go or PAYG. You just use the Oyster to pay for transit, and it automatically "caps" your fare at the lowest possible rate. If you travel enough to get a day Travelcard rate, you pay no more; if you travel less than that, you pay less.

You then buy attraction tickets separately. MANY sights now have discounts for advance online booking. The trick is that for many of them, the morning-of is far enough "in advance." You can register and set up an account on the website while still at home, then book tickets on your phone the morning of your visit (via your hotel's Wi-Fi) easily. For a few attractions, you will want advance tickets to avoid a long line (not just to save money). This is particularly true of the Churchill War Rooms, which do NOT have skip the line privileges with the London Pass, and which are now much more popular due to the movie The Darkest Hour.

2) You get the London Pass with travel option. The travel option is now a PAYG card, which is much better than their former rip-off arrangement. However, you have to look very carefully to see if the London Pass will pay off. Make a list of things you are definitely doing and possibly doing, then go to each of their websites and see what they currently cost, then add this up and compare it to the cost of the London Pass. Note that London Pass only has skip the line privileges for 6 attractions.

3) You use the Two For One offers from Days Out. To do this, you need a 7 Day TravelCard from a rail station; neither an Oyster Card nor a TravelCard from a tube station are good for this offer. The discount is literally two for one, so you must have an even number in your party to take advantage. You also need a photo to get the TravelCard. One potential hitch: I don't know if the Churchill War Rooms are available as two for one, but even if they are, you have to wait in the long line. For this, you may want to buy advance tickets and forgo the two for one to save time.

More details about this option are in this thread, including links to websites that explain it all: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/transportation/7-day-travelcard-for-london-tfl

You asked pretty much the same question on 4/10/2018. Here's your thread.
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/england/london-transportation
Did you get to go to London this past summer as you had planned?

We (seven of us) visited London last year. Unfortunately, we were on our way to Greece and just had 10 hours in London. By the time we cleared Customs and travelled to the city, we only had about 6 hours. We made the mistake of buying a HOHO ticket.

The first stop was at Buckingham Palace so we went there. Luckily, we were able to watch the changing of the guards. What a fantastic spectacle. After that, we had to rush back to the airport. We liked London so much that we decided to go back. We already have the flights and hotels to go at the end of May. We are combining this trip with a tour of Ireland. All in all it we'll spend about six days in London, at a hotel near the London Bridge.
It is incredibly amazing the kind of help I get from this forum, and we really appreciate it.
Now I know what card I must buy and which one I shouldn't. Thanks again. Jay

This is so confusing I may have to ask Nigel to be my personal guide in London. Let's see if I have this right.
First: When I arrive at Heathrow airport, I could buy the Oyster card there. Can I use to travel on the speed train to Paddington?
Then, at a Rail station (not a tube) I should buy the Travel card with the 2-4-1 benefit, right? Not so easy. I'll stay for 4 days in London, then I'll leave for a 7 days tour to Ireland; comeback to London for 2 days, go for 2 days to Broadstairs & Canterbury and then return to London for another night. I know it is complicated and I don't have the slightest idea of how many days should I buy at a time.
Please explain to me, in detail, what should be the correct procedure. As always, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. You're the greatest experts. Jay

Only take the Heathrow Express if you are staying around Paddington otherwise there may better ways to get to your hotel.

You must decide if the 2for1 offers are a good deal for you. No one else can advise if they suit your interests. But if so, buy the paper, weekly Travelcard at a train station ticket office e.g. Paddington, Victoria, Kings Cross etc.

If you don’t want the 2 for 1 offers just get two Oyster cards at LHR and put £20 on each.

You need to buy separate train tickets for travel outside London.

Sorted.

No, Heathrow Express do not take Oyster.

I saw all the attractions that they offer on the 2for1 card. This is very similar to the London Pass: you have to go to 7 or 8 to save money. I think that buying individual tickets at discount stores is a better deal (Discount London, tic mate, etc.) What do you think?
Also, if I take the Heathrow Express to Paddington and then the circle line to London Bridge is the cheapest way to get to my hotel. Unless you have a better connection. Please advise. Thanks, Jay

alvarcorp, To comment about what you said in your last post,
"I think that buying individual tickets at discount stores is a better deal (Discount London, tic mate, etc.) What do you think?"

My opinion is that it is better to buy directly from the attraction you want to visit.
Use the Westminster Abbey website to buy tickets for there.
Use the Tower of London's website to buy tickets for there.

Read Emma's post again. She is giving you good advice.
The best option if you are looking for really great deals is the 2for1 deal as described by Emma.

I don't know why, but I thought you were staying at the Tower Hotel in St Katherine Dock across from the Tower of London. I don't know why I thought that. It overlooks Tower Bridge, not London Bridge.

If that is the case, it would be the Circle Line to Tower Hill.

Still - no Heathrow Express - it will be of no help to you, cost more, and complicate things.

Are you actually staying on the South Bank?

I don't recognise the 2 for 1 card which requires 7 or 8 places to break even.

I honestly think you are conflating two or more products.

Please tell me where you are finding the card you are talking about.

The 2 for 1 scheme with the trains doesn't require you to spend any more on transport than you would normally, it just requires you to use a slightly different form of transportation ticket.

Please tell us the name of the hotel so we can give you good directions to your hotel. Just saying London Bridge doesn't help. Too many variables.

Buying an Oyster card prior to arriving in London is not necessary. When you get to the airport tube station near your terminal there is usually someone there to help you f you have trouble. And, when you leave you can turn in your Oyster card for a refund of what you have left on the card plus the £5 deposit. You can't do that with the visitor Oyster card.

Do not take the Heathrow Express or Crossrail to Paddington. Paddington is way out of your way and more costly.

I think I mentioned London Bridge by mistake. I'm staying at the Motel One London-Tower Hill. Now tell me what's the best way to get there from Heathrow.
I'm still a little confused about the cards that I need in London. Please tell me what I really need. By now, I agree that the London Pass is a no no. I think I need both the Oyster and another one for the 2for1 deals. I googled the Travelcard that has the 2for1 and they list a bunch of attractions that really don't attract me. So explain to me the right procedure. Thanks Again.

Motel One London-Tower Hill is part way between Aldgate station on the Circle Line and Tower Hill on the Circle Line.

A bit closer to Aldgate.

There is no right or wrong answer for the best route - it depends. It depends on how much you want to spend - or not spend, what time of day and day of the week you will be arriving, and the weather.

June - weather should be OK, unless there has been a long dry spell followed by a heavy rain.

Some people will say to take the Heathrow Express to Paddington and change there to a taxi or the Circle Line. All depends though.

Others will say take the Piccadilly Line to Gloucester Road and make an easy change to the Circle Line to Aldgate. That's probably the one I'd pick because it may be 15 minutes slower than the Heathrow Express combination but the connection is much easier and it is much cheaper.

Others will say don't worry about the money and take a pre-arranged minicab straight from the airport to your hotel. That's why I need to know when this will happen, so as to allow for traffic and commuters.

Now you still have me confused about these discounts - and I think I know that sort of stuff about London pretty well.

When you talk about Travelcard discounts do you mean the rail company promotion Days Out, where arriving at an attraction with a rail ticket (or rail issued Travelcard valid in the correct zones) allows two people entry for the price of one? Are you looking on the website https://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/ or are you looking elsewhere? Elsewhere, please say where? I'm still stumped.

In any event you won't need a Travelcard and an Oyster card for the same journey.

Lucky thing here is we until June to sort this out. Stick with us and we'll stick with you....

I understand that you need more information in order to give me the right directions. I'm planning to arrive at Heathrow at 7:40 AM on Thursday May 30 on a United Airlines flight from Houston, Tx. (I bet Nigel or Emma are going to wait for me there; please show a sign that says "Jay") I took the Heathrow Express to Paddington last year and it takes only 15 minutes. The cost is 12 pounds. If I have a card for the tube is going to be cheap to get to my hotel (Motel One London-Tower, 24 Minories). I think the circle line takes me there. According to several sources, a taxi costs between 50 and 65 pounds. If there is a faster/cheaper way please let me know. I don't want to take many tube changes. My wife would kill me.
Do I need both the Oyster and Rail 2for1 card?
By the way (since you want to know about me) in January I'll be 82 years young. I'm in a very good health, go regularly to the Gym, never had any hospital operations, don't take any medicines and my last cold was when I lived in New York City, 45 years ago. Amazing, you'd say; well, wish me good luck.
Again, thanks for all your help. You guys are fantastic! Jay
PS: Like Humphrey Bogart said in "Casablanca": I believe this is the beginning of a long friendship"

Congratulations on your health.

I'll be back to have another go at your tube tickets a bit later after I have had breakfast - and maybe lunch.

The 2for1 travel card only works for the overland train system and excludes Heathrow Express and Heathrow connect. You basically won't use overland trains in Central London so I think you can put that ticket idea to bed. The Oyster card is what you need, its pay as you go but caps the daily limit to no more than you would pay on a travel card. As Emma said you'll have to walk to get to the public transport options whatever you chose. I'd say take the Piccadilly line tube from Heathrow with one change to The Circle line at Hammersmith. Your wife will be impressed at how straight forward this is and you will be after the morning rush hour.

Hi Emma, yes you're right. It's a standard travel card that can be used on tube and train. But can't be bought at Heathrow as you say or a tube station. Based on where the OPs hotel is and his age I wouldn't advocate traipsing to the nearest London terminal to buy this travel card ticket to save a bit of money (having had to presumably buy and print off the attraction voucher before leaving). Keep things simple I say.

Ryan and Gill, you don't buy anything ahead at an attraction offering a Days Out promotion 2 for 1. It is walk up to the ticket window and present the voucher and show the Travelcard or train ticket and hand over half as much cash as normal.

Yes, you can print the voucher out and carry it to the attraction, but for me it is easier to just pick up the brochure and fill in a voucher at the back as needed.

If you do the Heathrow Express route you can get the rail Travelcard at Paddington station and pick up a couple of booklets from their info stand at the ticket offices. You might even consider a black cab from Paddington to your hotel.

Did you say early morning arrival midweek? You'll run into the end of the rush hour going into town. What time can you check in? Will you drop your bags and get on with things or do you think you may be a little tuckered out?

When my dad was travelling with my mother at 82 he used a few more taxis than he did when younger.

Maybe being met at the airport by a minicab would be good.

Your choice of course (and of course doing whatever your wife "suggests").

I think I finally getting out of my concussion. Thanks. If it is either the Oyster or the 2x1 card, I definitely believe the latter is the best option since we plan to visit as many attractions as possible. Since we'll be traveling in and to London (3 days in the city, going to Ireland for 1 week, 2 more days in London, going to Broadstairs for 2 days, and finally one more day in London. I wouldn't buy the 7 days card, but 3, 2 and 1 days respectively. Am I right? Please don't confuse me anymore.
I think I'll take the Heathrow Express to Paddington since I can buy it on line for just 12 pounds and it takes only 15 minutes. Buy the National Rail 2x1 card there and then take the tube or a cab to our hotel. Correct?
Nigel and Emma, take your breakfasts before answering. I just took mine. Bon apetit!

to quote some old movie, "By George I think (s)he's got it!!"

Just a little confused this time. I hope it's the last one. Thanks Nigel for giving me the graduation diploma. I thought Oyster was a no-no, mainly because the 2x1 card would save a lot at attractions and I plan to see as many as possible, although I understand that some main ones are not included (like the Coca Cola Eye). I'll buy that ticket at one of the discount web sites. I agree that a cab from the airport may be the best way and we thank Emma for this advice, specially my wife. Thanks again.

If Jay's wife is happy, Jay is happy.

Jay, here’s a step-to-step guide to buying the Travelcard in order to get 2-for-1 offers (please note it’s not called the 2-for-1 card - the offers are merely a benefit of having the card and not it’s main purpose.)

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Travel-g186338-c195600/London:United-Kingdom:2.4.1.Travelcards.Step.By.Step.html

I believe you can buy all your cards on one day - you will need individual ones for each day as they no longer do a three-day Card. You would need to specify the dates that you’re buying the cards for. And you must do it at a mainline train station, that has the double arrow logo.

That's an excellent summary, Jane. Thanks for popping that up.

It reminds me of something that I sometimes forget - that one day Travelcards have to be for at least Zones 1-4 which is more expensive for travel than the maxed out Oyster fares if you just do a few trips in Zones one and two. Seven day Travelcards can be for just Zones 1 and 2 so are cheaper overall, even than, as the article says 4 one day cards. Do have to provide that photo though for a 7 day rail Travelcard.

Now, Jay, I'm pretty sure without going back through, that you have two breaks in your London stay, don't you? Broadstairs in Kent and Ireland? So I guess that you'll never have at least 4 or 5 days together within a 7 day period?

We're still trying.

Here's a question - I kind of have a feeling that on 1 to 10 balance between simplicity and ease on the one end and saving the most money on the other, you and your wife come out more at simplicity and easy end than the save every penny end. Is that right?

I and a lot of folks here are geared to squeezing the most bang out of every penny - make them work for you - and sometimes neglect that possibly spending a little more makes things easier.

What do you think?

Nigel: Definitely. I can't say I'm rich, but probably "better off", so money is secondary to convenience. Besides, on this trip I saved already a lot of money. The airline ticket from my town in Brownsville, Texas (on the border with Mexico) to LHR (connecting in Houston) cost me zero dollars. I'm using "award miles" which is something that you also have there: points for every dollar spent with Credit card and miles from flights. That can tell you how much we travel. We've been to over 60 countries, including Africa, China, and several trips to Europe. To us, its the only thing we can take with us when we "leave". Thank you all for your expert advice. You're the greatest! Jay

I just figured out something: We're staying in London for 3, 2 and 1 days intermittently. A one day Travel Card costs 12.70 pounds and a 7 day is 34.10. (Not traveling before 9:30AM) If I buy 3 separate days for the first stay, it will be 38.10; I would save 4 pounds per person buying the 7 day. Smart, eh?

yup

smart cookie.

Don't forget the photos.