My family and I will be travelling to Europe in early August and have a one night stay in London. We arrive early in the morning on a red-eye flight at Gatwick airport. We will be spending the day up in London after dropping luggage at our hotel near the East Croydon Station. The next day our flight leaves Gatwick at 3:30 pm so we may consider making another short trip into the city in the morning to see a couple more sites but I'm not sure we'll have time. Our party consists of 2 children (ages 9 and 13) and 4 adults, including 2 over the age of 60 (senior rates?). I've done some reading on the train system but I'm still confused and would like some advice. Should we pre-purchase oyster cards or buy tickets online in advance? Or pay when we get there? Also, is the oyster card the best option given that we will only have 2 days of travel back and forth to London? Any information/advice would be appreciated. Thanks!!!
Posted by
Royaume-Uni nul points, pas plus
2512 posts
When you’re at Gatwick or East Croydon station ask for a day return ticket to London with a one-day travelcard. This will include you train travel up to London (and back again) plus all your bus/tube travel within London for that day. These are paper tickets so hang on to them for all your journeys.
On your second day, do the same, but like you I don’t think you have the time.
You can use this to search for trains.
http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/
When you see ticket prices look at "Other Tickets" and you'll see prices for tickets+travelcards.
Posted by
4527 posts
Ditch the hotel in East Croydon. Look for a hotel near the Blackfriars train station on the Thameslink line in Bankside/Southwark. The train station is over the river-- not on the north bank where the Blackfriars tube station is. There are several hotels here a block or 2 from the station easy walking. Many sites here within walking distance.
Posted by
OP
2 posts
Thanks for the reply! Just wondering what the difference is between a one-day travelcard and an oyster card? Also, if we are dropping luggage at the hotel in Croydon, can we still get the one day travel card and use it from Gatwick to East Croydon and then from East Croydon to London and return? Thanks again :)