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another london tube pass question

Posted by (Kalamazoo, MI, USA) on

Hi everyone,

I have done my research and read RS books, this website, etc. and still have questions about what tube pass to get. Sorry to all the regulars here if this question gets old, but I love to get the expertise of fellow travelers. Anyway, here goes.. we will be arriving in London to Gatwick on sept. 3 and leaving London (also from Gatwick where we pick up our rental) on the 7th. So, we will have about 4.5 days in London. I am sure that we will do a bit of walking, but want to be able to use the tube when we want to use it. I am not sure if we should get a 3 day travel card, a 7 day travel card or an Oyster card. Also, I am not sure which zones to get. I believe we will mostly be in zones 1 and 2, but may want to get adventurous and travel outside those areas. Also, if we buy a travel card or Oyster card can we use those to get to and from Gatwick to Victoria Station? Another consideration is that I found a package online which includes a 3 day travel card plus admission to the Tower of London, the London Eye and an Original bus tour for $124, all of which were on our list of to dos anyway. I appreciate any advice to help me get this sorted out.

Posted by
3428 posts

The Tube does not go to Gatwick and no pass (travel card/day card/oyster) will be good on the trains that do. Either plan on taking the Gatwick Express or the longer (but slightly cheaper) train routes to get to the airport.

Posted by
109 posts

Amber, Just after you pass through passport control at Gatwick you will find a London transport desk which sells all the products. If you explain your plans to the clerk, he will be happy to sell you the best combination. This has worked well for us on several trips to London.

Posted by
8700 posts

Take a Southern train from Gatwick to Victoria. At the station at Gatwick buy a zone 1-2 travelcard plus a train ticket to cover the route from Gatwick to the edge of zone 2. Your travelcard also will be good for all rides in central London for the rest of the day. You'll pay only a little more for this combination than you would for a single ticket from Gatwick to Victoria.

Go to the Daysoutguide site given by Dave and check out the 2for1 offers covered by National Rail PAPER travelcards which you can only buy at mainline train stations, not Tube stations. Print the vouchers you'll need for the 2for1 offers. If the hop-on hop-off bus stops at any place covered by those offers and you wish to visit it, buy a one-day, zone 1-2 National Rail paper travelcard for that day. Buy one-day paper travelcards for each day you wish to take advantage of 2for1 offers. For all other days use an Oyster card and let the Oyster computer calculate the best fare for you based on the zones in which you will be traveling. Buy single tickets for any rides you take outside the zones covered by an Oyster card.

Posted by
191 posts

Oops, should have read this before I posted my thread. Thanks.

Posted by
518 posts

The man at the tube information desk advised buying a 7 day oyster card. We did zones 1 and 2. If you venture further, you just pay a "pop up" addition. We thought it was a good deal and very convenient. You just touch the plastic card to the machine and you're through.

There is a lot of construction happening especially on the Jubilee line, so it can be somewhat confusing. Just pay attention to the signs before you head out.

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