London Passes

The three-day Travelcard is no longer available. Now you only have the choice of one-day or seven-day Travelcards, or of getting an Oyster stored-fare card and paying fares as you go.

Hi Madeleine
How long will you be in London? and where are you staying? My husband and I will be in and out for 4 days and after much research we decided on an Oyster card that we will purchase when we arrive. (There are a lot of replies on this site that deal with buying one.)

Madeleine is asking about the London Pass, not a travelcard. There is a 3-day London Pass, but IMO no London Pass for any length of time is worth the money, especially if you include the transportation option. Most major museums in London are free. Buying an Oyster card is a much cheaper way to get around.

I agree with Tim if you are referring to the pass to get into sites and exhibits in London, not the travel pass. My experience has been that the cost of the pass either was not worth the little savings it provided, or required me to pack so much into each day (in order to make it worth the money) that my trip would be unreasonably paced and I couldn't take the time to enjoy any of it.

Days Out 2 for 1 offers are a better deal for most travelers. Do not completely discount the London Pass. Some travelers, especially motivated solo travels, can save with the London Pass. This link helps you make the decision: http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g186338-i17-k4496157-London_Pass_Days_Out_Spreadsheet-London_England.html Check out the google spreadsheet linked to in the above and scroll down to the list of some of the great free London attractions. You can have a terrific London visit without paying any admissions.

We used the 7 day London Pass in March 2009, so the cost difference between the London Pass and just "pay as you go" may be different. I would suggest taking a realistic assessment of which sites you plan to visit and how much each site will cost. Then, see if it make economical sense. The advantage of having the card is not waiting in line to buy tickets and the ability to just pop into some sites just to check them out. I saw several smaller sites that cost 5-8 pounds, just because I was in the area and it was free with the pass. I saw Banquet House, Jewel Tower, and Old Operating Room. Would not have paid to see them, but it was free with the pass and I only spent 15-20 minutes.
When I added up where we had gone, it turned out that we saved at least 33% by using the Pass, and that was not taking into account the free stuff you get at museums that do not charge admission. However, we did have a pretty packed schedule and saw lots of stuff with the card. If you want a more laid-back, slow paced vacation, the London Pass may not be worth it.

Thank you all for the helpful information and the quick response. We are in London a total of 6 days. I am looking at the suggested website for the pass information

With all passes, you need to do the math. Look at the sights you would visit using the pass and see how the schedule would be with the pass. The London Pass covers a lot of different sights so you'll have a good bit of work to do to see whether it makes sense. Let your travel plans drive the decision. One intangible is that the pass allows you to skip some lines. This can help at the Tower and Westminster Abbey. Depending on the time of year, it could be very beneficial. The London Pass is priced pretty aggressively. It would only make sense if you group your covered sights into specific days. It's definitely not priced for the "free spirits" drifting around London seeing what interests them in no particular order.

Queue skipping with the London Pass is only available at Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, Windsor Castle, London Bridge Experience, ZSL London Zoo, and Kensington Palace & The Orangery. Wait in line with everyone else at Westminster Abbey and the other attractions. http://londonpass.com/how-it-works/skip-the-lines.html