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London Transportation

Posted by (Omaha, NE USA) on

Hello!

My wife and I are travelling to London in June for the first time.

For transportation, given that we will be in London for five days and one morning, it seemed like the London Travelcard will be our most economical transportation option. Now my question is whether I should go Zones 1-2 or 1-6 (includes Heathrow).

We will enter London via train from Scotland.

Our hotel and most of what we will see is in Zone 1.

We will leave London from Heathrow.

Zone 1-2 7 day costs 30 GBP
Zones 1-6 7 day costs 55 GBP

Is the single one-way trip from Zone 1 to Heathrow at the end of our trip expensive enough with cash that we would be better off getting Zone 1-6 Travelcards?

Thanks in advance! :)

Michael

Posted by
377 posts

Cash ticket for zone 1-6 is under 6 GBP, so buying a 7 day travel card to cover those zones for just one trip would be much more expensive.

Posted by
5326 posts

If the Zone 1-2 travelcard is still valid when you go to Heathrow you can buy a zones 3 to 6 extension fare rather than a fresh ticket. If using an Oyster card this will need a pay-as-you-go balance.

Posted by
4684 posts

You didn't ask, but to be absolutely clear a Travelcard will only take you from central London to Heathrow on the Piccadilly Line. If you are planning to take the Heathrow Express or Heathrow Connect train from Paddington you need to buy an extra ticket even with a Travelcard. The extension ticket trick that Marco describes is only valid on Heathrow Connect, not the Express.

Posted by
2740 posts

But why not just get Oyster cards? They will never cost more, and they likely will cost less depending on how you use them.

Posted by
5326 posts

Seven times the offpeak Oyster cap is £49 compared with £30.40 for the 7day TC, which can be used in peak times as well. Depends of course on 7 full days, but would be marginally cheaper for 5, if there was sufficient use being made each day.

(2013 fares above, which may shortly rise.)

Posted by
31 posts

If you hit the daily max cap for a PAYG Oyster card every day for 7 days, isn't that gonna be more than a 7 day travel card? (assuming the exact same set of journeys. Zone 1-2 with some of those journeys during peak times)

Posted by
67 posts

Also consider that although I know how to do it and I know that it is easy, my wife and I would prefer to not have to spend mental effort guessing on and topping up an Oyster Card when I can just buy the Travelcard and be done.

Posted by
61 posts

We just spent a week in London with our 3 adult children and used the Travel Cards for zones 1-2. We moved around
constantly to all the sights and it took us everywhere we wanted to go. We only had 6 days on the cards so bought an additonal
card for the tube to Heathrow which was $8 per person. The only thing we did outside the zones was a Rugby game at Twickenham
and we took the train there. I really think you'll be covered with zones 1-2. Have fun!!

Posted by
2081 posts

Also consider that although I know how to do it and I know that it is easy, my wife and I would prefer to not have to spend mental effort guessing on and topping up an Oyster Card when I can just buy the Travelcard and be done.

you dont have to guess about the balance. They have kiosks at all of the stations where you just swipe and get a balance. you can add $$ to it too.

also, if you care to, you can get your 5 BPS back by turning in your card at the end.

happy trails.

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