London Travel card (2 for 1 London)

Assuming you are not arriving and departing London by rail (and Heathrow Express, Heathrow Connect, and Eurostar don't count), you each need to possess a TravelCard purchased from a rail (not a tube) station. You also need to present one Days Out voucher per two people. You do not surrender the TravelCards and can use them for discounts at multiple attractions.

If you mention the 2-for-1 discounts at the ticket office (again- National Rail, not tube) they will be certain to give you the correct paper travel card. It must have the National Rail logo and is now on creamy/orangish paper stock (that is my understanding). There SHOULD be copipes of the booklet that has the vouchers at the station, but they do sometimes run out, so if you can, print out the vouchers you plan to use from the Days Out website at home before you leave, or at your hotel if you can.
Just in case you need it, here is the website with all the info http://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/2for1-london

When you are on a day which is covered by the train ticket - as detailed above - you can 2-4-1 to your heart's content. You can go from venue to the next all day if you like (and your feet hold up). The promotion is a marketing campaign by the association of the railway companies to encourage train travel. Having the ticket shows that you have complied with their conditions, and that's why an Underground branded Travelcard does not count. The Underground is not part of the promotion because it is not part of the association.

We're in London now! Just got here yesterday, and after taking the Heathrow Connect to Paddington Station, we went to the National Rail ticket counter (make sure you go in and see a live ticket agent and not one of the machines). Make sure you either have a passport-size photo or get one taken at the station, because the agent will need it. We were lucky in the exceedingly nice agent we had who, after we had waited in a terribly long line, discovered only I had a photo with me (Mom had forgotten to have it taken) and told Mom he would just photocopy her passport photo so we would not have to go through line again. He did us a huge favor, and we appreciated it!

Thanks all. So just want to reconfirm. We need to bring a photo in order to get the 7 days travel card in order to get the 2 for 1 attraction deal?

Exactly. There is at least one place as you enter the main (huge!) space at Paddington where you can get passport photos taken. Word of warningPaddington is an amazing place, just packed with tons of people, all moving at an incredible rate. I'm from Chicago, so it's not like I'm not used to lots of people in a bustle, but London can be a bit of a shock in tha department! Regent Street on a Sunday afternoon is equally packed, btw.

Does it cost anything to have the photo taken? thx

Yes it does cost. The 7 day is seen as a season ticket and all season tickets require photos - you go to the PhotoMe (or everwhich other company it is) and feed it pound coins until it is full. Is there a reason you couldn't achieve the photos chore before you leave home and one less thing to do? Or bring a spare one from the passport drawer?

"You will need a recent passport-type photograph for the accompanying photo card" according to National Rail: http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/ticket_types/season_tickets.html It does not need to be to passport specs, as Kathy's luck with the xerographic copy attests. See if you have a good face and shoulders snapshot that you can trim to about passport size. Save the $10 that Walgreens would charge for the photos.

Hi, Was wondering, when I purchase the 7 Travelcard from the rail station, is the card valid for 7 consecutive days or can I use it on any 7 days of my choosing-not all in a row? Also, my rail tickets will be expired at the time I want to use the Travelcard in London-London is my final railstop-will I still be able to use the 2 for 1 deal? I've read the Ttravelcard is a paper ticket is that correct? Do I scan it the same way as an Oyster card.
Thanks so much for the info.

7 consecutive days - although this can start on any day you choose. The travelcard is a railway ticket for the purposes of the promotion if bought on paper and not oyster. The ticket is fed into the slot on the barrier.

Peter, You've woken up an old thread from last year. Hopefully the OP won't mind getting all the emails destined for you. To elaborate on, or agree with, the answers above:- when I purchase the 7 Travelcard from the rail station, is the card valid for 7 consecutive days or can I use it on any 7 days of my choosing-not all in a row? 7 Consecutive days, and you need a passport sized photo. my rail tickets will be expired at the time I want to use the Travelcard in London-London is my final railstop-will I still be able to use the 2 for 1 deal? Not with tickets that have expired. I've read the Ttravelcard is a paper ticket is that correct? Yes, and no. A Travelcard can be put on an Oyster card and would be invisible to everybody but the Oyster readers. That would not work for the 2 for 1 Days Out promotion. Travelcards can also be issued by National Rail booking offices on paper with the National Rail "Crows Feet" logo which would work, or on paper from an Underground booking office with the London Transport Roundel "Circle with a slash" logo, which won't work for the 2 for 1 promotion. Do I scan it the same way as an Oyster card. Not unless it is, as said above, added to an Oyster card. If it is a paper one you put it in the slot of the gate, and retrieve it from another slot as the gate opens. On buses you show a paper Travelcard to the driver. Thanks so much for the info.
You're welcome.