Hello All... Wife and I will be in London for four days. We plan two longish tube rides Heathrow to Green Park (going back to airport we'll take a faster private route); and Green Park to end of the line north + local bus in order to reach Crouch End and a restaurant there (Bistro Aix). We'll buy and charge up our Oysters at Heathrow upon arrival. How much should we reasonably start with? How do we take account of these two trips outside zones 1 & 2? Does a weekly pass make any sense at all when we are in London for only four days? And finally, if we take partially-used Oyster cards home to California to use a year or two later upon return, will they function? Oh and this question is there any penalty in terms of cost or getting back a deposit if we use a credit card for the Oyster? Many thanks for the educated replies we are sure to get here! T and J
Posted by
Land of La
8664 posts
Concise explanation of the Oyster Card.
http://golondon.about.com/od/londontransport/gr/oyster_review.htm 20 pounds and top up at 5 pounds if needed. My 2009 Oyster card has worked on subsequent trips to London. However, did buy a new one with a picture of Will and Kate on it in 2011. Expect to use it next year. 8 pounds still on it. Best and easier to get the deposit back by using cash to obtain one NOT a credit card.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
32746 posts
What Claudia said is good... The official price list will help you know exactly what the trips will cost so you can add them up ...
Posted by
London, United Kingdom
4684 posts
Just a quick comment: looking for the restaurant you mention on a map, it's well before the "end of the line" on the Piccadilly Line. It's only Zone 3 so the PAYG Oyster charge shouldn't be too bad.
Posted by
OP
Mendocino, CA, United States
24 posts
Thanks for the information everyone... To Philip, who wrote "... the restaurant you mention on a map, it's well before the "end of the line" on the Piccadilly Line. It's only Zone 3 so the PAYG Oyster charge shouldn't be too bad." Unless they've dug some more tube tunnels since we were there a couple of years ago, the closest tube stop would be Finsbury Park (Victoria line from Green Park) then a bus ride on the W7 or 91, W5 or 41 bus lines to 54 Topsfield Parade. So the question remains -- what is the best way to handle a lot of local Z 1-2 rides on an Oyster card, but also include two LONG runs as well? Thanks, Tony and Joselyn
Posted by
London, United Kingdom
4684 posts
If you're going to get the tube to Finsbury Park and then bus, the whole of the tube journey will be in Zones 1-2. You'll only have to pay for the bus fare.
Posted by
Portage, canada
67 posts
The thing I appreciated was that you can donate your Oyster card (I think it was at Heathrow) to a children's charity if you don't need it anymore. Just drop it in the labelled box; I saw it while standing in line. Who knows when I'll be back? (and I would lose it by then)