Tube OR Taxi

I don't really know about which would be more economical - but I can promise you the easier, faster way is the Tube. If you count your time as money, than it would probably even out. Plus, if you get the Oyster cards with unlimited fares for X days, you can use them A LOT more than you would use a taxi.

The tube is so easy and fast, I don't use taxis in London. Well, once, when the tube line was down from the Tower end and I hadn't learned about the #15 bus (Tower Hill to Charing Cross). Your tube ticket works on the bus too. Besides, it's part of the London experience! And I think the tube will end up being more economical too.

The taxi could be fine except for one thing. You cannot believe the traffic in London. We needed to get from the Hilton-Tower Bridge to Paddington station for our trip home at the taxi fare was 30 pounds ($45) for two. The buses are great. They too get caught in the traffic but in many places, they have their own lanes. Very comfortable to ride. The tube will be the fastest. They are frequent and they go everywhere. Lots of walking when changing trains but it works well.

The bus lets you see more of the scenery and the architecture. Also consider walking unless it's a very very long distance to where you're going. Caution; when you walk, be extra careful crossing streets. Look both ways, and then both ways again, before you cross. When you walk, you have the option of stopping when you pass an interesting looking restaurant or art gallery. When you're on the bus, you go zooming past it, and you may never find it again if you go back to look for it. Walking is good exercise and it's free.:) One of my favorite walks was leaving the Tower of London, walking over Tower Bridge to get to the South Bank area. Beautiful views of the city, looking up the Thames. Boats passing under the bridge. Great photos taken here. The trade off is, the tube gets you there super fast, and is very economical. The taxi is not that expensive if you divide the fare by 4 (people), reasonable price per person. And the driver is a wealth of information about the sites you're passing; and you can ask him questions you have about the city or tourist spots or his favorite pub.

The tube using Oyster pay-as-you-go card appears to be the most economical, especially with children. You'll need to put a £3 deposit down for each card plus enough to cover the trips you think you'll be making, but you can get whatever is remaining and your deposit back when you "cash-in" you card when you leave London (or you can save them for your next trip). There is a daily fare cap so you'll know in advance what the maximum is you'll spend for the day. Another advantage is that the Oyster card can be used on buses as well. Visit www.tfl.gov.uk to get all the details.

BTW - the Oyster Card deposit is now £5.

Tube, by an easy margin if you buy an Oyster Card or a Travel Card. Worry about the difference between the two only if you really need to count every last penny. Both give you heavily discounted fares. I usually recommend a pay-as-you-go Oyster Card because it's simple. For example, one person staying for 5 days might buy a 20 pound Oyster Card. When you use all that value, you put more money on it. That card itself is a plastic thing the size of a credit card and can be bought at ticket windows at Tube stations. Taxis typically cost more. Buses are cheaper. Both get stuck in traffic.

By all means treat your children (and the adults) to a short ride in a London black cab. Any other time you need to get someplace, take either the Tube or the bus. On your earlier thread I told you that with an Oyster photocard children 11-15 ride free on buses and get half-price fares on the Tube. With an Oyster photocard children under 11 ride free on the Tube as well as the bus.

Thank you all so much. If it was me personally, I would mainly walk, followed by the Tube. I love both. I'm not really a bus person, unless I KNOW where to get off, etc. Cabs are fine, just overpriced, and yes, horrible traffic. I'm sure we'll ride a Cab at least once. Just for the experience. I should look more into the Oyster card. I kept thinking that we'd get those One-Day travel cards.
Here's our situation: Staying in the Heathrow area for 2 nights - will be commuting to Central London - for 2 days. I think the Tube costs about 4 pounds 50 per person ... each way. So that's about 20 pounds each day. Not sure. Can we use Oyster Cards for this part of the trip - for Heathrow to London? Then, about 2 weeks later, back in Central London for 4 nights. If we used Oyster Cards 2 weeks earlier, can we use them again on this part of the trip? Trying to think if an Oyster Card would be a better option for us or One-Day Travel Cards ... It gets confusing, but I just need to read up on it more. Thanks again.

Its only £4.50 if you are using the Oyster. £5.00 if cash. Yes, pay as you go Oysters don't expire. Put money on for the first trips and use or top up the next week. The only questions are peak/off peak and the 2-4-1 offers not available with Oyster. Look at http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/14416.aspx for all the details. Heathrow is in zone 6. Heathrow to Paddington via Heathrow Express/Connect not covered by Oyster for the length of the journey.

The people you buy Oyster Cards from at Tube stations are pretty knowledgable. If you tell them you'll be traveling in Zones 1 & 2 (usual tourist haunts) with those odd trips to and from Heathrow, they'll steer you right.

Nigel and j.c. - thanks so much.

The tube will never cost more than 8 pounds per day- that's the limit. Children are half price. I found the tube to be extremely easy to navigate, and the agents are extremely helpful. It doesn't expire, you just reload it when you need to.

Thanks, Kathleen. Very reassuring. :-)

We took a taxi once in London just to do it. Even with four people to split the cost, the tube seemed the more economical choice.

The bus is your friend - I have been to old smokey many times I use the the bus about 80% of all travel .