Getting around London

First ck and see where you can walk to or take a surface dble decker bus from your hotel. Me I walk alot and take surface bus way bef I take tube.Tube has gotten pricey also. There is alot to see and enjoy on surface streets. I even prefer airporter bus from Heathrow into London.

Get an oyster card each and put about 15 pounds on each one. You can always add more and this will also allow you to cross zones. The price caps off at about 5 pounds per day. You can also use the regular double decker buses. One thing I learned: You simply touch your card on the yellow "dot" when you get on and off the subway (at turnstiles). BUT if you use it on a bus, you only touch the dot when you get on the bus. If you touch the dot when you get off the bus as well, it will charge you twice. I was lucky when I did that- I was using an oyster travel card (not prepay) so it didn't cost me, but wanted to spread the word for others using a pre-paid card.

Assuming you will going to some of the usual tourist attractions, buy one day paper zone 1-2 travelcards from the Victoria rail station ticket office (not the tube station) and take advantage of the Days Out 2 for 1 discounts. http://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/ . Significant cost savings are possible on admission prices of £14.95 at the Cabinet War Rooms, £19 at the London Zoo, £13.50 at Kew Gardens, £10.50 at the Globe Theatre tour, £17 at the Tower of London and much more.