Billy Bandit

I've read many of the threads posted regarding Oystercards and I'd like to see if I got it right.. Here's our planned itinerary:

3/24 Arrive LHR at 6:45am, Check luggage into the Left Luggage area, Take the Tube to Central London. Do some tourist stuff in Zones 1 and 2 for half the day. Take the tube back to Heathrow. Get picked up by relatives and spend the night in Milton Keynes

3/25 Maybe do a day trip to Stratford upon Avon ; spend time with relatives ; spend the night in Milton Keynes

3/26 Take the train into London and get to Copthorne Kensington Tara Hotel. This is where we will be for the next 3 nights. Tourist stuff in zones 1 and 2.

3/27 Tourist stuff in zones 1 and 2

3/28 Tour to Stonehenge, Bath, Windsor Castle

3/29 Take the tube to Heathrow for our flight departing at 10am.

Am I right in thinking that the Oyster Card will be the most reasonable method in which to pay for Tube travel? Is this what I'll be charged each day on the Oyster Card:
3/24 - £6.20 (Sat - nonpeak)
3/26 - £6.10 or £4.60 (peak or nonpeak)
3/27 - £6.10 or £4.60 (peak or nonpeak)
3/29 - £3.50

If that is right, then should I just puchase an Oyster card with about 22 pounds? When I depart from Heathrow, I can cash out the remaining balance right?

Also, any ideas on what would be the best way to get from Milton Keynes to Kensington on 3/25?

Thanks!

chefcaw

We traveled to London in early December and used the oystercard. You can get a refund of the money remaining on the card and also the deposit you need to leave on the oystercard with the first purchase. I would suggest regularly checking the amount left on all your cards. The day before we left we checked to make sure we had enough money left for the return trip to the airport and found that we add different amounts on our cards but had traveled with each other each step of the way. Make sure that you swipe out every time you exit or you will be charged the max for the day. Given all that, I think that the oystercard is the way to go.

gpan

TFL punishes you badly (in fares) if you don't use Oyster. From where you're staying in London (Zone 1) it would be what I would recommend.
(Don't forget to touch out always, or you will be charged the max fare )


You can top up just about anywhere where there is a machine nowdays.No real reason to maintain a huge balance on it.

By train. Goes into Euston, then take the Circle into Kensington High St station. (there is also a train only option, but I think it leaves you further from the hotel)

aceman

I only find Oyster cards useful if I am uncertain as to the amount of journeys I'm going to make. Pre paying on it I will pay single fares, and if i happen to hit the price of a daily travel card (only a return really!) then it charges me that.

Considering that you know for sure that you are going to be using it for multiple trips you will be paying the same on the Oyster as you would be buying a regular daily travel card.

I also notice that you dont have any more then 2 consecutive days, which means that you don't need an Oyster for a 3 day travel card.

Considering the forms you'll have to fill out, the deposit, and the hassle of messing about trying to get a refund, I wouldn't bother with the Oyster in your position.

If however you are going to also use the tube on the 25th, then buy a 7 day travel card (valid both on and off peak) on an Oyster card since it is only £23.20 bring a photo with you, since they'll issue you a photo card for it (nice souvenir!) Link

Markie

Cash fares are now about twice Oyster fares - plus the Oyster will charge for a day travelcard if that works out cheaper once you have completed all your travel for a day. It does this automatically.

alanR

For that itinerary I'd just buy an Oystercard and put £20 on it as Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG). You will however pay a £3 refundable deposit

Then let the TFL computers work out how much you should be paying a day. It will always cap at a level 50p below the price of the equivalent one day Travelcard

jabrams72

The Oyster forms should take less than five minutes to fill out on both ends. Bear in mind that on pay-as-you-go (with prepay top-up) you will need separate oyster cards for each of the adult members of your party.

However, you haven't said how many in your party and whether there are children. With children, the equation changes because family tickets are often cheaper...

Billy Bandit

Thank you all for the responses and the tips!

There are 4 of us (all adults) that will be traveling together. I think we'll each get an Oyster card, load it up with £20-£25 using Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG), and just deal with the forms/refundable deposit. I like the idea of not worrying about if I could have saved money getting a Travel Card or not.

gpan, thanks for the information on getting from Milton Keynes to the Copthorne Kensington Tara. What train company website should I be looking at?

Thanks again!

HRGM

my (Warwickshire born & bred) Grandad always said never go to Stratford on a Sunday. You only have to visit once to know why. Traffic traffic traffic and tourists tourists tourists.

Strawb

Virgin Trains and Silverlink County both run services between Milton Keynes and London Euston. Virgin services are slightly faster but there isn't much difference in journey times if you travel on a fast Silverlink service. Fares are cheaper on Silverlink - four people can travel for the price of two off-peak on a GroupSave (GPS) ticket. You can also incorporate a one-day travelcard onto a GPS ticket for only a few pounds more which may work out cheaper than using Oyster if you plan on travelling around London on the same day (as two people will effectively be travelling for free).

http://www.silverlink-trains.com/tem...c.aspx?id=1186
http://www.silverlink-trains.com/tem...mo.aspx?id=429

To get to your hotel you will need to take the Circle Line from Euston Square station which is approx 3 mins walk from Euston mainline station. Are you travelling light? If so then this is the cheapest option. If not then a taxi may be more advisable.

GregL

Do you need a photo oyster card to purchase a 7 day travelcard?

If so, what are the details on the photos needed? Should I bring one from the US? Or get one there on arrival?

(I did look through the Tube website, but didn't find a definitive answer)

Greg

alanR

No photo needed

nixande

Last time I was at Liverpool station (the one you get into when you come from stansted) there also was a little blue box where you could get the oyster card just by paying.

As you want 4 of them, go to one of the assistances and get four cards and top them up with your creditcard in one batch.

You will not need to fill out stuff , they would like you to but you do not need to. Travelling by oyster is great, just get into the bus or tube and swipe and you are done AND you pay maximum of the day card.

A note: In the tubes you can see when you check out how much the fare costed and how much is left on your card.

Also make sure to wait that second until the machine is ready again - I know it is made for high speed passengers but I suspect it may not be that fast. Wait til the sign at the tube says next passenger again.

Besides - all cool people use oyster. Only tourists run around on travelcards which they have to swipe as papertickets through the machines!

Tip: Make sure to get at least one travelplan with busses on them, it is not possible otherwise to understand it and you might need it in the night as the tube does not run throughout the night, they stop at öhm 1 or so.

Aviatrix

It's Liverpool STREET Station. Every now and again we hear stories of people trying to go Liverpool Street but being sold tickets to Liverpool instead.

nixande

Sorry. Yes.