What is a London pass or Oyster card?

[cruisinqt]

We will be staying in London for 4 days and 3 nights prior to our cruise. We don’t want to mess with a rental car and will be using public transportation to do some sightseeing in the area. We will also need transportation from Heathrow to London then from London to Dover where our cruise ship departs from. I’ve heard about using London passes and Oyster cards for transportation but I’m not sure what the difference is between the two. Can someone enlighten me on this?

[markeb]

Start here https://tfl.gov.uk/travel-information/visiting-london/

 

That's the visitor information site for Transport for London. It will give you a great overview of public transportation in London, and will greatly simplify your questions. An Oyster Card is London's version of a contactless transit card. You can buy them in London, or order a visitor version for delivery to the US (all explained on the web page). There are some advantages to the visitor card that could change but are on TFL's really excellent web page! You can also load a pass on the card, although there's a daily cap on the Tube. More later...

 

London Pass is a commercial tourist pass that includes admission to various attractions. More info here https://londonpass.com/en-us You really have to look at the attractions and their prices and any additional benefits, such as preregistering for attractions to determine if the pass is worth it. Honestly, it rarely is because you would never stop in order to maximize value. But look at the web page. Before you over plan, 4 days is great, but you'll scratch the surface at best. Really look at what you want to see and do, and where those attractions are. Allow for a nice meal, a pub break, a West End show, etc. Those aren't going to be on the pass. You CANNOT see London in 4 days, including presumably your first jet lagged day! Please don't try. It's a great city to experience. You may not remember the Rosetta Stone, but you'll probably talk forever about seeing Hamilton in the West End, or the amazing Indian meal you had in Mayfair. 

 

Back to the Oyster card and the Tube. For Americans, I'd probably still recommend pre-ordering a Visitor Oyster Card. You can ride the Tube with a contactless credit card or Apple/Google Pay. We are technologically stupid in the US when it comes to credit cards, and I really worry about any specific contactless card working like it's supposed to. I haven't tried Apple Pay on the Tube. It was workable but clunky in Singapore. The Oyster Card "always" works.

 

Where are you staying? That really impacts your first day transportation. Lots of options, depending on location of hotel and amount of luggage. With a hotel selection, there are London based posters who can recommend travel via Tube, Heathrow Express, Elizabeth Line, or the National Express Bus. But it boils down to location, location, location...

 

And under no circumstances do you want a rental car in London!!!! Between the congestion zone charges and parking, it would just be a money sink!

 

Edit: If you ride the bus and Tube with a contactless card, each traveler needs their own card! Ditto for Oyster Cards, but if you both have the "same" credit card, same number, etc., it will likely read as the same person entering twice. Again, a reason to look seriously at a Visitor Oyster Card as a first timer. It just works...

Edited January 2, 2023 by markeb

[Turtles06]

1 hour ago, markeb said:

Allow for a nice meal, a pub break, a West End show, etc.  . . . You may not remember the Rosetta Stone, but you'll probably talk forever about seeing Hamilton in the West End

 

Yes, yes, and yes.   My first time seeing Hamilton (of the six times I've seen it now in person) was in the West End in 2018 with the original West End cast, and I'm still talking about it and will continue to do so.  🙂   (Also, seeing SIX in the West End this fall was fabulous; we saw it three times before, but one really should see this British show in London.)  And theatre tickets in London are so much cheaper than on Broadway, where the prices have become absolutely obscene. 

 

I will say, though, that I also remember the Rosetta Stone, as well as the Lewis Chesspieces.  🙂 

 

1 hour ago, markeb said:

Back to the Oyster card and the Tube. For Americans, I'd probably still recommend pre-ordering a Visitor Oyster Card.

 

I totally agree with your recommendation to use an Oyster Card.  I'm not sure, though, that there's any need to pre-order it unless there's a real benefit to doing so.  (The OP would need to decide that.)  It's really simple to buy in person, and plenty of videos for @cruisinqt to watch in advance to see how to do it.  (Google "How to buy an Oyster Card" and pick "videos."  🙂)

 

 

[markeb]

13 minutes ago, Turtles06 said:

 

Yes, yes, and yes.   My first time seeing Hamilton (of the six times I've seen it now in person) was in the West End in 2018 with the original West End cast, and I'm still talking about it and will continue to do so.  🙂   (Also, seeing SIX in the West End this fall was fabulous; we saw it three times before, but one really should see this British show in London.)  And theatre tickets in London are so much cheaper than on Broadway, where the prices have become absolutely obscene. 

 

I will say, though, that I also remember the Rosetta Stone, as well as the Lewis Chesspieces.  🙂 

 

 

I totally agree with your recommendation to use an Oyster Card.  I'm not sure, though, that there's any need to pre-order it unless there's a real benefit to doing so.  (The OP would need to decide that.)  It's really simple to buy in person, and plenty of videos for @cruisinqt to watch in advance to see how to do it.  (Google "How to buy an Oyster Card" and pick "videos."  🙂)

 

 

There were advantages to the visitor card at one time. Discounts on Thames cruises, for instance. And I believe you have to buy the visitor card overseas. TFL generally does a great job of laying those out. 
 

Yes, I remember the Rosetta Stone. But I really remember Rachel Tucker in Come From Away. And wandering aimlessly through Fortnum & Mason. Or the amazing meal at Benares. I have a vague mental image of glass cases full of swords and pikes at the White Tower. But I can vividly recall a cask conditioned ale at the Burlington Arms. None of which are in that list of “must sees” in London!

[cruisinqt]

5 hours ago, markeb said:

Start here https://tfl.gov.uk/travel-information/visiting-london/

 

That's the visitor information site for Transport for London. It will give you a great overview of public transportation in London, and will greatly simplify your questions. An Oyster Card is London's version of a contactless transit card. You can buy them in London, or order a visitor version for delivery to the US (all explained on the web page). There are some advantages to the visitor card that could change but are on TFL's really excellent web page! You can also load a pass on the card, although there's a daily cap on the Tube. More later...

 

London Pass is a commercial tourist pass that includes admission to various attractions. More info here https://londonpass.com/en-us You really have to look at the attractions and their prices and any additional benefits, such as preregistering for attractions to determine if the pass is worth it. Honestly, it rarely is because you would never stop in order to maximize value. But look at the web page. Before you over plan, 4 days is great, but you'll scratch the surface at best. Really look at what you want to see and do, and where those attractions are. Allow for a nice meal, a pub break, a West End show, etc. Those aren't going to be on the pass. You CANNOT see London in 4 days, including presumably your first jet lagged day! Please don't try. It's a great city to experience. You may not remember the Rosetta Stone, but you'll probably talk forever about seeing Hamilton in the West End, or the amazing Indian meal you had in Mayfair. 

 

Back to the Oyster card and the Tube. For Americans, I'd probably still recommend pre-ordering a Visitor Oyster Card. You can ride the Tube with a contactless credit card or Apple/Google Pay. We are technologically stupid in the US when it comes to credit cards, and I really worry about any specific contactless card working like it's supposed to. I haven't tried Apple Pay on the Tube. It was workable but clunky in Singapore. The Oyster Card "always" works.

 

Where are you staying? That really impacts your first day transportation. Lots of options, depending on location of hotel and amount of luggage. With a hotel selection, there are London based posters who can recommend travel via Tube, Heathrow Express, Elizabeth Line, or the National Express Bus. But it boils down to location, location, location...

 

And under no circumstances do you want a rental car in London!!!! Between the congestion zone charges and parking, it would just be a money sink!

 

Edit: If you ride the bus and Tube with a contactless card, each traveler needs their own card! Ditto for Oyster Cards, but if you both have the "same" credit card, same number, etc., it will likely read as the same person entering twice. Again, a reason to look seriously at a Visitor Oyster Card as a first timer. It just works...

We would never consider a rental car in a foreign country, that would be too stressful and confusing. As to where  we are staying, I’m not sure yet and I’m open to suggestions. We don’t really want an Airbnb or bed and breakfast. Just a normal hotel that’s not too expensive and in a good area of town and close to the main attractions. We aren’t over packers so we will probably have one full sized bag along with a small carry on for each of us. It’s just the two of us, me and my husband.  We will be there in mid August so I’ve got plenty of time to plan. We definitely want to see the palace and the suggestion of a nice meal, a pub visit and a show sounds perfect. Thanks for all of the info on the pass and Oyster card it helps a lot. 

[cruisinqt]

4 hours ago, Turtles06 said:

 

Yes, yes, and yes.   My first time seeing Hamilton (of the six times I've seen it now in person) was in the West End in 2018 with the original West End cast, and I'm still talking about it and will continue to do so.  🙂   (Also, seeing SIX in the West End this fall was fabulous; we saw it three times before, but one really should see this British show in London.)  And theatre tickets in London are so much cheaper than on Broadway, where the prices have become absolutely obscene. 

 

I will say, though, that I also remember the Rosetta Stone, as well as the Lewis Chesspieces.  🙂 

 

 

I totally agree with your recommendation to use an Oyster Card.  I'm not sure, though, that there's any need to pre-order it unless there's a real benefit to doing so.  (The OP would need to decide that.)  It's really simple to buy in person, and plenty of videos for @cruisinqt to watch in advance to see how to do it.  (Google "How to buy an Oyster Card" and pick "videos."  🙂)

 

 

They have videos? I’ll definitely look that up thanks. 

[Turtles06]

1 hour ago, cruisinqt said:

They have videos? I’ll definitely look that up thanks. 

“Videos” is one of the menu choices for looking at the results of a Google search. (Along with  “news,” “images,” etc.  You can find a video on the internet for just about anything you’d like do.) 😊

[klfrodo]

Check out YouTube.com  Thousands of videos available

Here's just one  

 

[Post Captain]

8 hours ago, cruisinqt said:

They have videos? I’ll definitely look that up thanks. 

 

Strange but true: There are more videos about Oyster Cards than you can shake a stick at.😁

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=oyster+card+london

 

Personally, I don't see any real advantage to pre-ordering a Visitor Oyster Card.  You can buy a standard Oyster Card at any Underground station, including the Underground stations at Heathrow.  I still have the same Oyster Card I bought several years ago, and use it whenever I'm in London.

 

Many people use contactless credit cards instead of Oyster cards--but I'm somewhat  apprehensive about literally holding my credit card in my hand as I enter and exit the Underground.  If you accidentally drop and lose a credit card overseas, it would cause more than a major headache; whereas if you lose your Oyster card, you've only lost a few dollars/pounds.  (Just my two cents'/ tuppence 'orth.)

 

 

 

[Turtles06]

1 minute ago, Post Captain said:

Many people use contactless credit cards instead of Oyster cards--but I'm somewhat  apprehensive about literally holding my credit card in my hand as I enter and exit the Underground.

I agree. I don’t want my credit card easily accessible when I’m on the Tube (or anywhere, frankly). Much prefer to use an Oyster Card. 

[cruisinqt]

7 hours ago, Turtles06 said:

“Videos” is one of the menu choices for looking at the results of a Google search. (Along with  “news,” “images,” etc.  You can find a video on the internet for just about anything you’d like do.) 😊

I always forget that feature. I’m an avid book reader so I tend to jump right into reading about things. But I’m getting better about clicking on “images” and “videos” now. I just forget they’re there lol. 

[phabric]

I purchased the London Pass first first visit.  You purchase how many days you want.  You can not visit all the places they mention in a day.  I did save time with it for the Tower of London.  You can use the places mention to give you an idea of attractions to visit.

 

After our 1st visit to London, we would pre pay our attraction tickets to the places we wanted to visit.

 

The Hop On Hop Off bus is a great way to give you an idea of attractions you might want to visit and where they are.  They have a few different routes.  I took 1 route all the way round, got off and took a different route all the way around.

 

If visiting London, when the King is away the Royal staterooms may be open to the public.

 

Here are some sites 

www.rct.uk (for Buckingham Palace)

www.theoriginaltour.com

www.bigbustours.com

www.westminster-abbey.org

www.londoneye.com

www.premierinn.com

www.nationalexpress.com

www.justairports.com
www.londontoolkit.com

www.internationalfriends.co.uk

www.westquaycars.com

Edited January 2, 2023 by phabric

[cruisinqt]

36 minutes ago, Post Captain said:

 

Strange but true: There are more videos about Oyster Cards than you can shake a stick at.😁

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=oyster+card+london

 

Personally, I don't see any real advantage to pre-ordering a Visitor Oyster Card.  You can buy a standard Oyster Card at any Underground station, including the Underground stations at Heathrow.  I still have the same Oyster Card I bought several years ago, and use it whenever I'm in London.

 

Many people use contactless credit cards instead of Oyster cards--but I'm somewhat  apprehensive about literally holding my credit card in my hand as I enter and exit the Underground.  If you accidentally drop and lose a credit card overseas, it would cause more than a major headache; whereas if you lose your Oyster card, you've only lost a few dollars/pounds.  (Just my two cents'/ tuppence 'orth.)

 

 

 

Well I’ll definitely be watching those videos. I hadn’t thought about losing a credit card overseas, that’s a good point. Thanks.  

[cruisinqt]

2 minutes ago, phabric said:

I purchased the London Pass first first visit.  You purchase how many days you want.  You can not visit all the places they mention in a day.  I did save time with it for the Tower of London.  You can use the places mention to give you an idea of attractions to visit.

 

After our 1st visit to London, we would pre pay our attraction tickets to the places we wanted to visit.

 

The Hop On Hop Off bus is a great way to give you an idea of attractions you might want to visit and where they are.  They have a few different routes.  I took 1 route all the way round, got off and took a different route all the way around.

 

If visiting London, when the King is away the Royal staterooms may be open to the public.

 

Here are some sites 

www.rct.uk (for Buckingham Palace)

www.theoriginaltour.com

www.bigbustours.com

www.westminster-abbey.org

www.londoneye.com

www.premierinn.com

www.nationalexpress.com

www.justairports.com
www.londontoolkit.com

www.internationalfriends.co.uk

www.westquaycars.com

Oh those sights are exactly what I was looking for. Thanks! 

[cruisinqt]

48 minutes ago, klfrodo said:

Check out YouTube.com  Thousands of videos available

Here's just one  

 

Wow what a great video! Thanks I loved it!

[klfrodo]

I already purchased my Oyster card and my trip isn't until Sept. Pre-paying a few things just to take advantage of the current generous exchange rate. Actually went to my Triple AAA and bought some British Pounds to take advantage of the exchange rate.

[gnome12]

2 hours ago, Post Captain said:

Personally, I don't see any real advantage to pre-ordering a Visitor Oyster Card.  You can buy a standard Oyster Card at any Underground station, including the Underground stations at Heathrow.  I still have the same Oyster Card I bought several years ago, and use it whenever I'm in London.

For those that don't visit London often, the standard Oyster card can be redeemed, including the deposit. When I was there in 2019, I purchased an Oyster Card at King's Cross station (I had just arrived by train from Edinburgh), and used it for all of my travel all the way to Heathrow, where I redeemed the card for the balance as well as the card deposit, on my way into the airport.

 

For a Visitor Oyster Card the £5 you pay for the card is not refunded, although you can get any balance on the card refunded.

[cruisinqt]

5 hours ago, gnome12 said:

For those that don't visit London often, the standard Oyster card can be redeemed, including the deposit. When I was there in 2019, I purchased an Oyster Card at King's Cross station (I had just arrived by train from Edinburgh), and used it for all of my travel all the way to Heathrow, where I redeemed the card for the balance as well as the card deposit, on my way into the airport.

 

For a Visitor Oyster Card the £5 you pay for the card is not refunded, although you can get any balance on the card refunded.

Thanks that’s good to know 👍🏻

[irvington]

We loved having Oyster cards preloaded our last trip and used the buses and Tube a lot. Very easy. I think my son used Google maps when he was figuring out our route, but I used a London specific app when it was my turn - I think it was Bus London.

[Turtles06]

There’s an app call Tube Map that I have on my phone that we find extreme helpful for getting around the Underground. It will plan your route for you from station X to Station Y (or to a well known place), give you the options for getting there (which lines to take), tell you when the trains are arriving and how long they’ll take. I think it’s invaluable. It’s free with ads, but a nominal one month charge to get rid of them. (I use the equivalent app for the Paris Metro.)

 

Don’t leave home without it. 😊 

[AliWood]

As a Londoner born and bred I can offer a couple of tips. The No. 11 bus goes from St Paul’s Cathedral, along the Strand, Whitehall, past Westminster and on to Chelsea. Cheaper than the HOHO bus if you have your Oyster or are ok with contactless. The No 15 is also a good route.

On the river the Thames Clippers are a great way to see London, they call at many stops up and down and they are now run by Uber so you can buy the tickets if you have the Uber app

I hope you enjoy the greatest city in the World!

 

[cruisinqt]

On 1/3/2023 at 3:03 AM, Turtles06 said:

There’s an app call Tube Map that I have on my phone that we find extreme helpful for getting around the Underground. It will plan your route for you from station X to Station Y (or to a well known place), give you the options for getting there (which lines to take), tell you when the trains are arriving and how long they’ll take. I think it’s invaluable. It’s free with ads, but a nominal one month charge to get rid of them. (I use the equivalent app for the Paris Metro.)

 

Don’t leave home without it. 😊 

That’s something I’ll definitely be using. Thanks for the info. 

[cruisinqt]

On 1/3/2023 at 1:38 PM, AliWood said:

As a Londoner born and bred I can offer a couple of tips. The No. 11 bus goes from St Paul’s Cathedral, along the Strand, Whitehall, past Westminster and on to Chelsea. Cheaper than the HOHO bus if you have your Oyster or are ok with contactless. The No 15 is also a good route.

On the river the Thames Clippers are a great way to see London, they call at many stops up and down and they are now run by Uber so you can buy the tickets if you have the Uber app

I hope you enjoy the greatest city in the World!

 

That sounds like a great idea, thanks. 

[Bob++]

On 1/2/2023 at 8:08 AM, cruisinqt said:

Just a normal hotel that’s not too expensive and in a good area of town and close to the main attractions.

London hotels are expensive, Expect to pay around £150 to £200 per night to stay in the more popular areas. The Premier Inn in Westminster has been popular with pre-cruise visitors in the past: https://www.premierinn.com/gb/en/hotels/england/greater-london/london/london-county-hall.html?cid=GLBC_LONCOU

 

You can save money by staying further away, but that means spending more of your time travelling.

[cruisinqt]

6 hours ago, Bob++ said:

London hotels are expensive, Expect to pay around £150 to £200 per night to stay in the more popular areas. The Premier Inn in Westminster has been popular with pre-cruise visitors in the past: https://www.premierinn.com/gb/en/hotels/england/greater-london/london/london-county-hall.html?cid=GLBC_LONCOU

 

You can save money by staying further away, but that means spending more of your time travelling.

Thanks for the link. The prices aren’t too bad and more what I’m looking for. But I have a question. There seems to be several Premier Inns and everyone recommends a different one. There’s Premier Inn Westminster, the Premier Inn Waterloo, the Premier Inn Kings Cross, the Premier Inn St Pancras, etc. If it were  you and you were choosing a Premier Inn, which one would you choose to stay in?