Travelling around London

[smallbythesea]

Hi

 

I often go to London for the day but this time I am going for the weekend and want to find out the cheapest way to travel.

 

I will be getting the tube on Saturday from London kings cross to Hyde park. Then from Hyde park to Oxford street and back again.

 

On the Sunday I don't anticipate using public transport, however, if the weather is bad I may get a bus.

 

Then on the Monday I will be getting the tube from Hyde park to kings cross, so just the one journey that day.

 

Hoping someone can help.

 

Thanks in advance.xx

[Anon2]

If you would be paying adult fares and have a contactless debit or credit card I would look at the info on the TFL website regarding contactless card payments.

[Balletfanp]

When I come up these days I use my contactless debit card on the Underground - no need to queue for tickets and not expensive; the same as Oystercard rates but more convenient.

[smallbythesea]

Thanks. I knew I could count on you balletcoers.x

[alison]

Yes, don't forget that everywhere is cashless now.

 

And a tip to anybody else: avoid Victoria Underground station for buying tickets like the plague.  When Transport for London announced that they were closing almost all ticket offices, I i) never thought that would include Victoria, for which they have been constructing an allegedly new improved ticket hall for years now and ii) if I had I would simply have assumed that they would have put more ticket machines in.  No.  They've closed the ticket windows, but not increased the number of ticket machines from the existing four.  The queues can be horrendous - a report in today's Evening Standard said something about 1-hour waits, I think.

[Vonrothbart]

If the gates are open when you come out, don't forget to swipe your card, or you may be charged for a full journey.

[alison]

And even more importantly, when you go in, otherwise you're liable to the full extent of whichever company it is's fines (sorry, horrible English), which is a lot more than a full Zones 1-6 journey.

[smallbythesea]

Where do I swipe in and out? The same as where you insert the travelcards? Also, if I am changing at a station does it just count as the 1 journey? E.g kings cross to Oxford circus and change there to Hyde park area would count as 1 or 2 journeys??x

[RMM1]

Swipe in/out on the circular yellow panels hopefully as shown below:

 

 

[swanprincess]

sorry for the slightly dumb question, but for future reference, if I travel from zones 1-5 (Euston to Richmond) will that only cost £2.20 on my Oystercard seeing as it's a single journey?

[alison]

No, it's 5 zones, so it'll be around the £3 mark, I'd guess.  Oh, hang on, that would be by rail.  I'm not sure how much it would be by Tube.  Check the fare finder on the TfL website - but make sure you pick the correct travel option.

 

Anyway, Richmond is Zone 4, now I come to think of it. 

[alison]

Where do I swipe in and out? The same as where you insert the travelcards? Also, if I am changing at a station does it just count as the 1 journey? E.g kings cross to Oxford circus and change there to Hyde park area would count as 1 or 2 journeys??x

 

There should be a yellow Oyster roundel above the travelcard slot on the gates.  Your journey starts when you touch in and ends when you touch out, so I think you could technically do a detour to Stratford and back en route, as long as you didn't touch out there!

[Anon2]

SP around £3.90 peak, slightly less off peak. As Alison says best information is on the TFL website.

 

And smallbythesea that is one journey as long as you don't leave the tube system and touch out between trains. Are you planning on changing at Green Park? If so might be worth investigating how far you need to walk underground to change lines. You might find it is an easier, more pleasant walk from Green Park station to your destination above ground.

[Dance*is*life]

We keep unregistered oysters for whenever we visit London.  Just have to remember to top them up before travelling.

 

Our son and daughter-in-law and 3 small children had a few days in London and our daughter-in-law forgot to top up.  My son went through with two kids and his wife got stuck with the baby,  Whilst he was telling her how to get topped up, the middle child decided to go down the escalator on his own!      Telling the older boy to stay where he was, my son went hot foot after the "sandwich" and caught up with him at the bottom - the only problem was that there was no up escalator there.  In the meantime his wife was having an attack of hysteria as she didn't know that the boy had been found and her mobile had no reception.  The helpful staff tried to calm her and sent out the following message on the tannoy -  "X" if you hear this contact a member of staff.  Which considering that the boy was 4 years old and doesn't speak English was rather a waste of time.  Anyway, thank goodness it all ended well, but next time I think they'll make certain of topping up before travelling!

[smallbythesea]

Jane, I am changing at Oxford circus as the stop I am getting off at is only 2 minutes from my hotel.

 

RMM1 you are clever ????

[LinMM]

Yes just be careful at some overland and Docklands railway stations as there are often no barriers when you come out as on the tube so it's easy to miss touching out etc.

[Anon2]

Smallbytheseas, I've just reread through this thread and am now a little confused, not difficult I admit.

Are you travelling from King's Cross to Hyde Park as one journey? Then travelling out from Hyde Park to Oxford Circus and back again?

On the Piccadilly line you can travel directly from King's Cross to Hyde Park Corner without changing lines.

Edited November 13, 2015 by Jane