Public transport in London

[Krypton]

We're going to London tomorrow for a short trip, watching the ATP Tennis Masters Series Finals @ the O2.

A short question to all the Londoners in here:

What's the best/cheapest ticket/way to travel when staying 4 days?
We'll arrive tomorrow at 12 o'clock, London city airport, and leave on Friday night, from City airport.

The hotel is very close to the O2 (docklands). So we need to travel from/to airport and hotel, plus a few rides to see the city.

I heard single ride tickets were quite expensive - is there some sort of 5-day ticket for all the public transport?

So, off to get my stuff packed...

[ADR147]

depends where you are going but an oyster card or travel card is what you need. http://visitorshop.tfl.gov.uk/english/ticket-types.htm

[andy carson]

just play dumb when they ask you for your ticket and start speaking in french or something

[xander]

get an oyster card i have one for when i venture in to the big smoke lol

[The Statman]

A one-day travel card costs about £5 or £6 and is valid on all train, underground and bus services for the whole day, which I think is pretty cheap! (But I come from Bournemouth so everywhere else public transport is always pretty cheap!)

I don't know much about Oyster cards though, so maybe best to follow that advice for somehting that's valid for four days.

[Watford]

I tend to get off peak travel cards it's the best thing as long as you're not going around early am. They're valid after 9:30 and all day weekend. I think one day or 3 day. I always stay inside zone 1 or 2 though so may not work for what you want.
You'd have to look at that vs Oyster for which best suited.
If you ask at a manned ticket office they can tell you what will be best.

[dantuck_7]

just play dumb when they ask you for your ticket and start speaking in french or something

Swahili would be a better option..

[Krypton]

Thanks to all contributions...

I enjoyed the O2-days. As for travel, a zones 1-4 day card, off peak, did the job for the arrival day, tuesday.
we arrived at 11 am, city airport, zone 4 - and could travel all day to the O2, city, hotel.

zones 1-2 was enough for both Wednesday and Thursday, (went for the peak one, getting up too early ), and then zones 1-4 again on Friday to leave via the City Airport.

Not expensive at all, especially considered the low £ vs. CHF rate at the moment...


the only tip that would not have worked out is "play dumb and speak Swahili" - the gates won't let you through playing dumb.