London Oyster vs Travelcard?

[dbsb3233]

I've read the info on the London Toolkit site, but I just want to run this by someone here that knows to make sure I understand it right since it's a bit confusing. Post-cruise next month we have 3 nights in London (Crowne Plaza Kensington, which is right next to Gloucester Road station on the Piccadilly Line). We want unlimited tube travel for 2 days, and then on the 3rd day just a ride to Heathrow T3.

 

As I understand it, the simplest/cheapest option is to buy Oyster Cards from a machine at Gloucester, probably loaded with £24 each (£5 for the Oyster deposit, 2 days @ £6.60 cap, and a £5.10 peak LHR trip)? Then when we get to LHR T3 we find another machine to refund the £5 deposit and any remaining balance? That looks better than buying one or more Travelcards, if I read things right.

 

Also, on a Tuesday morning 9am, how tough will it be for 4 people each with a large rolling suitcase + a carry-on on top to get on the train from Gloucester to LHR? Are there steps to traverse at Gloucester, or at LHR T3 (if so, is there an elevator instead)? Our flight to the US is 12:55pm, so I figured we'd probably wanna catch the train around 9am to get to LHR 3 hours early (if that sounds reasonable). But if people think it will be too crowded or too difficult to drag luggage, I may just book a private van instead and only use the tube for 2 days.

[wheezedr]

While the station at Heathrow is step free that is not the case at Gloucester road. If you go out to transport for London they have maps other than the usual tube map which indicate accessibility issues. Many of the stations on older lines are still without elevators.

[Globaliser]

As I understand it, the simplest/cheapest option is to buy Oyster Cards from a machine at Gloucester, probably loaded with £24 each (£5 for the Oyster deposit, 2 days @ £6.60 cap, and a £5.10 peak LHR trip)? Then when we get to LHR T3 we find another machine to refund the £5 deposit and any remaining balance? That looks better than buying one or more Travelcards, if I read things right.

I agree. The only thing that would make it simpler is if you have contactless bank cards (credit/debit cards) that will work here, in which case you can use them directly on the card readers. You must make sure that for each journey, you use the same card to touch in and touch out at the beginning and end of the journey; and to get the benefit of the daily cap you must use the same card for all your travel that day.

 

If you do this, then you don't need to pay the deposit, and you don't need to fiddle about getting a refund of the deposit or unused credit at the end of your stay. For short-term visitors and occasional users, contactless is a pretty good solution (although regular/heavy users are likely, like me, to find contactless frustrating).

 

However, it's likely that even if you do have a contactless card, you won't be able to be sure whether it will work with the TfL card readers, so you would have to remain prepared to buy Oysters if need be.

 

One technical point: the station and the area in which you're staying is Gloucester Road, not Gloucester. If you ask for directions to Gloucester, you could be pointed in the direction of Gloucester, which is a city 100 miles away. (A friend once almost completely missed dinner in a restaurant because he'd lazily got it into his head that the restaurant was on "Royal Mint". It was on Royal Mint Street, but he only got there after the grand tour of Royal Mint Court, Royal Mint Place and Royal Mint Gardens - which were fortunately all in the vicinity.)

 

Also, on a Tuesday morning 9am, how tough will it be for 4 people each with a large rolling suitcase + a carry-on on top to get on the train from Gloucester to LHR? Are there steps to traverse at Gloucester, or at LHR T3 (if so, is there an elevator instead)? Our flight to the US is 12:55pm, so I figured we'd probably wanna catch the train around 9am to get to LHR 3 hours early (if that sounds reasonable). But if people think it will be too crowded or too difficult to drag luggage, I may just book a private van instead and only use the tube for 2 days.

The accessibility/step-free maps that you need are https://tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cms/documents/step-free-tube-guide-map.pdf and https://tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cms/documents/avoiding-stairs-tube-guide.pdf - like wheezedr, I think that Gloucester Road is not step-free down to any of the platforms. Although it's been a long time since I last used the Piccadilly Line at Gloucester Road, as with similar central London stations I think you'd have to expect to have to lift and carry your luggage down stairs equivalent to about one storey. (Most of the trip down to the Piccadilly Line is by lift (elevator), but as the maps don't say that the station is step-free, I would personally expect some stairs to be necessary). Now, I could easily manage that - and I have done Tube stations with steps carrying 2 x 32 kg suitcases plus a carry-on - but I wouldn't lightly recommend this to anyone else who wasn't expecting something like this.

 

If you were to get a car/van, you should be able to get to LHR in 30-40 minutes from there. With four people, it would probably be quite cost-effective to use one of the usual suspects from the airport transfer gang - the cost-benefit ratio is likely to be pretty good.

[dbsb3233]

I agree. The only thing that would make it simpler is if you have contactless bank cards (credit/debit cards) that will work here, in which case you can use them directly on the card readers. You must make sure that for each journey, you use the same card to touch in and touch out at the beginning and end of the journey; and to get the benefit of the daily cap you must use the same card for all your travel that day.

 

If you do this, then you don't need to pay the deposit, and you don't need to fiddle about getting a refund of the deposit or unused credit at the end of your stay. For short-term visitors and occasional users, contactless is a pretty good solution (although regular/heavy users are likely, like me, to find contactless frustrating).

 

However, it's likely that even if you do have a contactless card, you won't be able to be sure whether it will work with the TfL card readers, so you would have to remain prepared to buy Oysters if need be.

 

One technical point: the station and the area in which you're staying is Gloucester Road, not Gloucester. If you ask for directions to Gloucester, you could be pointed in the direction of Gloucester, which is a city 100 miles away. (A friend once almost completely missed dinner in a restaurant because he'd lazily got it into his head that the restaurant was on "Royal Mint". It was on Royal Mint Street, but he only got there after the grand tour of Royal Mint Court, Royal Mint Place and Royal Mint Gardens - which were fortunately all in the vicinity.)

 

The accessibility/step-free maps that you need are https://tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cms/documents/step-free-tube-guide-map.pdf and https://tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cms/documents/avoiding-stairs-tube-guide.pdf - like wheezedr, I think that Gloucester Road is not step-free down to any of the platforms. Although it's been a long time since I last used the Piccadilly Line at Gloucester Road, as with similar central London stations I think you'd have to expect to have to lift and carry your luggage down stairs equivalent to about one storey. (Most of the trip down to the Piccadilly Line is by lift (elevator), but as the maps don't say that the station is step-free, I would personally expect some stairs to be necessary). Now, I could easily manage that - and I have done Tube stations with steps carrying 2 x 32 kg suitcases plus a carry-on - but I wouldn't lightly recommend this to anyone else who wasn't expecting something like this.

 

If you were to get a car/van, you should be able to get to LHR in 30-40 minutes from there. With four people, it would probably be quite cost-effective to use one of the usual suspects from the airport transfer gang - the cost-benefit ratio is likely to be pretty good.

Great info! Thanks for the response. While 3 of us all generally capable with managing our luggage on stairs, it's a bit more challenging for one in our group. I got a private MPV quote for £42 from ExclusiveAirports. I think I may just go with that as it's only 2x the price of the train, but way more convenient.

[ducklite]

Gloucester Road is the station we use the most frequently in London, as it's two blocks form the flat we rent. It is definitely not accessible, you must take at least one flight of stairs, but I want to think it might be two.

 

The Hereford Arms Pub will be near your hotel and is very good and not touristy. Also we love the Greyhound Pub on Young Street a few blocks off Gloucester near Kensington High Street.

 

Personally I would probably start making my way to LHR at 8:30 as it's a full 45 minute ride, and the trains run about every 15 minutes. So if you just miss one, you'll have a bit of a wait.

 

I can't help with the Oyster v. Travel card as we keep our Oyster and bring it back each trip.

 

Good luck and enjoy--you will be in my favorite place in the world!

[palermo22]

We stayed at the Crowne Plaza a few years ago. Its a great area for getting around. Across the street from the hotel is a wonderful supermarket - where you can buy almost any type of food that you want.

[CH_ca]

I have not yet tried it myself but I did some research on the contactless method. Many people say only some North America's VISAs work at the transit system. Most MasterCards work, but again no guarantee. The one that works for sure is American Express. You may do more look up on this to double check.

[ducklite]

We stayed at the Crowne Plaza a few years ago. Its a great area for getting around. Across the street from the hotel is a wonderful supermarket - where you can buy almost any type of food that you want.

 

 

 

That is Waitrose. It does have a good selection, although we typically make the trek up to Whole Foods on Kensington High St. as it has a larger selection, particularly of produce. There is also a Boots at the entrance to the Tube, and a small Tesco Express about a block away. The Post Office is across the street and there is a Barclays Bank with an ATM that you swipe rather than insert your card about a block away. There is also a wonderful French Patisserie diagonal-ish from the tube stop, not Paul which is good but a chain, but a wonderful small place with a light green exterior. That entire neighborhood is wonderful.

 

About six blocks from your hotel will be The Sampler--great place to pop into if you enjoy wine, trust me. Don't miss visiting the basement area, but mind your head going down the stairs. Take your time on the stairs, others will be patient. :)

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[srpilo]

I recommend going to "Visit Britain" website, they're the official seller of "Visitor-Oyster" cards. You buy them online before leaving with whatever value you think you're going to need (they have a reference chart to help calculate), they mail them to you here in the USA, and the arrive $charged and ready to use. They're completely rechargeable and the Oyster card fee is included with the Visitor Card.

 

Just a suggestion

Srpilo

[Globaliser]

I recommend going to "Visit Britain" website, they're the official seller of "Visitor-Oyster" cards. You buy them online before leaving with whatever value you think you're going to need (they have a reference chart to help calculate), they mail them to you here in the USA, and the arrive $charged and ready to use. They're completely rechargeable and the Oyster card fee is included with the Visitor Card.

There doesn't seem much point in the OP getting one of these, though, as they're going to be near the first station that they're planning to use. Buying an Oyster at a machine there should take about a minute.

 

In addition, it's not clear from the website whether the Visitor Oyster activation fee of £3 is refundable when you surrender the card.

 

However, if you buy an Oyster at a machine here, the £5 deposit is definitely refundable.

[srpilo]

As I posted ... Just a suggestion

[dbsb3233]

There doesn't seem much point in the OP getting one of these, though, as they're going to be near the first station that they're planning to use. Buying an Oyster at a machine there should take about a minute.

 

In addition, it's not clear from the website whether the Visitor Oyster activation fee of £3 is refundable when you surrender the card.

 

However, if you buy an Oyster at a machine here, the £5 deposit is definitely refundable.

That was my understanding too, that the visitor cards deposit is not refundable. And I think I read you have to pay for shipping too. So it appears significantly cheaper just to buy them there. I assume it just takes a couple of minutes to buy the cards at a machine at the first station one plans to use.

 

I appreciate the suggestion from srpilo though. For some that just feel more comfortable having everything in hand before they leave for the trip, that would make sense. Or someone that wants to keep the card as a souvenir, I suppose. But we're fine with just getting them there and saving the money, since it appears pretty quick and easy to do it there at the first station we use.