London Underground Journey Advice

[phutoie2]

Flying into London Heathrow from Bangkok in a few weeks and planning to use the tube. London Underground from Terminal 3 to Kings Cross railway station, best to stay on the Piccadilly line or change at Hammersmith? using the circle line.

I've looked at Mayor Boris's friendly London web page and still trying to work it out!!

Thanks.

[RabC]

My question would be if you have baggage why change?

[smokie36]

Stay on the Piccadilly Line train.

[phuturatica]

Stay on the Piccadilly line for sure.

Check out tfl.gov.uk - its an excellent website for travelling around London and its fairly accurate considering London is so busy and big!

[exeter]

Picc Line, get in the back carriage for the escalator end and save yourself some time. If you have not been for some time, KX underground is much changed and alot more walking. The station itself is also much changed, the main concourse is now on the west side rather than the south side with lots more shops and cafes, a great improvement. One other thing, there is now another platform on the east side, platform 0!

[davejones]

Don't forget to buy an Oystercard before traveling on the tube, as the cost is much, much cheaper with one.

[UbonOz]

Don't forget to buy an Oystercard before traveling on the tube, as the cost is much, much cheaper with one.

Correct, Oyster card is best, much better value.

You can get any outstanding credit refunded when you leave.

I don't think all stations do the refund, just check if you buy the card.

[UbonOz]

Just thought, you can use the Oyster card on the buses if spending some time in London, cheaper than the tube and more interesting if you are not in a rush.

[SimonD]

Oystercard is good for tube, buses, trams and docklands light railway. It does not cover overground suburban train services.

Info here: https://oyster.tfl.gov.uk/oyster/entry.do

[penoirz]

this is a link to different prices..

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/14416.aspx

remember that Heathrow is in zone 6 but apart from going to and from the airport, you probably wont need to take into account the cost for travelling as far out as zone 6 (more zones, more money)

also, if you are not getting on with the TFL site, try http://traveline.info

[phutoie2]

Thanks all for the advice. TV at its best.

[tw25rw]

Oystercard is good for tube, buses, trams and docklands light railway. It does not cover overground suburban train services.

Info here: https://oyster.tfl.g...oyster/entry.do

It does. The coverage might not be complete, but it does.

[tw25rw]

Oystercard is good for tube, buses, trams and docklands light railway. It does not cover overground suburban train services.

Info here: https://oyster.tfl.g...oyster/entry.do

Incidentally, you might have been away and not seen it, but Overground is the official name of a network now.. It's a combination of some of the old BR lines (particularly the one from Richmond to east London) and the old LU East London line.. Eventually, it will form an outer circle. It appears as orange on the LU map.

[pattayadingo]

Not expensive for that single tube trip, about £5 as I recall. Takes about 1 hour LHR - Kings Cross. So allow for that time if making a connection.

[SimonD]

Incidentally, you might have been away and not seen it, but Overground is the official name of a network now.. It's a combination of some of the old BR lines (particularly the one from Richmond to east London) and the old LU East London line.. Eventually, it will form an outer circle. It appears as orange on the LU map.

Thanks for that.

I see now that the surface electric was brought under Oystercard in January 2010. About time!

[exeter]

JUust to be clear about the oyster, it covers London Overground which part of Transport for London, it covers all surburban trains that I can think of up to the limit of zones on your oyster card, but, usually not until after 930 or 1000 am. Not valid on Gatwick or Heathrow Express. If you are going out of your zone limit you will need to purchase a ticket extension or incur a high penalty if a ticket inspector boards your train and they do!

[tw25rw]

it covers all surburban trains that I can think of up to the limit of zones on your oyster card, but, usually not until after 930 or 1000 am.

I have never seen any time restrictions. And I routinely travel into Cannon St.

[UbonOz]

it covers all surburban trains that I can think of up to the limit of zones on your oyster card, but, usually not until after 930 or 1000 am.

I have never seen any time restrictions. And I routinely travel into Cannon St.

There are peak and off-peak fares on the Oyster Card, possibly you have not noticed what you have been charged.

Link below shows costs of the fares, hover mouse over off-peak and it will show the times.

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/14416.aspx

[UbonOz]

Also, on the link it shows the difference between paying cash and using an Oyster Card, a substantial saving.

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/14416.aspx

[smokie36]

You should also note the limits to what you can be charged per day using Oyster as well. Its definitely worthwhile if you plan a few days around London.

[nong38]

it covers all surburban trains that I can think of up to the limit of zones on your oyster card, but, usually not until after 930 or 1000 am.

I have never seen any time restrictions. And I routinely travel into Cannon St.

Off peak starts at 0930 on southern and south eastern Thameslink wanted to make it 1000am so I understand, there are also some other restrictions after 1630 in the week. With my Freedom Pass I cannot get through the barriers before 930 so if I am travelling early I need to know where I can enter and exit, there are ways around if you know.

[rak sa_ngop]

You should also note the limits to what you can be charged per day using Oyster as well. Its definitely worthwhile if you plan a few days around London.

Yes, with an Oyster card you do not have to buy a one day Zone travel card. The computer works out when and where you travelled that day and will charge the same as if you had purchased a one day travel card. (So I was told).

One Day LT travel cards are still available, but not sure if you can only buy them when you are outside the London area i.e. if you request one when you buy a train ticket into London.

[theoldgit]

^^^

Yes, you can add on a Travel Card, for all buses and Underground, when you buy a train ticket. By doing so you can get a lot of 2 for 1 admission to places like The Tower of London, Madame Tussauds and The London Dungeon. You can only get this discounts with a paper train ticket purchased from a train station, not a underground ticket or Oyster Card.

[bkk_mike]

Just thought, you can use the Oyster card on the buses if spending some time in London, cheaper than the tube and more interesting if you are not in a rush.

Buses are only certain to be cheaper if you can get to where you want on one bus.(or you're travelling with children between twelve and fifteen as they're no longer free on the tube but are still free on the bus).

Because you get charged £1.35 for each bus (regardless of distance ), it can be cheaper by tube if you need to change buses.

If you are travelling to London with 12-17yo kids, go to the tfl site at least a month beforehand and order photocards (you upload the picture, and need their passport details and can arrange to collect them at Heathrow or certain train stations if you live abroad ). It's the only way to get child oyster cards with the corresponding children's fares. Otherwise you either end up buying child travelcards each day or using an adult oyster card.

P.S. For the OP's original post. Stay on the Piccadilly line. No point changing when the Piccadilly line is faster, you've already got a seat, and, I think, the walk from the Circle line platform is longer than from the Piccadilly line once you reach King's Cross itself.