London - Oyster Card and London Pass?

[Anonymous]

We will be in London for 9 days in early May with a 4 year old and a baby (family of 4). We will be staying in an apartment a few blocks from Paddington Station. I am thinking of buying advanced Heathrow Express train tickets, the Oyster Card and London Pass, as we will likely see the top 8 major attractions. Is there anything else I should get? Should I consider getting something other than what I described? Thanks.

[Anonymous]

If I were in your shoes, I would take a cab from heathrow to your apartment. I think that would be easiest with two kids in tow after a long flight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We will be in London for 9 days in early May with a 4 year old and a baby (family of 4). We will be staying in an apartment a few blocks from Paddington Station. I am thinking of buying advanced Heathrow Express train tickets, the Oyster Card and London Pass, as we will likely see the top 8 major attractions. Is there anything else I should get? Should I consider getting something other than what I described? Thanks.

We got the Heathrow Express tix, a 7 day travel card (for the underground - you have to use it starting on a date and then consecutive dates) and the also the Oyster Card because we went to Paris in between our stays in London. We went a few summers ago with our young kids (mine were 5 and 8). We didn't get the london pass because we were mostly there for o visiting friends, plus the kids got into the museums for free and some of the places we wanted to go weren't on there (the Tate Modern, for example). We did get the one for Paris though because we went to a ton of museums there and skipped all of the lines. Have so much fun - London is awesome and it's so easy for little kids with all of the great parks and playgrounds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If I were in your shoes, I would take a cab from heathrow to your apartment. I think that would be easiest with two kids in tow after a long flight.

Londoner here - if you are really are very near to Paddington station, then go with the Heathrow Express. It is much faster and as kids are free it will be cheaper than a cab. If you have lots of heavy suitcases, stroller, etc then just jump in a black taxi at Paddington to get to the apartment. It is definitely worth buying the Heathrow Express tickets in advance as you will be able to get them cheaper - quite a lot cheaper if you get them a few months in advance (I think 90 days is the max, but check the website).

[Anonymous]

Kids ride the tube free but I got them a Zip Oyster Pass anyway since I was there for awhile and sometimes the station attendant was too busy to open the gate.

https://tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-payments/travel-for-under-18s/zip-oyster-photocards

[Anonymous]

Take the 4 year old to the Princess Diana playground, the one with the pirate ship. It's fantastic.

[Anonymous]

Def Heathrow express, it is a 15 min ride vs an hour in a cab. City passes are great.

[Anonymous]

You might want to check the tube as an option from the airport. I've used that my last couple of trips as it got me to within a block of my destination with no change of train. It was faster than the HE plus a change of train or a cab. And of course much cheaper. Use google maps for the routing/timing to see if it works for you. The tube and HE leave from the same place at Heathrow.

An Oyster card is basically the same as a smarttrip card. Its L5 for the card and you load money on for tube rides. Of course there are day passes and multi day passes. For a family it can be cheaper to get a cab for short trips than 4 tube fares. I just keep my Oyster card with my U.K. currency and use it every time as it doesn't expire (I am there multiple times a year for work).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You might want to check the tube as an option from the airport. I've used that my last couple of trips as it got me to within a block of my destination with no change of train. It was faster than the HE plus a change of train or a cab. And of course much cheaper. Use google maps for the routing/timing to see if it works for you. The tube and HE leave from the same place at Heathrow.

An Oyster card is basically the same as a smarttrip card. Its L5 for the card and you load money on for tube rides. Of course there are day passes and multi day passes. For a family it can be cheaper to get a cab for short trips than 4 tube fares. I just keep my Oyster card with my U.K. currency and use it every time as it doesn't expire (I am there multiple times a year for work).

The tube might be quicker if you're going to South Kensington or Earls Court or somewhere like that. No way to Paddington - which will take a while and will require a change.

[Anonymous]

Heathrow Express is what I'd advise for that long of a trip withkids, unless you'll have car seats. You could do a black cab if your walk will be too far with luggage from the station.

[Anonymous]

Uber is now available in London. I found it very reasonable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Uber is now available in London. I found it very reasonable.

U will still have to sit in traffic.