Help with travelling around London

[Townie22]

Need some advice about travelling around London please!

I'm taking my 2 DS to Lodnon for the day next week. We will get the train to King's Cross then plan to go to the natural history museum, then down to Tower Bridge, Buckingham Palace area for some sight seeing then back home.

I assume best way to get round will be the tube, I'm a bit nervous about this with how busy they are and I will be on my own with 2 children, but also what is the best way to pay for the tube, I don't want to be faffing around on the day.

Any advice on the best way to get around with young children and how to pay?

You can just pay using a contactless debit card. Kids under 11 are free. Make sure you use the wider gates not the narrow ones.

The tube e is still quiet at the mo.

Have a look at tfl.gov.uk or the Citymapper app to plan your routes. It’s also important to know that Piccadilly line trains aren’t stopping at South Kensington this year so you’ll need to get off at Gloucester Road for the museums - it’s just round the corner. Green Park is Piccadilly line too so I’d do Buckingham Palace next & Tower Bridge last.

South Kensington tube station is closed until 12 August - which day are you going?

The Tube is still generally lessbusy than usual, so you're likely to be OK.

Under 12s are free on tubes and buses and don't need a ticket - you just use the wide access gate. Easiest for you will be to use a contactless card (same one for each journey) and tap in and out for the Tube, and just tap in on the bus. It'll stop charging automatically when you reach the day's maximum 'cap' so is cheaper than buying tickets and less faff than getting an Oyster

www.discoversouthken.com/discover-more/south-ken-tube-station-closures/

Great so no need to buy anything in advance just use my bank card, makes life easier.

I'm travelling on 12th.

I'm thinking if the weather is OK taking them on a quick boat along the Thames (if such thing exists) can anyone recommend? And I can I pay for that on card too.

Use the Thames Clipper rather than a tourist bus service, and yes you can pay contactless on that too

booking.thamesclippers.com/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIjdLMsaqh8gIVT9TtCh0pDQ_0EAAYASAAEgJqvvD_BwE

Over 5s need child tickets - I think you can get them at ticket machines at the piers

I would get a bus. It takes a bit longer but you get to see London along the way and it's easier the sometimes quite long walks underground.

Yes, there's both commuting boats (the Thames Clipper) and tourist boats. I would get the clipper; you can go from Tower for Tower Bridge down to somewhere like Westminster for Buckingham Palace (or in the other direction, which is what I'd suggest).

For the most efficient use of your time I'd go museums - Buckingham palace, boat to Tower Bridge, then walk across the river to London Bridge, pick up the Thameslink back to St Pancras.

If you are getting the train to Kings Cross are you using a railcard? If so, I think you can get 1/3rd off the price of a one day travelcard. Otherwise, I think you can add a travel card to your national rail ticket. I just ask for a return to London including a one day travelcard when I buy the ticket. I wouldn't fancy trying to get all three through the gates using just your contactless - I would worry someone would get squashed. If you are going to Kings Cross underground station, it's fairly large you should be able to find a member of staff to help you.

You can get the Piccadilly line to Gloucester Road and the museums are a 5 or so minute walk from there. South Ken is closed.

@JennyWreny

If you are getting the train to Kings Cross are you using a railcard? If so, I think you can get 1/3rd off the price of a one day travelcard. Otherwise, I think you can add a travel card to your national rail ticket. I just ask for a return to London including a one day travelcard when I buy the ticket. I wouldn't fancy trying to get all three through the gates using just your contactless - I would worry someone would get squashed. If you are going to Kings Cross underground station, it's fairly large you should be able to find a member of staff to help you.

I don't understand this.

The travel are opens the gate the same as a contactless card? All you do is use the larger gate or out the kids in front of you when you tap.

Contactless is cheaper than a travel card too.

Travel card opens the gates...

What is the cap for travelling on the tube please ? Also how does it work if you want to use the contactless method as a family travelling ? Thanks

Kids aren't free on National rail or Thames clipper, so they need tickets or a contactless card for those.

Otherwise I go to the luggage (wide) barrier, put my kids in front of me and make a game of running through together once I've tapped. If I've got DH with me we take one each through.

Info on the cap here

tfl.gov.uk/fares/find-fares/tube-and-rail-fares/pay-as-you-go-caps

Daily cost for zone 1 is £7:40, but you must remember to use the same card for all journeys as that's how it 'remembers' you. A one-day travel card is more expensive.

How old are the DC? If under 11, then they are free on both tubes and buses, and you just shepherd them through the gate with you when you open it for yourself on the tube (and normally staff around to help you), and they just walk in to buses.

For your trip, I'd recommend Piccadilly line tube from Kings Cross to Gloucester Road (very close to the South Ken museums). Then get the 14 bus (from the front of the V&A) to Piccadilly getting off near Green Park station, and walking across Green Park to Buckingham Palace. Then wander through St James Park (there are loos) through Horseguards onto Whitehall, down to Parliament Square to the river for Westminster Pier and the Thames Clipper to Tower Bridge

'I wouldn't fancy trying to get all three through the gates using just your contactless - I would worry someone would get squashed.'

This just does not happen.

There are family gates for exactly this purpose. They are wide enough and open long enough to allow families, pushchairs, suitcases and wheelchair users through.

There isn't a big London-wide cover-up of all the children crushed in the barriers at tube stations 😂

If you haven't already done so you'll need to book a timed slot at any museums for you and both kids.

Hope the trip went well, and there weren't any transport hitches!