Travelling to London...advice please

[littlequestion]

We're an hour from London but don't go much together. Going as a family next week.

I'm not sure about the best way to buy underground tickets. I have an ancient Oyster card which has a few pounds on it. Do kids get free tube still? Would DH be better off buying an Oyster card or just paying for a return fare? It's all zone 1. Thanks!

Have you got a contactless debit or credit card? If so, use that and don't bother with an oyster.

You can use it on tubes, trains and buses in exactly the same way as an oyster.

We normally buy family day travel cards - kids are £1 - but we live just beyond the zones.

Thanks but I don't...

That was to tethersend by the way!

How old are the DC? Tube is free for u-12's, I believe, buses free for u-16's.

Kids are free. You should be able to charge up your Oyster card at a ticket machine. Your DH may be better off than an Oyster card too, depending on how many trips you're planning to make in the day?

Be careful with the capping. For some reason, mine didn't cap my fare when I got on the bus, it was off peak (Saturday). Next time I will use my Oyster card, not my debit card.

Kids under ten still travel free on the tube as long as they are with a fee paying adult. Your husband could use a contactless card on the tube of bus, it's charged at the same rate as an Oyster so there is no point in him buying one.

Yy, if you've no contactless card, use an oyster. Much better value than a paper ticket.

Buses no longer take cash.

Children travel free.

Cash fares without oyster or using contactless cards are more expensive. If you are planning to get on and off tubes and buses more than a return journey get a one day zone 1 travel card. Hope that helps.

Thanks - dc are 7 and 9 and we just need to do a return zone 1 (tube) journey. Are Oyster cards free? I got mine so long ago I can't remember...

Technically free, but require a £10 deposit, I think.

An Oyster card costs £3.

Cash single fair is £4.70 with oyster its £2.80/£2.20 (peak/non peak) so still cheaper to buy an Oyster card. Non peak for return journey you would save £2 fwiw if you just do a return journey and have an Oyster card to keep.

However I would check your bank cards anyway for the contactless symbol.

Hth's

This is the symbol I have it on one of my 2 debit cards.

whether it is oyster or contactless, check it. I got overcharged by about 40% on mine - I noticed because I'm an infrequent visitor. They refunded to my bank account, or if you return regularly you can get a refund at a station. I tapped in and out correctly,the system just charged a huge fare.

OK, it was only about £3 but that's not the point!

ps this is why I prefer a travelcard!

Thanks all. Just asked at the station (baffling array of different fares online but that's another issue). It was only a couple of £ extra (£2?) in total to include the tube so we did that.

Honestly, how does anyone without a degree in train studies manage to work out the best value ticket?