Could somebody please tell me about travelcards? I'm a bit out of touch...

[TooTicky]

1 adult, 3 paying children, travelling from Paddington - Kensington - Shepherd's Bush - Paddington. Presumably it's worth getting a travelcard. What is it likely to cost?
Also, estimated journey time from Shepherd's Bush to Paddington between 5.30-6.30 pm on a Saturday?

Thank you

I think you might be best off getting an Oyster card (or Oysters all round) - it usually works out more cheaply that way, I think. No idea about actual cost tho - have you tried the London Transport site?

not sure, check out TFL website. oyster is 2 things btw - you can put travel cards on it (but not daily ones) or you can put cash on it that you use to "pay as you go" - there;s a maximum in a given day so once you reach that it'll stop taking any more cash off. but you have to pay a couple of quid for the card itself, ao I doubt for a one off journey it's worth it.

and I only answered that at all because I've always wanted to tell you that our cat is called Little My. DH said we couldn;t call the other Too Ticky though.

Oyster cards are great. It is cheaper per journey (all bus rides are £1 on an oyster or £2 in cash). If you use them a lot in a day, they stop charging you once you reach the cost of a one day travelcard, so you aren't trying to decide in advance if you should get a travelcard or not.
You get them at tube/rail stations or at certain shops with the oyster sign showing. You pay up front, so "charge" your card before you start. You see your credit remaining as you scan the card as you enter bus or tube.
HTH

Oh btw, children are free on London transport

Free? Children are free? Wow! That is enlightened!!!!!

hatwoman

Right, off to research oysters...

Children have to pay for riverboats, and for the tube before 9:30am on weekdays. Otherwise, they travel free if travelling with an adult on the tube - always free on buses. (Might be a max of 4 free children per paying adult on the tube? Not sure.)

I'd look at the journey planner for timings etc.

If you regularly (ok, or even a few times per year) travel in London, an Oyster card is worth it, otherwise, you just want to pay cash for the trip.