Going to London. Really scared. No clue.

[london101asap]

Hi so we are staying near London Excel.

I'm so scared of getting the tube.

I see there is a cable car we can walk (25 min)

Once off the other end though the nearest bus stop to a 48 hop on bus (London Bridge) is a 3 hour walk.

How do we get to from the cable car to the bus?

Dh is used to travelling all over the world and the uk but not around London only the outskirts.

Tween daughters want you to see the sights. Do you get off at every sight then wait for another bus?

I'm so scared as we are relying on dh who has adhd and I have severe anxiety but our 12 and 13 year olds really want to go.

Any advice please?

We have bank cards yes.

What about something like this? You can get combined bus and river tour tickets and they go from Greenwich. We did this one weekend when the kids were little and it was great.

www.londoncitybustours.com/the-original-tour-london-bus-tour.html

I have been to London twice before once as a child once in early 20s and I didn't feel like this.

Sometimes I share location on my WhatsApp too, we all just drop a pin so we know where we all are.

@london101asap I really hope you overcome your anxiety and use the tube - it will be fine!

you will still need oyster cards for your children, or a day ticket

If travelling into and around central London from the Excel Centre is so traumatic, how on earth has the OP's husband managed to travel round the world? I don't think this post can be real but if it is, these comments are very sensible.

I feel extremely safe when on Tube in London and in most London, I lived there for 10 years and I used the Tube daily but even before I lived there I was ok there and never unsafe there.
For a comparison I went to NYC earlier this year and that was totally a different story.
While I was not to feel scared there, I must say I was!
Their Subway ( Tube) is very different, poorly signposted, dark and filthy.
Plus there was a lot of dodgy people around, we took the wrong train and end up somewhere in Bronx and I literally was shaking like a leave, counting the nanoseconds until the next train comes! However London Tube is so lovely!
Also there is lots of Tube workers around, all so easy peasy.

I don’t live in London but I would buy my over 11s a day travel card each from the machines at the stops and just tap in/out with my bank card. It works out how much your travel was at the end of the day. There are staff to help you if you have a problem with your card or tickets. The tube trains tell you what stop is coming up and there are maps everywhere.

support.visitorshop.tfl.gov.uk/hc/en-gb/articles/16465480622354-Travelling-with-children

Or if you and your DH each have 2 different cards you can use those for the kids.

I agree actually, me and my friend were talking about how we are quite privileged to have grown up here really as it’s made navigating other cities very simple. Berlin, Paris, Amsterdam, NY, it’s all the same in theory.

OP - use the family gate too at tube stations, you can get the lot of you through in one go (as long as the kids qualify for free travel)

The children will need Oyster cards - adults can use debit cards. Buy them at the station and ask the station staff to set them for child fares which are a lot cheaper than adult fares.

Every tube station has a help point button. If (and that's a big "if") you get separated from the children press the help button and staff will help. Underground staff are fantastic and always helpful.

Where is your hotel, what do you want to visit. You might enjoy the user Thames boat, buses are very busy and the traffic is awful so you don't get as much time as you would using the tube. How old are your children. Some tubes have safety doors now. The DRL is a good way to go intonthe centre but all of London is busy.

Once off the other end though the nearest bus stop to a 48 hop on bus (London Bridge) is a 3 hour walk.

That can't be correct if you're going to be near the Excel centre. I don't think there's anywhere round there that is more than 20 minutes' walk away from a bus stop.

I really wouldn't bother with the cable car. Go on the TfL Journey Planner page, exclude the underground from your list of options, and it will tell you how to get to where you want by bus. You may have to take a few buses, but it's a great way of seeing London.

Oh sorry I see they are tweens: You’ll need Oyster cards or contactless. But still the family gate takes the stress off.

@Growlybear83 rude. Why would I make this up.

I think she means the yellow tourist buses. Not actual buses.

@london101asap where do you live that makes London seem terrifying.

Get the citymapper app
do you have a phone?
Leave extra time for your journeys

Also a life long Londoner 👋 and yes the hop on hop off buses are tourist ones. Great if you don't know how to find all the major sights OP.

Buses in London are generally great, well connected and regular. Take a little bit longer. Plan your journey and don’t try to do too much.

@london101asap people might be confusing you with the talk of the kids needing Oyster Cards.
They will only need these if they don't have a debit card of their own to use - either their own actual one or a spare one belonging to you or your husband.
They will be charged adult fares but the price you have to pay to purchase the Oyster Cards it's often not that much difference in the final amount you pay in total.

Hi yes they have contactless cards too

Last one from me, as youre getting great advice but if you open google maps, put in your destination from your location, it’ll tell you where to walk to the stop you need, and give you live bus times too. And how many stops and what name the stop is.

You won’t lose each other if you have phones. Pick a landmark near to where you are going and if agree if you get lost you will all meet there. But there is really no need when you have phones.

London is busy but not THAT busy. There’s plenty of space to move around. If you want to avoid the tube there’s always buses, black cabs, DLR, overground…

I have really bad anxiety too but I have lived in London for years and love it. It’s not as busy or crazy as you are thinking I’m sure. You will love it!