On 31 Jan, 09:06, "Peter Masson" wrote:

"James Salisbury" nntp.dsl.pipex.com wrote:

I am looking for some suggestions on cost effective transport. I have
some friends flying into Standsted on the 7th of February. They would
like to see London on the Saturday and then stay with me in Didcot
returning on the 10th.

What is the cheapest way of doing this, I do have a network card in
my name.

You don't give us enough information. How many friends? Will you be meeting
them at Stansted, and seeing them off there on their departure, or will they
be travelling independently of you (with a Network Card you can get
discounted tickets for accompanying passengers, but they must accompany the
Network Card holder, the Network Card itself being non-transferable)? What
is meant by seeing London - is a ODTC (what zones) or Oyster PAYG
worthwhile? Will any travel be at times when peak restrictions apply?

My starting point would be Off-peak (Saver) Returns Stansted - Didcot (now
valid for outward break of journey, IIRC, and anyway, there have never been
any practical restrictions on break of journey when crossing London, except
that the break can't take place at a tube station) and Oyster PAYG for
'seeing London'. Are any Advance tickets available?


If getting hold of Oyster cards is deemed a hassle (what with the £3
deposit required on each card etc), then they could just get Day
Travelcards. The zones 1&2 off-peak Day Travelcard (valid after 0930
weekdays) costs £5.60 - but if you are accompanying them, with your
Network Railcard you can get Day Travelcards for the discounted price
of £5 each for yourself plus three other adults (this discounted
Travelcard also covers zones 1-6). Children (under 16) pay £1 for a
Day Travelcard when accompanying an adult with a Travelcard.

(Note that the above all applies to 'in-boundary' Travelcards, i.e.
those bought within the London zones.)

That said, it might be worth getting Oyster cards for them if they're
likely to visit London again, or indeed keeping hold of them yourself
so as to give/lend to other visitors in the future.