wrote:

(snip)

Also, my research seems to indicate that an "oyster card" is the smart
thing for us to get for tube and bus travel during our week in London.
Does that make sense? If so, can I buy one at King's Cross?


OK I'll try and set this out as simply as I can. I've left out some of
the detail for clarity.


An Oyster card work in two ways...

(1) Pay As You Go (PAYG) (also called Pre Pay)
Where you load up the card with money, and for every journey you make
on the Tube on on buses the fare is deducted from your balance - though
there is a daily cap on the amount deducted, this capping level depends
on whether you just travel on the bus, or if you also travel on the
Tube how many zones you'll travel through.

Oyster Pay As You Go will not work on National Rail i.e. mainline
overground trains (there are a few exemptions where PAYG will work on
National Rail).


(2) Weekly or longer Travelcard loaded on an Oyster card
This way you pay in advance for a pass that will allow you unlimited
travel in the zones you've paid for on the Tube, buses *and* on
National Rail.

You can also buy weekly Travelcards on a paper ticket from National
Rail ticket offices - you won't get an Oyster card but the ticket is
the same.


This is a map of the zones in Greater London:
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/fares-tick...es-map2006.pdf

This is a list of the maximum you'll pay if you use Oyster Pay As You
Go (the daily cap):
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/fares-tick...ubedlr-4.shtml

This is a list of the prices for weekly Travelcards:
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/fares-tick...avelcard.shtml


At this point I don't blame you for being confused. Basically what is
better value depends on how many days you'll spend travelling around
London, and how much travelling you expect to do on each day, and
whether you will be travelling on National Rail trains.

If you're travelling around a lot it may be that a weekly Travelcard
works out better value. A weekly Travelcard for Zones 1,2&3 will cost
you £26 (any children under 16 can get a Travelcard for £1 each for
each day as long as they travel with you). If you're not going to be on
the move that much, and you're not using National Rail, then Oyster Pay
As You Go would be better.

I'm guessing you'll be staying near Southfields, which is in Zone 3. If
you're around for the tennis then I must say is it's a great day out!


If you want Oyster Pay As You Go then buying ahead online and having it
posted to you is a far preferable option to joining the scrum at Kings
Cross - not least because the Tube station is being redeveloped and the
ticketing facilities are currently stretched.

If you want a Travelcard then again you can buy these online as well,
they'll come loaded onto an Oyster card. You could also buy your weekly
Travelcard from a National Rail ticket office at Kings Cross -
preferably from the suburban ticket office next to platforms 9-11.
There'd be far less of a queue there, if any.


More info on Oyster from TfL and access to the Oyster online shop on
this page:
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/fares-tick...er/general.asp