soylily

Hi there
Just joined the forum. So much info to get here. Hope you all could help. Ill be traveling to Paris from August 1st thru 9th. During that time Im planning a day trip to London (tues Aug 4th). I plan to get the london pass for the day. What are your thoughts? I would like ot know what highlights I should see since Ill only be there for a full day and then return to paris late in the evening. Any of your help would be greatly appreciated. Also any ideas for Paris would be great too..

toodles
lily

yk

Are you traveling solo?

Do you math <u>before</u> you buy the London Pass. It is rarely a good deal. For one day, you'd have to hit up all the priciest sites to make the Pass worthwhile - but chances are you'll run out of time before you have a chance to get your money's worth.

If you're traveling with someone, the London Pass is definitely NOT worth it, since you can use 2-for-1 vouchers at most paid attractions.

Palenque

London Pass worth would be very very hard to realize the benefits of on a day trip from Paris (and for most folks on any sojourn in London) - a waste of good money IMO but then i do not know exactly what you plan to do with the pass.

jent103

Agreed on the London Pass.

What are you interested in seeing? You'll have to make choices with only a day. For example, if you're very interested in the Tower of London, you'll need a big chunk of your trip dedicated to that and won't be able to see as much elsewhere. I would suggest doing some research into London's museums, churches, etc and narrowing it down a bit. Fodor's Destination pages have some good information to start.

You can see Big Ben/Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Trafalgar Square, Buckingham Palace, and Piccadilly Circus in an hour or two (not stopping to go into Westminster Abbey, of course). There are many museums you might be interested in. Westminster Abbey and St Paul's are both great, and of course also the Tower and the London Eye. If you let us know what interests you most, we can help plan an itinerary that could work.

Palenque

2-for-1 vouchers come with only a paper Travel Card issued at a train station - like at St Pancras where you arrive from Paris - 1 day Travel Card good for unlimited bus and tube around central London - the 2 for 1 at attractions can make this a great deal - i assume yk is talking about the Travel Card 2 for 1 offer but not sure. anyway details on the 2-for-2 offers with a paper Travel Card bought at a train station (may not have details exactly right)

http://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/attrac...or1london.aspx

janisj

Since you say "I" several times, I'll assume you are traveling solo. If so, none of the 2 for 1 comments will apply. (unless you chat up a cute stranger and share )

Don't buy the London Pass. And very especially - don't buy any transport offered w/ it.

There are soooooo many highlights it is really impossible to give you advice w/o knowing a bit more about what you enjoy . . .

Do you want parks/gardens? museums? the Tower? churches like Westminster Abbey/St Paul's? art (what sorts)? shopping?

yk

Looking at eurostar.com; for your date, the cheapest trains are:

paris->London 9:13-10:36
London->Paris late evening

If you select France on Eurostar.com, you get the lowest rate for the trains @ €66 R/T = US$93

If you select USA on Eurostar.com, the rate is $103

If you select UK on Eurostar.com, the rate is £70

bk123

Just jumping on this thread quickly to ask about the 2-for-1 vouchers. We will be traveling to London on Eurostar from Paris in early July -- staying three nights. Would we be eligible for those vouchers? The Web site says "National Rail train tickets," which I think is different from Eurostar.

Thanks in advance for any info and for permitting me to temporarily hijack this thread.

BobbyPam

Hi Soy Lily -

Depending upon the weather, an open-top bus tour is probably the best way to see the most of London in the limited amount of time that you'll have there. You can get on and off the bus as you like, and they even give you a ticket for a Thames river cruise. The West End theatres are great, so if that interests you, you might even be able to squeeze in a matinee performance.

soylily

well it will be 4 of us goin. Since its my first time going i would like to see the major sights. St. Pauls Catherdral, Buckiingham palace, Westminster Abbey the London Tower/ Eye, the bridge. What JenT103 mentioned. I would like to do the double decker bus too. Im flexable and so are my companions. So what im reading then the London pass would not be good for us but ill lookin into the 2 for 1 deals sound good. Also suggestions as to where to eat etc. thanks for your help.

yk

Re: 2-for-1 offers, see this: http://www.londontoolkit.com/briefin...card.htm#2for1

janisj

OK - it is established you are a group . . . so the 2 for 1's will help. But your Eurostar ticket won't do the job. So you'd need to buy paper travel cards at St Pancras after you arrive.

You can't do all of that in one day. Even IF you could physically manage to get to all those sites - their opening times mean you can't visit all of them

To give you some examples:
• The double decker hop-on-hop-off bus tour takes nearly 2 hours if you only ride around and not get off anywhere. The included boat trip is 30-45 minutes.
• St. Pauls Catherdral takes a minimum of an hour
• Buckiingham palace is just a walk-by so doesn't take much time --- UNLESS you want to tour inside - which takes pre-timed tickets and approx an hour-90 mins.
• Westminster Abbey - about an hour minimum
• the Tower of London - 2 to 3 hours minimum. (You'll see Tower Bridge then so it doesn't take much extra time)
•The Eye about an hour (the ride itself is 30 minutes but you have to queue a bit to buy the tickets so walking across from Westminster Abbey, buying tix and the ride would be about an hour)

And those places are spread all over London so add another hour's travel time in total - plus lunch and dinner -- plus most attractions close between 5 and 6 PM -- just ain't possible. (Westminster Abbey and St Pauls close earlier around 3:30)

janisj

meant to add - the only things on your list you could do after about 5:30 PM are walk by Buckingham Palace and ride the Eye.

bk123

Thanks, yk, for the link!

soylily

so JanisJ What do u suggest? The double decker is to get around the city and see it as a quick glimpse. So out of all of these what do u suggest.? Or anyone for that matter what are u thoughts. Thanks for ur help

AmyP22

I had to queue up to get tickets and then again to get ON the London Eye. So, don't assume that you'll get there and hop on it and be off to the next site. My experience there was definitely longer than an hour. It really was neat to see everything from up above, though.

The dbl decker bus tour with the Thames boat ride was quite enjoyable. You get to see a lot in a short amount of time. There is too much to do in one day! You're not going to want to leave!!!!

janisj

Oh - I just double checked on the Big Bus company website (there are two almost identical tour companies -- "Big Bus" and "The Original")

To do the "blue tour" -- the one that covers most of the major sites - takes 3 hrs 15 mins w/o getting off. The "red tour" which is less comprehensive takes 2 hrs 10 mins. (both of those are minimum times - they could take longer due to any major traffic tie ups)

So while a bus tour would let you see a lot - it would also eat up nearly half of your free time.

You will find that London is MUCH more spread out than the central/tourist areas of Paris.

soylily

JanisJ what are the paper travel cards? And how much do they cost?

yk

<i>soylily on Jun 23, 09 at 03:10 PM
JanisJ what are the paper travel cards? And how much do they cost?</i>


see: http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...omment-5752166

and http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...omment-5752358

janisj

Our posts are crossing -- What do I suggest? That you pick two major sites you are dying to see. Do one in the AM, one after lunch in the afternoon -- and then ride the Eye in early evening or at sunset, have dinner and take the Eurostar back to Paris.

You could squeeze in one additional site if they are near each other.

For instance, the Tower first thing, lunch and then St Paul's which isn't far away. And then in the later afternoon something like the British Museum or National Gallery or Hyde Park or a walk on the south bank. Then the Eye/dinner and off to Paris.