London Fayres ( Contactless Payment)

[ilovemarkb]

Do i need to register my debit card to enable me to use contactless payments for tube and bus journeys whilst in london for 2 days this week? Been reading bits and bobs on TFL website and im unsure????? And panicing!!! Yikes

[Maydup]

There's no need to register your card, simple pay as you go on the buses or tubes. Be sure to touch in and out on the underground, but you only need to touch once on the buses.

There's chapter and verse on the tfl website about how you can see your journey history etc if you do create an account and register your card, but there is no need to do that at all.

[ilovemarkb]

Thankyou so much!!!! Sister and i have no sense of direction whatsoever. Ive planned our journeys best i can but quite scared of getting lost. Ive used google maps to tell me which line to get on etc

[Maydup]

Can we help check them for you?

[jno]

use this page to plan journeys in London

https://tfl.gov.uk/plan-a-journey/

[Maydup]

I need to go to bed now, but I'll check in again in the morning in case I can help anymore.

Before I head off, I just wanted to let you know that if either of you are pensioners, you can use your bus passes on the buses in London. I prefer the buses myself, but they can be slow if yiu have a distance to travel at peak times.

[ilovemarkb]

The journey i am worried about the most is to the o2 arena. We are staying at royal national hotel at russel square. I have bked tickets to see elvis tour at 02 on morning......then have billy elliot bked for 2.30

[ilovemarkb]

We arent pensioners!!.... Yet!!!

[Maydup]

The most straightforward route is by tube.

At Russell Square take the Piccadilly Line (blue) towards Heathrow or Uxbridge. You'll pass through leicester square and piccadilly circus.
Change at Green Park and take the Jubilee Line (grey) towards Stratford or North Greenwich.
You'll pass through Westminster, London Bridge and Canary Wharf. Get off at North Greenwich.

It will take about 40minutes.

Going back you need to change at Green Park again and take the Victoria Line (pale blue) for one stop to Victoria.

The theatre is just outside the station. The tube journey will take about 40minutes again, best to leave a good hour to include getting to your seat.

Have a good time and enjoy the show!

[ilovemarkb]

Thankyou. You are very helpful!! the change at greenpark onto jubilee line......does this change happen in that very tube station. Will there be a sign telling us how to get on the jubilee line??

[Maydup]

Yes stay in the tube station. Get off your train and follow signs for the Jubilee Line. It will just be a platform change. The only thing that can catch you out is to get on the train going west instead of east, so make sure of that by checking on the sign that its going to the stations I have mentioned. Ignore people rushing around and take your time.

Don't touch out with your debit card when you change trains, just go all the way through and touch out once you finish your journey.

[ilovemarkb]

Thanks once again. Youve been so helpful. Feeling a bit more confident now x

[ilovemarkb]

Does the signage ( on change over) only state west or east... Or will it have mire info?? Sorry for bugging you

[mushroom25]

have a look at this -
http://www.toptiplondon.com/transport/getting-around-london/london-underground

about halfway down is a photo of the type of sign you'll see as you walk from one line to another at an interchange station.

[Canary42]

As an only-occasional user of the London Underground, I would just mention in passing something which confused me a bit on my first time on the O2 Jubilee line. When I arrived on the platform I momentarily thought I was still in a corridor because the tracks are fenced off from the platform. This new (to me at the time) safety feature is however most welcome as it prevents the small minority of pushing/shoving regulars from depositing you on the tracks. When the train pulls in and stops, the doors of the train align with the doors in the barrier and both sets open simultaneously. A brilliant idea IMO.

Hope you have a good time llovemarkb.

[mushroom25]

just one other thing. you didn't say which 2 days - hopefully not the 8th or 9th?

[Maydup]

Oh no, the matinees for Billy Elliot are Thurs and Sats. Most likely to be Thursday which is the very day the tube strike is set for. Keep your fingers crossed that it doesn't go ahead but if it does, scrap the visit to the 02, seriously, you'll never make it there and back, and walk to Victoria.

Drop down to the river, stroll until you reach Westminster and Big Ben stop for soem lunch and then wander up to Victoria. It 'll take a fair while but there are few other realistic options if the strike does go ahead.

[ilovemarkb]

Thanks once again x. Yes it is the 8th and 9th. Ive already paid 43 quid for elvis tour tickets. Not sure to attemt journey. Arhhh. Is there a website that i can find out if the strike is on?

[mushroom25]

if tube strike:-

from Russell Square go to stop "E", get 188 bus and alight at Boord Street. The O2 is a 5mn walk from there. journey time normally 1h25mn but expect congestion so it'll be longer.

from O2 to Victoria, get the riverbus RB1 from North Greenwich pier to the London Eye - journey about an hour, boats every 20mn or so. from there walk via birdcage walk/buckingham palace road will take 30mn more.

[mushroom25]

//Is there a website that i can find out if the strike is on? //

yes, BBC News is covering the story. if it's called off, they will know.