London transport

Lorcan

Lorcan

Forum Buddy
Joined
Nov 26, 2016
Messages
12,786
Reaction score
38,881
Points
2,134
Location
Rochdale
Does anyone have a clue if I can pre-purchase bus tickets in London? I don't want to be getting cash out if I don't have to, and the card I'll be using isn't contactless.
 
Cash isn't accepted on any London buses. You need to pay with a card - either a contactless bank card or buy a travelcard or Oyster card. Probably your best bet would be to get a Visitors Oyster card. Visitor Oyster card Or depending on how long you're staying a Day travelcard might suit you better London Day Travelcard You can buy them in advance and they'll post them to you.

These can be used all over the London Transport system, ie tube, Overground, buses, trams, etc. If you ONLY want to travel by bus you can get a one day or weekly bus/tram pass - which is obviously cheaper, but I think you have to buy that on the day at a station or tfl visitor centre..

It's all very complicated - sorry!

(I don't have to bother with all this stuff as I now get free travel :D )
 
It'd be too late for post - hell it'd've been too late even when I found out I was going, what with how the post has been over the Christmas period. I can apparently get an oyster card at the train station which isn't far from the coach station, so that's not too bad.
 
Yup, but the app won't let me add a contactless card. Bit useless to me otherwise lol.
 
I think an Oyster card would be best as you can add money to it for any future travel - it is complicated but it’s so much better than having to carry cash around !
 
Oh good grief and I thought TfGM had a useless app. I take it all back, I'll have to call in the morning like I've got nothing better to do. There's no way to buy a card, and even though they claim they can use Google Pay as a substitute I can't add details, Google Pay or otherwise.
 
So to explain this next cluster....wordIcan'tuse-

Bank account A - registered to my current address, up to date card, don't know the PIN for it. I keep forgetting. Stopped bothering to ask them to send me it out, because I keep forgetting. Account's also overdrawn.
Bank account B - only exists because I'm too lazy to go to Middleton and close it. I have the PIN, I have the card, it's not contactless. It's also registered to my old address (and apparently my old phone number somehow) because ringing them up is...painful. And I always figured I'd do it after I moved, then tomorrow, then next week, and now it's been a year and I'm too embarrassed to call up.

So. I can't register Bank account B with Google Pay because, well, obvious reasons. I can register Bank account A. I'll scrounge up the cash somewhere, better than having Bank B freak out because my card's being used in London, which they will. They're good at that. Also great at locking me out of my account with no notice because somebody somewhere's in a bad mood. Tossers.
 
poggle said:
That's a shame, it let us add one! I hope you manage to sort out the... kerfuffle with your accounts🤞
Click to expand...

Since Google Pay replaces the contactless option, I'm skipping the app lol. My parents did say if I needed help with paying some of it they didn't mind helping out, so off I go to beg
 
When we went to London, we downloaded the oyster app and you just link it to your debit card and scan your phone on the under ground and buses. Good luck for tomorrow, I’ll be thinking of you x
 

Attachments

  • F3D0D4D2-B44A-4E00-A9BB-E545AFA61B49.webp
    F3D0D4D2-B44A-4E00-A9BB-E545AFA61B49.webp
    4.8 KB · Views: 1
Wouldn't you know the original bus route planned is no longer showing up on Google Maps, lol. They have swapped for another one but I guess I'm going to have to check again tomorrow morning. , because I wasn't planning on needing my data switched on til I was coming back. Grumble.
 
Lorcan said:
Wouldn't you know the original bus route planned is no longer showing up on Google Maps, lol. They have swapped for another one but I guess I'm going to have to check again tomorrow morning. , because I wasn't planning on needing my data switched on til I was coming back. Grumble.
Click to expand...
With London buses I would say you are best using city mapper as it’s live, when you are getting lots of buses you will find your journey will change a lot depending on when you look at it as traffic is such a big factor and London buses don’t really have time tables! City mapper will also give you a notification as to when to get off! To your point about the daily cap on the bus is about £5 so as long as you use the same card you will not go over £5! 😊
 
rp1993 said:
With London buses I would say you are best using city mapper as it’s live, when you are getting lots of buses you will find your journey will change a lot depending on when you look at it as traffic is such a big factor and London buses don’t really have time tables! City mapper will also give you a notification as to when to get off! To your point about the daily cap on the bus is about £5 so as long as you use the same card you will not go over £5! 😊
Click to expand...

Google Maps does something of a live update, but they're not particularly clear over it. I'll take a look at City Mapper, thank you!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top