The London Pass offers free entry to over 60 attractions in landmarks, historic buildings, museums and galleries, as well as tours, cruises and walks. It is possible to save money on admissions with the London Pass, but the product also offers the benefits of convenience and time management to buyers. The best approach to a London Pass purchasing decision is to make a realistic list of things to see and do, followed by considering whether the pass will save money and time.
Costs and delivery
The London Pass is available in one, two, three or six day versions. A chip inside the card records your first use and then cuts off eligibility at the appropriate time. Please note that these are calendar days, not 24 hour periods. Start early in the day to get the best time advantage.
At first glance, pass prices seem quite expensive, and pass prices have risen steadily in recent years. However, remember that they reflect the high ticket prices to London attractions.
- A one-day adult pass costs £ 59 ($ 85); a day children’s pass costs £ 39 ($ 56)
- For two-day passes, adults pay £ 79 ($ 99) and children £ 59 ($ 85)
- For three-day passes, the cost is £ 95 ($ 137) for adults and £ 66 ($ 95) for children.
- Six-day passes cost £ 129 ($ 186) for adults and £ 89 ($ 129) for children.
For purchasing purposes, children are defined as travelers between the ages of 5 to 15.
(Note: Currency conversions were accurate at the time this story was written, but are subject to frequent fluctuations. When budgeting for travel, please rely on updated rates that can be found on websites such as Xe.com) .
These are the daily prices, but it is often possible to get discounts online.
There are limits on how much you can do in a day, but it is unlikely that you will reach these points. For example, the admission fees you skip on an adult day pass must total less than £ 90, £ 180 for a two-day pass, £ 270 for a three-day pass, and £ 540 for a six-day pass. .
You can also buy the London Pass with Travel for an additional £ 13 / day on a day pass for adults, £ 6 / day or less for children. This provides unlimited rides on The Tube, other land trains (zones 1-6), and buses. If you determine that it is a good buy, you must make the purchase before arriving in London. Note that a London Day Transit Pass costs less than £ 13 when purchased directly from underground windows and machines.
Each London Pass comes with a compact but detailed guidebook with descriptions of each covered attraction, a drop-down map of the Tube system and a section of London business discount offers.
Delivery can be made in London at the exchange counter on Charing Cross Road (near Leicester Square tube station) or via Federal Express to your home address. The only free method is pickup in London. Shipping costs vary depending on the service chosen. Unless you have many weeks until your trip, a London pickup is recommended.
What is covered?
The promotional literature for the London Pass will surprise you with the claim that passes are accepted at over 60 area attractions. But you need to determine which of these attractions, if any, is on your London to-do list.
There are very few major attractions in London that are not covered. One notable exception is the London Eye.
The Tower of London is among the most important attractions in the city. The cost of admission for adults at this writing is £ 25 ($ 36). If you’ve never been to the Tower of London, you could benefit from buying at least one day pass. Combine it with nearby attractions like the Tower Bridge Exposition (£ 9), a River Thames cruise (£ 19) and perhaps a visit to St Paul’s Cathedral (£ 18), you could reap significant cost savings for your total day of sightseeing in London.
But if this isn’t your first trip to London, you may have already seen these attractions. Let’s say you want to visit perhaps an expensive attraction and then hang out at the British Museum, which does not charge admission fees. On that itinerary, a London Pass might not work to your financial advantage.
Therefore, it is crucial to have an itinerary at least partially established before considering the purchase of the London Pass.
London Pass tends to work best for first-time visitors who have long lists of things they want to see in the city. Savings will add up with the number of travelers in the family.
But the London Pass can also be valuable for seasoned travelers who have already seen the main sites. Among the 60 attractions covered are places like HMS Belfast, which isn’t necessarily London’s top attraction on most travelers’ lists, but requires an entrance fee of £ 16 ($ 23 USD).
In one day, you can visit three or four attractions that charge £ 8 to £ 13 for admission and not save a great deal of money with the London Pass.
But it’s also important to consider the time saved on the ticket lines. You can jump in front of these lines at the Tower of London, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Hampton Court Palace, Windsor Castle, London Bridge Experience, ZSL London Zoo, Kensington Palace, and The Orangery. If any of these attractions are on your itinerary, consider adding value to your overall visit by skipping the long lines. This is even more crucial if you have young children in your group. Note that Westminster Abbey, which frequently hosts long visitor lines, is not included on the line breaks list.
Easy to use
The London Pass must be accepted by ticketing people without question. This immediate acceptance is significant when considering the purchase of a pass of any kind. With some passes and discount cards, you will find yourself with raised eyebrows and questions before acceptance. This can be embarrassing and sometimes results in delays. But the London Pass can be bought with confidence, knowing that it is commonly used and accepted.
The application provides directions, maps and a summary of the operating times of the attractions. It is a good idea to download the application before leaving home. It can be used without an internet connection to make decisions on the go.
Strategic decisions
For travelers on a budget, the London Pass is probably not a good option. London’s array of free attractions and relatively inexpensive transport options (day passes on the tube generally cost less than $ 15) can allow for quality sightseeing without high prices. It’s also possible to buy a substantial entrance fee per day, add a few free attractions, and spend far less money than the purchase of the London Pass requires.
Budget travelers who view the London Pass strictly as a means of saving a lot of money on attractions may be somewhat disappointed. Unless you have a very ambitious itinerary (three or four attractions per day), the pass is unlikely to provide significant savings.
For fairly serious tourists, the London Pass offers significant value. If you want to visit 10 top attractions in two or three days, the London Pass will save you money and time.
For those who add up the admission fees and find it basically a wash, consider this: Circumstances change quickly when you travel, and your detailed itinerary often goes out the window if weather or other issues force you to change your plans.
With the London Pass, you can get through those changes quite easily, knowing that you are covered for visiting most of the city’s top attractions.
Buy it directly from the London Pass website.
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