London help needed

marksmith99

For walking directions/distances etc I find this site a bit better than google maps.

http://walkit.com/

chmmy

I used to walk from Baker Street near Madame Tussauds to Victoria to visit a friend when my twins were small and in the double buggy. It took under an hour, and it's a bit further across the bridge to the London eye. It's a nice walk, you can pass down Baker Street, across Oxford Street, past the American Embassy, cut through Green Park, past Buckingham Palace and down to Victoria. It's gently downhill most of the way.
Alternatively the 453 (as already mentioned) is a bendy bus which have large seatless areas on them suitable for wheel chairs and pushchairs, you can get on at the middle doors as well as the front.

kingfisherblue

whatmichaelsays wrote: »

Depending on where abouts in the North West you are travelling from, the trains are going to be very busy. Around 20,000 rugby fans from Warrington will be making their way to Wembley on Saturday morning.

We'll be travelling from St. Helens, but it isn't this weekend that we are going. A very good point that I hadn't considered though!

I was thinking about early November, and I'll have to book as I might need some help getting the wheelchair on and off the train (some trains have very little space for them, as I have discovered in the past!)

chmmy, gently downhill sounds good - much easier than uphill!

marksmith99, thanks for the link - now in my favourites!

hitatotatus

Hi. Hope your plans are coming together with all the info! Just a note - all children travel free on buses if they have an oyster photo card. You have to apply through the oyster site in advance by sending in a photo and application. The standard oyster charge of £3 applies, but I think I read somewhere that after 1 Sept they are charging a non-refundable £10 admin charge. Search Oyster site for information if you think it is worth applying. I didn't for my son, just got him a regular adults Oyster as I didn't know about it in time for our trip.

Aesop

I would call the Oyster helpline and ask them, especially as you may be better off getting the visitors oyster card, and on the site it seemed that kids could travel free with adult visitors oyster card.

But I would call and speak to someone to clarify exactly how it works and if you need the photocards.

hitatotatus

For your information re Oyster................

www.londontoolkit.com/briefing/oystercard.htm

Children 5-10.
Under-11s can travel free at any time on buses and trams without the need for a Photocard.
They can also travel free at any time on the Tube and DLR when they are traveling with an adult who has a valid ticket. Up to 4 children under 11 years old accompanied by a paying adult travel free on the London Underground.
Unaccompanied children between 5 and 10 must have a valid Photocard.


Children 11-15.
Children aged 11 to 15 years must get an 11-15 Oyster photocard to travel free on buses and trams and at child-rate on Tube, DLR and London Overground services.
You can get around the photocard requirement by purchasing a 1 day Travelcard for the child, (longer length Travelcards do require a photo card) or paying the cash fare.


Children 16-17.
All 16 to 17-year-olds can travel at child-rate on bus, Tube, tram, DLR and London Overground services with a 16+ Oyster photocard.


Obtaining a Photocard.
Visitors to London can order a Photocard in advance for their children and collect on arrival at a travel centre. (There is a Travel Centre at Heathrow Airport as well as in Central London).
Note you need to apply (online) at least 3 weeks prior to arrival.
From 1 September 2010 non-London residents have to pay a non-refundable £10 administration fee
Advance application for Child Photocard

vodkawitch1

You should get on the London eye free as your son`s carer if they are aware he has a wheelchair. I have always found them very good.

Aesop

Winter Wonderland will be on from 19 November to 3 January 2011.

http://www.hydeparkwinterwonderland.com/

kingfisherblue

Thank you all again - you have all been great and it is appreciated. The information on the Oyster card is interesting - I have boys aged 10 and 12, so the 10 year old would travel free if I bought an Oyster card. I'd have to take ID for him though - he's a tall lad and his older brother is at least six inches shorter than him

Winter Wonderland looks spectacular! It's a bit later than I wanted to visist London, but now I'm wondering whether to alter my dates. On the other hand, if I stick with my original idea of early November, I can start saving again and return next year to take in the Wonderland. It also means that I'm not going to be trying to cram too much into the weekend.

Aesop

sorry Kingfisherblue, shouldn't have added the bit about Winter Wonderland..

I think stick to your original plan, and like you said, you can save up and come back again and there is always plenty to see

Have a fab time when you come down and don't forget to "wave" to us MSE Londoners.