Frequently Asked Questions
Travel Card
Where can I use my Travel Card?
- They are valid on busses, London undergrounds, Docklands Light Railway (DLR) and trains in the London area.
Are the cards stamped with specific dates?
- Yes.
How do you stamp the cards?
- The cards are valid through all calendar days (0-24h) and we stamp them here with e.g. 20 – 26 of August (7 days)
Are the cards valid all day?
- The cards are valid for the whole date on the card. On weekdays, the 1-day cards and the 3-day cards (6 zones) are valid from 9.30. Other then that, there are no restrictions on the afternoons, weekends or public holidays.
Is it cheaper to buy travel cards from you then in Britain?
- The price difference is marginal, but the advantage is to have the tickets when you arrive in Britain.
Can two people travel on the same card on the same journey?
- No, the card can only be used by one person at a time.
Do children travel for free?
- Yes, up to 4 children can travel with one paying adult.
From what age do you need to pay for a ticket?
- Children aged 11-15 years pay children’s fee.
Can you get a discount if you are retired or a student?
- No. There are two types of tickets, for children and for adults.
Can I use my travel card to and from Heathrow?
- Yes, but only if you have a 6 zone travel card.
Can I use my travel card to and from Gatwick and Stansted?
- No. For travel to and from these airports, please check information under ‘Train tickets’ or ‘Flight transfer’.
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Oyster Cards
What is an Oyster Card?
- An Oyster Card is a travel card, that is not date specific and that you can fill and refill with money in advance. When you use the card, the system keeps track of where you travel from and how much you should pay for the route.
Where can I use an Oyster Card?
- London underground, busses, Docklands Light Railway (DLR) and some local trains
In which zones can I use an Oyster Card?
- They are valid in all zones, i.e. zone 1-6.
Is the card personal?
- No, a friend can borrow it, but not at the same time as you.
Can two people use the card at the same time?
- No. It can only be used by one person at a time.
Can children use Oyster Cards?
- No, children need a Travel Card. Oyster Cards are only available for adults.
How can I refill the card?
- You can refill the card with money at a ticket booth or ticket machine at the underground stations. You can pay with both cash and credit card. You cannot refill the card in our shop in Stockholm or on our homepage.
What is the minimum charging amount?
- 5 pounds.
Can I see how much money is on the card?
- Yes, you can find out how much money is left on your Oyster Card at the ticket machines. There are ticket machines at every underground station.
Can I get my money back if I haven’t spent it all?
- No, you can use the rest of the amount on your next visit. The card has no expiry date.
How do I get from Heathrow airport to London?
- Underground: Leaves from terminals 1,2,3,4 and 5. Approx. 1 hour to central London. You can buy the tickets in our Webshop.
- Trains: 2 trains go directly from Heathrow to London Paddington Station.
- Heathrow Express: Approx 15 min to central London. Tickets available in our Webshop.
- Heathrow Connect: Approx. 25 min to central London.
- Bus: There are several busses going to different destinations in the London area and all around Britain. National Express takes about 1 hour to London Victoria.
- Taxi: Approx. 1 hour to central London.
Can I use my Oyster Card to and from Gatwick and Stansted airports?
- No. For travel to and from these airports, please check information under ‘Train tickets’ or ‘Flight transfer’.
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Train tickets
What is a BritRail Pass?
- A BritRail Pass or train pass, gives you unlimited access to the part of the British railway system that you have paid for. Most train passes are also valid on Gatwick Express, Heathrow Express and Stansted Express. Train passes are available for these areas: London, England, Scotland and Britain.
Are there places where I can’t use my train pass?
- The train pass is valid on all train routes in Britain.
Are the tickets restricted to a specific departure time?
- No, the tickets are open, i.e. you can travel with all trains at any time.
How long is a train pass valid for?
- A train pass is valid 6 months after reservation date. During this time the pass has to be activated and used. A roundtrip ticket is valid 2 months after first day of usage. Flexi Pass is valid 30 days after it’s activated and Fixed Pass is valid for the number of days you chose to pay for.
Do I have to activate my train pass?
- Yes, it is very important that you activate your train pass before using it the first time. If you don’t activate the pass, it’s not valid for usage and you have to buy a new ticket from the conductor. The pass can be activated at the train station, usually in a ticket- or information office, but some times there is only a ticket booth. If you wish to start your trip at Heathrow with an express train to Paddington station, you can activate the card at Heathrow Express’ ticket booth at the airport. Ask them to activate from the same day. When you travel with a Flexi Pass, you can write the date yourself in the pass.
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Do I have to book a seat on the train before departure?
- No. You will get a place on the train anyway, but if you want to be sure to get a seat, this can be arranged for you in a ticket office at the train station.
Will there be any hidden expenses on the train?
- No, you don’t have to pay any extra expenses onboard.
What is a Fixed/Consecutive train pass?
- Fixed, or consecutive, means that the pass can be used during a specific period of time. You can use the pass as many times as you like, within the period. The pass is also valid on the express trains to and from Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports.
What is a Flexi Pass?
- Flexi means that you can use the pass for a specific number of days under a 30 day period. Example: If you buy a 2-day Flexi Pass with a start date 11-6-2009, you can use the two days within 30 days from the start date. You can use the pass as many times as you like during a travel day. The pass is also valid on the express trains to and from Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports. (read more about how to activate your train pass under the question ‘Do I have to activate my train pass?’)
Can I travel on busses or in the underground with my train pass?
- The passes are valid on ordinary trains and not on busses, underground, special trains like Eurostar to France or steam trains.
What are the age limits on the tickets?
Children = 5-15 years (children under 5 years go for free with adult)
Youths = 16-25 years
Adults = 26-59 years
Seniors = 60 years <
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What is a Party Pass?
- The cheapest alternative for groups is to buy a Party Pass. With a Party Pass you get a 50% discount for passenger no. 3, 4, and 5 and so on. The group has to be at least 3 people and max. 9 people. You only get one ticket for the whole group, so the group has to travel together.
How do I get from Heathrow airport to London?
- Underground: Leaves from terminals 1,2,3,4 and 5. Approx. 1 hour to central London. You can buy the tickets on our Webshop.
- Trains: 2 trains go directly from Heathrow to London Paddington Station.
- Heathrow Express: Approx 15 min to central London. Tickets available in our Webshop.
- Heathrow Connect: Approx. 25 min to central London.
- Bus: There are several busses going to different destinations in the London area and all around Britain. National Express takes around 1 hour to London Victoria.
- Taxi: Approx. 1 hour to central London.
How do I get from Gatwick airport to London?
- Train: 2 train companies travel to London Victoria Station.
- Gatwick Express: Approx. 30 min to central London. Tickets are for sale on our Webshop.
- Gatwick Train: Times can vary around 35-50 min to central London. Tickets are for sale in our Webshop.
- Bus: National Express takes approx 80 min to London Victoria Station.
- Taxi: Approx 1 hour to central London.
How do I get to London from Stansted airport?
- Train: Stansted Express to Liverpool Street station takes around 45 min to central London. The tickets can be bought on our Webshop or at the airport. Timetables or other information is available on: www.stanstedexpress.com
- Bus: The busses takes around 1 – 1½ hours to London Victoria or Liverpool Street Station. Tickets can be bought at the airport or on the net. Timetables can be found here: www.nationalexpress.com or www.terravision.eu/london.html.
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Coach/Bus tickets
Do you sell coach tickets?
- Unfortunately not. If you wish to travel by coach, you can buy the ticket at the coach station or sometimes on the net. For further information, please visit www.nationalexpress.com or www.citylink.co.uk.
How do I get to London from the airports Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted?
- Heathrow: There are several busses going to different destinations in the London area and all around Britain. National Express takes around 1 hour to London Victoria.
- Gatwick: National Express takes approx 80 min to London Victoria Station.
- Stansted: The busses takes around 1 – 1½ hours to London Victoria or Liverpool Street Station. Tickets can be bought at the airport or on the net. Timetables can be found here: www.nationalexpress.com, www.terravision.eu/london.html or www.easybus.co.uk.
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Flight transfer
How do I get from Heathrow airport to London?
- Underground: Leaves from terminals 1,2,3,4 and 5. Approx. 1 hour to central London. You can buy the tickets in our Webshop.
- Trains: 2 trains go directly from Heathrow to London Paddington Station.
- Heathrow Express: Approx 15 min to central London. Tickets available in our Webshop.
- Heathrow Connect: Approx. 25 min to central London.
- Bus: There are several busses going to different destinations in the London area and all around Britain. National Express takes about 1 hour to London Victoria.
- Taxi: Approx. 1 hour to central London.
How do I get from Gatwick airport to London?
- Train: 2 train companies travel to London Victoria Station.
- Gatwick Express: Approx. 30 min to central London. Tickets are for sale on our Webshop.
- Gatwick Train: Times can vary around 35-50 min to central London. Tickets are for sale in our Webshop.
- Bus: National Express takes approx 80 min to London Victoria Station.
- Taxi: Approx 1 hour to central London.
How do I get to London from Stansted airport?
- Train: Stansted Express to Liverpool Street station takes around 45 min to central London. The tickets can be bought on our Webshop or at the airport. Timetables or other information is available on: www.stanstedexpress.com
- Bus: The busses takes around 1 – 1½ hours to London Victoria or Liverpool Street Station. Tickets can be bought at the airport or on the net. Timetables can be found here: www.nationalexpress.com, www.terravision.eu/london.html or www.easybus.co.uk.
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Attractions
Can I use the attraction tickets when I want?
- Yes, the tickets are not restricted to a specific date, so you can use them any time you choose up to the expiry date on the ticket.
Is it cheaper to buy the ticket from you then in Britain?
- Some tickets are cheaper, but you save time buying the tickets from us, since the ticket queues are usually very long.
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Questions about booking
Can I book hotel nights or flight tickets from you?
- No, unfortunately we don’t sell flight tickets or hotel stays.
How do I know if my order went through?
- You will get an order confirmation by e-mail.
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Questions about payment
What payment methods do you have in Webshop?
- We accept all credit cards, except for American Express and Diners.
What payment methods do you have in the shop in Stockholm?
- In the shop you can pay with both cash and credit cards. We accept all credit cards, except for American Express and Diners.
If I for some reason can’t travel, will I get my money back?
- Travel Cards: You get 85% of the paid amount back, if the card is returned to us before travel date.
- Attraction tickets: If we get the tickets in return before expiry date, you will get 85% of the amount back. This is only relevant if the tickets are unused and unharmed.
- Transport to and from the airports: There are no refunds on tickets to and from the airports. This includes the administrative fees.
- Oyster Cards: No refunds. This includes administrative fees.
- For returns, complaints and refunds: All complaints or refunds should be sent to us in writing together with the tickets and a valid receipt to:
British Travel Centre AB
Box 3102
103 62 Stockholm
Sverige
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Questions about delivery
What is an e-ticket?
- An e-ticket is an electronic ticket that we send by e-mail. The only thing you have to do is print the ticket and show it to the conductor on your journey.
How will I receive my tickets if I bought them on your Webshop?
- We send the tickets with ordinary mail. If you bought an e-ticket, it will be sent by e-mail.
Which tickets can be delivered by e-mail?
- You can get tickets to Heathrow Express and Gatwick Express by e-mail. All other tickets will be sent with ordinary mail to your letterbox.
How long is the delivery time?
- In Sweden it’s approx. 5 working days and in Norway, Finland and Denmark it takes about 10 working days.
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Other
What type of maps do you sell?
- We sell city maps over London, tourist maps for all of Britain and some road maps. (see also the section ’Tips and inspiration’ in this FAQ)
Which brochures do you have in the shop?
- In the shop we have a few brochures from Scotland, Wales and London. These are available for free in the shop in Stockholm. For other places, please visit our homepage. A tip is to go directly to the local tourist offices, where you often can order brochures directly to your home address. For contact information on local tourist offices, visit: http://www.enjoyengland.com/find-tic/
What are the opening hours in London?
- General opening hours for shops and stores are Monday-Friday 9.00-18.00. Larger stores like Harrods, Liberty and Selfrigdes can sometimes have longer opening hours. On Sundays, shops are usually open 12.00-17.00.
What type of voltage and power sockets do they have in Britain?
The voltage used in Britain is 240 Volts AC at 50HZ. Most power sockets are designed for standard 3-pin square plugs. Electrical appliances in Britain generally use the British standard plug with 3 square pins. Adaptors are available in our Webshop.
What currency do they use in Scotland?
- British Pounds, but they have their own bills. The Scottish bills can also be used in England and Wales, with a few exceptions.
Can I travel to the UK with my national ID-card?
- No, you always need a passport to travel to and from Britain. Don’t forget to check the expiry date before travelling (see below).
Does my passport have to be valid for a specific time when travelling to the UK?
- Your passport has to be valid for the whole stay in the UK. If your passport is to expire during your vacation in Britain, you have to renew the passport before departure. Although it’s always good to double check your terms and conditions on the airline you’re travelling with, since some airlines demand a specific validation date.
Can children travel with parents’ passport?
-No, all children should have their own passports.
Do I need a visa to travel to the UK?
- If you have a Finnish passport or a passport from another EU- or EEA-country, you do not need a visa to travel to the UK. If you have a passport from a country outside the EU or EEA, you have to apply for a visa at the British Embassy in your country of residence. On Worldbridge Agencys homepage, you can find out more about visas and how you apply (the information is validated by the UK Border): https://www.visainfoservices.com/Pages/Welcome.aspx.
For other queries about visas, please contact the British Embassy in Finland:
http://ukinfinland.fco.gov.uk/en/
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