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Anyone here know London or Berlin?
February 1, 2018 at 1:33 pm
I'm studying abroad in Europe right now, and I have a couple of long weekends coming up, so I booked cheap flights to Berlin and London. Never been to either city before 
Has anyone here been to either of these cities and want to share any suggestions of cool places to go or things to see and eat? I have about 5-6 days in each city. I'm going to Berlin because I'm very interested in its history, and London because it's so famous, because I've never been to the UK before, and because my flight was only $50 
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RE: Anyone here know London or Berlin?
February 1, 2018 at 2:02 pm
I used to live in London. Everything is worth seeing. If you are there for 5-6 days buy a week travelcard (you can get them at most underground stations). It gives you unlimited travel on the underground, London overground, buses, etc. Its pretty cheap considering, and well worth the money.
If you have a phone, download citymapper, it will tell you how to get anywhere, which underground stations to use, etc.
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RE: Anyone here know London or Berlin?
February 1, 2018 at 3:34 pm
I've been to London several times. The last few times were to the BBC for the recordings of shows like QI, Two Pints Of Lager and Would I Lie To You. The QI trip, I remember, we saw Dustin Hoffman in his raincoat, looking just like Columbo, between scenes of Last Chance Harvey.
The only other times I've been there were political; delivering a petition to Parliament, and being in both Poll Tax marches - yes, I was almost caught up in the famous riot, but our lot were smart enough to turn into tourists immediately prior. I remember everything being really expensive, but then again Thatcher's 80s.
At the age of five, Skagra decided emphatically that God did not exist. This revelation tends to make most people in the universe who have it react in one of two ways - with relief or with despair. Only Skagra responded to it by thinking, 'Wait a second. That means there's a situation vacant.'
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RE: Anyone here know London or Berlin?
February 1, 2018 at 3:42 pm
(This post was last modified: February 1, 2018 at 3:52 pm by shadow.)
(February 1, 2018 at 2:02 pm)Tiberius Wrote: I used to live in London. Everything is worth seeing. If you are there for 5-6 days buy a week travelcard (you can get them at most underground stations). It gives you unlimited travel on the underground, London overground, buses, etc. Its pretty cheap considering, and well worth the money.
Yeah, transit in London looks pretty expensive, so that's probably a good call to get a pass. Do you know if there multiple transit companies, or would the card work on all the buses and trains?
(February 1, 2018 at 3:34 pm)Cyberman Wrote: I've been to London several times. The last few times were to the BBC for the recordings of shows like QI, Two Pints Of Lager and Would I Lie To You. The QI trip, I remember, we saw Dustin Hoffman in his raincoat, looking just like Columbo, between scenes of Last Chance Harvey.
The only other times I've been there were political; delivering a petition to Parliament, and being in both Poll Tax marches - yes, I was almost caught up in the famous riot, but our lot were smart enough to turn into tourists immediately prior. I remember everything being really expensive, but then again Thatcher's 80s.
The BBC is a place? I just use their website to read the news and watch documentaries. Never thought of it as somewhere you could go.
And looks like we've got a rebel here - probably shouldn't follow your advice or I'll end up in an anarchist riot
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RE: Anyone here know London or Berlin?
February 1, 2018 at 3:53 pm
(This post was last modified: February 1, 2018 at 4:09 pm by KittyAnn.)
London is a good choice, I have been there many times and there is a lot to see, and many museums are for free .... it's really cool! I like London 😉
I was in Berlin once and it was ... hmmm how was it? it was worse than in London hehe 
and when are you going to London? I also go there
Btw, what are you studying and where, if I can ask, of course?
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RE: Anyone here know London or Berlin?
February 1, 2018 at 3:54 pm
Last time I was there, for some work reason I literally just remembered, I was told that you can use a credit card on (I think) all bus and tube journeys as if it's a travel pass, up to a certain maximum fare after which you're no longer charged. Something like that, though you'd best check for details.
At the age of five, Skagra decided emphatically that God did not exist. This revelation tends to make most people in the universe who have it react in one of two ways - with relief or with despair. Only Skagra responded to it by thinking, 'Wait a second. That means there's a situation vacant.'
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RE: Anyone here know London or Berlin?
February 1, 2018 at 3:59 pm
(February 1, 2018 at 3:42 pm)shadow Wrote: The BBC is a place? I just use their website to read the news and watch documentaries. Never thought of it as somewhere you could go.
It's a working TV studio (or studios, plural, for different functions). The iconic Television Centre that we went to is sadly no more, though I'm not sure if the building itself is still there. It'd be a crime if it's been demolished, in my opinion, given its place in history.
(February 1, 2018 at 3:42 pm)shadow Wrote: And looks like we've got a rebel here - probably shouldn't follow your advice or I'll end up in an anarchist riot
Oh yeah, you can only go wrong with me. 
At the age of five, Skagra decided emphatically that God did not exist. This revelation tends to make most people in the universe who have it react in one of two ways - with relief or with despair. Only Skagra responded to it by thinking, 'Wait a second. That means there's a situation vacant.'
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RE: Anyone here know London or Berlin?
February 1, 2018 at 4:05 pm
(February 1, 2018 at 3:54 pm)Cyberman Wrote: Last time I was there, for some work reason I literally just remembered, I was told that you can use a credit card on (I think) all bus and tube journeys as if it's a travel pass, up to a certain maximum fare after which you're no longer charged. Something like that, though you'd best check for details.
Yeah, I've just been researching how to get from the airport to my hostel, and there's a train (Greater Anglia). In Vancouver, my home, the trains and buses are part of the same system, so you pay the same fares on the same card. So I'm just wondering if I might need to arrange a train trip separately, or if I could just pay for it with the tube/bus card.
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RE: Anyone here know London or Berlin?
February 1, 2018 at 4:17 pm
(This post was last modified: February 1, 2018 at 4:28 pm by Homeless Nutter.)
(February 1, 2018 at 3:54 pm)Cyberman Wrote: Last time I was there, for some work reason I literally just remembered, I was told that you can use a credit card on (I think) all bus and tube journeys as if it's a travel pass, up to a certain maximum fare after which you're no longer charged. Something like that, though you'd best check for details.
It's not exactly like that. There are certain bank cards, that work as travel-cards, but I doubt anyone coming from abroad would have one of those. However, anyone can buy an Oyster card from a ticket vending machine at most train and tube station, then top it up (at the same machine, or online) and use that credit to pay for almost all public transport in London. Once the cost of your journeys in a day reaches the cost of a daily travel-card for the zones you've been traveling within - the rest of your travel that day - within those zones - is free.
You can also use the Oyster card as a weekly travel-card.
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RE: Anyone here know London or Berlin?
February 1, 2018 at 4:21 pm
(February 1, 2018 at 3:42 pm)shadow Wrote: (February 1, 2018 at 2:02 pm)Tiberius Wrote: I used to live in London. Everything is worth seeing. If you are there for 5-6 days buy a week travelcard (you can get them at most underground stations). It gives you unlimited travel on the underground, London overground, buses, etc. Its pretty cheap considering, and well worth the money.
Yeah, transit in London looks pretty expensive, so that's probably a good call to get a pass. Do you know if there multiple transit companies, or would the card work on all the buses and trains?
It's mostly controlled by Transport for London. https://tfl.gov.uk/
I believe for the week pass you will need to buy an Oyster card, which you can do from a number of places. I would ask when you land. With the Oyster card, you can load the week pass onto it, and then just "scan" the oyster card when you use transport. Here's a useful video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukFo6BwI3FY
It should work for the underground (though only in certain zones), buses and London overground. Zones 1+2 are where most things are. You should check which zone your hotel is in though.
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