How To Get Free Fravel in London
1. The Trusty Classic. A very easy way to avoid paying for travel on the train/subway is to find a friend with a valid ticket, and then get said friend to put their card through. The crucial thing is to make sure as they go through that they waive their hand in front of the black sensors. This will prevent the doors from closing until there is nothing obstructing the signals. Giving you enough time to skip through the gates.
2. The Little Boy Lost. If the gates are open in the station you are traveling from, go through without a card. When you reach the station you are going to and are faced with the gates. Tell the underground man that you've left your ticket on the train. Or, better yet, you can say you've had your wallet mugged and make a crying face. 87% of the time they will let you through purely out of sympathy, so you can cancel your debit cards before the inevitable 'fraud' occurs.
3. The Early Bird. This one is genius and not used enough. You need to get your bus pass to be printed, in advance, for the following day/week '“ most corner-shops will stamp it for you with the date you want. This is a service they generally offer to people who have to get up super-early for work when all the shops/ticket dispensers are closed. Most conductors on the bus will just presume it's a monthly travel pass. This is not failsafe but generally works.
4. The Tramp. Not technically free, but still has to be done if purely for the experience. You can buy a used travel card on the cheap from your resident homeless alcoholic/heroin addict. They can be found hanging around the entrance to tube stations. I can guarantee they will initially test you to see how much they can get (a.k.a skanking you). Always undercut them, expect to pay no more than £2.00. If they reject your initial offer, stare at them for an extended period as if to say they are being unreasonable. They will always buckle.
5. The Free Bus. In London, try and find the bendy buses (a.k.a. free buses) they rarely have ticket inspections. These have the added fun factor because if you stand in the snakey bit that attaches the two parts of the bus than it's feels almost like you're surfing.
