Getting Around

It might look like an initmidating sprawl, but once divided into north, south, east and west, London is surprisingly easy to navigate, despite not having the grid layout of other cities. The public transport system gets a hard time, sometimes deservedly so, but it is generally reliable; a TripAdvisor survey recently judged the city to…

Air Travel

International flights to London arrive at either Heathrow (LHR), 15 miles west of London; Gatwick (LGW), 27 miles to the south; Stansted (STN), 35 miles north-east; Luton (LTN), 30 miles to the north; or City (LCY), which is by the Thames in east London. Heathrow is the world’s busiest international airport and second busiest cargo…

Airport Transfer

Airport Bus Services There are several bus companies and routes that operate from London’s airports. Journey times vary, and are dependent on the state of the busy traffic. Also, if you have an early morning or late night departure or arrival you should confirm what time the services start and finish. It is worth booking…

Boat

In the past five years, riverboat piers have opened at Millbank, Blackfriars, Woolwich Arsenal, Bankside, Poplar and Waterloo, making commuting by Thames a much more viable option. Services are popular with visitors and commuters alike; since the terrorist attacks on the tube in July 2005, traffic on the river has soared by a whopping 40%.…

Bus

London’s network of buses can seem quite complex, but once you get used to hopping on and off it’s quite easy to negotiate and a great way to get around. The majority of the capital’s buses are distinctive red double-deckers – although they’re all now modern versions, as the famous Routemasters went out of service…

Car

Having a car in the capital can be a headache. Many parts of central London are designated for residents-only parking, and where meter or pay-and-display spaces are available they’re not cheap. Rates can be as high as £4 per hour, although parking is usually free after 18:30 and at weekends. Penalties for illegal parking are…

Bicycle

Cycling has become an increasingly popular mode of transport in the city – there has been a reported 20% increase in bike journeys since the terrorist attacks in 2005, with an estimated 450,000 cyclists taking to the capital’s roads each day. Cycling in the city centre is not for the faint-hearted, but it’s certainly a…

Motorcycles

The number of motorcyclists on London’s roads shows that riders aren’t put off by any dangers faced – the risks posed are about the same as anywhere else in the UK. Filtering between lanes is allowed but it’s illegal to ride in bus lanes, many of which now have enforcement cameras. It is normally possible…

Taxi

London’s famous black cabs, which can now be seen in a variety of colours, are an institution in the city. A yellow light above the windscreen indicates that the cab is available; if you see one just stick your arm out to signal it. Late at night cabs are more scarce, so be bold and…

Train

Overland trains are useful for reaching places that are not served by the tube. There are a number of overland lines that cross the capital, including the North London Line, which runs from Richmond in the west to Woolwich in the east, and Thameslink, which runs from Brighton on the south coast through to Bedford,…

Underground

Despite constant grumbling by passengers about overcrowding, delays and steep fares, the tube, as the underground is universally known, is usually the quickest and easiest way of getting across London. There are 12 underground lines, plus the Docklands Light Railway and interconnected overland stations, all marked in different colours on Harry Beck’s famous map. Any…

Walking

Travelling by foot can be an excellent way to get around central London and often saves time compared with using public transport – it’s surprising how close some landmarks and areas are to each other. Finding your way round is fairly straightforward with a London A-Z street map, available from bookshops, supermarkets, petrol stations or…