London transportation

London has been recently awarded for its ample public transport network being the best in the world, so the best way of getting around the city is by public transport operated by Transport for London. One can purchase an Oyster Card for £3, an electronic smartcard that can be charged with money!

Pay-as-you-go will save you time and money! Make sure to touch the card reader in and out of the Tube! Do not damage the card and be careful not to stand close to the card reader when traveling as it might charge you more than once even with the card in your bag! At the end of your trip if you have credit left on the card you’ll get it back together with the £3 paid for the card. Note that there is no expiry date on the Card and the Oyster is not valid on National Rail!

Furthermore, several types of Travel Card Season Tickets are available and can also be a good bargain!

The Tube, probably the fastest way to get from one corner to another as it practically covers the whole city. Made up of 12 lines each with its own name and color, easy to use and if you are in doubt just get a free map available at any station!

When wanting to do a little sightseeing, take on of London’s iconic red busses! In London you are never too far from a bus stop and it is an easy way to travel as long as you know where to get off. A trip with the old-fashioned Rout master bus is certainly worth a try! Even if only for the fun of traveling, try out the Docklands Light Railway as the trains often operate without a driver, it can be quite exciting.

Some more relaxed and pleasant ways of getting around the city are by boat, on foot and sometimes cycling, though London is not a true cycling paradise! One should not ‘escape’ a trip with London’s typical black cabs, a unique experience! Black cabs charge by distance and by the minute, are non-smoking, and have a minimum charge of £2.20.

If you wish to visit London by car, forget about it, or leave your car outside the city center and following the Londoners example use public transport. Unless you want to get frustrated, annoyed, pay to much for parking and end up with a headache, do not go driving in Central London!

London get around