Getting Around

London is one of the largest cities in Europe and its sprawling streets can be quite overwhelming when you first arrive. Visitors from the States, for example, will find that none of the streets are in blocks and are instead denoted with seemingly arbitrary names, rather than numbers. Nevertheless, the city boasts an excellent public transport system, allowing you to get around 24 hours a day.

On Foot

Although London can initially seem confusing and extraordinarily large, once you get the hang of it you'll realise that everything is actually a bit closer together than you thought. Remember the walking distance between two tube stops in central London is never more than 10 minutes, sometimes a lot less.

A to Z

Owning a copy of this compact street atlas isn't just for visitors; just about everyone in London has one to help them navigate the arcane street layout. It's really easy to use: at the back you'll find an index of all London's streets with a page and grid reference. You can buy one, in varying sizes and formats, for about £5 at newsagents, supermarkets and service stations across the city. You might have a map in the back of your guide book, but we firmly recommend you invest in one of these indispensable street plans.

The Tube

When service first started in 1863 it made London Underground the first system of its kind anywhere in the world.

The Tube is a part of life for all Londoners and visitors to the capital. On average three million people use the Tube every single day. There are 270 stations serving over 402 km (249 miles) of railway.

Getting round London by Tube allows fast and easy access to the heart of the city without worrying about traffic jams or getting lost and gives you the freedom to roam at leisure. Master the Tube and you have the key to covering the capital.

Times and Zones

The 12 colour-coded lines are open from around 5am till 12.30am Monday to Friday, and from 7am till 11pm on Sundays, although services do vary. To beat the rush hour, travel after 9.30am in the morning, and Travelcards are cheaper then too. The Underground network is divided into six zones, where Zone 1 is the most central.

Underground Stations

How Much Does It Cost?

The cheapest way of getting around London if you're a visitor is to buy a Travelcard. These can be purchased for a day, 3 days, a week, a month or a year and are valid on buses, Tubes, overland trains and the DLR.

Prices differ between zones, but most visitors to the centre only require Zones 1-2. Extensions can be bought for Zones 3–6.

Travel is cheaper and more convenient if you buy an Oyster Card (see below).

Heathrow airport is in Zone 6. Gatwick, Luton and Stansted airports are outside the Travelcard area but overland services easily connect them to the Tube. A DLR station at London City airport connects it with central London in just 22 minutes.

Airport Information

Single Zone 1: £1.60 (Oyster), £4.00 (cash)
Single Zones 1-2: £2.20 (Oyster), £4.00 (Cash)
One-day Travelcard Zones 1-2: £5.60 (off peak), £7.20 (peak)
Three-day Travelcard Zones 1-2: £18.40
Seven-day Travelcard Zones 1-2: £25.80
Seven-day Travelcard Zone 1-6: £47.60
One-month Travelcard Zones 1-2: £99.10
One-month Travelcard Zones 1-6: £182.80

* These are 2009 prices, fares are reviewed every January.

Buses

London’s famous red buses are running better than ever thanks to the new Congestion Charge. You can pick up a route map at any travel centre or tourist information office. At most bus stops you'll find an easy-to-understand bus plan telling you about all the routes that serve the area.

Night buses operate to and from Trafalgar Square and are the cheapest and easiest way to travel round the capital once the Tube shuts.

These days most of the buses are modern vehicles with wheelchair access, but you can still catch the classic Routemaster buses on routes number 9 and 15, which also take you past all the major sites.

Fares

Buses do not accept cash in central London. Either pay with an Oyster Card or tickets can be bought from machines next to most bus stops in the city centre. Any single journey, including central London (Zone 1), paid in cash costs £2. With an Oyster Card the fare is only £1.

A one-day bus and tram pass covering the whole of London costs just £3.80.

Discounts and Free Travel

Several groups of people are entitled to discounted and free fares. Under 16s travel for free on buses, but 11-15-year-olds need an Oyster photocard. You can apply for these online and pick them up at a Travel Information Centre of your choice. They cost £5 and take about three weeks to process. Wheelchair users also enjoy free travel on buses and trams, as can 16-19-year-olds in full-time education who have a 16+ Oyster photocard. All other 16-17-year-olds are entitled to half price travel with the appropriate ID card.

Oyster Card

What is it?

The Oyster Card is London’s travel smart card. It’s the quickest and easiest way to travel on London’s public transport system. It is like a travel credit card which you can top up as and when you need.

Why do I need one?

Using an Oyster Card is by far the cheapest way to use London's transport system. For example, a cash single on the Tube is never less than £4, but it can cost as little as £1.60 with an Oyster Card. Similarly on the bus a single costs £1 with Oyster, but £2 in cash. There are similar discounts available across the network. As well as costing less, the Oyster Card means there are less queues.

Where can I get one from?

You can get an Oyster Card at any Tube station, London Travel Information Centre, some National Rail stations and newsagents. It’s just a case of filling in a short form. You have to pay a £3 deposit for the card.

How do I use it?

When you go through the ticket gates at any Tube, DLR, National Railway station or when you board a bus, you will see a yellow card reader. Touch your Oyster Card on it and the appropriate fare will be deducted.

Your Oyster Card can store any type of ticket on it:

Either take the pay-as-you-go option – using this you pay per journey, until you reach a fare cap, which is 50 pence less than what you would have paid for a one-day Travelcard.

You can also add a day, three-day, weekly or monthly Travelcard or a bus pass to your Oyster.

Tips:

Always make sure you touch in and out of all stations, even if the ticket gates are open. If you don’t, you will end up paying more than you should.

Pay-as-you-go Oyster Cards are not accepted on some National Rail services so make sure you check before you travel, otherwise you could be fined.

Black Taxi Cabs

Travel through the capital in style in a traditional Black Cab (also called a Hackney Carriage). Nowadays, they're not all black, but they retain their distinctive shape and can all accommodate 5 people and wheelchairs. Drivers are required to pass a rigorous geography exam of London’s streets called 'The Knowledge'. London cabbies are renowned for their banter and tales of life in the capital.

An illuminated yellow light on the top will indicate when the cab is available for hire. They can be pre-booked by phone, procured at a stand or hailed on the street.

All London's Black Taxi Cabs are metered. Calculation of fares is highly complex. Only estimates can be made in advance as traffic conditions and time of day may affect prices. There is a flat rate fare of £2.20 and drivers expect a tip of at least 10%.

To pre-book a taxi call:

Radio Taxis: 020 7272 0272

Computer Cab: 020 7908 0207

Minicabs

Minicabs are a cheaper and more flexible alternative to the traditional Black Cab. The drivers might not have the same broad knowledge of the streets as the black cab drivers, but in the age of satellite navigation systems they rarely get lost!

However, never get into an unlicensed minicab. Late at night there are many unmarked cars roaming the streets looking for fares, but there is no way of knowing who's behind the wheel. If you are stuck, Cabwise is an excellent scheme where you can text 'CAB' to 60835* and receive the numbers of two licensed minicabs and a Black Cab firm in the area you are texting from.

*Text charged at 35p per enquiry plus standard text message rate.

Addison Lee, 020 7387 8888, is a reputable, reliable firm and for lone women travellers Lady Mini Cabs - based in the Archway area - is the safest option, 020 7272 3300.

Car Rental

If you are determined not to be completely reliant on public transport, or want to explore the surrounding countryside, then a car is the only viable option. Most hire deals include insurance and taxes but check on booking, and be careful to avoid high insurance excesses.

Petrol currently costs £1.05 a litre in the UK. Cars run on unleaded petrol and diesel. Remember though, in Britain, we drive on the left-hand side of the road.

For the ultimate in comfort and luxury see London with your own private driver.
Recommended car hire firms are:

easyCar – 08710 500 444
Budget – 08445 443 407
Europcar – 08457 585 375
Hertz – 08705 996 699

Other Car Hire Companies

Parking

On the Street

Parking on the street in central London can be an intimidating and expensive experience at the best of times. Uniformed traffic wardens patrol their areas rigorously and can be rigidly unforgiving. There are meters in and around the centre and prices range from £1.50 an hour to £4. Prices are higher nearer the centre.

Nevertheless, in the evening and at certain times at the weekend, you can legitimately park for free on single yellow lines, in residents-only parking bays and, similarly, some parking meters are free. It's just a case of finding these spaces, which can be easier said than done! Regulations vary from street to street so check the roadside signs for details.

Car Parks

The other option is to leave your vehicle in one of the city's 24-hour multistorey car parks. These can be marginally cheaper than meters, costing between £6-£13 for two hours, depending on the location of the car park.

Full list of car parks

For further information ring the Parktel Information Line on 020 7823 4567.

Congestion Charge

What is Congestion Charging?

A lot of confusion initially surrounded London's Congestion Charge. The brainchild of Ken Livingstone when he was London Mayor, its aim is to ease congestion in the capital, improve traffic flow and even get London's famous red buses running on time! By the turn of the 21st century, congestion in the capital was starting to spiral out of control. Drivers in central London spent 50% of their time in jams and an estimated £2-£4 million worth of time was being wasted every week. Mayor Ken’s election manifesto contained a pledge to tackle congestion and improve drivers' and pedestrians' quality of life and, thus, the Congestion Charge was born.

How did it come about?

The scheme came together slowly, with the mayor taking pains to act in the interests of local businesses, residents and all other interested parties. After nearly two years of careful consideration he announced his intention to go ahead in February 2002. Opposition to the plan came thick and fast from rival political figures and London newspaper, The Evening Standard. All voices were silenced once the charge came into operation and traffic levels instantly fell by 20%, equivalent to those previously enjoyed during school holidays.

How much is it?

The charge only applies on weekdays. Motorists entering the designated zones between 7am and 6pm will pay £9 a day using 'CC Auto Pay', £10 a day otherwise. A fine of £120 is levied on any motorist who fails to pay before midnight of the following day. The amount is reduced by half if paid within 14 days, but goes up by 50% for those who to fail to pay within 28 days. Around 230 cameras match car number plates against a database of vehicles whose drivers have paid the charge.

How do I know if I am in the Congestion Charge zone?

The zones are marked with a large C painted on the ground and roadside signs. Check the Transport for London website for a map of the complete congestion area. The zone was extended westwards towards Notting Hill and Kensington as of 19th February 2007, but Boris Johnson has announced his plan to remove the Western Extension - the earliest this will happen is 2010.

How to pay?

Pay online at cclondon.com, by post, or by telephone on 0845 900 1234 and in selected garages and newsagents. Pay the charge in advance or on the day itself. Save yourself a daily hassle and pay the whole year in advance if you prefer. Fast track methods of payment are open to registered drivers and allow them to pay by text message.

Does everyone have to pay?

Not all drivers are liable to pay the charge. Exemptions and discounts are available to certain categories of drivers, vehicles and individuals. They include: disabled drivers, residents, drivers of alternative fuel vehicles, public transport vehicles with nine or more seats and accredited breakdown organisations.

Do foreign visitors have to pay?

All visitors driving hire cars within the central zones must pay the charge. Failure to do so will result in the fine being levied upon the hire company. Hire companies can then contact the drivers. Transport for London can trace all drivers within the European Union.