London Travel Advice

Travel Advice

What you need to know

London

Photo by Pillan711

Get ready

Travelers' pro tips for experiencing London

Trockie

BE PREPARED: Regardless of the weather report, always have an umbrella and/or rain jacket on hand!

robbelcher

Don't use the hop-on-hop-off buses. Get an Oyster card each and use the normal buses and tubes, it is so much cheaper.

joannstringer

Walking tours … are a great way to see the city and the neighborhoods for a very reasonable cost (tip the guide at the end of the tour).

In the words of those who've been there before ...

PMQuestions

The World City, both dynamic and historic; both multicultural and cultural; humming, loud and intimate. It is whatever you seek.

Misk8786

It's the greatest city on the planet.

CarpeNox

London is a destination that you can continue to come back to again and again and continue to enjoy its delights.

Photo by Cristina C

Get there

What is the best way to get there?

Flying:

London is served by six international airports: Heathrow Airport, Gatwick Airport, London City Airport, Luton Airport, Stansted Airport and Southend Airport. Together, they make up the busiest airspace in the world by passenger numbers.

Train:

St Pancras railway station is the main terminal for high speed Eurostar and High Speed 1 services linking London with Europe.

Do I need a visa?

If you’re visiting London from overseas, use the government’s visa survey to see if you need a visa.

When is the best time to visit?

Summer (June to August): With average temps around 70°F (21°C) there’s no shortage of entertainment in London over the summer months, when Trooping the Colour, London Pride, Notting Hill Carnival, and Wimbledon Tennis Championships draw huge crowds to the capital.

Alternatively, the holiday season brings with it a host of festivities, including Christmas markets, the famous NYE fireworks, and spectacular illuminations.

Photo by Cindy Marie Azur

Get around

Bicycle

Santander Cycles is a bike-share system with hundreds of bicycle docking stations located across London.

Visitors can hire a bike using a bank card at the docking station or downloading the app.

Train

London’s Underground rail network, or "the Tube," services Greater London between 5a.m. and midnight Monday to Saturday, with reduced operating hours on Sunday.

Five Tube lines run a 24-hour service on Fridays and Saturdays: Victoria, Central, Jubilee, Northern and Piccadilly lines.

For more information about the network and fares, see here.

Bus

London’s bus route network services the city on a 24-hour service.

For more information about the network and fares, see here.

Taxis

Hailing down a taxi on the street in London can be difficult so it is best to find an official taxi stand. You can also book a taxi online or on your smartphone here.

Ridesharing

Uber, Bolt, and Kapten are readily available in London on your smartphone.

Trams

South London operates a small tram network, Tramlink, with trams running approximately every 10 minutes in the daytime on Mondays to Saturdays.

On the ground

What is the timezone?

Greenwich Mean Time

What are the voltage/plug types?

The standard voltage in the UK is 230V and the standard frequency is 50Hz. The plug has three rectangular pins.

What is the currency?

The Pound Sterling

Are ATMs readily accessible?

Yes

Are credit cards widely accepted?

Yes

Is it easy to find a bank?

Yes

How much do I tip?

Tipping is not always obligatory in the UK, however, it is customary to leave gratuity of 10-15% when eating out and it is polite to tip Black Cabs and minicabs 10-15%.

Are there local customs I should know?

Drinking

The federal legal age for buying and drinking alcohol is 18 years old.

Walking

Walk to the right of the sidewalk and step off to the side of the sidewalk if you want to stop to check your phone, look up directions, or want to take in a view.

Public transport

Allow others to disembark before boarding, don’t take up more than one seat, and stand to offer seating to pregnant women or someone with a disability.

Queuing

Queuing is revered in British culture and it is considered incredibly rude to skip in front of people.

People will say “sorry” a lot — and you should too

British people are famous for saying “sorry” frequently — even if they are not at fault (such as apologizing for the weather or getting in someone’s way). It is considered polite.