London, the English capital, is a city full of things to do and see, with attractions scattered all over its territory. Thinking of getting around on foot alone is impossible, whereas with the metro you can reach every point. At first glance it might seem difficult to settle in, but as soon as you get familiar with the transport system, getting around will be really easy.
Here is everything you need to know about getting around London.
Useful tips
London is a truly immense city, getting around on foot alone is unthinkable, but it is the best way to explore individual neighbourhoods. For a first approach to the city, we recommend you join a free tour of London with a local guide or, if you want a more special experience, opt for one of the many guided themed tours, such as the Harry Potter-themed walking tour.
To get from one district to another and reach all the attractions, the best way is by tube, also known as the Tube. In this case, buy the Oyster Card, a rechargeable card to be validated on public transport (cost £7.00/€8.00). It is also very useful to know that children up to the age of 11 travel free when accompanied by a paying adult! The bus is not recommended, however, so it is better to opt for the tourist bus, with set routes and stops near the main attractions.
Cars are not recommended at all, either because of left-hand drive and traffic or because of the many environmental zones in the city: you will find the Low Emission Zone, the Ultra Low Emission Zone and the London Congestion Charge. Taxis are also not recommended, the Uber service is more convenient.
Recommended solutions and means of transport: walking only in individual districts ( free tour recommended), underground, tourist bus
Solutions and means oftransport not recommended: car, taxi, bus
Transport cards and public transport passes: which one to choose?
To travel on London's public transport we recommend you buy the Oyster Card, a rechargeable card where you can load your credit, activate your season tickets and validate them directly on the bus or at the tube turnstile. The card costs £7.00 (€8.00).
Once you have purchased the card, you can proceed with'payas you go', i.e. pay each time you make a journey. It is very useful to know that there is a daily limit called CAP (£7.70/€8.70): once this is reached, further trips in fare zones 1 and 2 are not charged. Alternatively, on your Oyster Card you can activate subscriptions called Travelcards: for the metro you will find the day pass (£7.70/€8.80), the week pass (£38.40/€43.90) and the monthly pass (£147.50/€168.60).
There is also the Visitor Oyster Card, the Oyster Card designed exclusively for tourists. The difference with the Oyster Card is simply one: on the Visitor version it is not possible to load a travelcard, i.e. a season ticket (daily, weekly, monthly or yearly), but only works in'pay as you go' mode.
If you want to save money on both transport and entrance to attractions, then we recommend that you consider buying The London Pass. Be warned though: the pass alone doesn't include transport, you'll have to choose the London Pass + Travel option, so the Oyster Card will have the same duration as your London Pass, which also includes thesightseeing bus.
SEE ALSO: Is the London Pass worth it?
Do you have a contactless credit card? That's all you need: if you have a contactless credit card this can be used as an Oyster Card in'pay as you go' mode. Costs and operation are identical: at the metro turnstiles, you simply place your contactless card on it, as well as when you have to leave. The daily postcode also applies here, but make sure you always use the same card.
How to get from the airport to central London
London has 6 airports: Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, London City, London Southend. The closest airport to the centre is London City Airport, but if you are travelling with low-cost airlines from Italy you will most likely land at Gatwick Airport, the second largest airport in the UK, or at London Stansted Airport, another low-cost airport. In any case, all airports are well connected to the centre.
London Heathrow Airport
Distance from the centre: 25 km / travel time: 50 min;
By train: Heathrow Express line / ticket cost: £25.00 (€28.60);
Byunderground: Piccadilly Line / ticket cost: £6.30 (€7.20);
Bytaxi: average cost £70.00 (€80.00) / travel time: 50 min;
Bybus: average cost £6.00 (€6.80) / Hotel Hoppa line (to get directly to the hotel);
Private transfer: private transfer to/from Heathrow.
London Gatwick Airport
Distance to centre: 50 km / travel time: 1 h 30 min;
By train: Gatwick Express line / ticket cost: £18.50 (€21.15) - book online;
Bytaxi: average cost £60.00 (€68.60) / travel time: 1 h 30 min ;
Bybus: average cost £10.00 (€11.40) / National Express line - book online;
Private transfer: transfer to/from Gatwick.
London Stansted Airport
Distance from the centre: 60 km / travel time: 1 h 20 min;
By train: Stansted Express lines / ticket cost: £23.80 (€27.20) - book online;
Bytaxi: average cost £70.00 (€80.00) / travel time: 1 h 20 min;
Bybus: average cost £15.00 (€17.15) / National Express lines - book online;
Private transfer: private transfer from
London Luton Airport
Distance to centre: 55 km / travel time: 1 h 20 min;
By train: Thameslink line, / ticket cost: £16.50 (€18.90);
Bytaxi: average cost £60.00 (€68.60) / travel time: 1 h 20 min;
Bybus: average cost £12.00 (€13.70) / National Express line.
London City Airport
Distance from the centre: 15 km / travel time: 30 min;
By train+metro: Docklands Light Railway line to Canning Town, then underground Jubilee Line / ticket cost: from £4.90 (€5.60);
By taxi: average cost £30.00 (€34.30) / journey time: 30 min;
Bybus: average cost from £1.70 (€1.95) / lines 473 and 474.
London Southend Airport
Distance from the centre: 70 km / travel time: 1 h 45 min;
By train: Greater Anglia Line / ticket cost: £19.10 (€21.85);
Bytaxi: average cost £70.00 (€80.00) / travel time: 1 h 45 min ;
Bybus: average cost £12.50 (€14.30) / Southend Jetlink X1 line.
Getting around on foot
London is a very large city and the main attractions, including the most iconic must-sees, can be several kilometres away. For this reason, it is impossible to get around on foot alone, but you will have to use public transport. Just to give an example: taking Piccadilly Circus as a reference point, Buckingham Palace is a 20 min walk, Tower Bridge a 1 hr walk and London's Tate Britain a 40 min walk.
Certainly, walking is an advantageous way to discover individual neighbourhoods and large city parks. If, on the other hand, you want to experience something different and at the same time discover the city, we recommend taking part in one of the many themed guided tours, such as the Harry Potter themed tour, the Jack the Ripper tour or the Sherlock Holmes tour.
Take part in afree guided tour: the English capital is full of wonderful attractions, but also of hidden places and plenty of curiosities to discover. So join a free tour of London with a local guide who will take you to all the most iconic places.
With the sharing services
London is a huge city, where there are so many ways to get around. In fact, more and more sharing services can be found in the city, such as the bike sharing system, ideal for sunny days, or the now unfailing electric scooters. The companies active in the capital are numerous. Let's look at the services in detail:
Electric scooters: Lime, Dott and Tier are some of the companies you will find in the city. You can use them thanks to the special app, which allows you to locate the scooters, unlock them with the qrcode and consult the fares. When you want to finish the ride, the app will also show you the nearest station or parking area where you can leave your scooter. The cost of the ride can be seen once you have framed the qrcode, generally €0.19/min. Payment is made automatically via the payment method chosen in the account (credit or debit card, prepaid, paypal, apple pay, google pay);
Santander Cycles: the city bike sharing service operated by Transport for London. It can be used via an app, which allows you to register, locate stations, unlock bikes and find parking spaces to leave them once the ride is over. Payment is made automatically via the method chosen in your account (credit card, direct debit or paypal). Cost £1.65 per 30 min (€1.80);
Car sharing: several companies are active such as ZipCarUK, DriveNow, Blue City, Car Plus and Car Club. All of them are used via an app, creating an account and registering an official ID, driving licence and a credit card for payment. The app allows you to locate the car, unlock it and drive it. Once the ride is over, the app will also indicate if you can park the car on the street or if there are special stations where you can leave it. Average cost €0.19/min.
By public transport
Public transport in London is indispensable. Many attractions are located well away from the centre, such as the Victoria & Albert Museum, the famous Natural History Museum or the Harry Potter Warner Bros. Studios.
Themost used means of transport is the underground: fast, punctual and efficient, it will take you to every corner of London in the shortest possible time. If you are staying in an area away from the centre, the best solution is to look for accommodation close to a tube station. You will also find buses, including the iconic red double-decker buses, but these are less recommended as they are affected by traffic, which should not be underestimated in the city. All public transport is run by Transport for London and to travel you are advised to buy the Visitor Oyster Card, a prepaid magnetic card valid on all means of transport.
However, London is a large and chaotic city, so to settle in and enjoy a sightseeing tour we recommend boarding thetourist bus, with stops located within walking distance of the main attractions. Getting around in this way is really easy. Finally, you cannot miss a spectacular sightseeing cruise on the Thames to see the English capital from a different perspective.
Zone pricing system: London operates a zone pricing system, ranging from zone 1 (the most central) to zone 9 (the most distant). The capital's main attractions are located in zones 1 and 2.
Metro
The underground, better known as the Tube or also Underground, is the most extensive in Europe. It has 11 lines and 274 stations, with over 400 km of route and 4 million passengers every day, and is definitely the best way to use the Tube in London, as it is convenient and fast. Operating until midnight, on Fridays and Saturdays some lines also run all night, these are the lines: Central Line, Jubilee Line, Northern Line, Picadilly Line and Victoria Line.
Downloadable map: metro-london
Timetable: 5:00-00:00, Fri-Sat 24h
Ticketprice/single journey: from £2.50 (€2.80)
Cost of ticket carnet/subscription daily zone 1-2 £7.70 (€8.80), daily zone 1-3 £9.00 (€10.20), daily zone 1-4 £11.00 (€12.50), daily zone 1-5 £13.10 (€14.90), daily zone 1-6 £14.10 (€16,00), daily zone 1-7 £15.30 (€17.40), daily zone 1-8 £18.10 (€20.60), daily zone 1-9 £20.00 (€22.70) / weekly from £38.40 (€43.90), monthly from £147.50 (€168.60)
Is the London Underground safe at night? Yes, the London Underground is generally safe. Many stations are video monitored. However, we recommend that you don't go to stations that are too remote, but use it in the more central and popular areas and be careful as in any big city.
DLR (Docklands Light Railway)
This is the automatic light rail, an extension of the London Underground network. It only runs overground and without a driver and connects central London with the East. It is not widely used by tourists, as it reaches the areas of Canary Wharf, Greenwich and Stratford and then goes to outlying areas without major attractions. Moreover, it connects London City Airport and usually arriving in London from Italy one lands at other airports. Being an integrated part of the Underground, timetables and tickets are the same.
Downloadable map: dlr-london
Hours: 5am-00pm, Fri-Sat 24h
Ticketcost/single journey: from £2.50 (€2.80)
Ticket carnet/subscription cost: daily zone 1-2 £7.70 (€8.80), daily zone 1-3 £9.00 (€10.20), daily zone 1-4 £11.00 (€12.50), daily zone 1-5 £13.10 (€14.90), daily zone 1-6 £14.10 (€16,00), daily zone 1-7 £15.30 (€17.40), daily zone 1-8 £18.10 (€20.60), daily zone 1-9 £20.00 (€22.70) / weekly from £38.40 (€43.90), monthly from £147.50 (€168.60)
Accessibility: All DLR stations are wheelchair-accessible, while about a quarter of the metro stations are accessible (always signposted). All buses are also wheelchair accessible and free of charge.
Buses
London's urban network is very extensive, reaching every peripheral point of the city. It is definitely not a recommended means of transport for tourists: both because it is more affected by city traffic and because of the large number of routes and lines. Rather, one of the experiences is to board the classic red double-decker sightseeing bus.
Downloadable map: bus-london
Times: generally 4:30-00:00
Ticketprice/single journey: from £1.65 (€1.90)
Ticket/carnet cost: daily £5.50 (€6.30), weekly £23.30 (€26.60), monthly £44.60 (€51.00)
Children under 11 years of age: on buses they travel free of charge. On the underground, however, they can travel for free when accompanied by a paying adult.
By car
Drivingin London is really not recommended. There are several reasons for this, but one of the first big hurdles is driving on the left: if you have never driven this way before, perhaps driving in London for the first time is not such a good idea. The second big reason is traffic: the English capital is a busy city at any time of day.
In addition, London has a Low Emission Zone to combat pollution. This is active throughout the city, while in the centre there is also the Ultra Low Emission Zone, with even stricter rules and standards. Added to these is the London Congestion Charge, an additional tax that some vehicles have to pay to drive in the Congestion Charge Zones.
Is Uber used in London? Yes, there is an Uber service in London. Definitely cheaper and more convenient than taxis, we recommend it especially for travelling at night. During the day it is not always the best solution as you might get stuck in traffic. Using the app, you can book your ride, see the cost and driver ratings in advance, as well as track your journey in real time.
Low Emission Zone
The year-round Low Emission Zone(LEZ) covers most of Greater London, not just the city centre. Activated to reduce air pollution, if your vehicle falls below the set standards you have to pay a penalty to drive in the city. Costs, updates and info can be found in the LEZ section of the official UK government website.
Ultra Low Emission Zone
If the Low Emission Zone covers the Greater London area, the Ultra Low Emission Zone(ULEZ) is active in the city centre, encompassing all the territory within the North and South Circular Roads. Again, it operates 24 hours a day all year round and has even tighter standards. If your vehicle falls outside the limits, you have to pay a daily fee of £12.50. Costs, updates and info can be found in the ULEZ section of the official UK government website.
London Congestion Zone
The Congestion Zone is an additional zone within London created to reduce air pollution and to encourage the use of public transport. The Congestion Charge is therefore a tax to be paid if you enter the zone during the hours it is active, so Mon-Fri 7am-6pm and Sat-Sun 12pm-6pm. The cost is £15.00 (€17.10). Further updates and info can be found in the Congestion Charge section of the official UK government website.
Parking
Finding parking in London can be a real challenge. Parking spaces are few and far between and very expensive. Few because many are already subject to resident and office subscriptions. The best way to easily find parking and secure a space is to make an online parking reservation on the official National Car Parks website, which allows you to locate car parks, reserve a space and even buy weekly or monthly passes according to your needs.
