The London Underground carries a whopping 1.357 billion (yes, that’s over a billion!) passengers a year. And, if you’re planning on visiting London any time soon, it’s highly likely you’ll be one of them. Londoners may frequently grumble about the Tube, but there’s lots to love about it — including that it makes this big » Read more
Transportation in London: Budget Travel Guide
Unlike many of its European neighbors, London has never really had the reputation of being a late night city for visitors or for locals. This is partly because the closure of the Underground network after midnight has made navigating the city at night a time consuming and costly activity. Hailing a London taxi can cost » Read more
Arriving at one of London’s five major airports often feels like it’s just the beginning of your journey. You still need to navigate your way through the city’s 1,572 square kilometers, while attempting not to waste time and money. But the time it takes to get from the airport to your hotel can increase massively » Read more
A 24-hour tube service is something London has most certainly been missing. While taking the night bus is a cultural experience of sorts, it’s by no means the most direct route home, often involving hours spent hanging around bus stops in the freezing cold. On arrival of said bus, expect to pile in with a » Read more
London transport can be complicated. Should I get an Oyster Card or buy single journey tickets? How does the zone system work? And, if you don’t get it quite right, it can be extra expensive as well. Underground, Overground, here are a few questions to help you navigate yourself around London’s transport system. Related: 4 » Read more
If you want to get to know London properly, why waste your time being crushed too close to a commuter on the Tube when the London bus offers a far more pleasant way to get around? And it’s also far cheaper. Using an Oyster card, it’ll cost you £4.40 a day at most to get » Read more
Railways breed euphemisms. We always smile when we hear railway staff at London’s Paddington station refer to “the lawn.” There is nothing green about the lawn, but that’s what they call the concrete concourse where travelers gather, scanning the list of upcoming departures, at the inward end of the platforms. Another old Paddington euphemism, one » Read more
London is a costly city in many ways, but public transport prices are really ludicrous. For Londoners and commuters alike, January is an especially sore point and outrage spreads on an annual basis when the January 2nd price hikes come into force. 2012 is no exception, as this year the already barmy prices have gone » Read more
London’s St Pancras station is the grandest terminus in a city that is full of wonderful railway stations. It is a place to linger. For 140 years, this spectacular station has been the jumping-off point for travelers bound for the East Midlands and Yorkshire. Wider horizons Four years ago this week, St Pancras found new » Read more
You probably saw the recent news that London’s civic authorities are pressing ahead with a plan to span the River Thames with a cable car. This new public transport service across the river will connect two important Olympic venues and should be up and running by this time next year. It is not the first » Read more
Paris did it, albeit with a few setbacks, and now it’s London’s turn to implement a public bike-share program. The mayor has championed cycling in the capital as a green and healthy means of navigating the city. He was also keen to be snapped riding about on one of the new bank-sponsored bikes for the » Read more
Every traveler has been there: You touch down in an unfamiliar city and feel immediately discombobulated. Getting out of the airport, sleep-deprived, with all of your luggage in hand is one thing—then you’re faced with the sometimes gargantuan task of figuring out how to get into town. Some of us jump in a taxi—and pay dearly » Read more
London, a sprawling city offering no shortage of things to see and do, can be a bit daunting when it comes to public transportation. But one huge advantage to getting from place to place in Her Majesty’s city is that many sights and attractions are in the most central neighborhoods. Cheapos on-the-go can save quite » Read more
We’re psyched that the new and improved St. Pancras train station opened this week in London. The depot, rebuilt and improved with a $1.7 billion budget, boasts more than just slick rails. Indeed, St. Pancras Station boasts the longest champagne bar in Europe, its own underground shopping mall and—most importantly—the fastest Eurostar journey to date » Read more
We highlighted London’s love affair with the Oyster card. To simplify things for short-term visitors, there are also two Oyster cards specifically intended for tourists—a one-day card and a three-day card. The Oyster card for Visitors gives cardholders nearly 50% off all cash fares around London on tube, tram, bus, and Docklands Light Railway. Although » Read more
We asked you for your best London budget tips and you provided! Thanks! Our winning tip was provided by Dan F., who lives and works in London. “Everyone in London gets around with an ‘Oyster card.’ The cards don’t cost anything to use and they get you major discounts on all public transportation in London.” » Read more
