Whether you are visiting London to just tour and see its beauty or coming for a day or two to attend to official business, this blog is for you.
1. Download a transportation app
There are atleast 2 transportation apps that will surely be helpful with planning your day(s) around the city. Both apps show a number of route options like quickest or bus only. They will show how much it will cost and estimated time of arrival as well. Plus which routes are step-free (very handy for you who are bringing strollers or buggies).
They will also say which bus stop to go to. This avoids hopping on a bus and going to the wrong direction.
I would say download both. Ease of use will just depend on your own preference and which layout suits you better.
2. Tube
If you’ve been on the MRT or LRT in Philippines it’s basically the same but more lines and no good view for sightseeing as they are for the most part of underground. But personally, I would go for the tube if you have just a day or two around London because it is less likely to be stuck in heavy traffic or miss your stop.
Bus
The bus is a good option for sightseeing purposes and can save you a lot of pocket money. I prefer it when I used to have a buggy with me because it saves me the stress of looking for a lift (elevator) and the driver is usually flexible in waiting for you to be settled in.
3. Look right!
Crossing the road can feel less “automatic” than usual as cars come from the “other” side of the road. So be extra cautious.
4. Tickets
Cash is not accepted on buses but cash can usually be used in train stations to buy Oyster cards or day/weekly tickets.
Paper tickets are usually used if you come from a rail train (trains that come from outside of London). It is still an option for visitors who are only in London for a day or two.
But if you have cash cards that are contactless capable, use this as it will automatically charge you for the transportation bundle that you have used for the day. The only downside is it might have additional charges if your cash card is a non-UK card and sometimes foreign cards are not accepted through barriers.
To avoid the additional charges though, buy oyster cards with cash. This is a transportation card that is pre-loadable. Just don’t forget to surrender it back to get back your oyster card deposit.
5. Walk
Lots of London attractions are within walkable distances apart from each other. So do consider this specially if there is no direct tube route to your destination. For example, if you were going to Piccadilly circus and on a black line tube train instead of transferring to a blue line train get off at Leicester square and walk your way to Piccadilly station.
6. Zones of Public transport in London
Understand the zones. For transportation purposes, London is not just a city as we know it. It is more like Metro Manila divided into cities or municipalities like Manila and Makati. As for London transport, central London is what you are most likely to visit which is zones 1 and 2. Crossing between zones affects the cost of your ticket and so be mindful of which stations you get on and off as it can easily bump your fare high. If you have downloaded the apps mentioned above though, the zones and trip price can be understood better.
7. Toilets
Use the toilet when you see one especially if you are travelling with a child or elderly as public toilets are not in abundance around the London underground.
8. Water
Carry a bottle of water as it can get hot on buses and underground which are not air-conditioned. Transportation can get very crowded.
9. Boat and cable car
Yes, certain boat rides along the river thames are a form of daily public transport. Have a lookout for the TFL boats as these tend to be cheaper and would give you a decent river ride.
If you have extra time or happen to be around the area of the O2 arena for a concert, a cable car ride can bring an extra dimension to your sightseeing adventure.
10. Escalators
Stay right if you intend on staying on “your spot” of the escalator and if you do not want to be shoved over by the more mobile and rushing passengers on the left.
11. Public bicycle
There are public bicycle pods dotted around the city and this can be a fun way to move around London’s key points.
Top tip: Download apps for public transport in London.
Comments