London

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London

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For other places with the same name, see London (disambiguation).
Historical Routemaster double-decker bus outside St Paul's cathedral

Noisy, vibrant and truly multicultural, London is a megalopolis of people, ideas and frenetic energy. The capital and largest city of the United Kingdom sits on the River Thames in South-East England, Greater London has a population of a little over 9 million. Considered one of the world's leading "global cities", London remains an international capital of culture, music, education, fashion, politics, finance and trade. For the visitor, there is a seemingly endless choice of historical sites, shopping, museums, food experiences, art galleries, nightlife, and activities.

Districts

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The name "London" used to refer only to the once-walled "Square Mile" of the original Roman and later medieval city; this is now confusingly called the "City of London" or just "The City". Today, London has taken on a much larger meaning to include all of the vast central parts of the modern metropolis, with the city having absorbed numerous surrounding towns and villages over the centuries, including large portions of the surrounding "home counties", one of which - Middlesex - being completely consumed by the growing metropolis. The term Greater London embraces Central London together with all the outlying suburbs that lie in one continuous urban sprawl within the lower Thames Valley. Though densely populated, London retains large swathes of green parkland and open space, even within the city centre.

Greater London is most of the area surrounded by the M25 orbital motorway, and consists of 32 London Boroughs and the City of London that, together with the office of the Mayor of London, form the basis for London's local government. The Mayor of London is elected by London residents and should not be confused with the Lord Mayor of the City of London. The names of several boroughs, such as Westminster and Camden, are well-known, others less so, such as Wandsworth and Lewisham. This traveller's guide to London recognises cultural, functional and social districts of varying type and size:

Central London

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Central London
 Bloomsbury (British Museum, Cartoon Museum, Foundling Museum, University College London, Wellcome Collection)
Vibrant historic district made famous by a group of turn-of-the-century writers. It is now the location of numerous historic homes, and oasis-like squares fringed by elegant buildings.
 City of London (Bank of England, Museum of London, Tower Bridge, Tower of London, St Paul's Cathedral)
The City is where London originally developed within the Roman city walls and is a city in its own right, separate from the rest of London. It is now one of the most important financial centres in the world, and an area where modern skyscrapers stand next to medieval churches on ancient street layouts.
 Covent Garden (Covent Garden Piazza, London Transport Museum, Royal Opera House)
One of the main shopping and entertainment districts, and part of London's West End Theatreland.
 Holborn-Clerkenwell (Hatton Garden, Inns of Court, Royal Courts of Justice, Sadler's Wells, Somerset House)
Buffer zone between the West End and the City of London financial district, and the home of English Common Law.
 Leicester Square (National Gallery, National Portrait Gallery, Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square)
A West End district that is the centre of London's Theatreland, features UK and world cinema premieres and is also home to the city's Chinatown.
 Mayfair-Marylebone (London Zoo, Madame Tussauds, Regent's Park, Royal Academy of Arts, Wallace Collection)
Some extremely well-heeled districts of west central London with London's primary shopping streets, among them Bond Street, Oxford Street, Regent Street and Savile Row.
 Notting Hill-North Kensington (Design Museum, Holland Park, Museum of Brands, Portobello Road Market)
Lively fruit and antiques market, interesting history, the world famous carnival and a very ethnically diverse population
 Paddington-Maida Vale (Abbey Road, Little Venice, Lord's Cricket Ground)
Largely residential district of northwest central London with lots of mid-range accommodation, famous for its canal and houseboats.
 Soho (Carnaby Street, Soho Square)
Dense concentration of highly fashionable restaurants, cafés, clubs and jazz bars, as well as London's gay village all mixed in with a cluster of sex shops and seedier adult entertainment venues.
 South Bank (Borough Market, British Film Institute, London Eye, National Theatre, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, Tate Modern, The Shard)
This was historically the location of the activities frowned upon by the Puritans who exiled theatre, cock-fighting and bear fights from the original walled City of London to the other side of the Thames.
 South Kensington-Chelsea (Kensington Palace, Kensington Gardens, Natural History Museum, Royal Albert Hall, Science Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum)
An extremely well-heeled inner London district with famous department stores, Hyde Park, many museums and the King's Road.
 Westminster (Buckingham Palace, Downing Street, Horse Guards, Houses of Parliament, Tate Britain, Westminster Abbey, Westminster Cathedral)
The seat of government and an almost endless list of historical and cultural sights. Relax in one of two beautiful Royal parks, Green Park and St James's Park

Inner London

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Inner London
 Camden (British Library, Camden Town Markets, Jewish Museum, King's Cross and St Pancras International stations)
A diverse area of north London that includes eclectic Camden Town, a hub of alternative fashion and youth-oriented markets.
 East End (Brick Lane, Columbia Road Flower Market, Docklands, Petticoat Lane Market, Spitalfields Market, Young V&A)
A traditional working class heartland of inner London to the east of The City, made famous by countless movies and TV shows. Once the stalking ground of Jack the Ripper, now home to hipster-y bars, art galleries and parks, and an extremely diverse population.
 Greenwich (London cable car, Maritime Greenwich, Prime Meridian, Royal Observatory, The O2 Arena)
On the pretty southern banks of the Thames is an area with strong links to Britain's seafaring heritage and breathtaking views across to Canary Wharf.
 Hackney (Hackney Empire, London Fields, Museum of the Home, Victoria Park)
Hackney has become fashionable and is home to a thriving arts scene as well as many trendy cafés, bars, and pubs.
 Hammersmith and Fulham (Chelsea FC, Fulham FC, Fulham Palace, Shepherd's Bush Empire, Westfield White City)
Well-heeled Thames-side borough in west London which is a hotbed for professional football and diverse shopping experiences.
 Hampstead (Freud Museum, Highgate Cemetery, Keats House, Kenwood House, Primrose Hill)
Literary north London and the wonderful open spaces of Hampstead Heath.
 Islington (Arsenal FC)
Area to the north of Clerkenwell that has undergone huge gentrification since 1990.
 Lambeth (Imperial War Museum, Lambeth Palace, The Old Vic, The Oval Cricket Ground)
A diverse multicultural district to the south of the River Thames; includes LGBT-friendly Vauxhall, more middle class Clapham and the Caribbean flavours of Brixton.
 Southwark-Lewisham (Crystal Palace Park, Dulwich Picture Gallery, Horniman Museum)
Inner southern districts of London; traditionally residential, with a large melting pot of communities. The area retains some leftfield, quirky attractions. You can find a restaurant from just about any ethnic group in the world.
 Wandsworth (Battersea Park, Battersea Power Station, Clapham Common, London Wetland Centre)
Grand Thames-side areas and open green parks to the north, and dense housing to the south.

Outer London

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Greater London map showing the Outer London districts.
 Richmond-Kew (Bushy Park, Hampton Court Palace, National Archives, Richmond Park, Royal Botanic Gardens, Twickenham Stadium)
Leafy Thames-side scenery with a semi-rural feel which is helped by the presence of major parkland and numerous large aristocratic residences.
 Wimbledon (All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, New Wimbledon Theatre, Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum)
Home to the annual tennis Championships and wombling Wimbledon Common.
 North (Alexandra Palace, Highgate Wood, Neasden Temple, RAF Museum, Tottenham Hotspur FC, Wembley Stadium)
Largely made up of lush green middle-class suburbs, many of which were formerly part of the counties of Middlesex, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire before being absorbed into Greater London.
 South (Chessington World of Adventures, Chislehurst Caves, Down House)
Containing many commuter suburbs formerly belonging to the counties Kent and Surrey with housing in varying styles, as well as the buzzing urban centres of Sutton, Kingston upon Thames, Croydon and Bromley.
 East (City Airport, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, West Ham United FC, Westfield Stratford City)
Originally part of the county of Essex, taking in former industrial areas on the upper Thames Estuary, while to the northeast lies the gateway to the affluent Epping Forest area.
 West (Chiswick House, Heathrow Airport, Musical Museum, Osterley Park, Syon Park)
Taking in much of the ancient English county of Middlesex (which many local residents still identify with rather than "London") and former parts of Buckinghamshire.

Understand

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The Tower of London

History

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Settlements have existed on the site of London since well before Roman times, with evidence of Bronze Age and Celtic inhabitants. The Roman city of Londinium, established just after the Roman conquest of Britannia in the year 43, formed the basis for the modern city (some isolated Roman period remains are still to be seen within the City). After the end of Roman rule in 410 and a short-lived decline, London experienced a gradual revival under the Anglo-Saxons, as well as the Norsemen, and emerged as a great medieval trading city, eventually replacing Winchester as the royal capital of England. This paramount status for London was confirmed when William the Conqueror, a Norman, built the Tower of London after the conquest in 1066 and was crowned King of England in Westminster.

London went from strength to strength with the rise of England to first European then global prominence, and the city became a great centre of culture, government and industry. London's long association with the theatre, for example, can be traced back to the English renaissance (witness the Rose Theatre[dead link] and great playwrights like Shakespeare who made London their home). With the rise of Britain to supreme maritime power in the 18th and 19th centuries (see Industrial Britain) and the possessor of the largest global empire, London became an imperial capital and drew people and influences from around the world to become, for many years, the largest city in the world.

England's royal family has, over the centuries, added much to the London scene for today's traveller: the Albert Memorial, Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace, Royal Albert Hall, Tower of London, Kew Palace and Westminster Abbey being prominent examples.

Despite the decline of the British Empire, and suffering during the Second World War when London was heavily bombed by the German Luftwaffe in the Blitz, the city remains a top-tier world city: a global centre of culture, finance, and learning. Today London is easily the largest city in the United Kingdom, eight times larger than the second largest, Birmingham, and ten times larger than the third, Glasgow, and dominates the economic, political and social life of the nation. It's full of excellent bars, galleries, museums, parks and theatres. It is also the most culturally and ethnically diverse part of the country, and arguably of the whole of Europe as well, making it a great multicultural city to visit. Samuel Johnson famously said, "when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life". Whether you are interested in ancient history, modern art, opera or underground raves, London has it all.

The City and Westminster

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The Elizabeth Tower is the iconic tower that is home to the bell known as 'Big Ben'

Historically London was two cities: a commercial city and a separate government capital.

The commercial capital was the City of London. This had a dense population and all the other pre-requisites of a medieval city: walls, a castle (The Tower of London), a cathedral (St Paul's), a semi-independent City government, a port and a bridge across which all trade was routed so Londoners could make money (London Bridge).

About an hour upstream (on foot or by boat) around a bend in the river was the government capital (Westminster). This had a church for crowning the monarch (Westminster Abbey) and palaces. As each palace was replaced by a larger one, the previous one was used for government, first the Palace of Westminster (better known as the Houses of Parliament), then Whitehall, then Buckingham Palace. The two were linked by a road called The "Strand", the old English word for "riverbank".

London grew both west and east. The land to the west of the City (part of the parish of Westminster) was prime farming land (Covent Garden and Soho for example) and made good building land. The land to the east was flat, marshy and cheap, good for cheap housing and industry, and later for docks. Also the wind blows 3 days out of 4 from west to east, and the Thames (into which the sewage went) flows from west to east. So the West End was up-wind and up-market, the East End was where people worked for a living.

Modern-day London in these terms is a two-centre city, with the area in between known confusingly as the West End.

Climate

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London
Climate chart (explanation)
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Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
Precipitation+Snow totals in mm
See the 5-day forecast for London at the Met Office
Imperial conversion
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Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
Precipitation+Snow totals in inches
The view over the River Thames towards Westminster from the London Eye

Despite having perhaps a fair reputation for being unsettled, London enjoys a mild climate on average. As much as one in three days on average will bring rain, though sometimes for only a short period. In some years, 2012 and 2018 being examples, there was no rain for a number of weeks. The fact that Londoners would find this remarkable should be an indication to visitors from drier climates of what they may be in for!

Extreme weather is rare. Occasionally there may be heavy rain that can bring localised flooding or strong winds that may down trees and damage roofs, but overall you are unlikely to encounter anything too lively.

Winter
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Winter in London is mild compared to nearby continental European cities due to both the presence of the Gulf Stream and the urban heat effect. The average daily maximum temperature is 8 °C (46 °F) in December and January. The coldest temperature recorded in London stands at −16.1 °C (3.0 °F) and was recorded at Northolt during January 1962, but this occurred during one of the coldest winters ever experienced in the UK.

Daylight hours are very short, especially around winter, with darkness falling at 3:45PM in the afternoon in December. Sunrise is not until after 8AM in the morning around New Years.

Snow does occur, usually a few times a year but rarely heavily (a few years being exceptions such as the winters of 2009 and 2010, with temperatures dipping down to sub-zeros regularly). Snow in London can be crippling, as seen at the end of 2010. Just 7 centimetres (2 ¾ inches) of snow will cause trains to stop running, airports to see significant delays, and the postal service to come to a halt. London is a city which does not cope well with snow; walkways, stairs, and streets will not be cleared by shovels or ploughs. The streets will be salted/gritted, but will remain slick and snow/slush covered until the sun melts it away. This is due to a lack of widespread snow-clearing infrastructure as the city does not often see snow.

Spring
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Spring in the capital can be something of a weather rollercoaster with big variations in temperature day by day. It can be a very wet time of year, but the increases in day length from March onwards and steady temperature increases as the season progresses can make it a pleasant time to visit.

Days can be mild and warm, but the temperature will often dip at night as the sun's warmth dissipates.

The beginning of spring in March can be as cold as winter, so be sure to bring something warm to wear!

Summer
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Summer is perhaps the best season for tourists as it has long daylight hours as well as mild to warm temperatures. The average daily high temperatures in July and August are around 24 °C (75 °F). The highest temperature ever seen in London stands at 40.2 °C (104.4 °F) which was recorded at Heathrow on 19 July 2022. Daylight hours run from 4:45AM to 9:15PM, but begin to shorten as the summer wears on.

Humidity across the city can increase and stay high over the course of several days and nights, leading to muggy conditions. Also, upon occasion, clouds of dust from storms in the Sahara desert can be blown across Europe and lead to increases in pollution levels.

Despite the increased warmth, the weather in summer can be variable. Occasional prolonged instances of rain and unexpected dips in temperature can occur. If you're coming during the summer it is still advised to dress in layers and bring some waterproofs!

Autumn
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Autumn in London can vary from year to year: in some years September and October can see temperatures similar to those seen in summer due to a phenomenon known as an "Indian summer", but in other years the temperature can decrease rapidly to winter levels and stay there. Autumn tends to be the wettest and windiest season but, again, this can vary from year to year. Day length at the beginning of autumn is near that of summer, meaning that a September trip can still be as easy to plan as an August one as there's plenty of daylight to work with.

Mid-autumn is a wonderful time to wander one of London's many tree-filled parks as the leaves fade from green to gold. Another benefit of a September trip is that children return to school at the beginning of the month, meaning that some tourist attractions are quieter.

Tourist information

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  • Visit London. The city's tourism website. (updated Jan 2024)
  • City of London Information Centre, St. Paul's Churchyard, EC4M 8BX (next to St. Paul's Cathedral), ☏ +44 20 7332-3456. M-Sa 9:30AM-5:30PM, Su 10AM-4PM. The only impartial, face-to-face source of tourist information in Central London. (updated Jan 2024)

There is no office for tourist information for the UK or for England. However, as of 2022, Transport for London maintains four small visitor centres at certain arrival points (see TfL website) which offer advice on key attractions, how to travel on the TfL network, buying tickets, etc.

  • Piccadilly Circus (Piccadilly Circus Tube station). F Sa 9AM-4:30PM. (updated Aug 2022)
  • Victoria Station (opposite platform 8 at Victoria rail station). Tu-Sa 9AM-4:30PM. (updated Aug 2022)
  • King's Cross & St Pancras International (Kings Cross & St Pancras Tube station). Tu-Sa 9AM-4:30PM. (updated Aug 2022)
  • Liverpool Street (Liverpool Street Tube station). Tu-Th 9AM-4:30PM. (updated Aug 2022)

Talk

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As one would expect of the capital of England, English is the main language spoken in London. Accents, however, do vary from Received Pronunciation (RP), also known as the King's/Queen's English, that is spoken by the upper-class residents of Westminster, to the distinctive Cockney accent spoken by the working-class residents of the East End. However, RP has largely died out, and has been supplanted by Standard Southern English , a more modern, more middle class accent that pervades the south of the UK. Similarly, Cockney has been driven out of London, now spoken mostly in Essex. As London is one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world that is home to immigrants from all over the former British Empire, a new accent, known as Multicultural London English (MLE) has developed among younger Londoners who grew up with this cultural diversity. MLE has a Cockney base, but also incorporates noticeable influences from South Asia, Africa and the Caribbean, and is often regarded as the most representative accent of modern British society.

Many languages from all around the world are spoken by first generation immigrants in London. For instance, Mandarin and Cantonese are commonly spoken in Chinatown and other neighbourhoods with large numbers of ethnic Chinese residents, and numerous South Asian languages such as Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi and Bengali are spoken among the various South Asian communities.

Get in

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By plane

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Summary map of rail connections to London airports

London receives more flights than any other city in the world. It is served by six airports (LON  IATA for all airports)ː

There are direct public transport connections between all London airports and the city centre. The quickest travel option is usually by train, tube or coach. When planning your trip, leave plenty of time to get to your destination from the airport.

If you arrive into a London airport and must catch a connecting flight from another airport, leave plenty of time to travel through London. This can be quite time consuming and you may need to catch two or more trains.

London Heathrow

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Rail and Tube lines go to different terminals at Heathrow
Main article: Heathrow Airport

1 London Heathrow Airport (LHR IATA). Heathrow is Europe's busiest airport. There are four terminals numbered T2-T5. You can fly into Heathrow from a large number of domestic and international destinations - including in most European nations, Doha, Johannesburg, Los Angeles, New Delhi, New York, Tokyo and Toronto. Most major long-haul airlines fly into Heathrow including British Airways, Aer Lingus, American Airlines, KLM, Lufthansa, Qantas, Qatar Airways and Turkish Airlines. Heathrow Airport (Q8691) on Wikidata Heathrow Airport on Wikipedia (updated Jan 2024)

There are several ways to get from London Heathrow Airport to central Londonː

  • Heathrow Express - Non-stop trains to London Paddington. Departures every 15 minutes from Heathrow Terminal 2 and 3, and Heathrow Terminal 5. Journey time is 15-20 minutes. Advance tickets from £16.50. On-the-day tickets more expensive. You can pay for your journey using "touch in, touch out" Oyster and Contactless Contactless indicator payment cards. Travelcards are not accepted. Change at Paddington for London Underground  BAK  CIR  DIS  H&C , other National Rail National Rail services and  ELI .
  •  ELI  Elizabeth Line - Stopping trains through London. Regular departures from all terminals. You can pay for your journey using "touch in, touch out" Oyster and Contactless Contactless indicator payment cards. The Oyster and Contactless fare into London fare zone 1 is £13.30. Destinations include Ealing Broadway, Paddington, Bond Street (for Oxford Street), Tottenham Court Road, Farringdon, Liverpool Street (in The City), Canary Wharf and Stratford (for Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park). Journey time to Tottenham Court Road is approximately 35-40 minutes.
  • Piccadilly Line - London Underground "metro" trains through London. Regular departures from all terminals. You can pay for your journey using "touch in, touch out" Oyster and Contactless Contactless indicator payment cards. The Oyster and Contactless fare into London fare zone 1 is £5.60. Destinations include Hammersmith, South Kensington (for museums), Green Park (for Buckingham Palace), Leicester Square, Holborn (for British Museum), King's Cross St Pancras and Arsenal.
  • Coaches - You can book a coach into London with Megabus or National Express. Most coaches arrive into London Victoria. Transfers to Gatwick, Luton and Stansted airports using National Express. You can also book a coach transfer to Gatwick Airport using The Airline.
  • Superloop buses - Route SL7 to Teddington, Kingston and Croydon or SL9 to Harrow.
  • Local buses - Including route 490 to Twickenham and Richmond
  • Nightbus N9 - All-night service direct to Hammersmith, Kensington, Green Park, Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square and Aldwych.
  • Taxi - Taxi fares are regulated by Transport for London (TfL). Tariffs to central London from £56.
  • Pre-booked minicab - Check with your preferred provider.
  • Car hire - Several companies on-site. There are car hire desks in all terminals. Check Heathrow Airport's website for details. The connects Heathrow Airport with Hammersmith and central London. The connects Heathrow Airport with areas of south, north and east London.
  • If you are using a private car to travel to London City Airport, Ultra Low Emission Zone charges may apply to a small number of vehicles.

London Gatwick

[edit]
Main article: Gatwick Airport

2 London Gatwick Airport (LGW IATA). London's second-busiest airport, Gatwick has two terminals - "North Terminal" and "South Terminal". You can fly into Gatwick from a large number of domestic and international destinations, particularly destinations in Europe. Airlines include British Airways, easyJet, KLM, Ryanair and TUI. London Gatwick Airport (Q8703) on Wikidata Gatwick Airport on Wikipedia (updated Jan 2024)

There are several ways to get from London Gatwick Airport to London destinationsː

  • Gatwick Express - Non-stop trains to London Victoria. Departures every 15 minutes. Journey time is 30-35 minutes. You can pay for your journey using "touch in, touch out" Oyster and Contactless Contactless indicator payment cards. Oyster and contactless fares from £9.50 off-peak. Change at Victoria for London Underground  VIC  CIR  DIS  and other National Rail National Rail services.
  • Southern - Stopping trains towards East Croydon, Clapham Junction and London Victoria. Regular departures. Expect journey times around 40 minutes to central London. You can pay for your journey using "touch in, touch out" Oyster and Contactless Contactless indicator payment cards. Oyster and contactless fares to Zone 1 from £9.50 off-peak.
  • Thameslink - Stopping trains through London. Regular departures. Expect journey times around 40 minutes to central London. You can pay for your journey using "touch in, touch out" Oyster and Contactless Contactless indicator payment cards. Oyster and contactless fares to Zone 1 from £9.50 off-peak. Destinations include East Croydon, London Bridge, Farringdon (in The City), King's Cross St Pancras, Finsbury Park and Luton Airport .
  • Coaches - You can book a coach transfer to London Victoria with several coach operators, including National Express. Transfers to Heathrow, Luton and Stansted airports using National Express. You can also book a coach transfer to Heathrow Airport using The Airline.
  • Pre-booked minicab - Check with your preferred provider.
  • Car hire - Several companies on-site. Check Gatwick Airport's website for details. The connects Gatwick Airport with Croydon. Use for south and central London destinations or for other outer London areas.

London Stansted

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Main article: London Stansted Airport
The terminal at Stansted Airport

3 London Stansted Airport (STN IATA). Stansted is busy with short-haul flights from destinations in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, as well as UK destinations including Newquay, Edinburgh and Belfast. Airlines include easyJet, Jet2 and Ryanair. London Stansted Airport (Q8709) on Wikidata London Stansted Airport on Wikipedia (updated Jan 2024)

You cannot use "touch in, touch out" Oyster and Contactless cards to travel between Stansted and London. You must buy a ticket or e-ticket. There are several ways to get from London Stansted Airport to London destinationsː

  • Stansted Express - Fast trains to Tottenham Hale and London King's Cross. Departures every 15 minutes. Journey time is around 50 minutes. Change at Tottenham Hale for London Underground  VIC . Change at Liverpool Street for London Underground  CEN  CIR  H&C  MET  and other National Rail National Rail services.
  • Coaches - There are several National Express coach routes into destinations in London, including Bow, Finchley Road, Golders Green, Marble Arch, Paddington, Stratford and Waterloo. You can also use a direct shuttle Airport Bus Express to Stratford and Liverpool Street.
  • Essex Airlink X30 - Bus to London Southend Airport.
  • Pre-booked minicab - Check with your preferred provider.
  • Car hire - Several companies on-site in the Car Rental Village. Check Stansted Airport's website for details. The connects Stansted Airport with east and central London. Use for areas of north, west and south London.

London Luton

[edit]

4 London Luton Airport (LTN IATA). Luton Airport is around 30 miles from the capital. You can fly into Luton from a large number of European destinations, particularly smaller cities in southern and eastern Europe. Airlines include easyJet, Ryanair and Wizz Air London Luton Airport (Q8712) on Wikidata Luton Airport on Wikipedia (updated Jan 2024)

There are several ways to get from London Luton Airport to London destinationsː

  • Luton Airport Express - Non-stop trains to London St Pancras International, operated by East Midlands Railway. Departures every 30 minutes from Luton Airport Parkway. Journey time is 32 minutes. You can pay for your journey using "touch in, touch out" Oyster and Contactless Contactless indicator payment cards. Change at St Pancras for London Underground  CIR  H&C  MET  NOR  PIC  VIC , other National Rail National Rail services and Eurostar services to mainland Europe. To get to Luton Airport Parkway from the terminal, you can use the Luton DART (Direct Air-Rail Transit) 24/7, with departures every 7 minutes during the daytimes.
  • Thameslink - Stopping trains through London. Regular departures from Luton Airport Parkway including overnight services. Expect journey times around 45 minutes to central London. You can pay for your journey using "touch in, touch out" Oyster and Contactless Contactless indicator payment cards. Destinations include Brent Cross West, King's Cross St Pancras, Farringdon (in The City), London Bridge, East Croydon and Gatwick Airport . To get to Luton Airport Parkway from the terminal, you can use the Luton DART (Direct Air-Rail Transit) 24/7, with departures every 7 minutes during the daytimes.
  • Coaches - National Express operates coaches into Golders Green, Finchley Road, Baker Street, Paddington, and Victoria. Green Line 757 operates coaches into Brent Cross, Finchley Road and Victoria with cheaper fares than most other operators
  • Pre-booked minicab - Check with your preferred provider.
  • Car hire - Several companies on-site. Check Luton Airport's website for details. The connects Luton Airport with Brent Cross and central London. Use for areas of west, south and east London.

London City

[edit]
London City Airport

5 London City Airport (LCY IATA). Just 3.5 mi (5.6 km) from Canary Wharf, this "commuter" airport has short-haul flights from other major European cities. Also some holiday routes. British Airways and Lufthansa are among the airlines which fly into London City Airport. London City Airport (Q8982) on Wikidata London City Airport on Wikipedia (updated Jan 2024).

Plane tickets at London City tend to be more expensive than at other airports. London City Airport lies in east London. Onward travel is viaː

  •  DLR  Docklands Light Railway - London City Airport has its own station in London fare zone 3. There are direct trains to Woolwich Arsenal, Canning Town, Stratford and Bank. Change at Poplar for DLR services to Canary Wharf and Greenwich. You can pay for your journey using "touch in, touch out" Oyster and Contactless Contactless indicator payment cards.
  • Local buses - Route 473 to Stratford and 474 to Canning Town and Manor Park. You can plan a journey using the Transport for London website or apps like Google Maps and Citymapper.
  • Taxi - Fares vary.
  • Pre-booked minicab - Check with your preferred provider.
  • Car hire - Car hire firms near London City Airport include Avis, Europcar and Hertz. After leaving London City Airport, follow then for Canary Wharf and The City (westbound) or for the (eastbound). Follow then North Circular Road for destinations in east, north and west London. Use Woolwich Ferry then for destinations in south London.
  • If you are using a private car to travel to London City Airport, Ultra Low Emission Zone charges may apply to a small number of vehicles.

London Southend

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6 London Southend Airport (SEN IATA). There are flights from a limited number of European destinations including Paris and Amsterdam. EasyJet operates most flights into London Southend Airport. London Southend Airport (Q1415441) on Wikidata London Southend Airport on Wikipedia (updated Jan 2024)

Journeys into central London can take more than an hour. There is a railway station at Southend Airport, but you cannot use "touch in, touch out" Oyster and Contactless cards to travel between Southend and London. There are limited bus links with London. Options for travel into London includeː

  • Greater Anglia - Stopping trains into London Liverpool Street and London Stratford. Regular departures. Expect journey times around 55 minutes to central London. Change at Stratford for London Underground  CEN  JUB ,  DLR  and other National Rail National Rail services. Change at Liverpool Street for London Underground  CEN  CIR  H&C  MET  and other National Rail National Rail services.
  • Essex Airlink X30 - Bus to London Stansted Airport.

By train

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Wikivoyage has a guide to Rail travel in Great Britain

London is a major destination on the British rail network and every major city has a regular connection with the capital.

By National Rail

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Prices vary depending on ticket type. These include:

  • Anytime - travel at any time of day. Return tickets may usually be used within one month of your outbound journey. This is the most expensive ticket type and can be well in excess of £200 for some journeys.
  • Off-peak - travel at off-peak times only. As a rule of thumb, you cannot travel on trains arriving into London between 6.30am and 10am on weekdays, or trains departing London between 4pm and 7pm on weekdays - although times vary by operator. Be sure to check with the retailer before you travel.
  • Super off-peak - travel at the very quietest times of day. Super off-peak times vary by operator. Be sure to check with the retailer before you travel.
  • Advance - travel on a specific service. You may only travel on your booked train. This is generally the cheapest ticket type, with prices cheaper the further in advance you book.

National Rail (National Rail) is the umbrella brand for the rail network in Great Britain. It does not include London Underground (), Tramlink or DLR ( DLR ), but some vendors sell London Travelcards which are valid for travel across the Transport for London networks. Some through tickets are also valid on London services.

You can buy tickets at ticket offices, via individual train companies or online:

You may not have to buy a ticket from destinations within London's sphere of influence. Instead, you may be able to "touch in, touch out" using an Oyster or Contactless Contactless indicator payment card, on yellow-coloured readers at ticket gates or station entrances. Destinations within the Oyster and Contactless area include Amersham, Dartford, Gatwick Airport (), Heathrow Airport (), Hertford, Redhill and Watford (including Warner Bros Studio Tour London). Destinations within the Contactless area include St Albans, Hatfield, Reading, Slough and Welwyn Garden City.

Holidaymakers travelling between London and destinations further afield might be able to use a ranger or rover ticket. These include:

By Eurostar

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Travel direct into London St Pancras International (QQS IATA) from:

High-speed trains pass beneath the English Channel in a 31.5 mi (50.7 km) between Calais, Hauts-de-France and Folkestone, Kent.

Book in advance for the cheapest fares (at https://www.eurostar.com/). Passengers using an Interrail or Eurail ticket will need to book a seat at an additional cost.

You may be able to combine your Eurostar journey with connections from other cities in Europe. Find tickets with third-party websites such as Trainline (https://www.thetrainline.com/) and Deutsche Bahn (https://www.international-bahn.de/).

Passengers with standard or standard premier tickets should arrive around 90 min before their departure time (up to 120 min at Paris Nord or 60 min at Lille-Europe). You will need a passport for cross-channel travel, and will need to have your luggage checked at the station, before you get on the train. Gates close 30 min before departure.

Eurostar trains boast an on-board café serving sandwiches, hot food, and hot and cold drinks. There are also food and drink outlets in the departure lounges, in most cases both before and after passport checks.

London St Pancras International is close to Camden Town - famous for its markets, pubs and music scene - and Bloomsbury - which is home to the British Museum, several universities, and independent bookshops and cafés.

London terminals

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There are several major National Rail (National Rail) stations in London. Clockwise from Paddington, these are:

  • c2c from South Essex including Southend-on-Sea.
  • Connections at London Fenchurch Street are:  CIR   DIS  from Tower Hill and  DLR  from Tower Gateway. Fenchurch Street railway station (Q800753) on Wikidata Fenchurch Street railway station on Wikipedia (updated Aug 2024)
Terminal stations of London.

By coach

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Most international and domestic long distance coach (U.S. English: bus) services arrive at and depart from a complex of coach stations off Buckingham Palace Road in Westminster close to London Victoria rail station. Virtually all services operate from 21 London Victoria Coach Station Victoria Coach Station on Wikipedia, which has separate arrival and departure buildings. Some services by smaller operators may use the 22 Green Line Coach Station Green Line Coach Station on Wikipedia nearby. Listed below are the main coach operators. It is strongly recommended to book your travel in advance: fares can be much cheaper (even a day or two can make all the difference) and you avoid ticket office queues and potentially sold-out coaches. All large and many smaller coach operators allow passengers to show tickets on their mobile phone, and all will allow passengers to print tickets at home.

Domestic

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  • National Express, ☏ +44 870 580 8080. By far the largest domestic coach operator and operates services throughout Great Britain. Fares are fairly low (although usually higher than Megabus): especially when booked in advance via the web. (updated Jun 2017)
  • Megabus, ☏ +44 141 352 4444 (answered by Citylink). Operates budget coach services between London and various other UK cities, and even to get to Inverness in the Scottish Highlands. Fares are demand responsive but can be very cheap (£1.50 if you book far enough in advance). (updated Jun 2017)

International

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  • Eurolines, ☏ +44 870 514 3219. An associate company of National Express, it runs coach services between London and various cities in Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and continental Europe (with direct services extending as far as Bucharest in Romania). (updated Jun 2017)
  • Flixbus, ☏ +49 30 300 137 300. A German bus company which in 2016 took over Megabus services to and from continental Europe. Services from Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, and Cologne. (updated Jun 2017)
  • BlaBlaCar Bus. A coach company competing on the routes from Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam. They offer newer coaches with plug sockets, Wi-Fi and reserved seating (which is especially useful for those travelling as a couple or group). (updated Jun 2017)
  • Sindbad, ☏ +48 77 443 44 44. Coach services from cities throughout Poland to Victoria Coach Station. (updated Jun 2017)
  • Transmarian, ☏ +40 740-635-532. Coach services from cities throughout Romania to Victoria Coach Station. (updated Nov 2022)
  • RegioJet, ☏ +420 841 101 101. (formerly Student Agency) A Czech operator with a daily service from Prague, departing from the Green Line Coach Station. (updated Jun 2017)

By car

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London is signposted on major routes in southern England, The Midlands and parts of Wales. Driving in London can prove expensive or - in heavy traffic - time consuming. You can park at railway stations further afield to catch the train into London if you would prefer not to drive.

Remember to drive on the left in the UK, including London.

Roads

[edit]

Intercity road routes in the UK are called "motorways" with blue signs. Other major routes are known as "A roads". Main routes into London includeː

From Scotland, The North and The Midlandsː

From the East of Englandː

From Kent and Franceː

From The South, The South West and Walesː

You can use several orbital routes and ring roads to get into different parts of London once you are on the city's edges. These areː

  • London Orbital - Sometimes known as "Britain's biggest car park", the M25 can bet busy. All major routes from other UK cities intersect with the London Orbital. The M25 runs around the outermost edge of London and some of the surrounding towns. There is a charge to cross the Dartford Crossing to the east of London. You can find out more about the Dart Charge on the UK Government website.
  • South Circular Road - Intersects with all major routes south of the River Thames. Passes through Kew, Putney, Clapham, Dulwich, Eltham and Woolwich.
  • North Circular Road - Intersects with all major routes north of the River Thames. Mostly dual-carriageway. Passes through Ealing, Wembley, Brent Cross, Finchley, Tottenham and Ilford.
  • London Inner Ring Road - Connects Paddington, Marylebone, King's Cross, Angel, Shoreditch, Tower Bridge, Elephant and Castle, Kennington, Vauxhall, Victoria and Park Lane.

Get around

[edit]
Map
Map of Greater London

The main travel options in summary are:

  • By bus: This is the cheapest and usually the best way to get around London as a tourist: on most of the Underground, you won't see anything!
  • By Tube / Underground: 11 lines cover the central area and suburbs, run by TfL.
  • By Overground and the Elizabeth Line: Urban rail systems, part of TfL's network.
  • By National Rail: A complex network of suburban rail services, privately run and not part of the TfL network, although all operators now accept Oyster payments within Greater London.
  • By Docklands Light Railway (DLR): An automatic metro system running from the City to East London via the Docklands, run by TfL.
  • By foot: In central London, walking to the next Tube station often takes around 10 minutes, and is a more scenic choice than going underground. The street layout can be confusing, so a street map is essential; map and travel apps for smartphones and tablets are incredibly useful and many stations have central London printed maps for £2.
  • By boat: Both commuter ferries run by TfL and pleasure cruises ply along the River Thames. Some services accept Oyster cards, but special fares apply, so check before you travel.
  • By bicycle: There are hire bicycles (known to Londoners as "Boris Bikes" after former London mayor Boris Johnson) operated by TfL available for pick up in inner London. You will need a credit or debit card with a PIN. If you bring your own bike, there are plenty of cycle lanes and traffic is normally considerate.
  • By tram (Tramlink): A tram service that operates only in southern suburbs around Croydon, Wimbledon and Bromley. Run by TfL.

By public transport

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Transport for London's rail network: the Tube, Overground, DLR, Trams, TfL Rail. The non-TfL National Rail network is not shown
Transport maps

London is the home of the famous Tube map, and TfL produces some excellent maps to help you get around:

Optimising the cost of travel

The London fare system can be notoriously complex - this is a useful guide that explains how the different services work together, and the different schemes one can use to save a (considerable) amount of money.

London has one of the most comprehensive public transport systems in the world. Despite residents' perpetual (and sometimes justified) grumbling about unreliability, public transport is often the best option for getting anywhere for visitors and residents alike. In central London use a combination of the transport options listed below - and check your map: in many cases, you can easily walk from one place to another or use the buses. Public transportation shuts down early on Christmas Eve, and all day on Christmas Day.

Transport for London (TfL) is a government organisation responsible for all public transport. Their website contains maps plus an excellent journey planner. TfL publishes a useful 'coping guide' specially designed for travellers who wish to use public transport during their visit to London. TfL also offers a 24-hour travel information line, charged at a premium rate: tel +44 843 222 1234 (or text 60835) for suggestions on getting from A to B, and for up to the minute information on how services are running. Fortunately for visitors (and indeed residents) there is a single ticketing system, Oyster, which enables travellers to switch between modes of transport on one ticket.

You must have a valid ticket at all times when travelling by bus, tram or train in London. If you can't show a valid ticket or a validated Oyster card you will have to pay a Penalty Fare, which is usually £40 (increased to £80 if it isn't paid within 21 days). Always buy your ticket before you get on the train. If using an Oyster Card, ensure that you touch in and out on a yellow reader before and after travelling by Tube or train, even if there are no barriers or they are left open.

There are four types of tickets you can buy: the Oyster card (a contactless electronic smartcard), Travelcards (which exist both in paper form or can be loaded on your Oyster card), contactless debit or credit cards, and paper tickets. Paper tickets are significantly more expensive than paying by Oyster card or contactless card.

Oyster cards

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Oyster Card

Oyster is a contactless electronic smartcard run by Transport for London. Unless you have a contactless credit or debit card, Oyster is the most cost-effective option if you plan to be in London for any more than a couple of days, or if you intend to make return visits to the city: the savings quickly recover the initial purchase cost. You can buy an Oyster card from any Tube station for a deposit of £7. You can "top up" an Oyster card with electronic funds at ticket machines or shops displaying the "Oyster" logo. This money is then deducted according to where you travel. The cost of a single trip using the Oyster card is considerably less than buying a single paper ticket with cash. Prices vary depending on the distance travelled, whether by bus or Tube, and on the time of day. You can also add various electronic seven-day, 1 month and longer-period Travelcards onto an Oyster, and the card is simply validated each time you use it.

The deposit is fully refundable; if you have less than £10 credit on your card, you can claim an instant refund of the credit and deposit at some ticket machines after 48 hours of purchase of your Oyster card. Station staff will assist you if necessary. However, your Oyster card, and the credit on it, never expires, so keep it around in case you return to London. Be prepared to give your signature on receipts or even show ID for refunds over a few pounds.

You can sign up for contactless and Oyster account. This will allow you to track your journeys and make refund claims for incomplete journeys.

Visitor Oyster card is a version of the normal Oyster card targeted to travellers. This version of the Oyster card can be purchased from some travel agents outside London and overseas or ordered by mail. This card can also be sent back to TfL by mail after a trip to London to claim a refund for the unused balance. Visitor Oyster cards come pre-charged with pay-as-you-go credit: in increments from £10 to £50. The card itself costs £5 non refundable fee plus postage. With a Visitor Oyster card you can also get some discounts in various venues across the city. The Visitor Oyster cards are for pay as you go use only and cannot be registered to provide protection against loss or topped up from the Oyster smart-phone app.

If you have a National Railcard, such as the 16-25 Railcard or the Senior Railcard, you can register this with your Oyster card at a Tube station (members of staff near ticket machines can do this) to receive a 33% discount on off-peak pay-as-you-go fares on rail & tube.

Validity of your Oyster
[edit]

Oyster is valid on all red London buses, and almost all trains in London: a list of destinations is available on the London Tube and Rail Services map. Oyster is not valid on buses or trains outside London: if you need to travel beyond the stations on the map, you will have to pay for a paper ticket. Oyster is also not accepted on long-distance coaches, tour buses, or charter buses. Also, Oyster cannot be used on the Heathrow Express.

The following table summarises the validity of the different tickets you can use on Oyster. For most tourists, the Tube, trains, and buses are the only transport you will use, but Oyster is not valid at all on airport express trains to Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton, Stansted or Southend. However, Oyster is valid on the Piccadilly Underground line & the Elizabeth Line to Heathrow Airport. Note, peak fares are charged at all times to Heathrow Airport.

Bus Tram London Underground London Overground National Rail
(within London)		 DLR Airport Express trains
Pay-as-you-go yes yes yes yes yes yes yes (Heathrow Express and Gatwick Express only, special fares apply)
Travelcard yes yes yes yes yes yes no
Bus & Tram pass yes yes no no no no no
Using your Oyster card
[edit]
Oyster card reader

When using your Oyster card to travel, make sure the reader is displaying an orange light, then place it flat against the reader. A single beep and a green light mean your card has been accepted, and you can proceed. Two beeps and a red light mean your card has not been accepted. Take the card off the reader, wait for the orange light, and try again; if this continues to happen, ask for help from a member of staff. Don't try to insert your Oyster card into the slot at the ticket gates!

When getting on any kind of train, you must touch your Oyster card on the yellow circular reader at the start and end of your journey. At stations with ticket gates, these readers will be on the right-hand side of the gates. In the outlying parts of the city there are no entry or exit gates at some stations. In this case, the readers are on free-standing cabinets next to entrances/exits. Failing to touch out when you leave a station will result in you being charged a maximum fare for your journey, since the system doesn't know which station you left from. The maximum fare is between £5.40 and £14.20, and depends on the station where you started your journey.

Usually you will not need to touch your Oyster card on a reader when changing trains. However, some stations have pink Oyster "route validators" on the platforms: if you are getting off one train and getting onto another at one of these stations, touch your Oyster on the pink reader so that the system charges you the right fare for the route you have taken. There are a few other situations where you might have to touch out when changing trains (usually when changing between Tube, DLR and/or National Rail) - in these cases make sure you touch back in before getting on your next train.

When using a London bus or a tram, touch in once when getting on. Don't touch out when you get off the bus or you will be charged twice. Most buses have their Oyster reader next to the driver. Trams and some buses have Oyster readers on poles next to the doors.

You can make a change to another bus or a tram free of charge during one hour. You'll still have to touch your Oyster on the 2nd bus or tram, but no money will be deducted then.

Contactless credit or debit cards or other RFID identity cards may interfere with your Oyster if you keep them in the same wallet. This usually results in an error message but may mean you get charged the full fare from your contactless credit or debit card instead. Be careful standing near the readers on some buses - they are often quite sensitive and may read your card from several centimetres away, even if you did not intend this. It is best to remove the card from the wallet or purse it is in.

Pay-as-you-go (PrePay) with your Oyster
[edit]

You can top up your Oyster card with cash at any Tube station ticket machine or ticket office (you can use a credit card if it has a PIN) with Oyster pay-as-you-go, also known as PrePay. Money is then deducted from your Oyster card each time you travel. When travelling by train, the fare is calculated based on where you started and ended your journey. Pay-as-you-go is much cheaper than paying by cash for each journey, especially if you make multiple trips. Bus fares are flat and you will be charged the same fare every time you get on the bus, regardless of distance.

The amount of Oyster credit deducted from your card in one day is capped to a daily limit. This means that on a day-to-day basis, you will always get the best fares when using Oyster pay-as-you-go. Even if you travel by bus only, your total fares are also capped, this makes bus travel very good value in central London if you are making lots of journeys.

Travelcards

[edit]

A Travelcard gives you unlimited travel on trains within the relevant zones, and on red London buses. A Travelcard is typically loaded onto your Oyster, but for periods longer than 7 days, you will usually need to register your Oyster card or provide some form of photographic I.D.

For an up-to-date and comprehensive list of fares, see TfL's website.

If you are using Oyster and travel beyond the zones of your Travelcard, you will be charged an extension fare from your pay-as-you-go credit when you touch out at your destination.

Contactless payment cards

[edit]

Contactless credit/debit cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay can be used to pay fares anywhere Oyster is accepted. Most Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, Cirrus or American Express cards issued outside the UK are accepted. Some pre-paid cards may work as well. Some cards such as Visa contactless cards issued in the United States will not work.

When you enter or leave a station or get on the bus, touch the card against the yellow validation reader as if it were an Oyster card. The price is the same as with an Oyster card. The price per day is automatically capped at the price of a day ticket. You also avoid the queues at ticket machines, the £5 deposit for an Oyster card, and you never have to top it up. A Travelcard can not be loaded onto a contactless card. The same card cannot be used by two or more different passengers. You must use the same device to touch in and out, otherwise you may get charged for two journeys - for example, if you touch in using your smartphone but touch out using your physical card, the system may get confused and charge you twice, even if the phone is linked to the same card.

You may notice a charge of £0.10 on your bank statement shortly after you touch in for the first time - this is normal. This will change to the price of all your travel for that day, usually overnight but sometimes it can take a few days.

Using a contactless card as a visitor from abroad may be tricky though. Your bank may ask for additional confirmations, so TfL may suspend accepting a card until you release a pending payment. Also sometimes you may end up with an unfinished journey even though you've touched an exit gate probably because a card may require a bit longer to process after a gate is opened. Keep your card at a reader until the gate opens fully. You can sign up for a contactless and Oyster account to check for these issues.

Fares

[edit]

Every station where you can use Oyster or contactless payment is in a "fare zone" from 1 to 9 - you can see what zone a station is in on the Tube Map (look for the shaded areas and numbers in the background). Some stations on the boundary of two zones have their name written in a white box, which means they're considered to be in both zones (for example Earl's Court is in zones 1 and 2). If your journey starts or ends at one of these stations, the system will work out which zone would result in the cheapest fare and charge that.

The price of a journey is determined by how many zones it passes through. In general, the more zones you travel through, the higher the fare, with journeys passing through Zone 1 (most stations in Central London) being more expensive than ones going around it. TfL's website has a single fare finder tool that can be used to work out the price of a journey between any two stations. Most journeys have both a peak and off-peak fare - a peak journey is one starting between 06:30 and 09:30 and between 16:00 and 19:00 on working days (excluding public holidays).

Pay as you go fares are capped: once the fares for all your journeys on the same day add up to a certain amount (which varies depending on all the zones travelled), any further travel that day will be free. There are also weekly caps, covering all travel within a calendar week. Caps are calculated separately for peak and off-peak travel. Note that, even once you have reached a daily or weekly cap, you still need to touch in and out for each journey, otherwise you are traveling without a valid ticket - though you won't be charged anything for it. If you use a combination of Tube, zone 1-6 railway, and bus journeys, the Tube's fare caps (based on the farthest zone you travelled to) will apply to all your journeys for that day.

Paper tickets

[edit]

It's still possible to pay for a journey by a paper single or return ticket. However, this only makes sense if you take perhaps two to three journeys on public transport during your trip to London as they cost significantly more (roughly double the cost) in comparison with the other means of payment.

Season tickets can also be purchased in paper.

Accessibility

[edit]

If you have a physical disability, you might find it harder to travel around London. The oldest parts of the Underground date from the middle of the 19th century, and some of the surface rail network is even older. Therefore, much of the transport system wasn't built to cater for people with disabilities; narrow, winding passageways, steep staircases, and cavernous gaps between some platforms and trains are all barriers for certain passengers.

However, times and attitudes have changed: all stations, lines and trains built since the 1990s are accessible and many older stations have been retrofitted with lifts and ramps. In addition, all London buses and trams have low-floor doors, access ramps and space onboard for at least one wheelchair user; most black cabs (taxis) are also accessible. That said, there are still significant gaps in accessibility, particularly on the Tube in Central London.

To help you navigate, TfL publish several maps to cater for different needs:

  • The standard Tube map marks all stations that are step-free from either street to platform (white wheelchair symbol) or street to train (blue wheelchair symbol).
  • The Step-free Tube map goes into more detail, indicating the height difference between platform and train floor-level.
  • The Large-print Tube map and Black-and-white Tube map[dead link] serve travellers with visual impairments.
  • The Audio Tube map is available to stream or download, however as of early 2023 it was last updated in 2016.

For more info, visit the transport accessibility portal on the TfL website.

By Underground

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