Red double-decker buses, telephone booths, the River Thames, standardized taxis, the famous Big Ben, the subway, the London Eye and British Museum, the oldest museum in the world… London is a mix of secular icons and its skyscrapers’ modernity, full of technology and innovation. Past and future together in a city where more than 300 nationalities live together. Going out and listening to several languages in a single day, going to the famous markets (Portobello Road, Shoreditch, Borough Market, Camden Lock), and sampling food from all over the world are just some of the advantages of living or visiting a city as multicultural as this.
There is nothing that cannot be done here. Despite all the diversity, the most incredible thing is that each person will find “their own” London, which offers many different places, as described by the novelist and historian places. So it is not difficult to hear some people saying that they live in the same London and can never meet. Each neighbourhood has its personality, and lifestyle varies depending on where you are.
Discover this City that goes far beyond the incredible and majestic famous sights (it is not for nothing that London is consistently among the list of the most visited cities in the world). London is not just made of rain, and it is not as grey as everyone imagines. London has a light, lots of water, lots of parks, museums, sunshine, castles, boats, trains and the subway. London has English Breakfast and Italian, Peruvian, Brazilian, Spanish, Russian and Canadian food. London is multi, and you can ask who you know and who has been here. London is addictive and, who knows, falls in love!
Getting around and getting around London: transport tips
London has one of the complete transport systems globally, so it is essential to know the means of public transport in detail, not least because the City is quite large. There are some tips for using transport, such as learning how the Oyster Card, the City’s transport card, works, which may seem complex, but in reality, it is elementary – its use will be explained further below.
The Transport for London is the body responsible for managing the London transport services, providing updated information on their website about the operation of the lines, route options, schedules and fares.
You can also use the Journey Planner, a service offered by Transport for London and is a handy tool for those who use London transport. Just inform the route you want to take, and it will give you the best route options, train times and estimated trip duration. Below we will briefly cite some ways for you to start to understand a little.
Unlike the United States, where the subway is known as the subway, they are called tube or underground in London. Twelve lines cover 480km of tracks, serving 270 stations. The London Underground, in addition to being fast, efficient and well communicated, also offers Wi-Fi in 144 stations in partnership with the leading telephone operators. Most also provide access for people with mobility difficulties. It, very well served in terms of signage, staff, and ticket purchase machines. It is effortless to get around. At peak times, they arrive every 1 minute, and some lines are already open on weekends.
The overground operate with trains above the ground that run throughout London’s City and suburb. Six lines serve 83 stations. Many of these stations connect directly to the subway lines and the National Rail (see description below), which operates several cities in England. The overground came to cover areas considered less busy and further away from the City. In recent years, trains have managed to reach 96.6% on time. Their routes can be consulted on the map of the subway itself. Here on this website, you can see more details about this.
DLR – DLR is a light tube system serving the Docklands area located in East and South West. It has 45 stations.
Bus – All London buses must maintain the same standard: the colour red (or customized), the two floors and the same type of space and comfort. There are thousands of buses serving all London neighbourhoods, with stops every 200m or less. There are benches for people to sit in, digital screens that inform the times and the lines and maps with the routes. There are night lines (with an “N” in the front) and those running 24 hours.
Bicycles – There are other unconventional means of transport that London offers, such as the well-known bicycle rental, which serves both those who come for a walk and want to explore the City in a different way, as well as for the places that are adopting this means.
How to get from the main airports to your hotel: arriving in London and getting around the City
London has six airports that connect the capital with other cities and countries around the world. They are Heathrow, City, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton and Southend.
Heathrow Airport
Located about 20 km west of London, it is one of the busiest airports in Europe and has five terminals. The airport offers several options for reaching central London. Are they:
* Metro: Heathrow has a metro station, which passes the Piccadilly Line (navy blue), which located inside the airport and which serves its five terminals. Pay attention to the time of the first and the last subway to the airport, so you don’t have to rely on luck. The trip to zone 2 takes around 40 minutes. You can hire a private taxi airport trip to airport to your destination.
Gatwick Airport
Situated 46 km south of London, it is considered the most modern airport in England, with two terminals. Despite being a little away from the City, it is easy to reach, and the trip to central London takes just 30 minutes by train.
Luton Airport
Luton is the fourth largest airport in London and the furthest from all airports, located 56 km north of central London. It mainly serves low-cost airlines, such as EasyJet and Ryanair.
Train: Thameslink is the fastest way to travel between central London and the airport. The company offers six trains per hour, and the journey between St. Pancras and Luton takes 45 minutes. Cost: £ 25 pounds (round trip).
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