Getting There By Air:London Heathrow Airport (LHR) Tel: 0870 000 0123.
Website:
www.heathrowairport.comHeathrow, 24km (15 miles) west of central London, is one of the world's busiest international airports.
Airport facilities: Facilities include bureaux de change, ATMs, airport information, hotel reservation and travel information desks, post offices in terminals two and four, left luggage, Internet access, showers, telephones and
fax machines, shops, duty-free outlets, restaurants, cafes, bars and information centers. Car hire is available in all five terminals, from
Alamo,
Avis,
Budget,
Enterprise,
Europcar,
Hertz,
National and
Thrifty.
The Business Center Heathrow is located in the Queen's Building, between terminals one and two. Open Monday to Friday 0730 to 1900, it offers 20 meeting rooms and a conference suite, as well as a communications center with computers with Internet access, faxes, photocopiers, audiovisual equipment and even showers.
Transport to the city: The
Heathrow Express (tel: 0845 600 1515; website:
www.heathrowexpress.co.uk) operates from terminals one, two, three and five with trains running every 15 minutes. Passengers from terminal four need to take the free transfer service to Heathrow Central and change. You can buy tickets from the
Heathrow Express desks or self-service ticket kiosks located at the station; tickets are also available for purchase on the train, for a premium, or online, with a 10% discount. A cheaper, but longer option is to take the
Heathrow Connect rail service (tel: 0845 678 6975; website:
www.heathrowconnect.com) to Paddington.
The airport is also on the
London Underground Piccadilly line (tel: (020) 7222 1234; website:
www.tfl.gov.uk).
There is also a Central Bus Station at Heathrow, where the main bus service to central London is operated by
National Express (tel: 0871 781 8181; website:
www.nationalexpress.com). At night, the N9 night bus service goes to central London every 30 minutes (journey time - 50 minutes).
The
Airport Travel Line (tel: 0870 574 7777) provides coach transport information. The
Travel Line (tel: 0871 200 2233) can provide information on all public transport to and from London.
Taxis are readily available and cost from around £40-70 for a journey to the city center (depending on traffic conditions and time of day).
London Gatwick Airport (LGW) Tel: 0870 000 2468.
Website:
www.gatwickairport.com Gatwick, 45km (28 miles) south of central London, is the second busiest international airport in the UK. A free train links the two terminals (north and south).
Airport facilities: Both terminals have bureaux de change, ATMs, airport information desks, showers, left luggage facilities, shops, duty-free outlets, restaurants and bars. There is also an Internet cafe situated in the south terminal. Both terminals have car hire from
Alamo, Avis, Dollar, Enterprise, Europcar,
Hertz,
National and
Thrifty. The airport provides a
Fast Track priority service for business-class travelers, as well as a full range of business services at the
Hilton London Gatwick Airport Hotel (tel: (01293) 518 080; website:
www1.hilton.com) and
Sofitel London Gatwick Hotel (tel: (01293) 567 070; website:
www.sofitel.com).
Transport to the city: The
Gatwick Express (tel: 0845 850 1530; website:
www.gatwickexpress.co.uk) train service to Victoria station operates every 15 minutes daily (journey time - 30 minutes). Other, slower, cheaper trains also run to Victoria (stopping at East Croydon and Clapham en route). Alternative train services by
First Capital Connect (tel: 0845 748 4950; website:
www.firstcapitalconnect.co.uk) to St Pancras operate daily approximately every 15 minutes during peak hours, with a reduced service at night (journey time - 45 to 50 minutes).
National Express coaches (tel: 0871 781 8181; website:
www.nationalexpress.com) link Gatwick and Heathrow airports (journey time - 70 minutes) daily approximately 0500 to 2230. Coaches also run from Gatwick Airport to Victoria. The
Easybus EB3 service also serves Victoria.
The
Travel Line (tel: 0871 200 2233) and the
Airport Travel Line (tel: 0870 574 7777) can provide information on all public transport to and from London. Chauffeur-driven cars are provided by
Checker Cars (tel: (01293) 502 808 (south terminal)
or 501 377 (north terminal). Taxis are readily available and a trip to the center of London costs around £80 for a journey time of approximately one hour 30 minutes, depending on traffic conditions.
London Stansted Airport (STN) Tel: 0870 000 0303.
Website:
www.stanstedairport.comStansted is located 48km (30 miles) northeast of central London.
Airport facilities: Bureaux de change, ATMs, left luggage, airport information, hotel reservation desk, shops, duty-free outlets, restaurants, bars and car hire from
Alamo,
Avis,
Budget,
Europcar,
Hertz and
National. Lounges can be pre-booked for business meetings and Wi-Fi access is available throughout the terminal.
Transport to the city: The
Stansted Express (tel: 0845 850 0150; website:
www.stanstedexpress.co.uk) train service to Liverpool Street station operates daily 0530 to 2430, departing every 15 minutes (journey time - 49 minutes).
The main coach service to central London is the A6 (tel: 0871 781 8181; website:
www.nationalexpress.com), which travels to Victoria coach station every 10 minutes, 24 hours a day (journey time - 1 hour 45 minutes).
The
Airport Travel Line (tel: 0870 574 7777) provides further coach transport information. The
Travel Line (tel: 0871 200 2233) can provide information on all public transport to and from London. Taxis are usually available at the airport or can be telephoned;
Airport Carz (tel: (01245) 251 888) charges around £85 for the 60-minute (depending on traffic and conditions) journey to central London.
London Luton Airport (LTN) Tel: (01582) 405 100.
Website:
www.london-luton.co.uk Luton airport is situated 52km (32 miles) north of central London.
Airport facilities: The airport has bureaux de change, ATMs, several information kiosks, shops, duty-free outlets, restaurants, bars and car hire from
Avis,
Budget,
Europcar,
Hertz and
National. The
Aviance Executive Lounge (tel: (01582) 700 898) is located in the international departure lounge. Facilities include fax, telephone and Internet.
Transport to the city: First Capital Connect (tel: 0845 748 4950; website:
www.firstcapitalconnect.co.uk) provides a fast link (approximately 30 to 40 minutes) to St Pancras from the Luton Airport Parkway station. A free shuttle bus connects Luton Airport with the Parkway station. Trains operate daily approximately every 15 to 30 minutes, with a reduced service on weeknights.
Greenline (tel: 0844 801 7261; website:
www.greenline.co.uk) operates coach services to Victoria coach station, departing every 30 to 60 minutes 24 hours a day (journey time - 60 to 90 minutes).
easyBus also operates a direct express service to/from Central London (Victoria), seven days a week. The
Travel Line (tel: 0871 200 2233) provides further information on travel to London.
Taxis are available 24 hours and cost approximately £60 for a journey to central London.
London City Airport (LCY) Tel: (020) 7646 0000/88.
Website:
www.londoncityairport.comLondon City Airport is the most central of the capital's airports, located just 10km (6 miles) east of the City of London.
Airport facilities: These include bureaux de change, ATMs, information and hotel reservation desks, postal facilities, duty-free shopping, restaurants, bars, and car hire from
Avis,
Europcar and
Hertz. The
Meridian Business Center (tel: (020) 7646 0900) offers fully serviced conference suites and office space for hire.
Transport to the city: A DLR (Docklands Light Railway) link connects the airport to Bank underground station on the Central Line and has direct connections with the Jubilee Line at Canning Town. Trains run every 7 minutes, and take 14 minutes to reach Canning Town, and 22 minutes to reach Bank station.
There is a stand with licensed black taxis, located directly outside the terminal building. Fares to central London start from £20-25. The
Travel Line (tel: 0871 200 2233) provides further information on all transport to and from London.
Approximate flight times to London: From New York is 7 hours 40 minutes; from Los Angeles is 10 hours 20 minutes; from Toronto is 7 hours and from Sydney is 23 hours 5 minutes (plus stopover).
Getting There By Road:Main roads are designated by a letter, followed by up to four numbers: ‘M’ (motorway), ‘A’ (major road) and ‘B’ (minor road). Traffic drives on the left and drivers must be at least 17 years old. The speed limits are 113kph (70mph) on motorways, 97kph (60mph) on single-lane main roads and 48kph (30mph) in built-up areas. Seat belts are compulsory for drivers, front-seat passengers and rear-seat passengers (if fitted). Motorcyclists must wear helmets. The maximum legal alcohol to blood ratio for driving is 0.08%.
Overseas driving licenses and International Driving Permits are valid for up to one year. Insurance is mandatory. Overseas visitors bringing their own cars should bring registration documents and check with their insurance company as to whether a Green Card is needed.
Emergency breakdown services: AA (tel: 0800 887 766);
Green Flag (tel: 0800 051 0636);
RAC (tel: 0800 828 282).
Routes to the city: The M25 encircles Greater London. The M1, M11, M20, M23, M3, M4 and M40 radiate from the capital to the rest of Britain. The M1 goes north all the way to Leeds, the M11 northeast to Cambridge and East Anglia, the M20 southeast to Folkestone (from where the A20 continues to Dover), the M23 goes south to Gatwick airport (and continues as the A23 to Brighton), the M3 southwest to Southampton, the M4 west to Heathrow airport and Bristol, and the M40 northwest to Oxford and Birmingham.
Motorists and their cars can travel by train through the Channel Tunnel from Calais, France to Folkestone in southeast England, with
Eurotunnel (tel: 0870 535 3535; website:
www.eurotunnel.co.uk).
Approximate driving times to London: From Cambridge - 1 hour 30 minutes; Oxford - 1 hour 30 minutes; Folkestone - 1 hour 45 minutes; Birmingham - 2 hours 15 minutes; Bristol - 2 hours 45 minutes; Leeds - 4 hours.
Coach services: National and international services use Victoria coach station, a short walk from Victoria train station, at 164 Buckingham Palace Road, SW1 (tel: (020) 7730 3466; website:
www.tfl.gov.uk/vcs). Facilities include bureaux de change, ATMs, travel and hotel agencies, information desks, left luggage office and kiosks.
National Express (tel: 0871 781 8181; website:
www.nationalexpress.com) operates services throughout the UK.
Eurolines (tel: 0870 514 3219; website:
www.eurolines.com) has departures to over 500 European destinations.
Getting There By Rail:The British railway network has suffered a bad reputation - delays, cancellations and poor traveling conditions are common, while fares (particularly on routes via London) are high. To get the cheapest tickets, it is best to book in advance. Rail services are operated by a number of independent operators.
Railway information is available 24 hours from
National Rail Enquiries (tel: 0845 748 4950; website:
www.nationalrail.co.uk). London has numerous major stations. These all become very crowded during rush hour (Monday to Friday 0800-0930 and 1700-1830), when services struggle to cope with the sheer volume of passengers. The major national stations in London are Victoria (southwest), Paddington (west), Euston and Kings Cross (north), Liverpool Street (east), Waterloo (south) and Charing Cross (central). Station facilities differ but most include ATMs, bureaux de change, shops, cafes and pubs. You should buy tickets at the station (from ticket desks and machines) before boarding.
Rail services: Eurostar (tel: 0870 518 6186
or (01233) 617 575 (from outside the UK); website:
www.eurostar.com) services from Avignon, Calais, Brussels, Lille, Paris-Gare du Nord and Disneyland Paris travel via the English Channel to St Pancras International (journey time to Paris - 2 hours 15 minutes).
The main London terminals serve different regions of the country, as follows: Euston and King’s Cross for the Midlands, the north of England and Scotland; Liverpool Street for East Anglia; Paddington for Heathrow airport, the West Country, South Wales and the Midlands; Victoria for Gatwick airport and the southeast; and Waterloo for the south coast. There are also numerous regional stations, including Blackfriars, Charing Cross, London Bridge, Marylebone, St Pancras, Stratford and Clapham Junction (the busiest station in the UK). Overnight sleeper trains, run by
First Scotrail (tel: 0845 755 0033; website:
www.firstscotrail.com), connect Euston with the Scottish destinations of Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Fort William, Aberdeen and Dundee.
Getting Around:Public TransportTransport for London (tel: (020) 7222 1234 (24-hour enquiries); website:
www.tfl.gov.uk) provides comprehensive information on all forms of transport within London, as well as operating the buses. It is worth noting that using
Oyster, TfL’s prepaid electronic smartcard, is the cheapest way to get around, as buying individual tickets is prohibitively expensive. Enquire at a Tube station for details, or visit
www.visitbritaindirect.com.
London’s famous red ‘Routemaster’ double-decker
buses have now been phased out and been superseded by more modern single and double deckers, with the exception of on a couple of ‘heritage routes’ (buses 9 and 15, every 15 minutes) for the nostalgia. There is only one fare zone for all buses. You can buy a carnet of six tickets (reduced price) in advance from newsagents and Tube stations, though using a pre-paid Oyster card is cheaper or of a similar price. On many routes, you have to buy tickets prior to boarding and there is a fine for traveling without a valid ticket. Services operate 24 hours a day, with
night buses, prefixed by the letter ‘N’, replacing the standard services on most routes after midnight. Fares on night buses are the same as regular buses.
The London Underground (tel: 0845 330 9880; website:
www.tfl.gov.uk/tube), commonly referred to as the ‘Tube’, is the oldest and most extensive
underground system in the world. An on-going program is replacing old rolling stock, modernising stations and improving efficiency, however, escalator and station closures are still a regular problem. The network consists of 12 underground lines, each with a different name and color, supplemented by the Docklands Light Railway (website:
www.tfl.gov.uk/dlr), connecting the City of London and the Docklands. The entire network is divided into six concentric zones, which determine the price of tickets. The London Underground operates daily approximately from 0530 to 0030 but is best avoided during rush hour (Monday to Friday 0800-0930 and 1700-1830) when it is extremely crowded.
There are a number of
passes available, including the
Day Travelcard, which can be used on buses and London Underground. An off peak card (only valid after 0930) is cheaper than a peak one (valid from 0001). Both are valid all night until 0430 the next morning. There is also a
Three Day Travelcard, which is valid on any three consecutive days (peak). Travelcards including other zones cost more. The
one-day bus pass is only valid on buses. Weekly, monthly and annual passes must be accompanied by a photocard. You can buy all passes, as well as carnets for bus or London Underground, at Tube stations and participating newsagents.
There are a number of transport services operating on the River Thames.
Thames Clippers (tel: 0870 781 5049; website:
www.thamesclippers.com) commuter
ferries run between Savoy Pier (central at Embankment) and Royal Arsenal Woolwich Pier. There is also a high-speed commuter service from Chelsea Harbour in the west to Blackfriars. Full details of all river ferries can be obtained from
Transport for London (see above). You can buy tickets for the various services on board.
TaxisLondon’s distinctive black taxi cabs are a pleasant (if pricey) way of getting around the city, as well as meeting the legendary ‘cabbies’. The lowest tariff is in effect Monday to Friday 0600-2000 (except public holidays). Tariffs are higher at night and at the weekend. A tip of 10-15% to round up the bill is customary. Each taxi has a license number and badged drivers must comply with official regulations. London cabbies have undergone intensive training (known as the ‘Knowledge’) which involves riding around London on a moped learning all the street names, followed by a grueling examination.
Black cabs can be booked through
Dial-
a-
Cab (tel: (020) 7426 3420; website:
www.dialacab.co.uk) and
Radio Taxis (tel: (020) 7272 5471; website:
www.radiotaxis.co.uk).
Minicabs (usually standard saloon cars) can be booked over the telephone or direct from local offices throughout London. One particularly efficient and reputable city-wide firm is
Addison Lee (tel: (020) 7387 8888; website:
www.addisonlee.co.uk). Although generally cheaper than black cabs, there are numerous illegal and/or unscrupulous operators, so it is always wise for travelers to check that the company is registered. In particular, offers of lifts by unlicensed drivers off the street, late at night in the West End or anywhere else for that matter, should not be accepted.
Transport for London (tel: (020) 7222 1234; website:
www.tfl.gov.uk) can provide a list of licensed private hire companies, as well as information on black taxis.
Driving in the CityLondon’s infamous congestion charge (tel: 0845 900 1234; website:
www.cclondon.com) came into force in February 2003, and was extended in February 2007. There is now a daily charge of for all vehicles entering the central London congestion charging zone Monday to Friday between 0700 and 1800. The new zone boundaries reach (and include) North Kensington, Notting Hill, Kensington and South Kensington in the west; Chelsea, Pimlico, Lambeth, Newington and Borough in the south; the City in the east; and Clerkenwell, Finsbury, Euston, St Pancras, Marylebone and Bayswater in the north. This is clearly marked on roads and signposts. You will find a downloadable map of the zone and how to pay on the website above.
Off-road parking is available 24 hours at NCP garages (tel: 0845 050 7080; website:
www.ncp.co.uk) situated around the city. The tariffs vary, however, from garage to garage. The cheapest NCP garage in London can be found at the Brunswick Center, Marchmont Street, WC1. Street parking in central London can be extremely expensive. Meters, pay-and-display bays or resident’s parking bays operate throughout central London. Visitors should read the signs extremely carefully for the operating hours of the different bays and note that, although a pay space might only operate up to 1830, the adjacent resident’s parking bays could require permits 24 hours a day. Parking on a single yellow line is prohibited within the hours of operation of the nearest meter or pay-and-display bay. Parking within any area marked with a zigzag or double yellow line is prohibited. On a red line, or a double red line, even stopping is forbidden. Drivers caught parking illegally will incur a hefty fine.
Improved bus services in the capital, combined with the congestion charge and high parking charges, mean that visitors are much better off using public transport than they are driving in central London.
Car HireRegulations vary but car hire companies usually require drivers to be around 25 years or older. A foreign national driving license is valid in the UK for one year, although an International Driving Permit may be preferred if the license is not in English. A credit card is essential and it is important to check what level of insurance is included in the price of car hire.
All major car firms have locations all over the city, including
Avis (tel: 0870 606 0100; website:
www.avis.co.uk),
Budget (tel: 0844 581 9998; website:
www.budget.co.uk) and
Hertz (tel: 0870 599 6699; website:
www.hertz.co.uk). The London congestion charge does apply to all hire cars and drivers will usually be liable for this, in addition to the price quoted for hiring a car. Car hire companies vary but most do not even arrange the payment of the charge and leave it up to drivers to sort this out independently (see
Driving in the City).
There has been a recent growth in budget/Internet car hire companies, spearheaded by
easyCar (tel: 0906 333 3333; website:
www.easycar.com), the first Internet-only car hire company. Prices are considerably cheaper than for traditional car hire companies. The
easyCar depot at the Barbican is one of the only places in central London where the congestion charge is included in the price of hiring a car.
Bicycle HireBoth bicycles and motorcycles avoid the congestion charge (as well as traffic and parking charges), so they are sensible modes of transport in London. Mayor Boris Johnson is trying to make London bicycle friendly and there are many new cycle paths and cycle routes throughout the city. The
London Bicycle Tour Company, 1A Gabriel’s Wharf, 56 Upper Ground, SE1 (tel: (020) 7928 6838; website:
www.londonbicycle.com), hires out bicycles by the hour, the day or the week.
About Town Motorcycle and Scooter Hire (tel: (020) 8871 1112; website:
www.abouttownbikehire.co.uk), based in Wandsworth, in the southwest of the city, hires motorcycles or scooters which can be delivered to all London hotels.
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