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Local Travel Info
Internal Flights and Major International Airports in London
London has four airports, Heathrow, Gatwick. Stansted and London Luton. Heathrow is the world's busiest airport and connects to many locations throughout the world, Europe and Britain. It is located approximately 15 miles (24 kilometres) west of central London. Gatwick airport also connects with many destinations throughout the world, Europe and Britain. It is located approximately 28 miles (45 kilometres) south of London in Sussex. London' third airport Stansted, which is approximately 35 miles (56 kilometres) north-east of central London in Essex. Stansted airport connects with many destinations throughout Europe and in Britain. London Luton Airport is the smallest airport and is located 35 miles (56 kilometres) north of London. London Luton Airport connects with the rest of the United Kingdom and Europe.
Getting to and from the Airports in London
There are several ways of getting to and from Heathrow Airport from central London. The Heathrow Express runs to and from Terminals 1, 2 and 3 from London's Paddington Railway Station. Trains are every 15 minutes and the journey time is 15 minutes. A single ticket in standard class costs £16.50. Another service, Heathrow Connect, runs between Terminals 1, 2, 3 and 4 and Paddington Station. The journey time is just under 40 minutes and a single fare costs £7.40. London Underground (the Tube) runs a service on the Picadilly Line between Heathrow and central London. A single ticket costs £4.00.Trains run every 3 to 7 minutes to and from terminals 1, 2, 3 and 4 and the journey time is approximately 50 minutes (to and from King's Cross). National Express Coaches run a service between Heathrow and central London. The journey time is approximately 2 hours and typical single fares range between £5 and £6.50. There is now no direct London Transport (red bus) service between Heathrow and central London. A taxi between Heathrow and central London can cost between £40 and £70 and the journey time can range between 40 minutes and 2 hours depending upon traffic conditions.
The Gatwick Express train service runs between Gatwick Airport and London's Victoria Station. Trains run every 15 minutes from 5 am until 11.45 pm (London to Gatwick) and 12.35 am. The journey time is approximately 30 minutes and a typical single fare costs £16.90 in standard class. First Capital Trains also runs a service between London and Gatwick. Trains run 3 to 4 ties an hour. The journey time is 30 to 35 minutes and a single fare costs £8.90. Another rail option is Southern Trains. A typical single fare is £10.90 and there are approximately 8 trains per hour. The journey time ranges between 34 and 45 minutes. A pre-booked private hire taxi (mini cab) will cost from £60 to £70 for a single journey between Gatwick and central London. National Express runs a coach service between its London Victoria terminal and
Gatwick approximately every hour and the journey typically takes 90 minutes. Easybus provides a regular shuttle bus service between Gatwick and London's Fulham Broadway Underground Station. There are 2 to 3 buses and hour and fares are from just £2, but you have to book on-line. The journey time is between 60 and 80 minutes.
The Stansted Express train runs between Stansted Airport and London Liverpool Street Station. The journey time is approximately 45 minutes and a single ticket typically costs £18. Trains run every 15 minutes throughout the day from 4.40 am to 11.35 pm (from London). National Express Coaches run a 24 hour 7 days a week service between Stansted and central London. Journey times vary between 1 hour 10 minutes and 1 hour 40 minutes and the single fare is £10. Terravision also runs a bus service between Stansted and London Victoria. A single ticket costs £9 and the service runs for nearly 24 hours a day. Easybus runs a service between London's Baker Street/Victoria and Stansted Airport. A single fare starts from £2, but you have to book on-line. A hackney carriage (black cab) between Stansted and London will cost between £75 and £100, depending upon the time and the exact journey made.
You can take the train from Luton to London by First Capital Connect Trains. You buy your ticket when you arrive at the airport (if you are travelling to London) and a shuttle bus takes you to Luton Airport Parkway Station. There are approximately 8 trains per hour and the journey time is 30 minutes. A single ticket costs £12.50. These trains terminate at St Pancras Station, which is also the terminal of the Eurostar Trains from Paris and Brussels. A few trains continue south across London to Gatwick Airport. You can take a Green Line Bus number 757 from Luton Airport to London Victoria, which stops in North London. The journey time is 1 hour 15 minutes and considerably longer if the traffic conditions are bad. This service is jointly operated with Easybus. However, ticket prices vary according to whether you buy your ticket from Easybus, or Green Line. The cheapest price for the journey is £2, if you buy your ticket on-line from Easybus. This is a 24 hour service. You can take a taxi from London Luton Airport to central London, this will take about an hour or more, depending on the traffic, and will cost between £60 and £70.
Renting Cars in London
Although there are many miles of roads that provide access to all parts of Greater London, hiring a car to see the capital is not generally recommended. London is one of the most congested cities in the world, so travelling by car from one place to another is very time-consuming. Finding somewhere to park is also often very difficult, even in the suburbs, and especially when you are unfamiliar with the locality. If you hire a car, you will also need to think about the additional costs of parking and the cost of the Congestion Charge, which is £8 per day if you drive in Central and West London. Having said this, there are numerous car-hire companies available throughout London, including Avis Hertz, National and Europacar. A week's car hire in central London for a 40 year-old driver would range from between £120 for a Ford Ka, to £170 for a Vauxhall Vectra. Most companies will hire cars to drivers only if they are 21 years old or over.
To book car rental in London online, view our Car Hire section for London . We offer Ok Bravo users the latest special offers and best rates available for car hire in London . We advise you book your London hire car in advance so you can pick it up and drop it off directly at the airport.
Drivers License Requirements in London
In London, they drive on the left-hand side. The roads are often congested in London and, when they are not, driving conditions are often very hectic. Hence, road conditions often present significant challenges, even for experienced drivers, especially if they are unfamiliar with London's streets and one-way systems. The maximum speed limit in London can vary from 70 miles per hour (112 kph) on motorways to 30 miles per hour (48 kph) on urban streets. Seatbelts must be worn at all times by drivers and passengers alike. It is against the law in London to drive if you have more than 80 milligrams of alcohol in your bloodstream. There are severe legal penalties for drinking over the limit and driving. A visitor to London, who holds a valid and current driving licence in his or her country of origin is allowed to drive for up to 12 months from the date of his or her arrival in the United Kingdom. However, if the visitor wants to drive a larger vehicle (up to 12 seats) that vehicle must be registered in the visitor's country of origin and not be hired or bought in the UK.
London by Bus
London is famous for its red buses, which cover practically all of the metropolitan area. As such, London's buses provide easy access to most, if not all, of the places that you may want to visit. You will need to take the time and trouble to work out where the many routes of London's extensive bus network actually go to, but bus route maps are easily obtainable from many places, including the main railway and underground stations. Travelling by bus in London can be both rewarding and cheap. There are three types of bus on London's roads single decker, double decker and "bendy" buses. Please note that in central London, you have to buy your ticket from a machine at the bus stop before you board the bus. A single bus fare in London is £2 and a 1 day bus pass, which can be bought from ticket machines, tube stations, agents costs just £3.80. An effective way of using the local rail network as well as buses and the underground is to buy a Travel Card. London's transport system is divided into 6 zones outwards from central London. However, you will find that most of the places you will want to visit are in Zone 1. The Travel Card is a 1 day or 3 day pass, but you can also buy a weekly pass, called an Oyster Card. This also gives you discounts on some of London's main attractions (only if you buy it from an overground railway station). An off-peak daily Adult Travel Card for Zones 1 and 2 costs £5.60; a 3 day Travel Card (peak and off-peak) costs £18.40 and a 7 day Oyster Card (peak and off-peak) costs £25.80.
London by Taxi
There are two types of taxi service in London, Hackney Carriages (black cabs, although not all of them are black these days) and private hire cars (mini cabs). The difference between them is that you have to order a private hire car in advance, as they are not legally allowed to pick up passengers on the street. Hackney carriages, on the other hand, can either be ordered in advance or hailed on the street. Hackney Carriages are easily recognisable, in that most of them are black in colour and they are specially-built type of vehicle that you will never see as a private car. Private hire cars can be any four-door saloon or estate car, but they will generally have an illuminated sign on the roof. In addition, they are legally required to display a plate on the outside, showing their licence details. Drivers of both types of taxi are required by law to have photographic identification on display in the vehicle. Hackney carriages are usually more expensive than private hire cars, but they do have a set tariff, which varies according to the time of day, the speed of the taxi and the distance travelled. Hence, between 6am and 8pm, Monday to Friday the fare per mile varies between £4 and £5.60 and increases slightly in the evenings. There is a minimum fare of £2.20 charged. All Hackney Carriage fares are metered and passengers are expected to pay the fare displayed on the meter, unless the cab driver and the passenger have agreed a fare for the journey beforehand. private hire (mini cab) fares vary according to the company and there is usually no meter in the cab. It is always wise to ask in advance what the fare is to your destination.
Cycling in London
With thousands of miles of roads, reaching into every corner of the Metropolitan area, London provides many opportunities for cycling. Of course, you will need to feel sufficiently confident about your cycling abilities to deal with the heavy, and sometimes hectic, traffic. Generally speaking, cycling provides a wonderful way of exploring and getting around London and it is worth noting that the numbers of cyclists in London has increased in recent years, whilst the numbers of cyclists injured has gone down. Recent years have also seen the growth of initiatives to promote cycling in London, such as the Cycle Superhighways. Another London-wide initiative to promote cycling are the Greenways, which are safe and pleasant routes through London's many parks and woodland areas. Transport for London is also actively encouraging more opportunities for hiring bicycles. Prices for hiring bicycles in London can vary between £19 and £32 per day.
London by Underground
London's underground network is certainly not the cheapest in the world to use, but it will get you to most of the places that you may want to visit in London. You will find that, in central London, you are never far from an underground station. Its network of 12 underground lines is reasonably easy to navigate if you refer to the famous London Underground Map. Single fares on the Underground are currently £4 for adults and £2 for children between any two stations at any time of the day. Children can get a greater discount by applying for a Photocard, but these must be applied for 3 weeks in advance of your visit to London and the system is complicated. Another option is the Travel Card/Oyster Card, which is an effective way of using the local rail network as well as buses and the underground. London's transport system is divided into 6 zones outwards from central London. However, you will find that most of the places you will want to visit are in Zone 1. The Travel Card is a 1 day or 3 day pass, but you can also buy a weekly pass, called an Oyster Card. This also gives you discounts on some of London's main attractions (only if you buy it from an overground railway station). An off-peak daily Adult Travel Card for Zones 1 and 2 costs £5.60; a 3 day Travel Card (peak and off-peak) costs £18.40 and a 7 day Oyster Card (peak and off-peak) costs £25.80.
London by Rail
London is served by many overground local railway stations. North of the River Thames, they loop to the north of Central London from Richmond in the west to Barking in the east. This line will enable you to visit places such as Kew Gardens and Hampstead Heath. You can travel by rail to places of interest that are neat to London as well, such as Windsor and Hampton Court. South of the Thames, the local train network is even more extensive as underground stations are less common south of the river. These trains will take you to such places of interest as Greenwich. Although not as frequent as the underground trains, most services run every 15 minutes until late at night. An effective way of using the local rail network as well as buses and the underground is to buy a Travel Card. London's transport system is divided into 6 zones outwards from central London. However, you will find that most of the places you will want to visit are in Zone 1. The Travel Card is a 1 day or 3 day pass, but you can also buy a weekly pass, called an Oyster Card. This also gives you discounts on some of London's main attractions (only if you buy it from an overground railway station). An off-peak daily Adult Travel Card for Zones 1 and 2 costs £5.60; a 3 day Travel Card (peak and off-peak) costs £18.40 and a 7 day Oyster Card (peak and off-peak) costs £25.80.
London by River
You may not have considered this as a way of getting around London, but travelling on the Thames is a wonderful way to see the city and avoid the traffic at the same time. There are three main services. you will need to check the process of the fares at the piers where each boat docks, but f you have a Travel Card or Oyster Card, you are entitled to 1/3 off the normal fare. The Central London Hop-on Hop-off service runs from Westminster and the Embankment to Tower Bridge in the East. You can buy a single ticket and then pay a little extra to hop off and on the boat all day. Boat services runs between Westminster, Kew and then to Hampton Court and between Richmond and Hampton Court from April to October twice a day. This is a wonderful way of going to Kew Gardens, or perhaps taking in the sights and shopping in Richmond, as well as savouring the delights of Hampton Court. There are also several boat services that run from the London Piers to Greenwich, which provide a wonderful way of visiting the Royal Observatory and Greenwich Park. The journey lasts between an hour and 90 minutes and you will be treated to views of the old London Docklands and the startling architecture of Canary Wharf.
