Get ready
Travelers' pro tips for experiencing London
In the words of those who've been there before ...
Get there
What is the best way to get there?
Flying:
London is served by six international airports: Heathrow Airport, Gatwick Airport, London City Airport, Luton Airport, Stansted Airport and Southend Airport. Together, they make up the busiest airspace in the world by passenger numbers.
Train:
St Pancras railway station is the main terminal for high speed Eurostar and High Speed 1 services linking London with Europe.
Do I need a visa?
If you’re visiting London from overseas, use the government’s visa survey to see if you need a visa.
When is the best time to visit?
Summer (June to August): With average temps around 70°F (21°C) there’s no shortage of entertainment in London over the summer months, when Trooping the Colour, London Pride, Notting Hill Carnival, and Wimbledon Tennis Championships draw huge crowds to the capital.
Alternatively, the holiday season brings with it a host of festivities, including Christmas markets, the famous NYE fireworks, and spectacular illuminations.
Get around
Bicycle
Santander Cycles is a bike-share system with hundreds of bicycle docking stations located across London.
Visitors can hire a bike using a bank card at the docking station or downloading the app.
Train
London’s Underground rail network, or "the Tube," services Greater London between 5a.m. and midnight Monday to Saturday, with reduced operating hours on Sunday.
Five Tube lines run a 24-hour service on Fridays and Saturdays: Victoria, Central, Jubilee, Northern and Piccadilly lines.
For more information about the network and fares, see here.
Bus
London’s bus route network services the city on a 24-hour service.
For more information about the network and fares, see here.
Taxis
Hailing down a taxi on the street in London can be difficult so it is best to find an official taxi stand. You can also book a taxi online or on your smartphone here.
Ridesharing
Uber, Bolt, and Kapten are readily available in London on your smartphone.
Trams
South London operates a small tram network, Tramlink, with trams running approximately every 10 minutes in the daytime on Mondays to Saturdays.