London > Travel > Public Transportation in London
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| Public Transportation in and around London is anything but lacking. The most practical and economical means of traveling London is by purchasing a Travelcard. They can be used on the underground, buses, Network SouthEast trains and the Docklands Light Railway. One-day, up to one-week travel cards can be bought at any underground or train station in the city. To purchase Travelcards valid for a month or more, contact your local British Tourist Authority for more information.
One-Day Travelcards can be used after 9:30am Monday to Friday and all day during weekends and public holidays. You can make unlimited journeys within the Zones you select. These tickets are not valid on night buses. Adult tickets cost from 3.80 pounds (Zones 1 & 2) to 4.50 pounds (all Zones); children 1.90 (all Zones).
One-Week Travelcards give unlimited travel throughout the selected Zones for seven days, including use of night buses. To buy a weekly Travelcard, you must get a Photocard (take a passport-size photo with you when you buy your first ticket). Adult weekly Travelcards cost from 14.30 pounds (Zone 1) to 34.90 pounds (all Zones); children 5.50 pounds (Zone 1) to 13.50 pounds (all Zones).
Without a doubt, the best means of getting around town is via the underground rail system, otherwise known as the Tube. Although the trains often get crowded during rush hour (between 8-9:30am and 4:30-6:30pm Monday through Friday) it is generally much faster than riding the bus. The first Tube of the day leaves at around 5:30am Monday to Saturday, 7am Sunday. At peak times the service runs every couple of minutes; at off peak times it runs about every 8 minutes. Don’t forget the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) system, a high-tech public transportation service that travels through Docklands on a raised track from Bank station to Tower Hill Tube.
Traveling London by bus has its advantages and disadvantages. Although it takes longer than underground transportation, visitors should remember that the red double-decker buses are not only a staple in London, but they also allow you to do a little sightseeing as you make your way through town – unlike the underground where you wouldn’t know night from day.
Taxis are far more expensive than traveling by bus or underground railway, although a cab ride can be a worry-free and enjoyable experience with the right person behind the wheel. Visitors should know that drivers of the famous London black taxicabs must pass a rigorous test to prove their knowledge of London before taking the helm.
All night transportation in London is done by night bus or taxi. Night buses have a letter “N” before their numbers and run from midnight to around 7am, passing stops once or twice per hour.
An easy way to travel between London-Paris and London-Brussels is via the Eurostar Channel Tunnel, otherwise known as the “Chunnel”. The Chunnel is a high-speed passenger train service comprised of three rail tunnels, one single-track eastbound, one single-track west bound and one central service tunnel. Trains are extremely punctual with an 87% success rate in reaching a destination on time or within 15 minutes of scheduled arrival. Most major airlines rank at 70%. Trains travel at a maximum speed of 186 miles per hour, 100mph in the Tunnel, and reach depths of 105-140 feet below the English Channel. Total train seating capacity is 770 (210 first class, 560 second class).
The London area is home to two of the busiest airports in the UK. The city’s primary airport is Heathrow, Britain’s chief source of passenger and cargo air-travel. London’s second airport, Gatwick, also has been established as a major international hub and is the eighth busiest international airport in the world. Both airports are owned by BAA, who is investing millions to improve the airport’s infrastructures and other facilities. |
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