Transportation

Transportation in London

1. International Airports

There are six international airports in London: 

• Heathrow Airport, LHR

• Gatwick Airport, LGW

• Stansted Airport, STN

• Luton Airport, LTN

• London City Airport, LCY

• London Southend Airport, SEN

2. Underground (Tube), Overground, Docklands Light Railway (DLR), Tfl Rail, London Trams

London Underground is divided into nine zones: central London is covered by zone 1.

There are 11 Tube lines.

The Tube fare depends on how far you travel, time of day, and how you pay. Oyster or contactless payments are the cheapest ways to pay for single fares. 

Tube services usually run from 5am until midnight, with Night Tube services on some lines on Friday and Saturday evenings. 

Night Tube

a 24-hour Underground service which operates on Fridays and Saturdays on the Victoria, Jubilee, and most of the Central, Northern and Piccadilly lines.

https://tfl.gov.uk/campaign/tube-improvements/what-we-are-doing/night-tube

Fares

There are 4 ways to pay for your rides on the Tube.

•    Paper tickets 

•    Oyster Cards 

•    Travelcard 

•    Contactless Credit Cards

Oyster Card

An Oyster Card is a plastic smart card, which you can use to store money for rides on the London Underground and throughout the London public transport system. 

There are 2 different types of Oyster Cards: a Visitor Oyster Card and a Regular Oyster Card.

Single fare finder:

https://tfl.gov.uk/fares/find-fares/tube-and-rail-fares/single-fare-finder?intcmp=54716

Travel card

There are 4 types of Travel card: 

• 1 Day Anytime

• 1 Day off-peak

• 7 Day

• Monthly 

• Annual 

3. Buses

Routemaster 

Double-Decker 

Single-Decker 

Bendy 

Night Buses 

4. Taxis & minicabs

Get a taxi

London's famous taxis (black cabs) can be booked by phone or app in advance, hailed on the street, or picked up from designated taxi ranks. 

Every taxi has a card machine, so if you don't have cash, you will be able to pay using credit, debit or contactless.

Book a minicab

Minicabs need to be booked direct with a licensed minicab company via app, phone, or at their office. You must receive a booking confirmation, which could be by text message, app, email or - if you're in a minicab office - paper receipt. The booking confirmation must contain, as a minimum:

• The vehicle registration mark

• The first name of the driver

• The driver's private hire licence number

• Where the passenger can receive it, a photo of driver

If the driver or the car picking you up isn't the same as in your booking confirmation, don't get in the car - it isn't safe. Never use an unbooked minicab - they are dangerous and illegal.

What is a booked minicab?

It's one that's been booked with a licensed minicab company. You could do that:

• Over the phone

• Using an app

• In person at a minicab office

This means that:

• A TfL licensed minicab driver and vehicle will be sent to pick you up

• A record will be kept of your journey, your driver and the vehicle they used

• Your driver will have been through police background checks

What is an unbooked minicab?

It's one that has not been booked with a licensed minicab company. If it's not booked, it's not safe, even if:

• It has a TfL licence sticker in the window

• You approach a driver directly

• The driver approaches you

• A bouncer takes you to a minicab

Remember, unbooked minicabs are dangerous. If there's no booking, there's no record of your journey in case there are any problems.

Unbooked minicabs are illegal and uninsured for carrying passengers. Only black taxis (the ones with the orange 'taxi' lights) can be hailed on the street or hired at a rank without a booking.

5. Coaches

Eurolines (https://www.eurolines.de/en/home/)

FlixBus (https://global.flixbus.com/bus/london)

Megabus (https://uk.megabus.com/)

National Express (https://www.nationalexpress.com/en)

Premium Tours (https://www.premiumtours.co.uk/en)

Sindbad (https://www.sindbad.pl/en/home)

Transmarian (https://transmarian.ro/)

Oxford Tube (https://www.oxfordtube.com/)

6. Ferries

Woolwich ferry

The Woolwich ferry is a free service, operated by Transport for London, between Woolwich and North Woolwich, linking the north and south circular roads across the River Thames. The two boats used in the service carry pedestrians, cyclists, cars, vans and lorries.

River Bus

Uber Boat by Thames Clippers stops at 23 piers along the Thames between Woolwich (Royal Arsenal) Pier in the East and Putney Pier in the West. Services run from early in the morning until late at night 7 days a week.

Like the tube, the river is divided into zones: West, Central and East. Your ticket must be valid for all the zones you travel through. For instance, if you are travelling between Embankment and North Greenwich piers you will need a Central and East ticket.

https://www.thamesclippers.com/

River Tours

• City Cruises (Westminster to Greenwich and Tower Pier circular)( https://www.cityexperiences.com/city-cruises/)

• London Eye River Cruise (https://www.londoneye.com/)

• Thames River Boats (Westminster to Hampton Court)( https://www.thamesriverboats.co.uk/)

• Thames River Sightseeing (Westminster to Greenwich)( https://www.thamesriversightseeing.com/)

• Turks River Trips (Hampton Court to Richmond) ((https://www.turks.co.uk/)

7. National Rail

National Rail Enquiries provides journey planning, real time information, ticket and fares information and a range of rail-related information to all rail customers.

https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/

Cross Country https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/

East Midlands Trains https://www.eastmidlandstrains.co.uk/

EuroStar https://www.eurostar.com

ScotRail https://www.scotrail.co.uk/

Arriva Trains Wales http://www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk/

BritRail https://www.britrail.com/