London is one of the international capitals of the world, and it’s located right at home. Only, instead of paying upwards of hundreds, if not thousands of pounds, to see it, you can take a quick train (or coach) and be there in a matter of hours. The best place to explore and help your own community is to travel through your own country. When you visit London, you help out, explore the ancient city, and can have an absolute blast. Knowing a few things about the city before you go, however, can ensure that your trip to London is a great one:
About Transportation
London transportation is world class. From the buses to the Overground and Underground, to the DLR services and even the rail services, there is a way to get wherever you are going. There are just a few things you should know first:
- Everything You Need to Know About the Oyster Card
When you are in London, you will no doubt hear about the Contactless payment option. This option, however, is only truly useful for those who frequent or live in London, as you have to set it up first before you use it. As a short-term visitor, it can be a lot easier and simpler to get the Oyster Card. You can get these cards at most Underground stations. They cost £5 to get, but this money can be refunded to you once you are ready to leave.
Paying with the pay-as-you-go oyster ensures that you can travel as much as you would like, for less than the travelcard options. That is because there are daily caps. For travel between zones 1 and 2 (the zones you will likely be in as a visitor) prices cap at £6.80. The travelcard, in comparison, will cost you £12.70. However, if you are visiting for a week and expect to travel at least three times (via tube) a day, you should get the weekly travelcard. Travelcards for longer periods can be very economical, but only if you use them several times a day, every day.
Note: You can use your oyster card to purchase travelcards.
- What the Visitor Oyster Card Is
The Visitor Oyster Card is a non-refundable souvenir that allows you to use London transportation the same way you can use oyster. It costs the same as the Oyster card, and works the same as the Oyster card, but has better design intended to be kept after you go home.
- About London’s Buses
The last thing to know about London’s transportation system is how economical the bus system has become. Not only are buses the best way to get around the city and see the city, but they are also the cheapest. That is because of the newly instated Hopper Fare. This means that you can take as many bus journeys within an hour and pay only one ticket, worth £1.50. So, if where you want to go needs three changes, don’t worry about it! The Hopper Fare becomes unlimited (within the hour) this month, meaning you can see the city and enjoy the cheapest form of travel at once.
About Entertainment
There are endless entertainment options in London. In fact, there is a London for everyone, whether you want to eat the best food and shop till you drop, or if you want to browse the markets, go to a gig, or see an exhibition. To ensure you have the best time, follow these steps:
- Know Your Options Beforehand
Researching beforehand is the only way you’ll find the events and activities that speak to you. So, whether it is going to a popup bar in one of London’s coolest areas, going on a date with a pornstar escort, going to a music event, or anything else, you need to know where to go. More importantly, you need to know what is going on when you will be visiting. Check in advance, and while you are completing your journey. That way you can be sure that you’ll have the perfect trip for you.
Find events and places to go on social media. From posts that people have made to the more useful posts that London’s travel companies create for you, there are a lot of options when it comes to finding out what is going on in the city.
- Book if You Need To
If it’s important to you, you can go out and have a great trip without spending a penny for your entertainment. The best events, however, do usually require you to book. If you find the event in question early enough, however, then you can easily get the more affordable early-bird tickets. Don’t miss out and book what you want in advance, that way you can avoid the astronomical prices on the door!
- Read Reviews
The last titbit of advice is to read reviews. There are a lot of beautiful looking food and drink options out there, but the best are left to the customer’s opinion. Explore as you normally would, and when you feel hungry just remember to check the reviews for the place in question beforehand, so you get an idea of price and quality. By checking reviews, you know what to expect from a place before you spend your money!
Just like with any city, your experience is what you make of it. The thing about London is that there is a London for everyone, so when you go and visit you can completely avoid the tourist traps and instead go for the art spaces. Or you can go shopping, both on the high street and in unique boutiques. You can go for music events; you can go to popups, you can go out partying. You can café hop and visit the places that you want to visit because London is not a city that revolves around tourism. It is a multicultural city with options galore, so don’t settle for a standard visit, tailor your experience.