If you want to know more how to get around Londonyou've come to the right place.
London is divided into nine tariff zones.
Zones 1 and 2 are in central London, with the number of zones increasing as you move away from the city.
Today, I'd like to take a look back at the means of transport in the UK's capital.
Getting around London: article summary
Getting around London: the Underground
Visit metro London's Tube is the world's oldest subway network. Parts of it have been in operation since 1863.
Today, the London Underground carries over a billion passengers a year, across 270 stations.
In most of London, you'll find that there's always a subway station nearby and a train arrives in 10 minutes or less.
Most services run from 5 a.m. to midnight. The Tube operates in fare zones 1 to 6, which cover London in expanding concentric circles, with zone 1 in the center and zone 6 on the outside.
The Overground
The Overground is similar to the metro, except that it is above ground. It's a more recent means of transport, created in 2007, and helps to fill a number of gaps in the metro's coverage.
In terms of fares, the Overground has the same fares as the metro and the subway. follows the same zone-based rules.
Getting around London: taking the bus
If you ask anyone what is the most widely used form of public transport in London, they'll probably say the Underground.
And with over a billion users a year, that's not a bad answer. However, the number of journeys made using bus in London exceeds two billion a year.
Perhaps this is because there are so many bus routes in London, serving a vast area, you can get practically anywhere in London by bus.
Further information
Bus fares are also cheaper, at a fixed price of 1.65 for a one-way ticket.
Buses are generally a little slower than rail services, as they have to cope with traffic, which in London is pretty appalling most of the time.
As well as public buses, it's also possible to take a Hop on Hop off bus. Although not a form of public transport, for a visitor to London they can be a good way to travel.
The tramway
In South London, particularly from Wimbledon to Croydon and Beckenham, there's a streetcar service known as London Tramlink.
The tramway has four lines and 27 km of track. So it's not a huge network, but it is widely used in the region.
The tramway operates in the same way as the bus in terms of payment: a fixed fare per journey.
Getting around London: cabs
London has some iconic modes of transport, from the famous red bus to the Underground. But perhaps the most famous of all is the cab black.
With a history dating back to 1662, London's Hackney Carriages transport people around the city. for over 350 years.
Taking a cab in London is a real experience. All you have to do is flag one down and the driver will stop to pick you up.
Black cabs are more expensive than any other means of transport, but for the convenience of getting from one part of the city to another, they are sometimes unbeatable.
Take the bike
In 2010, London launched a new public transport option: cycling! There are public bike stands all over the city. As the number of bike pathsthese become a popular way to make short trips.
Renting a bike is relatively straightforward: it costs ยฃ1.65 for 30 minutes' access to the system. After your first 30 minutes, each additional 30-minute segment costs ยฃ1.65.
To use the bike rental system, all you need is a credit or debit card. You pay your activation fee by card, then you can access to bicycles at all points in the city.
Getting around London is easy. When you visit, you'll have no choice but to take one of these modes of transport. It's up to you to decide to suit your needs and budget!
What to do in London in 1 day, 2 days, 3 days, 5 days, a week?
Whatever the length of your stay, I invite you to download my special London guide.
It's free and in PDF format.
All you have to do is tell me below which e-mail address you'd like to receive it at.
EDIT: you can't enter your email?
Take the quiz at the top of this article and you'll be able to register your email address to receive the special London guide!
Leave a Reply