A Tourist’s Guide to Navigating London

photo by Dimitry B.

London’s transport links are some of the best in the world, but if you’re in unfamiliar territory, getting around the city can be very confusing. This guide to navigating London will cover everything from the underground to black cabs, and is designed to help your trip run a little smoother. So, whether you’re traveling with the kids or alone, Izzy from PassSmart has got some top tips to help you navigate the city without the stress.

The London Underground

The tube is, without a doubt, the quickest way to get around London, but it can also be quite intimidating at first. If you’ve ever looked at the tube map, you’ll know what I mean! Try not to be phased by the mass of colorful lines; remember millions of people use the underground every day! it really is simpler than it looks, and there are a few things you can do to help you get around on the tube.

Get the app

There’s an app for everything these days, and the London underground is no exception. The Tube Map app will find you the fastest route to your destination using the station you’re at and the station you want to go to. It will calculate the fastest lines to take and even tell you when and where to change lines. The tube is signposted everywhere so you’ll find it pretty hard to get lost!

If you do get lost, don’t worry!

The beauty of the tube is that it’s so easy to get back on track if you find yourself going in the wrong direction. You can get off and on as regularly as you like with a day ticket for all zones, so you don’t need to worry about ending up on a one way train headed to the middle of nowhere!

Nevertheless, you should try to stay within zones 1 and 2 if you don’t want to venture too far outside of central London. If you’re sure you’re going to stick in zones 1 and 2 you can get a day ticket for just these zones, which will be less expensive.

Black cabbies

If you want to get a taste of London from above the ground, black cabs are a great option. You’ll see them absolutely everywhere so it will be easy to flag one down. Simply tell the cabbie where you want to go when you get in, and he’ll get you there.

It will take you longer than the tube but the advantages are that you’ll get to see all the sights of London from above the ground.

Boris bikes

Boris bikes are perfect if you want to stay active whilst in the city. You’ll find the Barclays bank stamped bike stands all over London and there’s no need to book. You can buy access at the terminal, either for 24 hours or a full week. The bike will be released and it’s yours – free to use – for however long you’ve booked it! Simply return it to a terminal when you’re finished.

The initiative, supported by London’s mayor, Boris Johnson, allows Londoners and tourists to get active without having to find somewhere to store a bike when they’re not using it.

Open top sightseeing

Open top sightseeing tours are fantastic if you want to see all of London’s famous landmarks. Adult (16+) tickets on The Original Tour cost £23, whilst a child (5-15) ticket is £11.

You’ll have a guide to tell you where and what everything is, but we can’t guarantee you it will be open top weather!

This guide to getting around London was a guest post written by Isabelle from PassSmart.com; the site who help people in the UK find their perfect driving instructor.