Getting There By Air:London Heathrow Airport (LHR) Tel: 0870 000 0123.
Website:
www.heathrowairport.com Heathrow, 24km (15 miles) west of central London, is one of the world’s busiest international airports, coping with over 63 million passengers every year. The airport is massive, with terminals one to three linked to terminal four by the Heathrow Express and London Underground services. After a 10-year deliberation and some fierce opposition,
plans to build a fifth terminal were approved in 2001 (Terminal 5 is scheduled to open in 2008) and there is currently talk of a new runway as well.
Airport facilities: Facilities include bureaux de change, ATMs, airport information, hotel reservation and travel information desks, post offices in terminals two and four, left-luggage, showers, telephones and fax machines, shops, duty-free outlets, restaurants, cafés, bars and a
London Tourist Board center in the London Underground station. There is Internet access available in terminal four. There is also car hire available in all four terminals, from
Avis,
Europcar,
Hertz,
National and
Thrifty.
The Business Center Heathrow (tel: (020) 8759 2434; website:
www.the-bch.co.uk) is located in the Queen’s Building, between terminals one and two. Open Monday to Friday 0730-1900, it offers 20 meeting rooms and a conference suite, as well as a communications center with computers with Internet access, faxes, photocopiers, audiovisual equipment and even showers.
Transport to the city: The
Heathrow Express (tel: 0845 600 1515; website:
www.heathrowexpress.co.uk) train service to Paddington station operates every 15 minutes Mon-Sat 0507-2401 and Sun 0503-2401 from terminal four (journey time – 23 minutes) and Mon-Sat 0503-2401 and Sun 0508-2408 from terminals one, two and three (journey time – 15 minutes). Tickets can be purchased from Heathrow Express desks or self-service ticket kiosks located at the station; tickets are also available for purchase on the train, for a premium, or online, with a 10% discount.
The airport is also on the
London Underground Piccadilly line (tel: 0845 330 9880
or (020) 7222 1234; website:
www.tfl.gov.uk). Trains operate Mon-Sat 0500-2345 and Sun 0545-2315 (journey time – 45 minutes).
There is also a
Central Bus Station at Heathrow, where the main bus service to central London is operated by
National Express (tel: 0870 575 7747; website:
www.nationalexpress.com). At night, the N9 night bus service goes to central London every 30 minutes (journey time – 50 minutes).
Speedlink, operated by National Express (see above) coaches link Heathrow and Gatwick airports (journey time – 70 minutes) daily approximately 0500-2230. Coaches also run from Heathrow Airport to Victoria.
The
Airport Travel Line (tel: 0870 574 7777) provides coach transport information. The
Travel Line (tel: 0870 608 2608) can provide information on all public transport to and from London.
Taxis are readily available and cost around £45 for a journey to the city center (depending on traffic conditions and time of day).
London Gatwick Airport (LGW) Tel: 0870 000 2468.
Website:
www.gatwickairport.com Gatwick, 45km (28 miles) south of central London, is the second busiest international airport in the UK, serving over 32 million passengers a year. Around 90 airlines operate from Gatwick’s two terminals, serving around 200 destinations. The free
Inter Terminal Transit train links the two terminals (north and south).
Airport facilities: Both terminals have bureaux de change, ATMs, airport information desks, showers, left luggage facilities, shops, duty-free outlets, restaurants and bars. There is also an Internet café situated in the south terminal. Both terminals have car hire from
Avis,
Europcar,
Hertz,
National and
Thrifty. The airport provides a
Fast Track priority service for business-class travelers, as well as a full range of business services at the
Hilton London Gatwick Airport Hotel (tel: (01293) 518 080) and
Sofitel London Gatwick Hotel (tel: (01293) 567 070).
Transport to the city: The
Gatwick Express (tel: 0845 850 1530; website:
www.gatwickexpress.co.uk) train service to Victoria station operates every 15 or 30 minutes (depending on the time of day) daily 0435-0135 (journey time – 30 minutes). Other, slower trains also run to Victoria (stopping at East Croydon and Clapham en route). Alternative train services by
Thameslink (tel: 0845 748 4950; website:
www.thameslink.co.uk) to King’s Cross Thameslink operate daily approximately every 15 minutes during peak hours, with a reduced service at night (journey time – 45-50 minutes). Coaches depart from the ground floor of the south terminal.
National Express coaches (tel: 0870 575 7747; website:
www.nationalexpress.com) link Gatwick and Heathrow airports (journey time – 70 minutes) daily approximately 0500-2230. Coaches also run from Gatwick Airport to Victoria.
The
Travel Line (tel: 0870 608 2608) and the
Airport Travel Line (tel: 0870 574 7777) can provide information on all public transport to and from London. Chauffeur-driven cars are provided by
Checker Cars (tel: (01293) 502 808 (south terminal)
or 501 377 (north terminal)). Taxis are readily available and a trip to the center of London costs around £80 for a journey time of approximately one hour and 30 minutes, depending on traffic conditions.
London Stansted Airport (STN) Tel: 0870 000 0303.
Website:
www.stanstedairport.com This impressively modern and user-friendly airport is an expanding hub for the increasingly popular budget airlines, which offer cut-price flights to many cities across Europe. One of Europe’s fastest growing airports, Stansted is located 48km (30 miles) northeast of central London and serves 22 million passengers per year. It is estimated that by 2008, this figure will reach 25 million. Consultation is currently under way to look into the feasibility and impact of building a new runway there, to increase capacity for the South East of England.
Airport facilities: Newly renovated and expanded facilities include bureaux de change, ATMs, left-luggage, airport information, hotel reservation desk, shops, duty-free outlets, restaurants, bars and car hire from
Avis,
Budget,
Europcar,
Hertz and
National. Meeting rooms are available for hire from
easymeeting (tel: (01279) 662 570), in Enterprise House, situated next to the main terminal building. Broadband wireless Internet access is available from
BT Openzone (website:
www.bt.com/openzone) situated in the departure lounge.
Transport to the city: The
Stansted Express (tel: 0845 850 0150; website:
www.stanstedexpress.co.uk) train service to Liverpool Street station operates daily 0530-2430, departing every 15 minutes, (journey time – 49 minutes).
The main coach service to central London is the A6
Airbus (tel: 0870 575 7747; website:
www.nationalexpress.com), which travels to Victoria coach station every 10 minutes, 24 hours a day (journey time – 1 hour 45 minutes).
The
Airport Travel Line (tel: 0870 574 7777) provides further coach transport information. The
Travel Line (tel: 0870 608 2608) can provide information on all public transport to and from London. Taxis are usually available at the airport or can be telephoned;
Airport Carz (tel: 0870 224 5000) charge around £80 for the 60-minute (depending on traffic and conditions) journey to central London.
London Luton Airport (LTN) Tel: (01582) 405 100.
Website:
www.london-luton.co.uk The UK’s seventh largest airport is 52km (32 miles) north of central London. London Luton Airport is growing fast: it served 9 million passengers in 2005, an increase of 400% in 10 years.
Airport facilities: The airport has bureaux de change, ATMs, several information kiosks, shops, duty-free outlets, restaurants, bars and car hire from
Avis,
Budget,
Europcar,
Hertz and
National. The
Aviance Executive Lounge (tel: (01582) 700 898) is located in the international departure lounge. Facilities include fax, telephone, e-mail and Internet.
Transport to the city: Thameslink (tel: 0845 748 4950; website:
www.thameslink.co.uk) provides a fast link (approximately 30-40 minutes) to King’s Cross Thameslink from the Luton Airport Parkway station. A free shuttle bus connects Luton Airport with the Parkway station. Trains operate daily approximately every 15-30 minutes, with a reduced service on weeknights.
Greenline 757 (tel: 0870 608 7261; website:
www.greenline.co.uk) operates a coach service to Victoria coach station, departing every 30-60 minutes 24 hours a day (journey time – 60-90 minutes).
easyBus operates a direct express minibus service to/from Central London (Baker Street), seven days a week. Minibuses depart from Bay 4 outside the main terminal building. The
Travel Line (tel: 0870 608 2608) provides further information on travel to London.
Taxis are available 24 hours and cost approximately £60 for a journey to central London.
London City Airport (LCY) Tel: (020) 7646 0088.
Website:
www.londoncityairport.com The business-orientated London City Airport is the most central of the capital’s airports, located just 10km (6 miles) east of the City of London. The airport is relatively small, however nearly 2 million passengers traveled through it in 2005.
Airport facilities: These include bureaux de change, ATMs, information and hotel reservation desks, postal facilities, duty-free shopping, restaurants, bars, and car hire from
Avis,
Europcar and
Hertz. The
Meridian Business Center (tel: (020) 7646 0900) offers fully serviced conference suites and office space for hire.
Transport to the city: A new DLR link is now open, connecting the existing DLR network (and the Jubilee Line on the Underground) at Canning Town, stopping at four stations en route. Trains run every 7 minutes, and take 14 minutes to reach Canning Town, and 22 minutes to reach Bank station. There are two airport shuttle buses, which operate Monday to Friday approximately 0600-2100, Saturday 0600-1300 and Sunday 1100-2100. The green shuttle bus runs to Canning Town station (journey time – 5 minutes). The blue bus runs to Canary Wharf (journey time – 10 minutes) and Liverpool Street station (journey time – 30 minutes).
There is a stand with licensed black taxis, located directly outside the terminal building. Fares to central London start from £20-25. The
Travel Line (tel: 0870 608 2608) provides further information on all transport to and from London.
Approximate flight times to London: From New York is 7 hours 40 minutes; from Los Angeles is 10 hours 20 minutes; from Toronto is 7 hours and from Sydney is 23 hours 5 minutes (plus stopover).
Getting There By Road:Main roads are designated by a letter, followed by up to four numbers: ‘M’ (motorway), ‘A’ (major road) and ‘B’ (minor road). Traffic drives on the left and drivers must be at least 18 years old. The speed limits are 113kph (70mph) on motorways, 97kph (60mph) on single-lane main roads and 48kph (30mph) in built-up areas. Seat belts are compulsory for drivers, front-seat passengers and rear-seat passengers (if fitted). Motorcyclists must wear helmets. The maximum legal alcohol to blood ratio for driving is 0.08%.
Overseas driving licenses and International Driving Permits are valid for up to one year. Insurance is mandatory. Overseas visitors bringing their own cars should bring registration documents and check with their insurance company as to whether a Green Card is needed. Breakdown service and general motoring information is available from the
Automobile Association –
AA (tel: 0870 600 0371; website:
www.theaa.co.uk),
Green Flag (tel: 0845 246 1557; website:
www.greenflag.co.uk) and the
Royal Automobile Club –
RAC (tel: 0870 572 2722; website:
www.rac.co.uk).
Emergency breakdown services (toll free): AA 0800 887 766
Green Flag 0800 051 0636
RAC 0800 828 282
Routes to the city: The M25 encircles Greater London. The M1, M11, M20, M23, M3, M4 and M40 radiate from the capital to the rest of Britain. The M1 goes north all the way to Leeds, the M11 northeast to Cambridge and East Anglia, the M20 southeast to Folkestone (from where the A20 continues to Dover), the M23 goes south to Gatwick airport (and continues as the A23 to Brighton), the M3 southwest to Southampton, the M4 west to Heathrow airport and Bristol, and the M40 northwest to Oxford and Birmingham.
Motorists and their cars can travel by train through the Channel Tunnel from Calais, France to Folkestone in southeast England, courtesy of
Eurotunnel (tel: 0870 535 3535; website:
www.eurotunnel.co.uk).
Approximate driving times to London: From Cambridge – 1 hour 30 minutes; Oxford – 1 hour 30 minutes; Folkestone – 1 hour 45 minutes; Birmingham – 2 hours 15 minutes; Bristol – 2 hours 45 minutes; Leeds – 4 hours.
Coach services: National and international services use
Victoria Coach Station, a short walk from Victoria train station, at 164 Buckingham Palace Road, SW1 (tel: (020) 7730 3466; website:
www.tfl.gov.uk/vcs). Facilities include bureaux de change, ATMs, travel and hotel agencies, information desks, left-luggage office and kiosks.
National Express (tel: 0870 580 8080; website:
www.nationalexpress.com) operates services throughout the UK.
Eurolines (tel: 0870 514 3219; website:
www.eurolines.com) has departures to over 500 European destinations.
Getting There By Rail:The British railway network has a bad reputation at the moment – delays, cancellations and poor traveling conditions are common, while fares (particularly on routes via London) are among the highest in Europe. Actual train services are provided by a number of independent operators, while
Network Rail (tel: (020) 7557 8000; website:
www.networkrail.co.uk) is now the company responsible for the infrastructure and the track. The company also owns all the stations but manages only the biggest ones. In an attempt to avoid the disaster of their predecessor,
Railtrack,
Network Rail is a Company Limited by Guarantee with no shareholders, where all profit is reinvested into the railways.
Railway information is available 24 hours from
National Rail Enquiries (tel: 0845 748 4950; website:
www.nationalrail.co.uk). London has numerous major stations. These all become very crowded during rush hour (Monday to Friday 0800-0930 and 1700-1830), when services struggle to cope with the sheer volume of passengers. The major national stations in London are Victoria (southwest), Paddington (west), Euston and Kings Cross (north), Liverpool Street (east), Waterloo (south) and Charing Cross (central). Station facilities differ but most include ATMs, bureaux de change, shops, cafés and pubs. Tickets should be purchased at the station (from ticket desks and machines) before boarding.
Rail services: Eurostar (tel: 0870 518 6186
or (01233) 617 575 (from outside the UK); website:
www.eurostar.com) services from Avignon, Calais, Brussels, Lille, Paris-Gare du Nord and Disneyland Paris travel via the English Channel to Waterloo station (St Pancras from November 2007). Tickets are available at the station, from the
Eurostar Call Center or online (see above). Eurostar is extremely convenient and, once time traveling to and from the airport and spent checking in has been taken into account, is usually quicker than flying (journey time to Paris – 3 hours). The construction of the
Channel Tunnel Rail Link, connecting King’s Cross station with Paris (estimated journey time – 2 hours 20 minutes) is well under way; completion is due in November 2007.
The main London terminals serve different regions of the country, as follows: Euston and King’s Cross for the Midlands, the north of England and Scotland; Liverpool Street for East Anglia; Paddington for Heathrow airport, the West Country, South Wales and the Midlands; Victoria for Gatwick airport and the southeast; and Waterloo for the south coast and the continent. There are also numerous regional stations, including Blackfriars, Charing Cross, London Bridge, Marylebone, St Pancras, Stratford and Clapham Junction (the busiest station in the UK). Overnight sleeper trains, run by
First Scotrail (tel: 0845 755 0033; website:
www.firstscotrail.com), connect Euston with the Scottish destinations of Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Fort William, Aberdeen and Dundee.
National Rail Enquiries (see above) can provide information on all services, including journey prices, times and duration.
Getting Around:Public TransportTransport for London (tel: (020) 7222 1234 (24-hour enquiries); website:
www.tfl.gov.uk) provides comprehensive information on all forms of transport within London, as well as operating the buses. It is worth noting that using Oyster, TfL’s prepaid electronic smartcard, is the cheapest way to get around, as buying individual tickets is prohibitely expensive. Enquire at a tube station for details, or visit
www.visitbritaindirect.com.
London’s famous red ‘Routemaster’ double-decker
buses have now been phased out and been superseded by more modern single and double deckers, with the exception of on a couple of ‘heritage routes’ (bus no. 9 and 15, every 15 minutes) for the nostalgia. There is now only one fare zone for all buses. You can buy a carnet of six tickets (reduced price) in advance from newsagents and tube stations. Tickets have to be bought prior to boarding and there is a fine for traveling without a valid ticket. Services operate 24 hours a day, with
night buses, prefixed by the letter ‘N’, replacing the standard services on most routes after midnight. Fares on night buses are the same as regular buses. There are also three
tram routes at the moment in the Croydon area; it is fairly unlikely that visitors will use these, however, a Cross-River tram from Camden to Brixton via central London is planned for completion in 2011.
The
London Underground (tel: 0845 330 9880
or (020) 7222 1234; website:
www.tfl.gov.uk/tube), commonly referred to as the ‘Tube’, is the oldest and most extensive
underground system in the world and pervades both the life and layout of London. An on-going program is replacing old rolling stock, modernising stations and improving efficiency, however, escalator and station closures are still a regular problem. The network consists of 12 underground lines, each with a different name and color, supplemented by the
Docklands Light Railway (website:
www.tfl.gov.uk/dlr), connecting the City of London and the Docklands. The entire network is divided into six concentric zones, which determine the price of tickets. Tickets should be purchased at the station and must be passed through the barrier ticket gates in order for the passenger to enter and leave the system (and avoid a penalty fare). The London Underground operates daily approximately 0530-2430 but should be avoided (where possible) during rush hour (Monday to Friday 0800-0930 and 1700-1830) when it is extremely crowded.
Various regional and commuter
rail services, such as
Silverlink Metro (tel: 0845 601 4867; website:
www.silverlink-trains.com) and
Thameslink (tel: 0845 748 4950; website:
www.thameslink.co.uk), run between numerous stations in the capital and often cover routes not served by the London Underground.
There are a number of
passes available, including the
One-
day Travelcard, which can be used on buses and London Underground. An off peak card (only valid after 0930) is cheaper than a peak one (valid from 0001). Both are valid all night until 0430 the next morning. There is also a
3-
day Travelcard, which is valid on any three consecutive days (peak). Travelcards including other zones cost more. The
One-
day Bus Pass is only valid on buses. Weekly, monthly and annual passes must be accompanied by a photocard. All passes, as well as carnets for bus or London Underground, are available for purchase at Tube stations and participating newsagents.
There are a number of transport services operating on the River Thames.
Thames Clippers (tel: 0870 781 5049; website:
www.thamesclippers.com) commuter
ferries run between Savoy Pier (central at Embankment) and Royal Arsenal Woolwich Pier. There is also a high-speed commuter service from Chelsea Harbour in the west to Blackfriars. Full details of all river ferries can be obtained from
Transport for London (see above). Tickets for the various services available are available for purchase on board.
TaxisLondon’s distinctive black taxi cabs are a pleasant (if pricey) way of getting around the city, as well as meeting the legendary ‘cabbies’. The lowest tariff is in effect Monday to Friday 0600-2000 (except public holidays). Tariffs are higher at night and at the weekend. Visit
www.transportforlondon.gov.uk/pco/taxi_fares.shtml for more fares information. A tip of 10-15% to ‘round up’ the bill is customary. Each taxi has a license number and badged drivers must comply with official regulations. London cabbies have undergone intensive training (known as the ‘Knowledge’) which involves riding around London on a moped learning all the street names, followed by a grueling examination.
Black cabs can be booked through
Dial-
a-
Cab (tel: (020) 7426 3420; website:
www.dialacab.co.uk) and
Radio Taxis (tel: (020) 7272 0272; website:
www.radiotaxis.co.uk). Any complaints about black cabs should be directed to the
Public Carriage Office, 15 Penton Street, London N1 9PU (tel: (020) 7941 7800).
Minicabs (usually standard saloon cars) can be booked over the telephone or direct from local offices throughout London. One particularly efficient and reputable city-wide firm is
Addison Lee (tel: (020) 7387 8888; website:
www.addisonlee.co.uk). Although generally cheaper than black cabs, there are numerous illegal and/or unscrupulous operators, so it is always wise for travelers to check that the company is registered. In particular, offers of lifts by unlicensed drivers off the street, late at night in the West End or anywhere else for that matter, should not be accepted.
Transport for London (tel: (020) 7222 1234; website:
www.tfl.gov.uk) can provide a list of licensed private hire companies, as well as information on black taxis.
Driving in the CityLondon infamous congestion charge (tel: 0845 900 1234; website:
www.cclondon.com) came into force in February 2003, and was extended in February 2007. There is now a daily charge of £8 for all vehicles entering the central London congestion charging zone Monday to Friday between 0700 and 1800. The new zone boundaries reach (and include) North Kensington, Notting Hill, Kensington and South Kensington in the west; Chelsea, Pimlico, Lambeth, Newington and Borough in the south; the City in the east; and Clerkenwell, Finsbury, Euston, St Pancras, Marylebone and Bayswater in the north. This is clearly marked on roads and signposts. You will find a downloadable map of the zone on the website above.
The congestion charge can be paid in advance or any time before or (up to 2200 on the day). Payment can be made by post in advance or instantly online, by telephone, at BT Internet kiosks and at selected shops, car parks and petrol stations displaying the ‘C’ sign. Drivers will need their vehicle registration number. If registered, it is possible for drivers to pay up to one year in advance and also by SMS/text message. The charge goes up to £10 if paying between 2200 and 2400 on the day, however, drivers who fail to pay before 2400 will be issued with a penalty charge notice (reduced for payment with 14 days), which will increase if not paid within 28 days.
The attempt to reduce congestion in the city has been fairly successful and traffic within the zone has gone down 20% since its introduction. However, the M25 ring motorway and major routes into and out of the city are often at a standstill, particularly on Friday and Sunday evenings.
Off-road parking is available 24 hours at NCP garages (tel: 0870 606 7050; website:
www.ncp.co.uk) situated around the city. The tariffs vary, however, from garage to garage. The cheapest NCP garage in London can be found at the Brunswick Center, Marchmont Street, WC1. Street parking in central London can be extremely expensive. Meters, pay-and-display bays or resident’s parking bays operate throughout central London. Visitors should read the signs extremely carefully for the operating hours of the different bays and note that, although a pay space might only operate up to 1830, the adjacent resident’s parking bays could require permits 24 hours a day. Parking on a single yellow line is prohibited within the hours of operation of the nearest meter or pay-and-display bay. Parking within any area marked with a zigzag or double yellow line is prohibited. On a red line, or a double red line, even stopping is forbidden. Drivers caught parking illegally will incur a hefty fine.
Improved bus services in the capital, combined with the congestion charge and high parking charges, mean that visitors are much better off using public transport than they are driving in central London.
Car HireRegulations vary but car hire companies usually require drivers to be around 25 years or older. A foreign national driving license is valid in Britain for one year, although an International Driving Permit may be preferred if the license is not in English. A credit card is essential and it is important for one to check what level of insurance is included in the price of car hire.
All major car firms have locations all over the city, including
Avis (tel: 0870 606 0100; website:
www.avis.co.uk),
Budget (tel: 0870 156 5656; website:
www.budget.co.uk) and
Hertz (tel: 0870 599 6699; website:
www.hertz.co.uk). The London congestion charge does apply to all hire cars and drivers will usually be liable for this, in addition to the price quoted for hiring a car. Car hire companies vary but most do not even arrange the payment of the charge and leave it up to drivers to sort this out independently (see
Driving in the City).
There has been a recent growth in budget/Internet car hire companies, spearheaded by
easyCar (tel: 0906 333 3333; website:
www.easycar.com), the first Internet-only car hire company. Prices are considerably cheaper than for traditional car rental companies. The easyCar depot at the Barbican is one of the only places in central London where the congestion charge is included in the price of hiring a car.
Bicycle HireBoth bicycles and motorcycles avoid the congestion charge (as well as traffic and parking charges), so they are sensible modes of transport in London. Mayor Ken Livingstone is trying to make London bicycle friendly and there are many new cycle paths and cycle routes throughout the city. The
London Bicycle Tour Company, 1A Gabriel’s Wharf, 56 Upper Ground SE1 (tel: (020) 7928 6838; website:
www.londonbicycle.com), hires out bicycles by the hour, the day or the week.
About Town Motorcycle and Scooter Hire (tel: (020) 8871 1112; website:
www.abouttownbikehire.co.uk), based in Wandsworth, in the southwest of the city, hires motorcycles or scooters which can be delivered to all London hotels.
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