Getting around in London
By Betsy Remes
Having your own car is certainly a possibility here, but most locals rely exclusively on public transportation and taxis for getting around in London. Furthermore, don’t discount your ability as a pedestrian; it’s easy to get from point A to point B on foot! Keeping in mind all of these options as an expat learning to navigate the streets and circles of the city, you’ll find it’s easy to travel around.
Getting around London with public transportation
London, as you will quickly discover, is divided by Transport for London into nine zones. Zone one and zone two are considered central London, and zones three through nine form rings around this core.
Generally, taking public transportation – no matter which of the choices you select – will be cheaper and, often, faster, than taking a taxi or driving yourself. However, there are downsides to public transportation, as any city-dweller knows. While the trains and buses are, for the most part, clean and comfortable, during rush hour they can become unbearably crowded and hectic as they are taken by commuters living hours outside of the city.
London has the Tube (also called the Underground), underground trains, overground trains, a light rail line, trams, and buses. If none of these strike your fancy, you also have the option of hopping on a public riverboat and travelling via the Thames.
Paying for public transportation in London
When people think of London transportation, the most common association is the “Mind the Gap” call of Tube announcers; it follows that this mode of transit is the most easily navigated of all options. The Tube, Docklands Light Rail (DLR), and the Overground all cost depending on in which zones you are travelling.
If paying cash, one trip within Zone 1 will cost you £4. However, most Londoners have an Oyster card, a discounted swipe card that you can load with money and use as a pay-as-you-go card, or you can purchase as a weekly, monthly, or yearly pass. (A weekly Oyster card for Zones 1 and 2 will set you back £25.80.) Oyster cards are viable on every one of the above options, although the underground trains, or National Rail, will only accept Oysters for London and its environs.
It is highly advised that expats living or working in London purchase an oyster card to save both time and money.
Getting around London in taxis
Taxis are certainly an easy method of getting around central London, though travelling farther than a few miles and shouldering the fare yourself can become costly. This mode of transit is not recommend for journeys outside of central London unless absolutely necessary. Above all, make sure you book through a reputable company or you hail a licensed black cab.
Do not, do not, do not take unlicensed minicabs as they can be unsafe – there have been a few well-publicised cases lately of assault experienced by passengers of unlicensed minicabs.
Getting around London in a car
If you live south of the river or outside of Zone two, you might discover that it’s worth your while to own a car. However, most Londoners do not, and if it is absolutely necessary to use a car for transit, they rent. Recently, car clubs like StreetCar have appeared in London that allow you to pay a monthly fee to access cars whenever you need them, which is a simple compromise between relying exclusively on public transportation and owning your own car.
Getting around London on foot
If you can, walk! It’s the best way to see the city, and central London is very easy to tackle on foot long as you have the Londoner’s map: an A-Z guide of the city. Just remember when crossing the street that cars drive on the left – though there are helpful instructions on the pavement directing you which way to look.
