London for first-timers: getting around

London is large but easy to get around once you know how it works. This guide covers the essentials for a first visit: paying for transport, using the Tube and buses, getting in from the airports, and planning days that make sense on the map.

Paying for transport: tap and go

The simplest way to pay on the Underground ("the Tube"), buses, the Elizabeth line, the Overground, the DLR, trams and most National Rail services within London is a contactless bank card or phone payment. Tap the yellow card reader at the start of your journey and, on trains and the Tube, again at the end.

• Fares are capped daily, and weekly from Monday to Sunday, so you never pay more than the cap however many journeys you make.
• Use the same card or device for every tap. The cap only works per card, and switching between your phone and a physical card counts as two separate travellers.
• Keep cards apart when you tap. If the reader detects two cards in a wallet, it may charge the wrong one.
• An Oyster card, sold at stations, works the same way if you don't have contactless payment or prefer to load credit.

Check Transport for London's website for current fares and caps.

The Tube

• Lines are named and colour-coded. Know the line, the direction (northbound, eastbound and so on) or the end station, and look for that on the platform signs.
• Stand on the right on escalators; people walk past on the left.
• Some central stations are very close together. A short walk above ground can be quicker than a change.
• Rush hours (roughly 7:30–9:30am and 5–7pm on weekdays) are crowded.
• Some lines run all night on Friday and Saturday (the Night Tube).

Buses

London's buses are a great way to see the city. You can't pay with cash: tap your contactless card or Oyster when you get on (you don't tap off). With the Hopper fare, you can take unlimited bus and tram journeys within an hour of your first tap for a single fare. Sit upstairs at the front of a double-decker for the view.

Getting in from the airports

• Heathrow: the Elizabeth line into central London, the Piccadilly line on the Tube (slower but direct to many central stations), or the Heathrow Express to Paddington.
• Gatwick: Gatwick Express to Victoria, or Thameslink and Southern trains to several central stations.
• Stansted: the Stansted Express to Liverpool Street.
• Luton: a shuttle to Luton Airport Parkway station, then trains into central London.
• London City: the DLR, straight into the city.

Check whether contactless pay-as-you-go is accepted for your specific airport journey; for some services you need a separate ticket.

Plan days by area

London's sights are spread out. Group them by area to avoid crossing the city several times a day. For example:

• Westminster and the South Bank: Parliament and Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, the London Eye, a walk east along the river.
• The City and Tower: St Paul's Cathedral, the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Borough Market across the river.
• Museums of South Kensington: the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum and the V&A, all next to each other, plus Hyde Park.
• The West End: Covent Garden, Soho, Trafalgar Square and the National Gallery, an evening at the theatre.
• Bloomsbury and King's Cross: the British Museum, then north to King's Cross and Coal Drops Yard.

Many of the major national museums are free to enter; check whether timed tickets are needed.

Practical notes

• Walking is often the best way to travel short distances in central London.
• Weather changes quickly. A light waterproof layer is useful in any season.
• Card payments are accepted almost everywhere, but keep a little cash for small purchases.
• Tipping in restaurants is usually around 10–12.5%; check whether a service charge is already on the bill.

Elio Travels can plan journeys across London with timetable data, work out when to leave for your next booking, and keep your days grouped on one itinerary.