London travel info

At eight in the morning, stand in the middle of Waterloo Bridge and you can watch the Thames turn from grey to silver. A red double-decker rattles past behind you. Look west and you get Parliament, Big Ben and the London Eye; look east and it's the dome of St Paul's and the glass towers of the City. The rain rarely pours, it just drifts about, and Londoners pull up a hood instead of opening an umbrella and keep walking.

The city's best gift is that its big museums are free. Seeing the Rosetta Stone at the British Museum, standing in front of Van Gogh's Sunflowers at the National Gallery, wandering the vast Turbine Hall at Tate Modern: none of it costs a penny (only special exhibitions charge). Spend the savings on an afternoon tea with scones on a three-tier stand, then a pint at the bar of a pub.

The food is better than its reputation. Fish and chips doused in vinegar, the roast beef and Yorkshire pudding every pub serves for Sunday lunch, a salt beef bagel on Brick Lane, curries that Indian immigrants reworked for British tastes. London is noticeably pricey, but tap one card and your Tube and bus fares stop at a daily cap.

London Heathrow Airport (LHR)

• Elizabeth line: About 30 min to Paddington, about 40 min to Tottenham Court Road · Contactless/Oyster £14.60 to Paddington, £15.50 to central Zone 1 stations such as Bond Street and Tottenham Court Road, any time
• Piccadilly line (Tube): About 45 min to South Kensington, 50 min to 1 hour to Piccadilly Circus or Covent Garden · Contactless/Oyster £5.90 to Zone 1 at any time; £7 for a paper ticket
• Heathrow Express: About 15 min to Paddington (6 min more from Terminal 5), every 15 min · £26 walk-up single; advance singles from £10 when booked 30+ days ahead (one direction only); £30 same-day return; £42 return
• Black cab (metered): 45 minutes to 1 hour 30 by traffic · Metered, plus a £1.60 Heathrow rank extra. Guides commonly quote £70–120 to central London (not an official estimate)
• Uber, Bolt and other apps: 45 minutes to 1 hour 30 by traffic · Fixed in the app; often cheaper than a black cab, but rises at busy times

London Gatwick Airport (LGW)

• Southern and Thameslink trains: About 30 min to London Bridge, 35 min to Victoria, 50 min to St Pancras · Contactless/Oyster £10.70 off-peak, £19.20 at peak (weekdays 06:30–09:30)
• Gatwick Express: About 30 min non-stop to Victoria · £24.00 contactless (not included in daily caps)
• Taxi and ride apps: 1 hour to 1 hour 30 or more by traffic · Very expensive given the distance; check the app fare or a pre-booked quote first

London Stansted Airport (STN)

• Stansted Express: About 32 min to Tottenham Hale, 46 min to Liverpool Street, usually every 15 min · Contactless/Oyster £21 off-peak, £23 at peak (weekdays 06:30–09:30)
• Airport coaches: 1 hour 15 to 2 hours by traffic · Varies with booking time and departure (check the operator's app); often cheaper than the train

London City Airport (LCY)

• DLR (Docklands Light Railway): About 22 min to Bank · Contactless/Oyster £3.30 off-peak, £3.90 peak
• Black cab: Quick to the City or Canary Wharf; up to an hour to the West End in traffic · Metered; the City and Canary Wharf are close, so it stays reasonable

• Visa (ETA): ETA needed (£20); e-gates OK
• Getting there by air: Heathrow is the main gateway
• Time zone: GMT, UTC+1 in summer
• Currency and costs: VAT included; little cash needed
• Paying and tipping: Tap to pay; check service charge
• Power: 230V; Type G 3-pin adapter
• Language: English; queue properly
• Internet: Nothing blocked; set up eSIM early
• Emergencies: Emergency 999 · NHS advice 111
• Best time: Late May–early Sep is best