Heathrow Express
The Heathrow Express is a 15 minute non-stop train service between Heathrow Airport and London Paddington station departing every 15 mins.
(website features fares and ticket information; train times)


Gatwick Express
The Gatwick Express is a 30 minute non-stop train service between Gatwick Airport and Victoria station departing every 15 mins.
(website features fares and ticket information; train times)


Stansted Express
The Stansted Express route between Stansted Airport and London Liverpool Street station is via Tottenham Hale station and takes approximately 45 minutes.
(website features fares and ticket information; train times)


London City Airport Transfers
London City Airport is situated 10 miles (16km) from the West End and Westminster. Transfer options to London include the DLR, Underground, Bus or Taxi.
(website features transfer options; approximate taxi fares)


National Rail
Britain's rail network connects over 2,000 stations with over 18,000 departures everyday.
(website features on-line journey planner; stations & destinations; train times & fares; train companies and rail maps)

The BritRail range of multi-journey passes and point to point tickets can be used on all of the privatised train companies that operate mainline services in Britain. These tickets can be bought on-line or when you arrive at the Britain Visitors Centre, Lower Regent Street, London or from Lastminute.com at Victoria rail Station, London.
(website features on-line ticket purchases; details of BritRail passes; train times)


TheTrainline.com
On-line pre-purchase tickets for train travel in the UK and Europe (including Eurostar). Often the cheapest fares available, particularly when purchasing single tickets in advance.


Transport for London Journey Planner
(website provides journey solutions from and to any location and incorporates rail, bus and tube options)


London Underground
The London Underground (or the Tube) is one of the easiest ways to travel in Greater London. Tickets can be purchased from ticket machines and ticket offices at all stations. The Underground is divided into six fare zones, with Zone 1 covering central London.
(website features tube maps; service updates; ticket fares)


Transport for London Oyster
Oyster is the cheapest way to pay for single journeys on Tubes, buses, DLR and trams in London. It will also always automatically calculate the cheapest fare for the journeys made in a single day. Oyster Cards can be purchased from the website, at most tube station ticket offices and at over 2,200 oyster ticket stops across London. A refundable £3 deposit will be applied when first purchasing the card.

Benefits of paying by Oyster:
Cash bus single fares cost £2 but with Oyster, fares are £1 at all times.
The adult daily cap for unlimited travel on buses is frozen at £3.
Single adult cash Tube fares within Zone 1 cost £4 but with Oyster, fares are £1.50.
The adult daily cap for unlimited travel with pay as you go remains 50p less than the cost of the equivalent Day Travelcard.
(website features on-line purchases; further information)


London Buses
Buses are a great way to travel around the city, ideal for informal sightseeing as well as getting around. There are two cash single fares covering the whole of London. For any bus journey in outer London the fare is just 70p, and for journeys into or from, within, or across central London (Zone 1) the fare is £1.00 (using Oyster – see above) There are two types of bus stop which are treated differently:
• White background with red roundel: compulsory stop (buses always stop here)
• Red background with white roundel: request stop (buses must be hailed)

There's a very good network of night buses (prefixed with the letter 'N') which run all night and nearly all of which start or go via Trafalgar Square.


Taxis
London's famous taxis (black cabs) can be hired by hailing them in the street or from designated taxi ranks when the yellow “for hire” sign is illuminated. They can also be pre-booked in advance by phone. Taxis can be found at taxi ranks outside or near most London rail stations and London airports. They are licensed to carry four or five people. A meter registers the fare and it is customary to tip the driver about 10% of the fare.
(website features on-line purchases; further information)

Taxis outside London
Taxis outside London operate in much the same way: the vehicles and drivers are also licensed. Occasionally a traditional taxi can be found but they are more likely to be saloon cars. However, they will still have the illuminated 'For Hire' sign.


Private hire vehicles (minicabs)
Minicabs can be hired in person from minicab offices or booked by telephoning a local minicab office (telephone numbers can be found in the Yellow Pages telephone directory or at www.yell.co.uk). All minicab operators must hold an operating license issued by the Public Carriage Office. Minicabs do not have a meter so it is advisable to agree a fare before starting your journey. It's unadvisable to accept an offer from drivers touting for business on the street; this is against the law.


Self Driving and Congestion Charge
Car Hire
Prices for hiring a car vary from company to company and depend not only on the size and model of the car but the hire location as well (hiring a car at an airport is likely to be more expensive).

Congestion Charge
Congestion charging was introduced on 17 February 2003 by the Mayor of London and is designed to reduce traffic congestion by encouraging people to use public transport. The money raised is being used to improve transport in London.

The congestion charging zone operates across 8 square miles in the centre of London.The zone is bordered by the 'Inner Ring Road' connecting Euston Road, Pentonville Road, City Road, Commercial Street, Mansell Street, Tower Bridge, Elephant and Castle, Vauxhall Bridge Road, Park Lane and Marylebone Road (see the map). There is no charge for driving on the 'Inner Ring Road'.The zone is clearly indicated by road markings and signs. There are no barriers or toll booths on the boundary to the zone and you are not required to show any tickets or passes. The zone is monitored by cameras, which record all vehicle number plates and determine whether the charge has been paid.

The congestion charge applies between 07:00 and 18:30, Monday to Friday. There is no charge at weekends or on Public Holidays. The charge is £8 per day which includes unlimited driving in and out of the zone during that day. The charge can be paid on a daily or weekly basis and all payments must be in UK currency. Payment must be made before 22.00 that day to avoid penalties which are strictly enforced. The easiest way to pay is via the Congestion Charge website or by phone on +44 (0) 20 7649 9122 using credit or debit cards.
(website features on-line purchases; further information)