Getting around · London · United Kingdom
Getting around London
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Dudley Miles, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
London's Underground has 11 lines, complemented by the Elizabeth line, the DLR and the Overground, and most central journeys take 15–30 minutes. Fares are paid by tapping a contactless bank card, phone or Oyster card, with automatic daily and weekly caps. Between nearby central sights, walking is often quicker than changing lines. No.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Metro
- Airports
- LHR, LGW, STN, LTN, LCY
- Need a car?
- No
- Travel pass
- Contactless and Oyster capping
Ways to get around
Metro
The Tube runs from about 5am until after midnight, with a 24-hour Night Tube on Friday and Saturday nights on the Victoria and Jubilee lines and most of the Central, Northern and Piccadilly lines. Contactless pay-as-you-go is cheaper than paper tickets.
Use the same card or phone for every journey so the daily and weekly caps apply automatically.
Train
The Elizabeth line crosses the centre from Paddington to Canary Wharf with direct trains to Heathrow, while the Overground, DLR and National Rail reach Greenwich, Kew and the suburbs.
Bus
Red double-decker buses cover the whole city, many routes around the clock. They are cash-free, and the Hopper fare gives unlimited bus and tram journeys within one hour for a single fare.
Routes 11 and 15 pass many central landmarks and make a low-cost sightseeing tour from the top deck.
Walking
Many central sights are 10–20 minutes apart on foot, and the Thames Path along the South Bank links Westminster with Tower Bridge.
Cycling
Santander Cycles docking stations cover central London with pedal and electric bikes, and segregated cycleways and the royal parks make for calmer riding than main roads.
Boat
Uber Boat by Thames Clippers river buses link Putney, Westminster, the London Eye, Tower Bridge, Canary Wharf and Greenwich, and accept contactless payment.
River fares are not capped like the Tube, but a single trip to Greenwich doubles as a sightseeing cruise.
Taxi
Licensed black cabs can be hailed when the yellow TAXI light is on, and every driver has passed 'The Knowledge' test of London's streets. Ride-hailing apps operate widely.
Never get into an unbooked minicab that approaches you on the street.
Tickets and passes
Contactless and Oyster capping
Tapping the same contactless card, phone or Oyster card caps your daily and Monday–Sunday weekly spend automatically, so most visitors do not need a separate travelcard.
Bus and tram Hopper fare
Unlimited bus and tram journeys within one hour of the first tap are covered by a single fare.
London Pass
A paid sightseeing pass covering entry to many paid attractions; it only pays off if you visit several paid sights a day, since the major museums are already free.
From the airport
Heathrow: the Elizabeth line reaches Paddington and Tottenham Court Road in about 30–40 minutes, Heathrow Express runs non-stop to Paddington in about 15 minutes, and the Piccadilly line takes about an hour. Gatwick Express reaches Victoria in about 30 minutes, the Stansted Express reaches Liverpool Street in about 50 minutes, Luton links by DART shuttle and train to St Pancras, and London City is on the DLR.
- LHR to central london: every option compared
- LGW to central london: every option compared
- STN to central london: every option compared
- LTN to central london: every option compared
- LCY to central london: every option compared
- LHR airport guide
- LGW airport guide
- STN airport guide
- LTN airport guide
- LCY airport guide
Do you need a car?
No. Central London has a daily Congestion Charge and an Ultra Low Emission Zone, parking is scarce and expensive, and public transport covers everything; hire a car only for countryside trips.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Windsor Castle | About 1 hour by train | Train from Waterloo, or from Paddington changing at Slough |
| Hampton Court Palace | About 35 minutes by train | Train from Waterloo to Hampton Court |
| Oxford | About 1 hour by train | Train from Paddington or Marylebone |
| Cambridge | About 50 minutes by train | Train from King's Cross or Liverpool Street |
| Brighton | About 1 hour by train | Train from Victoria or London Bridge |
| Bath | About 1 hour 20 minutes by train | Train from Paddington to Bath Spa |
| Stonehenge and Salisbury | About 2 hours by train and bus | Train from Waterloo to Salisbury, then the Stonehenge tour bus |
| Warner Bros. Studio Tour London | About 1 hour by train and shuttle | Train from Euston to Watford Junction, then the studio shuttle bus |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in London?
No. Central London has a daily Congestion Charge and an Ultra Low Emission Zone, parking is scarce and expensive, and public transport covers everything; hire a car only for countryside trips.
+How do you get from the airport to London?
Heathrow: the Elizabeth line reaches Paddington and Tottenham Court Road in about 30–40 minutes, Heathrow Express runs non-stop to Paddington in about 15 minutes, and the Piccadilly line takes about an hour. Gatwick Express reaches Victoria in about 30 minutes, the Stansted Express reaches Liverpool Street in about 50 minutes, Luton links by DART shuttle and train to St Pancras, and London City is on the DLR.
+What is the best way to get around London?
Metro: The Tube runs from about 5am until after midnight, with a 24-hour Night Tube on Friday and Saturday nights on the Victoria and Jubilee lines and most of the Central, Northern and Piccadilly lines. Contactless pay-as-you-go is cheaper than paper tickets.