| When
to go |
Although London is very much an
all year city, the main tourist season is from late April through to mid
October. If you come in the Spring, the gardens and the countryside are
at their finest.
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| Electricity |
The standard voltage throughout
Britain is 240v AC, 50Hz. A three square-pronged adapter, and/or converter
will be needed when using appliances in Britain.
|
|
Calling London
from outside the UK
|
To call
Britain the country code is 44. There are two dialling codes for London,
central London is 0171 outer London is 0181. You need to drop the initial
0 if you are calling from abroad.
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| What
to Pack |
Aside from a warm coat in Winter,
a light jacket in Summer and an umbrella, you need not pack anything out
of the ordinary. Jackets and ties are appropriate for expensive restaurants,
casual clothes are fine elsewhere.
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|
Travelling from
Norway
by air
|
Two International Airports:
London Heathrow and London Gatwick
Heathrow is the London airport most conveniently located. It's 15 mi/24
km west of centre off Junction 4 of M4 motorway, 50 minutes' drive
in normal traffic. Gatwick is 28 mi/45 km south of centre, off Junction
10 of M23 motorway, 70 minutes' drive in normal conditions.
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Getting
from the
airport
|
From the airports you can choose
different transportation.
I would recommend the following:
Trains:
From Heathrow Airport :
Piccadilly Line London Underground
runs approximately 5 am to 11:30 pm at 5-minute intervals.
£3.20 one way.
From Gatwick Airport:
British Rail Gatwick Express
runs every half hour from 4:30 am, then every 15 minutes from
5:30 am to 11:30 pm. to Victoria Station.
£8.90 one way.
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Travelling from
Norway
By sea
|
Car Ferry from Stavanger: Click the below link
and then choose the English Edition.
 
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Where to stay
|
Youth hostels
London's seven youth hostels (eight in the summer) are ideally positioned
to enable you to see London by day and night staying in affordable accommodation.
With hostels on hectic Oxford Street, in the leafy suburbs of Hampstead,
the central parkland area around Holland House and in the prestigious London
Docklands area you'llonly be a short tube ride from all the main attractions.
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|
Getting
around
in London:
|
Here are some useful
tips for everyone who would like help getting around and about in London: |
|
Tube
|
The London Underground,
or the Tube, is the system of subways beneath the center of London
and out to the suburbs. The Underground is a quick and safe means of getting
around between approximately 5:50 am and 11:30 pm. from
Stations in the central area (the inner zone) are equipped with ticket-vending
machines.
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| Travel
cards |
A daily, weekly or monthly
Travel card allows unlimited travel in Greater London on the rail network,
buses, Underground and the Docklands Light Railway(DLR). You can then travel
on any combination of tube, train, bus and DLR within your selected zone(s)
as many times as you wish, for as long as your ticket is valid. The standard
card for central London covers zones 1 and 2, but if in doubt always buy
a Travel card that covers all the zones that you might possibly be travelling
to and from (there are six in total). It's the most convenient way of
getting around as well as being considerably cheaper if you are intending
to do any more than two journeys in a day. |
| |
The daily Travel card can only be bought after 9.30am
on weekdays.
It can not be used on night buses.
The weekly and monthly cards need a photo ID, which can be bought at
the station.
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|
Buses
|
For short trips, the buses are
cheaper than the Underground and can sometimes be quicker. Remember that
although you can use a Travel card on buses, you cannot buy one on them.
After midnight, night buses are the only way to get home by public transport.
Most London buses are still of the red double-decker variety; these
combine intriguing glimpses of everyday London life with the more mundane
business of getting from A to B. Buy tickets on board. Fares start at 80p.
Change is given, but have
plenty of coins handy.
Green buses provide a service to outer London and surrounding towns.
A number of privately run tour companies utilize buses with a top deck
as well.
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| |
Underground trains run from 5.30am until midnight Monday to Saturday
and from 7.00am until 11.30pm on Sundays. |
|
Taxis
|
Black-cab drivers tend
to know central London very well. They can be booked by phone or hailed
in the street when the yellow Taxi sign is lit. Tipping is not obligatory
but a 10-15 per cent is common. When hailing a taxi in the streets black
cabs are not obliged to accept a hiring for more than 10 km, but if they
do and the journey is wholly within the London area the fare payable is
shown on the meter.
Minicabs are unlicensed, they often do not know even the local
area well, do not have to be good drivers and cannot be hailed in the street
(either phone for one or go in person to the cab office).
However, they usually work out cheaper than black cabs especially for
longer journeys. Negotiate a fare when you phone. There is usually a £3
minimum fare.
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|
Light Rail
|
The Docklands Light Railway
is a high-level rapid transit system from the Tower of London to
the newly redeveloped Docklands area. It offers even better
sightseeing potential than the buses.However, it's overcrowded
during the
business rush hours. Phone 222-1234.
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Car
|
Drive on the left (the steering wheel on British cars
is on the right). Avoid bus-only
lanes. Speed limit in town is 30 kmph/48kmph unless otherwise
indicated. Road signs are in miles. The M25 motorway (freeway) encircles
London and (clockwise from north) the M1, M11, M20, M26, M23, M3, M4, M40
motorways radiate outward. Some of them (M1, 3, 4, 11) penetrate partway
into London, but thereafter you'll find urban highways, city streets
and one-way traffic systems.
I would not recommend you to drive in inner-city areas. Driving in rush
hour traffic is a waste of time, parking is always tricky, and road works
promise to thwart your well-planned routes.
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Sightseeing
|
Sightseeing Tours in London
- 2-10 Hours
You won't find a more personal or flexible way of sightseeing
in London than with a British Tours driver-guide. The first
time visitor should see all the major sights: Buckingham Palace, St Paul's
Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, the
River Thames and the Royal Parks, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus,
the Horse Guards, the Changing of the Guard, Tower Bridge, the Tower of
London and the Crown Jewels. Also see the City, the original site
of London, with the Bank of England and Guildhall.
If you are a regular visitor your guide will suggest many less familiar
places such as
Shakespeare's newly restored Globe Theatre, historic Hampstead village
with 17th century Kenwood and Fenton House, Legal London including
the Temples, Inns of Court and Criminal Courts, or the Museum of
Garden History at 15th century Lambeth Palace and many more.
Remember, your guide will collect you from any London location and
return you at the end of the day!
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