8 Debunked London Travel Myths

Like many places, London has many popular misconceptions about it. We’re debunking the top eight London travel myths, with additional travel tips along the way, to make your next trip the best (and most budget-friendly!) it can be.

1. Londoners are rude

The first unveiled truth in our list of London travel myths is that Londoners aren’t rude. Of course, London can be a frantic city, with so many people rushing to get to places and seemingly no regard for the lone, lost tourist in their way. Or what’s perhaps more spooky: the ghostly silence on a rush-hour tube as nobody speaks to each other, despite being pushed closer to each other than you’d probably want to get with your best friend. Like Paris, we’re a mixed bunch of people, but the average Londoner is usually more than happy to help if asked.

And we’re shy. We’ve got that reputation for a stiff upper lip for a reason. Strike up a conversation, and chances are we’ll join in—we’re just waiting to be asked.

2. Londoners are unfailingly polite

On the other hand, decades of period dramas have given us a reputation for politeness that we perhaps don’t deserve. Admittedly, it can be hard to work out when we’re being rude, as it’s hidden under so many levels of niceties, unfathomable to anyone who is not British born and bred. But we’re used to no one understanding us: learn to play the rules, and you’ll get along just fine.

That includes, if you crash into someone with your rucksack by accident and they say they’re sorry, that’s your cue to apologize profusely. And do remember to get on our right side, literally, by obeying the “stand on the right/walk on the left” rule on tube escalators. You’ll soon be embraced like you’re one of our own (i.e. we’ll happily ignore you).

3. London is busy

Well, there’s undeniable truth in this one. But with a population of around 8.3 million (compared to 2.21 million in Paris and just under 800,000 in Amsterdam), what would you expect? You can, however, do yourself some favors in how you approach the city. Visit around British holidays—Christmas, Easter, the “Bank holiday” weekends at the beginning and end of May—and you’ll find a much calmer city: basically because a large number of London residents use the time to leave town.

If that isn’t an option, be savvy about when you move about the city. Why squeeze yourself onto a Tube full of grumpy office workers at 8 a.m. or 6 p.m., if you’ve got the freedom to travel later? And there are plenty of opportunities to seek out some quiet spots in the city, such as its many beautiful, peaceful parks. In fact, there’s an entire book devoted to “quiet London”.

4. The Tube is the best way to get around London

Speaking of the Tube, it’s undoubtedly an easy and convenient way to get across the city. But it’s not the best way to see the city for many reasons. The first is in that word “see”: Exploring London is much more fun if you can see the sights when walking, taking a bus, or perhaps using one of the “Boris bikes”.

The second reason is that, with the exception of taxis, it’s the priciest way to see London (a single fare in zone one is £4.70 without an Oyster card, compared to £2.40 on a bus).

Finally, it’s often not the quickest way to get about in central London—the Tube from Covent Garden to Leicester Square takes nine minutes, compared to only two minutes if you walk it.

5. You must visit the Tower of London and London Eye

You really don’t. London is a large city, and it’s an old city. It’s stuffed full of attractions, where you could merrily spend your time and money, not to mention the hundreds of nice cafes, bars and shops that keep its residents happy and amused.

Instead of seeing “the sights”, seek out what really interests you instead: whether it’s Charles Dickens, street art or an overstuffed walrus. London has got something for every taste. Have fun exploring that, rather than standing in line for hours to get a glimpse of a wax Princess Kate (unless wax really is your thing…).

6. London is very expensive

Another London travel myth is how costly it is to travel here. Sure, it can be: transport and entrance fees all add up. Not to mention accommodations, if you don’t stick to our suggested affordable hotels.

But there are ways to make it cheaper: London has some great street food to keep you full and in pocket (check out our market guide for starters). We’re also immensely proud that so much of our culture is free: You can walk straight into Britain’s most popular tourist attraction, the British Museum, and soak up thousands of years of history without paying a penny. Same goes for the National Gallery, the Natural History Museum, the V&A, the Science Museum and many more. (Here’s our full list of free museums to help you plan ahead). Visit London and you can come back smarter, and not necessarily that much poorer in the process.

7. Londoners are either cockneys or lords of the manor

Perhaps sadly for us all, London no longer represent a scene from Mary Poppins. The cliché of the salt of the earth cockneys, compared to the upper crust gents living in their grand piles, simply no longer applies (if it ever did).

London is astonishing for its mix of people and cultures and how it welcomes people from all over the world. And, perhaps compared to a city such as Paris, how it all exists right alongside each other: old and new, rich and poor. Traditionally cockney areas of East London are now home to some of the most fashionable restaurants in town, as well as more long-standing traditional businesses. This invigorating blend is one of the reasons why visiting London can be so supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.

8. It’s a city of football hooligans

The behavior of a small minority of English soccer fans has given us an unsavory international reputation. This just isn’t true for the vast majority of fans, or indeed the vast majority of English people for whom football is, basically, the national sport.

There’s no better time than now to try and understand the always hopeful/always-prepared-to-be-disappointed English footballing psyche. Football will be dominating the screens of our pubs and clubs, and there are plenty of ways to get involved in a relatively civilized manner. We’ll even allow you to cheer for your own team (as long as they aren’t playing England, obviously).

The post 8 travel myths about London to stop believing appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Londoners may frequently grumble about the Tube, but there’s lots to love about it — including that it makes this big city much more navigable.

However, before you hop on board, there are a few written (and unwritten) rules that you should know about, so you can ride the Tube like the locals do.

London Tube tips to ride like a local

These tips will save you money, time and gain you the unspoken appreciation of your fellow passengers.

1. Don’t use the Tube in central London

Locals know that in central London it’s often easiest not to take the Tube. Getting the bus or even walking may be quicker and more direct — not to mention cheaper. This is a handy list of stops where it’s quicker to walk than to change tubes. Take note of the Covent Garden/Leicester Square/Piccadilly Circus/Charing Cross and Embankment one to feel extra smug around fellow Tube-reliant visitors.

Related: Top budget hotels in London

Use an Oyster card wisely and you’ll save a plethora of pounds. Photo: Mikey on Flickr

2. Play your Oyster or credit card right

Visitors may want to get an Oyster travel card for the cheapest Tube fares. You can read all about our guide to Oyster cards here.

Another option is using a contactless payment card to travel on the London transport network for the same price as an Oyster card. Just check with your card provider first that you can do so without incurring a transaction fee.

3. Don’t rely on the Tube 24/7 (on most nights)

The Tube doesn’t run 24 hours a day, so don’t rely on it to get you to that early morning train. (Note: A “night tube” was launched in September 2015 for certain lines on Friday and Saturday nights.)

Times vary from line to line, but most open shortly after 5 a.m. and close again before 1 a.m. The time of the first and last train should be displayed at each tube station. For public transit outside these hours, you’ll need to rely on the night bus services.

Related: How to save on Tube and bus tickets in London

Don’t even try to get on during the morning scrum on the Tube. Photo: Ted Sullivan

4. Avoid traveling during rush hour

Why on earth would you want to squeeze yourself into a carload of grumpy Brits during morning rush hour if you have the leisure of waiting a bit? Need another reason to wait to jump on board? It’s cheaper to travel after 9:30 a.m., too. Relax — have a coffee, then travel “off peak.”

5. Let everyone off before boarding

The train has pulled into the station. We know you’re eager to get onto the train, but don’t push your way in the second the doors open. Let everyone who wants to exit the train get off before getting on (admittedly this principle gets a little stretched at very busy times).

6. Be prepared to give up your seat

You shouldn’t need us to tell you, but consider this a gentle reminder to give up your seat on the Tube to someone who looks like they need it more than you — most expectant mothers will wear a “Baby on Board” badge — and take a look around before you throw yourself onto the last remaining seat in a carriage.

This being Britain, we’ll just glare, and perhaps mutter under our breath rather than simply saying if someone really does need a seat. But we always appreciate being offered one.

7. Move down!

Try not to stand by the doorways of the trains. Chances are there are plenty more people who’ll want to get on at the next stop. The same goes for the station platforms, too. The entrance to a Tube platform is not the best place to stop with your case and pull out your Tube map if you want to make new London friends. And when you get off, keep an eye out for directional signs to show you the nearest exit.

8. Everybody always gets off at your stop

It’s really busy and they announce your tube stop. You leap to your feet and start trying to make your way to the door so you don’t miss it, right? Rookie error. Chances are half the carriage will also be getting off at your stop, and trying to get there in advance is not only pointless but the pushing required will also wind up and frustrate most of the car.

Wait until the train gets to the station, then try and make your way to the exit (and then any pushing is, of course, fully justified).

9. Stand on the right. Walk on the left.

Perhaps the London Tube’s most sacred rule: When standing on an escalator, stand to the right; if you want to walk up or down it, do that along the left-hand side. Sorry, suitcases/friends/loved ones you want next to you will not be tolerated — it’s single file only. Londoners are so well-trained that you’ll probably catch us doing this on department store escalators too.

10. Keep it down

Shhh…  for a place that’s so busy and vital to the city, the Tube can be eerily quiet. Don’t take that as your cue to fill the void with noise. It’s not that we’re unfriendly; it’s just easier this way. Playing loud music, of course, is definitely a no-no and probably goes without saying. And going without saying is definitely one of a London tube traveler’s favorite things…

Your tips on the London Tube?

Do you have any tips for riding the Tube like a local? Share in the comments below.

The post London: 10 tips for riding the Tube like a local appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Hailing a London taxi can cost a small fortune and riding the night buses can take a long time to get you back to your hotel.

However, all that might change with the arrival of the Night Tube – a boon to party people and budget travelers who like to stay out late or are catching a late-night flight.

What is the Night Tube?

After announcing the new service in 2014, the Night Tube has finally arrived! It offers a 24-hour service on selected Underground lines on Fridays and Saturdays.

At the moment, the service is running on the Central Line (that runs west to east across London including stops in Notting Hill, Oxford Circus, Tottenham Court Road, Holborn, Bank and Liverpool Street) and the Victoria Line (that crosses the city south to north, including Brixton, Victoria, Oxford Circus, Euston, King’s Cross, Highbury & Islington).

The service is due to start running on the Jubilee Line starting October 7, 2016 and will be extended to the Piccadilly and Northern lines later in the autumn.

Related: 10 Tips for riding the London Tube like a local

How much does it cost?

The service costs no more than a standard off-peak journey on the Underground, whether that’s a single ticket or an Oyster card fare. Day tickets are valid from the day of purchase until 4:30 am the following day — so if you buy your ticket at 10 am on a Saturday, it’ll still be valid come 4:15 am on Sunday morning (although you’ll personally probably be exhausted!).

How will it benefit the budget traveler?

The obvious benefits are convenience and cost. Rather than having to navigate the network of night buses or shell out for a taxi, this will open up most of central London.

Even the two lines offering the service at the moment are convenient for traveling, servicing some of the typical budget hotel areas including Warren Street, Victoria, and Holborn. Party areas such as Brixton and Shoreditch (using Liverpool Street station) are now much more easy to reach — and return from — in the early hours.

It will also be a huge help for travelers who have scored cheaper flights or trains into and out of London, with Victoria (for trains to and from Gatwick), Liverpool Street (trains to and from Stansted) and King’s Cross (for the Eurostar) all on the network. When the Piccadilly line becomes part of the Night Tube, Heathrow will also be accessible.

Related: The Cheapest and fastest options for getting to the airport in London

The post London’s Night Tube Opens! How does it work? appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Underground, Overground, here are a few questions to help you navigate yourself around London’s transport system.

Related: 4 ways to save on public on transportation in London

London transport

London transport, that’s just the tube right?
Wrong, Transport for London covers a range of options for getting around the city: Underground ‘tube’ service, buses, the Overground and National Rail trains, the Dockland’s Light Railway (DLR) and trams. In reality, you’ll probably use the first two services the most.

The zone system

Where am I heading?
When considering London transport, you need to get into the zone. That’s because London’s transport system divided into nine (very) roughly concentric circular zones, radiating out from zone 1 in the center. Generally speaking, it costs more to travel the further out you go, although bus fares remain the same throughout the city.

Most of the major tourist attractions are in zone 1—British Museum, Buckingham Palace, Tower of London, etc—and many hotels too, though some of the cheaper options may be in zone 2 and beyond. It’s possible to visit London and to rarely stray beyond zone 1, let alone zone 2, although it’s not quite the wilderness out there: Hampton Court, for example, is in zone 6. The zones are marked on maps of the tube and posters, and sometimes at the station itself. You can view an online map here.

Peak vs off-peak hours

When will I be traveling?
Transport costs vary depending on whether you are traveling at peak hours or off-peak. To get the cheaper off-peak rates, you need to start your journey after 9:30 AM on Mondays to Fridays. Saturdays, Sunday and public holidays all count as off-peak too. It’s worth bearing in mind that it’s not only less expensive, it’s also probably considerably more pleasant to travel off-peak, away from the stressed commuters, if you possibly can. In the afternoon, it depends on how you are paying for your transport: no off-peak hours apply to Travelcard users, but for those using pay as you go Oyster, peak hours apply between 4 PM and 7 PM. And, don’t worry, I’ll explain the difference between a travelcard and an Oyster card later.

Ticketing

What are my best ticket options?
While you can still buy tickets for individual journeys, this isn’t really cost effective if you plan on making more than a couple of journeys each day. In addition, from the July 6, cash payments will no longer be accepted on London buses, meaning you (and the rest of the city) will need to be a bit more prepared when stepping out. And this might be the most complicated part of your journey, because there are a number of different methods of ticketing available:

Oyster card

What is it?
This is what the majority of Londoners use. It’s an electronic card that you tap onto a reader at the entry and exit barriers at tube and rail stations, or simply tap once onto the reader when getting on a bus. There’s a £5 deposit, then the card can be loaded with a 7 day, a month or even year’s travel pass for whatever zones you require. On top of this, you can add money to Pay As You Go (PAYG): payment is deducted for each journey you take, depending on your method of transport and how far you travel.

Why would I want to use it?
Staying for London for any considerable length of time? This is probably the option for you. This is what the majority of Londoners use. It’s a very flexible system: most people get a travel pass to cover their commute and use PAYG to pay for journeys into zones not covered by their pass. Also, only using PAYG can actually be a money saver if you only make occasional journeys on public transport and, if you are only using the card for PAYG, the money doesn’t expire (meaning you can hold onto it for a return trip in the future) and the cards can be passed over to another person when you’re done with it.

Why wouldn’t I want to use it?
Well, there’s not that much to differentiate it from the Visitor Oyster card (see below).  The major difference and disadvantage is that you can’t order it in advance from abroad, so when you get to London you’ll need to get in one of the likely long lines of people waiting at a station ticket office (rather than at a machine). There’s the £5 deposit, and then the subsequent secondary station visit to get your £5 back at the end of your trip.

Visitor’s Oyster card

What is it?
As the name suggests, it’s a version of the Oyster card intended especially for visitors. No deposit for this card: it’s priced at £3, which is non-refundable. The PAYG works in the same way: you load your Oyster with credit which is deducted per journey you make, so a journey in zones 1 to 2 will deduct £2.80 during peak hours and £2.20 off-peak, or a single journey on any bus will set you back £1.45.

Why Would I Want to Use It?
You can order the Visitor Oyster in advance of your visit, preloaded with credit, allow 12 to 16 days for delivery to the States.

Like the standard Oyster, it’s a really convenient option. There’s a cap on how much you pay out using PAYG, which is really handy if you’re planning some extensive sightseeing to do. Say you only intend to travel about zones 1 and 2. Once you’ve done the equivalent of £8.40 (peak hours) or £7 (off-peak hours) worth of journeys over the course of a day, money will stop being deducted from your Oyster card for any subsequent journeys you make that day.

The Visitor Oyster card comes with some additional tourist-friendly perks, such as a 25% discount on the Emirates Air Line cable car and a 10% reduction on the fare for the Thames Clipper River Bus. The card can also be passed over to another person when you’re done with it.

Why Wouldn’t I Want To Use It?
It can’t be used for 7 day, month or yearly travel cards. You also have to be extra vigilant to make sure you ‘tap in and tap out’ on the reader for every journey you take on tube or train—even if the barriers are open—and at transport interchanges, otherwise you will be charged extra.

Travelcard

What is it?
A paper ticket purchased for a day or a week’s worth of travel around the Transport for London system. You insert it into the barriers at stations to open the gates, or show it to the driver on a bus. A day’s worth of travel in zones 1 to 2 is £9; 7 day is £31.40. A day is based on the transport system’s day, rather than being a strict 24 hours, so a ticket bought at 9:30 AM would be valid on a ‘night’ bus at 1am that evening, but not when the tube reopens at around 5:30 AM

Why Would I Want To Use It?
Again, you can order these in advance of your visit, meaning no standing in line when you step exhausted off that plane. While a day’s worth of travel works out slightly more expensive than using an Oyster card, the 7 day card can work out a lot cheaper if you are going to use public transport a lot over a week. And it also means that, unlike Oyster PAYG users, you don’t need to worry about traveling/not traveling in peak hours in the afternoon.

Why Wouldn’t I Want To Use It?
For visits of less than a week, the Visitor Oyster is better value. Oyster would also be more convenient if you intend on venturing beyond zones 1 and 2. Plus there’s the fact it’s made from paper and it’ll get soggy in the rain. (This is England. The rain is an important consideration.)

Public transit alternatives

What if I don’t like any of these options?
There’s always the Barclays Cycle Hire program: read our EuroCheapo guide to how it works. Most of central London can be tackled on your feet. It can be a bit exhausting, but it is all walkable. The money you spend on getting a centrally located hotel may be worth it in terms of what you could save on transport. You can buy paper tickets for single tickets when your feet really need it, or perhaps even splurge on a black cab.

The post London Transportation: How to save on your Tube and bus tickets appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Cheapos on-the-go can save quite a bit of cash on public transportation—and without walking everywhere, too. You just need to know how to get the best value out of the underground “Tube” system. Here’s a quick Tube primer:

London: The “Big… Onion”?

Transport for London, the main transportation authority, divides London into nine zones. “Zone One” is the city’s center, the “middle of the onion,” if you will. Think Trafalgar Square and Big Ben.  Zones two through nine work out in rings from there, and are the outer “layers of the onion.”

The price of a Tube ticket depends on how many zones you pass through on any given journey. (Tip: Remember, buses work differently. You can travel on them all over London, in all zones, for one price.)

Three ways to pay for the Tube

1. Single Tickets: You could always turn up at any London Tube station, buy a single ticket, and be on your way. But, as locals will tell you, this is the most expensive and least practical payment option, especially if you plan to make many trips on the Tube during your stay in London. (Read more about single ticket prices.)

2. Travelcard: A second option is to buy a printed “Travelcard” for 1, 3, or 7 days. The price of the card depends in which zones you expect to travel. Also, 1-day cards are more expensive if you travel before 9:30 AM.  Remember, most sights are within zones 1 and 2, so stick to those zones and you should be fine. (Read more about 1 and 3-day passes, and 7-day passes.)

* * However, travel agents (watch out!) will often try to sell tourists 7-day passes good for all nine zones, the cost of which is a hefty £68.  For only zones 1 and 2, the same 7-day pass will cost only £25.80.

Tip: If you do need to go further afield, you can buy an add-on ticket (or just go by bus, if you can spare the time – the Travelcard will be valid.)

3. Oyster card: Finally, I recommend that you buy an “Oyster card,” a pre-paid “smart card” that always charges the lowest fare. You pay a one-time refundable deposit for the card (£2 if you buy it from a special tourist outlet; £3 otherwise) and then load it up with money. You can put 1, 3, and 7-day “Travelcards” on your Oyster card, or use your Oyster for single trips (at reduced rates).

* * Pay-as-you-go fares using an Oyster card are half what they are if you pay cash. Also, there’s a price cap per day, so you’ll never pay more than the price of a one-day travel card. (For more info on the price cap and how it works, go here.)

The Oyster card also gives you some security, because if you register your card and it gets lost or stolen, you can claim back any money you had on it. You can’t do that with a Travelcard.

When you’re finished with your Oyster, you simply return it to a Tube station, where an agent will refund your deposit and any money you haven’t spent. (Note: If you’re owed more than £5, it will be given to you in check form, in British pounds, which might be a pain to cash.)

Bottom line

Oyster cards are probably better than Travelcards for most tourists visiting London, as they’re convenient and charge the lowest single-trip fare. Plus, if you plan to travel quite a bit (and for more than one day), simply put a 3 or 7-day Travelcard on your Oyster card.

For more information on using the Oyster card, check out the Tube’s website. A list of Tube fares for zones 1 through 6 can be found here.

One final note

Check with your hotel and in tourist information centers for special offers available to Travelcard and Oyster card users. Benefits typically include reduced entry fees, special deals in restaurants, and more. These offers change frequently, so look for leaflets at Tube stations, or ask a station agent.

The post London Transportation Tip: Get the most out of the Tube! appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

“Everyone in London gets around with an ‘Oyster card.’ The cards don’t cost anything to use and they get you major discounts on all public transportation in London.” Sounds good, right? Dan continues: “They’re good on the Tube, the bus, trams, and local trains, too. You fill up your Oyster card with cash and refill it when the card has run low, so there are no lines. Best of all, the pass cuts fare prices in half.”

Indeed, Dan! Check it out: A single Tube ticket in Zone A costs a whopping £4, while the same ride with your Oyster card costs £1.50. The Oyster card is free to use, so it would be foolish to travel Oyster-less. We’re also quite taken with its snazzy turquoise logo.

How can you land an Oyster card? They’re available in most Tube stations, through the Oyster Web site, and in 2,200 Oyster Ticket Shops around London.

The post London Transit Tip: Travel with Your “Oyster” appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.