Navigating London

I just returned from London and used the tube the whole time. Before I left I knew where I wanted to go for at least the mornings and then went whereever the day took me after I finished where I went in the morning. Since I at least knew where I was going every morning, I took a screen shot on my phone ( or you can write it down) of my hotel, entered in google maps my hotel location and where I wanted to go ie: Victoria & Albert Museum, this would then show what tube station, what line Ie: central line, district line etc and how many stops and the names of the stops and where to get off. This way I knew before I even left the hotel, what tube station ( I stayed at a hotel near two tube stops) and what line and what stop I had to get off. I never had to ask the hotel for directions and was able to get out and go right to the museum or wherever I was going.

London tubes are easy to use and there is a person or more manning each tube stop that will help you once you get to the tube stop and answer any questions you have concerning the tube or how to get somewhere. Once I go out of the tube station, I would also ask how to get to the museum or pub and they were always able to tell me. One very nice worker even had a mini ipad and was able tell me where the pub I needed to go to to meet friends was from the tube station!

Yes, when using the Google Maps they live, you will be able to know if there is a delay or if a train is not running, it will give you updates. Use it before you go there in the mornings and google your hotel or whereever and the end destination and you will be able to see how it works. Get familar with google maps in London and you will see how easy it is to use.

I did not use city mapper so I cannot comment on it.

Have a great trip. I can't wait to go back to London!

Thank you Emma, very helpful!
Ann, I will take that into account, thank you as well.
We are very excited for our trip. I hope that between two adults with smart phones, we be able to easily move from landmark to landmark. without getting lost.

Another vote for CityMapper. It indeed integrates live information from the London transit authority. Excellent, reliable, and easy to use.

I'm a luddite and just use the schematic tube diagram. Obviously, I'd need more if I were also taking buses.

I'd like to point out that the tube maps generally indicate via a little wheelchair icon which stations/interchanges have step-free access. If you don't see that icon, you should expect a least one flight of stairs, at least between the street and the ticketing level, and there may be three staircases to negotiate. Many stations do have some escalators or lifts, but they may not cover all levels. If anyone in your travel party has trouble with stairs, it is worth taking a careful look at the diagram, since there are often multiple ways of getting somewhere, and some transfer stations may be more accessible than others. Earl's Court is a dream, for example.

Stairs aside, there are some transfers that require quite a lot of walking down long corridors.

CityMapper worked great for us on our recent trip, and I usually avoid relying on apps. It factors in up-to-date info on traffic, tube repairs, daily events and gives multiple options including walking, with estimated times. It gives great directions for walking to the right tube stop from wherever you are, for example. I do think its valuable to have a paper diagram of the underground system as well.

London government tool for public transport:
https://tfl.gov.uk/

The tube was very easy to navigate with CityMapper. I preferred it over Google Maps for the tube. It's nice because it tells you how much a specific route option will cost and will also give you a suggestion on which part of the train is usually the least crowded. However, be sure to pull up your route before you descend into the tunnels in case you don't have an cell signal down at the platform level.

The tube was an absolute breeze. The problem I had was navigating the streets walking between destinations. Google Maps helped but I could never find the street signs. They are typically posted on buildings in kind of odd places. I was always walking in the wrong direction and getting turned around and not sure which exact street I was on.

Long before apps and smartphones, I used a travel guide books to decide where I wanted to go. The books provide public transportation info about which tube lines or buses were needed to get there. I then carried a Tube and bus map with me and went along. I still do much of that today. For really detailed information, there is the London A to Z Street Atlas.

I have the latest premium CityMaps2Go & citymapper apps but I don't use them much in London. It's not needed. I'll use the TFL plan a journey app to see if there are any public transport diversions particularly on a Sunday but that's pretty much it.

Just returned from London. Citymapper is better than Google maps. Goggle maps got us lost twice. Tfl site is good when planning ahead for specific trip. Easy to put actual day and time in.

Get the free pocket tube maps that can be found on the counters by the manned ticket window. Easy to use.

I review where I'm headed the night before and plan my route. TFL website helpful for this. I then use google maps satellite view on the iPad and memorize which way to depart the station at street level. All about visual markers....i.e. Turn left at the Costa coffee, if you see the roundabout you are going the right way, if you don't turn around....etc.

Haven't use citymapper yet. Might. Might not.

Emma, that sounds like CityMapper works really really well! I can use with confidence : ).

Another vote for City Mapper. We have used it successfully in London, Paris, and Rome. One caveat, City Mapper does not change the direction of the map based on the direction you are facing (Google Maps does). More times than I care to admit, we would set off in what we thought was the right direction after coming up out of the tube, metro, etc. only to find a few minutes later we had been walking in the wrong direction. (Sometimes there is a short delay for the icon to catch up to which way you are facing - adding to the confusion.)

That said, like others have said, the real time data and options are great.