I just returned from an 8 day trip to London. This was my second trip to London in two years and decided to use the public transportation system more this time around and followed Rick's advice. First off I pre-ordered an Oyster card with £30, enough for me to get around London. Once there I didn't waste time in using it for the underground and also on the buses. What a great way to travel, the underground tube system is just as easy to use as Rick has shown in his TV show when he was in London. The busses are a little trickier because they go by route numbers and letters at designated bus stops, but you can figure it out quickly with a bus route map that you can download and take with you. Ride upstairs if you can on the double decker buses, it's more fun and you get a nice view. Some of the tube stations can be quite crowded, the Oxford Circus station is very congested, try to avoid it in the early morning rush and early evening as people are scrambling to get home. I would get off at the next stop or the stop just before it and walk, London is a very easy walking city. Once done you can return the Oyster card to get back your £5 deposit and any money left on the card, or bring it home as a souvenir and use it again next time you go, it doesn't expire. As Rick says, keep on traveling, Cheers!
Posted by
2081 posts
Vince ,
The London tube was my first time using a subway system and i love using it. I keep my Oyster card and have made sure it has about 20 pounds on it so when i go back the next time its ready to go.
Yes, some of that stations can get really busy during rush hour, but i decided to take the tube when all of the suits were in transit. It was fun to see all of suits on the trains. I wanted to see how busy it could get and experience rush hour on the tube.
So far, i havent stepped on a bus, but one of these days......
happy trails.
Posted by
Napa, CA
3580 posts
Buses have signs on the front telling destination. If using Heathrow Connect during commute hours, they get crowded at stops between Heathrow and Paddington. Put your luggage out of the way, if possible. Weekends, no problem. It's fun to figure out a trip which combines Tube and bus.
Posted by
Huntsville, AL, USA
8319 posts
I too use public transit in all the major European cities visited. In most large cities you can simply walk your legs off. And catching taxi's can get very, very expensive.
Public transit's the only way to go.
Posted by
Clarksville, TN, USA
959 posts
Vince, I could have written the same thing as you -- we had the same great experience. I was a little nervous to use the Tube as it was a new city to us, but we never had a problem. SO easy. I really wanted to master the buses but that was the only place we messed up. We tried to read the sign (at the bus stop) to get to Tower of London and we somehow missed the stop. We followed Rick's advice and one day, when we were free for an hour or so, we just got on one of the buses recommended in his book and rode in the front on the top and just enjoyed a free bus tour! Then when things got residential, we got off, crossed the street and caught the bus going back from whence we came. We're going again next month and I'm determined to figure out the buses this time!!! Is it true that there are no "zones" on buses so you can take them as far as they go with a Zone 1/2 travelcard?