London Travel Tips. Getting around, Food, Sayings...and anything else

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mella2007

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Hi Everyone

I am putting together a 2 page guide for people who have never travelled to London before for an upcoming trip.
Everything from getting around, food and drink costs, must see tourist destinations, sayings (words that we might use but not used in the UK) or anything else you think would be useful for first time travellers.
Any tips appreciated to ensure I don't miss anything as I've only ever spent 2 days in London myself. I did one similar for the US last year which I found easy on my own, but this time I'm stuck as to what to put in there.
 
Some rambling from me on the topic...

Days out 2 for 1 is great. You need to have two same dated national rail tickets (not tube paper tickets). Better explained on the site. You can buy a day travelcard from a train (not tube) station machine and these count. Tickets bought at tube fare machines don't count.

Unless using 2 for 1 above or travelling outside oyster zone... do not use paper tube tickets. They are very expensive compared to oyster.

Most branded supermarkets (sainsbury, tesco, Co operative etc) have a meal deal. For 3 pounds (some charge more) you usually get a sandwich or roll or wrap or pasta plus drink and crisps. Fairly good value although some of the sandwiches aren't that great.

Pub meals are often reasonable value... but depends where you are. Central London has some very high priced average pub food (and the drinks can be exy too). Under 18s accompanied by a responsible adult can usually dine until about 8 or 9pm in most pubs.

Lunch at casual dining restaurants is often a set two or three course meal from several options. Often 7 to 10 pounds, sometimes including a drink.

If planning on using Heathrow express (I wouldn't unless expense account and staying near paddington) investigate Heathrow connect instead. Same train track, slightly slower, much cheaper.

Similar examples also apply for gatwick and to a lesser extent stanstead.

Pack of chips are called crisps. Only hot chips are called chips.

If ordering fish and chips, salt and vinegar may be heavily applied automatically. Oh, and not sure many places know about the concept of grilled fish.

Pants are not what you wear over undies, they are the undies themselves.

Stand on the right of escalators. (Single file) or get stared at (at best)

Let people off tube and trains first before entering a carriage.

Queuing Is relatively well ingrained in the culture so be careful not to queue jump.

Try to remove backpacks when on tube and hold onto them. Stops people getting butted and assists with safety from pickpockets. Always be aware when on the tube or walking around of potential pickpockets, bag (or suitcase) snatching . There have been many cases of cyclists stealing mobile phones out of hands and cycling off too... its all about perception of the environment.

There are excellent apps on Google play and app store) for routing journies on the tube.

If planning to travel on a sat or Sunday always check for tube maintenance. Stuffs up many journies.

Www.tfl.gov.uk for anything and everything to do with traveling in london.

Public toilets can be difficult to find. Department stores, fast food places and pubs are usually good choices.
 
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Only main English-ism (apart from "chips" and "crisps") I'm aware of that people may not know is "quid", which is the slang for pound (as in Pound Sterling). 33 pounds and 10 pence can be written as ₤33.10p, and can be read as "thirty-three pounds and ten pee".

There's also "loo" instead of "dunny".... but of course "toilet" is just fine universally :).

When handing over paper currency, especially 20 pound notes, don't be surprised if merchants hold them up to check them for counterfeiting (especially in pubs).

On that note (pun intended), you will most commonly be handling lots and lots of 20 pound notes. No jokes - especially if you draw money out of an ATM.

You will build up a lot of change, especially if you're paying for small things with cash, using the Oyster machine, etc. etc. Pound coins are useful, but use them often to prevent carrying a burdensome change purse.

Standard measure of a beer in pubs usually starts with a pint (not smaller than that, cf. in Australian pubs). Yes you can get Fosters in UK; I do not advise drinking it, unless you're cheap. :p

There's a whole bunch of dishes which have odd names in England, but I don't see them often on pub menus, so no biggie there.

In Central London, it is more often than not quicker to walk between two adjacent tube stations (or even non-adjacent ones) rather than to hop on the tube.

Many restaurants will add a "12.5% Optional Service Charge" or otherwise known as a tip. It is auto-added to bills and can be seen on the list of charges. If you do not want to pay it, request to have it removed (and expect a death stare from the poor sod who will have to reprocess your bill as such). Probably should leave it on and pay it unless you thought the service was really that bad (though I realise some people have a moral etc. objection).

Do not attempt to annoy or generate a reaction out of one of those royal guards with the tall fluffy hat things. It's amusing to note how they can't even crack a smile, but try anything funny and you might as well be wearing an outfit covered in bulls eyes targets. No jokes.

If you walk down the street and think for a moment that you're back in Australia, don't be surprised, as there are lots of Aussie expats in London.

Like Mal, don't tempt pickpockets, especially when catching transport (tube, tube stations). Keep an eye on all bags, and keep a keen eye and touchy-contact with handbags.



Well, that's my brain dump for now.



I actually didn't know that "pants" referred to underwear in England. :) I know that "undies" is not common in England compared to Australia, whereas the term "knickers" is much more common in Old Blighty.



I generally use Wikivoyage (I used to use Wikitravel, but now I use the CC fork, Wikivoyage), which includes sections on language and customs. The sections on what to eat and drink is also very useful.

United Kingdom

London
 
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Hmm. Yes the spotted dick is a must try. Lmao. How about a toad in the hole?

And I take offence to anyone who complains about fosters in the uk. It is (iirc) the second most popular beer in the nation. But avoid the tacky advertising for the gold Version and also avoid the seriously Tacky ads for the coughpy brand of shampoo known as Aussie miracle.
 
I love London and can't wait to get back there later this year.

Getting Around
- The 2 for 1 deals are great. The only minor hiccup is having tickets from a National Rail station (which Heathrow is not). If you tell us where they are staying, people can advise where the nearest station is
- If they don't want the 2 for 1 deals, Oyster cards are the go. If you buy in London, the £5 card fee is refundable (along with any used funds) when the card is surendered. Do not purchase the Oyster ahead of time as the deposit is non-refundable.
- The buses are London's unsung hero. Of course they are subject to road traffic but they are cheaper than Hop On-Hop Off buses. Routes 9 and 15 still use the old Routemaster buses (the ones with the open entrance at the back) so it's worth looking out for these as it's not every bus on the route. Alternately, look for the new Routemasters on line 38.
- While the regular tube map is more than enough to get around, I like this one - London Tubemap - A new angle on the London Underground - because it better show the geographic location of stops.

Food and drink costs
- Like most cities, if they want to splurge on a fancy meal, check out the lunchtime menus where you can get the same food for a fraction of the price.
- I enjoy the (overpriced) ritual that is afternoon tea. If your friends want the same at a reasonable cost, most museums and restaurants will do a cream tea at a more reasonable price.
- The meal deals already mentioned are great and so are prepared foods at the supermarkets. All come at reasonable costs.

Must see tourist destinations
All of these are subjective and I am just scratching the surface.
- Big museums/galleries: British, V&A, Natural History, Tate Modern, Tate Britain, National Gallery, National Portrait Gallery, Museum of London
- There are loads of smaller galleries/museums but my favourites are the Wallace Collection, Sir John Soane's House and the Leighton House Museum. Just Google the Arab Hall at Leighton House - it's amazing!
- Buckingham Palace. The summer tours are great, but even a walk by is sufficient. It gets really crowded during the Changing of the Guard. For better views and more elbow room, try the Changing of the Horse Guards Parade instead.
- Tower of London: Best to go first thing in the morning and head straight for the Crown Jewels. There are less people there first thing in the morning
- Religious places: Westminster Abbey and St Paul's Cathedral are the biggies. There are many smaller churches well worth visiting. The best approach is the visit any church when you come across it. Uninteresting exteriors can hide some glorious interiors.
- The parks all have something worth seeing. If I can detour through one, that's the way I tend to walk.
- Other biggies: Trafalgar Square, Big Ben, London Eye, Tower Bridge, Southbank and the Thames, Covent Garden etc...

London Walks are great. 2-2.5 hour walks in a variety of areas on a variety of subjects. I've never been on a bad walk.

I will say the LondonPass is the biggest waste of money going. There are so many things on the pass that are free already and the selling point of queue-jumping is something of a red herring. Lines in London rarely exist. The only long line I have ever seen is at Madame Tussauds, and that's an attraction I would never recommend. I do not see the attraction of a wax museum.

Hope this helps.
 
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Oh and a half ( half of Stella please for example) is the measure for half a pint of beer. Pimms is great in summer. (If we ever get there!) .

Mini cabs are cheaper than black cabs, but must be pre booked and quality of driver can be questionable (black cab drivers are amazing, but you pay for amazing! ) .
 
Also, in pubs, ask to try the ales before you buy. I tend to ask the barman their recommendations and 9 times out of 10, they would hand me a sample for me to make up my mind.
 
We used a Hop On Hop Off bus tour which we found great as it was open top had great views and dropped you off at major tourists spots, especially good for the first time visitor.
 
We used a Hop On Hop Off bus tour which we found great as it was open top had great views and dropped you off at major tourists spots, especially good for the first time visitor.

There are three that do this at the moment. I can't rate any (six years since I did a tour at least). There are also niche tours like ghost bus tours and time warp tours,

A lay person can save whatever they charge by grabbing a map of their route and replicating it. You don't get the same commentary, but with the internet you really don't need to have on board commentary.
 
The Orginal Bus Tour by memory , was able to grab a coupon off Tripadvisor which saved a few pounds.

They are fine (as all companies are afaik) but they pass me daily as I trek to my local tube or train. I enjoy the tourists taking photos of me lmao, I have no issues with them, just that as a local I think there are better options.
 
Enjoyed reading all the comments. I literally just got into London a few hours ago. It's freezing!!!!!
 
Enjoyed reading all the comments. I literally just got into London a few hours ago. It's freezing!!!!!

Indeed. Freaking cold today. Yesterday was warmer, supposed to warm up a touch towards the weekend.
 
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There are some fantastic tips above - you're definitely asking in the right place! A couple of small tips to add:

If a trip to the London Eye is planned, you can save money by making a timed booking online. If taking night photos, the capsules have a ledge that small cameras can be leant on, which extends around the capsule. Too small for DSLRs, but perfect to help minimise any blurring with smaller cameras.

You can use Amex to pay for Oyster Card top-ups, but the automatic machines at the stations will only accept cards with a chip and PIN. For those with swipe-only Amex cards, these can be used at the ticketing window for the same purpose - it just takes a tad longer (but no issues)! If you're topping up multiple cards, each top-up is processed as a separate transaction on the credit card, and some card issuers (CBA) will not permit 2 transactions of the same dollar amount with the same merchant within 5 minutes of each other... so use a different card, or it's also a perfect chance if you want to see how exchange rates compare between cards (eg a CBA and a WBC Amex card, with the same transaction value on the same day).

If you're arriving into Covent Garden tube station, DO NOT take the stairs unless you want some serious exercise. There is a *tiny* square sign that mentions the number of steps (~200?) - which is certainly not to be attempted if you're dressed in evening wear.

Many West End musicals sell tickets through two avenues - the show's website, and the actual theatre's website. For the same seats, there may be a considerable difference in the asking price between the two websites, and some may not accept certain cards (ie Amex or Diners) - which can be alleviated by bookin through the opposite booking channel (if that makes sense).

There is an iPhone app (and perhaps on Android too) called 'Tube Map' by MX Data. Highly recommended, as it can work offline (ie without chewing up roaming data), and is great for getting around. Note also that the Lonely Planet app for London also shows the nearest Tube station for each attraction (app works offline too), which really helps.

EDIT: Just thought of one more! When I visited Westminster Abbey, there were two entrances - the standard line, and another 'credit card only' line (on the right of the standard entrance, if looking from the outside of the building). The standard line had ~100 people, and the CC line had only 3 (and the price is the same) ;)
 
Just remembered another classic dish. fa_gots. Basically offal, so not something for all tastes...
 
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