About London Tourism

Places to stay

Since London is a big city and tourist destination there are many places for someone to stay during their trip. There are many hotels (luxury and tourist), Bed and Breakfast hotels and flats (hotels apartments). Many of these accommodations are located within walking distance of many tourist attractions. Prices vary depending on the type of hotel you choose. Luxury and tourist hotels tend to be more expensive. Bed and Breakfast homes are usually on the more affordable side and include breakfast in the morning. Flats are apartments rented out to tourists. These are ideal for stays longer than one week in length.

Getting around
Tourists consulting a map near St Paul's Cathedral. These maps are placed at a number of locations in the city of London, in order to assist in navigating the often confusing streets, lanes and alleys.

There are many ways to move around the city of London, such as walking or taking the Tube (the subway) or bus. Many of London's attractions are within walking distance of each other. Obtain a good tourist map or guide book to see which can be managed on foot. These will also have an Underground map.

Underground

The London Underground is a popular way to travel around London. It is considered the easiest and quickest way to move around. The Underground has 12 lines that run from Monday to Saturday between the hours of 5 am to midnight. Although it also runs on Sunday, the hours of operation are reduced.

Bus

Another very popular way to move about the city is to take the bus. This mode of transportation provides 24-hour service all week. Some buses even offer tours to point out historical landmarks and tourist attractions. Taking the bus requires that you have already purchased a ticket. These are easy to obtain at any ticket machine near major stops. Prices of a bus pass vary depending on the number of days with a one-day pass at £3.80 and a weekly pass at £13.80.

There are also open-top tourist buses where you can buy an all-day ticket and get on and off the bus at various tourist attractions of your choice. Alternatively, you can stay on the bus and enjoy the guided tour. These buses can be found in Tavistock Square, half-way between the British Museum and the British Library.

Tickets

There are two types of prepaid tickets used for various modes of transportation around the city. The first type of ticket is the contactless smartcard- the Oyster Card. The holder loads the card with credit which can then be used to ride on the Underground, bus, tramlink and some National Rail Service lines. These tickets are can be used at anytime, but are charged differently depending on peak and off-peak times. Daytime off-peak and reduced fares on the Tube are from 9.30am to 4.00pm and after 7pm Monday to Friday.
Zone Peak Price Off-peak Price
1-2 £2.50 £1.90
1-6 £4.50 £2.70

The second type of ticket is the Travel Card. This allows for the same travel privileges as the Oyster Card but includes all National Rail Service lines. The prices of the tickets are shown below.
Days Zone Price
1 1-6 £7.50
3 1-6 £22.50
7 1-6 £47.60
Source : wikipedia, the free encyclopedia