London Transportation Tips by sourbugger

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Subway/Metro
Getting TO/AROUND: Camden Markets are such a popular draw to tourists and locals alike that during their peak trading period (Sunday afternoons) you can only EXIT Camden Road tube.

There are several other tubes in the area, the closest being Morning Cresent Station about 6 minutes walk away down Camden High Road in the Euston/ King's Cross direction.

Leave a Comment

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Car/Motor Home
Getting TO/AROUND: Parking for the Prime attraction of Camden and it's markets is never easy.

One way around this is to use the supermarket of 'Morissons'. If you spend ten pounds there then you can park for two hours free. You are only supposed to use the supermarket, but it is easily connected via a short flight of steps in the far corner (not signposted) to the heart of the Camden Lock market.

Find the supermarket by driving under (coming from central London) the Camden Lock bridge and the side of the Market, after a couple of hundred yards there is a road to the left by the Morrisons petrol station that goes under the railway line and into the car park.

P.s they also do great cheap sandwiches and beans on toast in their cafe !

Leave a Comment

'Mode': TO
Category: Subway/Metro
Getting TO/AROUND: The Picadilly line trains (London underground) from Heathrow (terminal 1,2&3 and Terminal 4) are somewhat slow - but it will save you some dough.

An all zones travel card is currently 6.30 Pounds (off peak after 9.30am). It will take about an hour or so depending upon where you final destination is.

I would avoid the Heathrow express - it claims "15 Minutes every 15 minutes" - but it had to withdraw this advert recently as it did not fulfill advertising standards! (20-25 mins would be closer). In addition it was recently slated as being more expensive than CONCORDE !! (1 Pound 28p a mile against 1pound a mile based on a 3,500 mile trip to NYC)

It only really is of use if you hotel is very near Paddington Station . (cost 14 pounds 50p)

Leave a Comment

'Mode': TO
Category: Train
Getting TO/AROUND: From Gatwick airport most people take the Gatwick express (£12). It's fine, clean and regular (sounds like an advert for All-bran) and a reasonable cost. However,depending upon the location of your hotel it might be useful to use the Thameslink service up through the centre of london to King's Cross and beyond. It's a bit slower but works out a few quid cheaper.

UPDATE Dec 2004

The stategic rail authority is considering scrapping the Gatwick express entirely, as it clogs up capacity. As it is one of the few routes in the UK that actually makes money I doubted that the plans would actually come to pass. it does however now look increasingly likely that Summer 2007 will see the end of this service. It will be replaced by slower stopping trains - total time to Victoria ? 55 minutes. Pathetic.

Leave a Comment

Website: www.qjump.co.uk

'Mode': TO
Category: Train
Getting TO/AROUND: If you are intending to do a fair bit of travelling around London the same day that you arrive then the following tip might help.

Take a Thameslink train to East Croydon (about 6 pounds and 16 minutes) and then purchase your one day travelcard (all buses, trains & tube) at about 6 pounds 30p from there.

In effect it will save only about 2-3 pounds per person depending upon how far out of the centre your hotel is but it will mean you can sort out travel arrangments away from major hubs like Victoria Station.

Leave a Comment

Website: www.thamelimk.co.uk

'Mode': TO
Category: Bus
Getting TO/AROUND: The lowest cost route (by public transport) is to use the coach service that goes by the name of 'Terravision'. Although the company sounds like a cable television station that shows only horror movies they are in fact dedicated to airport-city centre coach transport.

They currently operate half-hourly throughout the day from Stansted to Liverpool street station and from Stansted to Victoria station. With prices at 11.50 and 13.50 respectively, then everyday prices are a couple of pounds cheaper than other coach companies and less than half the cost of using the train

Leave a Comment

Website: www.lowcostcoach.com

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Train
Getting TO/AROUND: Many people forget that the travelcard allows you to use normal trains within London, It is often worth checking out the "London Connections" board to see if you can use a train rather than a tube. For instance from King's Cross to London Bridge or from Brixton to Victoria.

Out of peak hours they are generally alot less crowded than the tube and you have the advantage that they often travel overland on viaducts affording a view! The Thameslink service in particular affords a terrific view as it spans the Thames at Blackfriars

Leave a Comment

Website: www.tfl.gov.uk

'Mode': TO
Category: Airplane
Getting TO/AROUND: London City airport in Docklands is easily the closest airport to the centre of the city as it is only in Zone 3/4 on the travelcard.

It was mainly aimed at business users, but you can sometimes get cheap fares, especially if you get a choice of airports on your ticket following an intercontinental leg (eg to Amsterdam)

When you take into account that the Stansted express train is £24 quid return (a complete rip-off) it often works out reasonably.

You can now get to LCY directly from the following cities:

Amsterdam. Antwep, Basel, Belfast City, Brussels, Cardiff, Cork, Dublin, Dundee, Frankfurt, Geneva, Glasgow, I of M, Jersey, Leipzig, Luxembourg, Manchester, Paris Orly, Rotterdam, Swansea and Zurich.

Leave a Comment

Website: www.londoncityairport.com

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Car/Motor Home
Getting TO/AROUND: Apart from the rather obvious comment that you could use public transport or walk, there are a number of ways that you can legitimately avoid Uncle Mayor Ken's little wheeze.

If you drive a bus (more than 9 seats), are disabled (and registered as such) or drive an electric car then you should escape without a problem. Remember the charge only operates on weekdays.

If you are driving a foreign car to London, then beware, as agreements have been signed with a collection agency to trace cars in about 20-odd countries.

If you are on German or Danish plates, then you should escape because of Data protection legislation working in your favour. The French too (typical) should escape, due to the high costs of collection in France. Serial offenders may have a problem however.

Taxis are exempt and most minicabs are. On no account allow a minicab driver to 'con' you on this one.

A few interesting quotes for you as well :

'It is quite clear that some defence is needed against the reported activities of Mr Ken Livingstone'
Margaret Thatcher, July 1981

'I love meetings and plottings. I didn't get where I am today without plotting'
Ken Livingstone, October 1997

'I've got no reason to believe that if he found himself in the mayor's chair he wouldn't continue to extrude half-arsed ideas'
Neil Kinnock, January 2000

Also look at www.sod-u-ken.co.uk

Leave a Comment

Website: www.cclondon.com

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Other
Getting TO/AROUND: Altough it sounds very much like a low-cost airline, Zingo is actually a taxi firm with about a thousand drivers.

What is unusual about them is that they have embraced modern technology.

You can ring them up - and speak directly to the nearest available driver, not an operator.

If they then pick you up they will charge £1.60 for the pick up, and only begin the meter when you get in.

If you look at their website, they also often put up downloadable discount vouchers.

Leave a Comment

Phone: Look at the picture !
Website: www.vingotaxi.co.uk