If you want to make the most of a new city, you have to know how to get around. London is home to over eight million people, so learning about the various different types of public transport is incredibly useful when navigating the city.
In this article, we will explore all the transport options on offer in the capital as well as discounts for students, travelcards and the best apps you can download to make sure you never get lost and don’t worry, we will also look at the public transport links available near campus.
Types of transport
London Underground (The Tube) and Overground
The London Underground, also called the Tube, is one of the easiest ways to get around the city. As you can probably tell by the name, it is an underground subway system made up of 11 different lines. These are all named and colour coded to help you find your way to your destination and you can find a map here.
The Underground is divided into zones, with zone 1 being the most central. The price of your journey will depend on which zone you’re travelling to and from. It can get very busy, especially at rush hour. On Fridays and Saturdays, a Night Tube service currently operates on the Victoria line, Central line, Jubilee line, Northern line and Piccadilly line.
Bus
Another option for travelling in London is the bus. These are red and an iconic symbol of England’s capital city.
There are bus stops at regular intervals on all main streets and lots of the smaller ones, and several buses have night bus services, which is helpful when the Underground is closed.
Train
If you want to travel outside of London, there are main rail stations across London you are likely to use, each connecting specific regions to the city. These include:
- Waterloo
- Paddington
- King’s Cross
- St Pancras
- Euston
- Charing Cross
- Victoria
- London Bridge
- Fenchurch Street
- Liverpool Street
It is a good idea to get to the station early when catching a train, as you may need to buy or collect your ticket from one of the machines in the station. Many long-distance and inter-city services have a buffet car or at-seat trolley service for drinks and snacks.
Most of these stations can be accessed via the Underground.
Taxi
London is famous for its black cabs and these can be found mostly on main roads and in more central areas. Only black cabs that have their orange light on can be hailed off the street and every single one has a card machine so you do not need to have cash on you. These are the only cabs that it is safe to hail from the street – never get into a regular car that you haven’t pre booked.
There are several different taxi and rideshare apps, including Uber, that can be used in London.