Oh, beautiful London. A landmark-filled city bustling with life, attracting millions of tourists every year. A place I platonically fell in love with years before I had a chance to visit it for the first time, and a place I’ve been lucky to call my home for the last five years. I recently thought about the things that surprised me when I went to London for the first time, and things I always tell my family and friends when they come to visit. I decided to share this list of five things you need to know before visiting London for the first time as a tourist, in case it helps some of you plan your trip.
1. Take a debit/credit card
In London, you’re more likely to encounter “card only” than “cash only” places. Whilst most shops and restaurants accept both card and cash payments, some restaurants have gone cashless. Paying for public transport is also easier if you can use a card.
I imagine you might need cash if you fancy buying street food or souvenirs sold at stalls in tourist areas, but even those usually accept cards. Personally, living in London, I’ve used cash a handful of times in the last few years.
2. How to use public transport
Generally speaking, in order to move around the city, public transport is your best bet, unless you’re willing to spend a fortune. There’s no point in renting a car, since parking spaces in central London are hard to find and the traffic seems to be a nightmare everywhere you go. Most Londoners rely on public transport, which is well developed, but may be packed in rush hours. When you visit London, prepare to use the buses and trains – underground and overground ones.
Use your card to pay for your journey
The easiest way to pay for your public transport journeys is by card. There are card readers at entry/exit gates at train stations and in all buses. Using your card, you will never pay more than you would with a paper ticket. The cost of public transport depends on which zones you travel through, with daily and weekly caps equal to the cost of a daily/weekly paper ticket. If you use your card to buy your tickets as you go, you never need to search for a ticket machine and queue to use one.
Download Citymapper for journey planning
Most Londoners I know, including myself, use Citymapper to plan their public transport journeys. It’s a free mobile app that helps you plan the best connection between two points in the city, updated in real time. Even when I know exactly which tube line to take to get to my destination, I still check my commute on Citymapper to make sure there aren’t any disruptions. Alternatively, there is an official Transport for London app and website, or you can use Google Maps to plan your journey. I personally think that Citymapper works best, though. I’m not sponsored by or affiliated with Citymapper, by the way – I simply appreciate the app I’ve used daily for 5 years now.
Don’t block the gates and escalators
Using public transport in London is all about efficiency. There are millions of journeys made on the underground every day, and lots of people in the rush – especially in peak hours. Make sure you don’t create an obstruction!
When you approach the gates at train stations, have your card or ticket prepared, scan it, and quickly pass through the gate. Never stop right before the gate to start searching for your ticket in your backpack!
When using the escalators, make sure to always stand on the right side, keeping the left side free for those who want to walk up/down. If you block the way, you will most certainly end up having someone huff and puff with utmost irritation behind you in no time. And yes, the rule also applies when you’re travelling with a friend or a suitcase – they should be on the right side of the escalator, one step above or below you.
3. Book your tickets for tourist attractions in advance
A lot of tourist attractions – including those that are free to enter – require booking a ticket. Make sure to check which of the places you plan to visit require a reservation and book them in advance to avoid disappointment. Some places accept walk-ins depending on availability, but it’s not guaranteed that you’ll be able to get in. Keep in mind that some of the most popular attractions need to be booked weeks in advance. If you can, make sure to plan your trip well ahead of time.
4. Choose which paid tourist attractions are worth your money
You could easily spend over a hundred pounds a day on various tourist attractions in London, and I’d advise you to choose what’s worth your money. There are a lot of things you can do for free, and – in my opinion – a lot of the expensive tourist attractions simply aren’t worth it. Everyone has their own preference for entertainment and you may enjoy other things than I do, but it’s always best to do your research in advance and avoid falling into expensive tourist traps.
Besides – if you do choose to pay for some of the most popular tourist attractions in London, try to search for offers online in advance – it will almost always turn out much cheaper than buying tickets at the door.
5. Meal deals are great if you want to eat on a budget
Meal deal – a popular concept in British supermarkets – is a life saver if you’re travelling on a budget. During a long day of sightseeing, if you need to grab food on the go, pop into the likes of Sainsbury or Tesco (British supermarket brands with lots of small convenience stores around the city). They usually offer meal deals – you can grab a main, snack and drink for a total of around £4. It’s a mix and match offer where you can construct your own meal, choosing from sandwiches, wraps, salads, fruit pots, yoghurts, chocolate bars, crisps, smoothies, soft drinks, and more. It’s great value for money, much cheaper than a restaurant meal – even in a fast food outlet. If you’re on the go and don’t want to spend a fortune in restaurants, meal deals are a great option.
Happy sightseeing!
So that’s it – a list of 5 things you should know before you visit London as a tourist for the first time. I hope it helps prepare for your trip and you have an amazing time! And if you’re reading this as a Londoner or have visited this beautiful city before, let us know if there’s anything you’d add to this list.
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