Traveller Information – All about London

London is one of the world’s greatest places to travel. London is a global leading city in finance, commerce, art, entertainment, healthcare, tourism and much more. It is the capital of England and the most populous city in the United Kingdom. London has a diverse range of peoples and cultures, making it one of the most exciting places in the world.

Population: over 8 500 000 people (Greater London)

Area: 1,572 km² (607 sq mi) – (Greater London)

Founded by the Romans: 43 AD, known as Londinium

Currency: British Pound (GBP) £ – check the currency rate

Telephone country prefix: 44

Emergency Number: 112 or 999 (police, fire ambulance)

(NHS): The National Health Service is the main healthcare provider in the UK.

 

 

 

Since 2010, the tallest structure in London has been The Shard, which was topped out at 309.6 metres (1,016 ft), making it the tallest habitable building in Europe at the time.

London was the first city in the world to have an underground railway, known as the ‘Tube’.

More than half of the London Underground network in fact runs above the ground.

The oldest church in London is All Hallows by the Tower. It is near Tower Hill and it was founded in 675. It was built over Roman pavement dating from the 2nd century A.D.

You could fit the Great Pyramid at Giza inside the Millennium Dome, now known as the O2 Arena, the largest structure of its kind in the world.

The tomb of Elizabethan poet Edmund Spenser in Westminster Abbey is said to contain unpublished works by his contemporaries – including Shakespeare. He threw manuscripts into Spenser’s grave to honour his genius.

The only true home shared by all four Beatles was a flat at 57 Green Street near Hyde Park, where they lived in the autumn of 1963.

London was the first city to reach a population of more than one million, in 1811. It remained the largest city in the world until it was overtaken by Tokyo in 1957.

Windsor Castle is the oldest royal residence in the world that is still being used by the royal family.

To get a London taxi license, you have to prove that you know every single street and landmark in London. It’s called “The Knowledge” and takes 2-4 years to memorize.

As one of the biggest cities in the world, London has quite diverse and rich varieties of public transport. The public transport in London is literally fabulous! As a traveler, you have many options to choose, from public buses to trains and underground (tube). The underground network in London is called Tube.

There is a great website for planning your journey to/in London

Plan Your Journey

 

Generally, the public transport of London consists of:

• Buses – more info
• Underground – more info
• Overground – more info
• Trains – more info
• DLR – more info
• River Bus Services – more info
• Trams – more info
• Coaches – more info

 

SEE THE TUBE MAP

CHECK THE STATUS UPDATES 

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OYSTER CARD

As a traveler, it’s better and cheaper to buy an Oyster card. The Oyster card is a smartcard which can hold pay as you go credit, Travelcard and Bus & Tram Pass season tickets. Use it to travel on bus, Tube, tram, DLR, London Overground, TfL Rail, Emirates Air Line, River Bus services and most National Rail services in London. It costs only £5

Read about the Oyster Card

 

Avoid card clash: If you keep your Oyster card in your wallet/purse with your bank cards, you might occasionally see a red light when you touch it on a card reader at stations and on buses. The red light means you haven’t paid for your journey and if you’re at a ticket gate, it might not open. This can happen even if you’ve got enough pay as you go credit, a valid Travelcard or Bus & Tram Pass on your Oyster card because you could be experiencing ‘card clash’.

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You can also download special apps to plan our journey from your smartphone:

Citymapper

Citymapper is a free all-in-one London-centric app that covers live departure information for all possible modes of transport between two locations, with support for trains (Tube and Overground), bus, and cycle hire.

DOWNLOAD: iOS / Android

 

National Rail Enquiries 

If you’re a frequent train traveller across the UK, this free app is a must-have for up-to-date rail information. National Rail Enquiries allows you to track specific trains, find out about disruptions to your journey (via push notifications), and re-plan your journey on the go.

DOWNLOAD: iOS / Android

London has diverse choice of private transport. However, as one of the most expensive cities in the world, you have to be careful not to spend too much for your desired private service.

 

Here are some of the options:

 

Taxis & Minicabs apps

Uber app: iOS / Android

or 

Choose Leading Tours’ private transfer services, by sending us an inquiry form. We will reply you back in max 48h and we will suggest you the best options according to your preferences.  

Click here to fulfill the enquiry form.

“When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life” – Samuel Johnson

London is one of the world’s most spectacular cities when it comes to culture, art, museums, attractions and entertainment.

There are literally hundreds of places to go, if not thousands!

Leading Tours Ltd. has listed some of the greatest museums and attractions in London