London Transport Guide: Getting Around Like a Local
Last updated: August 2, 2026
London has one of the best public transport systems in the world. The Tube alone carries 4 million people a day across 272 stations and 11 lines. Add buses, trains, riverboats, and taxis, and you can get anywhere in the city without ever needing a car.
But the system has its own rules, quirks, and unspoken etiquette. As a Londoner born and raised, I’ve written this guide to help you navigate it all — from tapping your card to standing on the right side of the escalator.
For airport transfer specifics, see our Heathrow to Central London guide. For general first-timer tips, see our First Time in London guide.
The Tube (London Underground)
What It Is
The Tube is London’s underground railway — 272 stations across 11 colour-coded lines, covering 250 miles of track. It’s the fastest way to get around central London and most of the surrounding areas.
Hours of Operation
- Monday to Saturday: Approximately 5:00 AM to midnight
- Sunday: Approximately 7:00 AM to 11:30 PM
- Night Tube (Friday and Saturday): The Central, Jubilee, Northern, Piccadilly, and Victoria lines run 24 hours on Friday and Saturday nights, with trains every 10-20 minutes between roughly 1:00 AM and 5:00 AM
How to Pay
Tap a contactless card, phone, or watch on the yellow reader at the start and end of every journey. That’s it. No tickets, no machines, no apps needed.
If you don’t have a contactless card, you can buy an Oyster card (£7 non-refundable deposit, then load credit) at any Tube station, but contactless is simpler and gives identical fares.
Fares (2026, frozen until March 2027):
| Journey Type | Single Fare | Daily Cap |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 only | £2.70 (~$3.60) | £8.90 (~$12) |
| Zones 1-2 | £2.70 (~$3.60) | £8.90 (~$12) |
| Zones 1-3 | £3.40 (~$4.55) | £10.50 (~$14) |
| Zones 1-4 | £4.00 (~$5.35) | £12.70 (~$17) |
| Zones 1-5 | £5.10 (~$6.80) | £15.60 (~$21) |
| Zones 1-6 | £6.70 (~$9) | £16.30 (~$22) |
How the daily cap works: Once you’ve spent the daily cap amount in a single day, every additional journey that day is free. The cap resets at 4:30 AM each day. There’s also a weekly cap (Monday to Sunday) that automatically applies if you use the same contactless card all week.
Peak vs off-peak: Peak is 6:30-9:30 AM and 4:00-7:00 PM weekdays. Some fares are slightly higher during peak times, but with the daily cap, it mostly doesn’t matter — you’ll hit the cap and the rest of the day is free.
Never buy paper tickets. They cost up to double the contactless fare and the machines are slower than tapping.
The Tube Map
The Tube map is a schematic diagram — it shows the order of stations and which lines connect, but it does not show actual geographic distances. Stations that look far apart on the map may be a 5-minute walk apart on the surface.
Download the TfL Go app (tfl.gov.uk) for the official map, live departure times, and journey planner. Citymapper is also excellent and often shows faster routes.
Tube Etiquette (The Unspoken Rules)
These are the rules every Londoner follows. Learn them and you’ll blend right in:
- Stand on the right on escalators. Walk on the left. Non-negotiable.
- Let people off before you get on. Stand to the side of the doors, not in front of them.
- Move down the carriage. If there’s space further inside, move there. Don’t cluster by the doors.
- Have your card ready at the barrier. Fumbling for your wallet while 20 people queue behind you is a sin.
- Don’t talk loudly. Londoners read, scroll their phones, or stare into space on the Tube. Loud conversations are frowned upon.
- Take your backpack off. On crowded trains, put your bag on the floor between your feet.
- Don’t block the doors. If you’re standing near the doors and people need to get off, step onto the platform briefly to let them past.
Which Zone Do I Need?
Most tourist attractions are in Zones 1 and 2:
| Attraction | Nearest Station | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Westminster Abbey | Westminster | 1 |
| Tower of London | Tower Hill | 1 |
| British Museum | Tottenham Court Road / Holborn | 1 |
| Covent Garden | Covent Garden | 1 |
| Buckingham Palace | Victoria / St James’s Park | 1 |
| London Eye | Waterloo | 1 |
| Borough Market | London Bridge | 1 |
| Natural History Museum | South Kensington | 1 |
| Camden Market | Camden Town | 2 |
| Notting Hill | Notting Hill Gate | 1/2 |
| Greenwich | Cutty Sark (DLR) | 2/3 |
| Hampton Court Palace | Hampton Court (National Rail) | 6 |
Weekend Closures
TfL does engineering work on weekends, which means some lines or sections are closed. Always check tfl.gov.uk on Friday night for weekend closures that might affect your Saturday or Sunday plans. The TfL Go app shows live closures and suggests alternative routes.
Buses
Why Take the Bus
Buses are cheaper than the Tube (£1.75 flat fare vs £2.70 minimum), you see the city, and the red double-decker is a London icon. Sit upstairs at the front for the best views.
How to Pay
Tap your contactless card on the yellow reader when you board. You don’t tap when you get off. One tap = one journey, regardless of distance.
- Flat fare: £1.75 (~$2.35) per journey
- Daily cap: £5.25 (~$7) — after 3 rides in a day, the rest are free
- Hopper fare: If you take a second bus within 1 hour of the first, the second ride is free
Useful Bus Routes for Tourists
| Route | Goes Past | Why It’s Useful |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | Tower of London, St Paul’s, Trafalgar Square | Replaces the Tube along the Thames |
| 11 | Westminster Abbey, Trafalgar Square, St Paul’s | Classic central London route |
| 24 | Camden, Trafalgar Square, Westminster | North to south through the centre |
| 88 | Camden, Oxford Street, Piccadilly | Shopping route |
| RV1 | Tower Bridge, London Bridge, Waterloo | South Bank riverside route |
Night Buses
When the Tube closes (after midnight on most nights), night buses take over. They’re prefixed with an “N” (e.g., N15) and run from about midnight to 5:00 AM. They’re slower and less frequent than day buses, but they’re the cheapest way home after a night out.
Black Cabs and Rideshares
Black Cabs
London’s iconic black cabs are driven by people who have passed “The Knowledge” — memorising every street, landmark, and route in London. They’re the most knowledgeable taxi drivers in the world.
- How to hail: Look for the orange “TAXI” light on top. If it’s lit, the cab is available. Stick your arm out.
- Cost: More expensive than Uber — expect £15-40 for central London journeys.
- When to use: When you need a reliable, knowledgeable driver, or when Uber surge pricing kicks in during rush hour.
Uber and Bolt
- Cheaper than black cabs for most journeys
- Available everywhere in London via their apps
- Surge pricing during rush hour, rainy days, and weekend nights can make them more expensive than black cabs
- Download both Uber and Bolt before you arrive and compare prices
Don’t Rent a Car
London has a congestion charge (£15/day), ULEZ charge (£12.50/day for non-compliant vehicles), and parking is expensive and scarce. You do not need a car in London. If you’re planning day trips outside London, rent a car at the airport on your way out — not in the city.
Thames Clipper Riverboat
The Thames Clipper is a river bus service that runs along the Thames from Putney in the west to Woolwich in the east. It’s not the fastest way around, but it’s one of the most scenic.
- Fare: Around £6-10 per journey depending on distance (tap your contactless card on the boarding reader)
- Tourist routes: Westminster to Greenwich (30 minutes) passes the London Eye, Tate Modern, Shakespeare’s Globe, Tower Bridge, and the Tower of London
- Tip: The riverboat is covered by the daily cap if you’ve already been using contactless on buses and Tube, but only on certain routes. Check thamesclippers.com for current fares.
Walking
London is more walkable than you’d think. Many central stations are closer together than the Tube map suggests:
| Walk | Tube Journey | Actual Walking Time |
|---|---|---|
| Covent Garden to Holborn | 1 stop on Piccadilly | 4 minutes |
| Leicester Square to Covent Garden | 1 stop on Piccadilly | 4 minutes |
| Embankment to Waterloo | 1 stop on Bakerloo | 7 minutes (across bridge) |
| Westminster to St James’s Park | 1 stop on Circle/District | 5 minutes |
Use Google Maps or Citymapper to check walking times — sometimes walking is faster than going underground, finding the right platform, waiting for a train, and coming back up.
Useful Apps
Download these before you arrive:
| App | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Citymapper | Best all-around transport app. Shows fastest routes, real-time delays, walking vs Tube vs bus comparisons. |
| TfL Go | Transport for London’s official app. Live Tube, bus, and train times. Shows step-free access. |
| Google Maps | Walking directions, finding nearby restaurants, checking opening hours. |
FAQ
Do I need an Oyster card?
No. If you have a contactless credit/debit card, phone, or watch, just tap that. It gives identical fares with no deposit. Oyster is only useful if your card doesn’t have contactless capability.
What happens if I forget to tap out?
You’ll be charged the maximum fare for the zones you travelled through (up to £7.80). If it happens, go to tfl.gov.uk and claim a refund — it takes 2 minutes online.
Is the Tube accessible for wheelchairs?
Partially. About 80 of the 272 stations are step-free. Check the TfL Go app for step-free routes, or use buses (all London buses are wheelchair accessible with ramps). See tfl.gov.uk/transport-accessibility for full accessibility info.
Are there public toilets at Tube stations?
Some larger stations (King’s Cross, Victoria, Liverpool Street) have toilets, but most don’t. Free public toilets are available at many museums, galleries, and department stores — the closest thing London has to a public toilet network is Pret A Manger, which has free loos in every branch.
What’s the busiest time on the Tube?
8:00-9:00 AM weekdays is the peak. If you can travel after 9:30 AM or before 4:00 PM, trains are much less crowded. Avoid the Victoria and Central lines during rush hour if you’re carrying luggage.
Need help planning your trip? See our itineraries and First Time in London guide.