The Cheapest Way to Travel from London
If you’re a traveler on a budget trying to get around London, you’ve come to the right place! Knowing your different transportation options and what is the cheapest way to get around is important. This guide will help you find the best deals on travel in London.
The Basics
London consists of several central downtown boroughs and many surrounding areas, so it is important to familiarize yourself with your area. You’ll want to know which boroughs you will be visiting and which transportation options are available in each area. Along with buses and trains, there are bike shares, ferries, and even trams.
Travelling by Train
The London Underground — or Tube — runs throughout the city, making it easy (and often best) for travelers who are simply trying to get across town. With 11 different lines (not counting the Overground railway), the Underground network connects pretty much any point in the city with each other. A single journey ticket, covering any journey within Central London, costs £2.90. After you’ve chosen your destination and have purchase it, you can check out the live timetable to see when the next tube is coming and when you should arrive at your stop in order to be at your destination on time.
Underground vs. Railways
The Underground might be convenient, but can become really expensive if you’re traveling a large distance. For that reason, taking the Overground railway instead is usually much cheaper. For example, Central London to Kensington would be a two-zone journey on the Underground but only a one-zone journey via the Overground; the cost of an off-peak Undergound ticket for that trip would be £4.80, but just £2.60 for the Overground (not including any Travelcards).
Bus
London buses are a great way to get around and a cheaper alternative to the Underground too — if you’re willing to plan out your route and wait for your bus to show up. All single journey fares are £1.50 regardless of distance traveled within central London and Oyster cards offer discounted fares.
Walking
London has so much to explore, especially on foot — almost unequalled by any other city in Europe! Most of the city center is in walking distance as you meander winding alleyways and peep around corners to discover some hidden gems so keep your eyes peeled.
Cycling
London has over 25,000 kilometres of fantastic cycling paths, so it’s no wonder that there has been a recent surge in those cycling around this beautiful city. You’ll want to take caution when cycling in central London as it can get congested and the air pollution levels are higher compared to the outer boroughs. Using Santander Cycles allows you short journeys across town instantly, providing other advantages such as free equipment like helmets and locks included in specific packages.1
River Bus
If you want to take in amazing views of London monuments like The Shard or Big Ben while traveling down the river, then taking a river bus is ideal for your journey. Services run every 20 minutes on weekdays and every 15 minutes at weekends, spanning popular stops like Angel, Embankment and London Bridge. The adult fare for one way will cost you around £5.2
Conclusion
Overall, there are a few different options available as far as transportation around London goes; walking and cycling are both good options if you’re just looking to get around central London, while buses and railways are better for traveling a bit further out of town. The cheapest way, tightwalleters will find the Overground rail network or bus services usually works out the best; at only £1.50 per single journey ticket for buses or an Oyster card fare for the Overground applicable for most areas across town. Everyone is advised to take into account other factors such as air pollution levels between buses/trains, amount of waits and timings before taking a mode of transport when travelling around London as certain actions can save your wallet from getting into bad shape!
