Transport

Underground (the Tube)

The fastest way across central London. Lines are colour-coded and every platform shows the direction (northbound, eastbound…) and the final destination, which is what you match against the train.

• ·Stand on the right on escalators, walk on the left.
• ·Off-peak travel is cheaper than the morning and evening rush.
• ·Live line status and step-free station lists are published by TfL.

Elizabeth line

A fast, modern east–west railway through central London with large air-conditioned trains. It links Heathrow with Paddington, Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road, Farringdon, Liverpool Street and Canary Wharf, and uses the same contactless fares as the Tube.

Buses

Red double-deckers reach places the Tube does not, and the top deck at the front is the cheapest city tour in London. You tap in when boarding and never tap out. London buses do not accept cash.

• ·The Hopper fare lets you change buses within a set window for one fare — TfL publishes the current rules.
• ·Night buses (route numbers starting with N) run when the Tube is closed.

National Rail trains

Overground and suburban rail services run from the big terminals (King's Cross, St Pancras, Paddington, Victoria, Waterloo, Liverpool Street) and cover Greenwich, Windsor, Oxford, Brighton and the airports. Inside London most of these accept contactless; longer journeys need a ticket bought in advance.

Oyster card

A reusable blue travel card you top up with credit. It makes sense if your bank card charges foreign transaction fees, if you are travelling with children who need their own card, or if you want a physical card to share. There is a deposit and fares are the same as contactless.

Contactless payment

For most visitors this is the simplest option: tap a contactless bank card, phone or watch on the yellow reader. Daily and weekly capping is applied automatically, so you never pay more than the cap. Use the same card or device all day, and one card per person — a shared card counts as one passenger.

Black cabs, apps and private transfers

Licensed black cabs can be hailed in the street and take contactless. Ride-hailing apps operate across the city and must be booked in the app. Pre-booked private transfers make sense with heavy luggage, very early flights or a group. Never accept an unbooked ride offered to you on the street.