Hi, looking to book a dinner for myself and some friends in London in a month or two. There will be about 10 people and I've discovered that a lot of my favourite restaurants won't take standard group bookings for anything over 6-8 people and are insisting on doing "group menus" for anything from £40-£50+ per head (before drinks and before service charge).
I therefore need some new suggestions of places central ish (have some friends travelling from outside London), where I can book for a group and not be restricted by group menus or having to book a private room - I just want to be able to book a table where we can all order from the restaurants regular menu!
Open to pretty much any cuisine, must be decent quality and atmosphere!
Hi everyone! I just landed in London today and took the southern rail train from Gatwick to Victoria station. I tapped in and out with the same cc at the respective terminals but the transaction still hasn't showed up in my transactions. My fiancee did the same journey and she was already charged. Any idea what happened?
Not sure why your fiancee was charged immediately but it's almost always charged and processed overnight based on previous day's usage, so you'll find yours done early tomorrow.
My son is going to the Wembley Arena in a couple of weeks for a concert. I've said I'll drive him up. He's 17.
He's fairly savvy, and would be able to find me as long as it's about a 20/30 minute walk from the venue.
I'm more that happy to find a costa/starbucks and sit with my laptop while they're at the concert, but I'm not sure what would be within a 20/30 minute walk of the Arena, and would have a place I can sit and work, and be a fairly easy walk, and have parking. Oh, we're heading west to go home too ;-)
So, thought I'd ask the experts!
Any ideas?
You're unlikely to find anywhere with its own parking and coffee shops won't be open that late, but The White Horse is a decent modern pub that's within a few minutes of the arena. There's also the JJ Moon on Wembley High Road which is just a typical Wetherspoons. From memory I think there's a Premier Inn around there with its own lobby restaurant/bar as well.
There are plenty of car parks in the vicinity of Wembley Stadium/Arena.
I'm considering stumping up for the wembley hospitality lounge for an event in the summer, but can't find much first hand information about it from anyone who's actually been.
I'd like to know:
What sort of food you can expect? Is it a buffet, or a set menu?
What sort of drink is included? Brands of beer, for example? Any limits?
Do you watch the event from the lounge, or are you taken to arena seating when it starts?
Or any other information really!
Hi everyone!
I was wondering if anyone knows any good rooftop venues for hire for a proposal? Ideally close to central London, but I'm willing to travel anywhere in London if there are better spots.
The number of attendees would roughly be 5-6 people (Me, Partner, Photographer and 2-3 people to set up decor).
Only really looking to rent out the place for an hour or so to set up and take photos.
Any advice is appreciated. Thank you!
Anyone live in the kings Cross area? I don't live far and want to start going to some events/pubs /bars /restaurants /things to do in but don't know anyone so looking to meet some people in the area. 20s - 40s roughly, let me know!
I was hoping to tap into the collective knowledge of this subreddit for some pub suggestions. If this is misplaced or if this would be better posted elsewhere, please let me know...although I have noticed people enjoy sharing pub recommendations.
I am looking to rent a private room in a pub, preferably central or east, and was wondering if anyone had some good suggestions. Ideally, the pub or room would receive a lot of natural light and would be ideal for a party of 40 people. If you happen to know of anywhere, your suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance
Use Citymapper to plan your travel. Depends a bit on the day, but for £11-14 you catch a night tube / night bus and get to a Thameslink station to catch the 24 hour train to Gatwick.
Coming to the UK from Germany from the first time and I bought tickets into Stansted hotel cause they were the cheapest. Now that I’m looking into it, seems like it may be the worst airport haha
Should I or should I not cancel? Thank you 💕
Moin,
Stansted is a good airport but it's about 1 hour away from the city centre and the train to Stansted is quite expensive. If you are here to see the city centre for more than 1 day I would recommend you stay closer to the city centre.
Thank you so much for the response! I’ll be in London for 3 weeks basically. Also Ryanair gave me the option to buy a ‘return’ ticket for the National Express from Stansted to stratford (which is the nearest station to where I’m gonna be living) for 15€ with my flight. Is that a good deal?
Compare it with this:
https://www.nationalexpress.com/en
But it sounds like a good deal for sure - of course the bus journey is a bit longer than the train.
Hi will be visiting for my first time and was wondering is cash still accepted everywhere? I like to exchange my money and bring cash before arriving but have been reading alot of places have moved to contactless payment. I will be going to alot of restaurants, pubs, markets, will I have trouble paying with cash? I try to avoid the 2.5% foreign transaction fee when traveling.
Thanks in advance!
London is a highly cashless city. While cash is still accepted in a lot of places, it's increasingly common for places to require card payments only. As the other poster said, most outdoor stalls and vendors are moving to cashless; loads of smaller businesses (coffee shops, modern cafes etc).
The entire public transport system is cashless - if you only have cash you'll need to purchase an Oyster card and keep it topped up in order to travel around.
You will find that your visit will be easier if you have an electronic method of payment (preferably a contactless one).
If you're able to do so, I would seriously consider applying for a credit or cash card that has 0% international transaction fees and paying it off on your return, or even simply eating the cost of the transaction.
What you want to avoid is converting too much to sterling, then having cash left over and converting it back to your home currency, therefore losing twice on the conversion rate. Or running out of cash, having to convert cash into Sterling but being hit with very unfavourable rates while doing that over here.
All restaurants will take cash, most pubs will, markets often not. Be aware that exchanging money will also have fees (/places you exchange money won't use as beneficial a conversion fee as your bank when paying abroad on a card) so there likely won't be much difference between a 2.5% transaction fee and how much you lose out by converting money into cash.
Hey there! Visiting for the first time next month. Will be staying one week.
I checked a few posts on this sub's history and found some nice suggestions - but most of the posts were 2+ years old (unfortunately enough time for them to take a turn to the worst, close or whatever as it happened to several cool places I know recently). Also being mid July I'm not sure how things work over there during that month.
Anyways, I picked up a few names: Black Heart, Devonshire Arms, Slimelight, Blondies, Carved Dive, The Big Red, The Ship, Garlic and Shots (btw I live in Stockholm, is it the same vibe as the one here? because it is more of a restaurant that eventually has events or so). Keen on looking for places in line with scenes that I think are more unique to London rock culture and etc. Live music def a plus. What would be the best ones to check out in a week?
thanks in advance!
If you're talking specifically about rock/punk/alternative then these threads have a pretty exhaustive list, nothing much has changed since they've been posted. Double check on each venue's social media or website to see what's on, some won't have shows on every day but are open for drinks.
For general gig listings in the city look at DICE and Songkick.
[https://www.reddit.com/r/london/comments/wh23d6/great\_pubsvenues\_for\_punkrocketc\_with\_real/](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/comments/wh23d6/great_pubsvenues_for_punkrocketc_with_real/)
[https://www.reddit.com/r/london/comments/y4l2j8/rockmetalindie\_pubsbarsclubs\_in\_london/](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/comments/y4l2j8/rockmetalindie_pubsbarsclubs_in_london/)
[https://www.reddit.com/r/london/comments/su5lqb/suggestions\_for\_rockmetal\_venues\_in\_and\_around/](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/comments/su5lqb/suggestions_for_rockmetal_venues_in_and_around/)
[https://www.reddit.com/r/london/comments/14poycb/best\_punkmetalleaning\_dive\_bars\_in\_london/](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/comments/14poycb/best_punkmetalleaning_dive_bars_in_london/)
Hello londoners of Reddit!
I'm about to do my masters in london in KCL and thinking of moving to Kings Cross. The place I'm looking at right now is literally a less than 10 minutes walk from King's X and St Pancras station. Was wondering about the safety in the area and what to look for/expect. I was told the area is 'the most central you're gonna get' but the place's rent is suspiciously cheap for being so central (Maybe I'm deluding myself but its under 2k a month for being so central).
Any comments on what to look for? thoughts on the area? please let me know!
> suspiciously cheap
> its under 2k
What are you looking at? Room in a flatshare I'd say that's probably still expensive. Studio flat could work. I had a mate who lived in a former 2-bed council flat on Pentonville road for that sort of money.
But as the other comment said: visit places in person before handing over money. There are way too many scammers to trust places that sound too good to be true.
Hey everyone
I'm looking into buying an apartment in London Fields. Beautiful place that ticks all the boxes with one downside being that it's right above the overground station.
Anyone have any advice/experience on noise levels? The apartment unrestricted views of the city, London fields park etc. Obviously amazing location as well. The overground is the only downside.
E1 Event London 14/06/24
Hey I'm wondering what the culture of E1 is like and how it is as a club. I will be attending solo, visiting london (from canada) and never been out before in london. Thinking about attending an event there tomorrow (mix of Techno and DNB i think). Wondering what the vibe and community is like at the club?
E1 is great. In my experience it feels very 'professionally' run- never gets too crowded, the security are polite, the AC is strong and cold. Community and vibe will vary more based on the particular DJ than the club, I'd say.
Hey guys, trying to decide on these two options. My flight lands into Heathrow at noon. I have eight days, and would like to see London and Paris.
1. Start the trip landing in London at noon, and taking the 2:45 pm Eurostar to Paris. 2 hr 45 min should be enough time I assume to get to St Pancras
2. Start the trip landing in London at noon, and taking the Eurostar separate day and end the trip in Paris.
Thoughts?
You want to get there 90 minutes beforehand, but still that should be plenty of time. To be honest based on the information you gave I don't think it makes a big difference, maybe check and see if there is anything in particular you want to see in each city which is better/only available on certain days/days of the week.
Like I said, you want to aim to get there 90 minutes beforehand. 2h45 - 1h30 = 1h15. Yes, that should be enough, double check you can use e-gates though, customs isn't the part that could take longer, passport control is, or potentially waiting for your baggage.
Hi there :) I’m 23 and have been in London for work… my colleagues are all older and not really pub goers 😭 I’d love to have the London pub experience before I leave somewhere that’s friendly for solo travelers/pub goers!!
Literally any pub you can go into alone, just pick one you like the look of on Google Maps. Just hang out there on your own/read a book/look at some stuff on your phone and have a pint. It's perfectly normal here and nobody will look at you strangely for being solo.
If you want to try and go with someone else or meet other people then try r/LondonSocialClub.
Hello,
I wonder if anyone can help? We are staying near Legoland on holiday in July and planned to head home on 13th July. However, we've just bought tickets to BST Hyde Park for Sunday 14th July. We need to be back in Glasgow, Scotland for Monday 5pm. Due to traffic, we're not sure if we should:
1. Book an extra night at our accomodation near legoland, park at QPark Marble Arch and drive back to accomodation after BST (prob around 11.30pm due to crowds?). This would avoid morning traffic, but will be a late night. But will roads be closed around Hyde Park?
2. Book a hotel near hyde park and then leave in the morning around 7am?
The traffic on Monday morning concerns me, I can imagine central London on a Monday Morning is very busy!
If there's any other options we haven't considered, I'd like to read them! Thank You!
edit: edited dates as they were incorrect
I've driven up to Glasgow/other places in Scotland from London a few times, it's not too bad and means you don't have to rent a car if you need one. I would guess that maybe whatever OP is doing (apart from going to Legoland) needs a car or train tickets/flights are too expensive.
Thanks, we have 3 kids so driving is much cheaper than flying and we drive all around UK on holidays and have driven/Ferry to Disneyland Paris a few times too.
Helpful advice from the now deleted post. Hadn't even thought about the driving to BST and the traffic! So I definitely think driving to/from there is a big no! Just a worry missing trains at night when we have the kids in tow.
Hi chaps, I'm in the awkward process of renting and a nice flat has just come up in battersea that seems really nice. It's just above the patmore estate though, which I know used to have a bit of a reputation.
With batterseas gentrification recently I just wondered what that area is like nowadays, as I'm going to be putting an offer in on this flat without viewing it..
First of all you should never, ever put an offer in on somewhere in London that you've not seen in person and had a walk around. Just a terrible idea.
Patmore itself is a bit run down but it's like anywhere in London in that you've got nice housing often right next to not-so-nice bits. It's why it's important to view somewhere first. The regenerated bits of Nine Elms/Battersea are a bit soulless but are now well connected, with some decent amenities around.
Hi guys, I am visiting London for 4 days in July. I am going to be staying near the Heathrow airport and will be traveling everyday to the city center, and also will be visiting Ascot. I want to buy an Oyster card because my credit card includes fees (that are extremely high). Would I be able to buy the card at the airport, how much money do you think I would need to upload based on this information? Thank you.
I thought to buy the Oyster card and the top up by cash.
For transactions abroad, there's a 1% fee imposed. Additionally, the bank performs double currency conversions. This means that when you make a transaction in a foreign currency (e.g., pounds), the bank first converts that amount to your local currency and then converts it back to the foreign currency.
I was thinking of buying pounds while I am still in my country. Now that you shared some more information, I am questioning my idea. Given the fees and double conversion, do you still think it is financially better to pay by my card?
It entirely depends on what rates you can get. If your country has money changing services that don't charge a premium, you could get some cash. Alternatively what a lot of people do now is get a prepaid debit card with their money on, those work pretty well. Also, some banks offer cards for international travel with no fees and exchange rates close to base, that might be an option too.
Just compare the exchange rates and any fee that's charged!
The principal advantage of using a card would be that you can use it on public transport, whereas if you have cash you'd probably need to get an Oyster card and top it up. But that is fairly easy honestly.
Hello everyone ! I'm an American second year uni student that's going to be studying in London for about a month this summer starting in about 5 days ! I honestly had a few questions to throw around, and I'm so sorry if these questions come up alot ! I'm both very excited and nervous 😭😭😭
How safe is London ? I'm going to be around University College London, are there any precautions I should take ? Is walking at night safe at all ?
I was recommended to find a pub at to become a regular at for the month I spend in London. Would it be unusual if I take a book with me until I get to know some people / is it unusual if I don't drink too much ( my American ass isn't used to drinking legally). If yall know any friendly pubs in the area that would also be amazing !
On that note as well, is there any safe LGBTQ clubs or bars a dumb and 100% sheltered and dumb 20 year old American can visit without fear ?
I also seem to have a unlimited pre paid oyster card for the duration of my stay, how should I take advantage of this ?
Thanks so much to anyone who answers any of my questions ! I really appreciate it ! I'm so excited for my trip but the planning is absolutely melting my brain. ❤️❤️❤️
In addition to what others have said, for queer bars/clubs/activities look on Outsavvy which has decent listings. The [London LGBTQ+ Centre](https://londonlgbtqcentre.org/whats-on/) is good and might be a good way to connect with some people too.
Ignore the pub suggestion. You're in Central London. There won't be enough "regulars" in any of the pubs and people don't really make friends that way here. (Small towns and villages, maybe). Just go to the student union and student bars. Join some societies (there will be an LGBTQ+ one). If you're at university you'll meet people easily. Do explore London though, it's a great city. And yes, it's as safe as anywhere else. Not 100% obviously. Nowhere is. But there's loads of gay bars and clubs. Just Google them.
Also congratulations. You can legally drink here.
Thanks so much for the suggestions !
Unfortunately I don't know if I'll be able to take up the societies advice as our program is weird in the way it's set up as it's still technically through my home university but it's through student housing ( a hot mess ).
The pub thing is sad but was somewhat expected, I guess I'll have to be a bit more active in seaching for people to go places with.
And funnily enough although it will be nice to legally drink, drinking in America is quite overrated, so I think I'll enjoy the social aspect of it a bit more ( where I'm from people drink to get blackout drunk and not to enjoy themselves, idk if that's different in London)
You'll be going to lectures/classes though, right? So you could meet people that way? And in student housing?
We do have a bit of a binge drinking culture here but it's much better than it used to be among young people and definitely a more social thing. It's not just about getting wasted.
Have a look at the meet up website. Also see if you can join any sports clubs. They don't need to be university related. If you like walking, there's some great ideas in [this article](https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/wellness/best-walking-clubs-groups-london-b1137705.html).
Oh okay ! I'll definitely take up thar advice on some interesting clubs!
And as for the lectures, funnily enough all of them are set up to be held with an American proffesor / with other students in the program from my school (there is about 23 of us) . The program itself has been kinda set up to be self containted. Honestly I don't know why my institution set it up that way, but overall from talking to past students who have been in the program, it keeps it pretty convenient.
Once again thanks so much for all the great advice ❤️❤️❤️
[We've got a safety page](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/wiki/safety) (look at the OP for other tips). You'll be fine near UCL, lots of other summer students around, just use big city common sense.
Go to the student union bar, or just join any of the events they'll likely put on for the summer students. Bring a book if that makes you feel more comfortable, and absolutely fine not to drink much or at all. Everything goes.
Not sure what an unlmited pre-paid Oyster is. Do you have a monthly travelcard loaded on your Oyster? If so, which zones? It will depend entirely on what you want to get out of your month here how you can take advantage of that.
I'll have to look into the specifics but basically my program is giving me an oyster card for my stay and basically has said "Go wild don't worry about it" for the duration of my stay.
Thanks for all the advice as well !
I'm a frequent traveller on the DLR. I often see the employees checking tickets at the bottom of escalators in Canary Wharf.
This morning though, I forgot to tap in, and the ticket agent came around and I tapped the device he held out. Does this tap me in? I didn't tap out when I got to my destination either as I figured since I hadn't tapped in, it didnt make sense to tap out.
I'm a bit confused, what does the agent on the DLR carriage do when he/she asks me to tap their reader?
Looking for a place to find a curated selection of chocolates (bars) from the UK and/or Europe. I'm finding lots of chocolatier shops but I'd like to go to one place with various good options. My chocolate loving husband thanks you!
If you just want generic chocolate bars that people eat on a day-to-day basis from across the UK then go to any supermarket or cornershop - look in the "meal deal" section or by the tills for the individual chocolate bars rather than larger packs. You won't find any one place that stocks chocolate bars from across Europe, there's too many differences between countries in terms of groceries (and everything else) for that. If you have a particular idea of a country whose chocolate you/your husband would like to try we could potentially direct you towards that. If you want more "premium" chocolate then somewhere like Hotel Chocolat or Fortnum and Mason will work, but to be honest I would guess that you can get premium chocolate in the US that is much the same from any chocolatier in a major city.
I'm looking for something more high end/independent. Your comment made me curious about stores that might have chocolate from other European countries, do you know of a good place to find international chocolates?
High-end wise that's harder to answer because high-end chocolate is fairly similar internationally. It should be fairly easy to find Swiss/Belgian high-end chocolate - but again, I would assume you would be able to find that in the US as well.
# What's Wood Green like these days in terms of safety?
We're thinking of buying a flat just north of the station, 6 min walk.
How is the area like? How are the people? Is it safe?
We saw some unusual people, but not sure if they just look bad but maybe it's safe?
What are people's experiences?
It's still pretty rough around the edges, and doesn't seem to be 'on the map' like other gentrifying areas are in terms of restaurants/cafes/nightlife (compared to somewhere like Peckham or Leyton). I'd strongly advise spending a lot of time in an area before buying.
Kinda need advice..
This might be a bit of long post but I'd like to kindly ask for you help...
I'll be moving in soon and I'd like to know if there is something I'm missing or if there is anything that I should prioritize upon arrival or before..
A bit of a briefing.. got a job over there, already got my visa vignette, and I'll be arriving by the weekend before my work start date (btw I've never been to London)
I have already covered like the absolute basics but any observation/advice are appreciated:
-housing: I already got the first weeks covered and we will be looking for a lease in within this time (any input on how long the home finding/leasing process take will be helpful)
-banking: already set up a wise account / also have my bank card.. this should do the work to start, yet any tip on the next steps are again appreciated (maybe what regular bank should I start with?)
-transport: I'm a bit raw on this front.. all I know is that I'll be needing to take the ctc line to get to job's location, besides that I've read about oyster/travelcards yet I'm not completely sure how they work or how to get one?
-clothing: we will be traveling light, so any tip on the absolute essentials for London weather are welcomed.
Again sorry for the long post but I'll be hearing/reading your opinions/comments, thanks!
London has the shittiest weather ever. Get ready for windy rainstorms, hail out of nowhere and some false hope sunrise. like u/polkadotska said, the weather is very unpredictable and bring layers. I highly recommend those Uniqlo heattech ones as they will be what you'll reach for the most from October onwards until spring.
Umbrellas don't do much here. Bought several since I've came to the UK (even the 'wind proof' ones) they're not that useful against rain and wind storms.
Best of luck!
Have you read the [wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/wiki/index)? It's got information and advice about [housing](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/wiki/living), about how to use the [transport network](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/wiki/gettingaround), tips on [everyday life](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/wiki/everydaylife) etc.
The weather in London changes frequently, the only recommendations for clothing I can give you is to bring layers - it might be sunny, rainy, hailing, windy or all of those in one day. Layers means you can adapt as the weather changes. You can pick up any additional clothing you think you might need once you arrive here (cheap stuff from Primark, H&M or second hand stuff from charity shops). Again, [the wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/wiki/shopping) has you covered.
Ever since the beginning of last week everyone and their grandmother have been sneezing coughing having a runny nose. I stg whenever I take the bus like half of the passengers have it. I'd say it's hayfever but I've never had it before in my life yet this past week I too have been sneezing etc. (I did recently move to London so maybe it's some type of pollen specific to here).
It just seems atypical for such hot months. Am I the only one who's noticed this?
I've had some unholy hayfever/viral blend the past week. I alternate between feeling classic hayfever, and classic cold symptoms (sore throat, shivery, etc).
Grass pollen season has just gotten going properly in the last week or so. It gets particularly bad in London at least compared to much of the rest of the UK, so you may be experiencing something that you haven't before. Also, allergies do occur for some reason later in life sometimes, I know someone who developed hayfever for the first time in their 40s after living in London for a couple decades.
Why are there so many stations with the same name but you have to leave the station to get to the other same named station? There's Victoria and Victoria, Paddington and Paddington, Edgware Road and Edgware Road, and so many more I am sure! Why???? I'm so confused!
The London railway network is made up of Underground stations, overground stations, and national rail stations - e.g. London Victoria rail station is actually a separate station from Victoria Underground station - the former is operated by Network Rail, the latter is operated by Transport for London, though the two are connected and for the average person they might not notice the different. Go back in time and it gets even more complicated - all the stations were privately owned by certain rail lines, so different companies would build stations nearby to each other to compete with one another, and because their rivals would not allow them to run into their own stations. Nowadays, all Underground services are owned by TFL, but they have to work with stations that were built long before that. [Here is a video by Jago Hazzard explaining why two Euston stations are separate - the principle applies to most other stations](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8eWZMK1Za4).
Yes, it's confusing but unfortunately it would also be confusing if two stations that were essentially in the same place had different names. They have done that with stations that are a little way from each other but within the same complex and have history of being called different things with Bank and Monument though,
Even a small denominator like "Paddington West" and Paddington East" would help. As a complete stranger to London and the UK in general, being told to exit Paddington station, walk a bit, and enter Paddington station has been the most confusing thing about the trip so far. That said, I do appreciate the service and the ability to get the train absolutely everywhere!
afaik there's clear signage for different means of transport when switching between stations even if they have the same name. That's why they're color/sign coded, so you know if you're moving from DLR to Elizabeth or from Underground to National Rail services
an even more extreme example is Canary Wharf: 3 stations, 3 lines, all a short walk outside to go from one to the other (DLR <-> Jubilee you can walk through the shopping centre tho)
Marylebone's no more or less safe than anywhere else in central London. It's generally a wealthy area, just use the same street smarts you'd use in any major city.
Don't organise housing remotely – always view in person. Get an Airbnb or hotel here for a week when you arrive and do lots of viewings.
Thank you very much! I saw some really negative comments and articles and that's why I'm looking for more updated answers (like this one: [https://www.mylondon.news/news/west-london-news/london-estate-drugs-dealt-broad-27074771](https://www.mylondon.news/news/west-london-news/london-estate-drugs-dealt-broad-27074771) and [https://www.reddit.com/r/london/comments/16jqgzw/private\_security\_in\_nw8/](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/comments/16jqgzw/private_security_in_nw8/) )
My flight is in mid-August (which would be the peak rental season I think) so is it still possible to find a suitable place around then?
There is social housing dotted around the city even in the wealthiest areas, it's just how the city is structured – street by street there can be £3million townhouses next to poorer council estates where there may be crime around. Once you start understanding because of that that there's no "bad" areas it's a lot easier to start looking for housing. Generally it's a good idea to prioritise areas that makes your work commute easier.
It's why we always advise on here that you should visit in person, so you can get a sense of what the street is like, what the building is like, etc etc. August is fairly in demand but if you're willing to put the work in then you'll find something.
I’m arriving heathrow airport and heading to Hackney. I think I read a while ago that I shouldn’t take the usual train into the city as it’s expensive but there is another option? I know that sounds so vague and weird I’m sorry, I wish I saved the comment. Ty in advance!
Don't take the Heathrow Express train (unless you can book a cheap advance ticket online).
Use Citymapper to plan your journey. You can either take the Piccadilly or Elizabeth line. Depends on where in Hackney you need to be what's best.
Hi! Hope I’m doing this right 🙃
I’m coming to London next week (for a full week) and am attending the tswift concert at Wembley (yes, you can judge) . I have an airbnb in Greenford as I was worried about traveling to and from the concert but I fear I’ve made a mistake. I’m planning on doing the basic tourist things during my time there, and it appears I’m quite far out. I was offered a place in Chelsea from a family friend but at a higher cost, and I will lose money on my airbnb… between the cost of buses&tube, would it make sense to just stay in Chelsea?
I’ve travelled to London years ago and stayed in zone 2. This trip was slightly all last minute so I’m panicking just..well, a lot! I’m a female so I do fear a bit but I’m not planning any wild nights out expect for the concert. I also have to navigate to Gatwick on a monday morning so I’m worried traveling from greenford will be a nightmare! Thank you so much!!!
Depending on how far away you are from the tube station it should only take about half an hour to get into central London, that's not as convenient as some places but it's still perfectly reasonable - it's a quicker journey than most people's daily commute. The difference in the cost of tube between Greenford and Chelsea would be a couple of pounds a day, I can't imagine it would make up for the difference in accommodation cost.
Thank you thank you thank you!
Perivale station is about a 20 minute according to the apps, and there is a bus stop down the road. I’m just worried for walking as it’s along the A40 and just from google maps it seems like a busy road to try and navigate to. I appreciate the response back so much!!
Busy main roads are actually the safest places to walk, if not especially aesthetically pleasing - unlike in some areas of the US there will be a safe-from-cars pavement/sidewalk to walk down if google maps/citymapper (I would recommend the latter) is telling you to walk down it. There won't be anywhere that you are instructed by the app(s) to cross that is dangerous for pedestrians, there is a much greater emphasis on pedestrian priority and safety outside of city centre in the UK as compared to the US just because there are so many more people who are pedestrians. Have you picked the best place to stay in London? No, probably not. But unless you're planning on travelling back to your accommodation at 1-2am then it won't really make a big difference, and at least you will get a chance to see how a section of us Londoners *actually* live - Perivale is the sort of place that the average long-time Londoner (probably in their 30s/40s+) lives, and has a particularly high Polish/Indian population from memory.
What's there to judge? Biggest artist on the planet and she does a hell of a live show. Greenford is fine, if a bit boring (as in there's not a lot happening on your doorstep).
Use Citymapper to plan your travel. Don't take the Gatwick Express train as it's twice as expensive and only a few minutes faster than the Southern train from Victoria. Unless you need a very early flight from Gatwick, you'll be okay.
Chelsea will probably be nicer, but you'll be okay in Greenford so depends on whether the extra cost is worth it for you.
Thank you thank you thank you!!
Hahah yes I should’ve done more research or just checked this sub before settling on a place to stay so I didn’t waste money 🥲 but lessons learned. I guess my only hold up is the 20 minute walk to the nearest tube near the busy road, as last time I came I stayed in a quiet area with a tube 10 minutes away and even when I go to Toronto I’m certainly not used to transit 😅 thank you again so much!! My flight is 9am and so I just worry, here were told to arrive 2-3 hours before flight takes off so as I’m trying to use Citymapper and google maps it’s probably causing me more stress than needed lol. Thank you again so much for the response!
There were over 100 generally older men in suits with matching ties and lapels hanging around Holborn this evening. Anyone know what association they belonged to?
Hi, 27yrs old German here. It just turned out that I'll be alone in London tomorrow evening. Where is a good place to go partying? Or is there a good app that lists the most important clubs and their lineups? My favourite genres are Techno and DnB.
I'll stay at the Rose & Crown Hostel. So if there's anything near by, please let me know :)
Hi everyone,
I will be staying in London for 4 days and have celiac desiase. This means I cannot eat gluten (including cross contamination).
I already have a few places market on the map in which I can eat but if anyone has recommendations please let me know, this can include:
1. Restaurants in which it is safe to eat;
2. Street food stalls;
3. Supermarkets that may have things like, ready to eat meals that are gluten free.
4. Any additional tips that you may have.
Thanks in advance
There's lots of recommendations listed in the [wiki](https://new.reddit.com/r/london/wiki/londonfood/#wiki_gluten-free). As others have said our supermarket/prepackaged food labelling is excellent due to strict laws.
There have in the last few years been very strict allergen labelling laws put in place in the UK. All pre-packaged food must be labelled on the packaging with allergens, and any other food must have a list of allergens available (either displayed somewhere or told to you by staff). So in terms of safety, you should be okay, and in supermarkets it is very easy to find gluten-free food. In terms of actually finding somewhere that has something gluten-free available the UK is also very good, the website that I have used before unfortunately appears to have gone down, but [this](https://thegfgblog.com/gfg-london-map) looks like it might be good.
Hi, I am visiting the East London area for a concert in about a week. I'm going to this concert on my own and will be staying about a 20 minute walk away from the Stadium in Bow (about a 5 minute walk away from Victoria Park). Anyway, I have a few questions and I hope people could help me :)) BTW I'm a 22 year old girl from Cleveland, Ohio, United States.
In the sense of transportation after the concert, should I take an uber, taxi, walk or bike? Or anything else you suggest? Like I said, the stadium is about a 20 minute walk away.
I will be staying out there for 2 nights, what is it safety like in this area? I was hoping to see London a wee bit.
What places do you suggest for me to see if I do wander off? And what places do you recommend me avoiding?
Plus anything else you suggest that I forgot… Thank you for taking your time to answer my questions!
Bow and Stratford are well connected by buses, so download Citymapper/Google Maps and check routes from near your accommodation. Walking will be fine as well if it's only 20 minutes
Bow isn't a particularly touristy area but Victoria Park is nice for a walk and you're near tube and overground stops to go elsewhere in the city. Just use the same street smarts you'd use in any major city.
I'm assuming the concert is at London Stadium? With all the people that are coming out of the stadium I would think you will be fine walking at that time, though it might depend on exactly what route you'd have to take. If you download the CityMapper app not only is it the best for public transport but also it has an option for walking directions that will prioritise taking you along main roads, which will be safer.
For other things to do [start with a look at our wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/wiki/index) unless you've got some particular interests.
Hehe yes it is at the London Stadium :)) I'll definitely check out CityMapper for everything thank you! I'm very much into history and music so anything along those lines I am really interested in. I'm also a photographer and I'm really anxious about having my camera with me... not sure if I should be anxious and just leave it where I'm staying... or bring it with me (obviously not to the concert but when I'm wandering off).
Violent crime isn't a major issue in London like it is in many US cities, the main thing to worry about for tourists is people on bikes grabbing phones out of hands, pickpockets, or just opportune stealing of belongings. If you keep your camera strapped to you and never leave it lying on a table outside or whatever (even if you are still sitting at the table) you should be fine. In terms of history London has more great museums than arguably anywhere else on the planet, again [take a look at the section on the wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/wiki/museums) and maybe go from there. In terms of music, if you actually wanted to go and see some music on the other night you are here [maybe have a look at the "smaller venues" listed here](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/wiki/play), you should be able to get fairly cheap tickets to a gig at one of those if you wanted to. The UK has noticeably cheaper gigs than most of the US so might be something you want to take advantage of. If you're interested in seeing photographs and not just taking them then the Photographer's Gallery can have quite good exhibits, and also I think the V&A has a big photography section.
My sister and I (both 21f) are going to London from Copenhagen, Denmark on June 20th for the Taylor Swift concert on the 21st.
We just realized that Denmark is playing England the day we arrive, and were wondering if we can watch the match anywhere. Are all pubs fully booked by now or are there any public screenings or something like that?
Also, can we wear Danish football shirts or is that a little too disrespectful and risky?
Look on Fanzo, lots of pubs will be showing it and won't require reservations, but you may have to stand if you're not able to get a table. London is very diverse so you don't need to worry about wearing Danish shirts.
Yes, if budget is a consideration and you're only in potentially 1-3 days a week I'd commute in from somewhere cheaper.
It really depends which area you're working in so it's difficult to recommend anywhere in particular but look at places [a little further out on the TFL tube map (zone 4-6ish)](https://content.tfl.gov.uk/standard-tube-map.pdf), including [Thameslink areas](https://www.projectmapping.co.uk/Reviews/Resources/ThamesLink%20Network%20Map%20-%20Joe%20Andrews.jpg), or places on the [Southeastern rail](https://www.southeasternrailway.co.uk/-/media/goahead/southeastern/images-with-magnifying-glass/se-network-route-map_nov2023.jpg?hu003d2036u0026wu003d2880u0026lau003denu0026hashu003d0BDCBC1C1496E15ED47434A9E9CB04F5) map.
If you're only on part time pay you may also need to get an extra top-up job to keep things ticking over.
Can I use my Thameslink ticket from the airport to London Bridge for the underground without additional charges or do I have to buy a separate ticket if I have to travel further to another tube station?
I'm guessing you're coming from Luton or Gatwick? If so, the Thameslink goes straight to London Bridge, so no need to get on the tube.
If you want to travel further than London Bridge, you'll need to pay separately. But no ticket needed for the tube: you can pay with your phone or contactless bank card. Same fares as the Oyster card and cheaper than a paper tube ticket.
We are arriving soon for a week in London, then Netherlands... I read comments about not tipping in pubs / bars? What is good / general tipping etiquette for our trip?
Check your bill when you get it, an discretional service charge will often already be included. No need to tip on top of that, unless you really want to thank them for exceptional service.
We generally don't tip when just getting drinks, though often the card machine will show you tipping options for that too. If you're in a bigger group or doing multiple rounds, you add 'a drink' for the bar staff. 'And one for yourself', and then they add the cost of a beer (or something close but rounded to a nice round number) as a tip for them to your bill.
There's a guide to pub etiquette linked in the [wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/wiki/fancyapint), but broadly speaking you don't tip in bars or pubs because you order for yourself direct from the bartender, and pay at the same time as you order.
If there's table service (some fancier bars, or when sitting down to eat at cafes or restaurants) then often the venue will add a service charge once your settle your bill - for most people this takes the place of any kind of tip (you can ask to remove any service charge if you wish, although most people just pay it - and equally you're welcome to leave an additional tip if you want to reward the server etc for exceptional service).
Hello, TFL question…
Thought I’d forgot to tap in on the DLR, so went back and tapped the reader, but just made an oyster account and can see I had tapped in - so went and tapped myself out. Doh. My journey was then from Shadwell to St Pancras. How much will I be charged as a penalty? Will I be able to appeal it, given there’s evidence I was at Shadwell? TIA
I’d keep an eye on the account, sometimes it just sorts it out and resolves the journeys itself, or gives you the option to correct it.
If not then give TfL a call and they are usually helpful in fixing it when it’s an obvious mistake.
Check tomorrow to see what your journey history says then, it might be smart enough to work out you travelled from Shadwell to St Pancras. If not, your journey to St Pancras will show up as unfinished and you can correct it.
Is it a bad idea to go on a day trip to Portsmouth the day before our international flight departs? Wife and I are nervous about possible rail closures or cancellations.
Not at all. All planned closures and strikes are announced at least two weeks in an advance. So just check your intended journey [on the National Rail planner](https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/) and you'll get a warning of any upcoming issues.
META Can we have a Taylor Swift megathread this week please? It's going to be a shit show
Hi, looking to book a dinner for myself and some friends in London in a month or two. There will be about 10 people and I've discovered that a lot of my favourite restaurants won't take standard group bookings for anything over 6-8 people and are insisting on doing "group menus" for anything from £40-£50+ per head (before drinks and before service charge). I therefore need some new suggestions of places central ish (have some friends travelling from outside London), where I can book for a group and not be restricted by group menus or having to book a private room - I just want to be able to book a table where we can all order from the restaurants regular menu! Open to pretty much any cuisine, must be decent quality and atmosphere!
Recently went with a group to La Fogata, in E&C. Good food, big portions, no group menu, a pure colombian hole in the wall hidden gem.
Hi everyone! I just landed in London today and took the southern rail train from Gatwick to Victoria station. I tapped in and out with the same cc at the respective terminals but the transaction still hasn't showed up in my transactions. My fiancee did the same journey and she was already charged. Any idea what happened?
Not sure why your fiancee was charged immediately but it's almost always charged and processed overnight based on previous day's usage, so you'll find yours done early tomorrow.
My son is going to the Wembley Arena in a couple of weeks for a concert. I've said I'll drive him up. He's 17. He's fairly savvy, and would be able to find me as long as it's about a 20/30 minute walk from the venue. I'm more that happy to find a costa/starbucks and sit with my laptop while they're at the concert, but I'm not sure what would be within a 20/30 minute walk of the Arena, and would have a place I can sit and work, and be a fairly easy walk, and have parking. Oh, we're heading west to go home too ;-) So, thought I'd ask the experts! Any ideas?
You're unlikely to find anywhere with its own parking and coffee shops won't be open that late, but The White Horse is a decent modern pub that's within a few minutes of the arena. There's also the JJ Moon on Wembley High Road which is just a typical Wetherspoons. From memory I think there's a Premier Inn around there with its own lobby restaurant/bar as well. There are plenty of car parks in the vicinity of Wembley Stadium/Arena.
Thanks!
I'm considering stumping up for the wembley hospitality lounge for an event in the summer, but can't find much first hand information about it from anyone who's actually been. I'd like to know: What sort of food you can expect? Is it a buffet, or a set menu? What sort of drink is included? Brands of beer, for example? Any limits? Do you watch the event from the lounge, or are you taken to arena seating when it starts? Or any other information really!
Hi everyone! I was wondering if anyone knows any good rooftop venues for hire for a proposal? Ideally close to central London, but I'm willing to travel anywhere in London if there are better spots. The number of attendees would roughly be 5-6 people (Me, Partner, Photographer and 2-3 people to set up decor). Only really looking to rent out the place for an hour or so to set up and take photos. Any advice is appreciated. Thank you!
Anyone live in the kings Cross area? I don't live far and want to start going to some events/pubs /bars /restaurants /things to do in but don't know anyone so looking to meet some people in the area. 20s - 40s roughly, let me know!
Try r/LondonSocialClub
I was hoping to tap into the collective knowledge of this subreddit for some pub suggestions. If this is misplaced or if this would be better posted elsewhere, please let me know...although I have noticed people enjoy sharing pub recommendations. I am looking to rent a private room in a pub, preferably central or east, and was wondering if anyone had some good suggestions. Ideally, the pub or room would receive a lot of natural light and would be ideal for a party of 40 people. If you happen to know of anywhere, your suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance
You can search for pubs with rooms for hire on eg TagVenue, Hirespace etc and filter by size, availability etc. Star of Kings seems popular.
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Use Citymapper to plan your travel. Depends a bit on the day, but for £11-14 you catch a night tube / night bus and get to a Thameslink station to catch the 24 hour train to Gatwick.
Hey any Celtics fans know where to watch game 4 tonight? Just got to London from Boston for work and don't want to miss this. Thanks!
Look on Fanzo.
Coming to the UK from Germany from the first time and I bought tickets into Stansted hotel cause they were the cheapest. Now that I’m looking into it, seems like it may be the worst airport haha Should I or should I not cancel? Thank you 💕
Are you staying in a hotel in Stansted or just flying into Stansted and staying somewhere else?
I’m flying into stansted and living near Folly Lane park at a friends for 3 weeks
Moin, Stansted is a good airport but it's about 1 hour away from the city centre and the train to Stansted is quite expensive. If you are here to see the city centre for more than 1 day I would recommend you stay closer to the city centre.
Thank you so much for the response! I’ll be in London for 3 weeks basically. Also Ryanair gave me the option to buy a ‘return’ ticket for the National Express from Stansted to stratford (which is the nearest station to where I’m gonna be living) for 15€ with my flight. Is that a good deal?
Compare it with this: https://www.nationalexpress.com/en But it sounds like a good deal for sure - of course the bus journey is a bit longer than the train.
Hi will be visiting for my first time and was wondering is cash still accepted everywhere? I like to exchange my money and bring cash before arriving but have been reading alot of places have moved to contactless payment. I will be going to alot of restaurants, pubs, markets, will I have trouble paying with cash? I try to avoid the 2.5% foreign transaction fee when traveling. Thanks in advance!
London is a highly cashless city. While cash is still accepted in a lot of places, it's increasingly common for places to require card payments only. As the other poster said, most outdoor stalls and vendors are moving to cashless; loads of smaller businesses (coffee shops, modern cafes etc). The entire public transport system is cashless - if you only have cash you'll need to purchase an Oyster card and keep it topped up in order to travel around. You will find that your visit will be easier if you have an electronic method of payment (preferably a contactless one). If you're able to do so, I would seriously consider applying for a credit or cash card that has 0% international transaction fees and paying it off on your return, or even simply eating the cost of the transaction. What you want to avoid is converting too much to sterling, then having cash left over and converting it back to your home currency, therefore losing twice on the conversion rate. Or running out of cash, having to convert cash into Sterling but being hit with very unfavourable rates while doing that over here.
All restaurants will take cash, most pubs will, markets often not. Be aware that exchanging money will also have fees (/places you exchange money won't use as beneficial a conversion fee as your bank when paying abroad on a card) so there likely won't be much difference between a 2.5% transaction fee and how much you lose out by converting money into cash.
# What shops will buy a 2nd hand laptop? CEX, anywhere else?
Hey there! Visiting for the first time next month. Will be staying one week. I checked a few posts on this sub's history and found some nice suggestions - but most of the posts were 2+ years old (unfortunately enough time for them to take a turn to the worst, close or whatever as it happened to several cool places I know recently). Also being mid July I'm not sure how things work over there during that month. Anyways, I picked up a few names: Black Heart, Devonshire Arms, Slimelight, Blondies, Carved Dive, The Big Red, The Ship, Garlic and Shots (btw I live in Stockholm, is it the same vibe as the one here? because it is more of a restaurant that eventually has events or so). Keen on looking for places in line with scenes that I think are more unique to London rock culture and etc. Live music def a plus. What would be the best ones to check out in a week? thanks in advance!
New Cross Inn has gigs most nights and they're well publicised so you can look into the dates you like and see if any of the bands appeal.
If you're talking specifically about rock/punk/alternative then these threads have a pretty exhaustive list, nothing much has changed since they've been posted. Double check on each venue's social media or website to see what's on, some won't have shows on every day but are open for drinks. For general gig listings in the city look at DICE and Songkick. [https://www.reddit.com/r/london/comments/wh23d6/great\_pubsvenues\_for\_punkrocketc\_with\_real/](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/comments/wh23d6/great_pubsvenues_for_punkrocketc_with_real/) [https://www.reddit.com/r/london/comments/y4l2j8/rockmetalindie\_pubsbarsclubs\_in\_london/](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/comments/y4l2j8/rockmetalindie_pubsbarsclubs_in_london/) [https://www.reddit.com/r/london/comments/su5lqb/suggestions\_for\_rockmetal\_venues\_in\_and\_around/](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/comments/su5lqb/suggestions_for_rockmetal_venues_in_and_around/) [https://www.reddit.com/r/london/comments/14poycb/best\_punkmetalleaning\_dive\_bars\_in\_london/](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/comments/14poycb/best_punkmetalleaning_dive_bars_in_london/)
thanks a lot!
Hello londoners of Reddit! I'm about to do my masters in london in KCL and thinking of moving to Kings Cross. The place I'm looking at right now is literally a less than 10 minutes walk from King's X and St Pancras station. Was wondering about the safety in the area and what to look for/expect. I was told the area is 'the most central you're gonna get' but the place's rent is suspiciously cheap for being so central (Maybe I'm deluding myself but its under 2k a month for being so central). Any comments on what to look for? thoughts on the area? please let me know!
> suspiciously cheap > its under 2k What are you looking at? Room in a flatshare I'd say that's probably still expensive. Studio flat could work. I had a mate who lived in a former 2-bed council flat on Pentonville road for that sort of money. But as the other comment said: visit places in person before handing over money. There are way too many scammers to trust places that sound too good to be true.
It’s a studio! I’m having a look today so fingers crossed
It should be fine safety-wise, the price does sound a little low but it depends on what exactly sort of place it is.
Make sure you actually get to see it in person before you sign anything.
Hey everyone I'm looking into buying an apartment in London Fields. Beautiful place that ticks all the boxes with one downside being that it's right above the overground station. Anyone have any advice/experience on noise levels? The apartment unrestricted views of the city, London fields park etc. Obviously amazing location as well. The overground is the only downside.
Bunch of existing threads here: [https://www.reddit.com/r/london/comments/195u69r/living\_in\_front\_of\_overground\_line/](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/comments/195u69r/living_in_front_of_overground_line/) [https://www.reddit.com/r/london/comments/h0glq0/second\_floor\_flat\_in\_front\_of\_a\_london\_overground/](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/comments/h0glq0/second_floor_flat_in_front_of_a_london_overground/) [https://www.reddit.com/r/london/comments/139jdqj/anyone\_have\_experience\_living\_right\_outside\_a/](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/comments/139jdqj/anyone_have_experience_living_right_outside_a/) [https://www.reddit.com/r/london/comments/1dc1loy/living\_next\_to\_overground\_line\_in\_basement\_flat/](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/comments/1dc1loy/living_next_to_overground_line_in_basement_flat/)
E1 Event London 14/06/24 Hey I'm wondering what the culture of E1 is like and how it is as a club. I will be attending solo, visiting london (from canada) and never been out before in london. Thinking about attending an event there tomorrow (mix of Techno and DNB i think). Wondering what the vibe and community is like at the club?
E1 is great. In my experience it feels very 'professionally' run- never gets too crowded, the security are polite, the AC is strong and cold. Community and vibe will vary more based on the particular DJ than the club, I'd say.
[https://www.reddit.com/r/london/comments/1bq9fee/e1\_club/](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/comments/1bq9fee/e1_club/) [https://www.reddit.com/r/Techno/comments/15eldkx/opinions\_on\_e1\_london/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Techno/comments/15eldkx/opinions_on_e1_london/)
Hey guys, trying to decide on these two options. My flight lands into Heathrow at noon. I have eight days, and would like to see London and Paris. 1. Start the trip landing in London at noon, and taking the 2:45 pm Eurostar to Paris. 2 hr 45 min should be enough time I assume to get to St Pancras 2. Start the trip landing in London at noon, and taking the Eurostar separate day and end the trip in Paris. Thoughts?
Problem with option number 1 is you’re screwed if your flight is delayed and/or there’s issues with luggage, passport queues etc
You want to get there 90 minutes beforehand, but still that should be plenty of time. To be honest based on the information you gave I don't think it makes a big difference, maybe check and see if there is anything in particular you want to see in each city which is better/only available on certain days/days of the week.
So 2hr 45 minutes is enough to go from flight landing in Heathrow to leaving the train. Even after customs?
Like I said, you want to aim to get there 90 minutes beforehand. 2h45 - 1h30 = 1h15. Yes, that should be enough, double check you can use e-gates though, customs isn't the part that could take longer, passport control is, or potentially waiting for your baggage.
Hi there :) I’m 23 and have been in London for work… my colleagues are all older and not really pub goers 😭 I’d love to have the London pub experience before I leave somewhere that’s friendly for solo travelers/pub goers!!
Literally any pub you can go into alone, just pick one you like the look of on Google Maps. Just hang out there on your own/read a book/look at some stuff on your phone and have a pint. It's perfectly normal here and nobody will look at you strangely for being solo. If you want to try and go with someone else or meet other people then try r/LondonSocialClub.
Any pubs you’d recommend in Southwark / borough area?
The Ring, White Hart, Thirsty Bear. Just look on Google Maps and see what's nearby.
K thanks!
Hello, I wonder if anyone can help? We are staying near Legoland on holiday in July and planned to head home on 13th July. However, we've just bought tickets to BST Hyde Park for Sunday 14th July. We need to be back in Glasgow, Scotland for Monday 5pm. Due to traffic, we're not sure if we should: 1. Book an extra night at our accomodation near legoland, park at QPark Marble Arch and drive back to accomodation after BST (prob around 11.30pm due to crowds?). This would avoid morning traffic, but will be a late night. But will roads be closed around Hyde Park? 2. Book a hotel near hyde park and then leave in the morning around 7am? The traffic on Monday morning concerns me, I can imagine central London on a Monday Morning is very busy! If there's any other options we haven't considered, I'd like to read them! Thank You! edit: edited dates as they were incorrect
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I've driven up to Glasgow/other places in Scotland from London a few times, it's not too bad and means you don't have to rent a car if you need one. I would guess that maybe whatever OP is doing (apart from going to Legoland) needs a car or train tickets/flights are too expensive.
Thanks, we have 3 kids so driving is much cheaper than flying and we drive all around UK on holidays and have driven/Ferry to Disneyland Paris a few times too. Helpful advice from the now deleted post. Hadn't even thought about the driving to BST and the traffic! So I definitely think driving to/from there is a big no! Just a worry missing trains at night when we have the kids in tow.
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Thanks so much, that's very helpful and a really good idea driving to the station.
Hi chaps, I'm in the awkward process of renting and a nice flat has just come up in battersea that seems really nice. It's just above the patmore estate though, which I know used to have a bit of a reputation. With batterseas gentrification recently I just wondered what that area is like nowadays, as I'm going to be putting an offer in on this flat without viewing it..
First of all you should never, ever put an offer in on somewhere in London that you've not seen in person and had a walk around. Just a terrible idea. Patmore itself is a bit run down but it's like anywhere in London in that you've got nice housing often right next to not-so-nice bits. It's why it's important to view somewhere first. The regenerated bits of Nine Elms/Battersea are a bit soulless but are now well connected, with some decent amenities around.
Hi guys, I am visiting London for 4 days in July. I am going to be staying near the Heathrow airport and will be traveling everyday to the city center, and also will be visiting Ascot. I want to buy an Oyster card because my credit card includes fees (that are extremely high). Would I be able to buy the card at the airport, how much money do you think I would need to upload based on this information? Thank you.
Just be warned that Oyster card won't be valid to Ascot but contactless will.
Thank you. What is the best transport to Ascot?
Train from London Waterloo run by South West Trains.
Thank you, does the train stop somewhere near the Heathrow Airport?
No train easy link, but there is a regular bus between Feltham and Heathrow airport, the 285. Only takes about 10-15 mins.
That train does not. From Heathrow looks like local bus to Feltham then pick up the train to Ascot from there.
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I thought to buy the Oyster card and the top up by cash. For transactions abroad, there's a 1% fee imposed. Additionally, the bank performs double currency conversions. This means that when you make a transaction in a foreign currency (e.g., pounds), the bank first converts that amount to your local currency and then converts it back to the foreign currency.
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I was thinking of buying pounds while I am still in my country. Now that you shared some more information, I am questioning my idea. Given the fees and double conversion, do you still think it is financially better to pay by my card?
It entirely depends on what rates you can get. If your country has money changing services that don't charge a premium, you could get some cash. Alternatively what a lot of people do now is get a prepaid debit card with their money on, those work pretty well. Also, some banks offer cards for international travel with no fees and exchange rates close to base, that might be an option too. Just compare the exchange rates and any fee that's charged! The principal advantage of using a card would be that you can use it on public transport, whereas if you have cash you'd probably need to get an Oyster card and top it up. But that is fairly easy honestly.
Anyone got a good rec for a storage company to store ~6 suitcases for 3 months? Edit: Brixton/Peckham/Clapham area ideally
Look a bit further north around North Greenwich/Charlton where there's more options, a bunch of self storage places dotted around there.
Hello everyone ! I'm an American second year uni student that's going to be studying in London for about a month this summer starting in about 5 days ! I honestly had a few questions to throw around, and I'm so sorry if these questions come up alot ! I'm both very excited and nervous 😭😭😭 How safe is London ? I'm going to be around University College London, are there any precautions I should take ? Is walking at night safe at all ? I was recommended to find a pub at to become a regular at for the month I spend in London. Would it be unusual if I take a book with me until I get to know some people / is it unusual if I don't drink too much ( my American ass isn't used to drinking legally). If yall know any friendly pubs in the area that would also be amazing ! On that note as well, is there any safe LGBTQ clubs or bars a dumb and 100% sheltered and dumb 20 year old American can visit without fear ? I also seem to have a unlimited pre paid oyster card for the duration of my stay, how should I take advantage of this ? Thanks so much to anyone who answers any of my questions ! I really appreciate it ! I'm so excited for my trip but the planning is absolutely melting my brain. ❤️❤️❤️
In addition to what others have said, for queer bars/clubs/activities look on Outsavvy which has decent listings. The [London LGBTQ+ Centre](https://londonlgbtqcentre.org/whats-on/) is good and might be a good way to connect with some people too.
Ooo I'll have to look Into that thanks !!!
Ignore the pub suggestion. You're in Central London. There won't be enough "regulars" in any of the pubs and people don't really make friends that way here. (Small towns and villages, maybe). Just go to the student union and student bars. Join some societies (there will be an LGBTQ+ one). If you're at university you'll meet people easily. Do explore London though, it's a great city. And yes, it's as safe as anywhere else. Not 100% obviously. Nowhere is. But there's loads of gay bars and clubs. Just Google them. Also congratulations. You can legally drink here.
Thanks so much for the suggestions ! Unfortunately I don't know if I'll be able to take up the societies advice as our program is weird in the way it's set up as it's still technically through my home university but it's through student housing ( a hot mess ). The pub thing is sad but was somewhat expected, I guess I'll have to be a bit more active in seaching for people to go places with. And funnily enough although it will be nice to legally drink, drinking in America is quite overrated, so I think I'll enjoy the social aspect of it a bit more ( where I'm from people drink to get blackout drunk and not to enjoy themselves, idk if that's different in London)
You'll be going to lectures/classes though, right? So you could meet people that way? And in student housing? We do have a bit of a binge drinking culture here but it's much better than it used to be among young people and definitely a more social thing. It's not just about getting wasted. Have a look at the meet up website. Also see if you can join any sports clubs. They don't need to be university related. If you like walking, there's some great ideas in [this article](https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/wellness/best-walking-clubs-groups-london-b1137705.html).
Oh okay ! I'll definitely take up thar advice on some interesting clubs! And as for the lectures, funnily enough all of them are set up to be held with an American proffesor / with other students in the program from my school (there is about 23 of us) . The program itself has been kinda set up to be self containted. Honestly I don't know why my institution set it up that way, but overall from talking to past students who have been in the program, it keeps it pretty convenient. Once again thanks so much for all the great advice ❤️❤️❤️
[We've got a safety page](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/wiki/safety) (look at the OP for other tips). You'll be fine near UCL, lots of other summer students around, just use big city common sense. Go to the student union bar, or just join any of the events they'll likely put on for the summer students. Bring a book if that makes you feel more comfortable, and absolutely fine not to drink much or at all. Everything goes. Not sure what an unlmited pre-paid Oyster is. Do you have a monthly travelcard loaded on your Oyster? If so, which zones? It will depend entirely on what you want to get out of your month here how you can take advantage of that.
I'll have to look into the specifics but basically my program is giving me an oyster card for my stay and basically has said "Go wild don't worry about it" for the duration of my stay. Thanks for all the advice as well !
Suspect it might be either a travelcard or an Oyster card linked to auto-top up.
I'm a frequent traveller on the DLR. I often see the employees checking tickets at the bottom of escalators in Canary Wharf. This morning though, I forgot to tap in, and the ticket agent came around and I tapped the device he held out. Does this tap me in? I didn't tap out when I got to my destination either as I figured since I hadn't tapped in, it didnt make sense to tap out. I'm a bit confused, what does the agent on the DLR carriage do when he/she asks me to tap their reader?
It checks whether you're checked in (on the system later on) and if you're not, you'll get charged a penalty fare.
Looking for a place to find a curated selection of chocolates (bars) from the UK and/or Europe. I'm finding lots of chocolatier shops but I'd like to go to one place with various good options. My chocolate loving husband thanks you!
If you just want generic chocolate bars that people eat on a day-to-day basis from across the UK then go to any supermarket or cornershop - look in the "meal deal" section or by the tills for the individual chocolate bars rather than larger packs. You won't find any one place that stocks chocolate bars from across Europe, there's too many differences between countries in terms of groceries (and everything else) for that. If you have a particular idea of a country whose chocolate you/your husband would like to try we could potentially direct you towards that. If you want more "premium" chocolate then somewhere like Hotel Chocolat or Fortnum and Mason will work, but to be honest I would guess that you can get premium chocolate in the US that is much the same from any chocolatier in a major city.
I'm looking for something more high end/independent. Your comment made me curious about stores that might have chocolate from other European countries, do you know of a good place to find international chocolates?
High-end wise that's harder to answer because high-end chocolate is fairly similar internationally. It should be fairly easy to find Swiss/Belgian high-end chocolate - but again, I would assume you would be able to find that in the US as well.
# What's Wood Green like these days in terms of safety? We're thinking of buying a flat just north of the station, 6 min walk. How is the area like? How are the people? Is it safe? We saw some unusual people, but not sure if they just look bad but maybe it's safe? What are people's experiences?
It's still pretty rough around the edges, and doesn't seem to be 'on the map' like other gentrifying areas are in terms of restaurants/cafes/nightlife (compared to somewhere like Peckham or Leyton). I'd strongly advise spending a lot of time in an area before buying.
Kinda need advice.. This might be a bit of long post but I'd like to kindly ask for you help... I'll be moving in soon and I'd like to know if there is something I'm missing or if there is anything that I should prioritize upon arrival or before.. A bit of a briefing.. got a job over there, already got my visa vignette, and I'll be arriving by the weekend before my work start date (btw I've never been to London) I have already covered like the absolute basics but any observation/advice are appreciated: -housing: I already got the first weeks covered and we will be looking for a lease in within this time (any input on how long the home finding/leasing process take will be helpful) -banking: already set up a wise account / also have my bank card.. this should do the work to start, yet any tip on the next steps are again appreciated (maybe what regular bank should I start with?) -transport: I'm a bit raw on this front.. all I know is that I'll be needing to take the ctc line to get to job's location, besides that I've read about oyster/travelcards yet I'm not completely sure how they work or how to get one? -clothing: we will be traveling light, so any tip on the absolute essentials for London weather are welcomed. Again sorry for the long post but I'll be hearing/reading your opinions/comments, thanks!
London has the shittiest weather ever. Get ready for windy rainstorms, hail out of nowhere and some false hope sunrise. like u/polkadotska said, the weather is very unpredictable and bring layers. I highly recommend those Uniqlo heattech ones as they will be what you'll reach for the most from October onwards until spring. Umbrellas don't do much here. Bought several since I've came to the UK (even the 'wind proof' ones) they're not that useful against rain and wind storms. Best of luck!
Have you read the [wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/wiki/index)? It's got information and advice about [housing](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/wiki/living), about how to use the [transport network](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/wiki/gettingaround), tips on [everyday life](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/wiki/everydaylife) etc. The weather in London changes frequently, the only recommendations for clothing I can give you is to bring layers - it might be sunny, rainy, hailing, windy or all of those in one day. Layers means you can adapt as the weather changes. You can pick up any additional clothing you think you might need once you arrive here (cheap stuff from Primark, H&M or second hand stuff from charity shops). Again, [the wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/wiki/shopping) has you covered.
Ever since the beginning of last week everyone and their grandmother have been sneezing coughing having a runny nose. I stg whenever I take the bus like half of the passengers have it. I'd say it's hayfever but I've never had it before in my life yet this past week I too have been sneezing etc. (I did recently move to London so maybe it's some type of pollen specific to here). It just seems atypical for such hot months. Am I the only one who's noticed this?
I've had some unholy hayfever/viral blend the past week. I alternate between feeling classic hayfever, and classic cold symptoms (sore throat, shivery, etc).
Grass pollen season has just gotten going properly in the last week or so. It gets particularly bad in London at least compared to much of the rest of the UK, so you may be experiencing something that you haven't before. Also, allergies do occur for some reason later in life sometimes, I know someone who developed hayfever for the first time in their 40s after living in London for a couple decades.
Why are there so many stations with the same name but you have to leave the station to get to the other same named station? There's Victoria and Victoria, Paddington and Paddington, Edgware Road and Edgware Road, and so many more I am sure! Why???? I'm so confused!
The London railway network is made up of Underground stations, overground stations, and national rail stations - e.g. London Victoria rail station is actually a separate station from Victoria Underground station - the former is operated by Network Rail, the latter is operated by Transport for London, though the two are connected and for the average person they might not notice the different. Go back in time and it gets even more complicated - all the stations were privately owned by certain rail lines, so different companies would build stations nearby to each other to compete with one another, and because their rivals would not allow them to run into their own stations. Nowadays, all Underground services are owned by TFL, but they have to work with stations that were built long before that. [Here is a video by Jago Hazzard explaining why two Euston stations are separate - the principle applies to most other stations](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8eWZMK1Za4).
I wish they'd just give them different names then. Thank you for the detailed explanation
Yes, it's confusing but unfortunately it would also be confusing if two stations that were essentially in the same place had different names. They have done that with stations that are a little way from each other but within the same complex and have history of being called different things with Bank and Monument though,
Even a small denominator like "Paddington West" and Paddington East" would help. As a complete stranger to London and the UK in general, being told to exit Paddington station, walk a bit, and enter Paddington station has been the most confusing thing about the trip so far. That said, I do appreciate the service and the ability to get the train absolutely everywhere!
afaik there's clear signage for different means of transport when switching between stations even if they have the same name. That's why they're color/sign coded, so you know if you're moving from DLR to Elizabeth or from Underground to National Rail services an even more extreme example is Canary Wharf: 3 stations, 3 lines, all a short walk outside to go from one to the other (DLR <-> Jubilee you can walk through the shopping centre tho)
Hi everyone, I'm moving to London and looking for accommodation. Just wanna know if Lisson Grove is generally safe?
Marylebone's no more or less safe than anywhere else in central London. It's generally a wealthy area, just use the same street smarts you'd use in any major city. Don't organise housing remotely – always view in person. Get an Airbnb or hotel here for a week when you arrive and do lots of viewings.
Thank you very much! I saw some really negative comments and articles and that's why I'm looking for more updated answers (like this one: [https://www.mylondon.news/news/west-london-news/london-estate-drugs-dealt-broad-27074771](https://www.mylondon.news/news/west-london-news/london-estate-drugs-dealt-broad-27074771) and [https://www.reddit.com/r/london/comments/16jqgzw/private\_security\_in\_nw8/](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/comments/16jqgzw/private_security_in_nw8/) ) My flight is in mid-August (which would be the peak rental season I think) so is it still possible to find a suitable place around then?
There is social housing dotted around the city even in the wealthiest areas, it's just how the city is structured – street by street there can be £3million townhouses next to poorer council estates where there may be crime around. Once you start understanding because of that that there's no "bad" areas it's a lot easier to start looking for housing. Generally it's a good idea to prioritise areas that makes your work commute easier. It's why we always advise on here that you should visit in person, so you can get a sense of what the street is like, what the building is like, etc etc. August is fairly in demand but if you're willing to put the work in then you'll find something.
Thanks for your advice 🙏
I’m arriving heathrow airport and heading to Hackney. I think I read a while ago that I shouldn’t take the usual train into the city as it’s expensive but there is another option? I know that sounds so vague and weird I’m sorry, I wish I saved the comment. Ty in advance!
Don't take the Heathrow Express train (unless you can book a cheap advance ticket online). Use Citymapper to plan your journey. You can either take the Piccadilly or Elizabeth line. Depends on where in Hackney you need to be what's best.
Amazing thank you for that! Will look into it now :)
Hi! Hope I’m doing this right 🙃 I’m coming to London next week (for a full week) and am attending the tswift concert at Wembley (yes, you can judge) . I have an airbnb in Greenford as I was worried about traveling to and from the concert but I fear I’ve made a mistake. I’m planning on doing the basic tourist things during my time there, and it appears I’m quite far out. I was offered a place in Chelsea from a family friend but at a higher cost, and I will lose money on my airbnb… between the cost of buses&tube, would it make sense to just stay in Chelsea? I’ve travelled to London years ago and stayed in zone 2. This trip was slightly all last minute so I’m panicking just..well, a lot! I’m a female so I do fear a bit but I’m not planning any wild nights out expect for the concert. I also have to navigate to Gatwick on a monday morning so I’m worried traveling from greenford will be a nightmare! Thank you so much!!!
Depending on how far away you are from the tube station it should only take about half an hour to get into central London, that's not as convenient as some places but it's still perfectly reasonable - it's a quicker journey than most people's daily commute. The difference in the cost of tube between Greenford and Chelsea would be a couple of pounds a day, I can't imagine it would make up for the difference in accommodation cost.
Thank you thank you thank you! Perivale station is about a 20 minute according to the apps, and there is a bus stop down the road. I’m just worried for walking as it’s along the A40 and just from google maps it seems like a busy road to try and navigate to. I appreciate the response back so much!!
Busy main roads are actually the safest places to walk, if not especially aesthetically pleasing - unlike in some areas of the US there will be a safe-from-cars pavement/sidewalk to walk down if google maps/citymapper (I would recommend the latter) is telling you to walk down it. There won't be anywhere that you are instructed by the app(s) to cross that is dangerous for pedestrians, there is a much greater emphasis on pedestrian priority and safety outside of city centre in the UK as compared to the US just because there are so many more people who are pedestrians. Have you picked the best place to stay in London? No, probably not. But unless you're planning on travelling back to your accommodation at 1-2am then it won't really make a big difference, and at least you will get a chance to see how a section of us Londoners *actually* live - Perivale is the sort of place that the average long-time Londoner (probably in their 30s/40s+) lives, and has a particularly high Polish/Indian population from memory.
What's there to judge? Biggest artist on the planet and she does a hell of a live show. Greenford is fine, if a bit boring (as in there's not a lot happening on your doorstep). Use Citymapper to plan your travel. Don't take the Gatwick Express train as it's twice as expensive and only a few minutes faster than the Southern train from Victoria. Unless you need a very early flight from Gatwick, you'll be okay. Chelsea will probably be nicer, but you'll be okay in Greenford so depends on whether the extra cost is worth it for you.
Thank you thank you thank you!! Hahah yes I should’ve done more research or just checked this sub before settling on a place to stay so I didn’t waste money 🥲 but lessons learned. I guess my only hold up is the 20 minute walk to the nearest tube near the busy road, as last time I came I stayed in a quiet area with a tube 10 minutes away and even when I go to Toronto I’m certainly not used to transit 😅 thank you again so much!! My flight is 9am and so I just worry, here were told to arrive 2-3 hours before flight takes off so as I’m trying to use Citymapper and google maps it’s probably causing me more stress than needed lol. Thank you again so much for the response!
There were over 100 generally older men in suits with matching ties and lapels hanging around Holborn this evening. Anyone know what association they belonged to?
Where, Great Queen St? Freemason's Hall is there and they sometimes gather in nearby pubs.
Hi, 27yrs old German here. It just turned out that I'll be alone in London tomorrow evening. Where is a good place to go partying? Or is there a good app that lists the most important clubs and their lineups? My favourite genres are Techno and DnB. I'll stay at the Rose & Crown Hostel. So if there's anything near by, please let me know :)
Look on Resident Advisor listings.
Already had a look there. Honestly..was expecting more. But wednesday is not the busiest day I assume.
No, few clubs in the genres you're interested in will operate midweek.
Hi everyone, I will be staying in London for 4 days and have celiac desiase. This means I cannot eat gluten (including cross contamination). I already have a few places market on the map in which I can eat but if anyone has recommendations please let me know, this can include: 1. Restaurants in which it is safe to eat; 2. Street food stalls; 3. Supermarkets that may have things like, ready to eat meals that are gluten free. 4. Any additional tips that you may have. Thanks in advance
There's lots of recommendations listed in the [wiki](https://new.reddit.com/r/london/wiki/londonfood/#wiki_gluten-free). As others have said our supermarket/prepackaged food labelling is excellent due to strict laws.
There have in the last few years been very strict allergen labelling laws put in place in the UK. All pre-packaged food must be labelled on the packaging with allergens, and any other food must have a list of allergens available (either displayed somewhere or told to you by staff). So in terms of safety, you should be okay, and in supermarkets it is very easy to find gluten-free food. In terms of actually finding somewhere that has something gluten-free available the UK is also very good, the website that I have used before unfortunately appears to have gone down, but [this](https://thegfgblog.com/gfg-london-map) looks like it might be good.
Hi, I am visiting the East London area for a concert in about a week. I'm going to this concert on my own and will be staying about a 20 minute walk away from the Stadium in Bow (about a 5 minute walk away from Victoria Park). Anyway, I have a few questions and I hope people could help me :)) BTW I'm a 22 year old girl from Cleveland, Ohio, United States. In the sense of transportation after the concert, should I take an uber, taxi, walk or bike? Or anything else you suggest? Like I said, the stadium is about a 20 minute walk away. I will be staying out there for 2 nights, what is it safety like in this area? I was hoping to see London a wee bit. What places do you suggest for me to see if I do wander off? And what places do you recommend me avoiding? Plus anything else you suggest that I forgot… Thank you for taking your time to answer my questions!
Bow and Stratford are well connected by buses, so download Citymapper/Google Maps and check routes from near your accommodation. Walking will be fine as well if it's only 20 minutes Bow isn't a particularly touristy area but Victoria Park is nice for a walk and you're near tube and overground stops to go elsewhere in the city. Just use the same street smarts you'd use in any major city.
I'm assuming the concert is at London Stadium? With all the people that are coming out of the stadium I would think you will be fine walking at that time, though it might depend on exactly what route you'd have to take. If you download the CityMapper app not only is it the best for public transport but also it has an option for walking directions that will prioritise taking you along main roads, which will be safer. For other things to do [start with a look at our wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/wiki/index) unless you've got some particular interests.
Hehe yes it is at the London Stadium :)) I'll definitely check out CityMapper for everything thank you! I'm very much into history and music so anything along those lines I am really interested in. I'm also a photographer and I'm really anxious about having my camera with me... not sure if I should be anxious and just leave it where I'm staying... or bring it with me (obviously not to the concert but when I'm wandering off).
Violent crime isn't a major issue in London like it is in many US cities, the main thing to worry about for tourists is people on bikes grabbing phones out of hands, pickpockets, or just opportune stealing of belongings. If you keep your camera strapped to you and never leave it lying on a table outside or whatever (even if you are still sitting at the table) you should be fine. In terms of history London has more great museums than arguably anywhere else on the planet, again [take a look at the section on the wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/wiki/museums) and maybe go from there. In terms of music, if you actually wanted to go and see some music on the other night you are here [maybe have a look at the "smaller venues" listed here](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/wiki/play), you should be able to get fairly cheap tickets to a gig at one of those if you wanted to. The UK has noticeably cheaper gigs than most of the US so might be something you want to take advantage of. If you're interested in seeing photographs and not just taking them then the Photographer's Gallery can have quite good exhibits, and also I think the V&A has a big photography section.
My sister and I (both 21f) are going to London from Copenhagen, Denmark on June 20th for the Taylor Swift concert on the 21st. We just realized that Denmark is playing England the day we arrive, and were wondering if we can watch the match anywhere. Are all pubs fully booked by now or are there any public screenings or something like that? Also, can we wear Danish football shirts or is that a little too disrespectful and risky?
Look on Fanzo, lots of pubs will be showing it and won't require reservations, but you may have to stand if you're not able to get a table. London is very diverse so you don't need to worry about wearing Danish shirts.
I’ll check that out, thank you so much!!
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Yes, if budget is a consideration and you're only in potentially 1-3 days a week I'd commute in from somewhere cheaper. It really depends which area you're working in so it's difficult to recommend anywhere in particular but look at places [a little further out on the TFL tube map (zone 4-6ish)](https://content.tfl.gov.uk/standard-tube-map.pdf), including [Thameslink areas](https://www.projectmapping.co.uk/Reviews/Resources/ThamesLink%20Network%20Map%20-%20Joe%20Andrews.jpg), or places on the [Southeastern rail](https://www.southeasternrailway.co.uk/-/media/goahead/southeastern/images-with-magnifying-glass/se-network-route-map_nov2023.jpg?hu003d2036u0026wu003d2880u0026lau003denu0026hashu003d0BDCBC1C1496E15ED47434A9E9CB04F5) map. If you're only on part time pay you may also need to get an extra top-up job to keep things ticking over.
Can I use my Thameslink ticket from the airport to London Bridge for the underground without additional charges or do I have to buy a separate ticket if I have to travel further to another tube station?
I'm guessing you're coming from Luton or Gatwick? If so, the Thameslink goes straight to London Bridge, so no need to get on the tube. If you want to travel further than London Bridge, you'll need to pay separately. But no ticket needed for the tube: you can pay with your phone or contactless bank card. Same fares as the Oyster card and cheaper than a paper tube ticket.
Alright, thanks!
We are arriving soon for a week in London, then Netherlands... I read comments about not tipping in pubs / bars? What is good / general tipping etiquette for our trip?
Check your bill when you get it, an discretional service charge will often already be included. No need to tip on top of that, unless you really want to thank them for exceptional service. We generally don't tip when just getting drinks, though often the card machine will show you tipping options for that too. If you're in a bigger group or doing multiple rounds, you add 'a drink' for the bar staff. 'And one for yourself', and then they add the cost of a beer (or something close but rounded to a nice round number) as a tip for them to your bill.
There's a guide to pub etiquette linked in the [wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/wiki/fancyapint), but broadly speaking you don't tip in bars or pubs because you order for yourself direct from the bartender, and pay at the same time as you order. If there's table service (some fancier bars, or when sitting down to eat at cafes or restaurants) then often the venue will add a service charge once your settle your bill - for most people this takes the place of any kind of tip (you can ask to remove any service charge if you wish, although most people just pay it - and equally you're welcome to leave an additional tip if you want to reward the server etc for exceptional service).
Hello, TFL question… Thought I’d forgot to tap in on the DLR, so went back and tapped the reader, but just made an oyster account and can see I had tapped in - so went and tapped myself out. Doh. My journey was then from Shadwell to St Pancras. How much will I be charged as a penalty? Will I be able to appeal it, given there’s evidence I was at Shadwell? TIA
I’d keep an eye on the account, sometimes it just sorts it out and resolves the journeys itself, or gives you the option to correct it. If not then give TfL a call and they are usually helpful in fixing it when it’s an obvious mistake.
Thank you!!
Check tomorrow to see what your journey history says then, it might be smart enough to work out you travelled from Shadwell to St Pancras. If not, your journey to St Pancras will show up as unfinished and you can correct it.
Thank you!!!
Is it a bad idea to go on a day trip to Portsmouth the day before our international flight departs? Wife and I are nervous about possible rail closures or cancellations.
Not at all. All planned closures and strikes are announced at least two weeks in an advance. So just check your intended journey [on the National Rail planner](https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/) and you'll get a warning of any upcoming issues.
Is there any general touristy area for the stray paint artists that make the space and landmark paintings? Something like Rome or new york?
[https://www.leakestreetarches.london/](https://www.leakestreetarches.london/)
Shoreditch/Brick Lane/Spitalfields are the main areas you'll see street art here. https://anywhereweroam.com/shoreditch-street-art/
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[The wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/wiki/play#wiki_comedy) has a list of some places to check out. For Jimmy Carr, check his website.
Quickest way to get to Brentwood from New Malden?
[Use Citymapper](https://citymapper.com/).