welcome to london winter 2011
DESCRIPTION
Short tourist guide for the city of LondonTRANSCRIPT
WE LCOM E TOLON DON
WI NTE R 2011/12I N F OR MATI ON TO START YOU R VI S IT
IncludesTube +
Bus maps
London has a huge variety of attractions. Historical or contemporary, paidfor or free, there is something to suit all tastes and budgets. Here are thetop ten visitor attractions (according to visitor numbers in 2010).* Indicates free entry to permanent exhibitions
1. British Museum*A fascinating range of objects from around the world from prehistoric tomodern times.
2. Tate Modern*Britain’s national museum of modern art in an iconic former power station.
3. National Gallery*One of the world’s greatest collections of European paintings from 1250 to 1900.
4. Natural History Museum*As well as the infamous dinosaurs, the museum has a collectionof the biggest, tallest and rarest animals in the world.
5. EDF Energy London EyeThe world’s highest observation wheel with spectacular views.
6. Science Museum*Over 40 galleries and 2,000 hands-on exhibits.
7. Victoria and Albert Museum*Celebrating art and design with collections on ceramics, furniture,fashion, sculpture and much more.
8. Madame TussaudsMeet famous faces from the worlds of showbiz, sport, politics and royalty.
9. National Maritime Museum/Royal Observatory*Discover seafaring and stargazing in Greenwich
10. Tower of LondonMore than 900 years of history andthe Crown Jewels.
1Top10 Attractions
visitlondon.com2 tfl.gov.uk 3
Seevisitlondon.comto book ticketsand foritinerariesaround London
British Museum Tate Modern
Top 10 AttractionsVisitor InformationGetting AroundLondon’s RegionsTube and Rail MapBus RoutesUseful Tips
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As Mayor of London I am delighted to welcomeyou to London – the best big city on earth.
This booklet has been designed to help first timevisitors get started in London with useful tips formaking the most of your trip and practical adviceon getting around town.
With unique heritage, fantastic culture and iconicattractions, there is always something to see and do whether you arehere for a day, a week or longer.
For more in-depth information look out for other free guideswhile you are here including London Planner which is available inTourist Information Centres. Or check out the many other specialistguides to London that you will find in bookshops across the capital.
London is always packed with events, festivals, activities, exhibitionsand entertainment. For inspiration and the latest tips, includinginformation on bars, restaurants, shops, attractions and more, goto London’s official website visitlondon.com
I wish you an enjoyable stay in our city.Boris Johnson, Mayor of London
Visitor information is also available by calling 0870 1 566366 (in the UK).This service is operated by London & Partners, London’s officialpromotional organisation.
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2Visitor Information 3Getting AroundTravel InformationCentres
Euston Railway StationOpposite platform 10Open: Mon-Fri 08.15-20.15Sat, Sun & Public Holidays08.15-19.15
Heathrow AirportHeathrow Terminals 1,2,3 Tube StationOpen: Daily 07.15-20.15
King’s Cross Tube StationWestern Ticket Hall nearSt. PancrasOpen: Mon-Sat 07.15-20.15Sun & Public Holidays08.15-19.15
Liverpool Street Tube StationOpen: Mon-Sat 08.15-20.15Sun & Public Holidays 08.15-19.15
Piccadilly Circus Tube StationOpen: Daily 09.15-19.00
Victoria Railway StationOpposite platform 8Open: Mon-Sat 07.15-20.15Sun & Public Holidays08.15-19.15
On street informationYou may also meet one of the city's300 London Ambassadors on thestreets who will be happy to provideyou with on-the-spot information.
Tourist & TravelInformation CentresWe know that face-to-face contactis always valued, especially whenyou are in a new city, so you will finda welcoming face, inspiring ideas,and tickets to many attractions atTourist and Travel InformationCentres. Travel Centres also selltickets for travel. The nearest Tube,DLR or National Rail station is shown.
Tourist InformationCentres (TICs)City of London TICSt Paul’s Churchyard,London EC4M 8BX
St. Paul’s/Mansion HouseOpen: Mon-Sat 09.30-17.30Sun 10.00-16.00
Greenwich TICPepys House,2 Cutty Sark Gardens,London SE10 9LWDLR Cutty Sark
DLR GreenwichOpen: Daily 10.00-17.00
Holborn Visitor Information KioskKingsway, London WC2B 6BG
HolbornOpen: Mon-Fri 09.00-17.00Sat & Sun closed
Richmond TICOld Town Hall, Whittaker Avenue,Richmond TW9 1TP
RichmondOpen: Mon-Sat 10.00-17.00Sun closed
Additional TICS in Bexley, Harrow,Lewisham, Swanley, Twickenham;see visitlondon.com/welcome
For all the information you needto plan your trip, go totfl.gov.uk/journeyplanner, whichprovides the tools to easily plan yourjourney on public transport in advance,and is available in 19 languages.You can also telephone+44 (0)843 222 1234* (24 hours)Alternatively visit one of the TravelInformation Centres or any Tube Station.*You pay no more than 5p per minute if callingfrom a BT landline. There may be a connectioncharge. Charges from mobiles or other landlineproviders may vary.
London UndergroundThere are 11 colour-codedUnderground or ‘Tube’ lines. Servicesrun regularly from around 05.00 to00.30 (Sun 07.30 to 23.30) on mostroutes. The network is divided intonine zones, with Zone 1 being themost central area. See page 8 forthe Tube and Rail Map.
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TICKETS TO TRAVEL
London BusesBuses generally run from 05.00to 00.30. Night Buses operate onmany major routes from aroundmidnight to 05.00, and someroutes operate a 24-hour service.Cash fares are not available for buspassengers in Zone 1, thereforepassengers must obtain a validticket or Oyster card before boarding.Some routes are especially good forsightseeing including routes 9 and15 which use heritage Routemasterbuses during the day.
Oyster cardsThe Oyster card is London’s travel smartcard and is generally the easiest andcheapest way to pay to travel around London whether you are using Tube, bus, tram,DLR, London Overground or National Rail services.
Ticket TypesOyster can store season tickets (Travelcards) as well as credit for single journeys(pay as you go), and your card is fully re-usable. When your Travelcard expires oryour pay as you go credit is getting low, you can add another Travelcard or add morecredit at over 3,900 Oyster retailers, at station touchscreen ticket machines and atTravel Information Centres in London. With pay as you go, you can travel as manytimes as you like in a day and the daily price cap means that you will never pay morethan the price of an equivalent One Day Travelcard.
Where to BuyYou can save time by purchasing an Oyster card before you arrive in London attfl.gov.uk/visitorshop or get one when you arrive from Tube or selected NationalRail stations.
Using your OysterTo ensure you pay the correct fare on Tube, DLR, London Overground and NationalRail services you must always touch in on the yellow card reader at the start of yourjourney and touch out at the end. On buses and trams you only need to touch in at thestart of your journey.
For further information about Oyster including fares, travelling with children and usingOyster on River Services and National Rail, go to tfl.gov.uk/oyster
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TaxiHail one of London’s famousblack cabs (some are multicoloured!)when the yellow ‘Taxi’ sign is lit.Please note fares increase after20.00. Private hire or minicabs mustbe booked in advance. We adviseyou against getting into any vehiclethat approaches you in the streetpurporting to be a minicab. Seetfl.gov.uk/findaride for details oflocal licensed minicabs, or useCabwise - text CAB to 60835 toget one taxi and two local licensedminicab numbers sent to your mobilephone (cost may vary dependingon your mobile provider). Overseasnetworks can access this service bytexting the street name and partialpostcode eg Victoria St SW1 to+44 (0)7797 800 000. Texts willbe charged at your standardroaming rate per enquiry.
DocklandsLight RailwayDocklands Light Railway (DLR)runs from 05.30-00.30 Monday toSaturday and 06.30-23.30 on Sunday.There are trains every 4-10 minutesrunning on routes from Bank andTower Gateway to Docklands, Eastand South East London. Take the DLRto visit Canary Wharf, Cutty Sark forMaritime Greenwich, ExCeL Londonor London City Airport.
River ServicesTravelling on the river can be arelaxing way to travel whilst taking inthe sights, and Oyster cards can nowbe used on ThamesClippers services.Go to tfl.gov.uk/river or pick upthe River Services leaflet fromTube stations.
CyclingFor general information on cycling inLondon visit tfl.gov.uk/cyclingBarclays Cycle Hire is a public bicyclesharing scheme in central London.There are 400 docking stations and6,000 bicycles for hire.For further information go totfl.gov.uk/barclayscyclehire
WalkingWalking in London is a great wayto get around. For more informationon walking routes visittfl.gov.uk/walking
National Rail andLondon OvergroundThere are 13 National Rail terminiin London for connections to allparts of the UK, plus Eurostarservices from St. Pancras International.For further information go tonationalrail.co.uk or call08457 484950 (UK only) or+44 (0)20 7278 5240. For servicesto London destinations outsidethe central area, including LondonOverground services, visit tfl.gov.uk
TOP 5 TRAVEL TIPS
Walking can often be quicker in central London than taking the Tube between two adjacentstops. For example, the walk between Leicester Square andCovent Garden is just a few minutes.
Always check before you travel at weekends when planned engineering works take place.
As in any city, If walking late atnight, try to keep to brightly litareas with other people nearbyand be aware of your surround-ings – listening to music orusing a phone can be distractingand dangerous.
CoachesLondon’s main coach services use Victoria Coach Station, SW1+44 (0)20 7730 3466tfl.gov.uk/coaches
Operators include:National Express +44 (0)871 818 181nationalexpress.com
Green Line Coaches+44 (0)844 801 7261greenline.co.uk
Megabus +44 (0)9001 600 900megabus.com
4London’s Regions
Central LondonLondon’s heart is made up of many districts from the iconic City of Westminster to the City of London, the main financial area ofthe capital. This central area has adense concentration of landmarks,theatres, museums, nightspots andfamous shopping areas like CoventGarden, Carnaby Street and Oxford Street.
North LondonOver 120 languages are spoken inthis multicultural and vibrant region,which is steeped in history andrenowned for its culture. Areas of interest include Hampstead Heathand Primrose Hill with their hugegreen spaces, fabulous views andvillage feel, characterful Camdenwith its eclectic market and livemusic scene, and Green Lanes,where you can enjoy Turkish, Greek and Kurdish food.
South LondonThe South is appreciated for its array of open spaces such as Clapham Common, the World Heritage Site at Greenwich and
riverside Richmond. It’s popular forsporting attractions such as theWimbledon Lawn Tennis Museumand cricket at The Kia Oval. It offerswonderful opportunities to escapefrom the hustle and bustle, from thevillage atmosphere of Barnes to historicstately homes and palaces such asHam House and Hampton Court.
East LondonThe East now claims its place in the limelight and is set to play a huge part in the London 2012Olympic Games and ParalympicGames. The area is home to aunique arts scene and popular markets like Spitalfields, while thenightlife here in Hoxton and Shoreditch rivals that of the WestEnd. Further east, Lee Valley Regional Park is one of London’s biggest open space.
West LondonWest London is remarkable for itsleafy squares, fascinating museumsand vibrant street markets. Here youwill find upmarket Kensington andChelsea, the peaceful streets andcanals of Maida Vale, Hammersmith,which is home to some great riversidepubs, and the vibrant, multiculturalcommunities of Shepherd’s Bushand Southall.
London buzzes night and day with an unforgettable energy, andeach area of the city has its owndistinct atmosphere. Here is a quick introduction to the points of our compass:
Richmond
LOCAL TIP
“Research the several different ways to get into town from London’s airports,there are lots of different options soyou’re sure to find something to suit,whether you’re on a budget or just need to get there swiftly” Chris, from Wimbledonvisitlondon.com/travel/airport
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Use the Tube outside the morning and afternoon rushhours to avoid crowded trainsand platforms. Or perhaps takeadvantage of the River Services!
Always stand on the right and walk on the left onescalators at stations.
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5 Tube and Rail Map
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Regent Street
PiccadillyCircus
OxfordStreet
WardourStreet
Victoria StreetNew Scotland Yard WestminsterVictoria
Belgrave Road
Pimlico Grosvenor Road
VictoriaCoach Station
Sloane Square
Waterloo
Elephant & Castle
Kennington Road
to Streatham
FleetStreet
toCamberwell
Walworth RoadCuming Museum and Library
Aldwych
Berkeley SquareKingsway
Templeof Mithras
Ludgate Circusfor City Thameslink
St. Paul’s Cathedral
Mansion House
MonumentTower
Hill
Green Park
BondStreet
MarbleArch
LancasterGate
Queensway
Notting HillGate
Edgware Road
KnightsbridgeRoyal
Albert Hall
toHammersmith
Paddington
Ladbroke Grove
Westbourne Park
to Golders Green
Baker Street andGloucester Place
to West Hampstead
Lord’s CricketGround
Lisson Grove
Hyde ParkCorner
LeicesterSquare
RussellSquare
to Hampstead Heath
Goodge Streetand Gower Street
Warren Streetand Euston Square
EustonKing’sCross
Islington AngelMorningtonCrescent
Camden Town
Holborn ChanceryLane
Holborn Viaductfor City Thameslink
Bank
York WayAgar Grove
to Seven Sisters
Essex Road
Liverpool Street
to Bow
to Blackwall
TottenhamCourt Road/
CambridgeCircus
to NorthGreenwich
ShoreditchHigh Street
Ladbroke Grove Sainsbury’s
Westminster
Festival
St. JohnStreet
Moorgate
toFriernBarnet
CamdenRoad
CaledonianRoad
ShaftesburyAvenue
The Zoo
Trafalgar Squarefor Charing Cross
ChelseaKing’s Road
to Fulham Broadway
to Putney Heath
SouthKensington
to Putney
Park Lane
WestminsterCathedral
UpperGround
Tower Gateway
Tate Modern
London BridgeBlackfriars
Bankside
Tower
LondonBridge City
Great Portland Street
Marylebone
toDeptford
Tower BridgeRoad
to Archway
to ClaptonPond
Embankment
PaddingtonBasin
St. PancrasInternational
Old Street
London Eye
St.Katharine’s
to Streatham Hill
Albany Streetfor The Zoo
to ParliamentHill Fields
toWhiteCity
to IlfordAldgate
Conduit Street
Abbey Road
High StreetKensington
Bricklayer’s Arms
BermondseyMarket
OxfordCircus
Routes , and alsoserve Tottenham Court Roadstation westbound only
Bloomsbury Way
24
139
390
23
73
8
274
910
188 2311
11
453
14
139
74
14
74
274
RV1
RV1
139 13
24
10
4373
8
15
188
148159 453
390
38
38
43
59
59
C2
C2
148 2525
10 73 39015
159
HorseGuards
AdmiraltyArch
Eros
ImperialWar Museum
RoyalFestival Hall
Nelson’sColumn
Harrods
AlbertMemorial
RoyalMews Buckingham
Palace
LondonZoo
Madame Tussaud’s
Royal NationalTheatre
WestminsterAbbey
Houses ofParliament
BritishMuseum
Sadler’s WellsTheatre
TelecomTower
St. Paul’sCathedral
Royal Courts of Justice
TowerBridgeHMS Belfast
Tower ofLondon
Cleopatra’s Needle
St. James’sPalace
WellingtonArch
RoyalAcademy
NationalGallery
Victoria &Albert Museum
ScienceMuseum
NaturalHistory
Museum
BarbicanCentre
MarbleArch
CoventGarden
London Eye
GlobeTheatre
River Tham
es
Camden LockMarket
LondonCanal Museum
Pollock’sToy Museum
Museumof London
TateModern
SherlockHolmesMuseum
CharlesDickens
Museum
Covent GardenMarket
LondonTransportMuseum
SaatchiGallery
GreenPark
St. James’sPark
HydePark
Regent’s Park
KensingtonGardens
Route 8Route 9Route 10Route 11Route 13Route 14Route 15Route 23Route 24Route 25Route 38Route 43Route 59Route 73Route 74Route 139Route 148Route 159Route 188Route 274Route 390Route 453Route C2Route RV1
London Underground interchange
London Overground interchange
National Rail interchange
Docklands Light Railwayinterchange
London River Services pier
London TravelInformation Centre
Key
Key bus routes in central London
© Transport for London TFL18590.07.10
6 Bus Routes
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Green Tourism forLondon scheme
If you want to tryand make yourtrip to London aneco-friendly one,look out for theofficial GreenTourism forLondon logo when
booking your accommodation andchoosing attractions to visit. Seevisitlondon.com/green for a fulllist of hotels and attractions thathave achieved the award, and ahost of other tips on how tomakeyour trip to London environmentally-friendly.
7Useful TipsTo help you book Londonaccommodation with confidencein the standard of service andcomfort you can expect to receive,look out for a quality rating logo.When accommodation displaysone of the logos, it means aQuality Assessor has visited andgiven it an independent andtrustworthy assessment.
Official Star Ratings
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MoneyThe unit of currency in Britainis the pound sterling (£), and allLondon areas are served by ATMs,which accept Visa, MasterCard,Cirrus or Maestro cards. If youhave travellers cheques, these canbe exchanged at banks, bureaux dechange, hotels and post offices;there are a wide range across town.
Lost propertyLost property left on publictransport, including taxis, is dealtwith at the Transport for London(TfL) Lost Property office at200 Baker Street.+44 (0)845 330 9882
Opening hoursShops are generally open Mondaysto Saturdays, from 10.00-18.00,although some central stores stayopen until 20.00-21.00 and laterstill on Thursdays. On Sundays manyshops open from midday to 16.00.Visitor attractions and museumstypically open daily from 10.00-18.00,although most close for a couple ofdays during the Christmas holidays.
Regent’s Park
TippingIf you’ve received good service,whether in a restaurant, café orhotel, it is quite normal to leave atip of 10% of the total bill.
MapsA wide variety of maps are availablefrom TICs and all bookstores.See visitlondon.com/maps or tryout the interactive maps online atvisitlondon.com/explorer
Post and emailStamps can be bought at PostOffices or newsagents. Postcardsto Europe within the UK cost from68p or 76p to the rest of the world.Many hotels have internet accessand there are internet cafésthroughout the city.
LLOOCCAALL TTIIPP
“Many of London's big museums are free, so it won't cost you a penny tosee all that they have to offer” Katherina, from Wembleyvisitlondon.com/value
Stars are awarded following annualassessments by trained, impartialassessors. Annual visits are madeand, in the case of hotels and guestaccommodation, this involves a‘mystery shop’ overnight stay at leastevery other year to thoroughly checkout the service, hospitality, food andcleanliness, as well as the standardand comfort of the accommodation.All participating establishments areawarded between one and five stars.The more stars, the higher the qualityand range of services and facilitiesprovided. For full details of criteria,please refer to enjoyengland.com
Travellers with access needsAccess for disabled visitors in Londonhas greatly improved in recent years.All of London’s 8,000 buses (exceptheritage Routemasters) are low-floor,wheelchair accessible vehicles. Fordetails of hotels with accessible facilities, maps showing step freeroutes around the city, and informationon accessible Tube stations andblack cabs, go tovisitlondon.com/access
Walk this wayLook out for Legible London signs throughout central Londonwhich feature maps and informationfor pedestrians. You’ll be amazed at how easy it is to walk between many London landmarks.
Italy T: +44 (0)20 7312 2200
NetherlandsT: +44 (0)20 7590 3200
New ZealandT: +44 (0)20 7930 8422
PolandT: +44 (0)20 7580 4324
SpainT: +44 (0)20 7589 8989
SwedenT: +44 (0)20 7917 6400
USAT: +44 (0)20 7499 9000
AustraliaT: +44 (0)20 7379 4334
CanadaT: +44 (0)20 7258 6600
ChinaT: +44 (0)20 7299 4049
FranceT: +44 (0)20 7073 1000
GermanyT: +44 (0)20 7824 1300
IndiaT: +44 (0)20 7836 8484
IrelandT: +44 (0)20 7235 2171
Embassies and Consulates
Legible London sign
LLOOCCAALL TTIIPP
“London has more parks and green space than most major capital cities – great for relaxing away from the busy streets” Hannah, from Notting Hillvisitlondon.com/outdoors
GOING GREEN
The most environmentally-friendlyway of getting around the city is onfoot or by bike. Walking is one of thebest ways of getting a feel for the city and most major landmarks arewithin easy reach of each other. It’s also a great idea to offset thecarbon emissions generated by anyflights here. For walking and cyclingtours and more tips on how to be agreen traveller, check out visitlondon.com/green Also be sure to recycle this guide,either literally or by passing it on toanother traveller for their trip.
Medical helpNHS DirectT: 0845 4647(24-hour advice within UK)nhsdirect.nhs.ukAmbulance 999 or 112 (24 hours)
For minor ailments, pharmacists candispense certain drugs. The largestchain is Boots, see boots.comfor locations. To find a 24-hour pharmacy see nhs.uk
ToiletsPublic toilets are provided at coach and mainline rail stations.Most charge 30p, and there arefacilities for people with disabilitiesand for those with babies.‘Superloos’ are also available across London.
Public holidaysYou can expect to find most businesses closed on thesepublic holidays, but some shops,bars and restaurants will remainopen as usual or operate to their Sunday hours. On 25 December,most shops will shut.
2011/1225–27 December2 January
Telephones+44 is the international dialling code for the UK. Public telephonestake coins, telephone cards(available in newsagents, post offices and bureaux de change) orcredit cards. The minimum cost for a call is 60p. The operator is on 100(calls within UK and Eire) or 155(calls abroad or to a ship).
Drinking age restrictionsThe legal age for buying alcohol in the UK is 18 years old, althoughsome bars and restaurants will onlyserve customers over the age of 21.If you are lucky enough to lookunder 21 it is a good idea to carrysome identification with you.
SmokingSmoking is banned in all enclosedpublic places, including publictransport, restaurants, bars and clubs.
Emergency services999 or 112 (24 hours) for
ambulance, fire or police services.
LLOOCCAALL TTIIPP
London Eye
Notting Hill
“Walk! Taking the Tube can be addictive, but by walking around you’ll gain a different appreciationfor the city, and often it’s muchquicker too. For starters try wandering around KensingtonMews, Soho, and the old City”Stefan, from Hoxton
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