How To Save Money On Transport In London
London is arguably one of the best cities to visit in the world. Of all the tourists that come to the United Kingdom each year, over 40% of those head to the capital. Taking in the sights and sounds of the city is second to none but how can you actually get around the hustle and bustle in an affordable way? Let’s have a look at how to save money on transport in London.
1. Use Your Feet
Perhaps the most obvious way of saving money on transport is by walking. Using your own energy is not going to cost you a single penny and there are some incredible places that you can spot as you walk. A lot of central London is walkable because you will avoid traffic, queues and waiting for public transport.
There are plenty of roads that are pedestrianised as well, so you do not need to worry about vehicles as you wander those areas. Whilst walking from one side of the city to the other might not be your preference, there are plenty of short walks to get you from one tourist attraction to another.
There are also plenty of bridges to get over the River Thames and lots of green spaces to explore and relax in too. A walk along the side of the Thames is a great way to get around and you will find yourself enjoying the incredible views on the stroll, rather than fretting about getting to where you need to be. Walking is good for you and free!
2. Travel By Train
London is home to nine of the ten busiest railway stations in the United Kingdom. Many people get to London via train because the stations are so convenient. However, using the railway can be quite expensive unless you use some top tips.
Grab An Oyster Card
If you want to save money on your rail fares and cap the amount that you are charged, you need to get yourself an Oyster card. There are also Visitor and Student Oyster cards and contactless payment cards available that will also save you money.
The basic premise is the more zones you travel through, the higher your fare will be. Many trips will be easier if you travel through zone 1, however, this is usually a route with higher prices. So by avoiding this zone, you can still get to your destination but pay less.
Remember the daily fare cap benefit of using an Oyster card! Be sure to tap your card at stations or the system will assume you have travelled through zone 1 and charge you accordingly. By using a line that takes you through a certain number of zones outside of zone 1, your journey could cost you as little as £1.50 during off-peak hours!
There are more than 270 underground tube stations in the capital. So it is important to familiarise yourself with the different zones that this railway system is split up into, in order to save money on your Lonon travel. Oyster cards also work on select forms of other transport in the city, including buses and trams.
Note – be sure to check your Oyster cards for any money left on them. You can easily get a refund by tapping on the ticket machine and getting your credit back as cash. It is estimated that as much as £500 million is unused on Oyster cards in the city.
Use Off Peak Trains
Off-peak trains are cheaper than those operating in peak times.
Those peak hours are Monday to Friday, between 06:30 and 09:30, and from 16:00 to 19:00.
All other trains outside of those times are off-peak. It is also considered off-peak if you get on a train outside of zone 1 and travel to a zone 1 station, Monday to Friday between 16:00 and 19:00.
Book Train Tickets In Advance
If you are planning on visiting London, booking your train tickets in advance will save you a decent chunk of money compared to buying on the day you travel. It is also much better for your stress levels to have a seat organised and know where you need to be compared to chasing your tail and figuring all that out at the last minute.
Advance tickets are available around 12 weeks ahead of travel and these types of tickets could save you up to 80% of what you pay. This will help keep some cash in your pocket for the visit itself!
3. Jump On The Bus
There are 700 different bus routes across the city of London, with many direct routes to places you want to go. Did you know that 95% of Londoners live within 400 meters of a bus stop? So there are bus stops all over, allowing you to jump on and get moving.
The daily cap for London bus fares is £5.25. There is also the option of getting a Hopper fare which gives you unlimited bus and tram journeys for one hour from first touching in, for only £1.75. This is ideal for a cross-city morning commute! Bus travel in London is simple, effective, and affordable.
4. London By Boat
London is famous for the River Thames, so rather than just walking alongside it, why not travel on it? The route runs from 24 piers along the waterway between Putney and Barking Riverside. Jump on at Masthouse Terrace and off at Embankment. Travel from Battersea Power Station to Doubletree Docklands.
You use your contactless or Oyster to pay as you go on the river bus. Depending on how far you travel through different zones, will change how much you are charged. So be sure to tap in and out on the card reader.
There are different discounts available for those with Railcards loaded onto their Oyster card. This could drop your fare by an extra 30% or more! You can save even more by getting weekly, monthly, or annual season tickets with additional discounts available.
5. By Bike
We have all heard of Boris Bikes, as this was the nickname given to the bicycle scheme introduced in London was Boris Johnson was Mayor. The bikes from Santander Cycles are a great way to get around the city. Giving you a little more speed than walking, at an affordable price. Users can download the app, use a bank card or hire a membership key to use the bicycles.
30-minute rides cost just £1.65 and you can pick up a bicycle from docking stations all over the city. It is a pay-as-you-ride system, so for each additional 30 minutes, you will be charged the same amount again. For those people using the service more often and wanting to save some cash, the monthly membership is £20 and the annual subscription is £120. That is just £10 a month! These prices give unlimited 6-minute rides for no additional fee.
A huge addition to the scheme is that e-bikes are now available at some of the docking stations. Giving you a little extra help to get to where you need to be.
6. The London E-Scooter Trial
How about travelling around London on an e-scooter? There is currently a trial of e-scooter rental happening in the capital which is in place until at least May 2024. The trial is to work out how this form of transport can be used safely in London. Throughout participating boroughs including Richmond upon Thames, there are three different companies renting these scooters, Dott, Lime, and TIER.
These rented electric scooters are the only legal way to ride in this way on public roads or in appropriate public places in the city. Users must be 18+ and have a full or provisional driving licence. According to Transport for London, a 15-minute e-scooter journey will cost about £3.25. Monthly subscriptions are available.
7. The Black Cab or Uber debate
Sometimes you need a ride. Maybe you have a suitcase with you or need to get to a meeting across town quickly. Having a car pick you up from where you are and take you to the door of where you need to be is convenient. You can concentrate on that work pitch rather than figuring out what railway platform you need to be on. You can organise your travel documents and send those last emails before heading on your weekend away. The question is though, which is better in London? The traditional Black Cab or the more recently introduced Uber?
There are a number of things to consider and to be fair, both options have pros and cons.
To become a Black Cab driver you have to pass The Knowledge. A test to show that you know every street and landmark in a six-mile radius of Charing Cross. That’s about 25,000 streets! If you want to be sure that your driver knows exactly where they are going and the quickest way to get you there, a Black Cab is your ideal choice.
They can, however, be more expensive than an Uber. Although, if your Uber driver doesn’t know shortcuts and alternative routes through traffic, you might end up paying more anyway! Then there is the issue with price surging from Uber. If there is a lot of demand for Uber lifts, prices go up! It’s supply and demand and you will end up paying closer to the price of a taxi anyway.
Some Black Cabs will give you a fixed rate from points A to point B, whereas an estimate from an Uber might quickly vanish if there is traffic or other unforeseen circumstance. On a good day though, Uber can be affordable and convenient due to the easy-to-use app. Generally, Black Cabs can be better over shorter distances whereas an Uber could be cheaper for a longer trip.
It is important to find a taxi solution that best works for you. You need to feel comfortable and trust the driver to get you where you want to be safely.
8. The Best Way To Get To The Airport?
Sometimes you need to get to the airport. It could be to travel for business or head away on a holiday. Whatever the reason, what is the best way to get to the six London airports?
It’s important to know which of the six airports you are heading to. You might have always travelled to these airports in a certain way, but is it the most affordable? Fortunately, they are all connected to the public transport network so let’s list some of the cheapest ways to get to each of them from central London:
- Heathrow: there is a tube station at Heathrow and it will cost you about £5.
- Gatwick: the National Express coach will cost you about £7.
- Stanstead: the National Express coach will cost you about £6.
- Luton: the easyBus service costs about £4.
- London City: the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) journey costs about £2.80 with your Oyster card.
- Southend: the airport is further out of the city and an advance train ticket is about £16.
Whilst these might not be the fastest way to get to the check-in desk, if you are on a budget they can certainly help you save some cash.
Conclusion
There are lots of ways to save money on London transport. Have you considered rideshare apps? These can be a great way to buddy up with people and split the cost of travel.
There is also talk of legislation coming into play for rickshaw or pedicab drivers to rules on safety and pricing. We have all seen horror stories of people being charged hundreds of pounds for a half-mile rickshaw ride, but would you travel in one for a fair price?
However you travel in London, make sure it is within your budget and keep an eye out for different and more affordable ways to get to where you need to be.
This post has been provided by my good friend Cora over at Inside Our Suitcase. She runs a fab travel blog that documents her family’s travels across the UK and worldwide.
After starting her blogging career writing about personal finance, she now has a selection of other niche sites in her portfolio.
She loves to share the best spots to visit in London while also making sure people get the most for their money, whatever they end up doing.