A lot of people dream of visiting London, England’s capital. It is an iconic European city, with some of the world’s grandest palaces, and oldest buildings. It really is unlike anywhere else in the world. However, as you would expect from a busy city, travelling to London can be very stressful without proper preparation.
If you intend on visiting, then you need to meticulously plan your trip. The better planned it is, the less likely you are to encounter any problems or unexpected difficulties.
This post will offer six tips for travelling to London.
Storing Luggage
It’s not easy getting around London, especially when you are weighed down with suitcases and bags. While you can of course store your luggage in a hotel, bear in mind that you have to get from the airport to the train station, and then to your hotel carrying all of it. A lot of people find that using London Victoria’s storage facilities is the best way to keep their luggage safe and save themselves the trouble of trying to haul it around. You can store your luggage at Victoria Station for next to nothing. Additionally, by storing your luggage in London Victoria, you also won’t have to pay concierge fees at your hotel. Be sure to take all of the items of clothing that you are going to need for your trip out of your bag, so you don’t have to go back and get them later on.
Booking Hotel
When visiting London, you should book your hotel a few weeks (or preferably months) before you visit. The reason for this is that you can usually get much better deals on hotel rooms when you book before you plan on visiting. If you wait until the last minute, you are going to have to pay a lot more. You do need to also consider the fact that London is a popular city, so if you leave it until the last minute to book then there might not be any more availabilities in the hotel you have chosen.
Tipping Rules
In England, the tip is not added automatically to the bill. This means that you should tip to be polite. A lot of people think that the service charge found on most receipts from restaurants is a tip, but it is not. If you want to tip, then you have to tell the person serving you. However, in England and in other parts of the United Kingdom, there isn’t a tipping culture, or at least it isn’t as popular as it is in the United States.
Public Transport
London’s public transport system is one of Europe’s best. However, it can get very crowded. If you don’t like being surrounded by a lot of people, then you probably won’t want to get a train or bus in London. However, if renting a car is not an option and taxis are too expensive, then you will just have to deal with the business of the subway and bus system. Make sure that you take the time to study the public transport network before getting on it so that you don’t get on the wrong train, and so you get off at the right stop.
Driving Safely
If you do plan on renting a car, then remember that in the United Kingdom, they drive on the left-hand side of the road. Driving through London can be very intense at times, but you’ll get the hang of it in no time. It is a lot easier driving through London’s more central areas than it is on the outskirts, where the roads are larger and there are more roundabouts. Parking can be hard to find in London, which is something to take into consideration. The parking that is available can be very expensive.
Being Polite
Manners are an integral part of British culture. When you visit, be sure to remember that. Please, thank you, and sorry are all perhaps the common words uttered by British people. If you are not polite to them, then they won’t regard you very highly. Politeness extends to everything, from holding doors open for people who’re entering the same building as you but are a bit behind you, to driving. If you aren’t polite when you are driving, then you are likely to attract the scorn of other drivers. British people are also famous for their excessive and uncontrolled road rage.
If you are visiting London, then you need to prepare first. It’s a big city with a lot to see. If you don’t plan in advance, then you won’t be able to get the most out of your trip, and could end up missing out on seeing things.