Leave Well Prepared for Your Trip to London

So, you have decided to head for a weekend trip to London? Well you are in for a treat with sightseeing, parties, some great food and so much more to be experienced! Before arriving in London, ​​you will of course have to plan how to get there, ​​where to stay during and what activities to do during and this is where this article can help.

Discover our top tips to prepare your trip to London.

Getting there

Depending on where you are coming from, the fastest way to reach London could be by car, train, coach or plane. The capital is of course well connected to the national road network, but driving in London is not recommended! Roads are frequently busy and daunting, especially if you are not used to driving in busy cities. A better option if you are travelling within the UK, is to travel by train or coach. Trains need to be booked in advance to ensure a reasonable fare and although they offer a more comfortable service, coach travel is a much cheaper option. Both forms of transport drop you off conveniently in the centre of the city, with the tubes and buses to take you to your final destination. If you are travelling to London from abroad or even within the UK, there are regular flights to one of the city’s many airports. You have the choice of Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton, Stansted and London City airports with a large variety of different carriers. With the rise of low-cost airlines to London, ​​some tickets can cost less than £30 return! To take advantage of these rates you need to be flexible enough with your departure dates. Some of the best places to find them are on comparison sites such as Skyscanner or Expedia. 

Plan how to get to the airport

An often-overlooked cost when planning a trip is how to get to departure airport. One cheap solution is to appeal to your family, friends or colleagues to drop you at the airport. Make sure to ask your loved ones well in advance to ensure they are available!

There are good public transport links to most airports, but make sure it is easy to get the airport with enough time to spare. Public transport is not always reliable unfortunately! Bear in mind that you will need to transport your luggage with you and may need to change trains or buses during the journey.

One of the easier options is to drive directly to the airport. Like airline tickets, the prices of parking spaces at airports are varied according to the booking periods. Booking in advance is the key to saving money on airport car parking as well as booking with the right provider. Use a comparison website, such as Parkhero, to find the best parking deals for London Gatwick parking, Manchester, Leeds, Edinburgh and many more.

Book your accommodation

When booking your accommodation, it is a good idea to have a think about what you want. Do you want to be at the centre and not have to plan for public transport? Or would you prefer the peace of being a bit further out? As accommodation in London can also be quite expensive, especially at last minute, it is worth considering how much time you are going to spend in your room or apartment. If you plan to be out all day, it is not worth booking more than a decent budget hotel to sleep in! Remember to compare offers and availability on sites like Booking.com or Airbnb.

Plan activities, activities and outings

There are almost countless sights and activities to be enjoyed in London and it is impossible to cover them in all in one trip! Make a short list of the things you want to visit and it is always a good idea to some contingency plans if something is closed or just doesn’t work with your schedule. Also make sure to avoid disappointment and book attractions in advance if there is something you really want to see. 

One of the best ways to explore London is by going on one of the many different tours. You can opt for various walking tours whether the free tip-based ones or a history tour, Victorian London tour, Ghost tours…you have many to choose from!  

Whatever you choose to do, you will have a fantastic time in London. Just remember to pack an umbrella and a rain coat!