Surviving London’s Public Transport System

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(image credit: busandcoach.travel)

Time and time again, London has lived up to its reputation of being one of the most expensive cities in the world in terms of living costs, from the rates for accommodation to things that we’d traditionally expect to be cheap, like public transport. I know from personal experience, since I’ve visited London 6 times. Of course, the easiest way to save on transportation is by walking, but your feet alone can’t quite take you to all the wonderful sights of the capital. Luckily, there are several ways around these prices.

One of the time tested strategies that will give your wallet a break is an Oyster Card. While contactless payment cards are the most popular way of paying for public transport, visitors have several disadvantages that can easily be avoided with an Oyster Card. With this card, you’re eligible for discounted fares on the Tube, bus, tram, London Overground, TfL Rail, DLR, and most national rail services. You’ll also have a daily cap for charges, meaning you can travel as many times throughout the day and only be charged a certain amount for it.

If you’re looking for one particular company that provides great discounts, Megabus is your best bet for those wanting to take a trip out of town or need a cheap option of arriving in London. If you book a ticket early enough, you can get one for as little as under £2, though if trains are your choice of transportation, Megabus does operate a few trains and can get you to or from certain points of Europe for less than £10.

Another way of arriving in London is by plane, which evidently is the quickest and most convenient way to reach the capital if you live in a different country or a place that’s more than a couple of hundred miles away. Although plane tickets may be more expensive than trains and buses, travelers do have a bunch of alternative budget airlines to consider, but it is important to note that there have been some issues in the past concerning the hidden fees for these carriers. The travel industry often looks for ways to increase comfort and affordability for passengers, from offering more parking solutions at airports to launching more cheap airlines, however the online airport parking guide Parking4less states that these do have their shortcomings. Some airlines like Ryanair have had a history of not including taxes in the quoted price, so just be wary of the total cost when booking a flight.

 

*This post is a collaborative post – however no product is introduced to Vanilla Sky Dreaming readers unless it is something I love and believe you will love, too.

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