{"id":4697,"date":"2023-02-17T14:14:35","date_gmt":"2023-02-17T14:14:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/evanevanstours.com\/blog\/?p=4697"},"modified":"2026-08-05T12:46:02","modified_gmt":"2026-08-05T11:46:02","slug":"a-visitors-guide-to-london-public-transport","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/evanevanstours.com\/blog\/a-visitors-guide-to-london-public-transport\/","title":{"rendered":"Everything you need to know about London Public Transport"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

London<\/a> is a massive city, covering some 607 square miles (or 1,572 km). Despite its size, the city maintains an effective and efficient public transport system that connects all 32 London boroughs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the ‘tube<\/a>‘, overground, river buses, a tram system – even a cable car – available to get around, there are plenty of transport options available. That’s not to mention the various ways you can pay to travel, including contactless payment cards, Oyster cards and paper tickets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s unsurprising, then, that first-time visitors to the city are often overwhelmed. Read on to find out more about each transport option, and if you want to see more of London, take a look at our London Tours<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ‘Zone’ System Explained<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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London<\/a> is divided into circular ‘zones’ that surround the city<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to getting around, London is divided into \u2018zones\u2019 1-9, with \u2018Zone 1\u2019 <\/em>being the city centre and \u2018Zone 9\u2019<\/em> being the outskirts of the city. The system itself exists as a method for TfL (Transport for London) to calculate a customer\u2019s travel distance and charge accordingly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Realistically, most visitors to the city will never have to travel outside of \u2018Zone 1\u2019 as this is where most of the main attractions and the city centre are located. However, for those venturing further afield, it is important to consider how many \u2018Zones\u2019 you\u2019re travelling through, as this will affect the type of ticket you need to buy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The time of day that you travel will also affect travel costs; TfL charges higher fares at busier times of the day, also known as \u2018peak hours\u2019. These hours (excluding public holidays) are from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Monday through <\/strong>Friday<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The \u2018Zone\u2019 system does not<\/strong> apply to buses in London \u2013 you can travel anywhere in zones 1-9 on any travelcard. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The London Underground, aka the ‘Tube’<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The London underground<\/a> (known by locals as <\/em>the ‘Tube’ <\/em>due to the fact some tunnels on the network are, quite literally, round tubes running through the ground) is the world\u2019s oldest underground rail system<\/a>. A red and blue roundel identifies underground stations across the city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Overground<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Not to be confused with the \u2018Tube\u2019, the overground, as the name implies, operates above street level and connects the city centre with the wider metropolitan area. It was launched in 2007 to provide better connections between areas outside of Central London. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, Transport for London introduced names for the six London Overground routes, including the Lioness, Mildmay, Windrush, Weaver, Suffragette and Liberty lines, making navigation easier for visitors. You’ll be able to differentiate their route by the colour, much like on the underground tube map.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DLR (Docklands Light Railway) <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Unlike the rest of London\u2019s transport network, the DLR is a fully automated system with no drivers. Covering the docklands area of London, the area directly east and southeast of Central London, the DLR also connects with London\u2019s cable car, the Emirates Air Line. The DLR remains one of the best transport options for reaching Canary Wharf, Greenwich and London City Airport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

London Buses<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Buses in London are not only a fantastic way to see the city, but they also have one major advantage over every other transport method: they aren\u2019t restricted by the \u2018zone\u2019 system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What does this mean? Each journey you take, no matter how far you\u2019re travelling or where you\u2019re going, will cost you a flat fee of \u00a31.75<\/strong> for a single journey. They also have the advantage of the hopper fare<\/a>; take as many bus journeys as you want within 1 hour and never pay more than the flat \u00a31.75 fee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cloud Cable Car<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Don\u2019t be fooled by its misleading name; the highest you\u2019ll get above London on the UK\u2019s only urban cable car system is 90m (295 feet). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

More spectacular than practical, it links Greenwich Peninsula and the Royal Docks, offering panoramic views of the Thames, The O2 and Canary Wharf from up to 90 metres above the river. As part of the TfL system, you\u2019re able to pay using your Oyster travel card contactless card, precisely the same as if you were travelling by bus or train.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bicycle (aka “Boris Bikes”)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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London\u2019s public cycle hire scheme, Santander Cycles (also known locally as \u2018Boris Bikes\u2019), features over 12,000 cycles at 800 docking stations. The number of cyclists on London\u2019s roads has more than doubled in the last decade, in large part due to the introduction of cycle hire, and cycling around the city is a great (and eco-friendly) way to explore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

River Bus (Uber Boat)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Uber Boat by Thames Clippers operates services along the River Thames between Putney and Woolwich, providing a scenic alternative to road and rail travel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With departures only every 20 minutes or so, we would recommend planning your journey in advance to avoid delay. If you’re not in a rush, the river bus is a great way to travel around the city and enjoy great views of London’s riverfront.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paying For Travel<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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In our guide below, we\u2019ve outlined the pros and cons of each travel payment option and provided our recommendation on which one to purchase ahead of your trip to London. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For most overseas visitors, contactless bank cards and mobile wallets now offer the same pay-as-you-go fares and daily fare caps as Oyster cards, making them the simplest way to travel around London. Use this guide to work out which London travel card is right for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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