TRAVEL TRADE GUIDE 2011 - London & Partners

Arriving by Eurostar TMeurostar.comFrequent daily services from Paris(journey time 2 hours 15 mins) andBrussels (1 hour 51 mins) bringtravellers to St Pancras InternationalStation - connecting straight into theNational Rail network and the TfLbus and Underground systems.GettingaroundTravel informationThe Transport for Londonwebsite tfl.gov.uk providesinformation on all modes ofLondon transport, see tfl.gov.uk/gettingaround. For 24-hour travelinfo call TfL also has a network of TravelInformation Centres located instations throughout the city includingEuston, Piccadilly Circus, HeathrowAirport, Victoria and Liverpool Street.These are great points of contactfor visitors who need to plan theironward journeys. For locations go tovisitlondon.com/welcomeTravel tickets and information arealso available at Britain & LondonVisitor Centre at 1 Regent Street,near Piccadilly Circus.Journey Planner is a usefulwebsite that tells you the best routesto and from specific locations, by rail,Tube, bus or on foot, and it’s availablein 19 languages. Seetfl.gov.uk/journeyplannerFor further information onLondon’s attractions, and to planyour own itineraries online, go tovisitlondon.com/explorerUndergroundThere are 11 colour-coded Tubelines. Most operate 05.00-00.30Mon-Sat and 07.30-23.30 Sun. It’scheaper and less crowded to avoidthe rush hour and travel after 09.30.Walk this wayNeed a map to help you explore?Keep an eye out for the new LegibleLondon posts like this one springingup on London streets. They’redesigned to help you find your wayaround. For more information, seelegiblelondon.infoThe network is divided into ninezones – Zone 1 is the central area.Before your journey always checkwhether there are any plannedengineering works, especially atweekends.Call or seetfl.gov.uk/checkBusesSome routes are especially goodfor sightseeing, such as routes8 and 11, and services 9 and15 use heritage Routemasters(heritage red double-deckers)during the day. Most bus servicesoperate from 05.00-00.30 daily,with many routes now operating24-hour services. Tickets must bepurchased before boarding a busin Zone 1. They are available fromticket machines at bus stops andcost £2 – although visitors may findit easier and cheaper to buya Travelcard or Oyster card.Docklands Light RailwayThe DLR connects the City and theUnderground network withDocklands and Maritime Greenwich.Services operate from 05.30 to00.30 and tickets must bepurchased before boarding a train.tfl.gov.uk/dlrNational RailTrains are useful for reaching placesnot served by the Underground.The main central London trainstations are Euston, Waterloo,Victoria, Paddington, King’s Cross, StPancras International, London Bridge,Liverpool Street and Charing Cross.Call or.nationalrail.co.uk or thetrainline.comCoachesVictoria Coach Station is a majorhub for various UK and internationalcoach services.nationalexpress.com oreurolines.co.ukRiver servicesFor information on the great placesyou can visit by boat, including pricesand routes, check out tfl.gov.uk/riverand visitlondon.com/riverTaxisLondon’s famous black cabs offera safe and reliable door-to-doorservice. Taxis can be hailed on thestreet when the yellow light is on,or at designated taxi ranks. Faresare regulated, and all drivers andvehicles are licensed by the PublicCarriage Office. tfl.gov.uk/pcoTickets to travelSingle fares are available for anyjourney at ticket machines, however,it’s cheaper to get an Oyster card.Your clients can also purchasesingle tickets and Travelcards inadvance at groundline.comOyster CardsThe Oyster card is London’stravel smartcard and is the easiestand cheapest way to pay to travelaround London whether yourclients are using Tube, bus, tram,DLR, London Overground orNational Rail services.Ticket TypesOyster can store season tickets(Travelcards) as well as credit forsingle journeys (pay as you go),and cards are reusable. When aTravelcard expires, or the pay asyou go credit is getting low, yourclients can add another Travelcardor more credit at over 4,000 outletsin London.With pay as you go, your clientsMinicabsPrivate hire companies or ‘minicabs’cannot be hailed on the street; theymust be booked by telephone or inperson at the operator’s base. Tocheck if an operator is licensed, call or go totfl.gov.uk/pco – we advise againstgetting into a vehicle that is notlicensed, or if the driver approachesyou in the street. Text CAB to to get the phone numbersof three local, licensed minicabcompanies sent to your mobilephone (costs vary).Congestion ChargeIf your clients are driving in centralLondon between 07.00 and 18.00Mon-Fri (except public holidays),they will need to pay theCongestion Charge. The chargeis £8 per day, which must be paideither in advance or on the dayof travel. If paid by midnight thefollowing day, the charge is £10.Payment can be made withoutregistering, at cclondon.com, bycalling orsending an SMS to .All prices correct at time ofgoing to print (September2010), but are subjectto changecan travel as many times as theylike in a day and the daily price capmeans that they will never pay morethan the price of an equivalent OneDay Travelcard.Where to buyYour clients can save time bybuying an Oyster before they arrivein London at visitlondon.com/oysteror get one when they arrivefrom Tube or selected NationalRail stations.Using OysterTo ensure they pay the correct fareon Tube, DLR, London Overgroundand National Rail services, yourclients must always touch in on theyellow reader at the start of theirjourney and touch out at the end.On buses and trams they only needto touch in at the start.For further information aboutOyster including fares, travellingwith children and using Oyster onRiver Services and National Rail,go to oyster.tfl.gov.ukTransportcompaniesRiver/canal boatorganisationsBritish Waterways 4DLondonBritish Waterways owns andmanages around 100 miles ofLondon’s waterways, including theGrand Union and Regent’s Canals,the docks surrounding CanaryWharf, and the rivers Lee and Stortin East London. Call or email for afree pass and travel trade guide toevents and days out.Contact: Nerissa Bryden,Marketing Managerbritishwaterways.co.uk/londonGreen LondonThe most environmentally friendly way to travel around the city is on footor by bike. In the past two years, millions of pounds have been invested incycling in the city, and the Barclays Cycle Hire scheme lets you hire abike within central London. For more details see tfl.gov.uk/cyclingWalking is also a great way to see London, and 109 journeys betweenneighbouring central London Underground stations are actually quickeron foot than the Tube! Look out for Legible London on-street signs to helpyou on your way.It’s also a good idea to offset the carbon emissions created by a flighthere. For more ideas on travelling green, go to visitlondon.com/green.TRANSPORTTravel Trade Guide 103