EvENt PLaNNEr's GuiDE 2012 - London & Partners

arriving by eurostar tM
T: +44 (0)843 218 6186
eurostar.com
Daily services from Paris (journey time
2 hours 15 mins) and Brussels (1 hour
51 mins) bring travellers to St Pancras
International station – connecting into
the National Rail network and the TfL
bus and Underground systems.
Getting around
travel information
The Transport for London (TfL) website
tfl.gov.uk provides information on all
modes of London transport, see tfl.gov.uk/
gettingaround. For 24-hour travel info call
+44 (0)843 222 1234.
TfL also has a network of Travel Information
Centres in stations throughout the city at
King’s Cross St Pancras, Euston, Piccadilly
Circus, Heathrow Airport, Victoria and
Liverpool Street. These are great points
of contact for visitors who need to plan
their onward journeys. For locations, see
visitlondon.com/welcome Journey Planner
is a useful website that tells you the best
routes to and from specific locations, by rail,
Tube, bus or on foot, and it’s available in 19
languages. See tfl.gov.uk/journeyplanner
For further information on London’s
attractions, and to plan your own itineraries
online, go to visitlondon.com/explorer
underground
There are 11 colour-coded Tube lines.
Most operate from 05.00 to 00.30
Mon-Sat, and from 07.30 to 23.30 on Sun.
It’s cheaper and less crowded to avoid
the rush hour and travel after 09.30. The
network is divided into nine zones – Zone
1 is the central area. Before your journey
always check whether there are any
planned engineering works, especially at
weekends. Call +44 (0)843 222 1234.
tfl.gov.uk
Buses
Some routes are especially good for
sightseeing, such as routes 8 and 11,
and services 9 and 15 use heritage
Routemasters (red double-deckers) during
the day. Most bus services operate from
05.00 to 00.30 daily, with many routes
now operating 24-hour services. Tickets
must be purchased before boarding a bus
in Zone 1. They are available from ticket
machines at bus stops and cost £2.20;
visitors may find it easier and cheaper to
buy a bus pass or Travelcard or Oyster card.
docklands Light railway
This connects the City and the
Underground network with Docklands and
Maritime Greenwich. Services operate
from 05.30 to 00.30 and tickets must be
purchased before boarding a train.
tfl.gov.uk/dlr
national rail
Trains are useful for reaching places not
served by the Underground. The main
central London train stations are Euston,
Waterloo, Victoria, Paddington, King’s
Cross, St Pancras International, London
Bridge, Liverpool Street and Charing Cross.
Note: train fares are often cheaper if you
book ahead online. Call +44 (0)20 7278
5240 or +44 (0)8457 484950.
nationalrail.co.uk or thetrainline.com
Coaches
A network of UK and international
coach services operates from Victoria
Coach Station.
nationalexpress.com or eurolines.co.uk
river services
For information on the great places you
can visit by boat, including prices and
routes, check out visitlondon.com/river or
tfl.gov.uk/river. Board a boat from piers
along the Thames.
taxis
London’s famous black cabs offer a safe
and reliable door-to-door service. Taxis can
be hailed on the street when the yellow light
is on, or at designated taxi ranks. Fares are
regulated, and all drivers and vehicles are
licensed by the Public Carriage Office.
tfl.gov.uk/pco
Minicabs
Private hire companies or ‘minicabs’ cannot
be hailed on the street; they must be
booked by telephone or in person at the
operator’s base. To check if an operator
is licensed, call +44 (0)845 602 7000 or
go to tfl.gov.uk/pco – we advise against
getting into a vehicle that is not licensed, or
if the driver approaches you in the street.
Text CAB to 60835 for the phone numbers
of three local, licensed minicab companies
sent to your mobile phone (costs vary).
Chauffeurs
For information on chauffeurs go to
Transport & sightseeing services, page 108.
Congestion Charge
If your clients are driving in central London
between 07.00 and 18.00 Mon-Fri (except
public holidays), they will need to pay the
Congestion Charge. The charge is £9 per
day by CC Auto Pay (register in advance)
or £10 per day paid either in advance or
on the day of travel. If paid by midnight the
following day, the charge is £12. Payment
can be made without registering at
cclondon.com, by calling
+44 (0)845 900 1234 or by sending an
SMS from a mobile phone to 81099.
need a map?
Keep an eye out for the new Legible London
posts like this one springing up on London
streets. They’re designed to help you find
your way around. For more information, see
tfl.gov.uk/legiblelondon
tickets to travel
Single fares are available for any journey
at ticket machines; however, it’s almost
always cheaper to get an Oyster card. Your
clients can also purchase single tickets and
Travelcards in advance at groundline.com
or tssorders@hp.com
oyster cards
The Oyster card is London’s travel smartcard
and is the easiest and cheapest way to pay
to travel around London, whether your clients
are using Tube, bus, tram, DLR, London
Overground or National Rail services.
ticket types
Oyster can store season tickets (Travelcards)
as well as credit for single journeys (pay as
you go), and cards are reusable. When
a Travelcard expires, or the pay as you go
credit is getting low, your clients can add
another Travelcard or more credit at over
4,000 outlets in London.
With pay as you go, your clients can travel
as many times as they like in a day and the
daily price cap means that they will never pay
more than the price of a One Day Travelcard.
where to buy
Your clients can save time by buying an
Oyster card before they arrive in London at
visitlondon.com/oyster or get one when
they arrive from Tube or selected National
Rail stations. To pre-purchase Oyster cards
for groups of more than 50 delegates, contact
London & Partners at eventsolutions@
londonandpartners.com. Please allow
at least two months between request and
delegates arriving in London.
using oyster
To ensure they pay the correct fare on Tube,
DLR, London Overground and National Rail
services, your clients must always touch in on
the yellow reader at the start of their journey
and touch out at the end. On buses and trams
they only need to touch in at the start.
For further information about Oyster,
including fares and using Oyster on
River Services and National Rail, go to
tfl.gov.uk/tickets
Green London
The most environmentally friendly way to
travel around the city is on foot or by bike. In
the past few years, millions of pounds have
been invested in cycling in the city, and the
Barclays Cycle Hire scheme lets you hire
a bike within central London. For more details
see tfl.gov.uk/cycling
Walking is also a great way to see London,
and 109 journeys between neighbouring
central London Underground stations are
actually quicker on foot than the Tube!
It’s also a good idea to offset the carbon
emissions created by a flight here. For more
ideas on travelling green, go to
visitlondon.com/green
Event Planner’s Guide 2012 17