Getting around town

London's transport is not the best in the world, but a bit of inside knowledge should help you get around…

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The underground

It can be dirty, overcrowded, peppered with annoying delays and confusing stations, but the tube is still the best way to get around London.

The tube's Web site includes maps, route planners and details of any major works that may cause delays. It also has a lot of general London information. But, like many of its stations, it's very difficult to get around.

Link: London Underground

WARNING: The Piccadilly Line won't stop at Earls Court tube station until March.

Buses

Information on buses, routes and fares is on the London Transport site. The trouble is that you can be on there for five minutes before you find out where you're going. That's a shame because, while the tube is simpler, travelling by bus is a great way to see London. If it helps, the 74, 328, C1, and C3 buses stop at Earls Court and if you're in central London the fare is £1 wherever you're going.

Link: London Transport

Taxis

The black London cab, like the red bus, is an icon of the city and during the day there are lots of them in central London, just flag them down if their yellow light is on. Late at night or at pub closing time they can be a lot harder to find but they're the safest way to travel after hours. They can be very expensive, though, so it's worth asking the driver how much the fare is likely to be before your journey.

This site has some good information on travelling by black cab, click on the "Transportation in London" section:

Link: Taxi cab

You can, of course, book a mini-cab and there are hundreds of companies. Again, ask about the fare before you begin as not all of them are totally reputable. If you're staying in a hotel ask for the number of the local firm.

Here's the listing for London's private hire cabs on Yell:

Link: Private hire cabs

Complaints

By the way, if you want to complain about London public transport click here. Trust us, you'll probably want to by the end of your trip.

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