Top 10 Tips for First Time Travelers to London

Many people on their first visit to London are a tad put off their game, everything feels backwards with cars on the other side of the road and even though you speak the same language their phrases and words seem foreign. So it's with this that I decided to put together some London tips to help you understand what's going on, what these British chaps are chattering about and how to maneuver around this amazing city with more confidence and leave your mind free to take in the sights, sounds and enjoy your time in London ^[1].

1. Look before you step

Be mindful that traffic will be coming from the other side of the road. Thankfully London has put in place many signs on the pavement, at street crossings, to remind you which way to look.

2. Pound vs. Dollar

What may seem like a good deal at 5 pounds might not be when you take into account converting the pound into your dollar.

3. Stay to the right

When taking the escalator be sure to stay to the right if you are staying put so that people can pass on the left. Yes, that's right stay to the right on lifts and left on roads. (Cheeky British)

4. It's all in how you say it

You may have noticed in the last tip that I referred to the elevator as a lift, you'll notice this and many other words used differently or all together new ones. British lines are called queues, the toilet is the loo, chips are fries while crisps is what they call chips.

5. Best time to use transit

When travelling via bus or tube (London's subway system) it is easier and cheaper to travel during non-peak times. So try and plan your days to travel between 9:30am and either before 4pm or after 7pm. This way you won't be stuck standing amongst the masses at rush hours and you'll save yourself a few pounds.

6. The 12 vs. 24 hour

One thing to be mindful of is the time, as in North America we mainly run off the 12 hour clock -- where 7:00 p.m. is at night -- overseas most bus companies, trains and of course airports use the 24 hour schedule - where 7:00 p.m. is really 19:00. So try and prepare yourself and get accustomed to this schedule before you go as you don't want to say 7 or even write 7:00 p.m. and not be picked up as someone read it as 7:00 a.m. or you miss your bus.

7. Take a side street to save

Now this tip is rule of thumb for no matter where you travel to. Expect to pay more for food, drink, souvenirs and more when you're close to attractions. But if you take the time to head away and down side streets, sometimes not even that far, you'll save yourself some money, sometimes even a lot! For instance, in Covent Garden the postcards are over a pound each, but if you take a little stroll through Bloomsbury you can find them as cheap as 30 pence each.

8. Raise an arm for the bus

Because there are many buses that stop at the various bus stops the bus won't necessarily stop at each of its stops unless a passenger pushes the button on board to stop or if a person awaiting the bus wishes it to stop by raising his arm out. This signals the bus driver that you wish to board.

9. Get an Oyster Card

You can not pay cash to ride the bus on the bus now, you must have a ticket or an Oyster Card. If you will be using transit a lot while visiting London it is best that you purchase an Oyster card. The card is £5 (as of summer 2015) and you can load it at shops that advertise Oyster Card top ups or at the Tube station.

10. Grab a Tube Map

London is a great city to see on foot, but there's so much more so don't be afraid to jump on the tube. The tube is very easy to use and there are signs directing you to which platform with more signs showing where that train will stop. But be mindful that the map showing the network of tube lines, from Piccadilly to Bakerloo, is a caricature, an artists rendering, so don't rely on it for distance or proximity. Check a proper map that shows the tube stations as well as the layout of the city for a more accurate idea of where the stations are in reference to one another and your destination.

This post originally appeared on Stephanie's travel blog, The World As I See It, where you can find more travel tips and tales of Europe and beyond.
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