London is a city that attracts the attention of many people who dream of visiting a modern metropolis with an amazing history. The world's oldest metro, 40 higher educational institutions, dozens of theaters, many museums, as well as traditions and ceremonies - all these are attributes of a big city whose history goes back almost 2000 years. Of course, almost any tourist wants to touch such a rich history. But how do you get to London from Moscow? The traditional means of traveling to the capital of Great Britain has been and remains the plane. But traveling to London from Moscow is also possible by train. Here are the options with rail transport and we will consider...

Route information

This route includes two trains. From Moscow to Paris you will need to get by train number 23, and to get from Paris to London, it is best to use the services of the EuroStar railway company, whose trains connect France, Belgium and England.

Train No. 23 departs from Belorussky Station 3 times a week in winter 1 (Monday, Thursday and Sunday) and 5 times in summer 2 (Tuesday and Saturday are added). Departure time is 8:42. Travel time – 39 hours. The train crosses the territory of five countries: Russia, Belarus, Poland, Germany and France. From the windows of your compartment you will be able to see cities such as Smolensk, Minsk, Brest, Warsaw, Berlin, Hanover, Frankfurt am Main and Strasbourg. The train from Moscow arrives in Paris at 20:42.

The Paris-London high-speed train departs from Paris Central Station 16 times throughout the day. The last flight leaves for London at 21:13. If you don't make it in time, you'll have to go to England the next day. But there will be an opportunity to get to know Paris a little. By the way, a high-speed train (and its speed is up to 300 km/h) travels from Paris to London in 2.5 hours. The train arrives at the station London, located in the central part of the English capital, next to King Cross St. Pancras tube station (Northern line, Piccadilly line and Victoria line).

1 from 12/09/2012 to 05/23/2013 and from 10/06/2013 to 12/12/2013

2 from 05/26/2013 to 03.10.2013

Comfort of trains No. 23 and EuroStar

Train No. 23 has first and second class carriages, as well as luxury class carriages. The second class implies the presence of three-seater compartments, each of which has a washbasin and air conditioning. In addition, there is a toilet in the carriage. First class differs from second class in that the compartments are double, and the carriage also has a shower.

The compartment in the “Lux” has an increased area, a folding sofa, an upper seat and an armchair, as well as a bathroom, shower, washbasin, toilet and breakfast, which is included in the ticket price.

EuroStar trains include Standard, Standard Premier and Business Class carriages. “Standard” has air-conditioned carriages, individual tables by the seats, and a buffet bar. "Standard Premier" has adjustable seats and plenty of legroom. In addition, each chair has an individual power outlet. Passengers are provided with free newspapers and snacks are served directly to their private tables. In Business, the ticket price includes a continental breakfast or a three-course lunch.

Ticket prices

! All prices are valid at the time of writing!

It is clear that the price consists of two components: train No. 23+ EuroStar train (Paris - London).

Train No. 23:

EuroStar train (Paris - London):

Minimum ticket price from Moscow to London (with this option, if you are traveling individually and not in a group):

adult - 395€ , benefit adult - 290€ , children's - 206€ .

3 in the Luxury class you can take 2 children under 12 years old with you.

4, when purchasing a whole compartment for two passengers, you can take with you 1 child under 12 years old.

5 when purchasing 6 or more tickets.

6 children under 4 years old – free if they do not occupy a separate seat.

From Moscow to London via Frankfurt am Main and Brussels

Route information

If you decide to get to London from Moscow this way, you will have to change 3 trains along the way. At the first stage, you will need to get to the German city of Frankfurt am Main (cars on train No. 21). Then transfer to the ICE (Inter City Express) high-speed train to Brussels. The well-known company EuroStar will take you from the capital of Belgium to London.

Train No. 21 departs daily from Belorussky Station, from Moscow at 00:44 in winter and at 23:44 in summer. Travel time is 33 hours, and you will arrive in the city on Main at 6:40 local time.

There are several ways to get from Frankfurt to Brussels, but I will only talk about the two direct ICE trains that leave the station FrankfurtHbf at 10:16 and 14:29 (there is another direct train to the Belgian capital in the evening, but then in Brussels you will not catch the last EuroStar train of the evening). The train travels for 3 hours and 20 minutes and arrives at the station BrusselZuid(South Station).

Well, the final stage of such a trip is one of 10 trains Brussels - London, which depart from the same Brussels South railway station (the last one leaves for England at 19:52). Arrival at LondonSt. Pancras– in 1 hour 55 minutes.

Comfort of trains

Russian Railways uses carriages similar to those that run on the Paris train (first and second classes), as well as sleeping cars, each with 10 compartments, to transport passengers to Frankfurt am Main. Each compartment has a washbasin, and the number of beds can be 1, 2 or 3. Such carriages are equipped with modern air conditioning systems. Traveling in them is quite comfortable.

The level of comfort of the cars in the ICE trains corresponds to the “Standard” and “Standard Premier” levels of the EuroStar trains, the equipment of which has already been written about here.

Ticket prices

Moscow – Frankfurt am Main (2 options):

Frankfurt am Main – Brussels:

The price of a ticket on the EuroStar train (Brussels - London) is not a cent different from a ticket from Paris to London.

If you decide to travel via Frankfurt, the minimum ticket price for an adult will be 423€ , and for a child – a little more 200€ .

7 The ticket price depends on the day of the week and the time of train departure.

Conclusion

The article provides only two of the most convenient options for traveling from Moscow to London by rail. In fact, there are more of them, but the road through Warsaw, Cologne and Brussels has additional transfers. If you go through Kyiv, you will get a decent “detour”, because after that you still have to pass through the Polish capital.

I repeat, those options that have been described in sufficient detail are the most convenient both in terms of transfers (minimum of them) and in terms of total travel time. The disadvantage of the first option is that train No. 23 does not operate every day. The second option has an extra transfer, but is guaranteed to not have to wait all night for the next train. But the time you spend on trains will be approximately the same both there and there.

If you decide to travel from Moscow to London by train, then the choice, of course, will be yours. I just want to note that in any case, your trip by rail will be comfortable, interesting and, I hope, without incident...

London is an expensive city. Staying there is not a cheap pleasure. However, if you think carefully, there are many options to save on a trip to London. For example, buy cheap air tickets to, or plan a trip using different modes of transport.

In today's article we'll look at how to get to London on a budget. I will consider three types of transport: bus, train and plane. Be sure to use the aggregator to find the cheapest flight options to London and beyond.

To London by bus

In general, the bus is one of the cheapest options to get to London. The only nuance is that from Russia and the CIS countries directly to London will be very expensive, so it’s cheaper to get to the starting point in Europe, and then take a direct flight to London.

There are approximately 15 airlines that regularly fly to London. The most interesting offers are available from Lufthansa, Swiss Airlines, Air Moldova and AirBaltic, Turkish Airlines, Aegean Airlines. On average 4000 – 8000 rubles.

Aeroflot airlines fly from Moscow to London every day (from 8,000 rubles), approximately 4 hours 20 minutes on the way. Airfare may vary depending on the day of the week. Departure from Domodedovo, Sheremetyevo airports, less often from Vnukovo. Arrival airports in London are Gatwick, Heathrow, and less commonly London City Airport.

You can fly from St. Petersburg to London on British Airlines. Non-stop price from 9,700 rubles. Please note that luggage is not included in this price. Flight time is approximately 3 hours 40 minutes. The best options in terms of price/quality can be found at Lufthansa, AirBaltic, as well as KLM, Finnair, AirFrance.

For residents of St. Petersburg, it sometimes makes sense to fly from Finland. Helsinki is approximately 3 hours away by minibus. But the flight will cost approximately 6,000 rubles. As a rule, at such a cheap price these will be flights with transfers, but sometimes you can get lucky and get a direct flight for the same money.

As for cheap flights to London from the regions, there are no direct flights. Almost always these will be flights with transfers in Moscow, sometimes lasting up to 18 hours or more. In terms of prices, everything is simple. The further the departure city is from Moscow, the higher the cost of the air ticket.

To be aware of the cheapest prices for air tickets, be sure to use the Aviasales service. If you use mobile devices, be sure to install applications for iOS and Android on your mobile device. If you don’t have any, install a browser widget that will send you notifications about the cheapest air tickets to the destination you need directly to your browser. This will make it easier and faster to track all changes in air ticket prices.

A traveler can enter the capital of Great Britain through six air gates: from Heathrow, the largest in Europe, to Southend, which consists of one terminal. They are located at different distances from the city. When choosing how to get from London airport, it is very important to take into account the nuances of the city’s transport system.

For example, choosing a branded London taxi as a transfer is not the most economical solution. Black cabs cost more than other operators charge. EasyBus buses go to many airports in the city - this is the cheapest and most convenient way, which can be used half the time. National Express transport allows you to travel also between airports. It is convenient to pay for travel with an Oyster card, but it is not valid everywhere.

Stansted Airport

The latest of the London air hubs was built at Stansted. It is located in Essex, in the west, forty-eight kilometers from the metropolis. The best ways to get from London to Stansted Airport are by train and bus.

Bus

National Express buses carry passengers around the clock:

• to Paddington station - A6;
• to Victoria station - A7,
• to the Liverpool Street stop - A8
• to Stratford - A9

Ticket prices start from ten pounds, depending on distance. Children under three years of age can travel without paying a fare at the rate of one child accompanied by one adult. Travel time is about fifty minutes.

Airport Bus Express operates shuttles on approximately the same routes, directly to stations or via Stratford. The journey will take one and a half to two hours. You will have to wait half an hour for the next bus. The ticket costs about three pounds. Children under two years old are free; there are no other discounts for children.

EasyBus buses are the cheapest and run around the clock. Tickets cost two pounds. It takes seventy-five minutes for transport to travel from Baker Street to the airport. The movement interval is 15 minutes. The disadvantage of this option is that there is a restriction on baggage allowance. Thus, you cannot transport sports equipment and musical instruments, strollers, including wheelchairs. A passenger's ticket includes 5 kg of hand luggage and 20 kg of baggage. Additional luggage must be booked and paid for.

International carrier Terravision offers two route options. From Stansted to King Cross Station, an adult ticket costs eight pounds. A ticket for the route to Victoria Station costs ten pounds.

To find a public transport stop, follow the signs and go outside. Transport accepts passengers opposite the entrance.

Train

The Stansted Express train departs from Stansted Airport station and takes fifty minutes to Liverpool Street stop in the city centre. There, travelers can transfer to the metro or use other ground transportation. The traffic interval is half an hour early in the morning and late in the evening, a quarter of an hour during rush hours. The first train leaves for the route at half past five in the morning. The last one is at half past midnight.

Express tickets can be purchased at ticket offices at the airport, from vending machines at the station and on the Internet on the website of the carrier company. The stop is located on the lower floor of the terminal building. The price of one ticket is about twenty pounds. For children over five years old there is a fifty percent discount. Up to five years of age - travel is free.

Taxi

Another option to get anywhere in the city is a taxi. Not suitable for all travelers as the journey costs around a hundred pounds. There is a dispatcher desk in the airport building who will help you call a car. You can order it yourself through the application on the Internet. Advantages of the car:

• speed;
• comfort;
• no stops.

If you order a transfer in advance, its cost will fluctuate around one hundred pounds. In this case, the travel conditions will be more comfortable. There are companies whose services will cost about a quarter cheaper than a taxi. As a standard, the driver meets you in the arrival hall and helps you get into the car. You can also rent a car at the airport if you plan to travel a lot around the country.

Video: Train tickets in England

Heathrow Airport

When planning how to get to Heathrow Airport from London and back, keep in mind that this air gate is the busiest. You need to leave early in order to check in for your flight. Due to the large passenger and traffic flow, overlaps may occur. The journey may take the longest, although the city is twenty-three kilometers away. Transport tickets can be purchased in advance via the Internet or on site at ticket machines. There are ticket offices in the terminal building. You can pay for tickets in advance online. Taxi fare is £55.

Train

The railway station connects the capital with the largest airport via Heathrow Express and Heathrow Connect trains. The comfortable and fast express train operates from five in the morning until almost midnight. It is slightly faster than regular trains in terms of speed. It takes fifteen minutes to get to the final station. The final destination is Paddington Station. The fare one way is just over twenty pounds. Round trip is about six pounds cheaper. There are rates for groups of two and three people.

Heathrow Connect trains stop at Paddington Station. Travel time is twenty-five minutes, instead of fifteen by express. On weekends, you will have to wait an hour for the next train. On weekdays - half an hour.

Bus

Direct routes between Heathrow and London, as well as other capital airports, are offered by National Express. From Heathrow there is a direct connection to Victoria Station. You need to spend an hour to an hour and a half on the road, depending on traffic jams. The cost of the trip is six pounds.

Night bus number 9 runs from half past twelve at night to five in the morning from Tricky to Trafalgar Square. You can pay with an Oyster card, then £1.50 will be debited from it. If without a map - almost two and a half.

Metro

You can get there by metro; the Piccadilly Blue Line approaches the complex. The metro operates from five in the morning until half past twelve at night. Each terminal has access to its own metro station. If you do not buy an Oyster card - an electronic wallet for travel on all types of public transport, then the trip will cost about six pounds. With a card - half the price.

Gatwick Airport

At a distance of 42 km from the metropolis lies the second largest air port of Gatwick. How to get to Gatwick Airport from London? A taxi to Gatwick will cost £70. It is better to book in advance, as the destination is popular and there may not be any cars. But you can get by with public transport.

Bus

National Express buses run every half hour to Victoria Bus Station. It is convenient to go to the metro station there. Plan on an hour and a half for the trip. Tickets can be purchased online or on site for £7.

From four in the morning until one in the morning, EasyBus buses 3 and 4 travel every quarter of an hour. Tickets cost about two pounds sterling.

Train

There is a Gatwick Express service to King Cross and Victoria Station from the terminals. Travel time is three quarters of an hour. Ticket price is 10 fints sterling. You can buy it in advance on the carrier company’s website. The express operates from five in the morning until almost midnight.

Regular trains go directly to London Bridge and Victoria Station. The journey will take thirty to forty minutes. The ticket price depends on the type of train and can reach forty pounds.

London City Airport

London City Airport is the smallest of the capital's air ports. It is located in East London. Despite this, getting from London to London City Airport is easier than to other airports in the city.

Passengers travel to the business center of London City and the financial district of Canary Wharf using the Docklands Light Railway. The station is located near the terminal building. The light metro is connected to the city metro network; you can go to the Bank station. It is cheaper to pay for travel with an Oyster card. Or buy a ticket at the rate: third metro zone.

You can also get to East London by buses. Flight 473 goes to Stratford. No. 474 runs every quarter of an hour through the airport from Gullion Reach to Canning Town and back. The tariff is valid for the third transport zone.

For those who like to travel by taxi: cars can be found in the parking lot near the airport terminal or ordered in advance.

Luton Airport

Luton Airport was named after the city in which it was built. This air gateway to Britain is located in Bedfordshire. The distance to the capital is about fifty kilometers. When deciding how to get to Luton Airport from London, pay attention to buses.

Bus

Buses from National Express, EasyBus and Green Line run from the terminals 24 hours a day.

• Green Line route 757 runs into central London approximately every 10-30 minutes, depending on passenger traffic. You need to plan for an hour of time for a road without traffic jams.
• EasyBus transport is one of the most affordable on the line. Fare from two pounds. It may be cheaper if you book in advance.
• National Express charges from five pounds for its services.

Buses go through Baker Street and Oxford Street to Victoria railway station, repeating the route number 757. The cars of these carriers depart from platforms ten and eleven opposite the exit from the arrivals hall.

Train

There is no train station near the airport itself. The nearest is in Luton. Buses run to the station every ten minutes from five in the morning until midnight. When boarding, you must present a plane or train ticket, then travel is free. Or pay for the trip. Cost - up to three pounds sterling. Train tickets can be purchased at the ticket office in the terminal building or on site before boarding. Trains run every hour. The final stop in the metropolis is St. Panras Station. The journey will take twenty-five minutes.

It is better to book a taxi in advance. This will pay a fixed cost of just over eighty pounds. The terminals have carriers in the parking lot. You need to focus on cars with official inscriptions and checkered signs. The price can reach 170 euros, depending on the time of day and company tariffs. There are also companies in the airport terminal building offering car rentals. Early booking allows you to find out all the requirements and choose the appropriate option.

Southend Airport

One of the smallest airports is located in Essex, sixty kilometers from the capital. Flights are accepted by one terminal. The complex operates part-time, from four in the morning until noon. Closing times may vary. It is calculated as follows: arrival/departure time of the last flight plus forty-five minutes.

The transport network of the airport complex allows travelers to get to the capital and back with several options. The most convenient is a taxi. You can call through international apps or drive to Andrews Airport Cars. The service operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The cost of the trip can reach up to sixteen thousand Russian rubles, depending on the chosen company. The trip takes about an hour.

You can use services similar to “bla-bla car”. This method is suitable for those who are well versed in the surrounding area. In the terminal building there is a representative office of the Europcar company, which provides cashing services.

X30 buses also stop near the taxi rank. This route goes to central London. Behind the building you can take buses No. 7-9. The National Express bus runs from Victoria Bus Station to the airport and back once a day. Departure towards London is late at night, back - early in the morning. You can pay for travel in advance online or buy it on the spot.

There is a railway station in Southend itself. About a kilometer away there is another one - Rochford. Trains run every half hour to Liverpool Street station. Ticket price is fifteen euros. Travel time is fifty minutes. This is the fastest way to transfer from the airport.

Route from Southend Airport to central London on the map

Depending on the landing location, you can choose the most convenient type of transfer. In London, like in London, you can easily and comfortably travel by bus or train. Instead of a taxi, it is better to order delivery to calving in advance from a carrier company or rent a car. In many large European cities - and others - there are international car sharing companies, but you can also use the services of local organizations.

Trip to London

London attracts tourists like a magnet. Everyone wants to see with their own eyes a red double-decker, a red telephone booth, Her Majesty's guardsman in a bearskin hat, Madame Tussaud's wax dolls, the Tower and Big Ben - what was discussed in school English lessons under the general title “London is the capital of Great” Britain".

However, real London is not a textbook picture come to life. Ancient buildings here coexist with ultra-modern skyscrapers and panel houses, elite shops with flea markets, prim restaurants with unpretentious pubs. In the huge metropolis there is a place for the historical center, simple working-class areas, and ambitious new buildings - such as the London Eye and the Millennium Dome. A trip to London, one of the most unusual, dynamic and expensive cities in the world, will meet all your expectations and will certainly surprise you with something.

How to get to London?

Since Great Britain is an island state and located quite far from Eastern Europe, the most logical way to get to its capital is by plane. Several airlines provide direct connections from Moscow airports to London: Transaero, Aeroflot, British Airways and easyJet. Travel time is 4 hours. Only British Airways planes fly directly from St. Petersburg, delivering to London in 3.5 hours. Aeroflot, Transaero, S7 Airlines, UIA, airBaltic, Finnair, SAS and many other airlines have transfer options. Direct flights from Kyiv to London take 3.5 hours; direct flights are available from airlines such as WizzAir, Ukraine International Airlines and British Airways.

A large number of air travel offers can confuse both the inexperienced tourist and the experienced traveler. To find a suitable flight at the best price, it is convenient to use the website Aviasales.ru. It contains a huge and well-systematized database of all available flights and their prices. In addition, information on promotions, discounts and special offers of airline companies often appears on Aviasales. For information on how to buy the cheapest air tickets to London, read the tips from Ever.Travel.

Where to stay in London?

The British capital is conventionally divided into 32 districts (boroughs), of which 12 boroughs form Inner or Greater London, that is, the historical center, and the remaining 20 are former outskirts that gradually merged into the city limits.

Hotels in London are quite expensive. Prices for public transport are also very high. Therefore, if your goal is to visit the main attractions, you should prefer the areas included in Greater London. In this case, the method of choosing a hotel further from the center in order to save money does not always work, since you can spend the entire difference on travel, plus you will also steal 1.5-2 hours of your time every day. So which area of ​​London is best to stay on holiday?

City

City deserves special mention. City of London is not one of the 32 boroughs and is a separate metropolitan area with special privileges. This is the very heart of London, which appeared within the boundaries of the ancient Roman city of Londinium. Today it is the largest financial center not only in Britain, but throughout Europe. Among the attractions here are St. Paul's Cathedral, the Great Fire of London Monument, the London Stock Exchange and the Mary Ax skyscraper. Staying here is expensive, and is only worth it if you want to feel the rhythm of the capital or are here for work.

The VisaToHome service can provide invaluable assistance in obtaining a UK visa. After all, even if you are sure that everything is in order with your documents, if you try to storm the British consulate on your own, a fiasco may await you. In this case, VisaToHome will become your best ally. From preliminary consultation to obtaining a visa, highly qualified specialists who know all the nuances and pitfalls of this matter will cooperate with you. What’s important is that you don’t have to make any effort to do this: VisaToHome employees will fill out all the necessary documents themselves and bring your passport with the coveted stamp directly to your home.

How to get from London Airport to the city

London is served by 6 airports, two of which - Heathrow and City - are located within the city. Most international flights arrive in Heathrow Airport- the busiest airport in Europe. It is connected to the city center by:

• Heathrow Express train. This is the fastest way to get to London and takes around 15 minutes. Trains depart every 15 minutes from 5:00 to 23:45. The cost of a ticket when purchased at a ticket office or machine is 20 pounds, directly on the train - 25 pounds. A return ticket will cost £34 and £39 respectively.
• Heathrow Connect train. Paddington Station is a 25-minute drive away. Ticket price is 9.5 pounds one way, 19 pounds return.
• Metro (Piccadilly line). This is a cheap, but longer and less comfortable method. It takes around 50 minutes to get to Piccadilly Circus Station. Ticket price is 5.5 pounds, opening hours are from 5:10 to 23:45.
• National Express bus. Depending on the route, the travel time will be from 40 minutes to 1.5 hours. Opening hours are from 5:35 to 21:40, ticket price is 6 pounds.
• Night city bus No. 9 runs every 20 minutes from 23:30 to 05:00. Trafalgar Square is 1 hour 15 minutes' drive away. Ticket price is 2.4 pounds.
• Taxi. A metered cab or minicab journey will take between half an hour and an hour and cost £50-80. Use only official taxis and check the approximate price before boarding.

Of course, the easiest way is not to understand the peculiarities of public transport, but to order a taxi. Moreover, it’s not easy to “catch” him in the act, but book in advance on the KiwiTaxi website. Pre-ordering a transfer guarantees that you will be met at the airport, seated in a comfortable car and quickly delivered to the desired address. Moreover, you will immediately know the exact cost of this trip, and this is perhaps one of the most important factors when ordering a taxi.

Car rental in London

It probably doesn’t make much sense to rent a car in London - there are too many restrictions on entry into various areas of the city. But to travel around the surrounding area or Britain - why not? Just remember that in England, driving is on the left, road signs for speed limits show numbers in miles, and the police are very strict with violators. However, if you are confident in your driving skills, Feel free to book a car in London on RentalCars.com. The selection of cars on this resource is very large, as is the price range, so you can easily choose something to suit your taste and budget. Read more about RentalCars.com in our review.

Urban transport in London

Public transport in London is quite expensive, even compared to other European capitals. The fare is tied to tariff zones, there are six in total.

A standard single journey ticket costs £2.40. Valid for all types of transport Oyster Card- a single travel card, the use of which significantly reduces the cost of one trip. When purchasing such a card you need to pay a deposit of 5 pounds. You can buy a one day pass for £8.8 Oyster Pay-as-You-Go for zones 1-2.

The Visitor Oyster Card London is a prepaid card that allows you to use all public transport for £8.4 per day. For 23 pounds you can buy a card with 20 pounds in your account, for 33 - with 30, and so on.

Red double-decker bus- one of the most recognizable symbols of London. In total, there are about 700 routes in the city, including 50 night routes (they have the letter N in front of their number). Ticket price for one trip is 2.4 pounds (1.4 with Oyster Card).

London Underground- “the Tub”, which literally means “pipe”, is the oldest in the world. Celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2013, today it consists of 11 lines and 270 stations. The cost of one trip is 4.5 pounds (2.1 with Oyster Card).

Also in London there are Docklands Light Rail, "overground", trams and river buses, but most tourists do not use them: they connect remote areas and pass by the city center.

Bike rental in London

Boris bikes are named after London Mayor Boris Johnson, who launched a public bike-sharing system in 2010. Now there are more than 550 points in the city Barclays Cycle Hire, at each of which you can take or leave your bike. To register you will need a bank card. Access costs £2 for one day and £10 for 7 days. The first half hour of rental is free, every next 30 minutes the price increases: 1-4-6-10 pounds and so on.

Excursions in London

The Ever.Travel travel planner will help you understand which attractions and in what order it is most convenient to see. Plan your trip to London on the interactive map, marking the places you'd like to visit and spreading them out over several days of your trip. Then download the free Ever.Travel mobile app and log in using the same account as on the website. This way, your plans are synchronized between the web version and your smartphone, and you will receive a personal multimedia guide that will fit in your pocket and will work even without an Internet connection, which is very important when roaming.

Don't like planning? Use ready-made routes for walking around London:

Tested for myself: the longer you get to know London, the more you want to know about it. In order to explore unknown corners of the English capital or look at them from an unexpected side, you should pay attention to the Excursiopedia service. The most diverse, interesting and original excursions are presented there. At each of them, you will be accompanied by a professional guide who will tell fascinating stories about the past, present and even future of London. Here are some great options as an example:

• Evening Thames Dinner Cruise– perhaps this is one of the most romantic adventures in London! Night lights, beautiful music, delicious food, and all this to the accompaniment of the quiet lapping of the Thames waves.
• Helicopter flight over London– there is nothing more epic in Britain than a bird's eye view of the capital. This is adrenaline, delight and admiration - “three-in-one”, nowhere else you will experience such sensations!
• Harry Potter Tour– not far from London there is a Warner Brothers film set where the legendary saga about a young wizard was created. You will see Dumbledore's office, visit Hogwarts, Hagrid's hut, Diagon Alley, the Ministry of Magic and many other attractions from Harry's universe.

Mobile communications and Internet in the UK

There are many places in London where you can connect to the Internet for free - these are cafes, restaurants, shopping centers, and even some metro stations. There are even trash cans with Wi-Fi. Keep in mind that many free networks require you to go through a registration process.

To connect to the mobile Internet, you can purchase “pay as you go” SIM cards from British telecom operators. For example, Three mobile allows you to get unlimited Internet, 3000 messages and 300 minutes of calls for 15 pounds. Orange offers for 10 pounds either 400 SMS and 1 GB of traffic, or 60 minutes of international calls, or 100 minutes of local calls plus 100 SMS. There are similar options for Vodafone.

Shopping in London

London is one of the world's fashion capitals and a real mecca for shopping lovers. However, the prices here are far from the most affordable. Main shopping streets - Oxford street(elite European brands), Regent street(everything from large department stores to small toy stores), Carnaby street(fashionable youth clothing), King's road(indie stores, avant-garde designer boutiques).
The districts are also famous for their retail outlets Picadilly(department stores, book supermarkets, souvenirs), Knightsbridge(expensive department stores and boutiques) and Covent Garden(affordable clothing and shoes of popular brands).

In central London, almost all shops are open from Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 18:00, large department stores - until 19:00 or 20:00. In busy tourist areas, shops may also be open on Sundays. Then the street markets unfold - Portobello, Borough, Brick Lane and Covent Garden. Sales in London take place twice a year - in early January and in July.

English cuisine

"Oatmeal, sir!" - the first thing that comes to mind when mentioning British cuisine. Really, oatmeal (Porridge)- This is an essential part of the English breakfast, as are scrambled eggs and bacon, sausages, toast with jam and orange juice. Fish and Chips eaten at any time of the day or night: fish fillet fried in breadcrumbs with fried potatoes and pickled cucumbers is the national favorite fast food.

Almost all traditional dishes contain meat. Shepherd's pie, also known as cottage pie (shepherd's or country pie)- this is a casserole of mashed potatoes with minced meat, Suet Pudding- veal kidneys or meat baked in a special dough, cornish pasty– layer pie with beef and vegetables.

Let's not forget about roast beef with Yorkshire pudding. They are prepared together: a large piece of beef is baked on a grill, and molds with a special dough are placed under it, onto which hot meat juice drips. After lunch - from three to five o'clock - traditional tea drinking, for dessert - sweet puddings and scones.

In restaurants they usually tip 10-15% of the amount. It is also customary for taxi drivers to leave about 10%, but in pubs they never tip.

History of London

In 43 AD The ancient Romans founded the town of Londinium, which means “wild places”. Constantly fending off British raids, the settlers built and developed the city, and by 100 it had become the island's commercial center and capital. However, in the 5th century the Romans abandoned Britain, leaving a prosperous city to the indigenous population.

In the middle of the 6th century, these lands were captured by the Saxons, who brought Christianity with them. For another five centuries after that, London constantly changed hands: it was owned either by the Vikings or by the Anglo-Saxons.

In 1066, the Norman Duke William the Conqueror became the first king of a united England. He created an army and navy, conducted the first land census, established legal regulations and launched active construction - in particular, he erected the Tower. William’s work was continued by his heirs: this is how the Palace of Westminster and the stone bridge across the Thames appeared in London (it remained the only one until 1739).

By the beginning of the 14th century, the population of London exceeded 80 thousand people. Even after the plague epidemic, which in the middle of the same century reduced the number of inhabitants by almost half, the capital of Britain recovered quite quickly - so great was the economic and political importance of the city.

In the 15th-17th centuries, London's position was unprecedented: thanks to trade with Russia, North and South America, it grew rich at an incredible rate. The emergence of the East India Trading Company in 1600 ensured dominance over colonial trade.

The development of the city did not keep pace with population growth: due to unsanitary conditions and overcrowding, plague epidemics broke out every now and then in the capital. In 1665, the disease claimed the lives of 60 thousand people. Almost immediately after this, a new misfortune befell the city: the Great Fire of London of 1666 destroyed 60% of the city's buildings in three days (fortunately, there were not so many casualties).

London, restored by the beginning of the 18th century, was very different from the old one: wooden houses were replaced by stone ones, new areas appeared, the number of port docks increased, and finally, beautiful churches and palaces were built. International trade, in particular the import of sugar, tea, tobacco and silk, provided a constant flow of finance.

In the 19th century, London was the largest city in the world: its population exceeded 6 million people! A railway appeared here in 1836, and the world's first metro in 1863. In 1851, the World Exhibition was a huge success. However, there was another side to life in the brilliant capital: millions of people huddled in unsanitary slums, barely earning a piece of bread. In the summer of 1858, the “Great Stench” occurred, caused by waste from all over the city being dumped straight into the Thames. Only after this did sewerage appear in the city.

Two World Wars caused great damage to the city, but by the middle of the 20th century London had regained its economic and political positions, and also became a trendsetter in the field of culture and art. “Swinging London” changed the idea of ​​beauty, setting the tone for musicians, artists and designers for many years to come.

It is important to know:

Holidays and non-working days:

“Banking”, i.e. public holidays:

Good Friday and Easter Monday

First Monday in May - early spring holiday

Last Monday of May - Spring Day / Spring holiday

Last Monday of August - Summer holiday

They are not holidays, but are widely celebrated:

Second Saturday in June - Queen's Birthday (official)

How to get to London: by plane, train, bus or car. Current prices, useful tips, all the nuances and details of the route to London from “Subtleties of Tourism”.

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London is an expensive destination, most tourists are sure. This is true for accommodation or food, but you can spend a relatively small amount on travel. As a rule, travel expenses do not exceed a quarter of the total travel budget.

The most popular and affordable option is flight. There are direct flights from Moscow and St. Petersburg; From the regions, planes fly with one or two transfers. There are trains from the capital to London, but in Paris the traveler will have to change stations and make a transfer. There are no regular bus services from Russia to London; More often than not, compatriots buy a flight from one of the low-cost airlines to the capital of France, Holland or Belgium and then buy a bus ticket to London.

By plane

Of course, the easiest way is to fly to the capital of the United Kingdom from the capital. Although the low-cost airline EasyJet stopped flying from Moscow to London, it was replaced by the Russian low-cost airline Pobeda. A flight with one transfer will cost 126-146 GBP one way. There is a cheaper option (73-94 GBP round trip), but the connection will be extremely inconvenient - about 20 hours of waiting. Tickets from a low-cost airline must be purchased in advance, at least a month in advance, otherwise there will be no difference in price with any of the European carriers.

About 15 companies fly connecting from Moscow to London. The best offers are available from Lufthansa, Swiss Airlines, Air Moldova and AirBaltic - from 168 GBP round trip.

Direct daily flights from the capital are operated by Aeroflot (from 241 GBP) and British Airways (from 230 GBP), travel time is about 4 hours. Ticket prices vary depending on the day of the week of departure and can go up to 420 GBP one way. Flights operate from Sheremetyevo and Domodedovo, less often from Vnukovo. Host airports in London are Heathrow and Gatwick, and less commonly London City Airport.

The easiest option is to take the Moscow - Berlin - Paris train (about 40 hours on the road; departs 3 times a week), then, after changing the station, transfer to the Eurostar to London (more than 2 hours of travel; departing every half hour to an hour).

A ticket to Paris from Russian Railways costs from 207 GBP. The price of a ticket from Paris to London depends on the time of departure (morning tickets are almost twice as expensive as evening tickets) and the amount of the early booking discount. Therefore, a ticket can cost either 148 GBP or 48 (or even 39). Thus, even at the minimum fare, the trip will cost one adult from 240 GBP one way. The journey from Moscow to London will take about 3 days, including the time for a transfer in Berlin.

If you need to get to London by sea or through a tunnel between the island and the continent, then you should allow about an extra hour for border formalities. Yes, right on the territory of the European Union, since Britain reserved the right to enhanced control at the border. It is better to arrive at the station or ferry crossing early.

By bus or by personal transport

Regular ferry connections have been established with Britain (about 50 passenger ferries depart per day from France, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Holland, and Belgium). Therefore, the bus is one of the cheapest ways to get to the capital from the continent. Three carriers operate flights from Paris to London alone.

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