Before you Travel
Bookings needed & things you can prepare in advance to make the most of your time once in London
The huge majority of travelers visit the following attractions. They need to be booked to avoid huge queues or to guarantee availability.
The first tickets you must book in advance, if you're an HP fan, are the ones for the Warner Bros. Studio Tour of Harry Potter. Tickets get sold out months in advance, so if you want to take a look at the actual sets, costumes and props that were used for the films, make sure to book them on time!
The next tickets to book are the ones for the London Eye Ferris-Wheel. As it has magnificent views of the city, most visitors want to get on it so the line can get pretty long. I suggest to not only book tickets before you travel, but try to get the ones that skip-the-line if you don't want to get caught up in the queues.
Another must for London visitors is to visit Westminster Abbey. It's one of the most famous churches of the world and it's the place in which all the coronations of British monarchs and many royal weddings have taken place since the 11th century. You'll not only save time if you book in advance, it's usually crowded, but you'll also save up on the price!
PASSES TO MAKE THE BEST OF YOUR VISIT
There are different Passes you can buy to enter attractions and each has its own options, so you should check them out before choosing. If you read the descriptions and still can't decide which pass to get, send me a message and I'll help you with it!
- London Pass: you can get it for 1, 2, 3, 6 or 10 consecutive days. It includes access to over 80 of the most famous attractions such as the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, London Bridge and The View from The Shard. Some also include skip-the-line access. It offers a hop-on hop-off bus tour for a day and you can choose to include transport by adding an Oyster card to the Pass! The price goes from €80 per pass for one day.
- London Explorer Pass: with this pass you'll choose 3, 5 or 7 attractions from a list of 21 and it'll be valid for 30 days after the first use. The list includes St Paul's Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, Kew Gardens, Royal Albert Hall, Greenwich Royal Observatory and many more. The price goes from €69 per pass for one day.
- Merlin's Magical London: it includes access to 5 different attractions: Madame Tussauds London, SEA LIFE London, The London Dungeon, DreamWorks Tours: Shrek's Adventure! London, and the Coca-Cola London Eye. Perfect if you're traveling with kids! The price goes from €74.52 per person.
The airports of London are extremely busy, booking your transfer earlier will avoid you stress and huge queues. Depends on which airport you arrive to, the options and prices you'll have:
FROM STANSTED AIRPORT
The fastest way: Stansted Express train
This train has two stops near central London: Tottenham Hale and Liverpool Street Station, and each of them has good connections with the Underground and buses. It takes 36 minutes to get to Tottenham Hale and 47 to arrive at Liverpool Street Station. It departs every 15 minutes, 7 days a week. The price goes from € 27.80 per person.
FROM GATWICK AIRPORT
The fastest way: Gatwick Express
It departs every 15 minutes and it takes 30 minutes to get to London Victoria Station in the city center, which has good transport connection. The price goes from € 26.02 per person.
FROM HEATHROW AIRPORT
The fastest way: Heathrow Express train
This train takes 15 minutes to get to Paddington station. The price goes from € 26.02 per person.
FROM LUTON AIRPORT
The cheapest way: Bus transfer
National Express buses leave every day, every 15 minutes and get to London Victoria coach station in approximately 1 hour. It has more stops on the way, such as Baker Street and Golders Green. The price goes from € 14.19 per person.
The most comfy & Panoramic way: Hop On- Hop Off buses
Perfect option for those who don’t like crowded tubes or buses. There are different companies that provide this service:
- The Original London: they offer 24, 48 or 72-hour passes, with 6 different routes and stops on the main sights. You can also choose one of 3 walking tours and a cruise along the River Thames. The price goes from €40.22 per person for one day.
- Big bus: it offers three different options. The Classic is ticket valid for 1 day, the Premium is valid for 2 days and the Deluxe is valid for 3 days. All of them include a Thames river cruise (the classic only one way, the others with return option) and a free walking tour. They have 4 different routes. The prices go from €46.13 per person for the Classic ticket, € 53.23 for the Premium ticket and € 59.14 for the Deluxe ticket.
- Golden Tours: they offer a 24 hour tour and a 72 hour tour with over 70 stops along the city. You can choose to include a boat tour and a walking tour. The price goes from €40.22 per person for one day.
Book your tours, guides & activities: the best tours sell out fast. Try to do your research and book before you go. Have a look at our Love Your Trip selection, we have the best services and experiences in town.
If you need advice to choose your activity or you’re looking for something specific, send me a message.
Have you just started to plan your trip? Too many things to decide? Too long do it all by yourself? Special needs or wishes? Then, you should plan your trip with a local to get tailored travel plans & advices.
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