River Bus
There is a river bus on the Thames every 15 minutes during peak hours and every 30 minutes during non-peak times. There are 4 lines going East and West and the Oyster Card is accepted (with a supplement charge); alternatively, you can buy tickets at the pier or in the boat. To have a look at the service click on the link: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/modalpages/15547.aspx.
Bicycle
Boris Johnson, mayor of London in conjunction with Barclays, the financial group, started a Bicycle hire scheme. There has been a big push to pursuade Londoners to get on their bikes or in this case on a hired bicycle. “Super bicycle highways” marked in blue now adjunct the bus lanes. There is an access fee of £2 for 24h + a usage charge which varies from £1 to £50. For complete information, visit http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/cycling/14808.aspx.
To download maps of cycling routes click here; http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/cycling/15832.aspx.
Docklands Light Railway
London’s innovative, driverless Docklands Light Railway (DLR) serves parts of East and South East London. Commuters and tourists alike can enjoy views of lesser-seen London locations from the easily accessible DLR. The DLR connects with the Tube network at Bank and Tower Gateway (Tower Hill) stations and also at Shadwell, Stratford, Bow, Heron Quays, Canning Town and Canary Wharf. The DLR serves Beckton, Stratford and London City Airport to the East and Northeast and the Docklands, Greenwich and Lewisham to the South.
The DLR runs from 5.30am to 12.30am Monday to Saturday and from 7am to 11.30pm on Sunday. Fares are the same as those on the Tube and Oyster and Travelcard holders can use the DLR.
Airports
There are 5 London airports:
- Gatwick (trains from Victoria station for Gatwick Express or from London Bridge)
- Luton (Thameslink trains from King’s Cross)
- Heathrow (Picadilly line 45 minutes from the center or Heathrow express)
- Stansted Airport (Stansted Expres through Liverpool Street station)
- London City Airport (buses from Liverpool Street, Canary Warf – tube: Jubilee line) is the most central of all airports.
Ferry
Get a ferry to France! That’s right, ferries run from the UK to many continental EU destinations, including France and Holland. Ferries also run between the UK and Ireland. This is a great way to get around if you want to bring your dog or cat with you conveniently. Check out http://www.ferries.co.uk for all information about this mode of transport.
There is also a ferry crossing across the Thames at Woolwich (East of London).
