We would say there are four main ways to get yourself from A to B in this lovely city of ours so let’s go through them and see the WHAT/WHY/WHEN/WHERE and HOW to get from your lovely vacation apartment around London and back:

1. The London Underground or the Tube

This would be the most time efficient way of getting to where you have to be however it does have the worst views – trust us! It’s hot and stuffy almost all year round and people daren’t make eye contact, let alone start a conversation! BUT the Tube is what makes all of London completely accessible and so much ‘smaller’!

We would advise buying an ‘Oyster Card’ which you can either top up as you travel or use as a weekly travel card (Zones 1 and 2) for approximately £35 (give or take a few bob). Alternatively you can now pay for each journey with your credit/debit card by just tapping the panel before and after each journey (Very 2015!)

The tube maps are very easy to follow and if you get stuck and start to panic – DON’T! the staff are used to people asking questions so do not fret, just ask!

To sum up the Tube – it’s the fastest, smelliest and hottest way around London, but it really is the fastest!

2. The double-decker red London Bus!

This would be our favorite way to travel if we weren’t ALWAYS in such a rush! Remember, all London buses now will absolutely refuse to accept cash (I think the reason is to speed things up a bit) you need to use your ‘Oyster Card’

But the great thing is that if you buy a weekly travel card Oyster – you can also use this on all buses, all over London! Again, you can also use your credit/debit card to tap on the panel only at the beginning of your bus journey.

Why do we love the bus so much I hear you ask…well… We believe that this is the best way to see London! It’s essentially like going on a tour bus, without the tour guide – its marvellous! You can sit down and concentrate on nothing except watching London go by (sometimes very slowly if you’re stuck in traffic – but if you’re not in any hurry, it doesn’t matter!) and also obviously trying to remember which one your stop is! Our advice is: do not underestimate the loveliness of buses to get you around London!

3. The Boris Bikes /Santander Bikes / hire bikes.

For the more adventurous, this is a great way to get around London especially (probably only!) in the summer. You can have the breeze in your hair (but not on your head because although it isn’t the law, you should be wearing a helmet) and cycle along many a different landscape: city center, along the Thames, down many of the cute canals which run through London or through one of the numerous parks. There are also bicycle tours that you can do if you don’t want to attempt to navigate the city yourself – why not have someone do it for you?!

The bikes you will see docked along many London Streets are easy and simple to use. Here’s a basic how to (although there are instructions on the actually bike itself so no need to memorize this!)

On the nearest docking station terminal, you need to select ‘hire a bike’ and follow the on screen instructions – make sure you take the ticket with a code.

Secondly, you need to choose a bike (duh!) then adjust the height of the saddle to make sure you feel comfortable. We would advise you to also check the tires and break to make sure you are safe. This is very important.

Put the code in and the bike will be released to you, ready for the adventure to start.

The cost is very low – approximately £2 per bike and following your first journey, all journeys for 24 hours are free if they last less than 30 minutes – brilliant isn’t it (If you’re going on a long bike ride, just make sure you dock your bike every 30 minutes – ssshh, we didn’t tell you that!)

4. The Water Taxi or Thames Clipper boats!

We also LOOOVE traveling on the Thames – and this can be enjoyed any time of year! Although this is probably the most expensive of the 4, it is arguably the most scenic. And there is even a little bar to buy snacks and drinks on board – aaah perfect! The routes up and down the river are easy to understand and the times are fairly frequent. We at Home From Home always advise the lovely people staying in our vacation apartments to, for at least one trip, take the boat and have a ride on the Thames – we promise it is completely worth it!

Using imagination, I’m sure there are more ways to navigate yourself around London: by rickshaw being a good one for an evening out and a good laugh, and a good walk around the city means you see London from a different perspective. So, whether you are traveling from your rental home to the theatre or if you are wondering aimlessly around London, these 4 ways are sure to get you around out favorite city in the fastest, most relaxing, most adventurous, and most scenic way!