I frequently travel to the city of London and thought it would be worthwhile to share a few tips to save big on travel related expenses, especially if you are travelling on a tight budget. Use these tips to discover more of London minus the splurge.
What's The Weather Out There?
Before we get to the money saving tips, it's important to discuss the weather, especially for those planning a trip for the first time. The weather in London, as in any other location in the UK, is at its unpredictable best. Interestingly, a friend of mine on his first visit to Manchester never dared to venture out without his sunglasses and an umbrella and this pretty much sums up the vagaries of the Manchester weather which is pretty much synonymous throughout the UK.
Plan an Offseason Trip
While tourist traffic is at its peak during the months of July and August, the city is pretty much an all-season destination. Off season also means great discounts for visitors. So it can be a really smart tactic to plan your visit during the offseason and save big on the overall travel costs.
Once in London, Use the Tube for Local Travelling
For many, especially first timers, the Heathrow Express seems like the fastest option to travel to central London. Many Londoners', however, would beg to differ as they find the tube to be an easier and convenient option. Swapping the express for a tube by itself will help you save a serious amount of money. Just make sure that you use an Oyster card to purchase tube tickets rather than buying it upfront by paying in cash. Also buying the Oyster card lets you use the rail, tube and bus network on discounted rates and can turn out to be a huge money saver.
Check out the Museums
London is home to some of the greatest museums in the world. Case in point is the Victoria and Albert Museum in South Kensington that is undoubtedly one of the greatest museums of art and design. The access to all of the museums located in London is absolutely free.
Take the 2For1 Offers
Most people find the tickets to visit the various attractions in London to be exorbitantly priced. And according to me the best way to save money on these tickets is to make use of the National Rail's 2 For 1 Offer. This literally helps you buy 2 tickets for the price of one and since an average ticket cost for most of the attractions start at £16 per person, you can pretty much understand the money you can save by opting for the offer. This is also a huge money saver for those traveling in large groups. The 2 For 1 voucher can be easily purchased from any of the major National Rail stations in London against a nominally priced National Rail ticket.
Explore the Open Spaces
London also boasts of some fantastic open spaces such as the Hyde Park and the Regent's Park or the Kensington Park which is located in central London. Other great attractions include the Kew Gardens, and the Hampstead Heath that is located on a hill and offers a magnificent view of the city of London. Exploring most of these parks and open spaces is free of cost as there is no access fee.
While following the above-mentioned tips should save you a ton of cash on your trip, there are several other places of interest which if time and of course budget permits, should be included on your itinerary. These include the Westminster Place, Tower of London, London Eye and St Paul's cathedral.
Okay, here's one top tip though. While the weather in London can be quite unpredictable and random so to speak, make sure you look up the weather forecast for UK and London in particular right when it's time to plan your trip.
What's The Weather Out There?
Before we get to the money saving tips, it's important to discuss the weather, especially for those planning a trip for the first time. The weather in London, as in any other location in the UK, is at its unpredictable best. Interestingly, a friend of mine on his first visit to Manchester never dared to venture out without his sunglasses and an umbrella and this pretty much sums up the vagaries of the Manchester weather which is pretty much synonymous throughout the UK.
Plan an Offseason Trip
While tourist traffic is at its peak during the months of July and August, the city is pretty much an all-season destination. Off season also means great discounts for visitors. So it can be a really smart tactic to plan your visit during the offseason and save big on the overall travel costs.
Once in London, Use the Tube for Local Travelling
For many, especially first timers, the Heathrow Express seems like the fastest option to travel to central London. Many Londoners', however, would beg to differ as they find the tube to be an easier and convenient option. Swapping the express for a tube by itself will help you save a serious amount of money. Just make sure that you use an Oyster card to purchase tube tickets rather than buying it upfront by paying in cash. Also buying the Oyster card lets you use the rail, tube and bus network on discounted rates and can turn out to be a huge money saver.
Check out the Museums
London is home to some of the greatest museums in the world. Case in point is the Victoria and Albert Museum in South Kensington that is undoubtedly one of the greatest museums of art and design. The access to all of the museums located in London is absolutely free.
Take the 2For1 Offers
Most people find the tickets to visit the various attractions in London to be exorbitantly priced. And according to me the best way to save money on these tickets is to make use of the National Rail's 2 For 1 Offer. This literally helps you buy 2 tickets for the price of one and since an average ticket cost for most of the attractions start at £16 per person, you can pretty much understand the money you can save by opting for the offer. This is also a huge money saver for those traveling in large groups. The 2 For 1 voucher can be easily purchased from any of the major National Rail stations in London against a nominally priced National Rail ticket.
Explore the Open Spaces
London also boasts of some fantastic open spaces such as the Hyde Park and the Regent's Park or the Kensington Park which is located in central London. Other great attractions include the Kew Gardens, and the Hampstead Heath that is located on a hill and offers a magnificent view of the city of London. Exploring most of these parks and open spaces is free of cost as there is no access fee.
While following the above-mentioned tips should save you a ton of cash on your trip, there are several other places of interest which if time and of course budget permits, should be included on your itinerary. These include the Westminster Place, Tower of London, London Eye and St Paul's cathedral.
Okay, here's one top tip though. While the weather in London can be quite unpredictable and random so to speak, make sure you look up the weather forecast for UK and London in particular right when it's time to plan your trip.
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