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Podcaster:AWAYE! 
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Relevant Show for Greater London
2009-02-14 Kenbi :
Kenbi has the distinction of being Australia's longest-running land claim ... but after 30 years of bitter battles it is about to be settled.
The Kenbi claim was lodged in 1979 by the Larrakia nation over their traditional country on the Cox Peninsula, just near Darwin.
Successive Northern Territory Governments resisted the claim and it was fought in courts for decades. At one stage the Government extended the boundaries of Darwin to three times the size of Greater London, to reduce the amount of land Larrakia could claim.
The CEO of the Northern Land Council Kim Hill, tell us some of the story of Kenbi.
And we mark the anniversary of the apology to the Stolen Generations, and talk to photographer Wayne Quilliam about his extraordinary images of that day.
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Podcaster:London Walks for your MP3 Player 
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ENG United Kingdom
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Relevant Show for Greater London
London's Transport :
It is almost 2 years now since I recorded two episodes of the London Walks podcast. One episode gave advice on how to get to and from London's airports. The other concerned how to get around London by public transport. These episodes are now out of date, and so the time has come to record them once again. This time I am putting all the information in one place, and in only 40 minutes offering a lot of information in one place, from a local as it were to someone who may be unfamiliar with the transport system in this greatest of capital cities.
At the outset, I must make it clear I am giving you my personal recommendations. You may find some aspects conflict with what you have been told or with what you have read elsewhere. Listeners who live in London may disagree with me, but I offer you my advice based on what I do myself, with no axe to grind and nothing to gain from what I suggest you do.
The podcast is in 3 parts. Firstly I talk about London's airports. Secondly I mention the trains to and from continental Europe. Thirdly I discuss ticketing systems in London, and advise what are the best choices in our integrated transport whether you are staying one day, one week, one month or even longer.
London has 5 airports. London City in Docklands is the smallest and is mainly used for business travel. It is easily and quickly accessible from central London via the Underground and the Dockland Light Railway (DLR). Listeners from abroad to the London Walks Podcast are more likely to arrive at Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted or Luton. These are all large airports, ranging from 20 - 40 miles from the City. All are easy to reach by public transport, and I advise on the choices and the tickets to buy.
My top tips are:
1. It is easier and maybe even quicker to use the Underground rather than the Heathrow Express, when you take into account the time taken getting to and from Paddington, buying a separate ticket, and waiting up to 15 minutes for the next train. This advice is particularly relevant now that Terminal 5 has opened if your plane arrives and departs from Terminal 4 which is no longer directly served by the Heathrow Express Train. The Underground is also much cheaper, costing less than a fifth of the total price for most journeys.
2. If you have 2 or more in your party, consider taking a taxi. The total price might be as much as Â45 - Â50 but divided between as many as 5 passengers a cab is affordable. You also get to hear the political views of your friendly and garrulous cab driver. She or he will have done The Knowledge - a fearsome test taking more than 2 years study. Once qualified, cab drivers will know hundreds of routes by heart, most streets in Greater London, and all the places on those routes. The cabs are clean, undamaged and tightly controlled by the quaintly named Public Carriage Office. A great way to travel.
3. I do not recommend the Gatwick Express. It is expensive (costing up to Â17.90) and no longer more modern, more comfortable, or even very much quicker than alternative trains. Look for the Southern train which is clean, modern and comfortable. It stops once or twice, adding a few minutes on to the journey but costs half the price.
4. Luton and Stansted are easy to reach by train. Luton is cheaper by far, but both take around the same journey time. Travellers on a budget can save huge amounts by taking the Easybus, which costs as little as Â2.
5. It is no longer sensible to fly from London to most places in nearer continental Europe. The Eurostar is very fast indeed - you can spend 10 hours in Paris on a day trip and pay a good price for your ticket if you plan ahead. My top tip is to look at a wonderful personal web site by The Man in Seat 61. This is a comprehensive guide to getting around Europe by train. Please consider making a donation towards his work (after you have donated to London Walks using the Pay Pal button at http://londonwalks.org).
6. It makes no sense to use cash on London's transport. Paying cash is prohibitively expensive by design. If you are staying one day, buy a paper Travelcard. If you are staying longer, get a pay-as-you-go Oystercard. You can buy one with a Â3 deposit when you arrive, or get a visitor Oystercard for Â2 from some travel agents worldwide which can be charged with cash and used from Heathrow right off the plane.
Links:
Transport for London - start here
What is Oyster?
Buying Oyster cards from overseas agents
Oyster ticket stops
How to use Oyster cards for visitors to London
Stansted Express
Gatwick by Southern Railway
About London's airports from BAA the current operator
Ordering transportation tickets from USA
National Express Dot2Dot transfers to Heathrow
Eurostar
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13.26 mbs
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Podcaster:London Walks for your MP3 Player
Visit website
Subscribe to this feed
ENG United Kingdom
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Relevant Show for Greater London
London's Transport :
It is almost 2 years now since I recorded two episodes of the London Walks podcast. One episode gave advice on how to get to and from London's airports. The other concerned how to get around London by public transport. These episodes are now out of date, and so the time has come to record them once again. This time I am putting all the information in one place, and in only 40 minutes offering a lot of information in one place, from a local as it were to someone who may be unfamiliar with the transport system in this greatest of capital cities.
At the outset, I must make it clear I am giving you my personal recommendations. You may find some aspects conflict with what you have been told or with what you have read elsewhere. Listeners who live in London may disagree with me, but I offer you my advice based on what I do myself, with no axe to grind and nothing to gain from what I suggest you do.
The podcast is in 3 parts. Firstly I talk about London's airports. Secondly I mention the trains to and from continental Europe. Thirdly I discuss ticketing systems in London, and advise what are the best choices in our integrated transport whether you are staying one day, one week, one month or even longer.
London has 5 airports. London City in Docklands is the smallest and is mainly used for business travel. It is easily and quickly accessible from central London via the Underground and the Dockland Light Railway (DLR). Listeners from abroad to the London Walks Podcast are more likely to arrive at Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted or Luton. These are all large airports, ranging from 20 - 40 miles from the City. All are easy to reach by public transport, and I advise on the choices and the tickets to buy.
My top tips are:
1. It is easier and maybe even quicker to use the Underground rather than the Heathrow Express, when you take into account the time taken getting to and from Paddington, buying a separate ticket, and waiting up to 15 minutes for the next train. This advice is particularly relevant now that Terminal 5 has opened if your plane arrives and departs from Terminal 4 which is no longer directly served by the Heathrow Express Train. The Underground is also much cheaper, costing less than a fifth of the total price for most journeys.
2. If you have 2 or more in your party, consider taking a taxi. The total price might be as much as Â45 - Â50 but divided between as many as 5 passengers a cab is affordable. You also get to hear the political views of your friendly and garrulous cab driver. She or he will have done The Knowledge - a fearsome test taking more than 2 years study. Once qualified, cab drivers will know hundreds of routes by heart, most streets in Greater London, and all the places on those routes. The cabs are clean, undamaged and tightly controlled by the quaintly named Public Carriage Office. A great way to travel.
3. I do not recommend the Gatwick Express. It is expensive (costing up to Â17.90) and no longer more modern, more comfortable, or even very much quicker than alternative trains. Look for the Southern train which is clean, modern and comfortable. It stops once or twice, adding a few minutes on to the journey but costs half the price.
4. Luton and Stansted are easy to reach by train. Luton is cheaper by far, but both take around the same journey time. Travellers on a budget can save huge amounts by taking the Easybus, which costs as little as Â2.
5. It is no longer sensible to fly from London to most places in nearer continental Europe. The Eurostar is very fast indeed - you can spend 10 hours in Paris on a day trip and pay a good price for your ticket if you plan ahead. My top tip is to look at a wonderful personal web site by The Man in Seat 61. This is a comprehensive guide to getting around Europe by train. Please consider making a donation towards his work (after you have donated to London Walks using the Pay Pal button at http://londonwalks.org).
6. It makes no sense to use cash on London's transport. Paying cash is prohibitively expensive by design. If you are staying one day, buy a paper Travelcard. If you are staying longer, get a pay-as-you-go Oystercard. You can buy one with a Â3 deposit when you arrive, or get a visitor Oystercard for Â2 from some travel agents worldwide which can be charged with cash and used from Heathrow right off the plane.
Links:
Transport for London - start here
What is Oyster?
Buying Oyster cards from overseas agents
Oyster ticket stops
How to use Oyster cards for visitors to London
Stansted Express
Gatwick by Southern Railway
About London's airports from BAA the current operator
Ordering transportation tickets from USA
National Express Dot2Dot transfers to Heathrow
Eurostar
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Podcaster:WNYC: The Leonard Lopate Show 
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New York NY USA
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Relevant Show for Greater London
The Endless City (The Leonard Lopate Show: Monday, 02 June 2008):
By 2050, an estimated 75% of the world’s population will live in cities. Saskia Sassen is a professor of sociology at Columbia University and contributor to the new book, The Endless City, which looks at major changes in 6 megacities around the world. Another contributor, Tony Travers, is Director of the Greater London Group at the London School of Economics.
Weigh in: More and more people are moving to cities around the world. What led you to move to the city?
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Podcaster:Chili Cheese Dog Radio
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Relevant Show for Greater London
The Elk With Jade Eyes:
James Blackshaw - The Elk With Jade Eyes, O True Believer, 18:15.When UK-native James Blackshaw plays his 12-string, something
spiritual takes place. This unassuming 23 year-old is transformed
into a guitar god whose name belongs alongside the likes of Jack
Rose, Steffen Basho-Junghans,
and Glenn Jones. Making instrumental, solo, acoustic music
that remains consistently interesting and moving is a difficult
task. Yet, time after time, Blackshaw hits out of the park,
constantly breaking boundaries in what could be conceived as a somewhat
limited medium. O True Believers is the
latest in a string of impressive releases, all with their own mood
and inspiration.
An untrained musician living in the isolated suburban environs
of Greater London, Blackshaw draws inspiration not only from
the early Takoma Records roster, but from sources as varied
as the sublime film-work of Werner
Herzog, the books of Richard Brautigan and an endless
amount of music: free-jazz, 60's psych, drone, ethnic music and
modern-day composers, to name a few. He is also an enthusiastic
runner, part-time poet and a keen reader of books on Hindu and Sufi
religion and mythology.
Consisting of mainly solo 12-string acoustic guitar, played in
a
finger-picked style not too dissimilar to Robbie Basho, perhaps
Blackshaw's
biggest inspiration, James Blackshaw has devised new tunings
and new
techniques both of which are in full display on O True Believers.
In these
part improvised and part written songs, Blackshaw traverses between
Eastern
and Western scales; simple and incredibly intricate picking patterns;
waves
of fast, powerful rolls and glass-fragile harmonics. The album is
embellished with other instruments such as the Hindustani
tamboura and harmonium and a specially tuned psaltery
of Eastern-European
origin called a Cymbala.
Like most of his previous work, O True Believers may be
born of a finite
moment of hope in a sea of infinite sadness, a fleeting moment of
fragile
beauty that extends beyond it's physicality. Unlike past albums,
the
listener's feeling upon conclusion is more ambiguous: there is no
happy and
immediate resolution, as if ghosts of the past will find themselves
resurfacing time and time again in the future, an idea which is
reflected in
several reoccurring themes within the songs themselves. Colourful
ragas sit
next to mournful Fahey-esque refrains, triumphant mountaintop marches
besides almost neo-classical chord changes, endlessly repeating
until there
is only transcendence.
This is James Blackshaw at his most vunerable and sincere
and, with that,
there comes rare and wonderful qualities to his music: truth and
freedom.
James Blackshaw has toured and collaborated with artists
such as Josephine
Foster, Peter Wright, Taurpis Tula, Ashtray
Navigations in the UK and Europe
and is due to tour the US in the summer of 2006. James is also confirmed
and
has contributed tracks to two forthcoming compilations in 2006,
which sees
him alongside the likes of Six Organs of Admittance, Marissa
Nadler,
Christina Carter, John Fahey, Robbie Basho and Peter Lang.
Pitchfork: Even longer is the album's 18-minute centerpiece "The Elk With Jade
Eyes", but here Blackshaw has wisely chosen to branch out
instrumentally, adding elements of sitar, harmonium, and hand
percussion to the track's crystalline wells. This rapturous epic
unfurls with a patient, snake-charming grandeur. Blackshaw hammers his
guitar like an Appalachian dulcimer one minute, and tenderly plucks it
like a Renaissance lute the next to craft his utterly singular
cross-traditional tapestry.Learn more by visiting James Blackshaw at his Offical Website <a href="http://www.jamesblackshaw.com/"> JamesBlackshaw.com</a>
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Podcaster:London Landscape TV
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ENG United Kingdom
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Relevant Show for Greater London
London Landscape TV - April 2007:
In this first episode, recorded Saturday 14th April 2007, the window opens in Trafalgar Square looking down from the outside foyer of the National Portrait Gallery across the square to the fountains and foot of Nelson's Column.
After a close-up of one of the fountains, the camera moves to the far side of Trafalgar Square looking back towards the National Portrait Gallery building.
The next scene is that of Horse Guards on ceremonial duty in Whitehall. The first Guard is on horseback, and the next shot shows a standing Guard in front of the entrance to Horseguards Parade. Behind him is another Guard on hoseback, mirroring the first on either side of the entrance.
The camera now arrives in Parliament Square just in time to catch Big Ben chiming. Notice, in the bottom right corner of the picture, a row of tents marking the location of the current anti-war protest across the road from the Palace of Westminster (Houses of Parliament).
Next, the camera is located in New Palace Yard, in the far corner from the Palace of Westminster. On the left side of the picture is Westminster Abbey. The next shot has a close-up of the statue of Richard I (Richard the Lionheart, King of England from 1189 to 1199.
Our final scenes in this episode are of the The British Airways London Eye, also known as the Millennium Wheel, which opened in 1999. This obsrvation wheel carries 40 "pod" each containing up to 25 passengers on a 30-minute journey full-circle. It stands 135 metres (443 feet) high on the western end of Jubilee Gardens, on the South Bank of the River Thames. The scenes also take in County Hall, the former Greater London Council (GLC) building now home to the London Aquariam, galleries, and two hotels.
Running time: 7m 12 secs; Format: Video: MPEG4/H.264 1280x720 progressive scan (HD 720p standard) 3 Mbps; Audio: Stereo AAC-LC 128Kbps; File size: 165.1 Mbytes.
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Podcaster:London Walks for your MP3 Player
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ENG United Kingdom
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Relevant Show for Greater London
Getting around London by public transport:
Getting round London
London is a big place and has a wonderful transport system, but it's the
victim of its own success. It can be crowded, and there are parts which have
suffered from underinvestment over the years, but most of it is good and
generally very safe.
As a visitor, I will assume you will not be using a car. Parking is expensive
(around $4 US per hour in the central area) and the congestion charge is $14 US
per day which must be paid when you drive in the inner part of central London.
So the choice comes down to taxi, bus, Underground (known as the Tube by
Londoners), train, and of course foot. When Londoners talk about trains, they
generally mean suburban routes, or the 'Overground.' There are many different
train companies, but the differences need not concern you if you only want to
travel in the Greater London area.
National Rail is the name of the long-distance trains. They leave from the
same termini such as Paddington, King's Cross, Euston and so on, but I won't be
covering them in this podcast.
London is divided into zones. You can see the concentric zones by consulting
the London Connections
map. Heathrow airport is in zone 6, which is the outermost zone in the
London area. Gatwick airport is outside the London zoned area. If you want to
travel within zone 1, life is easy. If you want to travel within zones 1 - 6,
life is also easy because you can use almost all forms of public transport on
the same ticket, but you do need to know which zone your destination is in, if
you are to pay the correct price.
The
London Journey Planner comes in handy here. Just type in your departure and
arrival points, and it will calculate the best route for you.
How then do you decide which form of transport is best?
For short journeys, you should walk. London is a great place for wandering
about. You see more that way. The ancient road pattern and lack of any logical
grid means you should buy a map, and most Londoners use the A-Z (pronounced
A-to-Zed). You can buy a small book in any bookshop or stationer, or pretty much
anywhere else too.
For slightly longer trips, the choice is between taxi, bus and Tube.
Taxis are expensive but reliable and clean. You may prefer to use them at
night, or in bad weather. Drivers know every street in London - they take a test
called 'The Knowledge' which generally involves more than 2 years practical
study. You can see trainee drivers on small motorcycles with clipboards mounted
on the handlebars, as they learn the routes by heart. Generally the more people
travelling together, the more affordable the taxi will be. Cab drivers are
closely regulated by the Metropolitan Police Carriage Office. Fares are clearly
displayed along with the licence, and the meter shows the price. It is customary
to add a 10% tip. Sometimes cab drivers will offer to take you to Heathrow
airport for a fixed price, but bartering is not otherwise expected, and you just
pay when is on the meter. All taxis are capable of transporting a wheelchair,
and you should find drivers friendly and helpful. Some places in London are not
well served by the Tube - Chelsea is one example - and here a taxi might be a
better alternative than any other form of public transport. To 'hail' a taxi,
wait on a busy street and put your arm out when you see a cab with its yellow
light illuminated.
The choice between bus and Tube generally comes down to the route, and
perhaps the time of year. Tube is easier for most visitors. Work out your route,
change where necessary, and you should arrive at your chosen destination. Buses
are frequent and better in hot weather as the Tube lacks air conditioning, but
finding the stop and working out your route can be daunting. If you know the bus
number and do not need to change buses to reach your destination, I recommend
using the bus for shorter journeys of 20 minutes or so. Buses are much cheaper
for single journeys than Tubes, and you can buy an all-day pass from ticket
machines at central area bus stops for a very low price.
You should normally ensure you have a ticket before boarding a bus, but
drivers will accept fares in coinage if there is no machine by the stop. Most
people use
Oyster
cards in London, but visitors will find Travelcards more convenient for
stays of a week or less. You buy your Travelcard at Underground stations. The
fares leaflet looks daunting and is, but all you need concern yourself with
is the zone and the time. For example, a one-day Travelcard for zone 1 costs
Â6.20 but if you buy it after 9.30 am the price is only Â4.90. This covers
travel on buses and Tubes in the whole of zone 1. At the other end of the scale,
a card for zones 1 - 6 costs Â12.40 peak and Â6.30 off-peak. be careful not to
buy a zones 2-6 card, because you are likely to pass through zone 1 on your
travels, and so a card including zone 1 is essential. When your Travelcard
includes the outer zones 2-6, all trains are included in the price. This means
you can take a suburban train to the outer limits of the zone of your card's
validity.
For example, if you arrive at Heathrow, purchase a zones 1-6 Travelcard at
the airport and you have the freedom of London for the duration of your card.
Note: the Underground station serving Terminal 4 is closed whilst Terminal 5 is
under construction - if you travel into London (Paddington) on the Heathrow
Express, this is not included in the Travelcard system and your ticket must be
bought separately.
Your Travelcard should be placed face up (magnetic strip downwards) on the
right side of a Tube gate which shows a green entry arrow. Exit gates have a
large red cross on the right. Don't forget to remove your ticket from the slot
in the top of the gate - the gate will not open until you do so. This goes for
the expensive single-journey tickets too - but these are now so pricey that you
are unlikely to want to pay Â3 for one journey unless you have to.
Once through the gates, just follow signs to the line you want - the
different directions will be market westbound, eastbound, northbound and
southbound. Some of these are not entirely clear, especially on the Circle Line,
so memorising the name of the station at the end of the lines will help. On the
platform, look for the large maps on the other side of the track. This shows the
Tube stops. The next 3 trains are shown on a dot matrix sign, with the intervals
in minutes before the train is due.
Buses are easier, and now many stops have ticket machines and dot matrix
displays. The times are not as accurate as the Tube because of the heavy traffic
in central London. If you have a Travelcard, just show it to the driver as you
enter the front door of the bus and alight from the centre doors at your
destination. White bus stops are 'compulsory' and red bus stops 'on request.'
That is the theory, but in practice it is best to put your arm out when your bus
appears to indicate to the driver to pick you up. When you want to alight, push
the bell located on most upright bars. The illuminated sign by the driver will
say 'Stopping' to indicate to the hard of hearing that a request to stop has
been given.
You enter a bus through the front doors and exit through the rear doors. All public transport is non-smoking. The upper deck of buses offers a panoramic view of the streets as you travel to your destination.
Finally a few tips from experience. Follow 'Tube etiquette'. You must stand on the right of the escalators to allow people to pass on the left. Stand back behind the yellow line on Tube platforms - they can be crowded. Stand aside to allow passengers to alight from the trains before you enter. The seats nearest the doors are marked with orange signs to indicate they are for use by less-abled passengers.
Most bus routes are high frequency, but you can check the timetable and destinations by consulting the notices on bus stops. There are a few of the old Routemaster buses left on the streets of London, but only on 'heritage' routes: the Routemaster was withdrawn from regular service at the end of 2005.
Enjoy your visit! Look out for my next walks - they are my absolute favourites.
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8.1 mbs
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Podcaster:London Walks for your MP3 Player
Visit website
Subscribe to this feed
ENG United Kingdom
|
|
Relevant Show for Greater London
Getting around London by public transport:
Getting round London
London is a big place and has a wonderful transport system, but it's the
victim of its own success. It can be crowded, and there are parts which have
suffered from underinvestment over the years, but most of it is good and
generally very safe.
As a visitor, I will assume you will not be using a car. Parking is expensive
(around $4 US per hour in the central area) and the congestion charge is $14 US
per day which must be paid when you drive in the inner part of central London.
So the choice comes down to taxi, bus, Underground (known as the Tube by
Londoners), train, and of course foot. When Londoners talk about trains, they
generally mean suburban routes, or the 'Overground.' There are many different
train companies, but the differences need not concern you if you only want to
travel in the Greater London area.
National Rail is the name of the long-distance trains. They leave from the
same termini such as Paddington, King's Cross, Euston and so on, but I won't be
covering them in this podcast.
London is divided into zones. You can see the concentric zones by consulting
the London Connections
map. Heathrow airport is in zone 6, which is the outermost zone in the
London area. Gatwick airport is outside the London zoned area. If you want to
travel within zone 1, life is easy. If you want to travel within zones 1 - 6,
life is also easy because you can use almost all forms of public transport on
the same ticket, but you do need to know which zone your destination is in, if
you are to pay the correct price.
The
London Journey Planner comes in handy here. Just type in your departure and
arrival points, and it will calculate the best route for you.
How then do you decide which form of transport is best?
For short journeys, you should walk. London is a great place for wandering
about. You see more that way. The ancient road pattern and lack of any logical
grid means you should buy a map, and most Londoners use the A-Z (pronounced
A-to-Zed). You can buy a small book in any bookshop or stationer, or pretty much
anywhere else too.
For slightly longer trips, the choice is between taxi, bus and Tube.
Taxis are expensive but reliable and clean. You may prefer to use them at
night, or in bad weather. Drivers know every street in London - they take a test
called 'The Knowledge' which generally involves more than 2 years practical
study. You can see trainee drivers on small motorcycles with clipboards mounted
on the handlebars, as they learn the routes by heart. Generally the more people
travelling together, the more affordable the taxi will be. Cab drivers are
closely regulated by the Metropolitan Police Carriage Office. Fares are clearly
displayed along with the licence, and the meter shows the price. It is customary
to add a 10% tip. Sometimes cab drivers will offer to take you to Heathrow
airport for a fixed price, but bartering is not otherwise expected, and you just
pay when is on the meter. All taxis are capable of transporting a wheelchair,
and you should find drivers friendly and helpful. Some places in London are not
well served by the Tube - Chelsea is one example - and here a taxi might be a
better alternative than any other form of public transport. To 'hail' a taxi,
wait on a busy street and put your arm out when you see a cab with its yellow
light illuminated.
The choice between bus and Tube generally comes down to the route, and
perhaps the time of year. Tube is easier for most visitors. Work out your route,
change where necessary, and you should arrive at your chosen destination. Buses
are frequent and better in hot weather as the Tube lacks air conditioning, but
finding the stop and working out your route can be daunting. If you know the bus
number and do not need to change buses to reach your destination, I recommend
using the bus for shorter journeys of 20 minutes or so. Buses are much cheaper
for single journeys than Tubes, and you can buy an all-day pass from ticket
machines at central area bus stops for a very low price.
You should normally ensure you have a ticket before boarding a bus, but
drivers will accept fares in coinage if there is no machine by the stop. Most
people use
Oyster
cards in London, but visitors will find Travelcards more convenient for
stays of a week or less. You buy your Travelcard at Underground stations. The
fares leaflet looks daunting and is, but all you need concern yourself with
is the zone and the time. For example, a one-day Travelcard for zone 1 costs
Â6.20 but if you buy it after 9.30 am the price is only Â4.90. This covers
travel on buses and Tubes in the whole of zone 1. At the other end of the scale,
a card for zones 1 - 6 costs Â12.40 peak and Â6.30 off-peak. be careful not to
buy a zones 2-6 card, because you are likely to pass through zone 1 on your
travels, and so a card including zone 1 is essential. When your Travelcard
includes the outer zones 2-6, all trains are included in the price. This means
you can take a suburban train to the outer limits of the zone of your card's
validity.
For example, if you arrive at Heathrow, purchase a zones 1-6 Travelcard at
the airport and you have the freedom of London for the duration of your card.
Note: the Underground station serving Terminal 4 is closed whilst Terminal 5 is
under construction - if you travel into London (Paddington) on the Heathrow
Express, this is not included in the Travelcard system and your ticket must be
bought separately.
Your Travelcard should be placed face up (magnetic strip downwards) on the
right side of a Tube gate which shows a green entry arrow. Exit gates have a
large red cross on the right. Don't forget to remove your ticket from the slot
in the top of the gate - the gate will not open until you do so. This goes for
the expensive single-journey tickets too - but these are now so pricey that you
are unlikely to want to pay Â3 for one journey unless you have to.
Once through the gates, just follow signs to the line you want - the
different directions will be market westbound, eastbound, northbound and
southbound. Some of these are not entirely clear, especially on the Circle Line,
so memorising the name of the station at the end of the lines will help. On the
platform, look for the large maps on the other side of the track. This shows the
Tube stops. The next 3 trains are shown on a dot matrix sign, with the intervals
in minutes before the train is due.
Buses are easier, and now many stops have ticket machines and dot matrix
displays. The times are not as accurate as the Tube because of the heavy traffic
in central London. If you have a Travelcard, just show it to the driver as you
enter the front door of the bus and alight from the centre doors at your
destination. White bus stops are 'compulsory' and red bus stops 'on request.'
That is the theory, but in practice it is best to put your arm out when your bus
appears to indicate to the driver to pick you up. When you want to alight, push
the bell located on most upright bars. The illuminated sign by the driver will
say 'Stopping' to indicate to the hard of hearing that a request to stop has
been given.
You enter a bus through the front doors and exit through the rear doors. All public transport is non-smoking. The upper deck of buses offers a panoramic view of the streets as you travel to your destination.
Finally a few tips from experience. Follow 'Tube etiquette'. You must stand on the right of the escalators to allow people to pass on the left. Stand back behind the yellow line on Tube platforms - they can be crowded. Stand aside to allow passengers to alight from the trains before you enter. The seats nearest the doors are marked with orange signs to indicate they are for use by less-abled passengers.
Most bus routes are high frequency, but you can check the timetable and destinations by consulting the notices on bus stops. There are a few of the old Routemaster buses left on the streets of London, but only on 'heritage' routes: the Routemaster was withdrawn from regular service at the end of 2005.
Enjoy your visit! Look out for my next walks - they are my absolute favourites.
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Relevant Show for Greater London
Getting around London by public transport:
Getting round London
London is a big place and has a wonderful transport system, but it's the
victim of its own success. It can be crowded, and there are parts which have
suffered from underinvestment over the years, but most of it is good and
generally very safe.
As a visitor, I will assume you will not be using a car. Parking is expensive
(around $4 US per hour in the central area) and the congestion charge is $14 US
per day which must be paid when you drive in the inner part of central London.
So the choice comes down to taxi, bus, Underground (known as the Tube by
Londoners), train, and of course foot. When Londoners talk about trains, they
generally mean suburban routes, or the 'Overground.' There are many different
train companies, but the differences need not concern you if you only want to
travel in the Greater London area.
National Rail is the name of the long-distance trains. They leave from the
same termini such as Paddington, King's Cross, Euston and so on, but I won't be
covering them in this podcast.
London is divided into zones. You can see the concentric zones by consulting
the London Connections
map. Heathrow airport is in zone 6, which is the outermost zone in the
London area. Gatwick airport is outside the London zoned area. If you want to
travel within zone 1, life is easy. If you want to travel within zones 1 - 6,
life is also easy because you can use almost all forms of public transport on
the same ticket, but you do need to know which zone your destination is in, if
you are to pay the correct price.
The
London Journey Planner comes in handy here. Just type in your departure and
arrival points, and it will calculate the best route for you.
How then do you decide which form of transport is best?
For short journeys, you should walk. London is a great place for wandering
about. You see more that way. The ancient road pattern and lack of any logical
grid means you should buy a map, and most Londoners use the A-Z (pronounced
A-to-Zed). You can buy a small book in any bookshop or stationer, or pretty much
anywhere else too.
For slightly longer trips, the choice is between taxi, bus and Tube.
Taxis are expensive but reliable and clean. You may prefer to use them at
night, or in bad weather. Drivers know every street in London - they take a test
called 'The Knowledge' which generally involves more than 2 years practical
study. You can see trainee drivers on small motorcycles with clipboards mounted
on the handlebars, as they learn the routes by heart. Generally the more people
travelling together, the more affordable the taxi will be. Cab drivers are
closely regulated by the Metropolitan Police Carriage Office. Fares are clearly
displayed along with the licence, and the meter shows the price. It is customary
to add a 10% tip. Sometimes cab drivers will offer to take you to Heathrow
airport for a fixed price, but bartering is not otherwise expected, and you just
pay when is on the meter. All taxis are capable of transporting a wheelchair,
and you should find drivers friendly and helpful. Some places in London are not
well served by the Tube - Chelsea is one example - and here a taxi might be a
better alternative than any other form of public transport. To 'hail' a taxi,
wait on a busy street and put your arm out when you see a cab with its yellow
light illuminated.
The choice between bus and Tube generally comes down to the route, and
perhaps the time of year. Tube is easier for most visitors. Work out your route,
change where necessary, and you should arrive at your chosen destination. Buses
are frequent and better in hot weather as the Tube lacks air conditioning, but
finding the stop and working out your route can be daunting. If you know the bus
number and do not need to change buses to reach your destination, I recommend
using the bus for shorter journeys of 20 minutes or so. Buses are much cheaper
for single journeys than Tubes, and you can buy an all-day pass from ticket
machines at central area bus stops for a very low price.
You should normally ensure you have a ticket before boarding a bus, but
drivers will accept fares in coinage if there is no machine by the stop. Most
people use
Oyster
cards in London, but visitors will find Travelcards more convenient for
stays of a week or less. You buy your Travelcard at Underground stations. The
fares leaflet looks daunting and is, but all you need concern yourself with
is the zone and the time. For example, a one-day Travelcard for zone 1 costs
Â6.20 but if you buy it after 9.30 am the price is only Â4.90. This covers
travel on buses and Tubes in the whole of zone 1. At the other end of the scale,
a card for zones 1 - 6 costs Â12.40 peak and Â6.30 off-peak. be careful not to
buy a zones 2-6 card, because you are likely to pass through zone 1 on your
travels, and so a card including zone 1 is essential. When your Travelcard
includes the outer zones 2-6, all trains are included in the price. This means
you can take a suburban train to the outer limits of the zone of your card's
validity.
For example, if you arrive at Heathrow, purchase a zones 1-6 Travelcard at
the airport and you have the freedom of London for the duration of your card.
Note: the Underground station serving Terminal 4 is closed whilst Terminal 5 is
under construction - if you travel into London (Paddington) on the Heathrow
Express, this is not included in the Travelcard system and your ticket must be
bought separately.
Your Travelcard should be placed face up (magnetic strip downwards) on the
right side of a Tube gate which shows a green entry arrow. Exit gates have a
large red cross on the right. Don't forget to remove your ticket from the slot
in the top of the gate - the gate will not open until you do so. This goes for
the expensive single-journey tickets too - but these are now so pricey that you
are unlikely to want to pay Â3 for one journey unless you have to.
Once through the gates, just follow signs to the line you want - the
different directions will be market westbound, eastbound, northbound and
southbound. Some of these are not entirely clear, especially on the Circle Line,
so memorising the name of the station at the end of the lines will help. On the
platform, look for the large maps on the other side of the track. This shows the
Tube stops. The next 3 trains are shown on a dot matrix sign, with the intervals
in minutes before the train is due.
Buses are easier, and now many stops have ticket machines and dot matrix
displays. The times are not as accurate as the Tube because of the heavy traffic
in central London. If you have a Travelcard, just show it to the driver as you
enter the front door of the bus and alight from the centre doors at your
destination. White bus stops are 'compulsory' and red bus stops 'on request.'
That is the theory, but in practice it is best to put your arm out when your bus
appears to indicate to the driver to pick you up. When you want to alight, push
the bell located on most upright bars. The illuminated sign by the driver will
say 'Stopping' to indicate to the hard of hearing that a request to stop has
been given.
You enter a bus through the front doors and exit through the rear doors. All public transport is non-smoking. The upper deck of buses offers a panoramic view of the streets as you travel to your destination.
Finally a few tips from experience. Follow 'Tube etiquette'. You must stand on the right of the escalators to allow people to pass on the left. Stand back behind the yellow line on Tube platforms - they can be crowded. Stand aside to allow passengers to alight from the trains before you enter. The seats nearest the doors are marked with orange signs to indicate they are for use by less-abled passengers.
Most bus routes are high frequency, but you can check the timetable and destinations by consulting the notices on bus stops. There are a few of the old Routemaster buses left on the streets of London, but only on 'heritage' routes: the Routemaster was withdrawn from regular service at the end of 2005.
Enjoy your visit! Look out for my next walks - they are my absolute favourites.
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8.1 mbs
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