How to Visit London on a tight budget
I think it’s a pretty well known fact that London is probably one of the most expensive cities in the world to visit. Transport, attractions, food and drink – it all adds up and a full day in London would definitely set you back substantially on your travel budget. So how do you do London on the cheap?
So this begs the question. How can you go visit London, not live like a pauper and still enjoy the sights and pleasures, experiencing London on the cheap?
Can it be done? Sure it can. I have done it myself and so have very many of my friends. London can be enjoyed on a tight budget. Obviously, prices will still be higher than a vacation in Thailand. But you can reduce costs with some easy travel hacks. Some ideas are:
Accommodation? Hostels for the young abound. If you’re not into the student backpack vibe but on a budget, look at Ibis, Premier Inn and Travelodge. Reasonable hotel chains that offer decent budget lodgings. You’ll be looking at rates that range from £45-60 per night. Also look for the B&B’s….they can be found all over London. Some are more expensive then others but you should be able to score a good deal as long as you’re not visiting in June and July. (High season=high prices).
Find hotels, hostels and B&B in London
Transport around London and the UK
This, to my mind, is the magic bullet for any traveler to London, whether budget or not is to get yourself a Visitor Oyster Card.
I think for many of us, it’s usually a case of deciding to get all these things when we get there. That’s a classic mistake.
We usually spend 2 days buying on demand and then only remember to start looking at options when we have already wasted valuable budget. DO IT NOW – Before you go. If you pay for it now, you have taken the pressure off your “on the road budget”.
- It’s 50% cheaper – a Tube journey in central London costs £2.40 with Oyster or £4.90 with cash. It’s a pay as you go system, where you have bought credit and use it until you feel you may need to top it up again. You can use it for your transfer from Heathrow airport into London Central and if you get this all sorted before you travel, your savings begin right away.
- The savings are enormous over a few days if you are traveling around London a lot.
Oyster cards can be used on:
- Overground and National Rail trains in London
- South London trams
- London buses
- London Underground (the Tube)
- The Thames cable car (Emirates Air Line)
- Docklands Light Railway (DLR)
You can also get a 10% discount on Thames Clipper river boats and Circular Cruise operating from all London Piers. Visiting London on the cheap means you need to get really creative in the way you sleep, transport, eat and drink.
A walking tour is another option. If you’re relatively fit, check out London Walks – cost is about £10. The experience is fun and fascinating. You can get all kinds of walks ranging from Jack the Ripper, Ghost Walks, Indoor Tours, London Village Walks and so much more!
If the weather is good, walking really beats everything. A walk in any direction in London will bring you sightseeing pleasure and it’s really fun. Try it. Hailing a cab is going to blow your budget and sometimes it can take just as long going from one Tube station to another as it can just taking an easy stroll.
Hungry? Forget heading off to some expensive eateries. Eat like a Londoner. This is how you do London on the cheap. Go get yourself a normal sandwich. (People call them triangle sandwiches). It’ll probably set you back about £3. Go pick up a sandwich in a supermarket and have a picnic in one of the parks or watch the world go by from a bench.
Sightseeing? Quasi-socialist in part, the UK government has stated that all the Museums should be free so that all citizens can enjoy them. Cool. That takes care of sightseeing without the costs. And, as you probably know, the museums are awesome…
Excellent Museums in London
The London Pass is described as your key to the city. In a sense, it is. If you loathe wasting your precious vacation hours standing in long lines, it can help. Many of the attractions you see on the Pass will also give you a fast-track, that is, you skip to the head of the line.
You do save a lot of money if you are planning to see all the sights; The Tower of London, doing a Thames River cruise, Going to Westminster Abbey and many more attractions right through to the view from the Shard. London can offer some incredible things to do. However, without the discounts, you could be spending a fortune paying for tickets in cash.
The West End
No visit to London can be complete without taking in at least one of the many shows available on the West End. Seeing a West End theater show can seem scary expensive and for the budget conscious, probably something you would avoid. That would be a shame though. I remember seeing Jersey Boys a few years back in the West End and not only loving the show and the Franki Valli and 4 seasons songs, but just the whole evening. It was magical. Drinks at a nearby pub later with some light pub fare and the night was complete. The secret is to be organized and do stuff before you go on the trip. Buy your theater tickets in advance and receivce some great discounts. The other way to do it is, if you don't mind taking a gamble and standing in line, you could get some last minute deals on unsold tickets or returns. That can be a real deal. However, bear in mind you might not get lucky. As in New York, there is a TKTS booth in Leicester Square where you can get last minute and cheaper tickets.
Shopping in London
Okay, so you might immediately think Harrods and for your budget - A BIG NO! But hold on. You don't need to be going to all the posh fancy places. In fact, I had the most fun (and believe me, that's a feat as I hate shopping) being dragged through the markets and retro grunge stores by my then girlfriend who wanted to get shoes and handbags.She showed me the art of shopping in London on the cheap. She was Englsih, so maybe that helped but she cheekily bartered and haggled and got some good deals.
It was fascinating. I was the one getting pulled out of the stores as she berated me like a child for wandering off. I had serious shiny objects syndrome , getting transfixed by electronics, antiques, LP records and a million other little fragments of distraction. It's a great day or part of a day activity. Also,- bonus, the market food stores are really reasonable by UK terms and you can certainly while away some time and spend limited amounts of your budget if you are selective and have a good eye for value.
Planning your activities and social life
If you have read much of this website, you’ll know I am big on getting ahead of the curve -doing a little prep and getting yourself organized. If you’re planning a trip to London, get subscribed to TIMEOUT London.
Over the years this has grown into a feast of useful info about where to go, what to do and what’s happening, music, cabaret, theater, restaurants, pubs…you name it.
Just go on the Net and check out the website and you’ll be up for the next 5 hours as you go through the many articles and reviews. It will give you a great start to your activity planning and managing tovacation in London on the cheap.
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