How To Reach London

London, the city needs no introduction. One of the four most important cities of the world, an evolution of the old city of Saxons and Danes that went by the name of ‘Lundun,’ this place is a feeling that throbs with every dimension; be it culture or business, history or royalty. From the Tower of London to the Big Ben, Nottingham Street to Hyde Park, the city has not only been immortalised by tourism, but also popular fiction and cinema. So if you are a die hard Nottingham Hill fan or have idealised Bridget Jones’ Diary, here is how you can reach that London of your dreams for a super holiday.

The best way to reach London from India at one time was by ship, but today it is definitely by air. London’s Heathrow Airport, Gatwick Airport and Stansted Airport are the most important of its five airports and tackle most of the traffic from international destinations. From India, you will find many direct and indirect flights to London, flying from cities like Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Goa, Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Amritsar etc. The regulars on these routes are British Airways, Air India, Etihad, Virgin Atlantic and Qatar. Some flights fly directly in 9-10 hours while others have stopovers in gulf countries.

London is known for its city traffic, but otherwise the rest of UK has exceptionally beautiful roads, mostly empty and beckoning for a road trip. You can drive into London from neighbouring Wales or Scotland very easily. The rolling English countryside, idle moors and small hamlets make for a dreamy escape while you travel. You will also find many buses and coach services plying towards London from other cities like Manchester, Bristol, Edinburgh, Inverness, Glasgow etc. Victoria Coach Station is one of London’s main bus stations to disembark.

The British Rail Network is one of the oldest railway operators in the world, and is centred at London, which is the capital of UK. Most trains from all over the country do come to London or pass through, at the least. There are also regular trains from other European and Scandinavian cities like Paris, Brussels, Belgium, Amsterdam, Berlin, Stockholm etc that ply to London. These are operated by the High speed Euro-star service. Tourists and student passes on these rail routes are pretty cheap, and they also have amazing regular discounts that can be booked online.

Now, in your Julia Roberts movie dreams, you might imagine getting around London in those dashing black cabs but really, they are a bomb on your pocket. Off course, there are many other better options to go around London. You can take the iconic red double decker bus for a start. You will be easily able to discern the bus stops and trace the bus routes to your destination as everything is obviously in English. Then there is the famous underground tube train that you can take and this is also a great experience. Just be aware of pickpockets and con people, especially at nights. For travelling through the Tube you can easily trace the 11 routes, each marked with a different colour, and choose yours. And, and, and, if you are within walking distance then make sure you walk. Because London is best seen while you stroll around its sights, eyes wide, heart in awe.