Relocation to London – The world can be your Oyster (card) - Image via Wikipedia

Just as soon as you make a decision about your relocation to London, you need to start planning for your move. The biggest aspect of moving to London is learning about how the transport system works. Many Americans moving to London assume they will be able to get a car, but you don’t need it, you definitely don’t want the hassle and you’ll be using public transport for the most part after your relocation to London.

London is a massive city and the transport system is made up of trains, buses, the underground subway system and some of the river services. You might have to take one or more type of transport to get to work or into central London and having an Oyster Card is the most convenient way of navigating all three without having to manage cash and tickets.

The recognizable blue Oyster Card is like a credit card for all of your transport around London. It can be loaded with money like a pre-paid card so you do not have to pay cash for any of your travels around London. Not only are you saving time by avoiding the long queues for tickets on the tube and train stations. It is also cheaper to use an Oyster Card for all of your travel after your international relocation to London.

Once you have established where you need to go and how you’re going to get there, you can by a season ticket for your daily travel that will slash your budget and keep you on the move without having to buy a paper ticket. The Oyster Card is also great if you have just moved into your new London apartment and you want to get out and explore the city. Many of the top London attractions are very close to public transport, and you can combine your Oyster Card with London Pass that will get you to the venue and into the attraction with just one swipe of your card.

Relocation to London is going to be one of the most exciting and fascinating times of your life, you don’t have to worry about not having a car, they are really more hassle than they are worth if you life in central London. You’ll soon be catching the tube and trains without any trouble at all with an Oyster Card that can be purchased from any station using cash or a credit/debit card. You can also purchase an Oyster Card at many shops or even order it online and have it delivered to your home.

Mind more than just the gap...get to know the London Overground after your London move - London Relocation Services - Image via Wikipedia

Author:  Colleen

If you’re moving to London from outside the UK, you may already know of its subway system by nickname: the “tube.” London tourists and expats alike can find this endearing as there’s typically nothing much cute about a train that speeds through hot subterranean tunnels kicking up paper rubbish in its wake or popping plastic bottles on the very tracks that rodents scurry on when the trains aren’t around. This is the image of subway trains and facilities in the States, anyway…as a Chicago native, not even having a nickname like the “El” for our elevated trains could remotely make them seem more appealing. I’ll give it to London’s tube, though—its efficiency and cleanliness beats any equivalents I’ve seen in the States, bar none. I can handle seeing a little mouse now and then on the tracks versus the sewer rats I’ve seen in New York. Bleh. Station platforms and train interiors are cleaner. And just the people commuting on these trains in general are so much more, well, normal than back home. Just average commuters like you and me. Even the London Underground’s multi-colored tube map, logo, and famous “Mind the Gap” announcement have made their way onto T-shirts, mousepads, coffee mugs, and whatever other kitsch of your dreams.

Yes, indeed, there’s a lot to be said for the London Underground, a.k.a. the tube. And on relocating to London from the States a few years ago, I initially made it my sole mode of transport—likely because, also to its credit, it has an extensive number of stops, so can deliver you essentially anywhere from anywhere in London. But after a while you start to pine for the light of day. The bus can then become a preferable mode of transport that keeps you above-ground, though the arrival times can be hit-or-miss. I did, after a couple years, finally start taking the bus to work for a change, and it cost me about a third less to do so.

And it’s after three years living in London that I’m finally coming to appreciate the London Overground. These are truly beautiful trains! Maybe locals would laugh at me for saying that, but they’re air-conditioned, clean, comfortable, and provide a smooth and quick ride with a view outside—so nice for those longer hauls across this big city. Today, for instance, I cut my usual Underground commute to Hampstead (to visit a good friend) in half by instead taking the Overground out of a rail station just as close as my usual tube station. And the best part is you can use your Oyster Card for it, too, just like for riding the tube, so you don’t have to deal with standing at ticket windows or kiosks to pay expensive rail fares; just tap your existing card to the yellow readers, and you’re good to go.

This is perhaps not the biggest London revelation I could share, but, honestly, using the Overground is something pretty new to me after three years already. So, I’d be remiss not to encourage those of you making the international relocation to London to educate yourself sooner on the Overground map in the event it could spare you so much time/transfers on the tube. Being aware of such public transportation routes is a key part of London Relocation’s services as well—our relocation agents will advise you on the neighborhoods to live in so you have quick and easy commutes to work, school, and other places important to your lifestyle. They can strive to find London apartments that are in close proximity to a number of public transport options so you can get to know London inside and out, under and overground.

Relocation UK: The London Pass- Look for this logo to know you can use the London Pass Card - Image by Leo Reynolds via Flickr

If your planning your relocation UK and have yet to arrive you really should visit the website of the London Pass.  This little tidbit can really be a valuable resource when moving to London.  There is a travel card option that we’ll dive into later but it will even pay for transportation from Heathrow to central London, which in a cab would cost you a pretty pound.  So back to the London pass…

Your London relocation agent can also tell you more about it but let’s cover the details.  The price: 80 pounds per day.  You can buy a London Pass for 1, 2, 3, or 6 days, each day being the same price.  What do you get?  Well that’s the great thing, and it’s great if you are already living in London and want to get to know all the history you can in a short amount of time.

The London Pass covers the price of admission to 55 different museums and attractions in and about London.  All the major ones are covered, in fact their top ten attractions are:

1. Thames River Boat Cruise
2. Tower of London
3. Westminster Abbey
4. London Bridge Experience
5. Windsor Castle
6. St. Paul’s Cathedral
7. Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre Tour and Exhibition
8. Tower Bridge Exhibition
9. Hampton Court Palace
10. Churchill War Rooms

All are terrific attractions and “Must See’s” when moving to London.  Many are located close together so you can hit a few a day.  There’s some really great features that come with a London Pass, but my personal favorite?  NO WAITING.  That’s right, if you have a Pass you skip all the lines (queues) which is particularly of benefit at say Towner of London and Windsor Castle, especially in the summer now that the tourist season is in full swing.

So on top of the free admission to the 55 top attractions your purchase comes with a 120+ page Guidebook that provides information and directions to each place included.  The guide book does advertise that it includes discounts that added tours or attractions may have,  as well as discounts on food.  They have the Travelcard option, which covers unlimited travel on all public transport in​ London on the days you use your card.

The card has a smart chip inside, much like an Oyster card (see previous posts on this must have while living in London), so it’s activated the first time you use it. They read it in a machine and it records that as day 1, regardless of what time of day you use it, so best to get out early to get the most of it.

There’s a two minute video on the London Pass that explains it and the same page has a link for all the 55 attractions and museums it covers.   Over the rest of the summer we’ll highlight many of the attractions so you who are relocating to London, and those of you enjoying your summer here who have already relocated to London will have a great list of places to visit.

Once your moving to London is over and you become an official resident of London you really will want to know more about the history of the UK.  Life in England was pretty difficult at times and it may help you understand better the outlook of London natives.  You’ll want to immerse yourself in the culture to truly feel at home here after your relocation UK.

Moving to London – As You Touchdown…- Image via Wikipedia

As soon as you know that you are moving to London, you should make a list of the essential tasks that you have to do as soon as you touch down. If you’re using a London relocation services company to help you with the big move, then they may be able to help you get set up and settled in even faster.

The most important thing you should do when you arrive is to get in contact with your family back home to let them know that you’re enjoying London. If you have brought your mobile phone with you, make sure it will work on the British networks and then get a SIM card. It can be quite a process to get a contract through one of the service providers, so your best bet is to get a Pay-as-you-Go SIM card which will allow you to add credit when you need it. The most popular mobile phone operators in London are Vodafone, O2, Orange and T-Mobile. If you don’t have a phone then you can purchase one with SIM card at most major retail outlets in your neighborhood.

To get around London, you do not need a car. In fact you’d be advised to avoid all forms of car ownership for the duration, unless you rent a car for the day to travel out of London. The most efficient way of getting around London is by tube, train, bus or taxi. The first step? Get yourself an Oyster Card. This is the cheapest, safest and fastest way to pay for your travel around London. It looks like a bank card and all you do is load it with credit for your travel, and then swipe it on all tubes, buses and trains. No cash, no fuss. Easy does it.

You’ll also need to think of setting up a bank account as soon as you arrive in London. It’s not difficult, but it may be a bit time consuming, so be prepared to bring ALL of your paperwork with you. If you are using an international relocation company then ask them to guide you through the process and advise you on all of the possible paperwork that you might need when you’re moving to London.​

Living In London – Manners Maketh The Man – Especially On The Tube- Image via Wikipedia

When you’re living in London, you’re going to spend quite a bit of time commuting around the city and there are some unwritten guidelines to tube etiquette and manner. Most of them are common sense, but Londoner’s are an impatient lot, so it you don’t want to be the brunt of a busy Londoner’s burst of anger then you may want to take a look at the tube travel tips we’ve assembled for you.

Top Tube Travel Tips

• The most important aspect of travelling by tube is how to stand on the escalators. The tube is an underground rapid transit system, so you will be spending time on escalators as you descend to the very depths of London. If you’re not charging up and down the escalator, always make sure that you stand to the right. The left hand side of any escalator is always reserved for busy Londoners in a rush!
• Make sure you have your tube ticket or your Travel Card ready before approaching the ticket turnstiles. There is nothing more frustrating than rushing to catch a tube and being held up by someone frantically searching for their Oyster Card while blocking dozens of people behind them.
• On this note, when you pass through the ticket turnstile, walk onwards for several feet. Stopping dead in your tracks as soon as you are through indicates a lack of manner for the thousands of Londoner’s behind you. Of course their response will probably indicate a lack of bad manner overall… But you have been warned.
• If you are in a crowded tube carriage and standing close to the doors. It is common to get off the tube to allow people behind you to disembark. Just be certain you don’t get elbowed out of the way by Londoner’s in a hurry to get onto the tube

You don’t have to be alarmed by all of the rules and regulations seeming to govern tube travel while you are living in London. Just treat people the way that you’d like to be treated but try to never cross the yellow line on the platform, and do “Mind the Gap!”

Americans Moving to London: Living In London – Keeping Safe - Image by Mirka23 via Flickr

If you’re an American ​ moving to London from the U.S. or a smaller town in another country, you may be concerned about the levels of crime. Every big city in the world has issues with crime and personal safety, but it is important to remember that crime can and does happen in everywhere. It is important to keep alert while you are living in London and make sure that you new London apartment is secure at night.

Street Wise!

If you’re moving to London, you will be spending at lot of your time walking around the city. You need to keep alert while you are walking the streets of London and follow basic personal safety measures. You also need to be alert on the tube and on trains especially late at night. Not many people use private transport while they are living in London and the public transport system will be your main form of transport to and from work and while you are out and about.

·      Try not to use your cell phone while you are walking on the street. A cell phone can be quickly grabbed out of your hand even in broad daylight on a crowded city street.

·      Keep your bag close and don’t display your wallet to anyone on the train or tube. This is why it is always good to pay for your transport up front and get yourself an Oyster Card for your travel tickets.

·      When travelling by tube, always try to sit close to a group of people. This won’t be a problem during rush hour, but if it is getting late and you are travelling alone, then keep to more crowded carriages. As soon as you get onto a carriage, find out where the passenger alarm is so if you do have an emergency you’ll know how to alert the driver immediately.

·      Get the number of a professional and reputable cab company loaded into your cell phone. If you’re out late at night and need to get home, you can always call a cab. For women travelling alone, you can always use a facility such asLadycab who only use female cab drivers for your peace of mind.

It is always important to maintain a sense of perspective. Very few people are affected by crime while living in London, but keeping safe is all about staying alert.

Checking and updating your Oyster card balance after a London move - Image via Wikipedia

Author: Colleen

Welcome to the next installment of my “Idiot’s Guide to the Oyster Card,” which I started last Friday to help you out if you’re moving to London and don’t want to look like a tourist trying to navigate the city. Last week I discussed how to buy your Oyster card and use it at the tube station gates; today, I’ll explain how to add to your Oyster card balance, as well as where else you’ll be able to use it.

1. Tap your Oyster against the yellow pad for a second or two until you see the touch-screen register your Oyster balance.

2. Select the onscreen button for top up/pay as you go. (“Topping Up” is the oft-used phrase for adding to your account balances, Oyster or otherwise)

3. On the next screen, select the button representing the GBP pound amount you want to add (displayed in 5 or 10 pound increments). Or, you can select the button “Another Amount” and drop the applicable amount of change into the machine or charge to your debit or credit card.

4. If charging to your debit or credit card, just insert it into the reader to the right and use the keypad to enter your PIN if applicable.

5. Regardless of whether you pay with cash or card, you’ll be asked to then tap your Oyster card against the yellow pad to officially add the additional amount to it and thereby complete your transaction.

When using one of these kiosks, bear in mind that not all of them accept cash. The narrower ones are usually debit/credit card only, and the ones accepting paper and/or coins are at least twice as wide. You’ll also see a digital screen above each one specifying which form(s) of payment are accepted.

You can use the Oyster card on London buses as well. When you step aboard, you’ll see the same yellow Oyster pad under the bus driver’s window. Tap it (remember to hold it there, though, until you hear the beep) and look to the little digital screen to the left to see your remaining balance. In the case of the bus, then, you pay one flat rate from the start, so do not need to tap again when you exit the vehicle.

You might also need to seek out the yellow Oyster pad on some Overground train platforms in the event you take the tube to a station that services both Under- and Overground trains and you need to transfer between the two. In the case where you’ll be going from the tube train directly to the ground-level platform rather than exiting the station altogether, you won’t be able to tap your Oyster on the exit gates to register your destination (which thereby determines your deducted balance). Rather, you’ll have to tap it on the pad found on the train platform aboveground to ensure the proper amount is deducted from your card given the distance you’ve traveled. If you forget to do this, your Oyster will automatically be deducted the maximum fare (4 pounds, last I was aware).

The city is your Oyster after a London move - Image by Mirka23 via Flickr

Author: Colleen

Moving to London is only part of the journey; getting yourself around in the city is the next stage of your adventure. We’ve blogged about the Oyster card (what it is and what it does) before, but today I’d like to offer a step-by-step tutorial of how to use it. I’ve hosted enough visitors to see their confusion in first using this handy little item and continually have to walk them through it (at least the first couple of times). It will be no different for you when you first relocate to London and need to use it on a daily basis. So here’s how to not look like a tourist from the get-go:

First of all, you can purchase your Oyster card at the ticket window of any tube station or order it online at the Transport for London website. Keep it in the little plastic carrier they might provide you (souvenir shops sometimes sell cute versions of them, too) or stick it in an exterior pocket of your wallet. However you carry it, make sure to have that sucker in your hand and ready in advance of approaching the gates—nothing is more annoying than nearly running into someone who abruptly stops right in front of the gate to fish out their card or ticket; this is usually the sign of a tourist or a particularly dense and/or inconsiderate person. I’m serious. Don’t be the one who interrupts the flow of commuting traffic. Please.

You’ll have to put money on your Oyster card initially on purchase, so when you first use it at a tube station, approach the gates to the trains and look for the glaringly obvious round, yellow pads with an Oyster symbol. Simply lay your Oyster card against this yellow pad—don’t tap it quickly, as it might not register that way, but hold it there only long enough to hear the gate beep and open the doors for you. It usually only takes a second or two. If you have luggage, look for the special double-wide gates for just such purpose (usually to the far left or right of the regular ones).

You’ll also want to pay attention to the little illuminated sign sticking up at the right-hand side of the gate. First of all, it will either have a green arrow (pointed left toward the gate doors) or a red X lit up on it. The green arrow is your signal that you can pass through the gate on that side. The red X means that only those approaching the gate from the opposite direction can go through it. It’s a simple means of traffic control, so pay attention so you don’t frustrate people by trying to enter through the wrong gate. Also on these signs, some (not all) of the time you’ll see a white number at the bottom (denominated in pounds) after you’ve tapped your Oyster card and as the gate opens for you; this figure is the remaining balance on your Oyster.

Now as far as that Oyster account balance goes, if the gate indeed shows it on its black sign to the right of the doors, the figure displayed on entering a tube station is going to be what you’re first coming in with—it will not reflect the fare deducted for that trip, simply because it doesn’t yet know where you’re going! The city is divided into multiple zones that form concentric circles around the greater London area as a means of gauging distance of travel. For example, it will cost you less to travel within a zone than between zones because the former distance is shorter than the latter. So, your travel fare won’t be deducted until you tap your Oyster card for the second time upon exiting the gates of your destination station.

Stay tuned for the next installment of my “Idiot’s Guide to the Oyster Card” on Monday (after our usual Weekend Warrior series!) in which I explain how to update the balance of your Oyster card, as well as where else you can apply it.

Living In London – London Transport Zones; Lines; Colors: CONFUSING! -Image via Wikipedia

As one of the thousands of Americans moving to London each year, the biggest part of adjusting to living in London is learning how to use the public transport. Having a private car in London is expensive and unnecessary. As soon as you have settled into your new London apartment you need to start learning how to make your way around the city using the tubes, trains and buses.

Transport Zones

The London transport network is divided into fare zones that spread out from the centre of the city to the outer edges of the suburbs. The central Zone is called Zone 1 and the furthest Zone is called Zone 6. The more zones that you travel in, the more you will have to pay to use the transport network. If you live in Zone 2, work in Zone 1 ​and only make the occasional trip out to Heathrow or other areas in Zone 6, then you should only get a Zone1 and 2 Travelcard, and purchase a Zone 6 Travelcard when you need it. If you purchase an all inclusive Zone Travelcard, you’ll be paying quite a lot more than you need to.

Lines and Routes

The London transport system is coded by name and by color. The easiest way to remember which line you need to travel on is to remember the color, but note that Londoners refer to the line by its name. For example; the Red Line is called the Central Line. It just makes it easier to understand in a hurry if you can easily identify who line and station you need to get on and off.

Reading the Map

The London Underground Map, in particular, is not to scale, so when you read it, you might find that you save more time with a five minute walk than by taking the tube to the closest station. The tube maps that you see are drawn schematically and do not represent distances in scale. In London it is sometimes quicker to walk!

Peak and Off Peak Times

Peak travel time for all forms of public transport is between 4:30 am and 9.30 am Monday – Friday. If you purchase a 7-day Travelcard loaded onto your Oyster Card you can travel at any time of the day and not pay any more.

Living in London for the first time can be confusing, but armed with your Underground Map and you’re A-Z street map, you’ll be right at home in no time at all.

Living In London – A Travel Card Or An Oyster Card?- Image via Wikipedia

If you’re an American moving to London, then you’ll have to get used to fact that you’ll be using public transport while you’re living in London. Having a car in London is almost out of the question; not only is it exorbitantly expensive, it is also completely unnecessary. The Tube, which is the name for the London Underground (subway system) carry most of London wherever they need to go. Combined with an excellent train system and hundreds of buses, you’ll never be stuck without transport in London.

You might have heard about a Travelcard and an Oyster Card, and are wondering about the difference between the two. Most people living in London use the Oyster Card system. An Oyster Card will always be cheaper than a Travelcard in the long run but a Travelcard can be combined with some fantastic special offers if you’re new to London and want to explore the city before settling into your new London rental.

A Travelcard is a temporary card and you do not have to pay a deposit for the card. When you’re Travelcard expires you can just throw it away and get a new one. There are a number of special offers and you can take advantage of the 2 for 1 admission to the some of the biggest London tourist attractions. If you’re travelling for 5 or more days in London then a 7 day Travelcard is better value for money than the same fares on an Oyster Card. However in the usual British tradition of making things confusing, a 7-day Travelcard comes loaded onto an Oyster Card!

An Oyster Card is a pay-as-you go card for all forms of London transport, and it is a permanent card that you can use as and when you need it. If you’re living in London and going to be a regular commuter then you can load your pre-paid Oyster card with cash amounts or with Travelcards to take advantage of the cheaper fares.​