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Making Sense of a Tube Map of London Neighborhoods

Sunday, January 8th, 2012

Shortly after confirming an international relocation families often buy a map of London neighborhoods to help prepare for the upcoming move. While that can never hurt it is best to truly understand what the map says and how to use it best once the plane lands and a family is left to fend for themselves in a new country. One of the most useful maps a family can get is a Tube map of London neighborhoods.

One of the first challenges facing families fresh to London from a corporate relocation is the lack of a personal vehicle. In America almost every family owns at least one car, often with every member of the family over sixteen owning their own car. In a city the size of London that is just not possible. Even if a family does have a car in London it will probably spend most of its time in a parking garage. That is why a good Tube map of London neighborhoods is a must-have.

Anyone moving to London having never relied on public transportation will have an adjustment period where map usage will be necessary. For the newcomer to the Tube (or any major system for that matter) the first glace at a Tube map of London neighborhoods will look like a colorful display of lines and they’ll probably think they will need an engineering degree to ever make sense of it all.

Do not despair new Londoners. Learning to make sense of a Tube map of London neighborhoods will come eventually and then become second nature. The first rule of thumb for those new to London transportation is to not be afraid to ask for help. Second, figure out far in advance what route one needs to get somewhere. Lastly, those just moving to London from America should not be afraid to wander out of their comfort zone and explore London via the Tube. They just must remember to bring their handy Tube map of London neighborhoods with them!

Tags: corporate relocation, international relocation, map of london neighborhoods, Moving to London, moving to london from america, tube map
Posted in Americans Moving to London, Living in London, London Neighborhoods, London Transportation, Relocation to London, Relocation to London With Family | No Comments »

Relocation to London: Don’t Overlook the Overground

Monday, September 12th, 2011

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.

Tags: international relocation, London Overground, London public transport, London public transportation, london relocation agents, london relocation companies, London Relocation Services, London Underground, Moving to London, office relocation London, Oyster card, relocation company, relocation in london, relocation jobs London, relocation to london, relocation uk, tube map
Posted in London Transportation, Moving to London: Tips & Culture, Relocation to London | No Comments »

Living in London: Idiot’s Guide to the Oyster Card (Part II)

Monday, May 23rd, 2011

An Oyster Card reader (a Cubic Tri-Reader) mou...

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.

If the tube station gates don’t show you your balance on entry and/or exit, you can simply tap it on the same type of round, yellow Oyster pad found on the kiosks that line the walls of every tube station to view it. You can also use these kiosks to add money as necessary to your Oyster balance. The touch-screen will show you your options, but the typical transaction entails this:

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).

Okay then, now you’ve got your ticket to ride, so bon voyage on all the intercity travels to follow your London move.

Tags: american expats in london, Americans moving to London, canadians moving to london, canadians moving to london uk, living in London, London, London Living, london move, london moving, London Relocation, london relocation agent, London Relocation Services, London relocation specialist, Moving to London, Moving to London from US, Oyster card, Public transport, relocating to London, relocating to london england, relocation agents, rent london apartments, things to know about london, Travelcard, tube map
Posted in Living in London, London Relocation & What People Say About Us, London Transportation, Moving to London: Tips & Culture, Relocating to UK: Visas, Banking, & Other Logisitical Issues | No Comments »

Living in London: Idiot’s Guide to the Oyster Card (Part I)

Friday, May 20th, 2011

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.

Tags: american expats in london, Americans moving to London, canadians moving to london, canadians moving to london uk, living in London, London, London Living, london move, london moving, London Relocation, london relocation agent, London Relocation Services, London relocation specialist, Moving to London, Moving to London from US, Oyster card, Public transport, relocating to London, relocating to london england, relocation agents, rent london apartments, things to know about london, Travelcard, tube map
Posted in Living in London, London Relocation & What People Say About Us, London Transportation, Relocating to UK: Visas, Banking, & Other Logisitical Issues | 1 Comment »

Living In London – London Transport Zones; Lines; Colors: CONFUSING!

Tuesday, May 17th, 2011

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.

Tags: american expats in london, Americans moving to London, canadians moving to london, canadians moving to london uk, Central Line, List of stations in London fare zone 1, List of stations in London fare zone 2, living in London, London, London Living, london move, london moving, London Neighborhoods, London Relocation, london relocation agent, London Relocation Services, London relocation specialist, Moving to London, Moving to London from US, Oyster card, Public transport, relocating to London, relocating to london england, relocation agents, rent london apartments, things to know about london, Travelcard, tube map, understanding british history for a london move
Posted in Living in London, London Neighborhoods, London Neighborhoods, London Transportation, Relocating to UK: Visas, Banking, & Other Logisitical Issues | 1 Comment »

London Logistics: Public Transport

Monday, March 8th, 2010

London is a city set up well for walking and public transportation–I simply see no point in having a car here and would never want to fight that traffic on my own. Whenever you need to plan how to get from A to B via train or bus (and would like to gauge the amount of time to allow for this travel), we recommend that you bookmark the Transport for London website: https://www.tfl.gov.uk

Here, you can find route maps, timetables, how to buy tickets (including procuring your Oyster card) or use the Journey Planner feature to enter your starting and destination locations. The site also posts live service updates or, for your added convenience, you can consult the Travel Tools page to sign up for mobile travel alerts or email notifications of weekend closures–there is always one line or another that is closed for scheduled engineering works over the weekend, which definitely cramps one’s plans when you show up at the station expecting service to run the same as it does any given weekday.

London Relocation Ltd. has your flat-searching transportation covered, as we hire a driver for the entire day–but when you’re officially on your own, TFL will be a necessary resource. Happy travels!

Tags: Americans moving to London, canadians moving to london, journey planner, London Relocation Services, London transportation, Moving to London, Oyster card, Relocation agent london, TFL, Transport for London, tube map
Posted in London Transportation, Moving to London: Tips & Culture, Relocating to UK: Visas, Banking, & Other Logisitical Issues | 6 Comments »