London Transport

Coming and Going

London is one of the world's major transport hubs, and your choices of ways to get in and out of it are myriad. Its major airports - the monster Heathrow and the smaller Gatwick, Stanstead, Luton and City - are all efficiently linked to the metropolis.

You've always been able to hop to the European mainland (and Ireland) by ferry, but now the Chunnel link makes it a breeze.

Train

For the first time since the ice ages, Britain has a land link (albeit a tunnel) with mainland Europe. Two services operate through the Tunnel: Eurotunnel operates a rail shuttle service (Le Shuttle) for motorbikes, cars, buses and freight vehicles between terminals at Folkestone in the UK and Calais in France; and the railway companies of Britain, France and Belgium operate a high-speed passenger service, known as Eurostar, between London (mainly Waterloo Station), Paris, Lille and Brussels. Within the UK, fast InterCity trains whisk you to destinations from 10 mainline terminals around London.

Plane

Heathrow Airport is accessible by bus, London Underground (Piccadilly line) and the Heathrow Express, which makes the journey from Paddington Station to Terminals 1-3 in 15 minutes and to Terminal 4 in 20. The Gatwick Express runs between Gatwick Airport and Victoria Station in 30 minutes or you can take Airbus No 5 to Victoria Coach Station. The Stansted Express will get you to Stansted Airport from Liverpool Street Station in 45 minutes. Cabs to all the airports are only an option for the seriously loaded.

Ferry

There is a bewildering choice of ferries travelling between Britain and Ireland and mainland Europe. Ferries will carry your car, motorcycle or bike, and they can be a cheap option - but book early.

Bus

You can get to Europe by bus, and unless you use the Channel Tunnel, there's a short ferry/hovercraft ride thrown in as part of the deal. Bus travellers arrive and depart from Victoria Coach Station, about 10 minutes walk south of the Victoria railway and Tube station.

Getting About

The dirty, wrathful congestion of London streets makes both driving and cycling an extreme sport. Hop on a bus, a Thames ferry or an elegant black cab - and let a native negotiate the chaos on your behalf. Or take the Tube: you're sure to come up against its notorious, infuriating inefficiencies, but in most cases it's still the quickest way to get about.

Walking

Since many of the main sights are relatively close together in central London, walking is an excellent transport option. It will also give you a more coherent picture of the city than travelling by Tube will.

Underground Rail

London's immense Tube (consisting of 12 lines) is legendary, but mainly because it's not that much fun to use - inevitably, you'll spend a lot of time sitting in tunnels. Still, it's usually the quickest and easiest way to get around.

Train

Several rail companies now run passenger trains in London, most of which interchange with the Tube. The driverless Docklands Light Railway (DLR) links the City at Bank and Tower Gateway at Tower Hill, with services to Stratford to the east and the Docklands and Greenwich to the south.

Taxi

London's famous black cabs are excellent but expensive. Minicabs are cheaper competitors, with freelance drivers, but you can't flag them down on the street.

Car

If you drive a car in London, beware that you'll have to pay 8.00 a day to enter the centre. You're also in for a parking nightmare - it's almost impossible to park in the city centre, and the punishments for parking illegally are cruel and unusual indeed.

Bus

If you're not in a hurry, buses are a pleasant and interesting way to get around, as long as the traffic's not gridlocked. The classic red double-deckers are sadly a thing of the past now, but due to enormous outcry, they have been retained on two 'heritage' routes. Route No 9 goes westbound only from the Royal Albert Hall to the Strand and loops back to Piccadilly Circus. Route No 15 runs from Trafalgar Square past St Paul's Cathedral to Tower Hill. Normal tickets are valid; for more details see www.tfl.gov.uk/buses.

Boat

Various boats ply London's Thames and canal system, with numerous companies running shuttle boats on the river. Traditionally, these cruises have been genteel affairs. But after a traditional guided tour down to Canary Wharf, the new services from RIB London Voyages (tel: 7928 2350; www.londonribvoyages.com; London Eye, Waterloo Millennium Pier, Westminster Bridge Road SE1; adult/child 26.00/16.00; hourly from 11:15-16:15 year-round) roar back up the river at 30-35 knots - a good choice for thrill-seekers.

Bicycle

Although it is inexpensive, heavy traffic makes cycling a rather grim way to get around. Most London cyclists wear masks to avoid fumes and become artful at dodging.