Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
If you have an Oyster card or Travelcard, save your feet and get in the habit of hopping
buses for quick little straight shots, even just to get to a Tube stop. During bump-and-grind
rush hours (8:00-10:00 and 16:00-19:00), you'll usually go faster by Tube.
By Taxi
London is the best taxi town in Europe. Big, black, carefully regulated cabs are everywhere.
(While historically known as “black cabs,” some of London's official taxis are now covered
with wildly colored ads.) Some cabs now run on biofuels—a good way to dispose of all that
oil used to fry fish-and-chips.
I've never met a crabby cabbie in London. They love to talk, and they know every nook
and cranny in town. I ride in a taxi each day just to get my London questions answered
(drivers must pass a rigorous test on “The Knowledge” of London geography to earn their
license).
If a cab's top light is on, just wave it down. Drivers flash lights when they see you wave.
They have a tight turning radius (on new cabs, the back tires actually pivot), so you can hail
cabs going in either direction. If waving doesn't work, ask someone where you can find a
taxi stand. Telephoning a cab will get you one in a few minutes, but costs a little more (tel.
0871-871-8710; £2 surcharge, plus extra fee to book ahead by credit card).
Rides start at £2.40. The regular tariff #1 covers most of the day (Mon-Fri 6:00-20:00),
tariff #2 is during “unsociable hours” (Mon-Fri 20:00-22:00 and Sat-Sun 6:00-22:00), and
tariff #3 is for nights (22:00-6:00) and holidays. Rates go up about 15-20 percent with each
higher tariff. All extra charges are explained in writing on the cab wall. Tip a cabbie by
rounding up (maximum 10 percent).
Connecting downtown sights is quick and easy, and will cost you about £6-8 (for ex-
ample, St. Paul's to the Tower of London, or between the two Tate museums). For a short
ride,threeadultsinacabgenerallytravelatclosetoTubeprices—andgroupsoffourorfive
adults should taxi everywhere. All cabs can carry five passengers, and some take six, for the
same cost as a single traveler.
Don't worry about meter cheating. Licensed British cab meters come with a sealed com-
puter chip and clock that ensures you'll get the correct tariff. The only way a cabbie can
cheat you is by taking a needlessly long route. Another pitfall is taking a cab when traffic
is bad to a destination efficiently served by the Tube. On one trip to London, I hopped in a
taxi at South Kensington for Waterloo Station and hit bad traffic. Rather than spending 20
minutes and £2 on the Tube, I spent 40 minutes and £16 in a taxi.
Ifyouoverdrink and ride in a taxi, be warned: Taxis charge £40for“soiling” (a.k.a., pub
puke). If you forget this topic in a taxi, call the Lost Property office and hope for the best
(tel. 0845-330-9882).
