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Save money on London transport
If you're planning on visiting the capital of the UK soon, you can save money on where you stay by booking a room at some cheap accommodation in London but you also need to get around!
How to save money on travelling around London
London is one of the best cities in the world in terms of public transport as you will always be able to get back to your cheap hotel in London wherever you end up on your adventures and at any time of day, even the middle of the night.
It doesn't have to be expensive to travel in London and you can find accommodation from only £10.00
Save money on the Tube
One of the most popular ways of travelling around London is by tube, which starts early in the morning and runs until just after midnight most days. The cheapest way of getting around by tube is by using an Oyster card, which you can obtain from any London Underground station or by visiting the Transport for London website here.
You can also download a free tube map from the site but if you want to get in touch directly you can call 0843 222 1234 for information about all modes of transport.
Using an Oyster card works out cheaper than buying a paper ticket every time you want to travel by tube as fares are cheaper when you touch in with an Oyster.
You can add some credit to your Oyster using a pay-as-you-go system, which means money is only taken off when you employ the contactless card.
For example, using an Oyster card pay as you go to travel from Oxford Circus to Liverpool Street will cost £2 but if you pay by cash it costs £4.30 for the same journey.
You'll also find that the amount you spend on your Oyster is capped when it reaches the same price as a daily travelcard so you'll never spend more than £8.50 a day on travelling in peak times between zones one and six. It is often less than this though.
There is also the option of purchasing a travelcard, from which you have the choice of a daily, weekly, monthly and annual one. If you're planning a week-long visit to London buying a monthly season ticket can work out cheaper than pay as you go if you're planning on travelling by tube a lot.
Most commuters and regular travellers will use the tube too as it is the quickest way to get around and the best way for them to reduce the amount they spend on travelling is by investing in a season ticket.
Purchasing an annual travel card often works out as the best in terms of value as you only pay for ten months worth of travel but you can employ it for 12. A top tip is to buy a season ticket before January 2nd each year before annual fares increase meaning you can travel on last year's prices.
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Save money on London Buses
Travelling by bus is also a popular choice for getting around London, although it can work out taking longer than the tube. However, if you've enjoyed a night out at one of London's top nightclubs, you may end up missing the last tube home.
Don't panic though as there is always a way to get home after dark in London as some bus routes run all night, with most going through Waterloo at some point. Once again, paying by Oyster card will save you money on travelling around London.
That's because you'll pay £1.35 on an Oyster pay as go regardless of how far you are travelling as London buses have one set price. If you pay by cash, it costs £2.30.
What's more, getting a bus home is a lot cheaper than paying for a black cab to drive you home.
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Save money on Driving in London
Some of you may decide to bring your car to London or at least hire one to get around and there are a few things to look out for if you plan on driving around the city.
The first is that some parts of the city, in particular central London, are subject to a congestion charge, which means if you drive into it you have to pay £10 a day.
You can save money on this though by using the Congestion Charging Auto Pay, which means you don't have to remember to pay it everyday and will only be charged £9.
There are also exemptions for blue badge holders and electric vehicles too.
A top tip from us is to employ a satellite navigation system or even a tablet device with Google Maps installed in order to plan out your route before you drive. This will mean you take the shortest route, spending less on petrol, and can avoid the congestion charge.
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Cheapest London Transport: Cycling and walking
Another great way to travel across London is by bike, which has been made easier by the introduction of Boris Bikes. If you only want to cycle on an ad-hoc basis or for a short period of time, you can buy access at a docking station terminal, online or by phone.
You can hire a Barclays bike for 24 hours or a week at a time. Once you've inserted your payment card you will be given two codes – one to release the bike and one for when you want to return it to a different terminal.
For casual use, it costs just £1 a day or £5 for a week making it cheaper than the tube or bus although it requires more work to get around.
However, the cheapest and healthiest way to travel around London is to walk as this is completely free.
All the main attractions in London can be reached by foot and are within walking distance of one another. If you are unsure of how to get somewhere by foot, you can download a walking map from TFL.
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