What are the quietest days in London?
If you use Tube or rail in the morning peakand can travel on Mondays and Fridays, these are generally quieter days to travel compared to Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Sundays are a great day for exploring some of London's beautiful waterways. Venture to some of London's prettiest riverside areas, from Greenwich in the east, to Richmond in the west – both ripe for some Sunday exploration. There are oodles of riverside pubs along the way too for a quick pit stop.
Both London Bridge and Southwark stations are very close to Borough Market, making it easily accessible regardless of where in the city you are. Saturday afternoons are the busiest time in the week, but an excellent opportunity to get to know the eclectic mix of people who make London their home.
If you are visiting for the first time, we recommend spending at least 3-4 days in London. This will allow you to see the main landmarks and visit a few tourist attractions. If you also plan to take day trips and see some of the UK from London, then plan to stay for at least a week.
The City and surrounding areas can be eerily quiet on a Sunday, the shops, bars and restaurants that would normally be bustling at lunchtime and after work during the week are a place to relax.
The city of royalty and sophistication is known for its vibrant nightlife scene and there's no better day to experience it than Tuesday. From rooftop bars to fancy clubs, we've got you covered. Get ready to explore the top hotspots, savor delicious drinks and join the elite crowd for a night to remember.
Crowds and opening hours where? Shops, restaurants, museums and galleries are generally busier at weekends, wherever in London they are. Closing times of shops may be earlier. In the City, many snack bars and cheap eateries close at the weekend unless they're close to a tourist attraction.
The only tourist attractions that are closed on a Sunday in London are Westminster Abbey and St Paul's Cathedral which are both closed to visitors on a Sunday. All the other important tourist attractions in London are open as usual on Sundays (except if Christmas day falls on a Sunday).
The best time to ride the London Eye is early in the morning, as soon as the attraction opens, i.e. in winter at 11 AM and in summer at 10 AM (ticket offices open 30 minutes earlier). The London Eye is one of the most popular attractions in the British capital.
Remember the 'rush hour'
The tube network is very busy during 'rush hour' with commuters moving around the city. You can expect the trains and stations to be overcrowded between 7.30AM and 9AM in the morning and between 5PM and 7PM in the evening.
What time is London busiest?
Weather in London, England. Peak tourist season in London is pretty much year-round, but late spring (and summer) are especially busy. By making your London Town jaunt in late spring, you'll have the opportunity to witness the royal parks and gardens blossoming, and hit the city's weather sweet spot.
Weekends and bank holidays are Off-Peak all day. If an Off-Peak or Super Off-Peak ticket is valid for your journey, journey planners will make them available to purchase.
Typically, people tip around 10-15% in London, except for when using taxis or public transport, where a smaller tip is frequently accepted. Tour guides do not need to be tipped, but this is up to the customer to decide. Some restaurants add an automatic tip to your bill.
If you are visiting London to go sightseeing, stay casual, comfortable and stay prepared for any weather with layers and waterproofs. If you are having dinner in a fancy restaurant or are going to see an opera, it is a good idea to check the dress code so you can plan your outfit accordingly before you visit London.
How much money will you need for your trip to London? You should plan to spend around £191 ($237) per day on your vacation in London, which is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors. Past travelers have spent, on average, £35 ($43) on meals for one day and £26 ($32) on local transportation.
London sees the maximum crowds, whether local or from overseas, during summer vacation and the winter holidays when schools are out. If you wish to avoid the crowds, then a trip during the off-season – from January to April and then again from September to November – is highly recommended.
The quieter times to travel on Tube and rail are between 08:45 and 16:30 and after 18:45 on weekdays, and before 12:00 and after 18:45 on weekends. If you are travelling outside the quieter times, check the busiest stations and routes.
Our busier times are weekends and school holidays (Christmas, Easter, Summer and UK Half Term holidays). If possible, try to avoid these days and/or visit us at a quieter time - we recommend booking a morning slot. The time stated on your ticket is the time you enter the queue-line.
Top style tips for the United Kingdom
Black is always a popular color, and smart casual clothes will help you fit right in. In the UK jeans are worn by everyone – young and old alike – and unless you are visiting more upscale restaurants they are perfectly acceptable to wear everywhere.
Fashion Tips
More formal dress codes call for trousers (not jeans), stylish shoes, and a collared shirt. Suits, blazers, and loafers create a classic look. Women who aren't sure what to wear as a night-out outfit can wear co*cktail dresses to more upscale clubs.
What are the best days to go London?
The best time to visit London is usually between May and June or September and October when the weather is still warm but there are fewer tourists. There are great activities to do in London any time of the year, so you will still have a great time even if you go outside of these months.
You won't be able to visit all the main landmarks of London in two days. However, if you plan well, in 2 days, you can see most of the 'musts' of London and also visit a few museums and tourist attractions. Our itinerary above should help you make the most of your short visit. How much time do you need in London?
London is always busy, but instinct suggests that if anything, Friday should be a little quieter on average. There aren't really problems with queues for ticket sin London at most attractions. Security queues are more of an issue.
While there are enough things to do in London to keep you busy for a lifetime, three days is enough to get a really good overview of the city. Focus on specific areas to avoid spending too long getting around, and make use of pre-booking and skip-the-line tickets to maximise your time.
The Mall is a tree-lined royal road leading from Trafalgar Square to Buckingham Palace. Closed to traffic on Sundays and public holidays, it is known for ceremonial events like royal weddings and parades.
Rules for large shops in England and Wales
Shops over 280 square metres: can open on Sundays but only for 6 consecutive hours between 10am and 6pm.
Opening times:
Most shops and department stores are at least open Monday to Saturday from 10:00 till 20:00 o'clock and Sunday from 12:00 till 18:00 o'clock.
The time slot you select is the time you are granted access to the queue for the London Eye. We ask guests to anticipate queues of around 45 minutes for standard tickets and a queue time of around 20 minutes for Fastrack ticket holders.
Tickets for the London Eye can be pre-booked on our website or purchased on the day in our ticket office located inside County Hall. We strongly recommend pre-booking your tickets in advance to guarantee entry. To see a full range of tickets and prices available please click here.
The London Eye is one of London's most popular attractions and at peak times queues are lengthy. If you just turn up on the day you will pay more for your ticket and how long you will have to wait will depend on when the next availability is and the ticket type you select.
What time do places shut in London?
Re: Closing time? For the most part you are going to find most stores open till around 10pm throughout the week. Restaurants will probably be open still at 11pm as a general rule.
The city of London at night is just as, if not more beautiful than it is in the daytime. When the sun goes down, the city lights come on and many of London's most famous landmarks sparkle across the city skyline.
London is a bustling city. This is part of what makes London such an attractive place, but also what makes it a noisy place. Night time activities like pubs, restaurants and clubs, and the people using these make noise.
Lunch - between 12:00 and 1:30 p.m. Dinner (sometimes called Supper) - The main meal. Eaten anytime between 6:30 and 8:00 p.m. (Evening meal)
The most affordable time to visit London will almost always be the winter months of January and February, as the holiday season is over and there's not a whole lot going on. Hotels in London are almost always busy, so there usually isn't a season in which you can expect much better prices for your hotel room.
Saturday is a very busy day in Oxford! best to come during the week or on a Sunday (shops open 10-4 on a sunday). Avoid Monday as some of the attractions are closed. hope you enjoy your visit.
How much does an Oyster card cost? The Oyster card costs £7. You then add money to the card to pay for your travel. The £7 fee is not a deposit.
Pay as you go
You don't have to work out the cost of your journey in advance. You can pay as you go using contactless (card or device), an Oyster card or a Visitor Oyster card. It also offers great value as pay as you go is cheaper than buying single tickets and you get daily and weekly capping.
Want to spend 3 days in London and travel by regular Double-Decker bus? Buy a £20 Visitor Oyster card and save on an iconic London bus journey: £1.75 for a single journey, with £5.25 as a daily cap! Note that the fare allows unlimited bus journeys within an hour.
It's good to carry some cash for smaller purchases or to use for tips. You'll easily find ATMs at banks, stores and gas stations — but try to only use your debit card. You'll pay steep fees getting a cash advance from your credit cards.
Can you use American money in London?
The currency in the UK is the pound sterling. You won't be able to use dollars. Best to use your plastic to take some sterling out of a cash machine when you arrive.
| Restaurant type or item | Average price range (GBP) |
|---|---|
| Average restaurant meal | 10 - 30 |
| Average meal for two in mid-priced restaurant | 45 - 100 |
| Pint of beer | 8 |
| Average bottle of wine in supermarket | 6 |
British etiquette dictates courteousness at all times, which means forming an orderly queue in a shop or for public transport, saying excuse me when someone is blocking your way and saying please and thank you for any service you have received is de rigueur.
- Eton Mess.
- Shepherd's Pie. ...
- Bread and Butter Pudding. ...
- Bubble and Squeak. ...
- Toad in the Hole. ...
- Roast Beef Wellington. ...
- Fish and Chips. ...
- Jellied Eels. ...
Generally, shorts are ok (I'm guessing by “pants” you mean long trousers, because “pants” in the UK means underwear) but aren't worn except in summer. You'll feel cold and stupid wearing shorts any other time, except, curiously, if you are a postman. They wear shorts even in cold weather and seem content to do so.
You must declare cash of £10,000 or more to UK customs if you're carrying it between Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) and a country outside the UK. If you're travelling as a family or group with more than £10,000 in total (even if individuals are carrying less than that) you still need to make a declaration.
The average cost of a full English breakfast in London is £11.33 with the priciest costing £12.50 in those restaurants assessed. Southampton came in as second most affordable city with the average cost of £9.09, the cheapest breakfast being £7.50 and the priciest £9.95.
While groceries are fairly affordable in London, restaurant prices are pretty inflated. And nowhere is this more true than drinks. It's not uncommon to pay £6 for a pint of beer and £12 for a co*cktail. If you're looking for delicious food that won't break the bank, check out my guide on cheap eats in London.
Motorways are at their quietest late at night (after 11pm, but before the traffic starts to pick up around 6am). However, if you want to build your confidence on the motorways, it may be best to practice in moderate traffic conditions (typically between 11am and 3pm on weekdays).
The best time to visit London is March through May when the temperatures are mild and the city's parks are green and blooming. However, late spring – along with summer – is also prime tourist season, and hotel and flight prices reflect the surge.
What month is best to go to London?
The best time to visit London is usually between May and June or September and October when the weather is still warm but there are fewer tourists. There are great activities to do in London any time of the year, so you will still have a great time even if you go outside of these months.
Temperatures are cooler and some sites in more rural areas start to close for winter. By the end of October most places are much quieter, making this a pleasant time to travel if you prefer to avoid the crowds. The schools generally break for a week at the end of the month though.
The Congestion Charge is a £15 daily charge if you drive within the Congestion Charge zone 7:00-18:00 Monday-Friday and 12:00-18:00 Sat-Sun and bank holidays. No charge between Christmas Day and New Year's Day bank holiday (inclusive).
From a safety point of view, the best time to travel on a motorway is from 6am to midnight. A major problem of driving at night or during the early hours is fatigue.
The best time to visit is definitely during a weekday, but even then you should probably arrive early in the morning or later in the afternoon. The largest crowds will generally start to thin out after 15:00 (3:00 pm) in the afternoon on weekdays.
The vibration caused when metal train wheels roll over metal tracks is carried through the tunnel and the ground around it to nearby buildings. The walls and floors of these buildings can amplify the noise. We monitor reported noise levels across the Tube network.
Off-peak fares apply to our rail services between 09:30 and 16:00 and after 19:00 on weekdays, and during weekends and bank holidays.
London Underground trains generally run between 5am and midnight Monday to Saturday. Operating hours are slightly reduced on Sunday. Night Tube trains run on some lines throughout the night on Fridays and Saturdays.
