Getting around London

If you are looking for work in the capital, you will need to know how to find places.  London is the largest city in the UK with over seven million people living there.  In the summer there can be more than ten million.

Here are some phrases that you might need.

Excuse me, I'm looking for the post office.

I'm trying to find Regent Street.

Can you tell me where the police station is?

It's just round the next corner.

Take the first turning on the left.

It's straight ahead.

Do you know if there's a supermarket near here?

Is there a large, red building in this area?

Is this the way to the job centre?

I'm sorry, I'm a stranger here myself.

I think there's one opposite the museum.

You need to take a bus to get there.  It's quite far off.

Using the London underground.

The underground, also known as the tube, is one of the best ways of getting around London, particularly if you are north of the river.

There are ticket machines at all stations but there is also a ticket window where you buy from a real person.  This is useful when the machines have run out of change and you only have banknotes with you.

Which line do I need for Marble Arch?

Which zone is that station in?

Can I have a return to Golders Green, please?

Is it cheaper to buy a travelcard?

Take the Northern Line and change at Tottenham Court Road.

It's in zone one, so you don't have to travel far.

If you're only making one journey, it's cheaper to buy a single.

Although some lines have wheelchair access, most stations in the very centre of the city do not (although it is possible to change trains at nearly all stations, just not necessarily possible to get out of the station).

You can pick up an underground map for free at any station as well as download one from the internet.  All the lines are colour-coded.  The directions of the trains are indicated on the tunnels leading to the platforms: northbound means the train goes north, southbound for south and so on.

A travelcard gives you unlimited journeys on buses, trains and the underground for particular zones (regions) of the city.  The cheapest ones are only available after ten o'clock in the morning so if you are going to work by tube you would usually buy a normal ticket.

Buses

In recent years most of the buses in the centre of London have stopped selling tickets.  Now you have to buy one from a machine before you get on.  There are still some that have conductors who sell tickets, but these have almost completely disappeared.

Excuse me, is there a ticket machine near here?

Which bus is it for Embankment?

Can I get to Hyde Park from here?

Could you tell us when it's our stop, please?

I think there's a working one at the bus stop over there, on the other side of the road.

You need the sixty-eight.  It doesn't run from here.

You can get there from here, but you'll need to change after five stops.

If you sit at the front, I'll let you know when it's your stop.

Some buses have two sets of doors.  The front ones are for passengers getting on, and the second set (in the middle) are only for people getting off.  Most buses in London also have security cameras, but remember to take care of any valuable items you have in your pockets or bags.  Someone gets robbed in London every eight seconds in the summer so make sure that someone isn't you.

Don't forget also to keep your luggage with you.  If you leave something behind it will probably be stolen, or cause a bomb alert.  If you do lose something on a bus or underground train, ask at the information window on the underground for directions to the London Transport lost property department.  Don't get your hopes up too much though, as it's very unusual to get something back if you lose it in a city the size of London.