Do what Londoners do - use public transport. It's by far the cheapest way. Get an Oystercard and learn how it works (you can get one in advance if you like from http://www.tfl.gov.uk/travel-information... - do that and you're all set for when you arrive) and that works on the tube, buses, south London trams, and trains within Greater London. Basically it's like a pay as you talk cellphone - put money on the card, the system deducts the right fare from your card every time you use it, and all you have to do is keep an eye on how much money is left on the card and add more at a tube station ticket machine or shop that is a Ticket Stop when it's running low. You can forget about the fare zones as Oyster works it all out for you.
Let someone else do the driving and you have more time to look around. The network of public transport is dense and efficient and I grew up in a London suburb without ever having a car until I was about 30. My parents never learned to drive. There was no need to. We walked or went by bus or tube everywhere.
Cabs are hugely expensive, so don't go for that unless you have no alternative such as it being late at night. The rule in London is that black cabs with the illuminated "Taxi" sign on the front are the only ones that can pick you up on the street. Others are licensed but only for booking them in advance. Black cab drivers, by the way, don't get a licence to drive one unless they have passed the "Knowledge of London", which on average takes about two years to do and involves learning every street within six miles of Charing Cross. Yes, I know that sounds unbelievable, but they DO learn it and you're paying for someone with a map in their head. Who also knows that if he or she ever does the slightest thing wrong, their Green Badge gets taken away and all that work will be wasted.
To go further away from London, trains will do it all. Anywhere you're likely to want to go will have a train service going there, or somewhere close to it. If you want to see Windsor Castle, the Queen's favourite home, easy - go to Paddington, buy a ticket to Windsor & Eton Central, change trains at Slough. Easy day trip out. Exit the station and if you can't see the castle you're blind. To see Oxford or Cambridge with their ancient universities, the train will take you there.
Other practicalities... of course you need a passport book, not a passport card. Remember jetlag - most flights from North America coming this way come overnight and you're likely to arrive about breakfast time with your body thinking it's still the middle of the night because of the time difference. I've done it several times and the appropriate word to describe the feeling every time I get back to London Heathrow Airport is "zonked". The more you can sleep on the flight, the better - but I'm over 6' tall and I just can't in an economy seat. Ideally you will want to have a hotel booked that can accept you mid-morning so you can just turn up and collapse into bed. You'll probably wake up in the early afternoon, and then I would say go for a walk, potter around and explore, but do NOT plan anything for that first day as you will not feel up to it. Have dinner British time, go to bed again British time, and by the next day all will be fine. Good reason to take a black cab to the hotel however much it costs. Going back home is nowhere near as bad - it'll just feel like having a very late night.
How will you take money? Some British cash will help for starters, debit and credit cards work here though watch out for charges for converting a foreign currency, and I know this sounds incredibly old-fashioned these days but I'm still a fan of traveller's cheques (traveler's checks). Follow the instructions and they are theft-proof - if they go missing, call the company in London and they will get you replacements. American Express are the ones I know best. To turn them into cash, take them into a bank with your passport (the "big four" English banks are Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds and NatWest) and they will cash them. London branches of those banks will have staff available you can ask for where to go to get this done, so don't be scared to just walk in and ask. Do NOT use a bureau de change - you get a better exchange rate at a proper bank. London prices are high and I want you to get the most bang for your buck!
I would suggest not staying in London and stay somewhere like Cambridge or St Albans, with good links to get into London to then spend the day or two and do some sight seeing. London is full of Tourists (no offence :0)) its very busy and very expensive. saying that if booked in advance you can get cheap rooms at Covent Garden Travel Lodge which is basic but new and Premier Inns. Or rent an apartment in the surrounding areas or Shoreditch area which is quite funky. I wouldn't hire a car, I would use trains and tubes / cabs which can be expensive but much easier (when they aren't delayed or stations closed!) plus congestion charges and parking meters are a hassle.
I hope you enjoy your stay, travel safely.
There is no point hiring a car here unless you want to visit isolated rural locations or carry heavy luggage.
Just as others said, it would be silly to use a car to get around London, especially if (you don't say where you are from) you are unused to driving on the left. It is easy to get around London by public transport.
Similarly if you want to visit other places, most can be reached easily by rail. It is also quite possible to reach many rural spots by local trains or village buses if you fancy seeing the countryside.
The main barrier for foreign tourists wanting to use public transport here is the lack of information available in other languages, but that will not be a problem for you as you are clearly fluent in English.
If you are based in London there is no reason to have a car. In fact, it would be an expensive hindrence. You could never find anywhere to park it. If you did, it would cost a fortune. Don't bother with cabs. There is a comprehensive public transport system: Overground trains, underground, trains, buses, river taxis etc.
We say pants for knickers, not trousers.
When we say alright, you don't have to answer.
Some of our accents might be strong.
We use pounds, not euros.
We have a Royal family.
London is extremely busy!
We have amazing castles.
If I were you I'd bring someone with you. Bring a camera that can video record as well, for memories.
Keep in mind that it is expensive in London and some places you take forever to get in!!
I hope you have fun here. I was born in South Africa, now I live here permanently.
i was there for a school trip and it was awesome...despite the riot going on ( i was there i think 4 or 5 years ago during some riots in stratford and some riot was going on) biggest tip i would say is if your lets say...in london ( like i was) remember the london underground and try to memorize your route because that will save you alot of time if you at least know where your going. and also try and stash money in different areas of your clothing ( shirt, pants, socks etc) i kind of learned the hard way when i was on my trip ( afew buddies and i watched a street performer and i had some money in my pocket, someone bumped into me, and when i got back to my hotel i was missing i think 25 pounds ( i think pounds, it was the paper money) and if your going with people try and stay to together. My Class and i went with our guide Cherelle to the eye, and one girl didnt have the money to get on, and while she was in a building nearbye some dude actually mugged her O.o. and despite all those random tips the easiest would be KEEP AN UMBRELLA OR PONCHO WITH YOU. IT RAINS ALOT AND IT RAINS RANDOMLY. Im sorry my comment was written horribly but i wanted to be fast haha, but no matter how bad the punctuation is i hope those tips help :) AND HAVE FUN!!!!!!!!
Public transport in and around London is truly excellent. The roads are congested and parking scarce and expensive. Plus there is a daily congestion charge of ￡10 to drive into central London.
We have the Underground, 500 bus routes, trains, trams and light rail. Cabs are very expensive. The national rail system is also very dense and frequent if you want to visit other parts of England
www.tfl.gov.uk
www.nationalrail.co.uk
www.britrail.com
If you're just travelling around London, there is absolutely no need to rent a car. Use the tubes and buses, they go everywhere you want.
You do not drive in London, you are best to travel by tube or bus or cabs if you wish to, driving would be a nightmare, no where to park and you will not get anywhere fast and find nothing, people who know London would never consider driving
Renting a car in London would be pointless - travelling around is faster and easier by public transport.
Get yourself an Oyster card - you can use it to travel on buses, overground and underground trains. London has a brilliant transport network.
