We all know that London is known not only for being one of the most fascinating cities in Europe, but it is also known for being one of the most expensive, so if you are planning a getaway to the British capital, it will surely be good for you to take into account some of our tricks to save in London.
And it is that, although London is an expensive city, there are little tricks to get tickets for the most famous attractions in London in a cheaper way, and it is a matter of knowing where to stay, where to eat and how to move around the city, in addition to having Take into account the many things that can be done for free…
What will you find in this article?
- How to save in London: Tricks you should know before traveling to London
- Tricks to save in London when using transport
- Public transport
- Taxis
- Tricks to save in London when buying attraction tickets
- Get cheap tickets for attractions in London
- Tourist passes
- Free Sites
- Student card and family packages
- 2×1 discounts on attractions
- How to save when choosing accommodation in London
- Food Tricks: How to save in London at lunchtime
How to save in London: Tricks you should know before traveling to London
Thanks to the tips and tricks that we offer you from QverLondres to save in London you will be able to visit London as if you were a Londoner, being able to enjoy your trip to the fullest.
Tricks to save in London when using transport
1. Public transportation
To use public transport in London, be it the underground, public bus, light rail (DLR) or overground (external tube), do not even think of buying single tickets as it is the most expensive way to get around the city by public transport. You must get one of the two transport cards that exist: an Oyster card or a Travelcard . Although these cards are almost no longer necessary, since it is possible to use a contactless card in the same way. For this we recommend the Revolut .
If instead of using a contactless card you want to use a transport card, choosing which of the two that we have named above suits you best depends on the number of days you are going to be in London and in which transport zone of London you are going to stay. . In general, I usually recommend an oyster card if you are going to be in London less than 5 days and a travelcard if you are going to be more than 5 days, but here I explain it in detail: How to choose between an oyster card or a Travelcard
2. Taxis
If you know that you are going to need to take a taxi while you are in London, we recommend that you book a minicab in advance rather than hailing one of the typical London taxis on the street, unless it is for a short journey within the city, since riding in the typical taxi also adds to the experience of visiting London. But if you need it for slightly long journeys, such as to travel from the airport to the center (or vice versa), then we recommend reserving a minicab in advance. In this article we explain how to book a minicab (with a special discount from QverLondres): Book a taxi in London
Tricks to save in London when buying attraction tickets
1. Get cheap tickets to attractions in London
If you are going to visit the British capital, you must take into account what the 10 best attractions in London are, since they will be the key points of your visit. We recommend planning in advance which ones you want to visit, since by buying tickets in advance online you can save a lot of money, in addition to queues, than buying tickets at the attraction itself.
2. Tourist passes
If you plan to visit several of the attractions that require admission in London, take a look at the different tourist passes available. Undoubtedly the most famous tourist pass is the well-known London Pass card , with which you can access more than 60 attractions for free and on top of that you can avoid queues. Take a look at the routes we’ve designed to get the most out of the London Pass.
3. Free sites
Don’t forget that even though London is one of the most expensive cities in the world, most museums are free to enter and there are usually plenty of free events throughout the year. Here you will find our guide to free things: What to do for free in London
4. Student card and family packages
Many attractions offer discounts if you present a student card, although in this case you will have to buy the tickets at the box office and many times it is better to buy them online as I have explained before. Some clothing stores also offer discounts if you present a student card, but many of them will only accept them if it is an English student card. But in my opinion it doesn’t hurt to give it a try if the opportunity presents itself!
And most of the attractions also offer family packages when buying tickets, usually these family packages are aimed at two adults and two children. If the attraction offers a family package, you will also find this possibility when you go to buy the tickets online.
5. 2×1 discounts on attractions
If you are taking a train to and from the airport to central London, please note that it is possible to get 2 tickets for the price of 1 at certain London attractions with certain train tickets. You have to print some coupons before coming and take into account which train tickets are valid. You can also get 2×1 discounts if you are going to use a travel card. More information: 2×1 discounts in London
How to save when choosing accommodation in London
Finding a good, nice and cheap hotel sounds easy, right? but when you start looking you will realize that it is not that simple… You have to take into account in which area of London transport you are going to stay in addition to the connections with the airport to which you are going to fly, if there is a metro stop nearby . etc, etc, etc… In our opinion it is better to pay a little more to be closer to the center and in a good area, than to stay in zone 6 of London and have to pay more for transport to the center every day, in addition to the time that you are going to spend on transportation… We have made your job easier with our list of favorite hotels in our article: Recommended cheap hotels in London
Food Tricks: How to save money in London at lunchtime
As for food, one of the best things that London has to offer is undoubtedly the enormous variety and gastronomic quality that we can find, so in our opinion it is worth trying some of the restaurants that we recommend , which are usually not very expensive! But if you are looking for cheap food, you can eat sandwiches in supermarkets or see our guide to fast food restaurants .