KRISTEN FUNG TRAVELS

Admittedly, my time in London has been short. So this London Guide isn’t as well-rounded as the other city guides on my list. However, during a layover last year, I tried to absorb as much info as I could. If you have this city in your 2025 plans, I hope The London Guide helps take some of the guesswork out of the many airports, trains, and how you should budget.

The 411

All the information you need for first-timers and visitors to London for the first time in a while.

Transportation

Airport

LHR—London Heathrow is the main airport serving national and international flights

Two airports serve smaller carriers like Ryan and Vueling, as well as more budget-friendly options to mainland Europe.

• LGW—London Gatwick (trans-European airlines like TAP, Ryan, and smaller British Airways flights)
• STN—London Stansted (smaller trans-Europe flights)

Things to note when flying into or transiting through London

Pay attention to airport changes when looking at airfare. If you are flying within Europe and laying over in London, it can mean flying into London Gatwick, doing customs, then getting to London Heathrow, going through security, all before boarding your plane. This is a lot and requires a very long layover.

NEW: London Heathrow is working on a pilot program to connect flyers so they no longer need to claim and check.Read more.

All non-UK citizens MUST FILL OUT an entry visa, regardless of whether they are arriving or laying over in London. Once you fill out this entry visa, which is tied to your passport and approved, it is valid for three years. However, if your passport expires within the next 3 years, you will have to go through the process again.

Read more about the current travel changes in this post.

Does London have a train to/from the airport?

Yes! There are several. A personal favorite is the Elizabeth line, which connects London Heathrow to more of the city. It’s perfect for travelers who need the luggage space.

Public Transit

It’s excellent, and they have had tons of time to get it right. The London Underground opened in 1863 and is the oldest subway in the world.

If you have a credit card loaded in your phone wallet, that is all you need to pay for local transit. I recommend taking the Elizabeth line to travel from London Heathrow to London City Centre, or using Thameslink to reach London Gatwick. The Thames Link also connects London to the beach city of Brighton in an hour and ten minutes if you want to do a day trip.

Language

English. London is a world city, and you will hear several languages as you wander the streets. You will hear many languages from countries once part of the British Empire, such as the various languages of India and Nigeria, as well as Cantonese.

Currency

British Pound Sterling (GBP)

Do you need to rent a car?

No. London is well connected by underground and overground public transportation. Many tour companies offer day trips from London to Oxford or Stonehenge. If you are traveling to the Parks District or other remote areas, I would rent a car outside the congested city centre.

When is the best time/worst time to visit London?

London is known for being cool and rainy, but is it always that way? Here is the site travel advisors use to determine world weather.

How many days should you stay in London? (That depends)

No less than five exploration days. However, the city can get expensive quickly. It is very easy to take tours/day trips to Stonehenge, Oxford, and Brighton. Taking that into mind, you can easily spend a week in London and still feel like you only scratched the surface.

When is London Open?

The only days places are closed are national bank holidays.  Finding food & cocktails after 10:00 p.m. is pretty easy and some food halls/markets are open at 7:00 a.m.

Note: London is a bookings and reservations town. Make sure you have reservations for dinners, theaters, and tours, or you will not enjoy your time there. (Although the food halls and markets are great places to find something to eat)

London recommendations

Here is where I would share my budget, bonus, and bougie picks for London, but as my next post will reveal, all the time I had in London was lost due to travel gone awry. Instead of giving you a fake AI-generated review of London and what you should do, you know I don’t do that, my next post will explain my plans and what actually happened.

Planning your London budget

A significant portion of your London budget will be allocated to hotels and lodging. The city center has some of the highest prices for even basic lodging. I would budget at least $500 USD a night for a hotel. Planning early and working with someone like me are the best ways to save money.

Where we stayed

I loved the hotel we stayed at in London for one night and strongly recommend it. In issue eleven of my newsletter, I will share its name and why I loved it. Subscribe below.

Other recommended hotels

Please reach out to me to book these hotels.

Want to plan a trip to London?

If you already have London in your plans, I would love to chat. Please fill out my trip inquiry form, and let’s set up a call.