Ways to Save when Visiting London

Although undeniably pricey, London is full of budget-friendly bits. We’ve staked out some of the best deals, including a few choice freebies. Take note of these tips and you, too, can be a Cheapo in Her Majesty’s city.

Get thee to the tourist office

London boasts more than its share of tourist offices; perhaps the easiest and most central is the Piccadilly Circus Information Centre, located in the Piccadilly Circus Underground station. It’s open daily from 9:15 a.m. until 7 p.m. and offers information on seasonal deals, events and free activities.

No need to fret about a museum pass

Most national museums in London are completely free, a fact that makes visiting this most expensive of cities just a bit less daunting for Cheapos. Cultural freebies include the Tate, Tate Modern, National Gallery, British Library, London Cartoon Gallery, RIBA Architecture Gallery, British Museum, Imperial War Museum,Victoria and Albert Museum, Museum of Childhood and Science Museum.

Don’t rely on your walking shoes

If you’re planning to really explore all that London has to offer, don’t make the common mistake of assuming that the city is easily traversed on foot alone. It’s not and never will be. With the exception of a few Tube stops clustered between Piccadilly Circus and Holborn, it would take a very long time to walk between most stations. Which brings us to…

Make sure you have an Oyster card

The Oyster Card is a small plastic card that you “top off” with your credit card and swipe to get around town, just like the locals. It’s the cheapest way to pay for single trips on the London Underground (The Tube), bus, tram, Docklands Light Railway (DLR), National Rail Service and London Overground. You can get your Oyster card at Tube stops and Travel Information Centres by paying a £5 deposit.

Ditch the tourist bus and take the RV1

When you’re out and about in London, you may be tempted to give one of those open-top sightseeing buses a go. Well, they’ll set you back a whopping £23. So here’s an idea for Cheapos: One of central London’s public transport bus routes, the RV1, takes in an incredible number of sights and is a whole lot cheaper. Pay with your Oyster card (max £1.35) and bag a seat next to the window. This is a great option in the winter, as shivering in the rain on an open top bus is certainly not our idea of fun!

Cruise down the Thames with your Oyster

Another perk to using your Oyster card is that it includes discounts on Thames riverboat routes, meaning that you can opt for public transport and forgo the overpriced tourist boats along the Thames. Oyster Travelcards will get you 1/3 off any of the public boat services on the Thames, while Oyster “pay as you go” will get you a 10% discount on KPMG Thames Clippers riverboats.

Take an easy day trip to Cambridge

Once you’ve pounded the streets of London visiting museums and emptying your wallet at the shops, you’ll likely be in need of some fresh air. Cambridge makes for an ideal getaway from the hectic buzz of London, and best of all, it’s easily doable in a day. Fast trains leave from London Kings Cross to Cambridge twice an hour, and the journey takes just 45 minutes. You can also catch the (somewhat slower) train from Liverpool Street Station, which takes 1 hour 10 minutes.

Best of the free – Sample your way through Borough Market

Situated in an immense open-air space under a Victorian-style warehouse roof, Borough Market is London’s oldest food market. Serving up fine artisan cured meats, French cheeses, fresh oysters, cider, organic fruit and vegetables, homemade cakes, mushroom pate and everything in between, the market is one of the best of its kind. Ask for free samples!

Best of the free – Spend an afternoon on Hampstead Heath

Escape to more than 800 acres of parkland to the north of the city. The heath offers bags of space to run around, hills to roll down, plus pools, ponds and signposted walks. There’s a wealth of family-friendly pubs around the edges; better still, pack a picnic and have lunch perched on a hill overlooking the city.

Best of the free – Child’s play at the Natural History Museum

Keep little ones and teenagers intrigued on a shoestring budget with a day trip to the Natural History Museum. The impressive cathedral-like structure plays host to one of the largest natural history collections in the world. It includes everything from microscopic slides to mammoth skeletons, a dinosaur gallery, and a life-size model of a blue whale.

Best of the free – Cultural pursuits at the British Library

If you love reading, especially in the confines of a tranquil space, a trip to the world’s largest library is a worthwhile (and free) way to spend an afternoon. The British Library holds more than 150 million items, from The Beatles manuscripts and the notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci to works by Karl Marx, Virginia Woolf, Charles Dickens and George Bernard Shaw. Grab a coffee and one of your favorite reads, and camp out in one of the many comfortable reading rooms.

Best of the free – An urban walk along the Southbank

Entertain yourself without opening your wallet by taking a blissful walk along the Southbank of the River Thames. There are always free events (live music, dance, theatre, book readings, workshops and more) going on day and night, and even when there is a dry spot, there are plenty of other attractions in the area.

Best of the free – Take in the view from Waterloo Bridge

Of London’s 33 bridges that cross the River Thames, Waterloo definitely offers the most impressive views. Looking east you can take in St. Paul’s Cathedral, the Gherkin, the Oxo Tower, Somerset House and the National Theatre. Look westward and you can take in the bustle of busy shoppers and street performers along the South Bank, as well as the London Eye, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. Visit during the day to take photos and in the evening to admire it all lit up.