getting around

London

Here is a complete guide to navigating London with your family via the city’s public transport and services. You’ll find that London is vast but very accessible with many options for getting around. Some are more convenient than others for those with strollers or mobility vehicles. Read on to find out how to best get around in London with kids.

piccadilly Circus

Public transportation in London like the red double decker buses is one of the best ways to get around London

Regents Street

London travel

at a glance

options to pay for public transport

Contactless card – pay via card or device
Visitor Oyster card – purchased before trip
Oyster card – purchase upon arrival

useful London transport apps

📌 TFL Go
📌 Citymapper
📌 Trainline

kids travel for free

Kids under age 11 travel for free on London public transport systems. They just need to be accompanied by an adult and do not need their own Oyster cards.

Kids ages 11 to 15 can apply for a Young Visitor discount added on to an Oyster card, this can be done manually by TFL staff at a Tube or Overground station. The Young Visitor discount is 50% off adult prices.

step free platforms

If you plan on using a stroller or a mobility aid look out for the step free platform icon ( ♿︎ ) on the London Underground maps or on TFL Go app. This ♿︎ icon indicates the stations that are easily accessible and navigable with ramps and/or elevators (also known as lifts in the UK).

public transport travel tips & etiquette

There are a few unwritten rules when it comes to traveling on the Tube:

1. When approaching the ticket barrier be sure to already have your Oyster/travel card in hand to tap in or out. Other wise you get a lot of muttering behind you.

2. Stand on the right when using the escalator. The left hand side is for walking room.

3. You’ll notice the Tube is pretty quiet. Etiquette calls for not making eye contact and talking very quietly. This is what I was told when I first moved to London. Now mostly people are too busy staring at their phones with headphones on so don’t stress if the kids are a little on the noisier side like mine are.

getting around London with kids

London is a pretty walkable city if you have the time to meander. But for those with young kids who tend to get tired pretty quickly walking all day is not an option. Thankfully, London has a great public transport system and, of course, for added convenience the famous Black Cabs or Uber are easy options too.

getting around with London’s public transport system

Here’s a quick introduction to London’s public transport network that will be invaluable for getting your family across the city. Note that for all the train systems you will need to Tap in and Tap out with your travel/Oyster card when entering and exiting the station in order to calculate your fare. When traveling with kids always use the wider ticket barriers so you can enter/exit together. The wide ticket barriers are usually located on the far right or far left side.

London Underground (the Tube) – the Tube (pronounced choob) is one of the oldest metro systems in the world and operates underground.
Despite that it is a very efficient way to get where you need to go as most services run every few minutes. Cost depends on how many Zones you travel through but starts at £2.90 each way for Central London Zone 1. There is also a cap at £8.90 for the day which basically means unlimited use of the Tube in Central London Zone 1 is a little over $10USD each day.
Double decker buses – is my favorite way to get around London with my kids. They love being able to sit on the top deck and see the sights as we pass through the city. The double decker buses are a great way to see some of Londons attractions and is one of the more affordable ways to travel around the city with bus fare of £1.75/adult. Also it’s the easiest way to travel around with a stroller since most buses have dedicated spaces (2) for strollers and wheelchairs.
London Overground – is a network of six routes that run above ground and provides access to London’s outer boroughs. It is a service that is more useful for locals but can come in handy for travelers looking to venture further out of central London like to Kew Gardens. The trains on the overground tend to be more accessible for strollers and more spacious.
Elizabeth Line – the Elizabeth Line (named after the late Queen) opened in 2022 and is London’s newest railway that connects the west to east. The Elizabeth Line is part of TFL, which means two things; 1 – you can use your contactless payment setup for the journey and, 2 – children under the age of 11 travel for free! This might be the best way to or from the airport (and more affordable than the Heathrow Express), depending on where you are staying in London.
Docklands Light Railway (DLR) – the DLR is a driverless train service that serves part of east and south east London. You would likely use the DLR if venturing to Greenwich <LINK> or Canary Wharf.
Riverboat – the kids will get a kick out of taking an Uberboat on the Thames. There are four river bus routes and they lead you to some of London’s major attractions like Big Ben, Tate Modern, London Eye, the Tower of London and much more. You can use your Oyster card or book via the Uber app.

Getting Around with London Black Cabs

London Black Cab with Union Jack is an easy option to get around London with kids

Sometimes the occasion calls for getting a Black Cab (or Uber) to get you from A to B like when the buses are rammed with people or rain descends up on the city and you want to preempt grumpy, soggy children. You can always hail a black cab or use the Gett app to book one.

getting to and from

london airports

The two major international airports in London are Heathrow Airport and Gatwick Airport. There are many options to get into Central London from the airports, I will share a quick guide below:

getting from heathrow airport to central london

heathrow express

The Heathrow Express is generally the fastest option, leaving from Terminal 5 (T5) then to Heathrow Terminals 2&3 and heading non-stop to Paddington station. The journey time is supposed to be 15 minutes, but allow at least 20 minutes, especially from T5.

I prefer using the Heathrow Express to get to and from Heathrow Airport when traveling with the kids. It is more relaxed and comfortable since there is usually plenty of seats and space on the train. Though, the Heathrow Express is the more costly option at £25 one way.

You have to buy tickets before you board, this can be done at the station, but I would recommend buying online or via the dedicated app and saving the ticket to your phone wallet. The train leaves every 15 minutes in either direction, so don’t worry if you see one depart just as you arrive.

At times there are special offers on the Heathrow Express website, so worth checking before you book. First class is not really worth the extra cost. You will not have a problem finding seats and room for luggage. With children the most awkward part is getting through the automated ticket barriers all together (look for the widest ticket barrier to exit/enter – usually located at the far left or far right), but it’s a minor issue.

Children under 15 travel for free on the Heathrow Express. You do still need to book a ticket for each child, however.

the elizabeth line

The Elizabeth Line is a more budget-friendly (£19.80 adult fare to/from Heathrow and Zone 1) and convenient option for Heathrow Airport if traveling to East or Central London. The trains run every 15 minutes to Terminals 2&3 and every 30 minutes to Terminals 4 & 5. Travel time to Paddington Station on the Elizabeth Line takes around 30 minutes. I recommend the Elizabeth Line vs the Underground most of the time because it is more spacious for luggages and strollers… and kids!

The london underground

Sometimes it is necessary to take the Piccadilly line to/from Heathrow Airport – like when the Elizabeth Line is not running properly or on time. In this case, a £5.80 fare can get there in about 50 minutes to an hour. I’ve used this option many times when I first moved to London. It works just fine as a single person but with a crew of kids and luggage it gets too cramped for my liking.

london car rental

There are lots of car rental options in London, but you shouldn’t rent a car. Let’s say it again. Do not rent a car to get around London. There are lots of reasons not to hire a car, let’s list them:

1 – Public transport is plentiful, cheap and convenient and younger children generally travel for free.
2 – Parking is impossible and incredibly expensive if you can find anything.
3 – Congestion means cars are slower than the alternatives.
4 – Congestion charging is £15/day!
5 – London’s streets are narrow and the driving is aggressive.
6 – We drive on the left! It’s not a big deal but factoring jet lag it can become confusing very quickly.

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