Simple Tips for Visiting London on a Budget – Cafes and Getaways

Walking is the best way to get around in a city, but with one as large as London, you cannot walk everywhere. In these instances, the most affordable form of transportation is the tube or city bus. 

To get the best rates, purchase an Oyster Card, which allows you to travel for almost half the cost of buying a single ticket (around £2.40 per trip around the city center). Best of all, there is a daily cap, meaning after you have reached a certain amount, the remainder of your daily rides are free. 

The Oyster Card also allows you to hop between the underground and a bus. You can even use this payment for trams, Docklands Light Railways, Heathrow Express, and many National Rail services. 

Oyster Cards can be purchased online in advance, at the airport, or any tube station. When you need to top off your card, find a ticket machine at any station or Oyster Ticket Stops. 

Try to walk from place to place if you can before hopping on public transportation. It is the best way to enjoy the city’s beauty and see the sights. London is one of those cities with hidden gems and surprises that you will miss if you don’t take the time to get lost in the streets. 

To make the most of your time, plan to visit attractions that are close together. You can see more in less time while avoiding unnecessary travel.

One advantage of being in such a large city is the number of restaurants available for all budgets. You can find fast food restaurants and street food everywhere. The London markets are among the best places to grab an inexpensive bite. 

Borough Market is one of the best for food, but there is also Covent Garden Market and Camden Town Market, which have a wide range of vendors. There is every type of food imaginable here and a large assortment of fresh produce.

If you love street food, then Camden Market is one of the best places to go. They have over 100 stalls dedicated to food alone. Not only is this a budget-friendly option, but it is also great for visitors who want a quick meal. 

The markets aren’t the only place you can eat for less. There are hundreds of restaurants around the city that have delicious food for not much money. Grab some fish and chips followed by a pint at an historic pub. London’s pub scene is one of the top things to experience for little money.

Hotels will consume a chunk of your budget as they tend to be much higher than most cities. However, you can keep costs down by doing some research and following these tips.

Although there are thousands of hotels in and around London, booking months in advance will save you a lot of money. Even then, the price for the average hotel is high. 

So shop around for current deals and cross-reference prices. If you have a stash of travel points saved, this may be a great time to use them to stay where all the action is for a lot less.

If you’re trying to keep your budget low, research some Airbnb rentals instead of hotels. These are much cheaper in the city center, especially when traveling with friends. Another benefit of renting an apartment is having a full kitchen to cook meals if you’d rather not eat out every night. 

And if the location doesn’t matter much to you, look into staying on the city’s outskirts (Zones 2-4) for even lower prices. London has an extensive tube system, so getting to the main sites is simple if you decide to stay further out. However, I recommend staying in the city center to avoid long commutes. 

Budget-Friendly Hotels in London

Another tip for saving on accommodations is avoiding peak season. June through August is peak tourist season, which means large crowds and prices. Planning your trip around these popular times will drastically lower prices. 

Holidays and special events will also raise the prices. For example, Christmas is a popular time to visit the city, so avoid visiting during November and December when hotels raise their prices due to the high demand. 

Free walking tours are available that are usually led by university students who will take you around the city. And although a tip is encouraged, these tours cost much less than joining a large group excursion. These tours do not offer access to any attractions but are a great way to learn more about the city quickly. 

Several popular companies have free walking tours. Free Tours by Foot has some unique experiences, such as the Graffiti and Street Art tour of the East End neighborhoods, the Harry Potter filming locations tour, and the captivating Jack the Ripper tour, to name a few. 

Another terrific company is Sandeman’s New Europe for those who want a more in-depth guide to London. Their free tours are 3 hours long and available at 10:00 am daily. The tour begins in Covent Garden and ends in front of Westminster Abbey, passing by Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, and other important landmarks along the way.

If you plan on seeing a ton of attractions, then it may be worth purchasing the London Pass. This pass allows you entry into 90 attractions, including Westminster Abbey, Windsor Castle, and the Tower of London. 

Currently, the price of a London Pass is £125 for a two-day adult pass (£109 on sale), and each attraction costs between £20-£30 for entry. You would save money with the card by visiting just six attractions in those two days. It makes even more sense if you want to go on a hop-on-hop-off bus tour which starts at £37 for one ticket. 

Passes range from 1 to 10-day options with an addition of adding the Oyster Pass. The London Pass runs regular deals and special discounts, so check the website frequently before purchasing yours.

The London Pass has additional perks, such as a skip-the-line entry to a number of sites. For many, including myself, saving time in line is worth the cost. If you want to join a bus tour but don’t want to splurge on tickets, then the London Pass gets you on one for free.

Before purchasing your pass, decide what attractions you’d like to visit, how much they would be on their own, and if they are included in the London Pass. If it costs less than individual tickets, purchasing the pass is a no-brainer.

Most Popular Attractions Included with the Pass

For discounts, purchase the pass online. You can get the pass fully refunded within 365 days if you do not use it, and it remains good for two years after purchase. Download your mobile pass on the London Pass app or print your tickets to enjoy access to over 90 attractions.

Remember, once you activate the pass at the first attraction, it is only good for the consecutive days you purchased it. Use the free guidebook with your purchase to help you plan your sightseeing itinerary.

Taking your own tour is one of the most creative ways to save money on sightseeing. River tours and hop-on-hop-off bus tours are popular ways to take in the sites with the help of a guide. Unfortunately, they can also cost a decent amount of money. So create your own sightseeing tour for the price of a bus or river cruise ticket.

Instead of joining a tour bus, hop on a public route instead. A few of the main city routes take you past some of the top sites, including Westminster Abbey, Trafalgar Square, the Thames, and the Houses of Parliament, all for a bus ticket.

Popular Bus Routes

• Route 9: Passes by Piccadilly, Trafalgar Square, Kensington Gardens, and St. Jame’s Palace.
• Route 11: Passes by St. Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, Houses of Parliament, and Trafalgar Square.
• Route 24: Passes by Westminster Abbey, Downing Street, and Trafalgar Square.

London’s public ferry service, known as the Thames Clipper, will take you on the river for around £5-£20 depending on the route (get an additional 10% with an Oyster Card).

You will pass by the same attractions as joining a tour, minus the knowledgeable guide. I’ve got a solution for that, though. Download the VoiceMap app for free access to 35 personalized tours.

You can also download a self-guided audio tour by Free Tours by Foot. The offer four of their most popular group tours if you prefer to take one on your own. 

This particular tip goes against the norm, as you usually want to purchase tickets for anything well in advance. Waiting until the day of can actually save you tons of money for performances. London is known for its famous theatre scene, but tickets for these events can be extremely pricey. 

To purchase tickets to a famous West End Show head over to the TKTS booth in Leicester Square (They are also available online). You can get discounted tickets days in advanced and half-priced tickets the day of for many shows. 

Other places to watch live events that are much less expensive are the National Theatre or Shakespeare’s Globe. You can watch a Shakespearean play for as little as £10 if you don’t mind standing. Seats range from £25-£65 based on availability and location.

London is a melting pot of cultures and home to the performing arts, which means you can still enjoy a show without spending lots of money. There are always free concerts and events found around the city.

For upcoming dates, check out Visit London. This site has a detailed list of everything to do around the city, including seasonal festivals and celebrations. 

Pubs are also a great plate for live music. Most charge a cover after a specific time, so make sure to get there early in order to bypass the entrance fee.