Getting around central London

The single most important thing: do not buy paper tickets. Use a contactless card or phone, or pick up an Oyster card at any Tube station. Single fares on the Tube with a contactless card are capped automatically — you'll never pay more than the daily cap, no matter how many journeys you make.

If you're using a foreign card, check the foreign transaction fees. Many travellers find it worth getting a Monzo or Revolut card specifically for travel.

Gloucester Road station (District, Circle, and Piccadilly lines) is a 5-minute walk from the apartment. The Piccadilly line takes you directly to Heathrow — no changes — in about 50 minutes. The District and Circle lines cover the riverside from Richmond to Tower Hill.

South Kensington station (a few minutes further) also gives you the District, Circle, and Piccadilly lines, and is the closest station to the museums.

Victoria Station is 7 minutes on foot — one of London's major interchanges, with the Victoria, Circle, and District lines, plus National Rail services to Gatwick, Brighton, and the south coast. The Gatwick Express runs every 30 minutes from Platform 13.

Pimlico tube station (Victoria line only) is also a short walk. The Victoria line runs north to King's Cross, Oxford Circus, and Brixton — a reliable, fast north-south axis.

London's red buses are slower than the Tube but often more convenient, especially for shorter hops across the centre. Pay with contactless — exactly the same as the Tube. Bus fares are fixed regardless of distance, and a contactless card caps at the daily bus fare cap (separate from the Tube cap).

Useful routes from Pimlico: the 24 runs from Pimlico up through Victoria, Green Park, and Oxford Street to Hampstead. From South Kensington, the 14 and 74 connect to Fulham, Knightsbridge, and the West End.

Central London is more walkable than it looks. Many major landmarks are 20–30 minutes apart on foot. Walking from Pimlico to Westminster, along the Victoria Embankment from South Kensington to the South Bank — these are genuinely pleasant journeys.

Santander Cycles (the 'Boris Bikes') are available at docking stations across central London. The first 30 minutes of any rental are included in the access fee — enough for most journeys. The app shows you the nearest docking stations.

From South Kensington: the Piccadilly line from Gloucester Road goes direct to all Heathrow terminals (50 min, no changes).

From Pimlico: Victoria Station has the Gatwick Express (30 min to Gatwick). For Heathrow, take the District line from Victoria to Earl's Court, then change to the Piccadilly line westbound (about 60 min total).

Stansted and Luton are served by National Rail from Liverpool Street and St Pancras respectively — both about 45–60 minutes. City Airport is best reached via the Elizabeth line to Paddington, then the DLR.