Getting around London.

I was born in this city and have lived here all my life. I have battled with every form of transport imaginable. It can be quite daunting to those unfamiliar with the options, but here are my favourite ways of getting around..

1) Walking: Zone 1 (according to the tube map) of London is a walker's paradise. But we've all pottered down a road and suddenly thought, where the HELL am I? One solution now is to find a local street map on a bus stop. Most bus stops will have them, just posted up against the shelter. It'll usually sort you out if disorientated, and luckily, you're probably within sight of a bus stop wherever you are around here..
You can also find maps on the walls in any tube station, knowledgeable people at the ticket desks, and if you're really desperate, holler over a cabbie and ask..

Another tip for not getting lost is to use www.walkit.com before you set out. It displays an easily readable map (+ written directions) of your route, and unlike most other websites, it is really easy to pan the map so you can look around the whole area efficiently. It shows you tube/rail stations, parks, other points of note like hospitals, and the names of main streets and London boroughs. Even though I know this city fairly well, I use this site all the time - its best feature for me is that it shows distance, and three walking times according to slow/medium/fast paces. Having matched up my pace to the figures it has been giving me, it's pretty accurate - I walk like a typical inhabitant, that is, a straight ahead power walk, and I match very closely to "fast".

2) The Oyster card. Most friends I have who come to London every so often never thought to get one, until I mentioned it. It's not just for people who live here and who use public transport all the time. It costs just £3 to buy, and you can do this in a minute from the ticket office at any station (no photo required). The savings you get on normal tube/bus fares are immense, and unless you are here for like two days, you will make that money back. Apparently you can even return it and get your £3 back if you wish, but I can't confirm that..

Anyway, you put money on it either using the machines at any station (paying by card, or sometimes cash), or you can top it up at the ticket offices if you'd rather give them the money and let them sort it out for you. Once it's got credit on it, you just scan it on the yellow card reader as you enter and exit a station, or as you hop on a bus. No matter what routes you travel that day, it'll work it out so you're paying the lowest fare. Nice and simple. Oh and you can get 2 for 1's for attractions/events using it too - I always forget to do this, but have a look on the oyster website for what's on offer. Happy travelling!