Travel in London
Travel in London is easy with a superb network of underground trains, buses, railway stations and of course the ubiquitous ‘black cab’ but the best way of seeing London is still on foot. However long a stay you are planning in London it is well worthwhile taking advantage of the Travelcard system which allows you unlimited travel in either zones 1 and 2 (the central area) or zones 1-6 (the whole of London) on the underground, buses, Docklands Light Railway and National Rail trains. This way you can hop on and off buses or tubes or travel to some of the interesting sites that are a little too far to walk to from the centre of London.
For speed the underground is the better choice but if you want to see something of London as you go, then the bus is the better, although slower option. Bus 11 is a wonderful choice for the tourist. Starting at Fulham Broadway in the west of London the bus crosses London, via the King’s Road in Chelsea, Sloane Square, Buckingham Palace Road, Westminster, Whitehall, Trafalgar Square, the Strand, Aldwych, Fleet Street, Ludgate Hill, St. Paul’s, Mansion House, Bank, Broad Street and terminates at the Liverpool Street Bus Station.
Along this route there are numerous stops where you can get off and see some of London’s most important sites. If you were to begin your day at Liverpool Street Station, you could turn left up Bishopsgate, the easternmost boundary of the Historic City of London, and turn right at the intersection with Brushfield Street which leads you to Spitalfields Market.
This was a fruit and vegetable market that was originally constructed in 1628. The original market has long since gone but the Old Spitalfields Market square has been redeveloped into an area housing many shops and restaurants.
At this point, if you are so inclined you can follow the trail of Jack The Ripper, the name given to a serial killer whose identity has never been established, who between August and November 1888 murdered five women. Alternatively walk down Fournier Street where you can see wonderful examples of houses dating back to 1720. This leads into Brick Lane, home to a large Bangladeshi community and famous for its curry houses.
If you continue south on Brick lane you will cross the Whitechapel Road and you will eventually find yourself facing Tower Bridge Approach and the Tower of London.
If at the end of your visit to the Tower you have the energy, turn west down Tower Hill into Tower Street and then Eastcheap and you will find yourself at The Monument to the Great Fire of London which started in nearby Pudding Lane in 1666. It is possible to climb to the top of The Monument via a winding staircase containing 311 steps. From the Monument, you can walk up King William Street and find yourself at Bank, home to the Royal Exchange, the Mansion House (official residence of the Lord Mayor of London) and the Bank of England. More importantly, from here, you can either board the 11 bus or take the underground back across the city.
It is very simple to use the Public Transport System and economical if you buy a Travelcard but do get on and off and walk between one or two points of interest. That way you will not only see more but also learn a great deal about London.
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