If you’re planning the ultimate trip to London, there are a handful of things you can do before travelling to make your trip as seamless and stress-free as possible. From securing reliable travel insurance and purchasing train tickets in advance to packing weather-appropriate clothing and more, here are nine things you must buy in advance for your London trip for an unforgettable and easy visit.
No need to add these to your own list by the way… we’ve got them all in our London Trip Checklist, which tells you everything you need to do, buy and book before you get to London. Get the checklist for free.
Visa
A visa is first on our list of things to buy for your London trip. You may not even have to pay for this one, but before planning anything, you should check whether you are even required to obtain a visa to visit the UK. You can easily check this on the UK government visa check website, where a simple questionnaire will take you through a few steps.
Travel insurance
Wherever you plan on travelling, taking out travel insurance is always recommended; you don’t want to be left with a hefty bill if something goes wrong like your flight is cancelled or your luggage gets stolen. There are plenty of places you can purchase insurance, but for straightforward, reliable, flexible travel insurance, World Nomads is highly recommended for international travel.
Accommodation
Obviously, accommodation is on our list of things to buy for your London trip, which will likely be one of the most expensive parts. However, booking in advance saves a little, and there is better availability if you book beforehand. We recommend using Expedia and Hostelworld to book, where you can filter by location, price point and more. We have plenty of articles in the accommodation section of our site that will help you find the perfect hotel, hostel or apart-hotel for your budget and needs.
Train tickets
In general, train fares for travel from London to other parts of the UK continue to go up in price right up until the day you travel, so booking in advance is essential if you want to get the best possible fare. You can use Trainline to book tickets, or if you’re not in the UK we think Omio is the most friendly site for international tourists. You can book Eurostar tickets on Omio as well if you plan to head to Paris, Amsterdam or Brussels, but get those ahead of time for better pricing.
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Airport taxi transfer
The quickest and most stress-free way to get from the airport to the city is to arrange a pre-booked airport taxi, which you can book through our trusted taxi partner. They employ carefully selected, extensively trained drivers, offer arrival monitoring, and will welcome you in the terminal after you’ve picked up your luggage.
You could chance getting an Uber, but wait times can vary, and they’re very difficult to get from Gatwick airport.
Image Courtesy of Viator
Tours and experiences
If you know what organised experiences and tours you’d like to do during your visit to London, booking in advance is essential since they can book up during peak times, especially the most popular activities like the Harry Potter-based ones. Take Walks and Eating Europe are two companies we love working with that provide experiences and tours around the city, but there’s also Viator and GetYourGuide for extra inspiration. If you want more ideas on what to book, take a look at any of our articles: Alternative London Tours, London Drinking Tours, Tours For History Lovers, Tours For Film And TV Fans and Evening Tours To Book For A Fun Night Out.
Theatre tickets
If you’re set on seeing a particular theatre show when visiting London, booking your tickets as early as possible is always advised. We recommend securing your tickets at least a month in advance if you know what you want to see and when, or even further in advance if you plan on going on the weekend. If you plan on going on the weekend; check the London Theatre Direct website for these.
There’s also the TKTS, The Official London Theatre Ticket Booth based in the heart of Leicester Square, where you can get last-minute, on-the-day theatre tickets for a significantly discounted price. However, this can be risky, and you’re not always guaranteed to secure tickets, but if you’re super flexible on what you’re open to seeing, this is a great option.
Weather-appropriate clothing
You probably know that London has a bit of a reputation for being a little rainy occasionally, but it’s often hard to predict exactly what the weather will be like. The temperatures can drop significantly throughout the winter months and rise a fair amount come summer, so depending on when you’re visiting, make sure you pack appropriate clothing. Packing comfortable walking shoes is also highly recommended, as you’re probably going to be racking up your step count exploring the city on foot – a great way to see parts of London you might miss if you take public transport.
Our London itinerary
If planning the perfect itinerary that makes the most of your limited time seems daunting and you feel slightly overwhelmed (it’s a big task, after all), we can help. We’ve curated all of our research and London knowledge to create itinerary guides for locations around the city, saving you weeks of planning and research. They’re chock full of experiences and activities that local Londoners love, from places to eat and drink to museums, parks and more. They tell you exactly how to fit all the good stuff in without leaving the trip feeling exhausted.
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