London's transport network is among the most complex and expensive in the world. The London Transport (LT) travel information office , at Piccadilly Circus tube station (daily 9am-6pm), will provide free transport maps; there are other desks at Euston Station, Heathrow (terminals 1, 2 and 3), King's Cross, Liverpool Street, Paddington and Victoria stations. There's also a 24-hour phone line for transport information (tel 020/7222 1234), and a Web site giving real-time travel news ( www.londontransport.co.uk). If you can, avoid travelling during the rush hour (Mon-Fri 8-9.30am & 5-7pm) when tubes become unbearably crowded, and some buses become full to overflowing.

Travelcards
To get the best value out of the transport system, buy a Travelcard . Available from machines and booths at all tube and train stations, and at some newsagents (look for the sticker), these are valid for the bus, tube, Docklands Light Railway, and suburban rail networks.

One-Day Travelcards , valid on weekdays from 9.30am and all day at weekends, cost £3.90 (central zones 1 and 2), rising to £4.70 for all zones (1-6, including Heathrow); the respective Weekend Travelcards , for unlimited travel on Saturday and Sunday, cost £5.80 for zones 1-2, and £7 for zones 1-6. If you need to travel before 9.30am on a weekday, but don't need to use suburban trains, you can buy a One-Day LT Card , which costs from £5 (zones 1 and 2) to £7.50 (all zones). Weekly Travelcards are even more economical, beginning at £18.20 for zones 1 and 2; for these cards you need a photocard , available free of charge from tube and train stations on presentation of a passport-sized photo.

The Tube
The eleven different London Underground - or tube - lines cross much of the metropolis, although London south of the river is not very well covered. Each line has its own color and name - all you need to know is which direction you're traveling in: northbound, eastbound, southbound or westbound. Services operate from around 5.30am Monday to Saturday, and from 7.30am on Sundays, and end around midnight every day; you rarely have to wait more than five minutes for a train between central stations.

Tickets must be bought in advance from the machines or booths in station entrance halls; if you cannot produce a valid ticket, you will be charged an on-the-spot Penalty Fare of £10. A single journey in the central zone costs an unbelievable £1.50; a Carnet of ten tickets costs £11. If you're intending to travel about a lot, however, a Travelcard is by far your best bet.

Buses
Tickets for all bus journeys within, to or from the central zone costs a flat fare of £1; journeys outside the central zone cost 70p. Normally you pay the driver on entering, but some routes are covered by older Routemaster buses, staffed by a conductor and with an open rear platform. Note that at request stops (easily recognizable by their red sign) you must stick your arm out to hail the bus you want. In addition to the Travelcards, a One-Day Bus Pass is also available and can be used before 9.30am; it costs £3 for zones 1 and 2.

Regular buses run between about 6am and midnight; night buses (prefixed with the letter "N") operate outside this period. Night bus routes radiate out from Trafalgar Square at hourly intervals, more frequently on some routes and on Friday and Saturday nights. Fares are a flat £1.50 from central London; only weekly, monthly or yearly Travelcards are valid on these.

Suburban trains
Large areas of London's suburbs are best reached by the suburban train network (Travelcards valid). Wherever a sight can only be reached by overground train, we've indicated the nearest train station and the central terminus from which you must depart. If you're planning to use the railway network a lot, you might want to purchase a Network Railcard , which is valid for a year, costs £20, and gives you up to 34 percent discount on fares to destinations in and around the southeast. To find out about a particular service, phone National Rail Enquiries on 8457/484950.

Taxis
If you're in a group of three or more, London's metered black cabs can be an economical way of getting around the centre - a ride from Euston to Victoria, for example, should cost around £10. A yellow light over the windscreen tells you if the cab is available - just stick your arm out to hail it. (If you want to book one in advance, call 020/7272 0272.)

Minicabs are less reliable than black cabs, but considerably cheaper, so you might want to take one back from a late-night club. Most minicabs are not metered, so always establish the fare beforehand. If you want to be certain of a woman driver, call Ladycabs (tel 020/7254 3501).

Boats
Boat services on the Thames still do not form part of an integrated public transport system, and Travelcards are not currently valid on the river. So for the moment at least, travelling by boat remains a leisure pastime and not really a commuting option. There are regular services between central London and Greenwich, and, in the summer, even as far upstream as Hampton Court. Timetables and services are complex, however; for a full list, pick up the Thames river services booklet from an LT travel information office, phone 020/7222 1234 or visit www.londontransport.co.uk.

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