LONDON
Bike
Where can I buy a bike?
You can find excellent deals on brand new or second-hand bikes online on Gumtree. With Gumtree, you can pay only on collection and in cash. So do not feel the need to advance any money to any seller even if they demand this. We have also compiled a list of shops that sell decent second-hand bikes:
Recycling Elephant and Castle – which does not have a website but which you can find under the arches at 110 Elephant Road, SE17 1LB.
Where can I hire a bike?
- Santander Bikes
The best-known bikes for hire are what are commonly referred to as ‘Boris Bikes’ which are the red Santander Bikes you can find dotted across the city. These bikes operate as part of Transport for London (TfL) so can be rented using your Oyster card.
- Lime Bikes
Lime bikes (and e-scooters) can be hired via the Uber app.
- Other bike hire schemes
Beryl Bikes (available in Hackney and Westminster).
Transport for London (Bus/Tram/Underground)
Public transportation within London falls under the authority of Transport for London or TFL. This makes travelling easier in that you can use the same Oyster card for services such as the Tube (Underground), buses, Overground, DLR and Cloud Cable Car.
What is an Oyster card?
It is a card issued by TFL which you can load with funds and simply swipe to get on a bus, the Underground or any of the networks run by TFL. The Oyster card can either be a physical card (which you can get at a station) or a digital one which you can download here. We recommend getting one because it separates your finances from that which is in your bank account. It can also be used to hire a Santander bike which is a scheme also operated by TFL.
Can I pay to travel without an Oyster card?
Yes. You could swipe your contactless bank card whether in physical form or registered on your smartphone or digital wallet. It works exactly the same way as paying for goods at a store. You will be charged per swipe depending on what journey you make or zones you travel to.
You could also purchase a travelcard which ranges from a day to a year and is priced according to the zone of travel. Read more here.
Can I use my Oyster card outside London?
No. Oyster cards are only useable within the TFL zones and down to Gatwick Airport. We recommend using Trainline to purchase tickets for destinations outside of London so that your Oyster card is not charged an exorbitant amount if it is allowed through the gates. It is the case that at some stations, swiping your Oyster card may let you through the gates. In other cases, your Oyster card will not work at all. We recommend not leaving it up to technology and simply getting a train ticket through Trainline if you will be heading outside of London.
Taxi
Uber – Click Here
Bolt – Click Here
Addison Lee – Click Here
Train
Can I get Student Discounts on Rail Travel?
London is served by an extensive rail network from different stations such as King’s Cross, St Pancras International, Charing Cross, Paddington, Liverpool Street, Waterloo, etc. Which station you leave from or arrive at depends on your destination. It is therefore a lot easier to plan your journey using Trainline which will give you the timetable for trains to your destination and what station they return to in London. We highly recommend you apply for the 16-25 Railcard which saves you 1/3rd off the price of any rail ticket. If you are older than 25, do not worry. You can apply as a mature student. It costs only £30 for the whole year and is renewable if you are staying beyond a year. You can apply here.
Where can I buy train tickets?
As already stated, once you have got your Railcard, we recommend using the Trainline app to buy your ticket. You can download the app here and not only get tickets but also check timetables and updates.
REMEMBER!!! Before checking-out, make sure you include your Railcard in order for your 1/3rd discount to be applied. Also remember to carry your Railcard with you (whether physical or digital) as it will be checked on the train by the train conductor.