The Underground network, as well as the DLR, is split into Zones 1 - 6, with journeys priced accordingly to how many Zones you travel in, and which they are (i.e. Zone 1, central London, is the most expensive).

Undoubtedly the first port of call for any research about London Transport is the Transport for London website, which has tonnes of useful information about timetables, fares, maps, travel conditions and so on. You can also buy some tickets online - even from abroad!

Get a Travelcard!
If you plan on doing a considerable amount of travelling by public transport in London, the best advice is to get a travelcard of some sort. Day, weekly and monthly travelcards for the various zones are available, as are those for for longer periods if needed (over a given period of time - say January 1st 2004 to March 25th 2004). If you have a short stay in London, you might like to purchase a daily travelcard as and when you need it, if you think you will only use public transport on some days. Or, if you think you'll mainly stick to travelling within Zone 1 (central London) a Carnet is the way to go. This is a set of 10 tickets for 10 single journeys in Zone 1 - price in 2004 is £15.

A recently new introduction is the Oyster Travelcard, an electronic travelcard. Again, monthly, weekly, daily and pre-pay cards can be purchased and topped up when necessary. The big advantage of the Oyster card is that you pay at cheaper 2003 fares!

You'll need to get a photocard, however, for any travelcard longer than a daily one. These aren't too difficult to obtain: just get a couple of passport-sized photos (there are in fact photo booths in almost all tube stations) and take them to a ticket office in a tube station for your free card.

Bus
Bus transport in London is cheaper than Underground travel, and the bus network is very extensive. There are a few drawbacks: being subjected to London traffic is one, as is trying to figure out what bus you need for where you're going...and also, of course, trying to get off at the right stop instead of missing it and having to traipse back to your intended destination. But bus travel is actually a great, cheap way of doing some sightseeing. Hop on a bus in central London and climb up to the top deck, and you will have an excellent view of some of London's attractions. It is cheaper than those sightseeing buses - and there's no annoying commentary.

In central London, there is only one fare for bus travel: any journey costs £1. In the main parts of central London you will also find that you have to buy your bus ticket prior to your journey - there are black ticket machines at bus stops for this purpose (if there isn't a ticket machine at the bus stop, it means you can purchase your ticket on board the bus).

You will also find buses an invaluable mode of transport in the early hours of the morning when the Underground has stopped operating and cabs are unavailable/too pricey. Night buses start at about 11pm and run until approximately 6am, with about one bus an hour, although they're more frequent on Fridays and Saturdays (perhaps four buses an hour, depending on the route). All nights buses have an 'N' prefix in front of their number, indicating that they are the night version. Not all bus routes have a night version, so check before you go out that there is a bus home!

Underground
Ahhh, the famous London Underground. The oldest Underground system in the world, and apparently one of London's top tourist attractions. Londoners are less than complimentary about it, but that's another story...

The Underground, or Tube, system is very extensive as you can see on this Underground map. There are 12 lines, as well as the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) and train routes, and using them is pretty easy as long as you know which stop you need! Try to avoid travelling during rush hour (approximately 8am - 9.30pm and 4.30pm - 6pm) unless you feel the need to share the typical London worker's experience of being squashed into Tube carriages with little room to breathe, let alone move.

The Underground operates from about 5am to about 12.30am Mondays to Saturdays; 7am to 11.30pm Sundays although this varies by line and by station. It is therefore best to check at your local Underground Station where they will have a display telling you the first and last trains for that day.

The Underground is, unfortunately, quite an expensive mode of transport, so it is advisable to purchase a travelcard or Carnet (see above) to make some savings.

Cabs/Taxis
Black Cabs (the "official" cabs) can be quite a pricey way of getting around town, although not too bad if sharing (up to a maximum of 5 people!). Like buses, you're often at the mercy of London traffic, but unlike buses you'll find yourself sitting there watching the fare meter go up and up. This page from the Transport for London website gives an idea of fares - you'll note that fares are more expensive after 8pm. Black cabs have orange lights on the top of them that say "For Hire" - if this light is on, it means that you can hail this cab.

There are also minicabs (i.e. cabs using ordinary cars). There are plenty of trustworthy minicab firms; however, you should note that there are also some unlicensed minicabs (usually just a person and his car!) that operate. They are not all dangerous or shifty, but it is recommended that you do not take them, especially if you're a lone female. Try asking at your place of stay for a trustworthy minicab firm.

Train
On the whole, if you're a visitor to London you probably won't encounter train transport (unless you arriving in from one of the airports, or are leaving London to go elsewhere in the country!). Train routes generally operate outside of Zone 1.

Boat
You probably also won't find yourself travelling by boat in London, although there are some nice routes to some less central attractions and locations. These include routes from Westminster or Embankment to Greenwich, Westminster to Kew and Hampton Court, and Bankside to Millbank (between the two Tate Galleries). Full details of routes, timetables and fares can be found in this PDF document.

You might also like to try one of the lunch or dinner river cruises, which include three/four-course meals and entertainment!

Trams
Trams operate in Southern parts of London, in Wimbledon/East Croydon areas.

Car
The most important thing to remember about driving in Central London is the Congestion Charge - between the hours of 7am to 6.30pm Monday to Friday you need to pay £5 for every day that you drive within the charging zone (once you've paid £5, you can drive into/through the zone as many times as you like on that day). The congestion zone map can be viewed on this PDF map, and whilst you're driving around you'll no doubt notice giant signs warning you of the upcoming zone, as well as a giant 'C' painted on the road as you enter the zone. You can pay the charge prior to your journey, or after as long as you pay before 10pm on that day. Payments can be made online; at certain shops, car parks and petrol station; by phone; by text message; and at BT Internet kiosks (at certain phone booths).

Parking is also a problem, both in terms of of cost and finding a parking space in Central London.

These two issues may put you off renting a car during your stay in London, and as public transport is comprehensive, you will no problem navigating through the city without a car.