London Travel Tips

Although England is a part of the EU (European Union), it has kept its own currency – the pound sterling (£). One pound is divided into 100 pence (p). Coins come in 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, 50p as well as £1 and £2 coins. 

Notes come in denominations of £5, £10, £20, and £50. The £50 notes can be difficult to change because of frequent fakes. Try to avoid them.

You may also see notes issued by Clydesdale Bank, Royal Bank of Scotland and Bank of Scotland – these are all legal and can be used on both sides of the border. The Channel Islands also issue their own notes. If you have any problem getting them accepted in England and Wales, ask a bank to swap them for you.

Changing money is always easy in London. You can change money at banks, travel agents, airports and bureau de change. However, be careful of the bureaus – they may offer good rates, but often charge outrageous commissions. Always check the rates, the commission and any minimum charge very carefully. 

Money changers in international airports charge a lower commission and fee than most high-street banks and may cash sterling travellers cheques for free. For other currencies they charge about 1.5% with a £3 minimum. They can also sell you up to £500 worth of most major currencies on the spot. 

Eurocheques are no longer accepted in the UK. Some banks will cash them, but they charge an extremely high fee. 

Visa, MasterCard, AmEx and Diners Club cards are widely accepted all over England. You can get cash advances using your Visa or MasterCard at many banks.

The UK has a two-tier customs system: one for goods bought duty-free and the other for goods bought in another EU country where taxes and duties have already been paid. For goods purchased at airports or ferries outside the EU, you can import 200 cigarettes or 250g of tobacco, 2L of still wine plus 1L of spirits over 22% or another 2L of wine, 50g of perfume, 250cc of eau de toilette, and other duty-free goods (including beer) to the value of £136. You can still buy duty-free goods in the Channel Islands, as they are not in the EU.

240 volt / 50Hz

If you need the attention of a doctor in London you can call 24 hours a day and a doctor will make a house call to your hotel room. Call 020 603 3332. You can pay cash or use your Visa or MasterCard.

Value-added tax (VAT) is a 17.5% sales tax levied on goods and services. Non-EU and EU residents who will leave the EU/UK within three months of purchasing goods may claim a VAT refund. However, EU residents must be due to stay outside the EU for more than a year to claim.

Shops will advertise “Tax-Free Shopping” in their window if they participate in the VAT refund scheme. The minimum purchase is around £75. You must show ID and ask for the VAT refund form, part of which must be completed by the retailer. When you leave the UK, allow at least an hour to claim your refund at the airport. You must show your receipts, the form and the goods to customs.

Tipping in London is discretionary. In restaurants a service charge is sometimes included; if not, a gratuity of 15% is the norm, unless the service was unsatisfactory. Taxi drivers also expect a tip of 10%-15%. It’s less common to tip minibus drivers. A standard tip for hotel service such as porters or door attendants is £1 or £2. Tipping is not customary when ordering drinks from the bar in a pub, but if you order food from a table and it is brought to you, then a tip might be appropriate – only if the food and service is satisfactory.

Bargaining is practically unheard of, although it is occasionally done at markets.

Country Code: 44
City Code: 20
When dialling from within England, add a ‘0’ before the city code and of course drop the country code.

Important Telephone Numbers

Emergencies: 999
UK operator: 100
International operator: 155
Directory information: 192
Tourist Information Centres
British Tourist Authority: 020 7808 3810
London Tourist Board: 020 7932 2000

England is on Western European Standard Time (WET)
GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) originates in Greenwich, England.
Daylight Savings Time = BST (British Summer time) = GMT+1

Your passport must be valid for at least three months after your trip. Citizens of the EU may not need a passport to travel to England. A national identity card can suffice. Check with your travel agent or nearest British embassy.

Citizens of Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, South Africa and the USA do not need a visa for stays of up to three to six months. A ‘leave to enter’ will be given upon arrival. Hong Kong and Macau nationals with SAR passports do not need a visa.

Citizens of China, Taiwan, India and others need a visa to enter the UK. Visa regulations can always change, so it is wise to check with the nearest British embassy for current criteria. For more information, visit www.ukvisas.gov.uk