Being a busy city, London attracts international traffic throughout the year. Although it covers only a small geographical area on the European continent, rails, buses, coaches, taxis and many private rental vehicles run in all directions and offer well-connected ground transport in London.
Rails
Rail transport in London is available through the Underground and Light rail and Heavy Rail Services. Tube and light rail services include the London Underground, the Docklands Light Railway and trams.
London subway
The London Underground, popularly called Tube, opened in 1863 and is operated by Transport for London. The Tube is the largest underground system in the world and the oldest underground system in London. It has a 402 kilometer track and offers services to 270 stations on eleven lines. Services are available every day between 05:00 and 01:00, except some limited services on some special holidays. Escalators are available at all stations and trains operate every 5 to 10 minutes through the stations. Ticket rates are calculated based on the zones of the travel card.
Docklands Light Railway
The Docklands Light Railway (DLR) opened in 1987 and serves the Docklands area of East London. The railway operates services between different cities with its expansion and new connections. Transfers to London City Airport are also offered.
Trams
Trams are London’s oldest rail networks that were basically used for transfers during the early days. But, there is only one streetcar – the Kingsway tube in operation today.
Heavy rail services
Heavy rail services make up the majority of the British rail network. There are 14 terminal stations in London and heavy rail services are useful for transfers in areas that do not have underground train services. Commuter and intercity rails operate between different cities.
Buses
London’s bus network serves more than 700 routes with more than 6,800 scheduled services. The iconic red double-decker buses serve London to a great extent today. Night-time services operate on certain routes every day. Private buses and coaches operate services at different destinations in the Black cab to Heathrow.
Taxis
Black cabs and taxis are available to travel to different destinations in London. Business and leisure travelers prefer private taxis and other private rental vehicles operated by private transport companies. The services of these companies are available 24/7 at airports, seaports, stations, hotels, cities and all other destinations in London, UK.
