Hello, welcome to London!

Visiting us? Moving to study or work? Brief layover? Moving to a new part of London? Any small questions about life here, if you're new or been here your whole life, this is the place!

We get a lot of posts asking very similar questions so this post aims to address some of our most Frequently Asked Questions, and give you a place to ask for assistance.

Your first port of call should be the r/london wiki

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I see and where are the non-touristy stuff and hidden gems?

• Must-see attractions: Check out our guide here

• Official experiences: We highly recommend TfL's Experiences site

• Hidden gems: Browse our favourite lesser-known spots here

• Budget-friendly options: Find cheap/free activities here

What's happening in London today/this weekend/this month?

Check out these listings sites:

• VisitLondon - London's official tourist website

• Time Out London - the original and classic listings site

• The Londonist - like a newer Time Out

• IanVisits - quirky cultural and historical events

• What's Going On - Live map and listings of what's on across London, filterable by area, date and free events

• Another Like That - get recommendations for events and culture around London, based on your mood/likes/dislikes.

• Skiddle - popular site for gigs and club nights

• Resident Advisor - the go-to for electronic music and club nights

• NightNomads - nightlife listings site

• London Ears - extensive chronological gig listings with Spotify links

• Designmynight - curated lists of restaurants, bars and events

• Galleries Now - exhibitions at leading galleries and art museums

For venue recommendations (music, theatre, comedy, etc.) check the wiki.

How do I pay for the Tube/bus, and what's an Oyster card?

You don't pay cash. Payment options include:

• Contactless bankcard (widespread in the UK)

• Apple Pay or Android Pay

• Oyster card (buy and top up with credit)

See here for more details.

Where should I live? What's x area like?

• Check our comprehensive guide here
• Includes recommended sites to find places to live and rent
• Has detailed sections on what particular areas are like

How do I get from this place to that place?

• Use Citymapper - honestly, we're not shills for them; it's just really good and used by most locals

Is x area safe?

• Yes. Bad stuff can happen in any large city, but London is generally very safe
• No no-go zones - most Londoners feel safe everywhere
• See our safety page for more information

Where can I watch sports matches?

• Football: Comprehensive guide at tlfg.uk
• Various sports: Use Fanzo to find pubs
• More venues: See our list here

How do I get a UK SIM card for my phone?

• Network advice: Covered here
• Remote work spaces: Check the wiki for places to work/take calls
• You can pick up a SIM card at Heathrow and other airports, either from vending machines or from WHSmith shops.

Is the London Pass worth it?

• Probably not

Other helpful subreddits:

• r/LondonSocialClub - Meeting new people for events, activities and/or pints
• r/VisitLondon - A dedicated tourism sub for holiday-planning questions
• r/LondonTravel - Information and inspiration on travel in London
• r/TheWestEnd and r/WestEnd - For everything related to London theatre including show recommendations.
• r/UKtravel - For guidance, advice and suggestions for travelling around the rest of the country to/from London
• r/IWantOut & r/UKvisa - Check if you need a visa and how to get one if you want to work here
• r/LegalAdviceUK - Good for all sorts, especially for questions about landlords and contracts
• r/HousingUK - For advice on renting or buying accommodation in the UK
• r/TenantsInTheUK - Specifically to discuss the nitty-gritty, positives and pitfalls of renting
• r/UKPersonalFinance - Another goldmine of sage advice
• r/AskUK - Great for general questions about UK life that aren't specific to London

Tips for posting:

Tell us about you

If you want us to suggest things for you to do then you need to give us a good idea of what you enjoy: - Don't just say "I like music" - say what type of music - Don't just say you want "somewhere nice to eat" - say what type of cuisine you like (or don't like) - Be specific - otherwise you'll just get pointed back to generic guidebooks and our wiki

Tell us your budget

• If you're on a budget, tell us what it is so we can make appropriate recommendations
• There's no point suggesting expensive options if they'll clean out your wallet
• Saying you want something "cheap" isn't helpful because cheap is subjective

Tell us where you'll be based

• Let us know where you'll be staying so we can give local recommendations

Asking about hotels or hostels

• We have homes here so know very little about what hotels are like - use review websites like TripAdvisor
• However, if you say "I've been looking at these three hotels. Which do you think is the better location?" - that's something we can answer

Non-touristy stuff

• There are no secret corners where we hide the good stuff from outsiders!
• This is one of the most written about cities in the world
• When we want to go somewhere, we look at the same sources as tourists (listings sites, blogs, etc - see front page of the wiki)

These weekly posts are scheduled to post each Monday at 00:01. If it's late in the week you may want to wait for a new post to appear. Please send us ModMail with any suggested improvements!