London is one of the most visited cities in the world, but it’s also one of the most expensive. In this post, we’ll share everything you need to know to travel to London on a budget and enjoy this city without spending a fortune.
London is one of the most expensive destinations to travel to in Europe. However, there are many free attractions to visit and plenty of ways to save money during your trip.
Based on our visits to London on more than five occasions, we’ve outlined these tips on how to save money if you’re visiting London.
🔝 Need an itinerary? Check out this article on things to do in London in 3 days or more.
1) Use public transport to travel cheaply in London
To visit and get around this beautiful city, the best and fastest transport option is the subway, or as it’s known there, the “Tube”, one of the largest in the world.
The cheapest way to travel on the subway when traveling cheaply in London is to use a Contactless credit or debit card or set it up on your mobile phone, so you can tap it directly at the transport turnstiles. This way, you pay with the “Pay As You Go” service.
The system works like this: when you go through the turnstile, you need to tap your credit card (or mobile phone) on the yellow circle to charge the fare. Once you finish your trip, when you exit, you need to tap your card on the circle again to close the journey. This is very important because, starting from your third trip on the same day, it will cap the fare. That is, for the first three trips, you pay the normal fare, from the fourth trip, the fare caps and you won’t be charged for more trips.
If you prefer to take the buses, the famous double-decker ones are also available. The payment system is the same, although the final fare is cheaper. The downside of this transport is that it’s slower due to city traffic. But if you go outside of peak hours or on weekends, it’s a great option to enjoy the city views.
📌 Keep in mind that London operates under a Transport Zones system that ranges from zone 1 to 5. The higher the number, the more expensive the ticket. The busiest tourist area is located between zones 1 and 3.
2) Buy a London Pass
Some of the most interesting attractions in the city, like the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, or St. Paul’s Cathedral, just to name a few, require the purchase of a ticket, and it’s not cheap.
A good way to save while traveling cheaply in London is to buy a London Pass, a pass that includes more than 60 attractions allowing you to enter these places without waiting in line for a single fee.
It’s recommended to buy this card for no less than 2 days, and on the remaining days, do free activities to get the most out of it. Additionally, you can use the hop-on hop-off bus service to get around the city or take a boat ride on the Thames, which saves you public transport costs for that day.
3) Enjoy the free museums
If you’re traveling on a budget in London, we recommend including some of the museums the city has to offer. Most of them are free to enter in London, generally, you only need to pay for special exhibitions. Some of the most important museums you can visit for free are:
- British Museum: Here you’ll find everything from sculptures and mummies to the Parthenon frieze, but one of the most important pieces is the Rosetta Stone.
- Natural History Museum: As its name suggests, you’ll find everything related to life and the environment on our planet. We recommend you go with enough time because the museum is very large and has interactive activities to enjoy. It’s ideal for a family visit.
- National Gallery: For art lovers, this gallery houses 2,300 paintings. The owner of this collection is the English people, which is why access is free.
- Tate Modern: This is the contemporary art museum, starting with works from 1900, complementing the National Gallery.
📌 Keep in mind that many of these museums close later than usual once a week, which is a good option for late afternoon activities and enjoying the day with something else.
4) Visit the famous London markets (and the charities!)
The markets of London are some of the most interesting spots in the English capital. They’re scattered throughout the city and have become a meeting point for locals and tourists.
Each one has different themes, such as food, flowers, antiques, etc., and each reflects the essence of the neighborhood where it’s located. Some of the most notable are:
- Camden Market
- Borough Market
- Portobello Road Market
- Covent Garden
- Southbank Centre Food Market
- Greenwich Market
- Spitalfields Market
If your plan is to travel cheaply to London, they’re great allies for affordable meals. Many of them have food stalls with low prices and menus for under £10 per dish.
⚠️IMPORTANT! Always check the operating hours. Generally, they’re open from 10 AM to 6 PM, even on weekends.
On the other hand, the “Charities” are non-profit organizations that help and raise money for causes in need.
What they’ve done is set up shops all over London, in every neighborhood, where you can buy used and new items donated by others at ridiculous prices. They sell a bit of everything: clothes, appliances, books, toys, furniture… And the best part is that all the proceeds go to the cause for which they were created.
In the photo below, there’s a Cancer Research Charity on the corner, dedicated to cancer research, which is one of the most important in London. Next to it is Poundland, a budget supermarket perfect for our goal of traveling cheaply to London.
5) Eating on a Budget in London
Besides markets, supermarkets are the best way to save on food when traveling cheaply in London.
One of the best options to spend less is to take advantage of the “Meal Deals” from Tesco, where you can get a daily menu of two triangle sandwiches, some chips, and a drink for £3.
Also, almost all supermarkets reduce the prices of fresh food after 7:00 PM, as they need to sell it that day or it will be discarded. This way, you’ll find sandwiches, salads, and even some more elaborate meals to heat up. Just keep in mind that it’s for consumption that day.
🔝 In our Guide to Traveling in London, you’ll find more tips to consider when planning your trip.
6) Take a free tour to explore the city
A city with so much culture, history, and secrets deserves to be explored with an expert. For this reason, we recommend you take a Free Tour.
There’s a wide variety of routes and themes to enjoy during your budget trip to London. Remember to book them in advance so you don’t miss out on your spot.
📷 Check out these
– Free Tour of London’s must-sees
– Old London Free Tour
7) Don’t miss the panoramic views
Seeing the city from above while traveling cheaply to London is possible, and without spending a penny. This activity can be done from several private buildings that have free gardens or viewing platforms.
Some of them are:
- Sky Garden: This building has a beautiful indoor garden that you can access for free by making an online reservation by clicking this link. Reservations open every Monday and fill up quickly.
- The Garden at 120: It’s shorter than the previous one, but it’s still worth going up, even if just to see the garden this building has. Free access and no reservations are needed to visit its terrace with a 360-degree panoramic view.
- One New Change: The view from this building is unique, thanks to its proximity to Saint Paul Cathedral, allowing you to see the dome up close.
- Tate Modern: The art museum offers a panoramic view from the café on its top floor. If you’re just going for the view, you can take the elevator directly to see the city from above.
There’s a huge variety of panoramic views at different points in the city. We recommend taking advantage of the diverse options and visiting them at different times to see how the view changes throughout the day and across neighborhoods.
🔝 Looking for more places to visit in the country? Check out this article on things to do in ENGLAND in 7 days.
8) Explore the parks and squares
What better way to take a break from all that walking than in a beautiful park in one of the prettiest cities in the world. If you’re traveling on a budget to London, you can’t miss these parks:
- Hyde Park: This park, covering over 140 acres, has numerous paths that will take you through the area, enjoying trees, flowers, a lake, and encounters with ducks and squirrels.
- Kensington Gardens: A small park next to Hyde Park, part of the gardens of the palace of the same name. Besides fountains and greenery, you can visit the statue of Peter Pan and the memorial for Lady Di.
- Regent’s Park: Perfect for rose lovers, as there are hundreds of them. It features an amphitheater that hosts plays during the summer.
- Battersea Park: Along the Thames, you can enjoy this park with many green areas and animals. Keep in mind it opens from 6:30 AM to 10:30 PM.
- Greenwich Park: If you head over to see the Royal Observatory, where the famous 0º meridian divides East from West, you’ll find it surrounded by a lovely park where you can even see deer.
9) Take a stroll through the neighborhoods of London
The neighborhoods of London are among the most diverse you can find. When traveling on a budget to London, be sure to take a stroll through these neighborhoods that will make you feel like you’re in a movie or a story. We recommend including visits to:
- Marylebone: One of the finest neighborhoods in London, where you can find iconic places like Baker Street or Bond Street. With bistros and shops featuring luxury items, it’s one of the prettiest spots in the city for its unique Georgian-style houses.
- Camden Town: The most rock and punk neighborhood in the city. It was home to Amy Winehouse, and you can visit her statue today. It’s great for exploring second-hand shops and finding good discount prices. Book the free tour of Camden Town here.
- Chelsea: If you’re looking to spot celebrities, this is the neighborhood. Figures like Mick Jagger or Madonna have had their homes in this area. It’s very picturesque, with its houses painted in perfect colors.
- Notting Hill: This corner of London is very colorful. Crossed by Portobello Road, you’ll find markets, bookstores, and antique shops. One of the most photogenic neighborhoods, famous for the movie of the same name, it’s perfect for spending some time enjoying its streets.
💯 Check out our article on how to apply for the ETA for the UK, an essential requirement if you’re traveling to England, Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland.
10) Don’t miss the Changing of the Guard
The famous “Changing the Guard” is one of the (few) activities you can enjoy cheaply or for free related to the crown. Almost everything royal, like the Tower of London, Windsor Castle, among many others, requires an entrance fee or isn’t open to the public.
This ceremony takes place at the main entrance of Buckingham Palace, where the guard change happens at 10:45 in the morning, lasting about 45 minutes. These guards are the famous ones in red uniforms with black hats, but keep in mind that this attire is only worn in spring and summer. So if you go in winter, don’t be surprised to see them in blue and gray coats.
During June and July, the change happens every day. The rest of the year, it only takes place on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. The schedule doesn’t change, and this event is rarely canceled.
✏️ The crown guards are stationed at different points in London. You’ll find them as infantry soldiers, as mounted guards, and if you pass by the Tower of London, you’ll see another division called the “Yeoman Warders,” who have a very different outfit from the others and are the ones guarding the crown jewels.
If you’re looking to escape the crowds while traveling to London, we recommend watching the Changing of the Guard at St James Palace. The event is the same, but with much fewer people, as most are waiting at Buckingham.
⚠️IMPORTANT! If you see a guard walking, don’t cross their path. They’re known for shouting and pushing tourists who get in their way, as they follow a strict protocol for security reasons.
Map with all the mentioned places for travel to London on a budget
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