The transport system in the UK

Public transport in London is divided into six zones which determines fares, Zone 1 being the most central.

The London Underground, or 'Tube', is the largest underground rail network in the world. You can view a Tube map here. Tickets can be purchased from staffed ticket offices, which are open for limited periods only, or 24 hour ticket machines.

Discounts are available for weekly, monthly and annual ticket purchases, and the Oyster pay-as-you-go card, onto which credit is loaded in advance, offers cheaper and easier tube access. You can order an Oyster card and have it delivered to your New Zealand or Australian address before you arrive in London – beat the queue at Heathrow! Go to http://visitorshop.tfl.gov.uk/english.htm to find out more.

Buses run 24 hours a day, unlike the Underground which closes around midnight, and are cheaper. A single Tube fare for any two adjoining zones is £4, or about half this figure with an Oyster card. Any single bus fare is £2, but around £1 with an Oyster card.

'Travelcards' allow unlimited access to the Tube, Docklands Light Railway, buses and trams. For zones 1-2, a peak-time travelcard for one day is £6.60, one week is £23.20, for one month is £89.10, and for one year is £928.00.

Following are the weekly prices, which will give you unlimited travel on tubes and buses. If you are traveling outside your regular zone then you simply need to top-up with an extension fare. Oyster cards can be topped up at all Tube stations and online using a registered credit or debit card.

View Transport for London website.

Useful phone numbers:

• London Bus & Underground Travel Information - 7222 1234
• Docklands Light Railway - 7363 9700
• Radio Taxis - 7272 0272
• Dial-a-cab - 7253 5000
  
  

Useful websites:

• moving2london - London Transportation
• Working in London - London Travel
  
  

Getting your driver's licence

If your driver's licence is not issued by the European Economic Area (EEA), you can drive any vehicle for up to 12 months from the date you last entered the UK. You need to exchange your licence for a Great Britain or Northern Irish licence before this lapses. If you don't do this, you must stop driving, although you may still apply to exchange your licence at any time within five years of becoming a resident.

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