Guide topic
Plan your trip
Practical plan your trip guides for planning a smoother London visit.
10 guides in this topic
Plan your trip
Public Toilets in London: The Free Ones, the Paid Ones, and Where Else to Go
Which London toilets are free, which charge and how much, plus the museums, department stores and pubs that let anyone use theirs — organised by area, built from the UK's own public toilet database.
Plan your trip
Tax-Free Shopping in London: There Is No VAT Refund — Here's What Actually Works
No: visitors can't claim VAT back on shopping in London, and haven't since 2021. The one way to buy tax-free, the shops that do it, and what airport duty free really saves.
Plan your trip
The UK ETA: Who Needs One Before Flying to London, and What It Costs
Most visa-free visitors to London now need a UK ETA before they travel, not on arrival. Who needs one, who's exempt, what it costs, how long it takes, and how to avoid the lookalike sites that overcharge for it.
Plan your trip
Luggage Storage in London: Left Luggage at Every Station, Airport and Storage App
Which London stations and airports have a staffed left-luggage desk, what Stasher, Bounce and the other storage apps charge per bag, and which attractions won't let a suitcase through the door — prices, hours and rules from each operator's own site, checked 17 September 2026.
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Is the London Pass Worth It? What It Saves, and When It Doesn't
A 2-day pass is £149. The classic big five cost £142.00 at the gate. Here is exactly which itineraries the London Pass pays on, which it loses on, and the memberships that beat it outright.
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The Best Time to Visit London: Weather, Crowds and Cost, Month by Month
Average highs, rainfall and daylight from the Met Office, 2026-27 school holidays and bank holidays, and confirmed dates for the Boat Race, Chelsea, Wimbledon, Notting Hill Carnival and Christmas — what actually changes in London from January to December.
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London on a Budget: What a Day Actually Costs
A careful day in London costs about £32 and a comfortable one about £150. What you actually pay for a bed, a meal and a day's travel — and every route to paying less for each.
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Money in London: Cash, Cards, Cash Machines and Tipping Explained
Whether London takes cash, what the contactless limit actually is, which cash machines charge, how to change money without losing on the rate, and what to tip — sourced to the Bank of England, the FCA, TfL, LINK and UK Finance.
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Is London Safe? Crime Data, Common Scams and Who to Call for Help
The Metropolitan Police's own crime trend, what the US and Canadian governments' travel advice says, where phone theft actually concentrates, the scams aimed at visitors, and exactly who to call — sourced and dated throughout.
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Healthcare in London for Visitors: NHS, A&E, GPs and What It Costs
What to do if you're ill or hurt in London: 999 or 111, A&E versus an urgent treatment centre, what's free on the NHS and what visitors pay, GHIC/EHIC and reciprocal cover, and the current prescription charge — from NHS and GOV.UK's own rules.