Welcome to my LND review Fresher’s Week Survival Guide! I’ve been there, I’ve done that and I’ve found myself in some weird and bizarre scenarios trying to navigate the city of London. I’m not going to lie though – it’s tough! Trying to deal with London transport often looks like this:
This is was my first year of uni. There was a tube strike and some iconic, London weather.
So how do you get by?
“Seize the 21st Century with both hands!”
This is the best piece of advice you’ll get when taking on the Capital’s public transport system. Here’s a breakdown of the must-have apps you should definitely be downloading before trying to get anywhere. Don’t worry – they’re all free!
Citymapper
Thank the Lord for the smartphone generation! London may have one of the most intricate and complicated public transport networks in the world but as a result, we’ve been blessed with an abundance of apps to make life easier. ‘Citymapper’ is your new friend. Download and use it to find the easiest way to get from A to B whether you’re stuck in the peak of rush hour or stumbling the backstreets of Piccadilly Circus at 2am. It comes complete with indications of which route will cost you the least and how long each suggestion will take you. Believe me, it’s the ultimate ‘late for lecture’ tool!
The joys of an empty tube carriage:
Über
‘Über’ is my top recommended taxi app. – always a great one to have installed and at the ready! It falls at the slightly more decadent end of student living but sometimes you find yourself in a position where you just need to jump in a cab. And when that happens, Über is the cheapest, safest and most reliable taxi transportation in London.
– Split the cost of your cab fare with friends using the app
– Get details of your driver and their car (great if you lose something!)
– Track your journey and location
Watch out for Über offers on Groupon – the last one I got was £15 of Über travel for just £3!
More Travel Tips for the Broke London Student
– You are entitled to a discounted Oyster Card! Redeem it and get 30% off all of your travel.
– Cheat by walking. The tube map is deceptive and some stations are within walking distance. This handy diagram can save you money by showing you which stations are closer to each other than you think.
– Know about London’s new bus hopper system. Quite simply, if you jump on a bus, you can jump on a second within an hour of making your first journey absolutely free!
– Check what perks come with student bank accounts! My housemate got a free young person’s rail-card for four years when she converted to a student account.
Sanity tip! I used to go one step further (still do) and schedule my entire life around avoiding rush hour. Salvage your mood and enjoy your evening – its worth it!
Those are all of my tips for traveling in London! Stay tuned for more freshers survival guides from LND Review!