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Marrakech is the most popular city in Morocco for tourists to visit. There are some important things to know before visiting Marrakech that will help you have an amazing trip in the city.

A lot of people find Marrakech overwhelming at first. I sure did.

But as you understand the city more, you quickly fall in love. I sure did.

If you know the tips covered in this article before visiting Marrakech, you’ll be less overwhelmed and get to the falling in love part quicker.

I certainly wish I knew most of this stuff before visiting Marrakech. I would have felt more comfortable, confident, and it wouldn’t have taken me as long to get my feet under me and truly explore the city.

Is Marrakech safe for solo female travellers?

Both Arabic and French are widely spoken in Marrakech. Most people will be able to understand you if you speak French even though Arabic is the primary language in Morocco.

This is very helpful to tourists who don’t know any Arabic but know French basics.

Knowing that French is widely spoken is something I really wish I knew before visiting Marrakech.

I spent four semesters in university studying French and really wish I had freshened up on my language skills before arriving in Marrakech.

English is often spoken in the most popular tourist destinations, but there is no guarantee that anybody will speak English. And they may not be able to help you if you need assistance.

And trust me, it is very easy to get lost in the souks and winding streets, so you may have to ask for directions.

Luckily, I was able to sneak by with the little French I had, but I would have been lost without it.

So, I highly recommend that you either know a little bit of Arabic or French before visiting Marrakech.

It’ll make your trip go much smoother.

Plus it’s always nice (and respectful) to know a little bit of the local language anywhere you travel.

If there is one thing you need to know before visiting Marrakech, it is that currency exchange is a little bit tricky.

You’re only able to exchange your money into Moroccan Dirham when you arrive in Morocco. You’re not supposed to be able to get any Dirham outside of Morocco.

I have heard a few stories of people being able to get a very small amount of Dirham from their local bank before arriving in Morocco, but I wouldn’t count on that.

You can exchange your money in lots of places in Marrakech, but I recommend doing the exchange at the airport.

They know most people who arrive in Marrakech will need to exchange their currency, and they’ve set up an efficient process.

There are lots of tellers to exchange the currency quickly, and you get a reasonable rate.

I know a lot of airport currency exchange locations don’t always give a fair rate, but that isn’t the case in Morocco.

So, leave some extra time when you land at the airport to exchange your currency, and you’ll be all set for your visit to Marrakech.

Additionally, you need to exchange your Dirham back to another currency before you leave Morocco. Again, I would just do this at the airport for convenience.

I’ve found that you tend to get the best rate when you’re exchanging your Dirham to USD, Euro, or GBP. But they have tons of different currency if you don’t want to exchange to any of those three currencies.

Anyways, the moral of the story is to have a plan for exchanging your currency inside Morocco, so you’re not left in a panic when you land in Morocco.

You’ll need to haggle for anything you buy at a local vendor/stall in Morocco. This is something I knew before visiting Marrakech.

But I wanted to warn you as well, so you can work on your haggling skills or work up the courage to haggle if you’re like me.

I hate haggling. Even though I know it’s common in many part of the world, I always feel awkward, uncomfortable, and rude whenever I haggle.

You won’t have to haggle at a restaurant, if you’re buying street food, or if you’re visiting a larger souvenir store.

You’ll have to haggle in souks and other street stalls.

Well, technically you don’t have to haggle, but you’ll be way overpaying if you don’t.

If you know you want to buy a specific souvenir in Morocco, be sure to research ahead of time a range of what you should expect to pay for it.

This will allow you to be prepared and understand whether or not you’re being offered a fair price for the item.

I’m a terrible haggler, so I’m not going to give you any haggling tips.

My only tip is to know what you’re comfortable paying and don’t pay more than that. I’ve just resigned myself to the fact that I overpay for everything I buy when I attempt to haggle.

But I never feel bad because I paid what I felt comfortable with, and the vendor made a little extra money that day.

I will never stop telling you that you need to be more aware of your internet safety when travelling.

You rely on public wifi networks, and that puts you are serious risk of having your online data stolen.

Any time you use a hotel, restaurant, or transportation wifi network, you’re leaving your online information vulnerable and ready to be stolen.

And, yes, even wifi networks that have passwords aren’t safe. Anybody can access that password, and they’re only mildly more secure than a completely public wifi network.

Protecting your personal online information and data may not be on the top of your list of things to do before visiting Marrakech, but it should be.

You’ll deeply regret not taking your internet safety seriously if someone steals your banking information, and you’re left scrambling trying to cancel credit cards and bank accounts while on holiday.

That is never fun.

The only way you can stay safe while using public wifi networks is by installing a VPN on your devices.

A VPN puts a forcefield around your devices that makes it impossible for any prying eyes to access your online information.

It makes using public wifi networks just as safe as using your home wifi network where you’re the only person who knows the password.

A tourist’s guide to wifi in Morocco

I’ve used a lot of different VPNs over my years of travel. Frankly, most of them are terrible.

VPNs are notorious for slowing your internet connection to a snail’s pace and making the internet frustrating to use.

There have been many times where I’ve turned off my VPN and risked my online data being stolen because the VPN I was using at the time was so painfully slow, and I couldn’t even do a basic Google search.

My frustration ended when I discovered NordVPN.

NordVPN is the fastest VPN on the market, which is why I love it. I’ve been using it for years and years and recommend it to all my friends and family.

You need a fast internet connection when travelling, and that’s why I love NordVPN and feel comfortable recommending it to you my fellow travel lovers.

It is by far the best VPN I’ve used and feel confident it is protecting my online information, privacy, and data without slowing my internet connection down.

In fact, more of the times, I don’t notice I’ve using a VPN at all because there is so little slow down when using NordVPN.

The best part?

NordVPN is super affordable!

The cost per month of a two-year subscription is less than a single Starbuck’s latte. You get amazing protection and online privacy for a super low price.

My philosophy is that if you can afford to travel, you can afford to protect your personal online information with a VPN.

It’s a small price to pay for the security and peace of mind you get in return.

Esims are an amazing new technology that allows you to easily access the internet with phone data with just a few clicks.

All you have to do is purchase an esim either on the website or app and install it onto your phone. After the esim is installed on your phone, you use your phone data just like you would at home.

Esims are the easiest way to get phone data while you travel. You no longer have to rely on data roaming from your home phone company or purchase a local sim card when you arrive in a new country.

I personally use Airalo. It has the best coverage of any esim company, is extremely affordable, and has reliable data access, so you’ll never be stuck somewhere without access to data.

If you don’t use much data, you may want to consider using Drimsim. They charge you per MB used. You can get away with only spending a couple of dollars for data while in Morocco as long as you don’t use it often.

If you use Drimsim, be sure to turn off your data when you’re not using it. This ensures your data isn’t accidentally running in the background and helps keep your costs down.

But, since Airalo is so affordable, it’s still my esim of choice even when I don’t use a ton of data wherever I’m travelling.

One thing I was not prepared for when visiting Marrakech was how incredible Moroccan food is.

It is legitimately one of my favourite cuisines now, and I even brought a tagine and spices home with me, so I could cook Moroccan food at home. And that tagine gets a workout let me tell you.

It is essential that you try traditional Moroccan food while visiting Marrakech.

You won’t be disappointed!

Tagine is my favourite. You can get a variety of types of tagines ranging from vegetable to chicken to beef.

The thing they all have in common is that they’re cooked in ceramic or clay cooking vessel. The cooking process takes a long time, and you’re left with the most tender, delicious, flavourful food.

Some tagines just have broth, and some have couscous in the bottom. My preference is just the broth, but I think most people enjoy the couscous version better.

But, not matter what, promise me you’ll try tagine in Marrakech.

In addition to tagine, you can try delicious kabobs, tips, and breads.

The only thing I tended to steer away from in Marrakech (and Morocco in general) was the street food on small streets.

There tended to be flies hanging around them, and I wasn’t sure how long the food had been sitting out for. I wasn’t prepared to take a risk.

Street food in high traffic areas are normally pretty safe. They get lots of customers, and the food doesn’t sit around for very long before it is sold.

If you want to be safe, I would stick to restaurants. You know food is going to be fresh.

Be sure to try some new foods in Marrakech even if you’ve never heard of them. One of the most beautiful parts of travel is trying new food, and you don’t want to leave Marrakech without trying Moroccan food!

Just like anywhere else in the world, there are scams you need to be aware of when visiting Marrakech.

I’m not going to go over all the common scams in Marrakech, but I’ll cover a few of the most common ones you need to be aware of.

Unsurprisingly, taxi scams are common in Marrakech. The scam works just like taxi scams all over the world.

You get into a taxi, and they say their meter is broken, and you end up paying an extremely high fare. The easiest way to avoid this scam is either by insisting the driver turn on the meter before you get in the car or by agreeing on a price before you get in the car.

Another common scam happen when a seller in a souk invites you in and offers you a free tea- no strings attached.

You accept the tea, and then when you go to leave, the seller insists you purchase something because you accepted their free tea.

The issue with this scam is that you never know whether or not it is truly a scam or a seller being kind.

I’ve had experiences where a seller has genuinely offered me a tea without expecting me (or hassling me) to make a purchase.

However, there are also tons of cases where the seller isn’t being genuine and is trying to scam you.

Use you gut. And if you get in a situation where they’re demanding you buy an item, politely say no and then leave. You’re under no obligation to purchase anything from them.

If you want to be safe, simply refuse any offering of tea.

The last scam I want to talk about is the the gate is locked or I’ll take you the right way scam.

This is where a “kind” stranger spots you as a tourist and “helps” you find your way.

There are varying degrees of this. Some people are just looking for a small tip, and others are taking you in completely the wrong direction and will insist you pay them quite a bit of money or maybe arrange a taxi for you that charges you a very high fare.

To avoid this scam, politely tell people you don’t need their help.

Some people will follow you (and still expect a tip for showing you the way), but the biggest scammers will try to find someone else they can get more money out of.

Be sure to have your wits about you and always do what you’re comfortable with. If you’re lost and need help, go to the main square and ask either a police officer or tourist booth employer for help.

Marrakech is stunning, but you should make time in your schedule to take a day trip from Marrakech.

There are so many amazing places to see in Morocco that are near Marrakech.

The most popular day trips from Marrakech are an adventure out into the desert and a visit to Ouzoud Falls.

My preference is Ouzoud Falls.

It is one of the most beautiful waterfalls I’ve ever seen, and I recommend it to anybody I know who is visiting Marrakech.

Trust me. The pictures don’t do it justice!

Another great option is visiting Essaouira. I personally think you need multiple days in Essaouira to get the full experience, but if you only have one day, that’s better than nothing.

No matter where you choose to go, I think it is always worth it to take a day trip from Marrakech.

You get to see a different side of Morocco and get out of the hustle and bustle of the city.

Solo travel in Morocco

Morocco is a desert country, and it gets hot.

The good type of hot- dry hot. You won’t be sweating to death because of the humidity.

But, you will still be hot. And there are certain clothing expectations you should abide by.

For women, this means no shoulders showing, no cleavage, and long shorts/skirts/dresses or pants.

For men, you should cover your shoulders and avoid shorter shorts.

It’s pretty easy to find the right clothing to pack when visiting Marrakech, but it is something you should be aware of before you arrive in Morocco.

You don’t want to pack mostly tank tops and short skirts and then have nothing to wear while in Marrakech.

And bring a fan. And lots of sunscreen!

Unfortunately, there is no delicate way to word this point, you will get hassled when visiting Marrakech.

Especially if you’re a woman travelling alone or a group of women travelling alone.

Even if you’re a mixed group of men and women, you’ll still get hassled. Whether it is people trying to get your attention to shop in their store or someone trying to get you to fall for a local scam, be prepared to have lots of people yelling at you to get your attention or following you.

Most people are harmless and are just trying to make some money off you.

Say no thank you politely and keep walking. Even if someone starts following you, keep walking.

They’ll eventually give up or you’ll arrive at your destination.

I wouldn’t call the hasseling you’ll experience in Marrakech as a safety threat. I’ve never felt unsafe in Marrakech when people were trying to get my attention or get a tip out of me.

I would call it a bit annoying though. By the end of the week, I definitely had less patience for it than at the beginning of the week.

Kindness and politeness goes a long way. People aren’t trying to be rude or annoying. They’re trying to make enough money to support their lifestyle.

Riads are the very best place to stay in Morocco. They’re a traditional type of Moroccan architecture and absolutely beautiful.

They also tend to be run by locals and are more affordable than most hotels, which is a huge plus.

I had the most amazing time staying in a riad.

The staff were incredible kind, the building was beautiful, and the complimentary breakfast was made fresh for each person every morning no matter what time you got your day started.

It definitely gave my trip to Marrakech a more authentic feel, and it was extremely relaxing to come back to that environment after a busy day of exploring the city.

Marrakech is a fantastic city, but it can be an overwhelming city for tourists to navigate.

I hope these things to know before visiting Marrakech help you plan your trip and make your experience in Marrakech more enjoyable.

I know the first couple of days in Marrakech can be difficult for some tourists. It is worth feeling a bit uncomfortable at first and getting to explore and fall in love with Morocco and Marrakech.

It’s worth it. Trust me.

Marrakech has so much to offer. The sights are stunning, the food delicious, and the nature will take your breath away.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click on my affiliate link and purchase something (at no additional cost to you!), I may earn a small commission that helps me keep the blog running. Thank you so much for your support!

Neuschwanstein Castle is one of the most visited tourist attractions in not only Germany but Europe withe approximately 1.3 million visitors per year! With that many people visiting the castle each year, it must be pretty spectacular, eh.

But if the number of tourists who visit each year isn’t enough to convince you to visit Neuschwanstein Castle when you’re in Germany, then keep on reading. This post will give you 5 reasons why you shouldn’t miss out on seeing this castle.

Neuschwanstein Castle is less than 3 hours away from Munich. This makes it the perfect day trip from Munich! The trip from Munich to Neuschwanstein Castle is super quick and easy. It is perfect for anybody with any amount of travel experience.

Most people taking a day trip from Munich jump on the 9:52am train to Füssen. Taking this train allows you to save money by using the Bayern ticket. A Bayern ticket allows you to use intercity trains and buses in Germany an unlimited number of times during a specified period of time.

The Bayern ticket is valid from 9am to 3am on weekdays and from 12:01am to 3am the next day on weekends. The cost of the ticket is only €25, so it is worth it to wait until the 9:52am train to take advantage of the deal!

Once you get off the train at Füssen, you take a short bus ride (bus 78) to Neuschwanstein Castle.

It is also worth stopping to see Alpsee Lake. It is just a few kilometres away from F and is one of the most beautiful lakes in Germany.

I always think that it is important to take day trips when travelling. This is especially true when you’re staying in a major city like Munich.

Taking a day trip allows you to see something other than the metropolis that you’re staying in and see more of the country. There is always a big difference between large urban areas and less urban and more rural areas.

While in this instance you are taking a day trip to a major tourist attraction, you are still seeing a different part of the country and learning more about it. The tour at Neuschwanstein Castle is full of history, and I guarantee you will leave with new knowledge you didn’t previously have.

Plus who doesn’t like taking a day away from the city and breathing in some fresh mountain air?

This fact may not be a huge selling point to people who aren’t huge Disney nerds, but it is still really cool. Neuschwanstein Castle was the inspiration behind the Disneyland’s Sleeping Beauty’s Castle. You know, the iconic structure at the end of Main Street.

Neuschwanstein Castle is a bucket list item for many Disney enthusiasts. It is really special for Disney nerds like me to be able to visit a place that inspired Disneyland (much like visiting Tivoli in Denmark is a bucket list item for many Disney nerds).

It is fun to analyze Neuschwanstein Castle and try to see the similarities between it and Sleeping Beauty’s Castle. You also can’t help but imagine Walt standing and looking over the castle and being inspired. It really creates a moment of fantasy and wonder for Disney nerds.

It may not make sense to non-Disney people, but it really is a selling point to us! Neuschwanstein Castle should really market their produce more heavily in the Disney community.

Ludwig II of Bavaria is one of the most eccentric figures in German history. He succeeded to the throne at just 18 years of age and ruled for 22 years before his death in 1886.

Ludwig II of Bavaria is the man responsible for Neuschwanstein Castle, and you will learn all about him while on your tour of the interior of the castle. His castles were extremely extravagant and expensive. While he paid for his building projects with his own money, the Bavaria people were suffering and did not appreciate that their King was spending his money on castles rather than helping him.

The extravagance of Neuschwanstein Castle and Ludwig II’s other castles were used as a way to declare him insane. This declaration has come under criticism, and people no longer actually believe he was mad.

On the tour you will hear about his mysterious death. I won’t ruin that story for you, but it is a good one!

Neuschwanstein Castle has one of the most stunning interiors of any castle I’ve ever been to. Only 14 of the rooms were completed before Ludwig II of Bavaria’s death, but the ones that were completed are immaculate.

All of the rooms are over-the-top and took years to complete. The fact that it took multiple years to complete each year is one of the reasons the construction was so expensive and time consuming. Every detail in the rooms are chosen for a reason to enhance the room.

Ludwig II spared no expense when constructing Neuschwanstein Castle, and you can see the wealth and extravagance dripping from each room when you’re touring the castle.

You’re not allowed to take photos of the interior of the castle unfortunately. That would definitely slow down the tours! You are able to purchase prints of the interior or a little book that has various pictures of Neuschwanstein Castle along with pictures of the interior.

The exterior of Neuschwanstein Castle is breathtaking, but it is nothing compared to how incredible the interior is.

Taking the tour of the interior is essential for anybody visiting Neuschwanstein Castle .

This may not be a selling point to a lot of people, but for people who come to Germany to learn about World War II and pay their respects to the people who suffered during that period of history, the fact that Neuschwanstein Castle has a connection to the Nazis is a selling point.

Neuschwanstein Castle is in an isolated location, which made it an ideal place for the Nazis to hide. The castle was chosen as the headquarters for Einsatzstab Reichsleiter Rosenberg (a German art-looting organization during WWII).

Neuschwanstein Castle was used to store stolen artwork throughout the Nazi’s reign. Most of the artwork stored in Neuschwanstein Castle was stolen from nearby France, and this is what led to US troops storming the castle to retrieve the stolen artwork.

US troops stormed the castle in 1945 and discovered index cards listing of 21,000 items the Nazi’s were storing in the castle. The items were not only pieces of art but also included jewelry and furniture.

The US was tasked in restoring and refurbishing the items they recovered from the castle, and in 1951 the items were repatriated in Germany.

Many pieces of stolen art are still thought to be missing, and people are still searching for them.

That’s a pretty cool connection! While the tour doesn’t go into too much detail about the Nazi connection, it is something to keep in the back of your mind when you visit Neuschwanstein Castle .

How could you not want to visit Neuschwanstein Castle after reading that list?!

The castle has a unique and long history and is an important part of German history. I love when a tourist attraction is both beautiful and has an interesting history I can learn about. Neuschwanstein Castle is the best of both world!

It is honestly the most beautiful castle I’ve ever visited. When you pair that with all the other weird and surprising facts about it, Neuschwanstein Castle should be on the top of your to-do list when you’re in Germany!

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click on my affiliate link and purchase something (at no additional cost to you!), I may earn a small commission that helps me keep the blog running. Thank you so much for your support!

If it is your first time flying into Gatwick, it can be a bit daunting to try to figure out the best way to get from Gatwick to Central London. It is actually extremely easy to get from Gatwick to Central London!

Gatwick is the second largest airport in London only behind Heathrow. It has two terminals that are linked by a free monorail service that only takes two minutes! Gatwick is a well-organized airport that is extremely easy and convenient to navigate.

There are a number of different ways to get from Gatwick to Central London, and there are some options that are better than others for certain people.

This post will walk you through all the different ways you can get from Gatwick to Central London and give you an idea of what option may be best suited for you.

There are two ways you can take the train from Gatwick to Central London. They are both convenient, and the difference is mainly in the price. Both options drop you off at Victoria Station and have a similar travel time.

The Gatwick Express is a newer train that runs directly from Gatwick to Victoria Station. It takes approximately 30 minutes, and it costs as little as £17.80 when you book online in advance.

The tickets are cheaper the further in advance you purchase them, and you get a 10% discount when you book directly through the Gatwick Express website or app. Tickets are available for purchase up to three months in advance.

You purchase a ticket for a specific date, but it does not have a specific time. This allows you to get on the train whenever you want. You don’t have to worry about changing your ticket if your plane is delayed or if you arrive earlier than you anticipated. It is a great feature!

You can purchase a return ticket online, which makes it convenient for people who want to pay for their transportation before they get to London and not have to worry about it when they get there.

You are also able to use your Oyster card to tap in and out of the Gatwick Express. This is extremely convenient for people who already have an Oyster card or purchased the tourist Oyster card.

The Gatwick Express is a great option for people who want to pre-pay for their trip to and from the airport. It offers the flexibility of getting on the train at any time it is convenient for you.

The Gatwick Express is also great for people who want to know they’ll have a great seat and not have to worry about standing. The train is extremely comfortable and has lots of baggage storage space.

The Southern and Thameslink are two separate companies that run trains from Gatwick to Central London.

Both trains take between 30 and 40 minutes to get from Gatwick to Central London and only have two or three stops along the way. The costs is between £16.50 and £17 one-way.

You purchase your tickets at the station in Gatwick when you land either through an automated ticket machine or at the ticket window. You are also able to use your Oyster card or purchase an Oyster card to use.

I always take the Thameslink into London when I fly into Gatwick. The trip doesn’t take much longer than the Gatwick Express, and it is less expensive. The only downside is that you sometimes have to stand on the train because there isn’t enough space to store all the luggage.

The Southern Train/Thameslink is, in my opinion, the best way to get from Gatwick to Central London. It only takes a few minutes longer than the Gatwick Express and is less expensive.

It is the perfect option for people who want to get into the City quickly without having to purchase tickets in advance or spend the extra money on the Gatwick Express.

I always recommend taking the Southern Train or Thameslink. I think it is well worth saving a little extra money to make a few stops along the way. The ride is honestly not very much longer than the Gatwick Express, so I can’t justify spending the extra money on the Gatwick Express.

The Gatwick Express is a better deal than the Heathrow Express in my opinion, but it still isn’t my preferred method of transportation. I simply don’t think it offers any convenience over the public trains. It is more expensive and only takes a few minutes less.

There are two different operators that run buses from Gatwick to Central London. The National Express runs ever hour and easyBus runs from 4:25am to 1:10am everyday. Both buses drop you off at Victoria Station- the same as the trains.

The National Express costs £8 with an 85 minute journey time and the easyBus costs £4 with a 65 minute journey time.

You can purchase bus tickets online in advance, and they are normally less expensive than paying the driver when you get on the bus.

The only downside to buying your ticket in advance is that you have to pick a departure time. You need to pick a time far enough in advance that you are able to get through security, get your bag, and find the bus stop. I would also recommend leaving a buffer of time in case your plane is delayed.

The bus is a great option because there is guaranteed space for your luggage and it is comfortable. The major downside is that it takes at least twice as long as the train does.

Budget travellers who don’t mind spending a longer time in transit will probably enjoy taking the bus. You can’t beat the price of the bus!

The bus is also a great option for people who tend to get motion sick on the train. It tends to cause less motion sickness than the train. Although it is a longer transit time than the train, so you need to take that into consideration as well when considering motion sickness.

There is really no bad option to get from Gatwick to Central London. Each option has its pros and cons.

They all offer some sort of convenience. Whether it is the convenience of pre-buying tickets and taking a train with no stops with the Heathrow Express, saving some money and still have a quick train journey with the Thameslink/Souther Train, or the affordability of the bus.

However, I would suggest the Thameslink or Southern Train. It is the best combination of affordability, convenience, and time efficiency.

You can’t go wrong with whatever option you choose. I would suggest that you make sure you purchase your tickets in advance for the Gatwick Express or the bus. This will save you some money.

No matter how you choose to get from Gatwick to Central London, you will end up at Victoria Station and have to take the London Underground to your hotel. Be sure to know how to get from the station to your hotel to save you the headache of trying to figure it out when you get to the station!

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click on my affiliate link and purchase something (at no additional cost to you!), I may earn a small commission that helps me keep the blog running. Thank you so much for your support!

Malaysia is my favourite country in Southeast Asia. I spent three weeks there the first time I visited Malaysia solo and absolutely feel in love with the country.

Three weeks wasn’t enough for me, and I knew before I even left Malaysia that I would be back.

Even though my solo trip to Malaysia was amazing, there are still a few things I wish I knew before visiting Malaysia solo that would have made my trip go a little bit smoother.

I’m going to share everything I wish I knew before visiting Malaysia alone as well as some of the things I’m so glad I did on my solo trip to Malaysia.

Hopefully by the end of this article you’ll have a better idea on what to expect from your solo trip to Malaysia and that you’ll be excited to explore one of my favourite countries I’ve ever been to.

If you’ve done any travelling in Southeast Asia, you know that most cities don’t have a metro system. Some cities like Manila and Bangkok have a small metro system, but it’s not nearly developed enough to get you everywhere you want to go.

Kuala Lumpur has the best metro system in all of Southeast Asia. Yes it’s even better than the one in Singapore!

You’re able to get everywhere you need to go easily, quickly, and cheaply.

I was blown away by the metro system in Kuala Lumpur. I honestly didn’t expect it to be as good as it was. Without looking into the metro system and how robust it was, I took a Grab from the airport because I thought taking the metro would be a long, tedious process.

It wouldn’t have been, and I spent a lot of money on a Grab that I didn’t need to spend. There is a fast train that goes from the airport directly to KL Sentral and the main bus terminal.

It’s quick, affordable, and truly the best way to get from the airport to wherever you’re staying in Kuala Lumpur.

I didn’t need to take a Grab anywhere during my week in Kuala Lumpur. I got everywhere I needed to go using the metro. That doesn’t sound like a huge accomplishment, but it is in Southeast Asia where metros aren’t a common thing. You normally have to walk, take a Grab, or a public bus.

I loved being able to jump on the metro whenever I wanted and go wherever I needed to go. It was so convenient. I’m a sucker for a good metro ride.

I swear by esims. I use an esim everywhere I travel and can’t imagine travelling without one. They’re so convenient and easy to use. Plus it saves you time picking up a physical sim card at the airport.

I used an esim when in Malaysia, and it made my trip so much easier. I was able to Google the best restaurants in the area when I was hungry, use GoogleMaps, and keep in touch with my friends and family back home.

Plus it made finding my way out of the metro station to wherever I wanted to go easier. Many metro stations in Kuala Lumpur open up into a mall, and it can be tricky to figure out exactly where you want to go.

What I didn’t know at the time of my trip to Malaysia is that you can install an esim on your phone before you arrive in that country.

I was pretty new to using esims at the time, so I’d find wifi at the airport and install an esim in the airport. It was quite the process, and there were times (like in Bangkok) where I couldn’t connect to wifi in the airport and wasn’t able to install an esim to call a Grab from the airport to my hotel.

If you’re using an esim for your solo trip to Malaysia (which I highly recommend you do), be sure to install it on your phone before you arrive in Malaysia.

I normally install my esim when I’m in the airport lounge before I board my flight to the new country I’m visiting. That way I’m able to use the esim for the country I’m already in for as long as possible.

Once you have the esim installed, it will automatically connect when you arrive in Malaysia and turn on your data. You’ll be able to use it while you’re in line at immigration waiting to get into the country. That’s always nice since the immigration lines can be long, and you have nobody to talk to and pass the time with when visiting Malaysia solo.

So, to recap:

• An esim is the best way to get data when travelling abroad

• Install your esim before you arrive in Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur is the most famous city in Malaysia because of the PETRONAS Towers. They’re Malaysia’s most recognizable landmark and one of the big draws for people visiting Malaysia.

The PETRONAS Towers are absolutely breathtaking and blew me away. Same with everything else in Kuala Lumpur, but there is more to see in Malaysia than just the PETRONAS Towers and Kuala Lumpur.

What I liked most about Malaysia is that every city I visited was so different from the rest. They all had their own unique personality and offered something a bit different.

I visited four cities on my first solo trip to Malaysia, and they were all super unique.

• Kuala Lumpur is a modern, bustling city that never seems to sleep

• Malacca was one of the most important port cities in the region for many years and is loaded with history and charm

• Ipoh is home to Malaysia’s famous cave temples. It’s a quiet city, but it packs a punch when it comes to natural attractions

• Georgetown is in Northern Malaysia. It still feels highly British and same of the most interesting historical, colonial sites in Malaysia. It’s also home to some of the best street art in the world

Oftentimes when you visit multiple cities in the same country, they start to feel similar. That isn’t the case in Malaysia.

Each city feels like a completely new adventure. I only went to four cities on my first time travelling Malaysia alone, but I was able to get a taste of different sides and personalities of the country.

If you’re planning a trip to Malaysia, promise me you will get outside Kuala Lumpur and explore different parts of Malaysia. Even if it’s just a day trip to Malacca.

My biggest regret when travelling Malaysia solo the first time was not visiting Borneo. I felt like it was too complicated to get to and that it wasn’t worth the effort.

I think since I was travelling overland everywhere else in Malaysia, I felt like flying to Borneo was too out of the way and inconvenient.

In Ipoh, a met a couple at one of the cave temples, and they started telling me about their time in Borneo and how amazing it was.

I really regretted not visiting Borneo and knew that next time I was in Malaysia that I had to visit the island.

The main draw of Borneo is being able to see the orangutans. There is a reserve on Borneo that takes care of the primates, and you’re able to view the animals during their feeding times. The orangutans live freely, and it isn’t a zoo. It’s their natural habitat that has been preserved, and the feeding helps them get enough food and helps with rehabilitating injured animals.

If you’re visiting Malaysia, don’t be intimidated by having to fly to Borneo. If seeing primates in the wild is a dream of yours, it’s worth the effort. That’s the biggest thing I wish I knew before visiting Malaysia solo and my only regret from my trip to Malaysia.

The most common question I got when telling friends and family that I was travelling to Malaysia alone was is Malaysia safe.

Everybody seemed worried that Malaysia wasn’t a safe country. I’m not sure if it’s because they didn’t know anybody else who had visited Malaysia or because of preconceived ideas about what travelling in a Muslim-majority country as a solo female traveller is like.

I’m very happy to report that Malaysia is an incredibly safe country.

There was not a single moment I felt unsafe during my time in Malaysia. I felt completely comfortable walking alone at night and taking public transportation.

That being said, I have heard many black women say that they experienced racism while travelling in Malaysia. If you’re a person of colour, my experience as a white woman of always feeling safe may not be the same for you.

Here is a list of the most prominent and respected black travel bloggers. Hopefully you’ll find better information about whether travelling Malaysia as a black solo traveller is a safe and positive experience.

Malaysia is one of the richest and highly developed countries in Southeast Asia. I thought this would mean that Malaysia was significantly more expensive than other countries in the region.

That wasn’t the case in my experience. Malaysia was extremely affordable. Especially when you get outside Kuala Lumpur.

Food, transportation, and tourist attractions were all very affordable. I honestly found that Malaysia was way more affordable than Cambodia, which really surprised me.

If you’re thinking of maybe not visiting Malaysia solo because you’re worried about the expense, you don’t have to be. It’s very easy to travel Malaysia on a budget. I found it to be similar prices to Thailand.

The tourist attractions are what surprised me. I thought they would be super expensive, but they weren’t.

Major tourist attractions like KL Tower and the PETRONAS Towers were surprisingly affordable. Way more affordable than similar activities anywhere else in the world.

Many tourist attractions outside of Kuala Lumpur were actually free. I was shocked that there wasn’t an entry fee to visit the cave temples in Ipoh. It was one of the best experiences of my life and was completely free!

Malaysia is predominately a Muslim country. I highly recommend you visit the National Museum of Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur if you want to learn how Malaysia became a Muslim country. It’s a very interesting story.

Even though Malaysia is a Muslim-majority country, it doesn’t feel like one. Sometimes when you travel to a Muslim-majority country as a solo female traveller, you feel a little out of place.

That isn’t the case in Malaysia. Everybody is just going about your business, and you don’t feel like you’re intruding in any spaces you shouldn’t be.

In fact, if I didn’t know that Malaysia was a Muslim-majority country before I visited Malaysia solo, I wouldn’t have been able to guess.

If you’re worried about visiting Malaysia as a solo female traveller because you’re not Muslim and don’t know if you’ll be welcome, don’t be. There aren’t any strict unwritten cultural rules you need to be aware of.

Just be kind, respectful, and go about your normal business. Travelling Malaysia alone is like travelling anywhere else in the world alone.

You rely on public wifi networks when you travel. Even if you use an esim or get a physical sim, you still use public wifi at your hotel or in the airport. This puts you at high risk of having your private online data stolen.

Even if the wifi network has a password, that doesn’t mean it’s safe. Anybody with access to that password can access your public information if they want to. Including your banking information.

Trust me when I tell you that you don’t want to go through the hassle of cancelling banking cards while abroad because you didn’t use a public wifi network safely.

The only way to stay safe while using public wifi networks is by installing a VPN on your devices.

A VPN essentially puts an invisible forcefield around your devices that makes using public wifi networks as safe as using your home wifi where you’re the only person who knows the password.

It is one of the easiest ways you can stay safe while travelling. I always say that if you can afford to travel, you can afford to protect your personal online information with a VPN.

I’ve used a lot of different VPNs over my many years of travel. Most of them are awful to be honest.

VPNs are notorious for slowing down your internet speed, and you can really feel it with most VPNs. I used to turn off my VPN and put my online information at risk of being stolen just because the VPN was slowing down my internet speed so much.

All that changed when I started using NordVPN.

NordVPN is the fastest VPN on the market, and you can really feel the difference between it and other VPN providers.

I’ve been using NordVPN since 2018 and have never once felt a slowdown in my internet speed. It’s been so nice to know that I can rely on NordVPN to keep my online information safe while not slowing me down when I’m trying to write blogs or edit videos.

The best part about NordVPN is how affordable it is. A two-year subscription costs less per month than a single Starbuck’s latte.

It’s a super small price to pay of piece of mind you get knowing your personal and private online information is safe and secure from prying eyes.

Malaysia is home to three ethnic groups: Malay, Chinese, and Indian. The three ethnic groups have a long history of working together.

This not only means you can find delicious authentic food from each of the three ethnic groups but also that there is amazing fusion food.

Make sure to try Malaysian food (like their national dish nasi lemak) even if you have no idea what it is and have never heard of it before. You won’t regret it!

If you want to experience Malaysian food that you know will be good, consider taking a food tour in Kuala Lumpur. They take you to all the best spots and give you a sample of the best Malaysian food.

Also, even if you don’t love Indian food, make sure to try it in Malaysia. Especially when you get outside Kuala Lumpur. It’s amazing and some of the best Indian food I’ve ever had in my life.

Travelling Malaysia solo was one of the best travel experiences of my life. I absolutely adore Malaysia and hope it will become a more popular tourist destination in the future.

Malaysia is one of the easiest countries to travel in. It has an amazing public transportation system, English is widely spoken, there are unique tourist attractions, and it’s affordable.

There is no reason not to travel to Malaysia alone. It’s an unforgettable experience you won’t forget.

If you were looking for a sign to pull the trigger and book your solo trip to Malaysia, this is it!

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click on my affiliate link and purchase something (at no additional cost to you!), I may earn a small commission that helps me keep the blog running. Thank you so much for your support!

I spent a month backpacking Turkey in 2022 and LOVED it. Turkey quickly became one of my favourite countries, and I already started planning my next trip there before I even left.

Even though my solo trip to Turkey was amazing, there are still a few things I wish I knew before backpacking Turkey. Things that would have made my trip go a little bit smoother or save me time or money.

So if you’re planning a trip to Turkey (which I’m assuming you are since you’re reading this article), I hope the information in this post helps you avoid making the same mistakes I made on my first trip to Turkey.

Just because there are things I wish I knew before backpacking Turkey doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go to Turkey!

It’s hard to describe just how beautiful and friendly Turkey is. It’s the type of the place you have to see to believe. Especially places like Ephesus and Antalya.

Turkey truly is one of the most underrated countries in the world and doesn’t get as much love as it deserves.

Anyways, you’re not here to listen to me gush about Turkey. You’re here to learn how to prepare better for your trip to Turkey!

So, here are all the things I wish I knew before backpacking Turkey. Hopefully they’re of some help to you!

I relied on intercity buses to get between cities while backpacking Turkey. I quickly learned that even though they normally leave on time, they don’t seem to get to their destination on time.

I never had an intercity bus arrive at the destination anywhere near the time it was supposed to.

The most on time bus I was on was an hour late. The latest was 5 hours. It was painful. What was supposed to be a 5 hour bus ride turned into a 10 hour bus ride. People were not pleased at all.

I’m not entirely sure why the intercity buses would arrive at their destination later than scheduled. There didn’t seem to be any unscheduled stops or super long stops at bus stations along the way.

It’s not really a big deal that the buses run late as long as you’re aware of it an plan for it. Here are a few tips:

• Take the first bus of the day if you’re on a long bus ride. This will ensure you have a better chance of arriving in your next city while it’s still daylight.

• Don’t plan anything for right when you’re scheduled to arrive in your next city. Allow at least two to three hours of leeway before you have any plans.

• Make sure you bring water, snacks, and entertainment for the bus. I have Libby and rent audiobooks from my library!

• Most buses has a two by one seating arrangement. If you can get a single seat, your bus journey will be so much more comfortable.

I found the buses in Turkey to be quite comfortable. They have big, cozy seats, and you don’t feel squished.

They’re also extremely affordable and in my opinion the best way to travel around Turkey. That is, of course, you’re only in Turkey for a few days and travelling long distances. Then flying is probably the way to go.

Turkish people are super friendly. Hotel workers, shop owners, restaurant servers. Everybody I met in Turkey was just the nicest.

However, there is a bit of a downside to that as well.

With the Turkish people being so nice, it may lure you into a false sense of confidence that everybody is super nice and friendly and just wants to say hi.

That’s true for most people, but there are a few people who have decided to use how friendly Turkish people are and turn it into a scam.

Luckily, it’s super easy to figure out who is likely scamming you and who is just being friendly and helpful.

If someone offers to tour you around their favourite parts of the city, that’s likely a scam. They’ll end up taking you to a carpet shop and try to pressure you into purchasing an expensive carpet.

The people who do this (in my experience) are often older men who seem very friendly and helpful. When someone tried doing this to me in Selçuk, he saw me walking from the bus stop to my hotel. He asked where I was staying (I didn’t tell him) and tried to continue making conversation.

Later that day, I walked by him again on my way to dinner, and he once again tried to strike up a conversation with me. Giving me tips and information on the city and Ephesus. Then he invited me in to learn about how he makes carpets in a traditional way.

So, if a random person comes up to you on the street and starts making small talk, just assume they’re trying to sell you something.

The people you’d meet in normal circumstances like people at cafes or shops who are being friendly are just nice people!

It’s pretty easy to figure out who may be trying to scam you and who is just nice.

Almost every blog post I read before backpacking Turkey told me that I’d have to barter for any souvenirs I wanted.

I don’t like to barter. I avoid it at all costs and do everything in my power to avoid it. I thought based on what I was reading that I’d have to barter in Turkey.

That definitely wasn’t the case.

I had no trouble finding souvenirs that didn’t require any bartering. If you enjoy bartering, there are lots of places you can do that, but if you’re like me and hate it, there are also lots of places that you can just pay the sticker price.

Here are some of my best tips for finding places you don’t have to barter:

• Purchase souvenirs at museum gift shops or at tourist attractions. This may sound weird because those places are normally very overpriced, but that wasn’t the case in Turkey. I found more unique souvenirs at museum gift shops than in most places in Turkey, and they didn’t break the bank.

• Avoid souks and markets. You’re pretty much guaranteed to have to barter there.

• Take a peak in the shop windows. If you see prices, then you likely don’t have to barter.

• If you walk into a store or stall where you realize you have to barter and you don’t want to, just walk out. The store owner may call at you trying to get you to stay, but you’re under no obligation to stay.

• Don’t purchase souvenirs at the airport. You won’t have to barter, but they’re significantly more expensive than outside the airport. Probably the highest markup I’ve ever seen at an airport.

Every single city I visited in Turkey was extremely walkable. This includes Istanbul. I only took public transportation twice in Istanbul. Once to get from the bus station to my hotel and to get to the Asian side of Istanbul and back to the European side.

You can get most places in Turkey with your own two feet and not have to rely on public transportation. I even walked from my hotel to Ephesus in about 30 minutes!

The only outlier to the walkability of Turkey is the bus stations. They tend to be way out of the main part of town, and you can’t walk to wherever you’re staying. I typically took a taxi rather than the bus because it was faster, more convenient, and still very affordable.

So, make sure you have your walking shoes packed when backpacking Turkey because you’ll be using them a lot.

I’m by no means complaining. I love walking and try to avoid public transit as much as possible when I travel. Turkey was a dream. It was so dreaming walking around the old streets and see all the architecture.

You always see way more by walking than when taking public transportation.

I took out enough cash for my entire trip backpacking Turkey before I left Canada, so the love of cash over cards in Turkey wasn’t an issue for me.

I did, however, see lots of tourists scrambling to find an ATM machine or bank because the merchant they were purchasing from didn’t accept credit cards.

Many stores and restaurants in major cities like Istanbul and Antalya accept credit cards. It is less common in smaller cities and in souks or markets.

I highly recommend you always have cash on you when travelling in Turkey. You don’t want to be in a situation where you can’t pay for your food or entrance ticket just because you don’t have cash.

I had about 14,000 Lira (approximately $525 USD) with me for my month backpacking Turkey in 2023. It was more than enough for restaurants, entry fees, grocery store snack runs, transportation, and taxis. I even ended up spending a lot of money on Turkish towels the day before I left because I had a lot of cash left over.

Note: This is just what I spent in 2023. Please don’t use it to base your information off of. Inflation is high in Turkey right now, and you may travel and spend differently than I do.

Moral of the story is bring some cash to Turkey. You’ll need it.

I never had Turkish delight before visiting Turkey. The two things I knew about it was the little boy in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe was willing to betray his family for them and that Lorelei and Rory in Gilmore Girls hated them.

Two very polarizing opinions.

I had no idea what to expect when it came to Turkish delight. I was honestly a bit nervous about trying them because they seem like a love it or hate it item.

Let me be the first one to tell you that Turkish delight is incredible. You’ll become obsessed with it and want it all the time. It is so flavourful and light and just delicious. Leave room in your suitcase to bring some home!

My favourites are from Ali Muhiddin Hacı Bekir in Istanbul. They’re the oldest Turkish delight makers in the country, and you can’t beat the flavour of them. They’re also very affordable as well.

I would try to stay away from the ones being sold by street vendors that are six packages for a couple of dollars. They tend to be lower quality and won’t give you the best impression of Turkish delight.

But even those are way better than what you’ll likely find in your home country.

Please just promise me you won’t leave Turkey without trying Turkish delight. Unless you have an allergy of course!

You can probably tell that I’m very passionate about Turkish delight and dream about them all the time seeing as I’ve dedicated a whole section to it in this article that’s supposed to be about backpacking Turkey and not how amazing Turkish delight are.

I honestly don’t quite understand the pricing at tourist attractions in Turkey.

Some of them are extremely affordable like Ephesus (they should really be charging more for it). Some entry fees are super expensive like Troy and Dolmabahce Palace are more expensive than they should be.

I suggest you bring a fair amount of cash with you on the days you visit tourist attractions that have an entry fee. You never really know what the entrance fee will be until you get there.

You may be thinking just Google the entrance fee. That seems logical, but from my experience, what is listed online isn’t always correct. The internet said the entrance fee to Troy was one price, and when I got there, it was twice the price listed online.

Gotta love inflation!

So, be prepared to be surprised about how much some tourist attractions cost. Sometimes you’ll feel like you’re getting a good deal. Sometimes you’ll feel like you’re overpaying.

It all balances out in the end, and this is likely your only time backpacking Turkey, so you may as well do what you want and not have regrets when you get home.

I normally think that the museum or city passes are a bit of scam. You rarely get your money’s worth out of them.

That isn’t the case with the Istanbul museum pass. It is 100% worth the money, and I highly recommend everybody consider getting it on their trip to Turkey.

Heck the entrance fee to Topkapi Palace is about half the cost of the museum pass in one single attraction.

You have to be very careful when buying your museum pass though!

There are two different passes you can get in Istanbul. The museum pass that gets you entry to 10 different museums and Topkapi Palace. And the Istanbul pass that gives you access to something like 85 different attractions in Istanbul.

You want to purchase the museum pass not the Istanbul pass.

At the time of writing, the museum pass is 700 Lira (approximately $26 USD).

You used to be able to purchase the museum pass online and have it delivered to your hotel when you arrived in Istanbul, but that stopped during Covid.

Now you have to purchase the museum pass in person when you’re in Istanbul. Luckily, it’s very easy to purchase.

There are museum pass stalls all over Istanbul near the popular tourist attractions. Especially the attractions included in the museum pass.

I purchased mine right near Hagia Sophia. The location was surprisingly very quiet compared to the one near Galata Tower. If you’re able to, I’d recommend purchasing your museum pass there.

Your museum pass is valid for 5 days after purchase and allows you entry to the 10 locations once.

My favourite museum included in the museum pass was Great Palace Mosaics Museum. I highly recommend you take half hour out of your day to visit it!

I’m from Canada, and taxis here are very expensive. Since that’s what I’m used to, I kind of think of taxis as a luxury and not something that should be used on a regular basis.

That’s not the case in Turkey.

Taxis are very affordable in Turkey. That’s a good thing since bus stations tend to be located quite a distance out of town, and you might not want to wait an hour or so to catch a bus.

If you need to get somewhere quickly in Turkey or don’t want to wait for a bus, you can take a taxi without breaking the bank. It’s quite nice to know you can rely on taking a taxi without stressing about how much it’s going to cost you. A nice luxury indeed.

I found the taxi drivers to be very helpful and didn’t really have an issue with being scammed, which is always a bit of a concern as a solo female traveller.

The only time I got mildly scammed was my ride to the Istanbul airport, but that was only for a couple of dollars. Not a big deal in the whole big scheme of things.

Just make sure the taxi driver turns on the meter and that the meter actually starts counting upwards.

All the blogs I read in preparation for backpacking Turkey told me that Turkey was affordable. I took that with a grain of salt because they were written before Covid, and I knew Turkey was dealing with a major inflation problem.

I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Turkey was a lot more affordable than I thought it would be. Even when I was in Istanbul and ate in a touristy area where the prices are always way higher, the prices were still very reasonable.

In a lot of cases, I found Turkey more affordable than some Southeast Asian countries like Malaysia and even Cambodia.

It is definitely a country you want to visit if you’re on a budget and love history. Even if you’re not on a budget, it’s always nice to have your money stretch a little more than you thought it would.

I found that if I took information from a 2019 budget guide, I could often expect to pay about 50% more for food. That was in 2022 at least. Prices have probably increased a bit since then as well.

Even though the prices have increased a fair amount in the past couple of years, it’s still very affordable in Turkey compared to other nearby countries and especially Europe.

In most countries you need your passport to check into hotels and into flights, and that’s pretty much it. China’s a big exception to this rule, but, in general, you don’t really need your passport all that often when you travel.

Turkey is also an exception to this rule. I found myself pulling out my passport way more than I normally have to when I travel.

You need your passport to book bus and train tickets and sometimes even to purchase entrance tickets to tourist attractions.

The most strange thing is that oftentimes my passport number was the login for the wifi. This meant I had to wait quite a while before I could access the internet in my room (that wasn’t an issue since I had an esim) and that I ended up memorizing my passport number. That is not something I ever thought would happen.

Be sure to carry your passport on you when backpacking Turkey. You never know when you might need it.

One of the most important travel safety tips that most people ignore or don’t know about. You rely on public wifi when you travel. Even if you have an esim (highly recommend!), you’ll still be using public wifi at your hotel at a minimum.

Public wifi puts you at risk of having your personal online information and data stolen. Even if it has a password on it, everybody else who knows the password is able to access the internet. Anybody who wants to and knows how can access your online data.

Trust me when I tell you that you don’t want to deal with cancelling your bank cards while abroad because someone stole your banking information. It’s a headache I don’t wish on anybody.

The only way to keep your online information safe when using public wifi is by installing a VPN on your devices.

It essentially puts a forcefield around your devices that makes it impossible for prying eyes to access your online information.

A VPN makes using public wifi networks just as safe as using your home wifi where you’re the only person who knows the password.

Its’ the easiest and quickest safety precaution you can take when travelling!

I’ve used a lot of different VPNs over my many years of travel. VPNs are notorious for slowing down your devices and making the internet painfully slow. A lot of the time I would turn off my VPN and put my information at risk just because the VPN was slowing down the internet so much.

All that changed when I started using NordVPN. It’s the quickest VPN on the market. I’ve never noticed any internet slowdown and forget I’m using a VPN most of the time. It just feels like I’m scrolling the internet like normal.

Not only is it the fastest and most reliable VPN out there, but it’s also super affordable. You can install NordVPN on up to six devices on a single subscription, so you can protect all your devices for one price.

The price per month of a two-year subscription is less than a single Starbuck’s latte!

I always say that if you can afford to travel, you can afford to protect your online information with a VPN.

I really hope this article helped you decide whether backpacking Turkey is right for you or not. I love Turkey and really want to encourage more people to visit it.

It’s one of the most beautiful and historically rich countries on the planet!

Turkey is also extremely safe and a great place to start exploring as a solo traveller. It’s easy to get around, affordable, and full of bucket list experiences.

I know a lot of people just visit Istanbul and Cappadocia, but I encourage you to spend more time in Turkey and explore some of the less popular tourist areas. You won’t regret it!

London is the city I’ve visited most in the world. I absolutely adore it and continue to go back and and time again. There are countless things to do in London alone, so you’ll never get bored no matter how many times you visit the city.

It may seem like a cliche to say London is one of the best cities in the world and everybody should visit at least once in their life. But some things are cliches because they’re true!

The good news is not only are there plenty of things to do alone in London, but the city is very easy for solo travellers to navigate.

Even if it is your first time travelling alone, London isn’t too big of a beast to tackle.

The city is so used to and open to solo tourists. Nobody bats an eye at you if you’re wandering around alone or eating alone.

Close to 40% of London’s population weren’t born in the UK. Even though it is a huge city, it is a melting pot of culture, food, and people.

Taking a solo trip to London is a choice you won’t regret.

If you’ve already decided you want to visit London alone, here are my top things to do in London alone.

There are tons of other things you can do in London by yourself, but I wanted to create a list of places to go alone in London where you won’t feel weird in the slightest being there alone.

As much as I love going for tea in London, that isn’t on the list. It is totally fine to go for tea alone in London, but it may make some newer solo travellers feel uncomfortable.

This list is for both the beginner solo travellers and the experienced solo traveller!

One of my favourite things to do when I’m travelling alone in London is rent a bike and ride around a park. Hype park is a great option because it is huge and has lots of sights you can stop and look at.

There are bikes you can rent all over London and in multiple places in Hyde park.

You get half an hour free, and then it is quite expensive to pay to use the bike after that.

The good news is that once you return your bike before 30 minutes is up, you can rent another bike 10 minutes later and get 30 minutes for free again!

That’s my sneaky little tip for renting bikes in London and never having to pay! I use this trick quite frequently.

You don’t have to return the bike to the same rental area you got it from. You can return it to any rental rack run by the same company!

There is a little basket on the front of the bike to hold your stuff, and you’re on your way.

Normally, there are quite a few people riding bikes around Hyde Park, so be on the lookout for other bikers, pedestrians, and horses.

Yes. Horses!

Another important thing to remember is that you cannot ride your bike in Kensington Gardens, which are connected to Hyde Park.

Be on the lookout for signs indicating where Kensington Gardens begin, so you don’t break the rules.

One last thing to be aware of is people drive on the left-hand side of the street in London (the opposite side that we drive on in North America).

If you take your bike out on the road, be sure you’re riding the right direction and being safe.

I’m not going to share my horror story of accidentally coming across a roundabout when biking in London and trying to sort out how to use it on the fly going the opposite direction I’m used to!

Needless to say, that was the end of my biking for the day, and I walked my bike back to the nearest return rack.

The Queen’s Gallery is one of the most underrated attractions in all of London, and I think it is one of the best things to do in London alone.

The Queen’s Gallery is right next door to Buckingham Palace and is a gallery where the Queen displays items from her personal collection.

The exhibit changes quarterly, and you get to see artwork and artifacts you would never otherwise be able to see since they’re straight out of the Queen’s private collection.

I’ve been there a number of times and had the chance to see some incredible collections including a Leonardo da Vinci collection that included original hand drawings.

Yeah. That was absolutely incredible.

The reason I think this is such a great thing for you to do in London by yourself is because everybody is listening to the audioguide and moving at their own pace.

Even people who come in groups get separated throughout the gallery and meet at the end.

If you’re hesitant about travelling alone, not a single soul will notice you’re alone. And if they do, they’ll simply assume the rest of your group is somewhere else in the gallery.

Plus, the Queen’s Gallery is super affordable, and if you get the back of your ticket stamped, you can reenter the gallery for free whenever you want for a year.

If you’re lucky, you just might be able to catch one exhibit the first day you’re in London and a new exhibit at the end of your trip.

It is rare for that to happen, but if it does, count yourself extremely lucky!

Get over your fear of solo travel

There are 20 free museums in London for you to explore!

There are art museums, history museums, science museums, museums about the City of London, museums about the banks, library, and so much more.

No matter what you’re interested in, there will be a free museum you can wander around for a few hours and explore.

It is so nice that there are so many free museums throughout the city. It is a nice break from paying for some of the most expensive attractions like the Tower of London.

Give your wallet a bit of a rest!

Some of my favourite museums are located in the Kensington area. The Natural History Museum and Victoria and Albert Museum are right next to one another and are two of my favourites in London.

Another hugely popular free museum in London is the British Museum. It is always back full, and you can see some of the most unique artifacts in the world.

Museums are some of the best places to go alone in London because people are so absorbed in exploring the museum that they don’t pay attention to what is going on around them.

If you go during a weekday day, it will likely be pretty quiet and full of school groups. They’re busy running around doing their projects and don’t care about you.

They can get a bit loud and aggressive at times though so be aware of them. I like to leave the room if there are a bunch of little children running about. Come back later, and it’ll be a much more enjoyable experience.

Museums are often a good place to find free wifi in London so keep that in mind if you’re ever in a pinch and in dire need of internet access.

Just like the Queen’s Gallery, touring the House of Parliament is one of the most underrated things to do in London.

You get to go inside Westminster (not the church but the big famous building that has Big Ben) and tour around the actual place bills and laws are debated in the UK.

Before you start dozing off, it is actually quite interesting!

You can either take a guided group tour or go on a self-guided 90-minute audio tour. The audio tour is what I did and what I recommend for solo travellers.

It gives you more freedom to go at your own pace compared to taking a guided group tour.

There are only limited days you can tour the House of Parliament, so I recommend buying your ticket online in advance. You can also show up at the ticket office across the street from Westminster right outside the metro station and try to snag a last-minute ticket.

I will admit that touring the House of Parliament is a bit expensive (as most sights in London are).

Tickets range from £19 to £29 depending on what type of ticket you qualify for. You can find a list of ticket types and prices here.

This is a surprisingly fun and unique way to spend an afternoon in Central London.

Even if you’re not too into politics, the inside of the House of Parliament is stunning and well worth the price of admission alone.

You also learn about a number of interesting historical events that took place in the building.

All in all, this is definitely something you should considering doing when alone in London if you have the money and can get a ticket.

One of the best things you can do alone in London as night is go to a West End show. I go to at least one show every time I’m in London and absolutely love it every single time!

The West End is similar to New York’s Broadway. There are dozens of theatres in the district, and you can choose from a wide variety of different shows.

I don’t recommend you purchase your tickets in advance through the theatre unless there is a specific show you’re dying to see.

There are two different ways to get discount theatre tickets either the day of the show or a day or two before it:

• TKTS booth in Leicester Square

I personally use the app 99% of the time. It is so convenient, and you can book your tickets on your phone from wherever you are and not have to worry about going all the way to Leicester Square.

Not only that, but the TKTS booth often has a long line to get tickets. It isn’t uncommon for you to waste an hour or so waiting in line to get tickets.

That just isn’t how I want to be spending my time in London!

With TKTS, you get your tickets right at the booth when you purchase them.

With TodayTix, you have to pick up your tickets at the box office at the theatre. Be sure to arrive at the theatre early enough to get your ticket and bring photo ID.

I’ve never had a problem collecting tickets when I purchase through the TodayTix app.

I just walk up to the box office, say I’m collecting my tickets, and they give them to me!

I’ll always encourage you to go to a West End show. They’re absolutely fabulous and a fun way to spend a night alone in London.

However, there is one thing you need to be aware of, and that is intermission.

I always feel a bit weird during intermission because there is never any wifi in the theatres, and I can’t scroll around on my phone.

I just sit there and wait for the show to begin again.

So, if you’re going to a West End show alone, have a plan to make the intermission time fly by!

Bring a book, go for a walk around the theatre, or grab a snack or drink.

Many London hotels provide guests with a complimentary smart phone they can use during their stay.

If you’re lucky enough to stay at a hotel that offers this, catch up on the news or random Google searches. You won’t be able to access your social media, but at least you have a phone to keep you distracted!

Lastly, if you’re a frequent traveller, you may want to consider investing in a Solis wifi device.

It is your own personal pocket wifi device that gives you access to the internet pretty much anywhere and everywhere you go.

There are a few countries it doesn’t work in, but it does work in the UK.

You always have access to the internet, can scroll social media, keep in touch with family and friends, and use Google Maps to your heart’s content (big selling feature for me).

I got my Solis in 2019 and adore it.

Be sure to use code TRAVELSWITHERICA for 10% off your purchase if you decide it is the right internet solution for you and your travels!

Free walking tours are one of the best things to do in any city you visit! You get to explore part of the city with a local tour guide, and it doesn’t cost you anything except a tip.

Please be sure to always tip your free tour guides! The only money they make is from your tips!

There are tons of free walking tours in London, and you can find a free walking tour for pretty much any interest you have!

There are tours about Jack the Ripper, Harry Potter, WWII, Graffiti, different areas of London, and, of course, the royal family and history.

You can choose from a variety of different tour operators based on what you want to see and what time works best for you.

I’ve used Free Tours by Foot a number of times in London and have had a good experience each time.

But I’m sure you’ll have a great experience no matter who you go with!

This is without a doubt one of the best things to do in London alone because you’re joining a group of other tourist and listening to a guide.

There will be a lot of people on your tour, and it is easy to stay at the back of the pack and go unnoticed if you want.

Free walking tours are also a great way to meet other travellers. Many people who join free walking tours are younger, and you may be able to meet some people to tour around with for the rest of the day.

No matter what, I highly recommend taking a free walking tour near the start of your trip.

I’ve been on countless free walking tours all over the world, and they provide so much valuable information about the city you’re visiting you wouldn’t otherwise have.

A free walking tour can put a city in a whole new perspective and give you a new way of looking at it for the rest of your trip.

Kensington Palace and its gardens are a very interesting thing to do in London. If you have any interest in the royal family or the history of the royal family, this should be a must-do for anybody visiting London.

You get to tour various parts of the palace including the King and Queen’s sleeping rooms, ball rooms, and art rooms.

There are also limited time exhibits that often feature outfits worn by royal family members.

Kensington Palace is a unique opportunity to learn quite a bit about royal history and the modern royals.

Kensington Palace is a popular attraction, so you’ll want to purchase your ticket online in advance.

You can just show up to the palace the day you want to visit, but there is a good chance all the reservations are full, and you won’t be able to tour the palace.

Even if you don’t want to go inside the palace, you should spend some time walking around the gardens.

They are huge and feature a lot of unique sights and statues for both royals from long ago and more recent royal family members.

Kensington Gardens connects to Hyde Park, so you can easily visit both in a single day.

Kensington Palace may seem like one of the odder places to go alone in London, but, trust me, it is worth the visit.

True, there isn’t an audio guide you can hide behind like some of the other attractions, but, just like the rest of the museums, people will assume you’ve just separated from your group.

If they even notice you at all!

Don’t let being nervous about being a solo traveller in London hold you back from visiting the sights you want to see!

Things to do in Kensington

I love people watching, and there isn’t a better place in London to people watch than Trafalgar Square.

It is a hub for tourists, street performers, and all things odd and interesting.

Grab a coffee to go and sit near Trafalgar Square while you drink it. You never know what you’ll see.

The square often has a number of pop-up events and markets, so you may get to experience an even more unique side of London.

Trafalgar Square is definitely full of tourist and not a place you’ll find many locals, but it is an interesting place to take a quick break, watch tourists, watch a few street performers, and take in the hustle and bustle of the area before you move onto somewhere else.

It is a just a short walk from Westminster on the way to the West End and China Town.

Most tourist will naturally walk through the area, so you may as well slow down and enjoy the chaos.

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London is such a small taste of what the UK has to offer. It is super tempting to stay in London and explore everything it has to offer, but you should consider taking a day trip.

There are tons of cities you can visit on a day trip from London that only take a few hours to get to by train or bus.

My top picks are Brighton, York, and Bath.

All three cities give you a taste of a different side of the UK and gets you out of the hustle and bustle of the city.

If you can only choose one, I highly recommend Brighton. I love it so much!

Taking a day trip outside London may seem intimidating when you’re travelling alone in London, but it is actually super easy.

You just need to hop on the train, get off, wander around the city, and hop on the train again when it is time to leave.

Not only is taking a day trip one of the best things to do alone in London, but it also helps you develop your solo travel skills and become a more confident traveller!

41 things to do along the Brighton Seafront

I never miss the chance to watch a show at the Globe if there is one playing when I’m in London. It is an exact recreation of Shakespeare’s Globe, and they put on authentic Shakespearian plays.

Now, I’m not a Shakespeare fan, but there is something completely different about sitting in the Globe watching a Shakespeare play. It is so much fun!

You should purchase your tickets in advance. I like to pay for a seat, but many people choose to pay for the cheapest ticket and stand in front of the stage.

That gives you the best view, but you also have to be at the theatre super early to get a good spot and have to stand before the show, throughout the show, and during intermission.

It is definitely a young person’s game.

If you’re not in London when there is a play running, you can take a tour of the Globe.

You get to go behind the scenes and learn about the history of the building and Shakespeare.

Both are super fun, but if you can only choose one, see a show. It is worth every pence you pay for it!

This is another hidden gem in London and one of the best things to do in London alone.

I adore the HMS Belfast. I actually stumbled upon it by accident the third time I was in London and was looking for unique attraction I’d never done before.

Boy am I glad I found this one!

The HMS Belfast is the most significant surviving WWII Navy Warship, and it shot some of the first shots at the D-Day landings.

It is one of the most interesting things to do in London, but so few people know about it.

The ship sits in the River Thames right in front of Tower Bridge and across from the Tower of London.

Tens of thousands of tourists look at the ship every year and have no idea what they’re missing out on.

You get an audioguide and weave your way through the ship exploring all the levels and learning about what life on the HMS Belfast was like.

I promise even if you’re not into this sort of thing, you’ll have an amazing time and be so glad you did it!

You don’t need to reserve your tickets in advance because it is such an underrated London attraction.

You can show up pretty much whenever you want and tour the ship.

Just like the Queen’s Gallery, it is an audio tour, so nobody will notice if you’re standing in front of an area all by yourself. They’ll simply thing the rest of your group is ahead or behind you and not bat an eye.

Plus, they’re so involved in their own tour that they likely won’t even give you a second thought at all.

Everything you need to know about the Oyster Card (and why it is essential to have one)

The river Thames is one of the most iconic sights in London but so few people take the time to take in its beauty.

A lot of London’s top attractions are near (or on) the Thames, and you should take a little extra time to walk along the Thames.

There are plenty of cafés and restaurants along the Thames. Sit down, have a cup of coffee, and appreciate the Thames.

There is so much history mixed in with the Thames. It has played a huge role in London and the UK’s history, and it deserves to be appreciated.

You can even take a boat ride along the Thames if you want to see more than just what you can cover by foot.

My personal opinion is that walking along the Thames is sufficient, but you may think otherwise!

Watching the changing of the guards ceremony is a classic thing to do in London.

The actual ceremony is quite a long, drawn out process that takes about 45 minutes, but you don’t need to (even be able to) see the entire ceremony.

The part you want to watch is the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace, and that takes place at 11am.

You’ll want to get there early though to get a good view! 10:45 should be plenty of time to get a prime view, and 10:50 will get you a decent view.

The best viewing area is near the Victoria statue right in front of the palace. The second best is along Marlborough Road, so you can watch the guards marching before the changing over ceremony.

Don’t be nervous about watching the ceremony alone. The people around you will be chatting with their friends and family and won’t even notice you.

If they do, they’ll either assume you’re saving a spot for the rest of your group or strike up a conversation with you.

This is one of those things to do alone in London that some people are nervous about, but you shouldn’t be.

You don’t want to miss out on an iconic London experience just because you’re a little shy about being there alone!

Oxford street is one of the most famous shopping streets in London. It is filled with both big brands and small shop owners.

There is plenty to see and do on Oxford street even if you don’t spend a dime.

In fact, I think window shopping on Oxford street is one of the best things to do in London alone. You get to people watch and blend in like a local going about their own shopping.

Plus you get to pop in and out of stores to see what is in style or perhaps find a unique gift to bring home to a loved one.

I like to get off the main street and wander around some of the side streets. You get out of the hustle and bustle, and that’s where you’ll find the most unique and local items!

Oxford street is within walking distance of the British Museum, so you can plan to visit both in a single day!

Camden Market is one of the most popular things to do in London for both tourists and locals alike.

It is located near Regent’s Canal and has over 1,000 stalls selling everything and everything you could dream of.

From music to fashion to food, Camden Market has it all!

It is quite busy, so I recommend going earlier in the day on a weekday to not feel so claustrophobic and be able to move around easier.

The market opens at 10am everyday, so try to get there as close to opening time as possible.

Grab a drink and spend a few hours wandering around the market. It is one of the best things to do in London by yourself, and you won’t regret it!

As you can see, there are tons of things you can do in London alone.

London is truly one of the most welcoming cities to solo travellers, and it is a great city to start your solo travel journey in.

I 100% believe you shouldn’t let travelling alone hold you back from anything you want to do.

Your uncomfortable feeling will disappear once you’re experiencing the attraction. You’ll regret it in the long run if you don’t visit the attraction you’re dying to see.

All of the things to do alone in London on this list are very easy for beginner solo travellers. Nobody will care that you’re alone, and nobody will bat an eye at you.

But, these aren’t the only things to do alone in London. Anything you would be keen on doing with a friend or family member can easily be done alone.

I challenge you to put aside the fact that you’re travelling alone and plan your dream vacation to London!

It truly is one of the best cities in the world!

York is one of the most beautiful cities in the UK, but it is also extremely underrated. It is the perfect getaway from the hustle and bustle of London. The best part: it is super easy to travel from London to York!

You can visit York as a day trip from London, but I suggest spending a weekend there to get a better sense of what York has to offer.

You’ll be happy you booked the extra day in York once you get there and fall in love with the city!

The two main ways to travel from London to York are by train and bus. The train is significantly faster than the bus, but it is also quite a bit more expensive. The bus takes almost five times as long as the train. It is a good option for people on a tight budget that are spending multiple days in York. It is not a good option for people taking a day trip to York from London. You’ll need to take the train if you’re doing a day trip.

In this post, we’re going taking an in-depth look at both the train and bus to help you decide how you want to travel from London to York.

Both modes of transportation have their pros and cons, and this post will help you figure out what is right for you!

One of my least favourite parts of travel is figuring out how to travel from one city to the next.

That’s why I create these travel guides for you!

Having all the information you need to decide how to travel from one city to the next is a time saver.

I’ve written a few other UK transportation guides. Hopefully they can help you plan your holiday!

• How to travel from London to Bath

• How to travel from Brighton to London

• How to travel from London to Disneyland Paris

• How to travel from Heathrow to Central London

• How to travel from Gatwick to Central London

I think taking the train to York from London is your best option.

It is the most expensive option, but it is the quickest. If you’re only visit York as a day trip or are on a short holiday, it is worth the extra money to take the train rather than the bus.

One of the perks of taking the train (although it should not be a deciding factor) is you can connect to free wifi onboard!

This makes the journey go by quickly, and you can plan what you’re going to do in York on your way there!

Just be sure you protect your online information and data by installing a VPN on your devices!

You never know where or when someone might decide to try to hack into your phone and find your banking information!

The train is super quick!

You can travel to York from London in less than 2 hours! In many cases, it takes just over an hour to arrive in York from London!

The difference in time depends on how busy the tracks are and how many stops the train takes.

This information will be readily available when you’re booking your tickets so be sure to pay attention to it!

If you need to get to York as quickly as possible, make sure you’re buying a ticket for the fastest train possible!

A tourist’s guide to wifi in London

This is the part that hurts.

And I mean really hurts!

Train tickets in the UK are not cheap. In fact, they are outrageously expensive in my opinion.

It is hard to pinpoint an exact price because there are so many factors that go into it, but you can expect to pay between £20 and £100 for a one-way ticket.

On average, tickets costs between £29 and £54.

Yikes right!

That is a pretty penny for an hour train ride! There is no way around it though.

A train ticket from London to York is going to be expensive, but there are some ways you can reduce the price.

Train tickets are less expensive the further you are from the departure date. They get more expensive the closer the day of departure is.

Tickets normally go on sale 3 to 6 months in advance, and you want to buy them as close to 3 to 6 months in advance as possible.

I know this is a bit of a pain. Especially if you’re more of a wing it kind of traveller like me.

But the advance planning is very much worth it when you realize how much money buying your ticket in advance can save you.

Other factors that go into the cost of a ticket include the time of day and day of the week you travel.

The number of stops also impacts the price of your ticket.

Essentially, if you travel during peak times on a train with limited stops, you will be paying a premium for the convenience.

If you travel during off-peak times on a weekday on a train that makes multiple stops, you will save money on your ticket.

You can either purchase train tickets online in advance (recommended) or buy them in-person at the train station before you depart.

I prefer to purchase my train tickets online in advance, so I can save money on my ticket!

There are multiple website where you can purchase train tickets, but I prefer to buy mine through the rail agency operating the route.

In the case of the London to York train, it is operated by London North Eastern Railway.

It is super easy to buy your tickets through their website. They accept foreign credit cards, and the process is quite smooth.

You may have to pick up your ticket at a ticket machine before departure, but it doesn’t take long at all.

You simply type in your reservation code and last name, and your ticket pop right out!

The other option is to purchase your ticket at the station before departure.

This is a great option for last-minute travellers or people who want to pay with cash.

The price of your ticket will probably be much more expensive though since it is so close to the time of departure.

Either way works great, and it really depends on the type of traveller you are!

All train from London to York depart from Kings Cross Station.

Kings Cross Station is one of the largest train stations in London so be sure to leave yourself a lot of time to find your platform in the maze of the station.

Especially if it is your first time being in Kings Cross Station!

Kings Cross Station is located in central London and is serviced by the following underground lines:

Yeah. I wasn’t kidding when I said it was one of the biggest stations in London. Those are just the underground lines and don’t include the overground trains going to and from other cities!

There is clear signage throughout the station, so you shouldn’t have too much of an issue finding your platform.

If you have any issues, there are tons of information booths around the station you can stop and ask for help at.

You will arrive at York Railway Station.

The railway station is located a touch outside of central York, but it isn’t much of an inconvenience.

You can walk to central York in 15 to 20 minutes.

You can also hop on a bus if you don’t want to walk. Or, of course, you can always take a taxi to central York. It shouldn’t cost more than £6.

All things considered, York Railway Station is in a pretty good location, and it isn’t much of an issue getting from it to hustle and bustle of central York.

• It is the quickest mode of transportation available

• Convenient departure and arrival locations

• Many trains run from London to York throughout the day

• It can be quite expensive

• You have to plan and purchase your tickets in advance

• Luggage store can be limited on the train

Your next best option is to take the bus from London to York.

The bus takes significantly longer than the train, so it isn’t the right option for everybody.

I would only recommend the bus if you’re on a longer trip and can dedicate the better part of a day travelling from London to York.

If you have the time in your schedule, taking the long way to York from London is a great way to save some money.

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The average length of the bus trip to York from London is 6 hours.

Yup. At least three times longer than the train. In a lot of cases, it takes 5 more hours to travel by bus than by train!

Your bus ride could take longer than 6 hours as well. If you get stuck in a traffic jam, there is no telling how long it will take you to get to York from London.

Just keep that in mind when you’re deciding how to travel from London to York!

This is the best part about taking the bus to York from London.

Bus tickets start at £7.50!

Sometimes you may have to pay a little more than that, but it will be way less expensive than taking the train!

You also don’t have to worry about booking your bus ticket in advance like you have to with the train.

Bus tickets don’t increase in price the closer you get to the date of departure, so you don’t have to stress about pre-planning your trip to York.

Just like with the train, you can either purchase your tickets online in advance or buy them at the bus terminal on the day of departure.

There isn’t really a benefit to choosing one over the other so choose what works best for you!

There are a couple different website you can purchase bus tickets through.

My two favourites are National Express and Megabus.

I would check out both providers and find the price and departure time that suits you best.

Your other option is to purchase tickets at the bus terminal right before you depart.

Just be sure you look at the bus schedule online to know when the bus is departing and arrive at the station with plenty of time to purchase your ticket in case there is a line.

Buses from London to York depart from Victoria Coach Station.

It is right in the heart of London and is a super convenient location.

It is a very busy station though. Be sure you leave yourself plenty of time to figure out where you’re going and where you need to be.

The following underground lines have stops at Victoria Station:

The coach station is just steps away from the underground station and is quite easy to find.

Just follow the signs!

Buses arrive at York Bus Station.

It is right beside the train station and is in a convenient location.

Just like the train station, you either need to walk, take a bus, or grab a taxi to get to central York.

It is a pretty easy journey though and won’t take long.

• It is the least expensive option

• Dedicated luggage storage under the bus

• You don’t have to purchase your tickets in advance

• It takes a long time to arrive in York

• There aren’t as many departure times as the train

• May run into traffic and be delayed

The final way you can travel from London to Bath is by renting a car and driving.

I don’t recommend this option unless it is part of a larger road trip around England.

Renting a car just to drive from London to York isn’t worth the hassle. By the time you pick up the car, drive it, find parking, drive back to London, and fill it up with gas, it doesn’t save you time or more.

So, there are really only two viable ways to travel from London to York: by train or by bus.

Both options have their pros and cons, and it really comes down to have much time you have and what your budget it.

I personally think it is worth the extra money to take the train, but I know not everybody has a big enough budget for that.

If you do take the bus, I highly, highly recommend you spend two or three days in York to make the travel time worth it.

If you have to take the bus and only have one day to spend in York, I think you’re better off staying in London and exploring more of it.

No matter how you choose to travel to York from London, it is well worth the journey.

York is a beautiful city, and it is a nice compliment to London. It gives you more of an idea of what life outside of London is like as well as different architectural styles.

Visiting Bath is one of the most popular day trips from London and over six million people visit the city every year! The good news for your is that is it super easy to travel from London to Bath!

Although I will say that you probably don’t want to rush your trip to Bath. There is more to see in Bath than just the Roman Baths, so I suggest you spend two days in Bath if you have the time!

There are three main ways to travel from London to Bath: train, bus, or on a group tour. I think the train is the best way to travel from London to Bath. It is the quickest, affordable, and gives you the freedom and flexibility to tour Bath at your own pace rather than be on the tour guide’s schedule.

Of course, it all comes down to your travel style and preferences.

You may be like me and enjoy solo, independent travel or your might before the convenience of taking a group tour to Bath from London.

This post will help you decide what is best for you!

We’re covering all the different ways to travel from London to Bath and breaking down the pros and cons of each transportation method.

By the end of this post, you’ll have a much better idea which transportation method to Bath from London is right for you!

You’ll probably have to take public transportation when to get to your departure location in London. Read my ultimate guide to the Oyster card to save money on public transportation in London!

I enjoy writing these transportation guides for you because frankly I hate trying to figure out how to travel from one city to another.

It takes too much time, and the information is rarely in one place.

So once I figure out how to travel between cities, I like to give you all my insider knowledge in one place to make your life easier than mine was!

I often find myself referring back to my own transportation guides when I revisit a country or city, so I rely on them too!

Here are the other UK transportation guides I’ve written. Hopefully they help you plan your UK holiday!

• How to Travel from Brighton to London

• How to Travel from London to Disneyland Paris

• How to Travel from Gatwick to Central London

• How to Travel from Heathrow to Central London

As I said before, taking the train is my favourite way to travel to Bath from London.

It is the quickest way to travel to Bath, and it gives you the most freedom to have the day or weekend trip that you want.

Plus it is significantly less expensive than paying to go on a guided tour of Bath from London.

If you book your tickets in advance that is!

The Great Western Railway is the train line that operates between London and Bath.

The good news about Great Western Railway is that they have a good wifi program and most trains offer guests reliable free wifi onboard the train!

The trip from London to Bath doesn’t take long, but it is still nice to be able to access the internet.

Even if it is just to access a map and figure out what you want to do in Bath.

Just be sure you’re being internet safe and using a VPN on your phone while connected to public wifi.

You never know what the intentions of the other people using the internet are.

In most cases, they are just casual users, but you want to protect your online data from the few bad apples out there.

Nothing ruins a holiday more than having your banking information stolen and having to cancel all your bank accounts when you’re supposed to be relaxing!

The train from London to Bath takes about 90 minutes!

Of course, there are some trains that take a little longer and some that are a bit shorter.

It depends on how busy the rail lines are, but it will definitely be less than 1 hour and 45 minutes!

A complete guide to wifi in London

This is where things get a little bit merky.

Train tickets in the UK are a bit of a pain, and aren’t made for the spontaneous.

You get a better price on your train ticket the earlier you purchase it, and you pay a premium price if you purchase your ticket to Bath from London just a day or two in advance.

It is difficult to pin down exactly what your train ticket will cost because of how much they fluctuate.

On average, your train ticket from London to Bath will cost between £15 and £40 each way.

Again, this depends a lot on how far in advance you purchase your ticket.

Tickets go on sale three months in advance. The closer to the three month mark you can buy your ticket, the better price you will get!

Things like the time of day and day of the week you travel from London to Bath also play a roll.

If you buy your ticket in advance and travel during off-peak time on a weekday, you will get the best ticket price.

You will pay a lot more for your ticket if you purchase it last minute and travel during peak times on a weekend.

This needs to play a role in your decision on how to travel to Bath from London.

If you like to plan things last minute, taking a guided tour or the bus may be a better option than taking the train.

You have two choices when it comes to buying your train tickets:

• Buy them online in advance (recommended)

• Buy them at the train station before departure

Both options work perfectly fine, but I recommend buying your tickets in advance to save some money!

Tickets can be purchased online through the Great Western Railway website.

The website is super easy to use and accepts foreign credit cards as payment.

Just be sure to read whether or not you need a hard copy of your ticket, have to pick up your ticket at the station, or if an electronic ticket will suffice.

It depends on the route, but, in general, you will most likely have to either print your ticket or pick it up at the station before getting on the train.

Most of the time an electronic ticket will not be accepted.

The other option you have is to purchase your tickets at the station before departing.

You can purchase them the day you leave or go to the station a few days in advance and buy your ticket.

The earlier the better!

Trains from London to Bath depart from Paddington Station.

It is in the centre of London and has a massive Underground hub attached to the train station.

The following Underground lines service Paddington Station:

That makes it pretty convenient, and you should have no trouble easily getting to the train station.

Tips for surviving the London Underground

Every train to Bath from London arrives at Bath Spa Station.

It is right by the water and a stone’s throw from the historic centre of Bath.

It is a very convenient arrival location, and in most cases you can walk to your hotel from the station without much hassel.

• Convenient arrival and departure locations

• Many departures every day

• You have to book your tickets in advance to get a decent price

• Limited luggage storage on the train

• The train may be busy, and you might be stuck standing

Your next option to get to Bath from London is to take the train.

This is a good option for people on a longer trip, are spending more than one day in Bath, and more time to spend in transit.

I don’t recommend people visiting Bath as a day trip from London take the bus. You spend too much time in transit and not enough time exploring Bath.

The bus is also the best option for people on a super tight budget.

It is the least expensive way to travel from London to Bath and is the least likely form of transportation to hurt your wallet.

It is a little trickier to nail down exactly how long the bus from London to Bath takes.

A lot of it depends on how busy the roads are, and if you get stuck in a traffic jam or not.

On average, the bus to Bath from London takes just over three hours.

So, twice as long as the train does.

But that’s not too bad, and it doesn’t cut into your time at Bath too much if you’re spending more than a day in the city.

This is without a doubt the best part of taking the bus! It is super affordable and is the best option for budget travellers.

You can expect to pay anywhere between £5 and £15 for a bus ticket to Bath from London!

That’s absolutely amazing and is a steal of a deal in the UK!

Just like the train, you can either purchase your bus tickets online in advance or in person at the bus station.

I suggest buying them in advance just to be sure you get on the bus you want.

Sometimes the buses are full (especially during peak season), and you have to wait around for the next bus before you can get on.

That isn’t a huge issue since there are buses running frequently between the two cities, but I still like to be prepared and buy my ticket in advance.

You can purchase your ticket online through the National Express Website.

In most cases, you can show an electronic ticket and don’t need to print out your ticket.

It is always best to read the fine print and double check before assuming an electronic ticket will work though!

The second option of purchasing your tickets at the station on the day of departure works fine too.

You just need to be sure to arrive at the bus station early enough to make sure you have enough time to buy your ticket before the bus departs.

You don’t want to show up at the station, find a long queue, and then miss your bus because you’re still in line!

The bus departs from London Victoria Coach Station.

It is right in the heart of London and is just a few steps away from the Victoria Underground station.

The following lines stop at Victoria Station:

Victoria Station is the second busiest underground station in London, and it covers a lot of territory.

You will have to do a fair bit of walking to get from the underground station to the bus station, so be sure to budget in a lot of time for that!

I suggest at least ten minutes.

The bus arrives at Bath Spa Bus Station.

It is steps away from the train station in Bath and just a short walk from the heart of the city.

It is a super convenient location, and you can walk pretty much anywhere you want to go from the bus station.

• By far the least expensive route

• Don’t have to book your ticket in advance to get a decent price

• Dedicated luggage storage under the bus

• It takes twice as long as the train

• Not a good option for people taking a day trip to Bath

• May run into traffic and be delayed

The next option you have is to take a guided tour from London to Bath.

This is without a doubt the most popular way to travel to Bath, but it is also the most restrictive.

You don’t have any control of your trip to Bath.

You’re 100% at the whim of the tour guide and the other passengers on the tour.

On the other hand, it is the least stressful way to travel to Bath.

Basically everything is looked after for you, and all you have to do is show up and have a good time!

A guided tour can also end up being quite expensive.

You really need to weigh the pros and cons and figure out what the best choice for you is!

In the interest of full disclosure, I’ve never taken a guided tour to Bath from London, so I can’t give you a personal recommendation. This tour looks pretty decent though!

Oh, by the way, that isn’t an affiliate link. It is just a tour that I thought was an okay price and an okay option. Do your own research and find the right tour for you!

Your last option is to rent a car and drive to Bath from London.

I don’t recommend this unless it is part of a larger road trip around the UK.

It isn’t worth the hassel of picking the car up, driving, parking, and gassing up before you return the car.

If you’re going to use the highway to get to Bath, you may as well take the bus!

Are you any closer to deciding how you want to travel from London to Bath?!

I hope this article helped you figure out the pros and cons of each transportation method and start you on the path of deciding how to travel to Bath.

Bath is one of the most popular tourist destinations in England and for good reason!

It is well worth taking the time to leave London for a day or two and explore the city!

London is one of the best cities in the world, and it is so easy to plan and execute an epic solo trip to London!

In fact, London might just be the easiest city in Europe for solo travellers to navigate.

Especially inexperienced solo travellers.

I’ve been to London way more times than a person needs to, and I never get bored of it.

There is an amazing public transportation system, tons of tourist attractions for you to explore, and while the city has a reputation for being expensive, there are ways to visit London on a budget!

All things considered, if you’re planning your first solo trip to Europe, London should be at the top of your list!

Heck! Even if your’e planning your millionth solo trip, London should be in the running.

It is that good of a city!

In this post, we’re covering the top 10 tips and tricks you need to plan a solo trip to London.

It is pretty easy and straightforward to plan a solo trip to London, but there are a few very important things you need to know about before you embark on your solo trip to London.

And I’m spilling all those secret tips right now!

Things nobody tells you about solo travel

The biggest misconception I had about London on my first visit was that it was a massive city, and you have to rely on public transportation to get around.

That is simply not the case!

London is a very walkable city!

In a lot of instances, it is easier to walk from place to place rather than take the Underground. This is especially true when you’re in central London and walking between major tourist attractions.

It may seem like you should take the metro from Westminster to Piccadilly Circus- especially if you’re looking at a metro map and not a normal city map.

But you don’t!

The walk talks about ten minutes, and it takes significantly less time than taking the Underground does.

Especially since with this example you need to transfer lines, which means the journey will take even longer!

So, don’t just look at the metro map and think things are far away.

They really aren’t!

And even places that are a bit further away are very walkable.

There are tons of parks in London, and in most cases your walk from one place to another will be beautiful and filled with nature!

I like to walk as much as possible when I’m on a solo trip to London.

It saves a lot of money, and you stumble on things you wouldn’t otherwise see.

Plus it is a nice way to get some exercise and make room for all the yummy food you’ll be eating throughout the day!

So, pull out your Google Maps and figure out how long it takes to walk from one place to another rather than just guessing based on a map.

If it takes less than half an hour to walk there, I say go for it!

Unfortunately, the public wifi network in London leaves a lot to be desired.

In fact, it is downright disgraceful how difficult it is to find public wifi in London. Even a lot of restaurants and cafés don’t offer free public wifi to guests!

This can make it a bit difficult and frustrating for solo travellers in London.

You may find yourself in the awkward situation where you’re dining alone and don’t have anything to distract you. Or perhaps you’re unsure where to go next or where to eat or the currency conversion.

Tips for eating alone at restaurants

There are plenty of reasons why someone travelling alone in London may need to access the internet, but you are often limited in where you can access it!

There are a few options for accessing the internet when you’re in London:

• Rent pocket wifi for your trip

• Invest in your own personal wifi hotspot (Skyroam is my favourite)

• Some hotels provide a complimentary cell phone for you to use while you’re in London. You won’t be able to access your social media or personal apps, but it is better than nothing!

• Research what restaurants and tourist attractions offer complimentary wifi

• Simply live without accessing the internet throughout the day

The lack of public wifi isn’t the end of the world, but it is something I like to warn you about.

You would expect such an international city to offer a better public wifi system, but it doesn’t.

A complete guide to wifi in London

No matter how you choose to access the internet while you’re in London, it is important that you’re internet safe while you’re online.

Even if you rent a pocket wifi device or have your own Skyroam, you will be accessing public wifi at some point when you solo travel in London.

Whether it be at a hotel, the airport, or a restaurant.

You put yourself at risk whenever you use a public wifi network! Anybody and everybody can access public wifi networks, and if they want to, it is relatively easy for them to steal your private online data.

Including your banking information!

And yes. Even public wifi networks that have passwords are still considered to be public wifi, and you have to protect yourself!

The only way you can protect your online information is by installing a VPN on your devices.

A VPN essentially cloaks your devices and prevents prying eyes from accessing your online data.

It also helps prevent Google from using your online habits to serve you with those annoying targeted adds!

A VPN makes using a public wifi network as safe as using your home wifi network where you’re the only person who knows the password.

In my mind, having a VPN on all your devices is an essential (an non-negotiable part of travel).

I’ve used a lot of different VPNs over my years of travel, and I have to tell you that I hated most of them.

VPNs have a tendency of slowing your devices down to a snail’s pace, and it can get frustrating to use them. Oftentimes, I found myself turning off my VPN because my phone/laptop was operating so slowly!

That all changed when I found NordVPN!

I’ve been using NordVPN since 2018, and they are the only VPN provider I’ve continued my subscription with past the first year.

They are the fastest VPN on the market, and that is such an important competent when it comes to choosing a VPN to protect your online data while you travel.

Plus you can cloak your location and make it look like you’re in a different country than you actually are!

This allows you to access Netflix libraries from other countries!

It may not sound like much, but I promise you’ll become addicted to exploring new Netflix libraries and all the fun shows and movies you can’t access in your home country.

I highly recommend checking out South Korea’s Netflix library!

A NordVPN subscription costs less than the price of a single latte per month.

There is zero excuse not to protect your online data while you’re on the road. The small price you pay to protect your online data is well worth it when you compare it to the cost of having, say, your banking information stolen while you’re alone in London.

My philosophy is that if you can afford to travel, you can afford to protect your online data from prying eyes!

This is one of the best tips I can give you for your solo trip to London!

The restaurants and cafés near the most popular tourist attractions charge you significantly more than places outside of tourist hubs, and the food tends to be not as good.

I’m specifically thinking about the line of restaurants on the walk from Westminster Abbey to Trafalgar Square.

Avoid those restaurants at all costs!

And if you’re in dire need of some food when you’re in these major tourist areas, stick to chains like Pret a Manger where you know the food is good and the prices fair.

Even though they are chains, I highly recommend everybody try Pret and Nando’s when in London. They are affordable, and the food is delicious.

If you’re looking for good food, get off the main tourist train and find your way to some of the lesser known neighbourhoods.

You can always find good food in Chelsea, Earl’s Court, and Angel neighbourhoods.

London South Bank also has some great restaurants and has a great vibe. Especially if you’re able to snag a seat overlooking the Thames!

But where ever you choose to eat, your wallet will thank you if you avoid the most popular tourist destinations.

Your stomach will thank you too!

The London Underground system is broken up into different zones, and the fare price is based on what zone you’re travelling in and between.

Zone 1 covers central London and the most popular tourist destinations in the city.

The problem with zone 1 is that it is where the most expensive hotels are too.

Makes sense since it is so close to all the tourist attractions.

It can be tempting to cheap out and stay in a less expensive hotel in zone 2 or 3, but I don’t recommend that.

Especially for people on a solo trip to London!

The first reason I suggest that people stay in zone 1 is the convenience of it. You are so close to the major tourist attractions, and you can walk a lot of places.

The second reason I don’t suggest staying outside of zone 1 has to do with the cost of transportation.

Both in a fiscal sense and in terms of the cost of your time.

It can take a long time to travel from outside zone 1 to whatever tourist attractions you want to visit.

This means you’re stuck on the metro for an extended period of time. You will most likely have to transfer between lines as well, which adds even more time to your commute!

Staying outside of zone 1 also means you’re essentially reliant on public transportation.

Your life is dictated by when the metro/bus are (or aren’t) running, and you don’t really have the ability to walk everywhere from your hotel like you do in zone 1.

So while it may seem like it isn’t worth staying in zone 1, and it is a better choice to save money by staying outside central London, I caution you to think long and hard before you make that choice.

When you factor in the convenience of being in central London, the ability to walk, and the added cost of transportation, it is definitely worth staying in zone 1!

My personal favourite neighbourhood to stay in is Earl’s Court.

It is on the outskirts of zone 1 just before zone 2. The hotel prices are pretty good, you pay zone 1 metro prices, and you can still walk pretty much anywhere you want to go in under an hour!

9 times out of 10 I book my hotels through Hotels.com.

I find their search function so easy to use, and they often have the best prices on hotels. Excluding, perhaps, booking directly through the hotel.

Always be sure to compare the Hotels.com price to the price of booking directly with the hotel!

Outside the ease of using the site, the reason I love Hotels.com so much is their rewards program!

It is the easiest hotel program to earn free stays with!

Once you stay 10 nights in any Hotels.com hotel, you earn a free night!

I’ve earned and redeemed countless free hotel nights, and it hardly takes any effort to earn a reward. It makes travel much more affordable. Especially if you’re like me and travel for extended periods of time.

My secret little tip is to save your hotel redemption for a stay at an airport hotel. I always find I don’t want to use my own money for these hotels, and I love using my rewards night there!

But do whatever you want with your rewards nights just as long as you take advantage of them!

GET STARTED WITH HOTELS.COM

If your initial reaction to this tip is to roll your eyes, read on a little bit further and hear me out!

London has some of the best and most celebrated museums in the world, and the best part is that the vast majority of them are free to visit!

You can visit world class attractions without spending a dime, and that is why you should visit as many museums as you can while on your solo trip to London!

In Kensington alone, there are three museums right next door to each other!

They’re all different, so I guarantee you’ll find something you’re interested in checking out.

And if you don’t like the museum, you just leave! It didn’t cost you a dime, so you don’t have to explore the entire museum just to get your money’s worth!

If you only have the chance to visit one free museum while you travel alone in London, I suggest it be the British Museum.

It has a little something for everybody and has some of the most priceless artifacts in the world!

The museum is quite busy as you can imagine! It is best if you avoid visiting it on the weekend if at all possible.

No matter what museum you choose, take the time to wander through at least one. It isn’t really a trip to London without visiting a museum or two!

Be sure to check if there is a price of admission before you arrive at the museum!

The majority of museums in London are free to enter, but there are a few that have an admission fee, and they’re normally quite expensive!

Unless you’re obsessed with the topic matter of a museum with an entrance fee, it is best to stick to the free ones!

The best things to do in Kensington

I wholeheartedly believe it isn’t a true trip to London if you didn’t go to the theatre!

New York’s Broadway gets a lot of attention for its theatre shows, but London’t West End shouldn’t be overlooked!

There are 39 theatres in London’s West End showing everything from famous musicals to obscure shows you’ve never heard of before.

I’m a huge theatre lover, but even friends and family who don’t love the theatre have enjoyed seeing a show on the West End.

The only problem is that tickets can be quite expensive. Especially if you buy them in advance and see the most popular shows.

There is a way around this though!

There are two discount theatre ticket providers in London:

Today Tix is my personal favourite place to purchase West End tickets at a discounted price.

All you have to do is download the app, look through the shows, and find one that sounds interesting and is in your price point.

The tickets will be delivered to the theatre on the night of your show, and all you have to do is show a piece of ID to pick them up!

My favourite parts about Today Tix is that it is an app, so you can purchase your ticket whenever and where ever suits you best.

You can also purchase tickets for shows a few days in advance, so you’re not limited to only buying tickets for shows showing on that particular day.

It is a very flexible ticket platform.

TKTS is similar to Today Tix, but you have to go to their booth in Leicester Square and purchase your tickets in person.

You can also only purchase tickets for shows being performed on that day.

The lines at the London TKTS aren’t nearly as long as the ones at their New York locations, but you can still often find yourself waiting for half an hour or so until it is your turn to purchase tickets.

The good news about the London TKTS location is that you can go to their website and see what shows they have tickets for that day and the prices.

This eliminates the potential of you waiting in line and them not having tickets for the show you want to see!

But, overall, it is kind of a pain to use the TKTS booth while in London, and I suggest using the Today Tix app instead!

It is so easy to get caught up in all London has to offer and spend your entire trip just exploring London.

I get it! I’ve visited London multiple times and just stayed in the city the entire trip.

But that is one of the biggest mistakes you can make on your solo trip to London!

The UK is an amazing part of the world, and there is so much to see outside of London and so many amazing cities that are just a short train ride away!

I’ve even managed to take a day trip to Wales from London in the past!

One of the best trips I can give you for when you’re partaking in solo travel in London is to get out of the city and see what else there is to explore!

You can take an organized day trip to some of the most popular towns and locations around London.

Or (if you’re like me and like to do everything yourself), you can hop on a train or bus and head to another city to explore by yourself.

One of my top recommendations for a day trip from London is Brighton.

It less than two hours away by train and has a completely different vibe than London. You can check out a detailed guide on how to travel between the two cities here.

It is definitely one of my favourite cities in England!

No matter where you choose to explore, I don’t think any solo trip to London is complete without exploring somewhere a bit outside the city to get a deeper understanding of the country outside of the capital city.

41 things to do along the Brighton seafront

London is typically a very safe city for solo travellers, but there is one exception to that: the city parks during the night.

I know this is an odd tip to have in a post about solo travel in London, but I think it is an important one.

It is certainly one I didn’t know about, and it resulted in a stressful walk back to my hotel after a West End show one evening!

I want to help you avoid this experience!

I just assumed when I was walking home one night that the parks would be lit up, so I planned my path to walk through Hyde Park and Kensington Park.

Well, to my surprise, Hyde Park was pitch black with not a light in sight, and Kensington Park was already closed for the evening.

Of course, I could have changed paths and walked along a more lit street, but I’m stubborn, and I was already a bit of a ways into Hyde Park when I realized there were no lights.

At that point, I just wanted to walk as fast as possible to get to the end of the park and find some lighting.

So, if you’re ever walking around at night while on a solo trip to London (or anytime really), be sure you walk on main road and leave the parks for daylight hours.

If you find yourself in a situation when there are no lights, and you’re quite nervous about walking alone, be sure to pull out your cellphone and either use the flashlight app or call someone who can talk with you throughout your walk.

You should still be safe, but your heart will probably be pounding.

City streets will result in a much more relaxing walk home!

The best things to do in Kensington

I know I’ve talked a few times about how you can walk central London with little to no issue, but you will still need to use public transportation while you’re in London.

Sometimes you just can’t get around using public transportation, are too tired to walk back to your hotel after a long day, or don’t want to walk in the dark.

I feel you!

Even just getting to and from the airport requires you to use public transportation in most instances.

And that is where the Oyster card comes in!

The Oyster card is London’s transportation card. It saves you a bit of money on fares and saves you a lot of time because you just tap in and out of the metro/bus and don’t have to worry about purchasing a ticket each time.

I believe having an Oyster card is an essential part about travelling to London!

You have to pay a  £5 deposit when you get your Oyster card, but it is fully refundable if you choose to return it at the end of your trip.

I still have my first Oyster card from 2014 and keep using it each time I visit London, but if you don’t think you’ll be back, definitely return it for a refund.

That is a short and sweet explanation of the Oyster card.

There is more you should know, but the main thing to know if that you need to have an Oyster card on your solo trip to London!

Everything you need to know about the Oyster card

Solo travel in London is an unforgettable experience.

There are so many different things to see and do, and the city has a vibe and culture that is unbeatable!

There are so many different cultures and people in the city, and you never know when you’ll stumble upon a unique piece of culture, history, or food while you’re wandering through London.

As I said before, I truly believe that taking a solo trip to London is one of the easiest trips to take to learn the ropes of solo travel.

It is super easy to navigate the city, there is an attraction for anyone and everyone regardless of your tastes, and you won’t be overwhelmed with culture shock.

Plus so many flights to Europe land in London, so you may as well stop in and enjoy London before embarking on the rest of you European vacation.

It is not a city you want to miss out on!

For such an international city, the public wifi in London is severely disappointing.

It isn’t like many other international cities where you can hook into public wifi at nearly every cafe, restaurant, and museum.

You have to work for your wifi in London, and it gets frustrating at times.

The public wifi in London isn’t very accessible. It is difficult to find a cafe or restaurant that allows you to access their wifi, the complimentary wifi at museums is very slow and oftentimes so overwhelmed that it doesn’t work, and the Cloud and O2 public wifi systems in the United Kingdom is unreliable at best.

You need to have a plan for accessing wifi before you arrive in London.

In this article, you’re going to learn about the public wifi in London (including the Cloud and O2) and discuss alternatives to public wifi you can consider.

Spoiler: if you know you’ll need access to internet throughout the day, don’t rely on public wifi in London.

I’ll help you find a better alternative!

If you’re used to travelling in countries like Estonia, Ireland, Lithuania, Singapore, and Taiwan, you’ll probably be disappointed with the wifi in London.

I’m not saying public wifi is impossible to come across in London, but it isn’t as easy as you think.

You can’t walk into just any cafe, restaurant, or pub and expect there to be free wifi for you to tap into.

It’s unfortunate, but it is the truth.

I’m never not surprised by how few dining establishments have free wifi that guests can use.

It is a nice surprise and not an expectation.

While many restaurants don’t offer free wifi to guests, you can count on a few chains to always have wifi available to customers.

If your’e desperate for wifi, head into one of these places, and you’re pretty much guaranteed to find some free wifi to use:

• McDonald’s
• Starbucks
• Costa
• Pret a Manger (my personal favourite)

There are a few other chains that offer free wifi, but the establishments listed above are the easiest to find, and you can order a drink and be able to use the wifi.

Many mom and pop restaurants and pubs offer complimentary wifi to guests, but you never really know who does and doesn’t before you commit to eating there.

A lot of places will advertise they have free wifi for guests, but you have to connect through the Cloud. I’ll get into the Cloud more later, but it isn’t the best option and many foreigners have trouble using the Cloud.

So while a restaurant may have a sticker on their door advertising free wifi, you may not be able to easily access it.

London is famous for having a lot of free museums! It is a wonderful way to save some money while in London.

Kensington is home three world-class museums that are free to enter. If you’re looking to hang out in a museum, this is the place to go!

On of the best things about most of the free museums in London is that they have complimentary wifi!

You can easily hook into the museum’s wifi and access the glory of the internet. It is public wifi so be sure you have your VPN turned on to protect your online data!

The free wifi at museums is fairly reliable.

On your average day, you’ll be able to access fairly high-speed internet.

The issue is when the museum is busy (a.k.a. on weekends and evenings).

There are so many people trying to access the internet at one time that it slows down to a screeching halt. In many instances you won’t even be able to access the public wifi at all.

So don’t expect to be able to access the free museum wifi during peak hours.

You’ll just get frustrated!

While museums are my favourite place to access public wifi in London, there are a number of other tourist attractions that offer free wifi to guests:

• Tower of London
• Royal Alberta Hall
• Hampton Court Palace
• The gardens and shop at Buckingham Palace
• The British Library

A few of the most popular tourist attractions in London have free wifi, but, as you can see, a lot of them don’t.

It is unfortunate, but at least you know what to expect before you arrive!

O2 wifi is the most reliable public wifi in London in my experience.

You can access O2 wifi in many restaurants, pubs, and public spaces around London.

You need to register and create an account the first time you connect to O2 wifi, and then you will automatically connect whenever you’re at a location powered by O2.

In my experience, the automatically connecting part doesn’t happy every time I’m somewhere serviced by O2. I find myself having to log in manually more than half the time.

My issue with staying logged in and automatically connecting to O2 wifi may boil down to the fact that I have a Canadian SIM card.

There have been instances where I haven’t been automatically connected to O2 wifi in London while my friend with an Irish SIM card has.

There may be some correlation between how successful you are at using O2 wifi and where you’re from. I don’t have enough data to back that hypothesis, but it is my working theory at this point.

All things considered, I’ve had more luck using O2 in London than the Cloud.

Please don’t forget to have a VPN on your phone if you’re using public wifi in London. It is so important to protect your online data and information!

I had heard about how great the Cloud is and how easy it is to access free public wifi in London before the first time I visited in 2014. I was anticipating being connected to wifi nearly all the time and was super excited about it!

My experience in 2014 and every time I’ve been to London since (which is a lot) hasn’t lived up to my expectation.

The Cloud has literally only worked on my phone once in all the time I’ve spent in London.

And even that one time lasted for minutes before it disappeared again.

Nobody I’ve travelled with- no matter where their SIM card is from- has had any luck accessing the Cloud either.

I’m not sure if it is because I don’t have a Sky account (TV and internet provider in the UK) or what the issue is, but it is a bit frustrating at times.

You shouldn’t expect to rely on the Cloud when you’re in London.

If you need access to reliable internet, the Cloud is probably not the right choice for you. You don’t want to be in dire need of internet for work or personal business and not be able to connect.

Then you have to pay an outrageous amount of money to tap into your phone’s data!

Many hotels in London are providing guests with a complimentary cell phone in their room that has unlimited data on it.

You can take the cell phone with you when you go out exploring for the day and use it to access as much internet as you want.

It is so helpful to have access to Google maps if you’re exploring London by foot!

You can Google to your heart’s content, look up what restaurant you want to visit, or keep up on the news.

I don’t recommend you sign into your personal social media accounts or use the hotel’s phone to order anything that you have to put your credit card details into to purchase.

It simply isn’t safe, and you’re risking your personal data’s privacy.

Other than not being able to access social media, I’ve quite enjoyed it when I’ve taken the hotel’s cell phone out into London with me.

I don’t know how people survived before Google maps!

The major downside to the cell phones that the hotels provide is that you’re not able to hot spot them and use that data to power your personal cell phone’s internet access.

I’ve tried multiple times and have never been successful.

But it isn’t that big of a deal. It would be a nice addition, but at least I’m able to keep myself somewhat entertained during meals and play intermissions and have access to Google maps if I get lost.

I’m a big fan of hotels providing guests with a cell phone to use during their stay. It adds a layer of freedom and comfort.

It seems to becoming more and more popular amongst hotels in London, so there is a decent chance your hotel will have a cell phone for you to use in the room.

Just make sure you remember to charge it!

If you need more reliable wifi in London, you can rent a pocket wifi device.

A pocket wifi gives you access to wifi no matter where you are as long as you’re in the device’s range.

I’ve used pocket wifi devices a number of times in the past, and they work really well.

They provide quick wifi, and you can connect multiple devices to them. Most of the time you can connect up to 5 devices, but it can vary depending on the make of the pocket wifi machine.

Renting pocket wifi in London is fairly inexpensive. You can often rent it for about £5 per day.

It is is the perfect alternative to relying on free public wifi or spending a lot of money from using your phone’s data.

Just pay attention to whether you can pick the pocket wifi up in London or if it needs to be mailed to your home or hotel.

Hippocket Wifi is the least expensive pocket wifi in Europe, but you can only pick it up in person in Paris. If you want to use the pocket wifi anywhere else, it either needs to be mailed to where you’re staying or to your home.

This is definitely the London wifi solution for you if you want reliable wifi and have multiple people travelling in a group.

It is so inexpensive if you share the cost between multiple people!

I invested in a Skyroam in 2019 and am so happy I did!

Skyroam is a personal wifi hotspot that you own and can take anywhere in the world! It works the same as a pocket wifi you rent, but you pay an upfront price to own the device and then have to pay for wifi on top of that.

It certainly isn’t inexpensive. This is a wifi solution for people who travel on a regular basis and want access to wifi wherever they go.

If you’re a casual traveller, then renting a pocket wifi or relying on public wifi in London is probably the most cost effective option.

But if your’e like me and travel the majority of the year, then Skyroam might be the next travel gadget you want to invest in.

It took me a long time and a lot of research before I decided to buy my Skyroam. I wasn’t sure if it was worth the cost of the machine, and I thought the rates they were charging for wifi were a bit too much for my budget.

But now that I’ve used my Skyroam on quite a few trips and on multiple continents, I’m so happy I splurged and bought one.

It has made my travels so much more enjoyable and freeing!

I don’t have to worry about sticking to a certain path because I’m relying on offline Google maps anymore. There is no way I can get lost!

Plus I’ve found some of the best restaurants I’ve ever eaten at by reading reviews of what food is around me when I get hungry.

Skyroam isn’t for everybody. But if you’re looking for a long-term wifi solution, it might be right for you.

It is so important to keep your data safe when you’re travelling.

You are at risk of having your data stolen and sold whenever you use public wifi.

This includes public wifi at hotels and cafes that are password protected.

I’ve had friends who didn’t protect themselves while using public wifi have their banking information stolen. You do not want to deal with that headache!

The best way to protect your online data is by using a VPN. A VPN (or Virtual Private Network) is basically an invisible forcefield that goes around your online activity to protect it.

Using a VPN makes using public wifi in London as safe as using your private wifi at home.

Nobody can access your online data and steal it.

Internet safety is no joke and isn’t something to be taken lightly. You need a VPN to protect yourself whenever you travel and use public wifi!

I’ve used a lot of VPNs in my many years of travel. Most of them I haven’t liked and have never renewed my subscription with.

The only VPN I’ve ever enjoyed is NordVPN.

It blows the competition away.

Most VPNs slow your internet speed down so much that it becomes frustrating to use your phone, laptop, or tablet.

NordVPN is the only VPN I’ve used that doesn’t slow down the internet speed, which is a huge selling point.

Nobody wants to sacrifice internet speed if they don’t have to!

You can connect up to 6 devices on one NordVPN account, so you can protect all your devices for one low fee.

NordVPN lets you cloak your location. You can set your location to show you’re in any country of your choosing, and you’re able to unlock that country’s Netflix catalogue and watch shows you wouldn’t have access to in the country you’re actually in.

Plus NordVPN often has killer sales where you can save nearly 70% on your purchase.

There is no excuse not to protect your online data with NordVPN before you land in London!

The wifi situation in London is disappointing at best and frustrating at worst.

It can be fairly difficult to track down reliable public wifi in London, and your best bet (as unfortunate as it is) is to head to the nearest McDonald’s and connect to their wifi.

That’s what I normally do when I’m in desperate need to wifi in London and don’t have my Skyroam on me. Just order a drink or a snack, and you’ll be able to use their wifi. I’ve never encountered a McDonald’s in London that has a time limit on their wifi, which is very much appreciated!

The most reliable way to get wifi in London is to either rent a pocket wifi device or purchase a Skyroam.

The cell phone provided to you at your hotel is a nice touch, but you won’t have access to your personal social media accounts. It kind of sucks, but it is better than nothing!

London is a very walkable city, so it is nice to have access to Google maps in case you get lost.

If you don’t have reliable access to wifi while in London, be sure you download Google maps offline to help you in case you get lost!

London also has an amazing system of having maps for tourists all over the place. You can find them every few blocks, and they’ll help you find your way if you’re lost and don’t have Google maps.

No matter how you choose to source your wifi in London, is is essential that you protect your online data by having a VPN on all of your devices!

Kensington is one of my favourite neighbourhoods in London! There are so many things to do in Kensington that you can easily spend an entire day there without visiting any other neighbourhood or sight in London!

There are a lot more than 15 things to do in Kensington, but these are my favourite 15 activities that I think you should check out while in London.

One of my favourite parts of the Kensington neighbourhood in London is that most of the main attractions are free! It is a great area to visit in London if you’re on a pretty tight budget.

It is also home to some of the coolest hotels in London!

Even if you don’t stay in Kensington, it is fun to stop into some of the hotels for a cup of tea just to experience the chic, fun vibes they have.

The Science Museum is one of many London museums that is free to visit. It is located along Exhibition Road, which is one of the main roads in Kensington.

The Science Museum is huge and has a number of different exhibits geared towards both children and adults, so it is perfect for the entire family!

There is an interactive lab where children can participate in hands-on learning and watch science experiments performed by staff and volunteers.

The medicine gallery is the newest addition to the Science Museum and is home to one of the most incredible collection of medical history and devices. It includes the world’s first MRI machine and Fleming’s penicillin mould.

The exhibition has artifacts covering 500 years of medical history and is a dream come true for any aspiring medical student!

The museum also has a number of short-term exhibitions that rotate multiple times per year. These exhibitions cover a range of different science-related topics ranging from robotics to cyber security to dark matter and more!

The special exhibitions are free to enter, but due to their popularity, you normally have to reserve a time slot to visit the exhibition in advance.

Finally, the Science Museum has an IMAX theatre. These are short 40-minute films shown on a huge scream, and the cinematography often makes you feel like you’re moving along with the camera.

There is a fee to watch the movies, and you can purchase your tickets at the Science Museum.

The Science Museum is one of the more popular things to do in Kensington, but it is by no means the most popularIt is rarely packed inside the museum. You can enjoy your visit without too many crowds.

The Albert Memorial is on the outer rim of Kensington Gardens and is an enormous statue of Prince Albert. Prince Albert was Queen Victoria’s beloved husband who passed away in 1861.

Queen Victoria erected the memorial in honour of Albert in 1872, and it was completed in 1876 when Albert’s statue was placed on the memorial’s throne. Queen Victoria convinced the government to pay for the memorial, and the project was approved in 1863.

It took over a decade for the Albert Memorial to be completed from start to finish!

The Albert Memorial is free to visit and is personally one of my favourite things to do in Kensington! I make sure to walk past it at least once every time I’m in London.

This is the perfect thing to do in Kensington for anybody interested in the Victorian era. You tour a Victorian house owned by the Sambourne family. Mr. Sambourne was a cartoonist and wealthy man during the 19th Century.

Stafford Terrace is an example of what was known as the Aesthetic Interior trend. This trend focused on having “exotic” items in the house. Stafford Terrace features items from Japan, China, and the Middle East.

Stafford Terrace was preserved by the Sambourne family descendants and was opened to the public in 1980. In 1989 ownership of Stafford Terrace was passed to Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, and they have remained the owners of the house since that time.

18 Stafford Terrace is open to the public on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 2pm to 5:30pm. Admission is  £9 for adults and  £7 for concession tickets.

You do not need to book your tour in advance.

Stafford Terrace is one of the more unique things to do in Kensington, and it is worth planning your visit to Kensington around their opening times, so you can experience it!

Kensington Palace is one of my absolute favourite things to do in Kensington! It is the birthplace and childhood home of Queen Victoria. It is also home to a number of royal family members, but you’re not able to get anywhere near their homes.

You get to see Queen Victoria’s childhood rooms, the King’s State Apartments, and the Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace.

It takes a few hours to see everything Kensington Palace has to offer, so you’ll want to make sure you schedule enough time at the palace. You don’t want to be rushed a miss out on anything!

Kensington Palace is open every day from 10am to 4pm.

Tickets cost £17.50 for adults and £8.70 for children. You can book your tickets online in advance to save a little bit of money.

In addition to saving a little bit of money, you get an entrance time when you purchase your tickets in advance. This allows you to skip the queue and enter Kensington Palace as soon as you arrive! This will save you a lot of time in the ticket queue- especially during peak tourist season.

If you only have time to do a few things in Kensington and are a royal fan, I would highly recommend you make the time to visit Kensington Palace. You’ll have an amazing time!

Holland Park is one of my favourite parks in all of London. It isn’t as popular as the more famous parks like Hyde Park and Regent’s Park, and that’s one of the reasons I love it.

Holland Park tends to be quieter than the more famous London parks and tends to attract more locals than tourists. It is quiet and peaceful, which makes it one of the more relaxing things to do in Kensington.

Holland Park features a Japanese garden, peacocks, and lots of picnic areas. There are always a lot of locals walking their dogs, so if you’re looking to pet some pups while in London, this is the place for you!

Holland Park is open every day from 7am to dawn.

Kensington Gardens is located right outside of Kensington Palace is one of eight royal parks in London.

You’re not allowed to bike in royal parks. If you’ve rented a bike and are biking through central London, you’ll have to park your bike somewhere else and walk through Kensington Gardens.

There are countless things to do in Kensington Gardens that it almost feels overwhelming. You can very easily spend a few hours strolling through the park and still not see everything it has to offer.

There are maps of Kensington Gardens at every entrance. I recommend you spend some time looking at the map and deciding what sights are most important to you.

The Serpentine Galleries and Peter Pan statue are two of the most popular things to do in Kensington Gardens, and you’ll probably want to visit them.

The Diana Playground is a popular area for children to blow off some energy. It features a giant pirate ship along with a number of other playground staples. It is the perfect place for anybody travelling with children.

Kensington Gardens is open from 6am to dusk every day of the year. It closes earlier than other parks in the area, so you’ll want to keep that in mind when planning your trip to Kensington.

Some of the prettiest streets in all of London surround Kensington Gardens so be sure to take some time and wander around admire the gorgeous architecture.

Hyde Park is one of the most famous parks in London and one of the most popular things to do in Kensington.

It is always busy with both locals and tourists, but it is so large that it rarely feels crowded. Unless you’ve visiting on a gloriously sunny weekend day in the summer. Then it will be absolutely packed!

Hyde Park has a lot of history and is probably best known for the Speaker’s Corner where people like George Orwell would speak publicly and try to convert the masses to their political way of thinking.

Serpentine Lake is in the middle of Hyde Park and divides the park into two halves. It is probably the most popular and busiest part of Hyde Park. There are cafes, benches, and you’re able to take a paddle boat out onto the lake.

One of my favourite things to do in Hyde Park is rent a bike and cycle around the park. It is quite relaxing and allows you to see all of the park easily. You just need to be careful not to accidentally cycle into Kensington Gardens.

The Royal Albert Hall is one of the most famous music and entertainment venues not only in London but in the entire world.

It hosts concerts, Cirque du Soleil, stand-up comics, and more. The Royal Albert Hall has also hosted a number of the Royal Variety Shows, so it is a very prestigious venue to perform at!

In additional to attending a performance, you can also take a guided tour of the Royal Albert Hall. Guided tours take place nearly every day and last 60 minutes.

Tickets can be purchased online in advance, and you select a time slot for your tour when you purchase your tickets. Tickets cost £14.25 for adults and £7.25 for children. Concession tickets are £12.25.

The tour begins at the cafe located at door 12.

The Royal Albert Hall is a bit on the pricey side, but it is a music lover’s dream. If you only have the budget to do one paid thing in Kensington, I would suggest visiting Kensington Palace.

However, if your budget allows, the Royal Albert Hall is would be one of the paid things to do in Kensington that I would recommend.

The Natural History Museum is another one of London’s amazing free museums! It is located right on Cromwell Road, which is the main road running through the Kensington neighbourhood.

The Natural History Museum has a number of permanent exhibits including a dinosaur exhibit, an evolution exhibit, a human anatomy exhibit, and much, much more.

There are also a number of temporary, rotating exhibitions that come to the Natural History Museum. They are normally only there for a few months, so you might want to check their website rel=”nofollow” to see what is on before you go.

You normally have to pay to visit the temporary exhibits, and they can be quite expensive to visit. However, the temporary exhibits are phenomenal, and if it is a subject matter you’re interested in, it is well worth the price of admission.

The museum is open every day from 10am to 5:50pm, and the last entrance is at 5:30pm.

There are often a number of school groups touring the museum during the day, and it can get quite crowded and congested. It is still well worth visiting, but it is something you’ll want to keep in mind when planning your visit.

Kensington Church Street is not a street full of churches but, rather, a street full of shops.

It is best known for its art and antique shops, and it is very easy to lose track of time exploring all the shops and finding goodies to bring home with you! The street dates back to the 1700s, so the architecture and buildings are beautiful and worth admiring.

The street is located just behind Kensington Palace and is pretty easy to find. You’ll know it when yo see it!

This is one of the best things to do in Kensington in the afternoon when the rest of the tourist attractions are packed with people. It is a nice break from museums, history, and parks.

The Churchill Arms is a very famous pub in Kensington Church Street. It is recognizable from the colourful flowers growing up the outside of the pub.

The inside of the pub is home to a collection of Winston Churchill memorabilia- hence the name.

This is definitely the place to stop in for a pint while shopping on Kensington Church Street and exploring everything the Kensington neighbourhood has to offer!

The pub also features a full menu. The menu is made of completely of Thai food, so it has lots of options for vegetarians and meat-eaters alike!

The Churchill Arms is also one of the most Instagrammable places in London so be sure to have your camera ready!

Harrods is one of the most iconic and famous department stores in the world. It is on a lot of tourists’ list of sights to see and is one of the most popular things to do in Kensington.

On any given day up to 300,000 people visit Harrods, and there are 330 different departments. Harrods is a gigantic store!

It is a multi-level department store that sells everything from home decor to makeup to clothes to tourist souvenirs. It really has it all!

A lot of people are surprised about how high-end the goods at Harrods are. Most of the things they sell are more expensive than what the average person can afford.

Take the stairs or escalator up to the second floor were you’ll find the Harrods gift shop and all the tourist souvenirs and Harrods-branded items.

Even if you only spend a few minutes in Harrods just to see what the fuss is about, it is worth stopping by. It is a lot of fun wandering through all the unique and expensive things they sell.

Leighton House Museum is an art gallery housed in the former home of Victorian artist Lord Frederic Leighton. It is located just outside Holland Park near High Kensington Street.

The museum has a large collection of paintings by Victorian artists including 81 of Lord Leighton’s oil paintings. The rooms inside the museums are basically pieces of art as well so be sure to leave time to admire the interior design of each room.

Leighton House Museum is only open on Saturday and Sunday, and the hours of operation are 10am to 5:30pm.

Tickets are £9 for adults and £7 for a concession ticket. You cannot purchase tickets in advance, so you have to purchase your ticket at the door when you arrive at the museum.

This is one of the lesser known things to do in Kensington, but it should be on your radar. This is an especially fun attraction for anybody who loves art or the Victorian era.

The Victoria and Albert Museum is my favourite museum in the Kensington neighbourhood! It is the world’s leading museum that focuses on art and design.

The Victoria and Albert Museum has a wide variety and range of exhibitions that cover centuries of art and design. There is a large section on Queen Victoria and Prince Albert (not really a surprise). But there are also exhibits on fashion, furniture, paintings, theatre, and more.

The museum has a number of rotating, temporary exhibits as well. The temporary exhibits range greatly in what is featured. They can be anything from wedding dresses to cars and anything in between!

The permanent exhibits are free to visit, but there is a fee for many of the temporary exhibits. The entrance fee varies depending on the exhibit, and tickets can be purchased online in advanced or at the museum.

You can easily spend three or four hours at the Victoria and Albert Museum, and it is by far the largest museum in the Kensington neighbourhood.

It is open every day from 10am to 5:45pm and on Fridays it stays open until 8pm.

This is one of the most popular things to do in Kensington, so it is often quite busy. It isn’t as busy with school children as the Natural History Museum, but it gets crowded with tourists.

What is more British than going for high tea in London? The clotted cream and scones are to die for!

There are tons of places to go for high tea in the Kensington neighbourhood. It is a nice neighbourhood with an mid- to upper-class population, so there are a number of restaurants that offer a high tea service throughout the week.

You can find a restaurant serving high tea at a number of different price points. It isn’t uncommon for high tea to cost £30 per person, so it definitely isn’t always an inexpensive experience. Of course, there are places that serve high tea for less than £30.

High tea comes with tea, scones, finger sandwiches, and sweets like cakes. It is a lot of food, and you always leave feeling full.

So even if it does cost more than your average meal out, it will be well worth your money, and you’ll leave full and happy to have had a new experience.

One of my favourite places to have high tea in Kensington is at the Kensington Orangery. Not because it is superior to the rest of the restaurants in the area but because that is where I went for tea with my mom the first time I took her to London, and it holds a special memory for me.

The Kensington Orangery does accommodate vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free guests, so it is a great place to go if you have dietary restrictions. The restaurant is located just off to the side of Kensington Palace and is a great place to stop in for high tea after touring the palace.

Wherever you decide to go for tea, be sure to book reservations in advance. Most restaurants require you to have reservations in advance because they are booked to capacity and cannot accommodate any walk-up guests.

The Kensington neighbourhood is quite large, and there are number of different public transportation methods you can use that will drop you off in different parts of Kensington.

There are a number of underground stations around the Kensington area. They include:

• Hyde Park Corner
• High Street Kensington
• Gloucester Road
• Sloane Square
• Holland Park
• South Kensington

I told you there were a lot of them!

Where you decide to get off depends greatly on what things you’re doing in Kensington and what underground lines are most convenient depending on where you’re staying.

I always like taking the path that requires the fewest transfers. They always seem to slow the process down. If a stop is within three or four blocks of where I’m going, I’ll happily get off and walk the rest of the way rather than transfer to a different underground line.

There are maps of the underground in each station, online, and you can even pick up a pocket map at any station. Having a map will come in useful when you’re planning your path to your next attraction.

If you are using an electronic map, be sure to download it to your phone, so you can access it even if you don’t have WiFi!

Pro tip: Don’t forget to use your Oyster card to save a little money on transportation!

There are countless bus routes throughout London. Kensington is in central London, so it is serviced by a number of different buses.

You can use Google Map to determine what bus you need to catch to get to Kensington or ask your hotel concierge or Airbnb host what bus you need.

There are so many things to do in Kensington that it is impossible to see everything the neighbourhood has to offer in just one day! Kensington has so many diverse things to do that no matter what you’re interests are, you’ll be able to find something you enjoy!

Kensington has a nice mixture of museums, history, nature, shopping, and dining. It is a popular neighbourhood amongst both tourists and locals.

I personally think a visit to Kensington (even if just for an afternoon) should be on everybody’s London itinerary.

Brighton is an amazing city in the south-east of the United Kingdom. It has a wonderful seafront and one of the coolest royal sights I’ve ever seen- the Royal Pavilion. It is so easy to get from London to Brighton and from Brighton to London that there is no excuse not to go!

Whether you take a day trip from London to Brighton or spend a few days relaxing in the city, you’ll have to get back to London at some point.

This post will help yo decide how best to get from Brighton to London. It covers all the major transportation methods, so you can pick your own route from Brighton to London.

I’m not going to cover cycling because so few people would choose that route, but it is a possibility. It is approximately 75km from Brighton to London, so a fit, cycling enthusiast could make that journey. But, let’s be honest, most of us aren’t that fit.

This post covers the three major transportation options: train, bus, and car. It gives you all the information you need to choose how you want to get from Brighton to London.

This is by far the most popular way to get between the two cities. It is quick and convenient, so it is perfect for every kind of traveller. The train is also the fastest way to get from Brighton to London.

The train covers approximately 90km, but it doesn’t need to compete with traffic. This means it is nearly always on time, and the trip only takes about an hour and a half!

The Southern and Thameslink operate trains from Brighton to London. These are two of the main train operators in the United Kingdom and are very reliable. They normally depart and arrive on time with very minor delays if any.

The main difference between the two train companies is that Thameslink does not have dedicated luggage storage at the front of the cars and The Southern does. This isn’t normally an issue for people but can cause a few issues if the train is very busy.

If you take a Thameslink train, you either need to be strong enough to lift your luggage overhead onto the racks above the seats or stand near the door with your luggage.

Standing isn’t too big of an issue because it is such a short journey, but it is always nice to have a seat and rest your feet for a while.

Trains from Brighton to London depart from Brighton Station. It is the only train station in Brighton and really easy to find!

If you’re near the Brighton seafront, the Lanes, or the Royal Pavilion, you simply walk up Queens Street (one of the major streets in Brighton) until you get to the station. You don’t need to worry about turning onto another street once you’re on Queens Street.

This makes it super easy to get from anywhere in central Brighton to Brighton Station. I promise it is very difficult to get lost. If you do manage to get lost, keep walking up away from the water, and you should eventually come across street signs pointing you towards the station.

Obviously London is far larger than Brighton and has many more train stations. This means you have the opportunity to decide what major London train station you get off at.

The London stations you can get off at are:

• King’s Cross/St. Pancras Station
• London Victoria
• London Bridge
• London Blackfriars

You can also get off the train at Gatwick Airport, which is a huge plus! You don’t even need to transfer. The journey to Gatwick Airport takes approximately 45-50 minutes, so it is very quick!

The London station you alight at will depend on where you’re staying in London and what is most convenient.

You’ll want to get off at either:

• A station you can walk to your accommodation from or
• A station where a nearby Underground station has a line that goes to your accommodation without needing to transfer

By getting off at a station that is either near your accommodation or has a direct Underground line to your station, it will be very easy for your to get to your next accommodation.

For example, if you’re staying in Earl’s Court (my favourite area to stay in London), you will probably want to get off at King’s Cross/St. Pancras because the Piccadilly line is right there.

If you’re staying in The City (the one mile radius of central London), you’ll want to get off at London Victoria because you can most likely easily walk to your accommodation.

Be sure to do a little research before you purchase your train ticket to figure out what London station you should get off at.

There are so many different different trains you can take and websites online trying to sell you train tickets that it can be a bit confusing.

I know I’ve fallen victim to a third-party site selling train tickets at an inflated price. These websites look like they’re legitimately a website for the train company, but they aren’t. They charge you an inflated ticket price and a booking fee.

It is really easy to get confused and spend too much money on a ticket by booking through sites like these.

There are a number of places you can purchase tickets from and get a fair price:

• Thameslink Website
• Southern Railway Website
• In person at Brighton Station

You may still have to pay a booking fee if you purchase your ticket online, but at least you know you aren’t overpaying for the ticket itself.

When it comes to purchasing tickets in person at Brighton Station, you can either purchase them at a ticket counter or at a ticket machine. Both options are convenient, easy to use, and normally pretty quick. There may be a short queue during peak hours, but they move pretty quickly.

If you’re purchasing your tickets at the machine, remember these helpful tips:

• Not all machines accept cash. Make you go to a machine that accepts cash if you don’t want to use your credit card.
• Double check whether you’re purchasing the correct ticket type. I was in a rush last time I purchased a ticket from Brighton to London and ended up purchasing a same-day return rather than a one-way ticket.

There are variety of different types of tickets you can purchase. Most of them are generic anytime, peak, or off-peak tickets that allow you to get on any train from Brighton to London within a given time period.

Peak hours are when the train is expected to be busiest, and you need an anytime ticket to ride them. Off-peak hours, on the other hand, are sold when the trains are pretty quiet and are less expensive.

There are also super off-peak tickets that are sold for either quite late at night or very early in the morning. These tickets are very inexpensive and great for people who tend to be awake outside of standard human hours.

When you purchase tickets online, you normally have to choose a specific departure time. However, when you pick up your tickets at Brighton Station, it normally says either off-peak or anytime on the bottom right-hand corner.

You can hop on any train that matches that description even if it is a bit earlier or later than the train you booked.

Overall, the types of tickets you can purchase for your journey from Brighton to London are pretty straightforward. You can get on any off-peak train if you have an off-peak ticket and on any train if you have a anytime ticket.

There is a large variance between how much tickets can cost. It depends on what type of ticket you purchase, the day of the week you’re travelling, and the time of year.

Typically, weekend trains in the middle of summer departing during peak hours are going to be the most expensive. Weekday trains leaving at off-peak hours during the off-season/shoulder season are going to be less expensive and super off-peak trains will be the cheapest.

Whether you purchase a single journey ticket or round-trip ticket will also impact the cost. You tend to get a bit of a deal if you purchase a round-trip ticket versus purchasing two single journey tickets.

For a general approximation of how much tickets can cost (please don’t quote me on this!), tickets from Brighton to London can cost anywhere between £5 and £25.

Unfortunately, you cannot use your Oyster card while travelling from Brighton to London. It would be very convenient if you could, but Brighton is outside the Oyster card fare zone.

I don’t think you necessarily need to purchase tickets in advance. You can easily show up at Brighton Station when you want to leave, purchase a ticket, and hop on the next train.

Of course this may not work in the peak of summer, and you may need to purchase tickets in advance during that time of year.

But, in general, you don’t need to worry about purchasing tickets in advance. You can purchase tickets in advance if they make you feel more secure, but it isn’t mandatory.

There are a number of advantages to taking the train from Brighton to London. Here are a few advantages to help you decide whether taking the train is the right transportation method for you:

• It is reliable and rarely runs behind schedule
• You can be flexible and hop on whatever train works best for you
• The trains are spacious and clean
• You can get off at multiple station in London

There aren’t many, but there are a few disadvantages to taking the train between the two cities:

• There isn’t always dedicated luggage space
• The trains can be busy, and you might have to stand
• The price of the ticket is mid-range. It is cheaper than taking a car but more expensive than taking the bus so may not be the best option for budget travellers

The National Express runs buses from Brighton to London. They depart from the Brighton Coach Station and arrive at London Victoria.

The bus is less expensive than the train, but the journey normally takes at least an hour longer. Most buses between Brighton and London take 2.5 to 3 hours, but if you’re not in a hurry, buses are a great option!

Buses have dedicated luggage space under the bus, so you don’t have to worry about wrangling your luggage like you do on the train. You simply give your luggage to the driver when you’re boarding and forget about it until you arrive in London.

Buses depart from Brighton to London every 30 minutes (less often during the middle of the night). You shouldn’t have a problem finding a bus that departs for London that fits your schedule.

Buses depart from the Brighton Coach Station. The coach station is located near the Brighton seafront so don’t go to the train station thinking you’ll catch a bus there!

The coach station is located on Pool Valley just off of Grand Junction Road (the main road running east to west near the seafront). It is a two-minute walk from the Brighton Pier towards the Royal Pavilion.

Use those landmarks as a guide, and you shouldn’t have any trouble finding the Brighton Coach Station.

Buses arrive at London Victoria. London Victoria is the main bus station in central London as well as a major underground station.

No matter where in London you’re staying, it will be fairly easy for you to get from London Victoria to your accommodation. Whether you walk, take a city bus, or ride the underground, you should have a fairly direct route that doesn’t require many, if any, transfers.

Because London Victoria is a large bus station, it can be easy to get turned around and get a bit lost. Make sure you follow the signs inside the station, so you get where you want to go.

There are signs that point you towards the underground and local buses as well as maps on the wall of central London to refer to if you’re walking to your accommodation.

The National Express is the only bus company operating buses from Brighton to London, so it is pretty easy to navigate purchasing a bus ticket.

There are two ways you can purchase bus tickets from Brighton to London: online or in person at the station.

Purchasing tickets online is a great option during peak season because it ensures you have your ticket and don’t risk missing the bus you want. You can purchase your tickets online quite easily.

If you purchase your ticket online, you will need to show the ticket to the driver when you board the bus. You can either print out the ticket or load it on your smartphone to show your driver.

Screenshots of the ticket are not accepted. You need to be able to pull up the reservation and show them the full ticket they sent you. You’ll need internet access to do that, so you may want to load it at your accommodation or a cafe before you head to the bus station.

Please note there is a small service fee if you purchase your ticket online.

You can also purchase your tickets at the station either with a representative or directly from the driver. This is a great option for spontaneous travellers who want to have the flexibility to head from Brighton to London whenever they feel like it.

The downside of purchasing your ticket at the station is that you may not be able to get on the exact bus you want to. This is especially true on the weekends during peak season.

You may have to wait for the next bus for there to be room for you. This isn’t too bad considering buses travel every thirty or so minutes and the bus station is close to the seafront and lots of cafes.

The good news is that bus tickets from Brighton to London are very affordable even if you purchase them last minute!

Tickets range from £2.50 to £5! That is a really good price for a train within the United Kingdom! The more expensive tickets tend to run during peak hours and the less expensive tickets are normally for buses leaving during off-peak times.

There are a number of advantages of taking the bus from Brighton to London:

• It is the least expensive way to travel between Brighton and London
• Your luggage is underneath the bus, so you don’t need to worry about lifting it overhead or standing because there is no where to store it
• You won’t ever have to stand because they don’t oversell buses
• The seats are comfortable

Similar to taking the train, there are a number of disadvantages of taking the bus from Brighton to London:

• The bus takes longer than any other method of transportation
• Your journey could take longer than expected if there is a traffic delay
• It is not as accessible as the train, and people living with disabilities may have more of a struggle boarding and alighting the bus versus the train

The third option you have is renting a car and driving from Brighton to London.

The drive takes approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes. This is, of course, dependant on traffic and what route you decide to take. There is a main highway from Brighton to London, so it is fairly easy to drive between the two cities.

There are a number of logistical things that need to be considered before deciding to drive from Brighton to London:

You need to consider whether it is worth spending the money renting a car versus taking the train or the bus. This will depend a lot on your entire travel plans.

If you’re doing a multi-week driving tour through the United Kingdom and going to rural areas that are difficult to access via public transportation, then a car may be worth the additional price.

However, if you’re just driving from Brighton to London and nowhere else, a rental car probably isn’t worth the additional cost.

People in the United Kingdom drive on the left-hand side of the road. It can be difficult for people from countries that drive on the right-hand side of the road to adjust to it.

Be sure you’re comfortable and confident driving on the left-hand side of the road before you consider renting a car and driving from Brighton to London.

Pro Tip: It is always easier to adjust to driving on the left-hand side of the road if you have a passenger. The passenger can help you read signs and let you know if you’re getting too close to the curb on their side of the car.

As with the other methods of transportation, there are a number of advantages of driving from Brighton to London:

• You have complete freedom. You’re able to choose when you leave, what route you take, and where exactly you arrive.
• It is the quickest way to get from Brighton to London
• You’re able to stop and visit other smaller communities during the drive if you want

I personally think driving from Brighton to London has the biggest disadvantages. It may not have the most disadvantages, but the disadvantages it does have are pretty hard to overcome.

• It is by far the most expensive way to get from Brighton to London
• You have to drive on a side of the road you may not be familiar with
• The journey could take longer than anticipated if there is a traffic jam
• There is a chance you could get lost. You could take a wrong turn somewhere along the way and have a difficult time finding your way back on track

I always believe you need to choose whatever transportation method works best for you and your style of travel. My preference may not be your preference, and that is okay.

That being said, I personally think the train is the best way to get from Brighton to London. It is very convenient, and I appreciate that there are multiple station is London you can get off at.

My second choice would be the bus with driving my last choice.

I hope this post illustrated that it is easy to get from Brighton to London and that there are multiple different ways you can make the journey.

Each transportation method has its pros and cons, so you’ll need to choose whatever one works best for you. It is hard to go wrong with any option, but I would encourage you to think seriously before you rent a car and drive from Brighton to London.

No matter how you choose to travel between Brighton and London, I hope you’re able to experience everything both cities have to offer! They are both amazing cities and two of my favourite United Kingdom cities.

The Queen’s Gallery is an underrated sight in London. A lot of people don’t know it exists and miss out on visiting this fantastic sight.

The Queen’s Gallery is located right beside Buckingham Palace and the Royal Mews (two other great sights to visit while in London)!

This post will help you plan your perfect trip to the Queen’s Gallery and help you decide whether it is a sight you want to see while in London.

The Queen’s Gallery is a public art gallery that hosts up to 450 pieces from the Queen’s private collection. The exhibition is changed three to four times a year, so you have the chance to see a variety of different artwork.

The exhibitions at the Queen’s Gallery are curated and displayed based on a specific theme. All the artwork in that specific exhibition revolves around that theme, so you get an in-depth understanding of it.

A lot of the themes appeal to a wide audience and some are more appealing to a specific niche. The website has a listing of the exhibitions for the year, so you can decide if you’re interested in it or not.

Some of the previous exhibitions included:

• Leonardo Da Vinci (a collection of his drawings)
• Kind Edward VIII (a collection of photographs from his explorations)
• King George IV (a collection of artwork he collected)
• Russia (a collection of royal artwork and photographs from Crimea)

All of the exhibits are nicely curated and span a number of rooms. It can get a bit crowded for popular exhibits like the Leonard Da Vinci one, but it is often pretty quiet. This is especially true if you visit on a weekday.

You can purchase tickets directly from the Royal Trust Collection website or purchase them on-site when you arrive at the Queen’s Gallery.

Ticket prices are as follows:

• Adult: £13.50
• Over 60: £12.20
• Student: £10.80
• Under 17/Living with a Disability: £6.70
• Under 5: Free
• Family (2 adults and 3 under 17): £33.50

There are also discounts for groups of 15 or more. Information for that can be found on the Royal Trust Collection website as well.

You also have the option of purchasing combo tickets. These tickets allow you into additional Buckingham Palace sights at a lower cost than purchasing each ticket separately.

This combo ticket allows you entry to the Queen’s Gallery and the Royal Mews. These two royal sights are open all year around, so you can visit whenever you’re in London.

Ticket prices for The Queen’s Gallery and Royal Mews combo ticket are as follows:

• Adult: £23.00
• Over 60: £21.00
• Student: £19.50
• Under 17/Living with a Disability: £12.00
• Under 5: Free
• Family: £58.00

There are also reduced fares for groups of 15 or more.

The savings don’t come out to more than a few pounds per ticket, but a combo ticket still saves you a little bit of money.

Strangely enough, the price for the combo ticket is different whether you go to the webpage for The Queen’s Gallery or the Royal Mews. The Royal Mews shows the price as being a few pence higher than The Queen’s Gallery webpage.

I’m not sure if the price would get sorted at checkout or if it is a typo on the website. Just to be save, you should purchase your tickets through The Queen’s Gallery website rather than the Royal Mews website.

The Royal Day Out gives you access to The Queen’s Gallery, the Royal Mews, and Buckingham Palace.

It is a full-day ticket with entrance times for each sight and is perfect for any royal lover! You start the day off by visiting The Queen’s Gallery, then head to the Royal Mews, and finally end at Buckingham Palace.

Ticket prices for the Royal Day Out are as follows:

• Adult: £49.00
• Over 60: £44.50
• Students: £42.00
• Under 17/Living with a Disability: £26.50
• Under 5: Free
• Family: £142.50

Again, the savings aren’t huge with the Royal Day Out ticket, but it is worth it if you’re interested in all three sights.

Your ticket includes an audio guide that describes the artwork you’re viewing. It includes information on the artist, historical information, and information about the artwork itself.

It is very detailed, and there is the option to click through to a different recording to learn even more about various pieces. The audioguide is put together by the curator of the exhibit and often has experts explaining certain aspects as well.

Your ticket also includes free locker use and coat check if you don’t want to carry your coat or bag around. You may be asked to put your bag in a locker if it is on the bigger side so be prepared for that.

This is one of the best features of visiting any Royal Trust Collection sight! You’re able to convert your single-day ticket to a year-long pass when you exit.

Simply visit an employee on your way out and ask to convert your ticket. They will stamp the back of your ticket with the date and have you sign it. Once you’ve done that, you’re able to visit The Queen’s Gallery anytime you want for the next year!

It is the perfect way to keep going back and visiting all the different exhibits the gallery hosts throughout the year for one low price.

Technically when you do this, you’re telling the Royal Trust Collection that they can treat the price of your ticket as a donation rather profitable income. It is a win-win for both you and the Royal Trust.

I highly recommend you convert your ticket to a year-long ticket when you leave even if you don’t have another trip to London planned.

You never know when you’ll be back, and you may be thankful you now have free entry into The Queen’s Gallery rather than having to pay all over again.

How you get to The Queen’s Gallery will depend largely on where in London you’re staying. Most people will take the Underground but some neighbourhoods (like Victoria) are close enough for you to walk.

For people taking the Underground, the three closest stations are:

• Victoria (Victoria, Circle, and District lines)
• Green Park (Piccadilly line)
• St. James’ Park (Circle and District lines)

Each of these three stations are within a ten minute walk of The Queen’s Gallery. St. James’ Park is probably the furtherest away and Victoria and Green Park are pretty similar.

Don’t forget to use your Oyster card if you’re using public transportation.

There are a number of bus routes that run right by Buckingham Palace. The bus is probably the best option for people who don’t want to walk very far after they alight public transportation to get to Buckingham Palace.

Be sure to check the bus routes before you leave to see what bus you want to catch and how often it runs. Don’t forget that the Brits drive on the opposite side of the street as North Americans so be sure you’re heading the right direction!

You’re able to use your Oyster card on buses as well. You only need to tap when you get on the bus and don’t need to tap when you get off.

This is a difficult question to answer and is highly dependant on how interested you are in the artwork being displayed.

The average person can easily spend an hour viewing the artwork and listening to the audioguide.

People who are very interested in the artwork can spend upwards of 90 minutes at The Queen’s Gallery and possibly even two hours.

The Royal Trust Collection website recommends budgeting 75 minutes at The Queen’s Gallery in order to see it all, so that is a pretty good guide to follow.

There is a large gift shop in the entryway of The Queen’s Gallery. It has everything from fine china to keychains to guidebooks to jam. Nearly everything you want to purchase as a souvenir can be found at the gift shop.

The gift shop is a bit on the pricey side, but it is all branded to Buckingham Palace and the royal family, so you can find a number of unique items.

Be sure to have a budget for the gift shop and stick to it! It is easy to get carried away and purchase a bunch of stuff that looks cool that you really don’t need.

The Queen’s Gallery is a great addition to any London itinerary. It is central and easy to get to, allows you to see artwork you can’t see anywhere else, and is relatively inexpensive for a royal attraction.

The fact that you can convert your ticket to a year-long pass makes The Queen’s Gallery even more attractive. It is the ticket that keeps on giving throughout the year. The fact that you can go back an unlimited number of times is great for budget travellers.

Whether you end up going back to The Queen’s Gallery or not, it is a sight that shouldn’t be missed. It is truly fun for the whole family!

The Royal Mews is where Queen Elizabeth II houses some of her horses and carriages. It is a working stable to this day even though it has been in use for decades.

I went to London a dozen times before I visited the Royal Mews. I thought it wasn’t going to be anything special, and I wasn’t keen on seeing horses. But was I ever wrong! The Royal Mews was a great experience, and I am genuinely happy I decided to tour them.

I’m going to try to convince you to visit the Royal Mews with this post! These five reasons will hopefully sway you to visit the Royal Mews and enjoy all they have to offer! They are a pretty unique thing to do while in London.

The Royal Day Out package is a combination ticket you can purchase that allows you to tour Buckingham Palace, The Queen’s Gallery, and the Royal Mews all in one day.

The combination ticket gives you a slightly reduced fare compared to what you would pay if you purchased all of the tickets separately. It is with this ticket that I finally visited the Royal Mews.

The Royal Day Out ticket is great because you are able to see three amazing London attractions at a reduced price, and they are all in the same area! The attractions are within blocks of one another, so you don’t have to worry about navigating the London Underground (don’t forget to pick up an Oyster card if you do plan on using the Underground though)!

Please be aware that the Royal Day Out combination ticket is only available when Buckingham Palace is open to the public. The Palace is open every year in the summer when the Queen is in Scotland. You can find the opening times for Buckingham Palace here.

The Gold Stage Coach is without a doubt the most impressive part of the Royal Mews tour. It is an extravagant coach that members of the royal family use during special occasions.

This coach is normally reserved for coronations but is used from time to time for other very special functions. The Gold Stage Coach was last used in 2002 by Prince Philip during Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee.

It is impossible to describe how grand the Gold Stage Coach is, but it is a sight that should definitely be seen!

The coach is housed in the last area of the tour, and it is staged with horses and a driver in order to give viewers the full effect of the coach. You are able to walk around the entire coach and get a decently close view of it. You get a better view of this coach than the other coaches because of the way it is staged.

If you’re not sure on whether you want to go to the Royal Mews or not, the Gold Stage Coach should help convince you to visit.

The Royal Mews is still a fully-working stable. Employees groom the horses, train them, feed them, and clean up after them. The horses are taken out for exercise every morning.

The tour starts with a quick peak into the horse stables. You can take pictures of the horses and admire them. If you’re lucky, there will be an employee grooming or feeding the horses, and you can ask them questions about the horses or their job.

It is a bit unusual for a working stable to be in the heart of a major city, so it makes for a pretty cool experience. If you’re travelling with children, this makes for a great experience!

One of the reasons I waited for long to visit the Royal Mews was because I was reluctant to spend money on seeing horses in captivity. It just felt unsettling to me, but it ended up not being a worry.

There are only a few horses you can look at, and they are very well looked after. The majority of the tour involves looking at the coaches rather than the horses.

As mentioned above, the majority of the tour is spent looking at the different coaches that are on display. Each coach has a lengthy description that tells you the history of the coach and other interesting facts.

Touring the Royal Mews is a great way to learn about a part of royal and British history that isn’t always spoken about. You learn about the origins of the coaches, during what occasions they are used, and oftentimes told about a modern historic moment that they were used.

It is really interesting to learn all about the coaches and their history! The Royal Mews is the perfect attraction for an hard-core royal fan.

The Royal Mews also makes it fun for children to learn. They can put on costumes to look like the drivers, sit in a coach, and learn how to dress a wooden horse. The curators made it extremely easy for children to engage in the exhibit and learn from it.

There is a complimentary audio guide that is included in the price of admission. It is very well done and contains a lot of information while not being too dry. I really think the entire exhibit is put together is a way that makes it fun, informative, and accessible to everybody.

The Royal Mews are open to visitors from February to November each year. This means you’re able to visit them basically anytime your visit London unlike Buckingham Palace that is only open during the summer.

The fact that the Royal Mews are open nearly all year around gives you the flexibility to plan your trip to London at whatever time of year works best for you. This means you can snag a good flight deal whenever it pops up and still be able to see a royal attraction.

It is, unsurprisingly, most busy during the summer when Buckingham Palace is open. The Royal Mews are least busy when Buckingham Palace is closed, so if you can go in the spring, fall, or winter, you won’t have to worry about navigating the high crowds.

Being able to go to a royal attraction is a great benefit for royal fans like me!

Are you convinced yet?

You should be! The Royal Mews is an underrated attraction in London and is well worth visiting. I can’t understate how cool it is to see all the coaches. They are incredibly impressive and show you a different side to royal history.

Anytime of the year is a great time to visit! The summer season allows you to purchase the combination ticket and see the Palace, Mews, and Queen’s Gallery all in one day. Visiting outside the summer season will allow you to enjoy the Royal Mews with lower crowd levels.

No matter what time of year you visit you are bound to have a great time! Visiting the Royal Mews only takes 60 to 90 minutes, so you’ll be able to visit a number of other London attractions in the same day.

I highly recommend visiting the Royal Mews while in London. It took me years to finally visit it, but I’m very happy I did. I think you’ll have a great time at the Royal Mews as well!

At first glance it may seem difficult to get from London to Disneyland Paris, but it really isn’t. You can get from London to Disneyland Paris with little to no hassle, and there is one route you can take that requires no transferring!

There are four different ways to get from London to Disneyland Paris. You can take the train directly to Disneyland Paris, the train to central Paris then the Paris metro to Disneyland Paris, you can fly, or you can take the bus.

This guide will only cover the first three methods because I don’t think taking the bus is practical or worth even suggesting to you.

The bus takes almost six hours and requires two to four transfers. That is way too much of a hassle when the Eurostar train is much quicker and than the bus.

In addition to telling you about all your different options to get to Disneyland Paris from London, this guide will also give you guidance on choosing the right option for you and your travel style.

Knowing the pros and cons of each travel method will help you choose what will work best for you. Different modes of transportation work best for different people, and my goal is not to tell you what works best for me but guide you in finding what works best for you!

This is the most direct, convenient, and quickest way to get from London to Disneyland Paris. Eurostar has one direct train a day from London St. Pancras station directly to Marne-La-Vallée (the train station located right at Disneyland Paris).

It leaves London at 10:15am and arrives at Disneyland Paris at 2pm. It is so quick and easy, but the downside is that there is only one train per day, and you may have to get up fairly early to catch the train depending on where in London you are staying.

NOTE: The direct train does not run between London and Disneyland Paris between early January and mid-February. You need to plan an alternative route if you are travelling during this time.

You will have to use the London Underground to get to St. Pancras in most cases, and that can take upwards of 45 minutes if you’re staying on the opposite side of the city and need to transfer to multiple different lines on the Underground.

You need to purchase your tickets online in advance on the Eurostar website. Tickets are available for purchase 180 days in advance. You should purchase your tickets as early as you can! This will give you the most options when choosing your seats, and Eurostar ticket prices increase as the date of departure gets closer and closer.

Eurostar tickets aren’t cheap to begin with, and they become extremely expensive if you’re booking tickets only a week or two in advance. I don’t normally plan things very far in advance when I travel, but I always get my Eurostar tickets the day I decide I’m going to be taking the train between London and Paris.

You need to print your ticket before you board the train. You will need a physical ticket. Unfortunately having an electronic ticket is not good enough, but hopefully that will change soon!

It is essential that you arrive at St. Pancras at least half an hour before your train departs! You need to go through security as well as customs, so be sure to have your passport or EU residence card easily accessible!

It is airport-style security, so you will have to remove your belt and remove any loose change from your pocket. Your bags will go through a scanner and by x-rayed. You will then go to a customs counter to get your passport stamped or your residence card checked.

Then you are free to board the train when it is time.

The entire process goes pretty quickly, but you don’t want to be too rushed. It is always safer to leave a little extra time than not enough and be stressed and rushing.

The first time I took the Eurostar from London to Paris, there was an issue with the Underground, and I arrived at St. Pancras ten minutes before the train departed! The staff was incredibly helpful and got me through security and customs quickly then escorted me to the train, but it was far too stressful!

You have the option to book a package directly through Disneyland Paris that includes your Eurostar train directly from London to Disneyland Paris. You can learn about the packages on the Disneyland Paris website.

A few of the features include:

• Complimentary luggage transfers from the train to your Disneyland Paris hotel
• Activity and colouring sheets for children on the train
• Round-trip direct train from London to Disneyland Paris and back
• Park tickets for the duration of your stay
• Accommodation at a Disneyland Paris hotel

This package option can be a good choice for some families. You need to review all of the package features before you make your decision. The inclusion of luggage transfers and the Eurostar tickets being arranged for you probably isn’t enough to justify the package price.

However, if you get a good deal on the hotel and the extra perks are attractive to you and your family, the package may be a great option. You really need to crunch the numbers of what the package costs versus what it would cost to pay for everything out-of-pocket. Oftentimes the package deals don’t save you as much money as they claim to.

• It is direct! This is by far the most attractive part of this transportation method.
• The trains arrives steps away from Disneyland Paris. You don’t need to worry about figuring out how to get to Disneyland Paris after you get off the train.
• It is quick. The journey takes less than three hours!

• The train from London to Disneyland Paris only leaves once per day.
• Last-minute tickets are going to cost you a pretty penny.
• It doesn’t run between early January and mid-February.

The next option is to take the train from St. Pancras station in London to Gare du Nord in Paris. Trains leave London for Gare du Nord approximately once per hour (normally at half past the hour). This means it is a lot easier to fit catching this train into your travel schedule because there are many more trains that leave.

The train from London to Central Paris takes about two and a half hours, so the transportation time to Paris is comparable to taking the train to Disneyland Paris directly.

This train is also direct, so you don’t need to worry about transferring to another train during your journey. You still need to go through security and customs, so all the previous advise regarding getting to the station early is still important!

All of the ticketing information that was outlined in the section about the train directly from London to Disneyland Paris still stands.

You should book your ticket as early as possible and up to 180 days in advance. Even though there are a lot more train options, it doesn’t mean that it is less of a risk to wait and book your ticket closer to the date of departure.

Eurostar still raises their ticket prices the closer it is to the date of departure. There are a lot of different train options, but it is a very popular route and often sells out. This is especially true if you are travelling on a weekend, during peak hours, or over a holiday.

Ticket prices will already be more expensive during those times than they are during non-peak times, and they will only go up in cost the longer you wait.

Trust me. You don’t want to procrastinate about booking your Eurostar ticket. You will end up regretting it in the long run, and you may even decide that taking the train isn’t worth it because the price has increased so much.

So please, please take my advise and book your train ticket early!

You’ve made it from London to Paris but now you have to get from central Paris to Disneyland Paris. In order to do that, you need to take the RER train to Marne-la-Vallée-Chessy. You can either take RER B or RER D. Both RERs run very frequently.

In this post, I am only going to take about the RER B because it is the simpler of the two routes.

The first step is to follow the signs for the Paris Metro/RER. They will be easily visible as you walk from the train platform. Once you are in the portion of Gare du Nord that houses the RER, you will need to purchase tickets.

There are green ticket machines that allow you to purchase tickets without queuing to purchase them from a ticket booth. The ticket machines are very easy to use and offer many different language options if you don’t speak French.

Pro Tip: Walk past the first set of ticket machines you see right when you enter the station. They are always the busiest! There are more ticket machines further into the station that are less busy.

A one-way ticket from Gare du Nord to Marne-la-Vallée-Chessy costs €7.50. The ticket machines accept cash, debit, and credit.

Now that you have purchased your ticket and are ready to get on the RER, follow the signs for RER B in the direction of Robinson / Saint-Rémy-lés-Chevreuse.

You can get on any train that stops on your side of the platform as you are getting off at the very next stop. Don’t get comfortable when you board the train because it isn’t a long ride!

You get off at Châtelet Les Halles (the next stop after Gare du Nord) and transfer to the RER A. The transfer from the RER B to the RER A is incredibly simple. You simply walk from one side of the platform to the other.

The RER A has two different routes, so you have to be careful to make sure you get on the correct train. You need to get on the train that ends at Marne-la-Vallée-Chessy. If you get on the incorrect train, you will have to backtrack and get on the proper train. It is a hassle that is easily avoided by ensuring you are on the correct train.

There will be an overhead display on the platform showing the end destination of the train. If it doesn’t say Marne-la-Vallée-Chessy, don’t get on that train.

Trains to Marne-la-Vallée-Chessy run approximately every ten to fifteen minutes.

The journey once you get on the RER A takes just over half an hour so get comfortable and enjoy the ride. You don’t have to worry about accidentally missing your stop because Marne-la-Vallée-Chessy is the last stop on the line.

• It is quick and doesn’t require you to transfer trains.
• There are multiple departures every day.

• You have to navigate the Paris metro.
• It takes longer than the Eurostar directly from London to Disneyland Paris when you factor in the time you’re on the metro.

The last option is to fly from London to Paris then taking public transportation to Disneyland Paris. You can often find inexpensive flights from London to Paris by using Sky Scanner or Google Flights.

The inexpensive flights you find are often on budget airlines like Ryanair or EasyJet. This means you have to be cautious of extra charges like baggage, pre-booking a designated seat, and printing a boarding pass at the airport that can increase the price of your ticket.

You may also have to fly out from smaller airports like Stansted that don’t have the best ground transportation options. Or land at Beauvais-Tillé in Paris, which doesn’t have great ground transportation options either.

I advise you not to land at Beauvais-Tillé as it takes approximately three hours to get from the airport to Disneyland Paris. It is worth it to pay a little bit more for your flight to land at Charles de Gaulle.

It would be ideal to get a flight out of Heathrow or Gatwick and land at Charles de Gaulle in Paris. This will give you the easiest and quickest flying route from London to Paris. If you can’t land at Charles de Gaulle, Orly Airport would be the next best option to land at.

There are three ways to get from Charles de Gaulle to Disneyland Paris.

This is the quickest, easiest, and cheapest way to get from Charles de Gaulle to Disneyland Paris. It costs €17.50 per person one-way and only takes 15 minutes once you’re on the train. The train doesn’t run as frequently as the metro, so it is possible you will have to wait up to 30 minutes for the next train to arrive.

The TGV leaves from terminal two and is one level below the ticketing counters. You take the train in the direction of Marne-la-Vallée and get off at Marne-la-Vallée (2 stops away from Gare du Nord). You don’t need to book tickets in advance. Tickets can be purchased at the airport when you arrive.

This is the method I would recommend to most people.

This is a bus that takes you from Charles de Gaulle to Disneyland Paris. It costs €23 for adults and €10 for children over the age of two. Children under the age of two ride free.

The Magic Shuttle Bus also departs from terminal two between sub-terminals 2E and 2F. Once you are near 2F, you will take exit 8 and walk outside until you reach the bus.

The bus rides takes approximately 90 minutes. It is more expensive and takes longer than the TGV, so I don’t recommend this option.

The final option is taking a taxi. A taxi costs €76 on average and takes approximately 40 minutes. This is quite expensive, and I wouldn’t recommend it to smaller groups. I would only suggest this as an option to people with a larger group where €76 is close to the cost of using public transportation.

You can get a taxi in any terminal, and they are available 24 hours a day.

Just like with Charles de Gaulle, there are three way to get to Disneyland Paris from Orly. They are via RER, the bus, or a taxi.

Taking the RER to Disneyland Paris from Orly requires two transfers and takes approximately 90 minutes. The cost of the entire journey is €10.

You start by taking Orlyval from the airport to Antony. At Antony you transfer to the RER B. You must make sure you get on an RER B train that stops at Chatelet Les Halles. At Chatelet Les Halles you will get off the train and transfer to the RER A.

As described earlier, you need to ensure you get on an RER A train that ends at Marne-la-Vallée-Chessy. You get off at Marne-la-Vallée-Chessy and walk directly to Disneyland Paris. It is as simple as that!

Orly has a Magic Shuttle that takes you directly to Disneyland Paris. The bus runs seven days a week between 9am and 7:20pm, and it costs €10 for an adult and €10 for a child. The shuttle takes 90 minutes on average, but it can take longer if there is a lot of traffic.

The Magic Shuttle departs from both the South and West terminals. They depart approximately every 40 to 80 minutes depending on the time of day. During peak hours, they depart more frequently at every 40 minutes. At off-peak hours, the bus runs less often at every 80 minutes.

The Magic Shuttle drops guests off at the Disneyland hotels. If you are going straight to the parks without dropping off your luggage, you should get off at the Disneyland Hotel stop as that is the closest hotel to the park entrance.

This is the most popular method of getting from Orly to Disneyland Paris, so it is quite often very busy. It isn’t guaranteed that you will be able to sit with your family.

I would recommend this as the best option to get from Orly to Disneyland Paris.

It takes the same amount of time as the RER, but you don’t need to transfer. You just get on the bus and get off. There is no need to figure out if you’re getting on the proper train and going in the right direction. It is far less stressful.

The final option is to take a taxi from Orly to Disneyland Paris. Below are the prices for a taxi to the parks:

• 1-4 passengers – € 65
• 1-5 passengers – € 70
• 1-6 passengers – € 75
• 1-8 passengers – € 80

You can pre-book your taxi here. If you don’t want to pre-book a taxi, you can pick up a taxi at any terminal when you land.

This is a good option for people with a large group. It is potentially less expensive than taking your entire group on the shuttle, and you don’t have to wait for the next shuttle to arrive.

• It is great for people who are staying near an airport in London or who are going directly from London to Disneyland Paris without leaving the airport.
• It is a great alternative for people who are afraid of taking the train.
• You can use frequently flyer miles or points to save money if you have them.

• It takes a lot longer than the train by the time you get to the airport, go through security, board, fly, disembark, go through customs, and then take public transportation to Disneyland.
• It is often more expensive than the Eurostar.

This is a difficult thing to answer because, as I said at the start, everybody has different travel needs. I think what will be most helpful is to highlight what type of traveler would enjoy each of the three different options. This will help you choose what is best for you!

But my personal favourite method of transportation is taking the train directly from London to Disneyland Paris. It is just so convenient!

This is the best option for people who are staying on or near Disneyland Paris property. It takes away the stress of trying to get from Gare du Nord or Charles de Gaulle to Disneyland Paris.

You simply get off the train and head to your hotel. It is the least stressful way to get from London to Disneyland Paris.

I would highly recommend taking the Eurostar from London to Disneyland Paris directly to anybody who is going to Paris specifically to go to Disneyland Paris and isn’t doing anything else in Paris.

Taking the train from London to Gare du Nord is great for people who are staying in central Paris or who are doing more in Paris than just Disneyland Paris. This option allows you to arrive in central Paris and then find your hotel in central Paris before heading to Disneyland Paris for a day trip.

This is also a great option for people who are travelling from London to Disneyland Paris during the winter when the direct train isn’t running. It gives you the convenience of taking the train with just a little extra hassle of taking the RER from Gare du Nord.

The train to Gare du Nord also gives you more flexibility than the direct train from London to Disneyland Paris because it runs more often. It is easier to fit into your travel schedule than the direct Eurostar train that only leaves once every morning.

This would personally be my last option. It is by far the longest option and often isn’t less expensive than taking the Eurostar train.

I think this could be a good option for people who are landing in London and going directly to Paris without leaving the airport or people who are travelling to Disneyland Paris from a different city in England other than London.

Taking a flight may be quicker and more convenient than going all the way into London then catching a train to Disneyland Paris.

But I wouldn’t recommend this option to people who are staying in central London. It is much easier to take a train from St. Pancras to Paris than head all the way to the airport and flying to Paris.

It is very easy to get from London to Disneyland Paris no matter what transportation option you choose. You could take the train first thing in the morning and still have half a day in the parks!

I would recommend looking into taking a Eurostar train. They are quick, convenient, clean, and you can find less expensive tickets if you book far enough in advance.

It is super easy to get from London to Disneyland Paris, and it makes a great addition to your Europe trip. I mean who doesn’t want to spend a few days at Disney?

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Solo travel is without a doubt one of the most enriching experiences you can have! You learn so much about the world and grow as a person. I whole-heartedly believe that everybody should experience traveling along at one point in their life.

There are, however, things that nobody tells you about solo travel. But no more! This article is going to highlight ten things no one tells you about solo travel. It will also give you some tips, so you can make the most of your solo travel adventures.

You read that right. You’re going to cry even if you never ever cry when you’re at home. This is what surprised me the most when I first started solo travel.

The first time I travelled alone I went for three months. Before those three months, I could remember the last time I cried. I cried at least five times in those three months.

Crying just happens when you’re first starting out as a solo traveller and often happens to experienced solo travellers as well. It is normal, and if you ever meet a solo traveller that claims they haven’t cried, either that person is an absolute anomaly or, more likely, lying.

It makes sense that people cry when they travel alone. You are in a new environment, often in a country where you don’t speak a language, and your constantly under stress. Add in the exhaustion that comes with long-term solo travel, and you’re bound to have a good cry session or two. Own it. It’s cathartic, and you’ll feel so much better afterwards.

You always hear about how people are always making new friends in hostels and that you’re never really travelling alone. Well, the truth is hostels aren’t magic. They don’t magically make you friends and give you new experiences.

You have to put yourself out there and be social when you’re in hostels if you want to meet new people and have new experiences.

I’m a hardcore introvert. I love being alone and find it incredibly difficult to socialize at the best of times and even more difficult when I’m around people I don’t know.

But I read all these articles online about how hostels makes everybody social, so I expected the same when I when on my first solo trip. Well, it didn’t happen because I rarely put myself out there.

You have to engage in hostel events, get to know your dorm mates, and hang out in the common room if you want to have the hostel experience that you read about online. It isn’t easy. It is uncomfortable and awkward at times, but it really is worth it.

I met one of my close friends while staying in a hostel, and it is all because I got to know one of the people in my dorm. It really is worth it to push yourself out of your comfort zone from time to time.

I am by no means telling you to be social all the time. As an introvert, I know that is an unreasonable request, but you should try at least once or twice on your solo travel adventure.

Eating is seen as a social even, and a lot of people ask solo travellers how they can possibly handle eating alone. As if eating alone is the most terrifying thing and anybody that manages to do it is a hero.

Well let me tell you that there is nothing weird about eating alone, and people do it all the time.

It can be a bit awkward when you’re not used to it, but you get used to it quickly. I love eating alone, and trying local cuisine has become one of my favourite parts of solo travel.

If you’re nervous about eating alone, here are some tips to help make it less awkward:

• Bring a book to read while you’e waiting for your food
• Ask to sit at the bar, so your back is to the other diners
• Go to a restaurant with wifi, so you can text a friend back home while you’re eating
• Eat at off-peak hours when the restaurant isn’t busy

These tips makes eating out as a solo traveller a less awkward experience. I promise you will get used to it once you’ve done it a few times.

You are fully 100% in charge of navigating when you solo travel. You have to figure out how to get from the airport/bus station/train station to where you’re staying, your way to all the tourist sights you want to see, and figure out how to get back on track after you’ve made a wrong turn.

And you with undoubtably make quite a few wrong turns along the way, but that is how you learn!

You need to become familiar with how to use GoogleMaps and how to use it when you’re offline. Being a GoogleMaps expert is part of being a solo traveller. It is an essential skill to learn.

You participate in a lot of small talk when you solo travel. Whether it is introducing yourself to people in your dorm, going on a free walking tour, or running into people on the bus, train, etc. who are decide to start a conversation, you will be doing a lot of small talking.

The small talk gets tiring really quickly, but it never ends when you’re travelling alone. You can come up with some talking points or questions to ask the other people as a way to change it up. Your fellow travellers will appreciate you asking them an interesting out-of-the-box question when you first meet them rather than the standard where are you from, where are you travelling, how long are you travelling for? Yawn.

You will have a lot better conversations if you’re prepared with an interesting topic to discuss or question to pose. You will also avoid the monotony of small talk that way as well.

This is one of the sadder parts of travel. You’re gone for a long period of time exploring the world and learning new things while you’re friends and family are back home doing the same thing they always do.

You change when you travel, and you will have new perspectives. Sometimes that means the friendships you built before you left are different when you come back. Not all friendships change, but some do.

You don’t think when you leave to travel that life at home will change. It kind of feels like you’re putting life at home on pause and doing something else, but the people you know at home are still living their lives and growing just like you are on the road.

Technology definitely helps keep relationships strong while on the road. It is so easy to send a quick text to a friend to check in and see how they are doing.

It is so easy to get caught up in the joy of solo travel that it is easy to forget to check in on what is going on at home. But it is important to do so.

Even if you come home and find that your relationships have changed, that doesn’t mean they haven’t changed for the better. While some friendships may not be as strong as they were, others will be stronger.

Just like crying, it is inevitable that you will get homesick at some point in your solo travel journey. You will long for your bed, your friends and family, and how easy everything is at home.

And that’s completely normal.

I still get homesick and miss the comforts and convenience of being at home when I’m on the road- especially on days where things aren’t going my way. It would be so easy to give up my travel lifestyle, go home, and life a typical life.

But that’s not solo travel junkies are made for! The feeling passes, and you’ll be back in love with traveling quickly.

• Schedule a Skype call with someone back home
• Book a nice hotel or Airbnb that makes you feel like you’re at home in your own bed
• Go on an epic adventure that you would never be able to do at home

Travellers understand other travellers. There is an unseen bond between them. This is especially true for people who travel solo. It takes a certain type of person to be addicted to solo travel.

You will automatically understand another traveller and their experiences when you meet them, and you will have a unique bond or friendship with them even if you don’t know each other that well.

I still consider someone I met for 48 hours in Kotor a friend even though we only had a few conversations and shared a dorm room for a few nights. It is a weird thing travellers do.

Embrace being understood by a stranger and connecting about something you both love.

One of the advantages of travelling with another person is that you always have someone to snap the perfect picture of you wherever you are.

You don’t have that luxury as a solo traveller, so you have to figure out a way around it. Selfies are the most obvious workaround, but sometimes you want a proper photograph of yourself.

You either have to get comfortable asking a stranger to take your photograph for you or live without getting that photograph.

I personally don’t care for selfies, so I have very few photographs of me in different places I’ve been to. It would be nice to have more, but it is one of the sacrifices I have made to travel solo.

It is super easy to ask someone to take your photograph, and they are always willing to help you out! And it does get easier to ask the more you do it. You may feel a bit weird at first, but if the picture is important enough to you, you will ask.

There are definitely other methods of getting a photograph of yourself like using a tripod, but most solo travellers don’t bother with that.

Yup., you read that right. You will get bored while travelling alone- especially if you’re travelling for a long period of time.

Not every city you visit will captivate you, and sometimes you will be bored and be itching to move on. Sometimes you may even be bored with travel in general. It happens.

You will soon enough find yourself in a new city that ignites your passion for travel, and you’ll wonder how you could have ever been bored.

The evenings, in particular, tend to be when people who solo travel tend to get bored. The after-dinner evenings can seem to drag on and never end, and it can be a bit awkward to explore the local nightlife on your own.

I have spent many a night in a hotel room watching Netflix just waiting for an appropriate time to go to bed. Having spare time is just something that comes along with travel, and when you don’t have a travel companion, the time can drag on.

• Get tickets to a local play or ballet
• Go on a free walking tour in the evening
• Take a ghost bus tour or a haunted tour
• Hang out in the common area of your hostel or hotel

Solo travel is incredibly enriching and one of the best experiences a person can have. There are, however, some things that no one tells you about solo travel. People tend to gloss over some of the less pretty details of solo travel and make it sound exciting and exhilarating.

Which it is!

But it is only fair to know everything that comes with solo travel before you embark on your first solo travel adventure. You will be better able to prepare for your trip when you know exactly what to expect.

You will also be better able to handle some of the situations that come up when you know that they can happen before you leave.

If you thought hostels would make you automatically social, you can come prepared and have a deck of cards for the common room to break the ice. Or you can have a game plan on how to get the perfect photograph of yourself at a destination you’ve been dreaming of visiting your entire life.

Knowledge is power, and now you know all the insider secrets about solo travel. It isn’t as glamorous as it can seem, but it is well worth it. I have never met another traveller who regrets their time on the road. It can be difficult to travel for an extended period of time- especially alone!-, but it is worth it. Every. Single. Time.

Don’t let the fear of travelling alone stop you from going on an epic adventure.

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Brighton is an amazing city in the south-east of the United Kingdom. It has a wonderful seafront and one of the coolest royal sights I’ve ever seen- the Royal Pavilion. It is so easy to get from London to Brighton and from Brighton to London that there is no excuse not to go!

Whether you take a day trip from London to Brighton or spend a few days relaxing in the city, you’ll have to get back to London at some point.

This post will help yo decide how best to get from Brighton to London. It covers all the major transportation methods, so you can pick your own route from Brighton to London.

I’m not going to cover cycling because so few people would choose that route, but it is a possibility. It is approximately 75km from Brighton to London, so a fit, cycling enthusiast could make that journey. But, let’s be honest, most of us aren’t that fit.

This post covers the three major transportation options: train, bus, and car. It gives you all the information you need to choose how you want to get from Brighton to London.

This is by far the most popular way to get between the two cities. It is quick and convenient, so it is perfect for every kind of traveller. The train is also the fastest way to get from Brighton to London.

The train covers approximately 90km, but it doesn’t need to compete with traffic. This means it is nearly always on time, and the trip only takes about an hour and a half!

The Southern and Thameslink operate trains from Brighton to London. These are two of the main train operators in the United Kingdom and are very reliable. They normally depart and arrive on time with very minor delays if any.

The main difference between the two train companies is that Thameslink does not have dedicated luggage storage at the front of the cars and The Southern does. This isn’t normally an issue for people but can cause a few issues if the train is very busy.

If you take a Thameslink train, you either need to be strong enough to lift your luggage overhead onto the racks above the seats or stand near the door with your luggage.

Standing isn’t too big of an issue because it is such a short journey, but it is always nice to have a seat and rest your feet for a while.

Trains from Brighton to London depart from Brighton Station. It is the only train station in Brighton and really easy to find!

If you’re near the Brighton seafront, the Lanes, or the Royal Pavilion, you simply walk up Queens Street (one of the major streets in Brighton) until you get to the station. You don’t need to worry about turning onto another street once you’re on Queens Street.

This makes it super easy to get from anywhere in central Brighton to Brighton Station. I promise it is very difficult to get lost. If you do manage to get lost, keep walking up away from the water, and you should eventually come across street signs pointing you towards the station.

Obviously London is far larger than Brighton and has many more train stations. This means you have the opportunity to decide what major London train station you get off at.

The London stations you can get off at are:

• King’s Cross/St. Pancras Station
• London Victoria
• London Bridge
• London Blackfriars

You can also get off the train at Gatwick Airport, which is a huge plus! You don’t even need to transfer. The journey to Gatwick Airport takes approximately 45-50 minutes, so it is very quick!

The London station you alight at will depend on where you’re staying in London and what is most convenient.

You’ll want to get off at either:

• A station you can walk to your accommodation from or
• A station where a nearby Underground station has a line that goes to your accommodation without needing to transfer

By getting off at a station that is either near your accommodation or has a direct Underground line to your station, it will be very easy for your to get to your next accommodation.

For example, if you’re staying in Earl’s Court (my favourite area to stay in London), you will probably want to get off at King’s Cross/St. Pancras because the Piccadilly line is right there.

If you’re staying in The City (the one mile radius of central London), you’ll want to get off at London Victoria because you can most likely easily walk to your accommodation.

Be sure to do a little research before you purchase your train ticket to figure out what London station you should get off at.

There are so many different different trains you can take and websites online trying to sell you train tickets that it can be a bit confusing.

I know I’ve fallen victim to a third-party site selling train tickets at an inflated price. These websites look like they’re legitimately a website for the train company, but they aren’t. They charge you an inflated ticket price and a booking fee.

It is really easy to get confused and spend too much money on a ticket by booking through sites like these.

There are a number of places you can purchase tickets from and get a fair price:

• Thameslink Website
• Southern Railway Website
• In person at Brighton Station

You may still have to pay a booking fee if you purchase your ticket online, but at least you know you aren’t overpaying for the ticket itself.

When it comes to purchasing tickets in person at Brighton Station, you can either purchase them at a ticket counter or at a ticket machine. Both options are convenient, easy to use, and normally pretty quick. There may be a short queue during peak hours, but they move pretty quickly.

If you’re purchasing your tickets at the machine, remember these helpful tips:

• Not all machines accept cash. Make you go to a machine that accepts cash if you don’t want to use your credit card.
• Double check whether you’re purchasing the correct ticket type. I was in a rush last time I purchased a ticket from Brighton to London and ended up purchasing a same-day return rather than a one-way ticket.

There are variety of different types of tickets you can purchase. Most of them are generic anytime, peak, or off-peak tickets that allow you to get on any train from Brighton to London within a given time period.

Peak hours are when the train is expected to be busiest, and you need an anytime ticket to ride them. Off-peak hours, on the other hand, are sold when the trains are pretty quiet and are less expensive.

There are also super off-peak tickets that are sold for either quite late at night or very early in the morning. These tickets are very inexpensive and great for people who tend to be awake outside of standard human hours.

When you purchase tickets online, you normally have to choose a specific departure time. However, when you pick up your tickets at Brighton Station, it normally says either off-peak or anytime on the bottom right-hand corner.

You can hop on any train that matches that description even if it is a bit earlier or later than the train you booked.

Overall, the types of tickets you can purchase for your journey from Brighton to London are pretty straightforward. You can get on any off-peak train if you have an off-peak ticket and on any train if you have a anytime ticket.

There is a large variance between how much tickets can cost. It depends on what type of ticket you purchase, the day of the week you’re travelling, and the time of year.

Typically, weekend trains in the middle of summer departing during peak hours are going to be the most expensive. Weekday trains leaving at off-peak hours during the off-season/shoulder season are going to be less expensive and super off-peak trains will be the cheapest.

Whether you purchase a single journey ticket or round-trip ticket will also impact the cost. You tend to get a bit of a deal if you purchase a round-trip ticket versus purchasing two single journey tickets.

For a general approximation of how much tickets can cost (please don’t quote me on this!), tickets from Brighton to London can cost anywhere between £5 and £25.

Unfortunately, you cannot use your Oyster card while travelling from Brighton to London. It would be very convenient if you could, but Brighton is outside the Oyster card fare zone.

I don’t think you necessarily need to purchase tickets in advance. You can easily show up at Brighton Station when you want to leave, purchase a ticket, and hop on the next train.

Of course this may not work in the peak of summer, and you may need to purchase tickets in advance during that time of year.

But, in general, you don’t need to worry about purchasing tickets in advance. You can purchase tickets in advance if they make you feel more secure, but it isn’t mandatory.

There are a number of advantages to taking the train from Brighton to London. Here are a few advantages to help you decide whether taking the train is the right transportation method for you:

• It is reliable and rarely runs behind schedule
• You can be flexible and hop on whatever train works best for you
• The trains are spacious and clean
• You can get off at multiple station in London

There aren’t many, but there are a few disadvantages to taking the train between the two cities:

• There isn’t always dedicated luggage space
• The trains can be busy, and you might have to stand
• The price of the ticket is mid-range. It is cheaper than taking a car but more expensive than taking the bus so may not be the best option for budget travellers

The National Express runs buses from Brighton to London. They depart from the Brighton Coach Station and arrive at London Victoria.

The bus is less expensive than the train, but the journey normally takes at least an hour longer. Most buses between Brighton and London take 2.5 to 3 hours, but if you’re not in a hurry, buses are a great option!

Buses have dedicated luggage space under the bus, so you don’t have to worry about wrangling your luggage like you do on the train. You simply give your luggage to the driver when you’re boarding and forget about it until you arrive in London.

Buses depart from Brighton to London every 30 minutes (less often during the middle of the night). You shouldn’t have a problem finding a bus that departs for London that fits your schedule.

Buses depart from the Brighton Coach Station. The coach station is located near the Brighton seafront so don’t go to the train station thinking you’ll catch a bus there!

The coach station is located on Pool Valley just off of Grand Junction Road (the main road running east to west near the seafront). It is a two-minute walk from the Brighton Pier towards the Royal Pavilion.

Use those landmarks as a guide, and you shouldn’t have any trouble finding the Brighton Coach Station.

Buses arrive at London Victoria. London Victoria is the main bus station in central London as well as a major underground station.

No matter where in London you’re staying, it will be fairly easy for you to get from London Victoria to your accommodation. Whether you walk, take a city bus, or ride the underground, you should have a fairly direct route that doesn’t require many, if any, transfers.

Because London Victoria is a large bus station, it can be easy to get turned around and get a bit lost. Make sure you follow the signs inside the station, so you get where you want to go.

There are signs that point you towards the underground and local buses as well as maps on the wall of central London to refer to if you’re walking to your accommodation.

The National Express is the only bus company operating buses from Brighton to London, so it is pretty easy to navigate purchasing a bus ticket.

There are two ways you can purchase bus tickets from Brighton to London: online or in person at the station.

Purchasing tickets online is a great option during peak season because it ensures you have your ticket and don’t risk missing the bus you want. You can purchase your tickets online quite easily.

If you purchase your ticket online, you will need to show the ticket to the driver when you board the bus. You can either print out the ticket or load it on your smartphone to show your driver.

Screenshots of the ticket are not accepted. You need to be able to pull up the reservation and show them the full ticket they sent you. You’ll need internet access to do that, so you may want to load it at your accommodation or a cafe before you head to the bus station.

Please note there is a small service fee if you purchase your ticket online.

You can also purchase your tickets at the station either with a representative or directly from the driver. This is a great option for spontaneous travellers who want to have the flexibility to head from Brighton to London whenever they feel like it.

The downside of purchasing your ticket at the station is that you may not be able to get on the exact bus you want to. This is especially true on the weekends during peak season.

You may have to wait for the next bus for there to be room for you. This isn’t too bad considering buses travel every thirty or so minutes and the bus station is close to the seafront and lots of cafes.

The good news is that bus tickets from Brighton to London are very affordable even if you purchase them last minute!

Tickets range from £2.50 to £5! That is a really good price for a train within the United Kingdom! The more expensive tickets tend to run during peak hours and the less expensive tickets are normally for buses leaving during off-peak times.

There are a number of advantages of taking the bus from Brighton to London:

• It is the least expensive way to travel between Brighton and London
• Your luggage is underneath the bus, so you don’t need to worry about lifting it overhead or standing because there is no where to store it
• You won’t ever have to stand because they don’t oversell buses
• The seats are comfortable

Similar to taking the train, there are a number of disadvantages of taking the bus from Brighton to London:

• The bus takes longer than any other method of transportation
• Your journey could take longer than expected if there is a traffic delay
• It is not as accessible as the train, and people living with disabilities may have more of a struggle boarding and alighting the bus versus the train

The third option you have is renting a car and driving from Brighton to London.

The drive takes approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes. This is, of course, dependant on traffic and what route you decide to take. There is a main highway from Brighton to London, so it is fairly easy to drive between the two cities.

There are a number of logistical things that need to be considered before deciding to drive from Brighton to London:

You need to consider whether it is worth spending the money renting a car versus taking the train or the bus. This will depend a lot on your entire travel plans.

If you’re doing a multi-week driving tour through the United Kingdom and going to rural areas that are difficult to access via public transportation, then a car may be worth the additional price.

However, if you’re just driving from Brighton to London and nowhere else, a rental car probably isn’t worth the additional cost.

People in the United Kingdom drive on the left-hand side of the road. It can be difficult for people from countries that drive on the right-hand side of the road to adjust to it.

Be sure you’re comfortable and confident driving on the left-hand side of the road before you consider renting a car and driving from Brighton to London.

Pro Tip: It is always easier to adjust to driving on the left-hand side of the road if you have a passenger. The passenger can help you read signs and let you know if you’re getting too close to the curb on their side of the car.

As with the other methods of transportation, there are a number of advantages of driving from Brighton to London:

• You have complete freedom. You’re able to choose when you leave, what route you take, and where exactly you arrive.
• It is the quickest way to get from Brighton to London
• You’re able to stop and visit other smaller communities during the drive if you want

I personally think driving from Brighton to London has the biggest disadvantages. It may not have the most disadvantages, but the disadvantages it does have are pretty hard to overcome.

• It is by far the most expensive way to get from Brighton to London
• You have to drive on a side of the road you may not be familiar with
• The journey could take longer than anticipated if there is a traffic jam
• There is a chance you could get lost. You could take a wrong turn somewhere along the way and have a difficult time finding your way back on track

I always believe you need to choose whatever transportation method works best for you and your style of travel. My preference may not be your preference, and that is okay.

That being said, I personally think the train is the best way to get from Brighton to London. It is very convenient, and I appreciate that there are multiple station is London you can get off at.

My second choice would be the bus with driving my last choice.

I hope this post illustrated that it is easy to get from Brighton to London and that there are multiple different ways you can make the journey.

Each transportation method has its pros and cons, so you’ll need to choose whatever one works best for you. It is hard to go wrong with any option, but I would encourage you to think seriously before you rent a car and drive from Brighton to London.

No matter how you choose to travel between Brighton and London, I hope you’re able to experience everything both cities have to offer! They are both amazing cities and two of my favourite United Kingdom cities.

If you’re looking to purchase longterm travel insurance or travel insurance for your gap year, you’re probably trying to decide between Safetywing and World Nomads. The question of whether to use Safetywing vs World Nomads is a big decision and can have major consequences down the line if you don’t choose the right option.

Not too many years ago, World Nomads was the main insurance provider for digital nomads and longterm travellers. That changed when Safetywing came onto the market.

It didn’t take long for the Safetywing vs World Nomads battle to begin.

Each company has their pros and cons, but for me there is a clear winner.

I think when choosing between World Nomads and Safetywing, Safetywing is the winner. It is more affordable, has amazing customer service, and offer coverage in your home country when you return from your trip.

That by no means Safetywing is perfect, and it may not be the right choice for everybody.

That’s why we’re going to have an in-depth discussion about each insurance program, their pros and cons, and then compare them head on to help you decide what travel insurance is best for you.

Hopefully by the end of this article, the Safetywing vs World Nomads question will be answered, and you’ll have a better idea who to trust with your health while you’re travelling the world and making memories.

Safetywing offers three different types of insurance called Nomad Insurance, Nomad Health, and Remote Health.

Each product is designed to suit a specific need, but most people looking for travel insurance find that Nomad Insurance is the best choice for them. It’s the insurance designed specifically for people who travel longterm.

Nomad Health is their newest product and is designed for people who both travel and live in a different country. Think expat. It’s the type of insurance you’d get for the first year you move to Europe when you’re required to have insurance before you’re able to access the insurance provided by the country you moved to.

Their final product is likely something you won’t need. It’s insurance designed for companies that have remote workers worldwide that require a specialized product to offer to their remote team. Unless you’re operating a business, you won’t need this one.

What sets Safetywing apart from it’s competitors is their payment model.

They have a monthly fee instead of paying for your trip all at once like most other travel insurance providers including World Nomads. I love this method because it gives you a lot more flexibility.

I know a lot of people who have set out on a world trip and then come home earlier than expected. Either because they didn’t enjoy longterm travel as much as they thought they would or something unexpected happened that they needed to return home for.

If you prepaid for your travel insurance in full ahead of time and had to return home early, you wouldn’t be able to get a refund for the amount of time you’re not using your insurance for.

With Safetywing, you simply cancel your policy if you have to return home early. You simply cancel your account, and you won’t have to pay the next instalment of your insurance.

You, unfortunately, won’t get a refund for any amount of time you didn’t use in the month you’d already paid for, but it’s better to overpay for a couple weeks of insurance than for potentially a couple of months.

One thing to note is that Safetywing has a policy to charge you for your next month’s instalment three days before it actually comes due. If you’re charged for your next month and know you won’t need it, be sure to contact Safetywing as soon as you realize you won’t need that insurance. If you contact them within three days of the charge and your new month hasn’t actually kicked in yet, they’ll happily refund you.

You just need to make sure you email them within that three day period. They send you an email every month letting you know that they’ve charged your card and giving you the dates of the next cycle. Check your emails often and make sure you don’t procrastinate in getting in contact with them.

The other thing that sets Safetywing apart that I really like is that they cover you in your home country for up to 30 days as long as you’ve been out of the country for at least 90 days before returning home.

This gives you you opportunity to visit your friends and family at home without losing health insurance. It also gives you a month to try to find a job that provides medical insurance if you’re done your travelling.

This is a great feature that other travel insurance providers don’t have that makes Safetywing stand out.

It gives you peace of mind that you’re going to be covered when you’re in your home country and takes away a little bit of stress that you might have about coming home for a visit or coming home to transition to full-time employment.

You can use your home country coverage as many times a year as you need it. The only criteria is that you’ve been outside your home country for at least 90 days before you return to your home country. Your coverage for your home country only lasts for 30 days. If you’re in your home country for longer than that, you need to find other insurance or be uninsured during that time.

• Coverage can be purchased while you’re already abroad

• Includes trip delay, trip cancellation, and lost baggage insurance

• 24/7 customer service that is friendly and helpful

• Home country coverage included for 30 days after being abroad for at least 90 days

• Physical therapy and chiropractic coverage provided if ordered by a doctor

• Emergency dental procedures covered

Just like anything in life, Safetywing isn’t perfect, and there are some downsides to the product. I think the upside of Safetywing outweigh the cons, but that’s for you to decide!

This is one area of the Safetywing vs World Nomads debate that Safetywing loses.

Safetywing has a $250 deductible that comes along with their Nomad Insurance policy.

This means that if you make a claim or multiple claims throughout your policy term, you need to pay the first $250 in medical charges before your insurance kicks in and covers the rest.

I don’t like this. You’re paying a decent amount of money per year to have travel insurance, and I wish that there wasn’t a deductible. Most other travel insurance companies, including World Nomads, don’t have a deductible.

A year’s worth of Safetywing cover is typically less expensive than a year’s worth of World Nomad coverage, but if you have to pay the $250 deductible for Safetywing, the price of both providers is pretty similar.

It’s pretty common knowledge that medical treatment in the United States is absurdly expensive.

If you’re travelling in the USA, you need to pay extra for your Safetywing travel insurance. The price you pay doubles if you want to include travel in the United States.

I think this is absurd and way too much of an increase. Even though I understand from Safetywing’s perspective that they’ll end up paying more for any treatment you need than anywhere else in the world, paying double the amount than anywhere else in the world for coverage is a bit hard to swallow.

I don’t travel to the United States very often. I normally go once every year or two to go to Disney World or Disneyland. When I do go to the USA, I normally just purchase a single trip policy from the AMA that costs less than $20 CAD for the week I’m gone.

It’s way more affordable than increasing my Safetywing coverage to include trip to the USA. That’s what I recommend you do as well if you’re only visiting the United States for a short period of time.

If you’re staying in the USA for a longer period of time, Safetywing probably isn’t the best choice for you. I’d look at other providers like World Nomads or getting a single trip policy from the AMA or your car/house insurance provider.

Learn More About Safetywing Nomad Insurance

World Nomads offers two different types of insurance: Standard Plan and Explorer Plan. The two plans are based off how much coverage you’ll be provded.

The Standard Plan is their base plan. It has lower limits, and, honestly, will be the policy that most people will need. The Explorer Plan has much higher limits, but I don’t think many people will require those higher limits since World Nomads has such high limits anyways.

One major advantage World Nomads has in the Safetywing vs World Nomads debate is their coverage limits.

They’re consistently higher than Safetywing’s limits.

This, however, isn’t as straightforward as it seems. The reason World Nomads is able to offer such high coverage rates is because if you make a claim, they claim some of it back form your local, home provider.

For example, I live in Alberta. If I were to make a claim through World Nomads, they would turn around and make a claim to Alberta Health Services to be reimbursed for the amount that Alberta Health Services would have paid if I were injured in Alberta.

Not only does this make the claims process more complicated and drawn out, but it also makes it more invasive.

My dad made a claim through a travel insurance provider who also claimed a portion of the money back from Alberta Health Services. He had to give his insurance provider permission to request all of his medical records from his doctor and access all of his previous Alberta Health Services claims.

It was a long process, and he ended up dropping his claim and not being reimbursed for the medical expenses he paid when he got hurt in Dubai because he got fed up with the process, and his costs weren’t that high.

I’ve never made a claim through Nomad Insurance, so I don’t have first-hand experience with their claims process, but I imagine the process would be similar. I have heard from other people I know that it took them a long time to be reimbursed by World Nomads.

The other thing to keep in mind when signing up for World Nomads is that you have to have GHIP insurance in your home country. This means that you need to be covered by whatever healthcare is available in your province or state (e.g. Alberta Health Services).

If you’re not eligible for coverage through your home’s universal insurance provider, your coverage decreases drastically. You end up with significantly less coverage than you do with Safetywing.

On the flip side, if you do have the proper home coverage that World Nomads requires, you have a huge amount of coverage and don’t have to ever worry about hitting your lifetime maximums and running out of coverage.

When you sign up for World Nomads, you have to select where you’ll be travelling and requiring travel insurance. You can select regions (such as Asia or South America) or select world wide.

From playing around with the numbers, I find that selecting world wide nearly always results in a lower price than selecting a bunch of specific countries or regions.

There isn’t a significant increase in price if you include travel to the USA compared to when you don’t include it.

This is fantastic if you travel to the USA multiple times a year or for long periods of time. It makes long-term travel insurance that includes the United States so much more affordable than Safetywing.

I think the reason they’re able to provider insurance for the USA at such an affordable rate is because they know they won’t be on the hook for all of the costs and can claim back a lot of the costs from you home insurance provider.

Without a doubt travel insurance for the United States is one place World Nomads shines in the Safetywing vs World Nomads comparison.

• High coverage limits up to $10,000,000

• Trip delay, trip cancellation, and lost baggage coverage

• Emergency dental coverage

• Stipend for an emergency companion to fly to support you if you end up in hospital longterm

• Affordable coverage for travel in the United States

Just like Safetywing Nomad Insurance, World Nomads doesn’t offer perfect travel insurance either.

One of the major downsides to World Nomads is that you pay for the entirety of your coverage when you first sign up.

You select the length that you require your insurance (up to 364 days) and then pay for the total amount quoted. The quote depends on how long you’re gone, your age, your home country, and where you’re travelling to.

If you come home from your trip early, you don’t get refunded for any of the time you already paid for but don’t need travel insurance for.

The claims process is a little bit more complicated and time consuming with World Nomads than Safetywing. That’s because World Nomad makes a claim against your local healthcare provider (e.g. Alberta Health Services) to repay a portion of the claim you make.

This means there are multiple levels and organizations your claim has to go through, and the process can take a long time. Sometimes multiple months.

The flip side to the more complicated and time consuming claims process is that you get a huge amount of coverage. There is a bit of give and take between the claims process and the amount of coverage. A little bad with the good.

But, if you aren’t in dire need of any money you pay up front for a medical emergency or have family who can help you while you wait for reimbursement from World Nomads, it doesn’t have to be a major negative.

In the Safetywing vs World Nomads battle, I think that Safetywing wins when it comes to how easy and quick the claims process is.

The final thing you need to be aware of with World Nomads is that there are waiting periods if you purchase your insurance while you’re abroad and after you’ve left for your trip.

The waiting periods aren’t long, and you can read about them in depth here. The most important thing to note is that there is a 48 hour period after you sign up before your coverage kicks in.

World Nomads says that this helps protect them from fraud and people who get insurance to immediately make a claim for something that already occurred.

Safetywing doesn’t have these waiting periods. You’re insured as soon as you pay for your first month’s worth of coverage.

A 48 hour waiting period isn’t a huge amount of time and isn’t the end of the world. It is something to keep in mind though. If you’re already abroad and know that you’re going to be partaking in an activity that make cause injury (e.g. going on a long hike), you want to make sure you sign up for coverage at least two days before that planned activity.

If you purchase World Nomads insurance before you leave for your trip, you don’t have to worry about any waiting periods. You can pre-purchase your travel insurance and select a date for it to automatically kick in (the first day of your trip). This way you can check getting travel insurance off your list a few weeks in advance and not have to worry about it right before you leave.

Learn More About World Nomads Insurance

In the below table, I’m going to compare the main features of Safetywing’s Nomad Insurance and World Nomad’s Standard Plan. These are the two plans that most people will be choosing between when choosing between Safetywing vs World Nomads.

	Safetywing	World Nomads
Max Limits	$250,000*	$5,000,000*****
Deductible	$250	$0
Payment	Monthly	Up Front
Hospital Visits	Up to max limits	Up to max limits
Ambulance Rides	Up to max limits	Up to max limits
Physio/Chiro	$50/day	$250
Emergency Dental	$1,000**	$1,000
Medical Evacuation	$100,000	$500,000
USA Coverage	No***	Yes
Home Visits Included	Yes	No******
Trip Interruption	$5,000	$2,500
Trip Delay	$100/day	$700
Lost Baggage	$3,000	$1,000
Natural Disaster	$100/day for 5 days	Yes*******
Political Evacuation	$10,000	Yes*******
Scooter Accidents	Yes****	Yes****
Personal Liability Insurance	$25,000	No
Accidental Death/Dismemberment	$25,000	Will return body to home country
24/7 Customer Support	Yes	Yes

*$100,000 limits ages 65-69

**You’re not required to pay a deductible for dental coverage

***USA coverage can be added for an additional fee

****Must have insurance on the scooter and have a license to drive it

*****Must have insurance in your home country to have $5,000,000 limits. If you don’t, your limit is $40,000

******Includes insurance if you’re visiting your home country but not if you’re visiting your home province or state.

*******Policy indicates that it will provide coverage but doesn’t specify up to what amount

Yes. You absolutely 100% need to have travel insurance. Especially if you’re a digital nomad or freelancer and don’t have travel insurance through your employer.

I know we all think nothing is ever going to happen to us when we travel, but things happen. You don’t want to be caught out and not have insurance to cover you if you need to get medical attention.

It’s such a relief knowing in the back of your head that if something were to happen, it won’t financially devastate you. Even if you’re travelling to a country with a relatively low cost of medical care compared to your home country, that doesn’t mean you should take the risk.

I know people who have had a scooter accident in Thailand and ended up in the hospital for two weeks and had multiple surgeries and then a long recovery process. Even though the cost of seeking medical treatment in Thailand is significantly less expensive than in the United States, it still would have cost them almost $10,000 if they had to pay out of pocket for their treatment.

Travel insurance is the type of thing that you want to know you have but hope you never use. And when you do have to use it, you’re extremely thankful your past self was smart and bought it.

I know a lot of people are on tight budgets when they travel for long periods of time. I sure was when I first backpacked through Europe alone when I was 21. Even though I didn’t have much money, I always make sure I had quality travel insurance. It was an expensive that was worth every penny even if I didn’t have to use it on that trip.

Part of travelling is being responsible while you travel, and part of being a responsible traveller is having proper travel insurance.

If you’re trying to decide between Safetywing vs World Nomads, I’m guessing you’re going on an extended trip. You rely on public wifi all the time as a traveller, and you need to make sure you’re using the internet safely when you travel.

Even if you rely mostly on esims, which I highly recommend you do, you still rely on public wifi some of the time. You should be turning your esim off at your hotel or hostel to save it for when you don’t have reliable wifi and use the wifi at your accommodation at a minimum.

Using public wifi puts you at a higher risk of having your private online information and data stolen. Even if you’re using public wifi that has a password, anybody who knows that password can access the wifi network, and it isn’t safe or secure at all.

Trust me when I tell you that you don’t want to have your banking information stolen while you’re abroad. It’s a nightmare to have to deal with your bank and try to get replacement cards. Especially if you’re abroad for an extended period of time and don’t have a mailing address to get replacement cards sent to.

The only way you can protect your online information from prying eyes when using public wifi networks is by installing a VPN on your devices.

A VPN essentially puts an invisible forcefield around your devices that makes it impossible for prying eyes to see your information. It makes using public wifi networks just as safe and secure as using your home wifi network where you’re the only person who knows the password.

Installing a VPN on your devices is one of the simplest and affordable ways you can make sure you’re safe while travelling.

I always say that if you can afford to travel, you can afford to protect your online information and data.

I’ve used a lot of different VPNs over my years of travel. Most of them are awful.

VPNs are notorious for slowing down your internet speed, and you can really feel it with most VPNs you use. Honestly, I used to just turn off my VPN and put myself at risk because the VPN was slowing down my internet so much.

That all changed when I started using NordVPN.

NordVPN is consistently ranked the fastest VPN on the market. I’ve never noticed a slowdown in my internet speed when I use my NordVPN, and I’ve never once been tempted to turn it off and put myself at risk.

I’ve been using NordVPN since 2018, and I have no intention of ever switching to another VPN provider. They’re the company I personally use and the one I set all my family and friends up with.

The best part about NordVPN (other than it being so reliable and fast) is that it is super affordable. A two-year subscription costs less per month than a single Starbuck’s latte!

Plus you can protect up to six devices with a single subscription. You can protect all your devices for one low fee.

It’s a super small price to pay for the peace of mind and comfort you get by knowing all your online data and information is safe and secure and away from prying eyes.

I know this was a bit of a long post, but I really wanted to give you as much information as I could to help you decide between Safetywing vs World Nomads.

Neither company offers a perfect product. I don’t think digital nomads or longterm travellers would be having a conversation about the best travel insurance if there was a perfect product on the market.

I spent a lot of time trying decide between Safetywing vs World Nomads when I first signed up for digital nomad health insurance.

Ultimately, Safetywing was the right the right product for me.

I like that I can pay by the month, that I don’t have to be eligible for insurance in my home country, and that it allowed me to visit my friends and family at home a couple times during the year without being uninsured.

But just because that was the right choice for me, doesn’t me that it is the right choice for you.

The fact that World Nomads includes coverage in the United States for a more affordable rate than Safetywing is a huge selling point for a lot of people. It would be for me if I spent a significant amount of the time in the USA. I don’t, so it isn’t a selling feature for me, but it is for a lot of people.

Choosing the right travel insurance is more important than a lot of people think.

You want to know that if anything happens, you have the right coverage that is going to protect you. You also want to choose a company who is reliable, trustworthy, and makes the claims process as easy as possible. Nobody wants the stress of making a travel insurance claim, so the easier the better!

When push comes to shove, I don’t really care what travel insurance you think is best for you. It’s such a personal choice.

All I care about is that you have travel insurance because it’s so important and shouldn’t be overlooked.

Hopefully, this post made it a bit easier for you to decide between Safetywing vs World Nomads.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click on my affiliate link and purchase something (at no additional cost to you!), I may earn a small commission that helps me keep the blog running. Thank you so much for your support!

Tangier and Chefchaouen are two of the most beautiful cities in Morocco. The good news is that it is extremely easy to travel from Tangier to Chefchaouen.

So you have no excuse not to visit both cities on your trip to Morocco!

Tangier is a popular port city, and a lot of people arrive in Morocco through the Tangier port. There are ferries that take you from southern Portugal to Tangier, and a lot of people choose to take the ferry over flying to Morocco.

So, if you’re coming from Portugal or Spain, you’ll likely be arriving in Tangier and then can easily visit Chefchaouen on your trip as well!

The best way to travel from Tangier to Chefchaouen is by taking the public bus. It’s quick, comfortable, and affordable. If you don’t want to take the bus, your other options include taking a taxi, renting a car and driving, or going on a guided tour.

This guide will break down everything you need to know about travelling from Tangier to Chefchaouen, so you can decide what option is best for you.

By the end of the article, you’ll have a better idea how you want to travel from Tangier to Chefchaouen and can confidentially book your transportation method!

Solo travel in Morocco

One of the things I dislike the most about travelling is figuring out how to travel from one city to another.

All the information I need is rarely in the same place, and it takes way longer to figure out my transportation strategy than it should.

That’s why I write these transportation guides for you!

Hopefully they make your travel planning a little bit easier.

If you’re planning a larger trip around Morocco, here are some other transportation guides that may help you easily plan your trip.

• How to travel from Marrakesh to Essaouira

• How to travel from Marrakesh to Casablanca

• How to travel from Casablanca to Rabat

The easiest and cheapest way to travel from Tangier to Chefchaouen is to take the bus.

There are plenty of buses that travel from Tangier to Chefchaouen each day, so you can travel at whatever time is convenient for you.

The bus from Tangier to Chefchaouen takes approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes.

This can change slightly based on road conditions and traffic jams, but, in general, you should be in Chefchaouen in less than 2.5 hours!

The cost of a bus ticket to Chefchaouen varies a little bit depending on what day of the week and time of day you travel.

If you travel during peak times on a weekend, you’ll end up paying a bit more than if you took the bus during non-peak times on the weekend.

Even if you end up paying a bit more for your ticket, it still won’t break the bank.

You can expect to pay between 50MAD and 90MAD for your bus ticket from Tangier to Chefchaouen. That’s between $5USD and $10USD.

Not a bad deal at all!

You need to go to the bus station to purchase you bus tickets.

You can purchase them on the day of your departure or purchase them in advance. The bus route from Tangier to Chefchaouen is very busy, so if you need to leave at a very specific time, you may want to purchase your tickets in advance to make sure you get the departure time you want.

If you show up to the bus station on the day of your departure and purchase a ticket, the next bus may already be sold out, and you may need to wait for the bus that leaves after it.

Don’t worry if that happens to you though!

The buses depart on a very regular basis, and it won’t be long until the next bus shows up. If it’s anything like my experience, there will already be a line of people waiting for that bus in order to put their luggage underneath the bus first.

If you’re planning to take the bus from Chefchaouen back to Tangier either on the same day or another day, I recommend purchasing your return ticket when you get off the bus in Chefchaouen.

This will ensure you get the return ticket you want and give you the peace of mind knowing you already have a return ticket and won’t have to worry about the bus being full on your return.

A tourist’s guide to wifi in Morocco

Buses to Chefchaouen depart from CMT Bus Station Tanger.

It’s located a bit outside the main tourist area, so you’ll likely need to either take a bus or taxi to get to the bus station.

Buses 11, 18, and 20 will all directly get you to the bus station without having to transfer, but you may just want to take a taxi depending on how much luggage, if any, you have.

If you do choose to take a taxi, be sure to either negotiate a price before you get in or insist on them using the meter.

This will ensure you get a fair price for the taxi ride and are not being ripped off.

The bus arrives at Gare Routière in Chefchaouen.

The bus station is in a fairly convenient location, and there is a good chance you’ll be able to walk to your accommodation in less than half an hour.

If you don’t want to walk, you’ll have to take a taxi to your accommodation, but it shouldn’t be more than a 5 minute drive.

Depending on traffic that is.

• The least expensive option

• Buses depart on a regular basis

• Luggage storage underneath the bus

• The bus station in Tangier is a bit out of the way

• Buses are busy, and you may have to wait for the next bus to come

• Have to purchase your tickets at the bus station rather than online

While taking the bus is the best and least expensive way to travel from Tangier to Chefchaouen, you have other options if you don’t want to take the bus.

I’m not going to go into as much detail about those options, but I’ll give you a brief overview.

If you don’t want to plan your trip to Chefchaouen by yourself, you can take a guided day trip from Tangier to Chefchaouen.

Your guide will pick you up at your hotel (or near your hotel), drive you to Chefchaouen, show you around the city, and drive you back to your hotel.

This can be a great way to see the city if you’re nervous about travelling without a guide in Morocco, have mobility issues, or just want to relax and not think about any aspect of travel planning.

The downside to guided tours is that they are quite expensive.

If you choose to take a guided tour, be sure to research the tour company and read the reviews before you make your reservation.

This will ensure you purchase your tour through a reputable company and limits your chances of being scammed.

Click here and use code TRAVELSWITHERICA for 10% off my favourite Instagram travel presets!

Your next option (and probably most expensive option) is to take a taxi from Tangier to Chefchaouen.

I don’t recommend this unless you don’t want to take a guided tour and are unable to take the bus due to mobility issues or something along those lines.

A taxi ride from Tangier to Chefchaouen will cost you between 1,500 MAD and 2,000 MAD each way. That’s approximately $150 USD to $200 USD.

Yikes!

So, think long and hard about whether taking a taxi to Chefchaouen is worth the extra cost!

Your final option is to rent a car and drive to Chefchaouen.

I don’t really recommend this option unless it is part of a larger road trip around the country.

It’s a bit of a hassle to rent a car, drive it to Chefchaouen, find parking, and then drive it back to Tangier.

With that effort, it’s better to take the bus or go on a guided tour.

As you can see, travelling from Tangier to Chefchaouen is very easy, so you have no excuse not to make the trip to one of the most beautiful cities in Morocco!

I recommend taking the bus to Chefchaouen. It’s quick, clean, and comfortable. It’s almost the least expensive options.

The bus is direct, and all you have to do is get on and off of it.

The next best option is to take a guided tour from Tangier to Chefchaouen. Not only is this super convenient, but you’ll also learn a lot of interesting facts along the way!

It doesn’t matter how you get to Chefchaouen. The important thing is you get there and get to experience what this beautiful city has to offer!