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[danthefan]

Are there ways to find hostels online? or do I need to search around for them when I get there? Are they in the big cities like London or can I find them everywhere?

If I don't get a cab what form of transportation do you recommend?

Www.hostelworld.co.uk

Most cities have good public transport. In London get the tube.

You asked about your bank cards, you might have to notify your bank you're traveling but yes it should work. To get sterling I would just wait until you get there and take money from an ATM, it's what I always do anyway.

People are talking about how expensive London is, that is true but you can do it on a budget. You can eat for cheap, you can stay in hostels, etc. There's free attractions and some parts of the city safe awesome just to walk around.

 

[CyberMiguel]

So I'm getting my passport tomorrow and I've yet to buy the tickets but I'm planning on going to the UK in Sept as a sort of present to myself. As of right now I'm going alone. Any tips, like cheap accommodations, places to check out, travel options, internal cell usage etc etc?

First time out of the country and super nervous.

EDIT: I'm a 22 year old college student so budget is super tight. Figured y'all might need some context.

If you're short on budget, try to unlock your phone and buy a UK sim card when you arrive there. It's cheap and easy and data charges in UK are significantly lower than in the US.

If you can't unlock your phone, then disable the data connection and avoid roaming at all costs (use it only if there's an emergency) : your phone company will f*ck you with the roaming charges.

 

[GamingOblivion]

If you are coming to Scotland, Id definitely recommend meeting your friend in Edinburgh if they dont already live there. Loads to see and do, the castle is great and some of the guided tours are fantastic, especially the ghost walks if you want a cheesy jump scare.

I think he lives in Glasgow? That's about an hour train ride I believe?

 

[MCN]

I think he lives in Glasgow? That's about an hour train ride I believe?

Take a translator, then.

 

[Meantime]

Edinburgh to Glasgow is about an hour on the train, yep. Edinburgh is prettier and more tourist-y, but there's a lot of cool stuff to see in Glasgow too.

 

[Massive Nights]

I was in London without data earlier this year. It was hell trying to find a wi-fi hotspot.

I highly, highly recommend having data.

This is so weird, it seems like there's literally a Starbucks / McDonald's/ Nero etc etc on every corner and they all have free Wi-Fi.

 

[31GhostsIV]

Sweet, thanks. Is there an easy way to wash my clothes there? Like public laundry or laundry at hostels?



My phone is unlocked and I use Net10 Wireless. Not too up on my knowledge of phones but I should be able to just pop in the new SIM card, right?

What is the Oyster card for, exactly?

Again, sorry about all the questions guys. Just want to be super prepared. Thanks for all the helpful responses.

Oyster card is a pre-paid tube card. Only relevant in London, here in the South West we don't have any fancy undergrounds so no worries about it in Bristol.

Has anyone mentioned Lonely Planet to you? As a first time traveller their books are essential: https://www.lonelyplanet.com/england/southwest-england/bristol

You'll find wifi in Bristol as well, you may even have it at the hostel. Check out local B&Bs a well - you might find a good deal and get to indulge in a full English every morning.

If you've got time when staying in Bristol and you're looking for some beach or to just get away from the city, hop on a train and head down to Cornwall.

 

[formasymphonic]

Stand on the right.
Walk on the left.

Don't be that fucker who stands on the wrong side and you will be welcome in London.

If you need to plan public transport journeys you can do it online here.

https://tfl.gov.uk

 

[danthefan]

The oyster card fares are much cheaper than paying cash so they're essential if you're in London. Should be able to get one at any tube station.

 

[kmag]

London is super expensive, stay away. visit Ireland. All my friends have positive things to say about Dublin. Airbnb is your friend, keep all time 20-50 euros cash if you may need some taxi. Public transport is better payed for a extended period of time minimum one week, you may need to check your destination city for availability and pricing of tickets.

Dublin is probably about as expensive as London to be honest.

 

[rainz]

Get an Oyster Card.
Know this, live this, love this - Tube Map
Avoid Harlesden.. Not that you would probably even stumble there but yeah avoid it anyway.

Enjoy the public transport, compared to australia the UK has an awesome public system.

Go to a warehouse party.
If you are into that stuff, seriously some of the best partying to be had in the world in the london underground scene. Can be sketchy though so maybe not if you aren't into that stuff already and are by yourself.

 

[kmag]

Virgin Trains have a three day sale (this is the second day of the sale so you need to be quick) on where you can buy train tickets in July, August and September for really low prices. You need to buy one way tickets but you can buy one there and back if you need.

For instance a London to Glasgow return trip will normally cost you about £120-£130, you can get it for £28 now (although I think it pops up to £60 late in September). Takes 4.5 hours each way.

www.virgintrains.co.uk/sale

 

[RedShift]

I love London, but it definitely isn't the cheapest city in the world. There's lots of cool stuff you can do for free though.

Visit some of the museums like the National History museum, British museum, V&A depending on what you're in to. They're all free entry.

Probably worth seeing Buckingham Palace during the changing of the guard.

If the weather is nice spend some time in the parks. Hyde park is very nice, or Hampstead Heath if you want to go a bit further out and get a great view of the city.

For paid stuff, the Tower of London is so expensive I wouldn't even consider it. I'm not sure how much the London Eye is but it might be worth it.

For travel around the city get an Oyster card. Buses are cheaper than the Underground, but not quite as convenient. If you have data on your phone, the Citymapper app is by far the best for navigating London's transport system.

For somewhere to stay hostels are the best place for cheap travel to European cities. As well as being cheap a lot will organise nights out with other travellers, and it's a great way to meet people. Just make sure to get some wax/silicone ear plugs beforehand.

British people are probably going to seem a lot more stand offish than you're used to in the US. Don't expect much luck talking to strangers on public transport; people will probably be happy to help you find where to go or something but not much more than that. You'll have better luck in pubs. Also if people start being a dick about you being American don't take it to heart, they don't really mean it its just "bants".

Please don't talk to anyone about the referendum, we don't want to think about it. Plus anyone you meet in London and Edinburgh probably voted to stay.

Edinburgh is also an amazing city, but one I know a lot less about.

 

[JoeNut]

Hello, a Brit here.

Trains are expensive unless you book in advance.
An Oyster card will make buses and the subway much easier and you can buy one online and prepay on the TFL website
Bristol to Scotland is a hell of a journey, if you're planning on going all that way then you might want to consider the Megabus, it's a ridiculously cheap way to travel the country, you can literally go the length of the country for £5 if you time it right.
Contrary to the rest of the advice I've seen here, wifi is everywhere, just ask for the password politely.

 

[Bananajama]

Just don't tip.

Don't want that crap spreading here

 

[A.edrerai]

Virgin Trains have a three day sale (this is the second day of the sale so you need to be quick) on where you can buy train tickets in July, August and September for really low prices. You need to buy one way tickets but you can buy one there and back if you need.

For instance a London to Glasgow return trip will normally cost you about £120-£130, you can get it for £28 now (although I think it pops up to £60 late in September). Takes 4.5 hours each way.

www.virgintrains.co.uk/sale

Wow what is going on there ? With that kind of money you can travel all Germany by train .

 

[Addnan]

Buy currency right now.

and stay of the fucking tube when were are going in and out of work. thank you.

don't stand in the middle of the platform in tiny little fucking Bank Station with your giant fucking tourist bags at 8.30am and expect people to be nice to you

 

[Famassu]

You can see Book of Mormon in London for, like, 1/10th of the prices in Broadway (just remember to buy tickets well beforehand, otherwise they won't be nearly as cheap).

 

[Protome]

Wow what is going on there ? With that kind of money you can travel all Germany by train .

Trains are crazy expensive in the UK. For no good reason really.

 

[commedieu]

Be careful crossing the street. I'm dead serious. They drive briskly and confident ovrr there. Always make surw youre looking the right way for oncoming traffic. London is as expensive as you make it. You can have a fine time pub crawling and meeting friends on the cheap.

Get one of those oyster card deals. Osta? Can't remember. The public transportation is amazing, and if all else fails uber is around too.

I got a vodaphone for like 50 bucks and the net+WiFi covered me for 2 weeks. If your phones unlocked u can get a sim card.

 

[Chinner]

Trains are crazy expensive in the UK. For no good reason really.

Privatisation, baby!

Also, book your tickets in advance. It's boring, but it'll save you money.

 

[EdwardTeach]

Don't clap in the cinema.

 

[danowat]

Trains are crazy expensive in the UK. For no good reason really.

If you pre-book, outside of rush hours, and use something like The Trainline, it's not too bad.

 

[EdwardTeach]

Just don't tip.

Don't want that crap spreading here

To clarify - you don't tip in bars. We do tip in restaurants, 10% is fine.

 

[danowat]

To clarify - you don't tip in bars. We do tip in restaurants, 10% is fine.

I only tip if the service has been particularly good.

 

[Jezbollah]

If you pre-book, outside of rush hours, and use something like The Trainline, it's not too bad.

Was going to post this ^

Just make sure the train you get on is the exact one you book (if you're going to travel long distance). Some operators have specific bookings for trains.

Also, obligatory "buy an Oyster Card if you're in London" remark

 

[danowat]

Was going to post this ^

Just make sure the train you get on is the exact one you book (if you're going to travel long distance). Some operators have specific bookings for trains.

Also, obligatory "buy an Oyster Card if you're in London" remark

It's probably also worth nothing, that if you don't have an oyster card, using contactless on the tube is cheaper than other payment methods.

 

[Imp the Dimp]

ask everyone about Brexit

 

[Bananajama]

To clarify - you don't tip in bars. We do tip in restaurants, 10% is fine.

Not all the time though

Service has to be particularly good
I often don't tip if I have to signal for service.

I shouldn't be the one doing the chasing

 

[obin_gam]

Be prepared that they can't season for shit. Always ask for extra salt and pepper on restaurants.

 

[fatchris]

You don't have to tip.

You'll be fine, don't worry about anything. You'll spend more money than planned. Read up on public transportation before you leave. Research the best way to use your phone.

We like Americans. Be yourself, have fun, be considerate. Check out the really good cafes. Use a rubber, don't fall in love.

 

[Dayner_Kurdi]

I know UK is safe but in general, do not put all your money in one place like in your wallet, have some in save up in your suitcase or between your cloths, also have one set of cloth with you in case your suitcase got lost between flight

 

[TedMilk]

Do plenty of jaywalking.

 

[Gawge]

London is great - and you can have an amazing time without spending much money. Your main cost is accommodation, but if you get a cheap Airbnb or Hostel you're sorted.

Get an Oyster card, or if you have contactless/Apple Pay you can just use that for the same price. Journeys seem expensive on the tube, but if you stay within zones 1/2 (that's where everything is), the price is capped at about £6 a day, and £30 a week. So just travel around on tubes and buses as much as you want.

There are so many free museums and galleries of amazing quality. The national gallery, Tate Britain, V&A, science museum etc... So many.

All your typical tourist sights, if that's your thing - Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, St Pauls are all free to look at.

London in the sun is incredible, so I hope the weather is good for you. Check out Regents Park with the rose gardens, go to Greenwich on the DLR (magic sky train that is part of the tube network, you go through Canary Wharf). There is the observatory and naval museum there, as well as a lovely village feel and huge park. Also, you can walk through a tunnel that goes under the river, and on the other side a is a city farm (Mudchute) - if you want to see some animals.

Lots of other amazing places to wander around too. Shoreditch for food and vintage shops. Brixton is great as well. Walk along the south bank. Check out Covent Garden. So much to do.

If you want to see other places in the UK - id fully recommend Brighton, Bristol and York as pleasant days out. Can be done cheaply on train if you plan it right.

 

[Hunter-Zero]

Have a look at this

https://www.englishclub.com/vocabulary/british-american.htm

 

[KAOz]

Take the chance and work "cunt" into every sentence.

Other than that, just enjoy. It's been years since I was in England.... even though it was a few weeks at a time, I miss it alot.

 

[Mad Season]

Are there hostels like the movie hostel
?

 

[Bloody_Five]

If it's your first trip abroad, it might be a bit daunting.
Some here is my advice as a relatively seasoned traveler:

-book as much as possible in advance
hostels, trains: not only it's cheaper but you get to pick and chose, compare etc...
Nothing is worst than doing it on the fly
This implies having a road map for the trip.
You don't have to plan every day right to the details but at least know that you are going to be at X for Y days etc...

-stay in youth hostels
Cheap accommodation and good places to socialize
You will meet a lot of nice people
Hostelworld.com is a great website to book and compare hostels

-do not spend too much time in London, especially if you are on a budget
It's expensive as hell

-don't burden yourself too much with equipment
Not only it's a drag but you increase the risk of having things stolen
Travel as light as you can
A laptop is ok but I would recommend against taking a fancy camera

-don't freak out about safety
Just stay clear of drunk and loud people
Watch out for your belongings: don't put your wallet in your back pocket
Don't go with the friendly guy or cab that will give you the city tour
Stay firm but polite and you will be fine

 

[EdwardTeach]

I love London, but it definitely isn't the cheapest city in the world. There's lots of cool stuff you can do for free though.

Visit some of the museums like the National History museum, British museum, V&A depending on what you're in to. They're all free entry.

Probably worth seeing Buckingham Palace during the changing of the guard.

If the weather is nice spend some time in the parks. Hyde park is very nice, or Hampstead Heath if you want to go a bit further out and get a great view of the city.

For paid stuff, the Tower of London is so expensive I wouldn't even consider it. I'm not sure how much the London Eye is but it might be worth it.

I disagree about the Tower of London, it is well worth a visit and considering most museums are free, your cost per museum is really low! It has the crown jewels, lots of cool weapons and armour and is generally interesting.

The V&A has a lovely inexpensive restaurant I recommend having lunch there if you do the Kensington museums (Natural History, Science and V&A). The British museum also has a reasonably nice restaurant. turn left when you enter the museum, the restaurant in the middle of the museum is pricy.

Natural History museum can have horrendous queues, I suggest waking up early and going there at opening time.

There are tons of museums and galleries in London. What are you into? My favourite would probably be the British museum with some amazing Egyptian, Assyrian, Greek Roman and Anglo Saxon stuff. I would also recommend the Kensington museums. The Wallace collection is a bit off the tourist trail and has one of the best collections of weapons and armour in the world along with a decent art gallery. (It was someones personal collection which is why it has the weird combo of art + swords!) In terms of art, the Tate Modern is a cool space and worth a visit for the building alone. In terms of collection I prefer the Tate Britain particularly the William Blake room hidden at the back. If you walk back towards the Houses of parliament from the Tate Britain then Victoria tower gardens is a good spot for taking photos of the the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben.

The good thing about everything being free, is that if you don't like anything you can just leave. IF you do like something please do give a donation. Our museums are really underfunded and I wish they would bring back charges (to keep out the rabble).

London's parks are lovely, and they link together so you can cover large parts of the city via park. I recommend trying to get around by foot a bit, as you will get a better sense of the city, and central London isn't actually that big.

Alcohol is much cheaper in supermarkets (~1/5th) and you are allowed to drink on the street/ in the park (but not on the tube). No brown paper bag nonsense here.

 

[EdwardTeach]

Take the chance and work "cunt" into every sentence.

Other than that, just enjoy. It's been years since I was in England.... even though it was a few weeks at a time, I miss it alot.

Don't actually do this! It is still our rudest word, and if used in the wrong context you could easily offend.

 

[danowat]

Alcohol is much cheaper in supermarkets (~1/5th) and you are allowed to drink on the street/ in the park (but not on the tube). No brown paper bag nonsense here.

That's not strictly true, there are quite a few "drink free" town areas nowadays.

 

[Log4Girlz]

Make sure to bring your gun; Brits will take any chance to tyrannize and control you so keep on your toes.

Also, if anybody offers you tea, be polite and take it. You can always pretend to sip it and then dump in a plant or the toilet or something when they're not looking.

That tea is going straight into the nearest harbor

 

[twobear]

If a British person tries to offer their sagely wisdom on 'everything that's wrong with America' just smile and nod along. There's a lot of self-proclaimed experts on American cultural studies on this side of the pond.

Nationally owned museums and galleries are free entry so take advantage of that.

The London Underground ('the tube') is the best public transport system in the world. You can either buy a week pass or an Oyster card, whichever you think will work out cheaper. Just find out the closest stop to where you want to go, then look for the route with the least number of stops on an underground map (this frequently involves changing lines but eh). Yes it gets busy during rush hour but it's still preferable to trudging around above ground most of the time.

No matter how much you're thinking it in your head please don't tell a British person that Britain is 'quaint'. We know it's small and everything is a bit old, we don't need Americans telling us that too.

 

[Madchad]

If you want to see the UK do not go to the cities. Go to places like Dawlish Warren, Cornwall (Lands End, Stone Henge). I would say Great Yarmouth but iv not been for quite a while not sure what it is like at the moment.

I cant speak for stuff in Wales and Scotland as i have not been far in those.

There are ALOT of Castles/Ruins you can visit most can be reached by train/bus and if you plan them out its a very cheap day/days out, you can put yourself up for the night in a B&B.

If you do go to London apart from seeing Big Ben, London Eye and the Palace i would recommend going to the National Art gallery its free entry and is amazing.

 

[danowat]

I would say Great Yarmouth but iv not been for quite a while not sure what it is like at the moment.

Shit hole (sorry to those who live there)

I much prefer Wells or Blakeney, or even Hunstanton.

Plus, the broads are also gorgeous, spend a day, spend a week, it's like another world.

 

[Madchad]

Shit hole (sorry to those who live there)

I much prefer Wells or Blakeney, or even Hunstanton.

Plus, the broads are also gorgeous, spend a day, spend a week, it's like another world.

Shame use to have some really nice family days out there back in the day.

 

[twobear]

Shit hole (sorry to those who live there)

I much prefer Wells or Blakeney, or even Hunstanton.

Plus, the broads are also gorgeous, spend a day, spend a week, it's like another world.

Yes, Norfolk is a secret slay. Spend a couple of nights in Norwich (it's cheap!) and visit the North Norfolk coast.

 

[danowat]

Shame use to have some really nice family days out there back in the day.

I'm sure lots of people like Yarmouth, but it's just not my bag, and I avoid the place if I can.

 

[Gipsy Danger]

If you're going to be in Glasgow you could take a trip out to Doune Castle. It's where they filmed Monty Python and the Holy Grail, and Outlander if that's your thing. Glasgow City is great, loads of stuff to do. Kelvingrove Gallery and Museum is very nice and IMO Glasgow has the best selection of restaurants in Scotland. Check out Ashton Lane in the West End.

 

[Camp Freddie]

If you go to London, you want either a contactless debit/credit card or a pre-paid oystercard.
This will cap your daily payment to £6.50, no matter how many tubes/buses you use.
https://tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-payments/contactless/what-are-contactless-payment-cards#outside

Travel by Tube, it's much less hassle than buses and taxis are pointless.

National Museums are free in the UK, so go to the Natural History and Science museums. The National Gallery, Victoria and Albert, and Tate Modern are good for art and also free to enter.

Tipping is for taxis and 'proper' restaurant meals where you are served at your table by a waiter and get the bill at the end. About 10% is normal.
We don't tip for bar service, though a lot of coffee shops will have a tips jar. They are generally only used to get rid of inconvenient loose change. Most people will pocket the change and not tip at all.

Most cities are as safe as USA equivalents. Be sensible and you'll be fine. Don't leave bags unattended and keep your wallet away from pickpockets.

Outside of London, all the provincial cities have stuff to do - but most don't really advertise for tourism, so do a bit of research unless you know some locals.

Edinburgh is an exception to this rule and is basically London with different accents and tartan/bagpipes replacing redcoats/stupid hats. It's a lot smaller than London and very friendly in my experience (definitely worth a visit).
Glasgow has an unfair reputation for being rough and uncultured. It's actually a very nice city, but it's not as touristy as Edinburgh.

Train journeys can be expensive, so coaches (cheaper) or hire cars (faster) might be better, depending on where you're going.

I'd recommend York. Other than being a great historical walled city, it's also quite central, so it's easy to fit into a travel plan (especially if it includes London and Scotland). York has serious ancient history, so it's something that just doesn't exist in the USA. It's a very small city and easy to find your way around.

Cornwall is worth a visit in the summer, but transport is shit. There are lots of small pretty coastal towns/villages. Hire a car if you're feeling brave and can handle incredibly narrow roads (and be very careful with Cornish sat-nav). It might be hard to fit a trip to the south-west into an itinerary, but maybe you could loop through London-Bristol-Cornwall-Cardiff-Liverpool-Lake District-Scotland or something similar. You can stop off at Stonehenge on the way to Cornwall.

If you want to get away from cities, the Lake District is good for country walks and has plenty of cheap hostels.

Don't forget that Dublin is only a quick/cheap flight (or possibly ferry) away. Likewise, you could go to Paris for a couple of days if you're feeling more adventurous.