London Questions

Isasprings

 

I wouldn't worry about it too much at the moment as the strikes are often called off at the last minute. Just monitor the situation.

 

 

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Isasprings

 

I wouldn't worry about it too much at the moment as the strikes are often called off at the last minute. Just monitor the situation.

 

 

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Thank you, for your quick reply.

 

Isa

Hello,

Please tell me this not true! We arrive to London on April 20-23 and I read

somewhere the Tube union is planning to go on strike on that weekend.

I was looking forward to use the Picadilly line from Heathrow to central London.

Unions threaten strikes but they don't always happen. Google turned up articles saying that the strike this month will be earlier than your weekend (April 11 or April 13, depending on the source). One article said it's going to effect the District Line.

We arrive to London on April 20-23 and I read somewhere the Tube union is planning to go on strike on that weekend.

Google turned up articles saying that the strike this month will be earlier than your weekend (April 11 or April 13, depending on the source). One article said it's going to effect the District Line.

From memory, I think that the RMT union is planning a 4-day strike on the DLR for the weekend that includes 22 April; this follows the 2-day strike on 28 and 29 March. Some will know that 22 April is the day of the London Marathon. Draw your own conclusions!

From memory, I think that the RMT union is planning a 4-day strike on the DLR for the weekend that includes 22 April; this follows the 2-day strike on 28 and 29 March. Some will know that 22 April is the day of the London Marathon. Draw your own conclusions!

 

 

 

Correct, it is a DLR strike (and the dispute is with the company that runs the DLR on behalf of TfL, so shouldn’t spread to the Tube).

 

Piccadilly Line from Heathrow should be fine

 

 

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Will be in London this June and have a couple questions,

 

Do taxis take American Express or MasterCard for the fare?

 

Plan to take in a musical play and a trip to a museum, probable the British Museum. I can get a taxi by the hotel but wondering if taxis are usually available outside the venues I visit.

 

Do most higher end hotels (4 or 5 star) have currency exchange services available.

 

Thanks for any advice.

 

Just noticed your post. I would recommend you get a Contactless enabled American Express and/or Mastercard as Contactless payments are widely used in London and if travelling on public transport, you need to use either a Visitor Oyster card or Contactless card as cash payments are not accepted on buses or purchase a ticket for the London Underground. I travel on public transport in London and make purchases using a Contactless American Express card without difficulty for payments less than £30 than but appreciate you may not want to use public transport.

 

As others have mentioned, Black Cabs will give you all kinds of excuses for not taking any card payment. Alternative is to Uber which is widely available and remove the need to worry about payment methods.

 

As for currency. As other have mentioned, avoid exchanging at your hotel. It will be extremely unfavourable to you. Instead, you could try pre-ordering currency from home on the internet for pick up from the airport on arrival. This usually gives a better rate than exchanging once here. However with the widespread use of Contactless payment, it is possible to travel and visit London without local currency with the exchange rate calculated by your bank/card provider usually at the prevailing daily exchange rate for each Contactless payment.

 

PS Do ensure that your credit cards are a the very least Chip and Pin enabled.

Thanks again for the updated suggestions. Booked a private car and driver for a day tour to Windsor and Eton. Liked the idea of a hotel pickup and drop off with no crowded tour buses to deal with. Will probably do a HOHO bus the next day, close stop by the Tower of London. Hope to see the Churchill War Rooms, plan to purchase those and bus tickets on line.

 

The restaurant suggestions are appreciated, will check them out.

This is our second trip to London, but the last one was many years ago. Any suggestions on what area to stay in? We want to be close to convenient transportation, but not in too congested an area.

Also ideas for fun things to do if we've already done the main sights before?

We have 2 full days there.

Also ideas for fun things to do if we've already done the main sights before?

How off-the-wall do you want to be?

 

Two things which have just randomly come into my head:-

• Up at the O2
  
• The Mail Rail
  

Thank you! The mail rail looks like fun, not sure if the other is for us. Any other ideas?

You can add your Amex, Visa, etc., to Apple Pay or Samsung Pay (phone payment apps) and you would have contactless credit cards.

 

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The mail rail looks like fun, not sure if the other is for us. Any other ideas?

What kind of things are you interested in? There is so much on in London that the list is potentially endless, and much really does depend on how off-the-wall you want to be. For example, if the walk across the O2 isn't for you, does that mean that the Thames RIB Experience is out as well? Are you into museums that are not the standard big ones - so perhaps the Geffrye (currently closed, though), the Horniman or the Dulwich Picture Gallery? Give us a clue!

We arrive to London on April 20-23 and I read somewhere the Tube union is planning to go on strike on that weekend. I was looking forward to use the Picadilly line from Heathrow to central London.

More information is now available on this.

 

There is no suggestion that the Piccadilly Line will be affected by any strike action during your stay. As 7 days' notice has to be given of any strike, I think that you can now rely on this.

 

The email which TfL has just sent out says this:-

 

The RMT has announced strike action on the DLR. This will run from 04:00 on Friday 20 April, until 03:59 on Tuesday 24 April. The strike has been called over a dispute with KeolisAmey Docklands who operate the DLR on behalf of TfL.

 

Plans are being developed with the aim of operating a limited service over the four days, which coincide with the London Marathon on Sunday 22 April.

 

If the strike goes ahead, extra bus services will be deployed along the DLR network over the four days. All other TfL services will be operating as usual, however there will be road closures around the London Marathon route from early Sunday morning. The Jubilee, Central, District and Hammersmith & City lines in East London are expected to be busier than usual and stations including Canary Wharf, Canada Water, London Bridge, Canning Town, Bank and Stratford may be exceptionally busy.

 

Further information on what services may operate will be communicated ahead of the strike and posters, digital boards and announcements in London Underground and London Overground stations will keep customers informed of the levels of service.

 

For up to date information on what services may operate, please visit tfl.gov.uk/dlr. Please check before you travel or follow us on Twitter @londondlr, @TravelAlerts, @TfLTrafficNews and @TfLBusAlerts.

I have a suspicion that this strike is likely to be particularly effective (in IR terms) because it's lengthy and it's directly aimed at the Marathon, for which the DLR is in the forefront of public transport. TfL's response seems to reflect this, because it suggests a greater degree of proactive contingency planning than was seen during either of the previous DLR strikes.

 

For context, strikes on the DLR were virtually unknown until KeolisAmey Docklands took over the contract. Frequent DLR users will have noticed other changes on the DLR since that time.

Looking for a hotel in London, for active seniors, something centrally located that won't break the bank. I'm currently looking at Roseate House and Park Grand Lancaster Gate. Anyone familiar with either? Or other suggestions?

This will be our third visit to this wonderful city, we are staying at the Radisson Grafton and on the map it looks to be reasonably close to the British Museum, is it really walkable. We have never been to this museum and my husband doesn't walk long long distances but wants to see it. Thanks for your help.

This will be our third visit to this wonderful city, we are staying at the Radisson Grafton and on the map it looks to be reasonably close to the British Museum, is it really walkable. We have never been to this museum and my husband doesn't walk long long distances but wants to see it. Thanks for your help.

 

 

It’s going to be at least a 20 minute walk for someone with mobility issues, I would think. The same chain’s Kenilworth hotel is much closer.

 

 

 

 

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This will be our third visit to this wonderful city, we are staying at the Radisson Grafton and on the map it looks to be reasonably close to the British Museum, is it really walkable. We have never been to this museum and my husband doesn't walk long long distances but wants to see it. Thanks for your help.

If the distance to the British Museum is your goal why not change your reservation to the Radisson Bloomsbury?

It is very, very close to the BM and a very similar hotel.

If the distance to the British Museum is your goal why not change your reservation to the Radisson Bloomsbury?

 

It is very, very close to the BM and a very similar hotel.

 

 

 

Good point, the Radisson Bloomsbury and Kenilworth are at the same junction, almost within touching distance of the museum.

 

 

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Thanks to all that answered, I appreciate your time and information. Our hotel is part of a package deal and so is unchangeable but I would imagine we could get a taxi to the museum.

More information is now available on this.

 

There is no suggestion that the Piccadilly Line will be affected by any strike action during your stay. As 7 days' notice has to be given of any strike, I think that you can now rely on this.

 

The email which TfL has just sent out says this:-

 

I have a suspicion that this strike is likely to be particularly effective (in IR terms) because it's lengthy and it's directly aimed at the Marathon, for which the DLR is in the forefront of public transport. TfL's response seems to reflect this, because it suggests a greater degree of proactive contingency planning than was seen during either of the previous DLR strikes.

 

For context, strikes on the DLR were virtually unknown until KeolisAmey Docklands took over the contract. Frequent DLR users will have noticed other changes on the DLR since that time.

 

 

TfL and the RMT have announced that this strike action has been suspended following progress in talks.

 

So in that sense, it was effective!

 

 

 

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