London -walking/metro or private car

[xcomet]

Hello,

Fellow CC members, need you experiences/advice...

I have done much research( thank you all for the informational threads) and have decided between two tour companies.

One is touring london with major tourist attractions via private van and guide, the other using the metro, our feet and a guide.

Price difference about 200 euro. but which do you think is better?

I have heard (read)that the traffic in London is so bad that many tourists missed some sights by eating up their time in traffic. However, I have also read that because of the proximity or lack of it, between sights, that the use of the private car/van was better.

what are your opinions? thank you for your help.

[John Bull]

There are of course pros & cons. How significant depends on a few factors.

 

What date? Or at least what day of the week?

 

And what sights?

In particular how many stops (inside visits, not just photo-stops) in the van?

 

Does the van involve one driver/guide, or one driver and one guide?

 

How many in your group? Any kids, folk with mobility issues?

 

Can we presume this is not the day you arrive/depart?

 

JB :)

[handfordr]

If you feel you need a guide, I wouldn't hire a vehicle with the guide, it will be a millstone around your neck.

Just get a guide and walk and use the Underground as itinerary demands.

 

I would be clear in your own mind what you expect from the guide. A lot of so called guides are what I would call chaparons and are not qualified as guides. Some major attractions bar guides full stop, others only allow guides that have blue badge credentials for that attraction.

Unless you have a niche interest and require a very specialist guide I susepct strongly you'd be better off exploring independently and only hiring guiding capacity and devices where needed.

[RCCL_newbie]

I agree with the views to use the underground and a guide when you think you need one, many attractions have great staff and information and there are loads of walking tours which are a fun way of 'knowing what you're looking at'! Driving in London is a real challenge and v.slow indeed - I work in London and would only do it if I had no other choice.

You don't say what you wish to see.

I suggest getting a central London map before you go so you have an idea how far apart things are. There is history and interesting things all around you so above ground is far more interesting than the 'tube'.

Enjoy your trip:)

[Goldiedog]

Use the underground,we were in London last week and it took nearly an hour to go a couple if miles in a taxi, traffic was so heavy,roadworks, and everything shut off because of Quees Jubilee, the same will happen for the Olympics. Tube is busy but very fast.

[xcomet]

hello all and thanks for the advice. We will be there on July 10,11, and 12.

We want to see the major stuff, which I have mapped out on mapquest hours and hours later!:) And I am thinking after reading all you opinions, I will probably get the guide and do the metro. I really dont want to be sitting in traffic , which is what I was worried about!!

[xcomet]

There are of course pros & cons. How significant depends on a few factors.

 

What date? Or at least what day of the week?

 

And what sights?

In particular how many stops (inside visits, not just photo-stops) in the van?

 

Does the van involve one driver/guide, or one driver and one guide?

 

How many in your group? Any kids, folk with mobility issues?

 

Can we presume this is not the day you arrive/depart?

 

JB :)

JOhn,

July 10,11 and 12. A Monday tuesday wednesday. Yes inside visits like westminster abbbey,tower bridge,windsor castle , then just photo ops of Big Ben, etc

there are 5 of us. Three teens and DH and me!:eek: Not the day I arrive or depart. And I have both people who are blue badge driver/guide

[xcomet]

Use the underground,we were in London last week and it took nearly an hour to go a couple if miles in a taxi, traffic was so heavy,roadworks, and everything shut off because of Quees Jubilee, the same will happen for the Olympics. Tube is busy but very fast.

great advice!! thanks

[John Bull]

JOhn,

July 10,11 and 12. A Monday tuesday wednesday. Yes inside visits like westminster abbbey,tower bridge,windsor castle , then just photo ops of Big Ben, etc

there are 5 of us. Three teens and DH and me!:eek: Not the day I arrive or depart. And I have both people who are blue badge driver/guide

 

The make-up of your party - effectively five adults - doesn't create any difficulties with either option.

 

I'd not be so quick to rule out a private van.

 

Although this will be a busy time, visitors to London use public transport - they don't significantly add to the traffic.

 

Having separate driver & guide overcomes my major concern with a van - that a driver/guide cannot make a half-decent job of guiding & driving, particularly at most (all?) stops since parking is a major problem.

 

On weekdays, as others have said, traffic can get snarled-up. But experienced drivers & guides, just like London's cab drivers, know the regular trouble-spots and ways to avoid them.

Although the major sights are quite spread, as RCCL Newbie has mentioned, central London's other sights come thick & fast. So a knowledgeable guide (they don't come any more knowledgeable than a blue-badge) can give you interesting info about your surroundings even if your vehicle does get caught in one or two small unexpected log-jams. In fact, your guide may welcome them - the traffic can be too quick for more than a few words about each place you pass.

I don't see traffic as such a major issue.

 

The tube is by far the best way to get from A to B quickly & cheaply & easily. For instance, if time was at a premium & you just wanted to see the Tower of London & St Paul's & Westminster Abbey.

But it's very very dis-orientating, & you will get a series of dis-jointed snapshots. Walking or ho-ho bus or a private vehicle will give you a waaaay better overall picture, and you'll see literally dozens of places that you'd miss on the tube.

Time on the tube is dead time.

At a very few places, such as Buckingham Palace, walking from the nearest tube station will cost some time.

 

You don't have to stick with the vehicle - doubtless here & there you & your guide will walk you through places best appreciated on foot or inacccessible by vehicle, and meet up with the van at another point. Parts of the waterfront or along Whitehall spring to mind.

 

Your vehicle is a bolt-hole, somewhere to stash bags & rainwear & purchases & such.

 

So, to repeat, don't be too quick to rule out a van.

 

 

Worth checking the prices you've been quoted? The mention of Euros surprised me.

A private van & blue-badge guide would be too rich for me, & most folk get full value out of the ho-ho buses. But value-for-money depends on the depth of your pocket, not mine.

 

Windsor Castle is about 20 miles out of town (beyond Heathrow), & doesn't fit into a central London schedule.

Including travelling, it's worthy of at least a long half-day, and the town of Windsor is also worth wandering for an hour or so. You might even consider a ten-minute walk across the river & up to historic Eton School (College?), where many famous statesmen have been educated over the years. You can see the various buidings from the street, but for a tour of the school you'd need to pre-book.

Windsor Castle is one of the places where HandfordR mentioned that only accredited guides are permitted, and it would be wasted money to have a guide accompany you from central London. And travelling by van would be a waste of money & time - the train is far better.

Good audio-guides are available, or you can book a castle guide.

 

Hope this helps you to choose.

 

JB :)

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Metro is great there buses and train ..

[xcomet]

thanks for all the replies, we ended up booking guide and some time on our own! good combo of stuff

[Giantfan13]

I was going to offer my advice not to use a guide and the reasons for that, but since you have already booked, maybe next time.

 

Cheers

 

Len

[DeloreanGirl]

We walked, walked, walked as attractions were closer than we assumed. Then used a HOHO to get from one end to the other. It was so easy to go inside the major sights. However, if you have walking difficulties this might not work. We actually didn't use the Tube until the last day because everything was so walkable. It's a phenomenal city.

 

I'm sure the guide will work out just fine. :)