London is buzzing! Fast-paced and energetic, it matched well with our life in the U.S. Without a language barrier, it felt like the best place to start our adventure.
The actual reason we decided to start in London was because of extremely cheap flights to London Heathrow from MCI- but it worked out perfectly for many other reasons.
In this blog, I'm just going to cover London TRANSPORTATION. There is so much else to write about (sites, restaurants, general tips), but I will cover them in separate blogs to keep this a readable length.
Ok, here we go...
Transportation:
COVID information:
We were not required to show our vaccination cards at any point in the U.K. We also did not need to test before entering. These criteria are constantly changing, so it is important to check the requirements of your destination well in advance. We were sent the relevant information by the airlines via email on several occasions before we left the U.S.
Flying internationally with kids:
The twins had never flown overseas. I was nervous about traveling with them and was anxious to get the trip over with. We chose our flights carefully. Our goals were as few connections as possible with a layover just long enough to give us some breathing room.
We selected a flight with a 4 hour layover in ATL. Our flight left MCI late, so our layover ended up being about 2 hours. We are lucky enough to have access to lounges because of our credit cards. This was a VERY helpful perk. We were able to relax and eat dinner (and stock up on lots of snacks) prior to the long international flight.
The flight itself went better than I anticipated. We were served two meals (not exactly kid-friendly food so I was happy we had eaten dinner in the airport at our usual time).
I gave the kids melatonin at the beginning of the flight, and they slept for several hours. All in all, it was fairly painless- more Fun than Punishment.
I would highly recommend Virgin Atlantic. The staff was amazing and there was plenty of in-seat entertainment for the kids.
Arriving at London Heathrow Airport:
There are 3 airports in London. Most flights from the U.S. arrive in Heathrow. We bought our tickets during COVID and they were VERY cheap, but it's impossible to predict anything with the airline industry now.
If you read the international news, you are aware that Heathrow has been a TRAVEL NIGHTMARE recently. The airport and airlines are understaffed and lines are excruciatingly long. I was expecting the worst.
In reality, I was shocked how easy our arrival was. The most important thing to know about traveling with kids at Heathrow is that a family passport line is available. We were directed there by Heathrow staff and it bypassed at least 200 people. We didn't wait at all! Amazing!
Our bags took awhile, but all eventually arrived and we had no further checks by border control.
Travel to London From Heathrow
Taxi: This is obviously the most expensive option-and I'm not sure it's the quickest given the amount of traffic in London. We were quoted a price of 90 Euros for the cab ride into the city. This wasn't possible for our budget so we kept investigating.
Heathrow Express: This is a direct train from Heathrow to central London (Paddington station). It is 25 Euros per person and kids under 15 ride free with a paying adult. You can read more about ticket pricing here.
Underground: This is the cheapest option and the one we chose. It is about 8-10 euros for adults, depending on your destination. Children <11 years old are free on the Underground.
The Piccadilly Line and the new Elizabeth Line (recently dedicated to Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II) both service Heathrow.
Oyster Cards are smart cards that allow you to pay as you go for any public transportation in London. Even easier: use your contactless credit card to enter and exit the Underground. We never had to talk to a ticket agent or buy a ticket at the kiosk.
Your card will be charged for each trip but stop charging after a daily maximum. The highest charge we saw on our cards (and we used the Underground CONSTANTLY) was $10-12/day. You have to use the same card (and each adult needs a separate card) for entry and exit or you won't be able to exit the station at your destination.
Finally, if you are traveling on the Underground with kids, use the handicap turnstiles. If you don't, both you and your child won't be able to pass through before it closes. This is both awkward and painful (P.S.A based on personal experience).
Finding the Right Route
We used Google maps. It was extremely accurate and gave us the correct Underground stations and what line to take. It gave the route to walk to the bus or tube stations also showed when the next train or bus was leaving. Without it, everything would have been much more confusing.
Double-Decker Buses
Yes, the buses in London are amazing red double-decker buses. There are the city buses and then dozens of private tour companies with their own similar 2-level vehicles- our kids' favorite was definitely the TOOT bus :)
Since we are traveling on a budget, we decided not to participate in a tour; but, I think that would be a nice way to familiarize yourself with the layout of the city and its many sites.
We did take every opportunity to ride the double-decker city buses. It's not as comprehensive as a tour bus, but you get the general experience. You can again pay with your contactless credit card when entering bus (but no action is needed when exiting). Google maps shows the stops and will help you track when to exit the bus. The twins still report that it is one of their favorite activities in London!
Leaving London Heathrow Airport
Our next stop was Zurich and we decided to fly. There are trains available, but they are obviously a much longer journey. In hindsight, this would've been a better option. We got to experience some of the Heathrow chaos on our trip out.
We received an email from British Airways the days before our flight warning that "queues are expected to be very long" on the day of our trip. We decided to leave 5 hours before our flight to allow time for the Underground trip there and any lines at the airport.
Back on the Piccadilly line to Heathrow, it wasn't the most comfortable ride with our huge backpacks. There was very little space to put luggage and allow room for other passengers.
Once in Heathrow, our check-in process went smoothly. You have to tag your own bags and it took us a few minutes to figure it our. The British Airway staff was so helpful and even gave the kids little skybags with activities for the plane.
The line for security was absolutely huge! It took at least an hour and we were so glad we had extra time. We had so much extra time that we were able to check out another lounge. The airport was so busy, even lounge access had a line!
Our flight was delayed by about an hour, but we felt so lucky to make it out at all. Dozens of flights were canceling and staffing at the airport was a major issue. One strange thing about Heathrow- the gate number isn't always released until 1 hour before the flight leaves. This felt odd for us, as we like to be to the gate in plenty of time.
Check back soon for information on all the amazing sites we visited with the kids while in London! Sign up for our blog to be notified when we post something new.
Thanks for reading!
Best,
Steph