Eight London buses have been given a purple makeover to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Transport for London (TfL) said the vehicles began displaying their commemorative wraps on the capital’s roads on Friday. The revamp was funded by operators Arriva, RATP, Abellio, Go-Ahead, Metroline, and Stagecoach. Passengers using the Elizabeth line, Jubilee line, or … [Read more...] about London buses given purple makeover ahead of Platinum Jubilee
Travel
Ten Romantic Places to Visit in London
Paris might be the “City of Love”, but London certainly has its share of romance. From picturesque Royal Parks to statues that celebrate love, the city has many romantic spots for you to take a loved one. We’ve identified ten different places for romance throughout London and many of them present a great opportunity for a date. If you need flowers, want to take a picnic, … [Read more...] about Ten Romantic Places to Visit in London
Crossrail is Coming: Frequently Asked Questions about the New Elizabeth Line Opening May 24th
The long-awaited Elizabeth line will finally open on May 24. Here are 10 key questions that have been asked about it and about what impact it will have on transport journeys in London. What area will the Elizabeth line cover? It will run from Reading in Berkshire and Heathrow Airport in west London, to Shenfield in Essex and Abbey Wood in south-east London, via the … [Read more...] about Crossrail is Coming: Frequently Asked Questions about the New Elizabeth Line Opening May 24th
Finally: London’s new £19bn Elizabeth line to open on May 24 – Crossrail Arrives!
London’s delayed and over-budget Elizabeth line railway will finally open on Tuesday, May 24, Transport for London (TfL) has announced. Services will initially operate from Mondays to Saturdays, allowing further testing and software updates to take place on Sundays. Crossrail – the project to build the new east-west railway – was due to be completed in December 2018 and was … [Read more...] about Finally: London’s new £19bn Elizabeth line to open on May 24 – Crossrail Arrives!
Qantas promises 20 hour non-stop flights from London to Sydney by 2025
Qantas has promised to start direct flights from Sydney to London by late 2025. The Australian airline has ordered twelve airbuses capable of flying non-stop to the UK and the US’s major cities. The long haul Sydney-London flight will take roughly 20 hours, making it one of the world’s longest. Qantas already provides a direct 17-hour flight between London and Perth. The … [Read more...] about Qantas promises 20 hour non-stop flights from London to Sydney by 2025
Laura’s London: Rare Tour of The Speaker’s House State Apartments at the Palace of Westminster
For two weeks during the House of Commons Easter recess, there was the rare opportunity to see inside the Speaker's House. This was the first time tours of these State Apartments have been offered to the public so I booked quickly and got a ticket before all tours sold out. For over 160 years the State Apartments in Speaker’s House has hosted visits and dinners for Royalty … [Read more...] about Laura’s London: Rare Tour of The Speaker’s House State Apartments at the Palace of Westminster
The London Fiver – Five Unusual Hobbies You Can Learn in London
When people go on holiday, they might opt for taking a course to learn something like French pastry making or Italian cooking. London certainly has its own share of courses tourists can take from chocolate making to beer brewing, but there are also more than a few unusual hobbies that you can learn while you’re visiting the city. From centuries-old skills to fictional sports, … [Read more...] about The London Fiver – Five Unusual Hobbies You Can Learn in London
Good News! Florence Nightingale Museum to reopen on International Nurses’ Day
The director of the Florence Nightingale Museum has said fighting to reopen after the pandemic has been an “emotional roller-coaster”. The London museum celebrating the most famous figure in nursing history will open again on May 12. It marks the 202nd anniversary of her birth and International Nurses’ Day. David Green said it has been a “long and tiring time” … [Read more...] about Good News! Florence Nightingale Museum to reopen on International Nurses’ Day
Santander Cycles – The History of Bicycle Share in London and How to Use It
London’s bicycle sharing program is one of the top means of public transportation in the city. Roughly 30,000 – 40,000 people take advantage of the Transport for London’s bicycle scheme on a daily basis. Bicycle sharing has been around since Amsterdam adopted the first program in 1965 and London first adopted it in 2010. Colloquially known as “Boris Bikes” since Boris … [Read more...] about Santander Cycles – The History of Bicycle Share in London and How to Use It
A Brief History of the Bakerloo Line
Like a lightning bolt running through the city, the Bakerloo line gets passengers where they’re going nearly as fast and has been doing so for over 100 years. Its name is a portmanteau of two parts of London through which it ran when it first opened in 1906. You might be interested to learn, however, that its history goes back well before this and into the 19th Century when … [Read more...] about A Brief History of the Bakerloo Line
Platinum Jubilee: Ocean of flowers to fill Tower of London moat as Superbloom field sowing begins
The sowing of more than 20 million seeds in the Tower of London’s moat to create a “Superbloom” meadow has begun. Cornflowers – with their burst of blue when in full flower – have been specifically chosen to hark back to a time when the historic fortress’s trench was filled with water, while the other wildflowers will include red poppies and yellow corn marigolds. With … [Read more...] about Platinum Jubilee: Ocean of flowers to fill Tower of London moat as Superbloom field sowing begins
Uber granted two-and-a-half-year license to operate in London
The ride-hailing company had previously been denied a license by Transport for London in November 2019. But a judge granted an 18-month license in September 2020, deciding it was a fit and proper company “despite historical failings”. We’re delighted to announce @TfL has granted Uber a new 30 month licence in London. TfL rightly holds our industry to the highest regulatory … [Read more...] about Uber granted two-and-a-half-year license to operate in London
Gatwick reopens south terminal as airlines ramp up schedules
Flights are ramping up from around 300 to 570 a day on Sunday, making it equivalent to opening a medium-sized airport overnight. The terminal has been dormant since June 15 2020 to reduce costs during the coronavirus pandemic. Its shops, cafes, and other facilities have undergone months of refurbishment, updating, and cleaning ahead of the reopening. Gatwick said the … [Read more...] about Gatwick reopens south terminal as airlines ramp up schedules
The London Fiver – Five of the Best Bookshops in the Borough of Camden
Camden is known for being one of the best shopping experiences in London with its multiple street markets, high street shops, and pop-up retailers. Naturally, such a great place for shopping also extends to books. The Borough of Camden has some of the best small and independent bookshops that you’ll find in the city, and amongst the rows and rows of books in them, just about … [Read more...] about The London Fiver – Five of the Best Bookshops in the Borough of Camden
Crossrail Begins Running Daily Tests To Open Soon to the Public
Crossrail will operate empty trains for several weeks to ensure the service is “absolutely flawless” when it opens, the boss of Transport for London (TfL) said. Andy Byford, London’s transport commissioner, told reporters he does not want the launch of the capital’s new railway to be reminiscent of the botched opening of Heathrow’s Terminal 5. Hundreds of flights were … [Read more...] about Crossrail Begins Running Daily Tests To Open Soon to the Public
London’s Heathrow Airport Ends COVID-19 Mask Requirements
London's Heathrow Airport has announced that it will end the requirement to wear masks in the airport, based on the recent UK government announcement that all COVID travel restrictions and regulations will end from Friday. Here are the full details from the Heathrow press release in my inbox: Those traveling through Heathrow will no longer be required to wear a … [Read more...] about London’s Heathrow Airport Ends COVID-19 Mask Requirements
New Euston Station Unveiled – HS2’s Euston station to have ‘bronze or gold’ roof
HS2’s Euston station will feature a bold roof colored “bronze or gold” under new plans for the high-speed railway’s London terminus. Designers hope the “innovative” structure will be an “identifying feature” of the north London station, HS2 Ltd said. Its design will maximize the amount of natural light that reaches the concourse below. Declan McCafferty, lead … [Read more...] about New Euston Station Unveiled – HS2’s Euston station to have ‘bronze or gold’ roof
It’s going to be harder to hail a Black London Taxi as Cabbies stop searching for passengers due to soaring fuel costs
Cabbies in London are queuing at ranks rather than driving in search of passengers because of spiralling diesel costs. Steve McNamara, general secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association, said “extortionate” fuel prices are having a major impact on the drivers of the 10,000 diesel-powered black cabs on the capital’s roads. Latest figures from data firm Experian … [Read more...] about It’s going to be harder to hail a Black London Taxi as Cabbies stop searching for passengers due to soaring fuel costs
London Mayor unveils plan to expand Congestion Charge Zone to whole of Greater London
London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) will be expanded to cover the entire city under plans announced by mayor Sadiq Khan to cut pollution and congestion. Mr. Khan has asked Transport for London (TfL) to consult on extending the scheme’s boundary from the North and South Circular Roads to the whole of Greater London by the end of next year. Drivers of vehicles that do … [Read more...] about London Mayor unveils plan to expand Congestion Charge Zone to whole of Greater London
London Alert: Warning over Tube services ahead of strike Tuesday and Thursday
London Underground is set to be crippled on Tuesday because of a strike by thousands of workers amid a warning there could be no Tube services because of the action.There will be a similar scale of disruption during a second walkout on Thursday, with a knock-on impact on Wednesday and Friday.Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) are taking action in a dispute … [Read more...] about London Alert: Warning over Tube services ahead of strike Tuesday and Thursday
London Alert: Strikes by London Underground workers to go ahead next week
Strikes by London Underground (LU) workers are to go ahead next week after talks failed to resolve a dispute over jobs, pensions and conditions. Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union will walk out next Tuesday and Thursday (March 1 and 3), threatening disruption to Tube services across the capital. The RMT said during talks at conciliation service Acas … [Read more...] about London Alert: Strikes by London Underground workers to go ahead next week
Heathrow records lowest annual passenger numbers for nearly 50 years
Heathrow has revealed it was the only hub airport in Europe to see a reduction in passenger numbers in 2021, due to the UK’s tougher coronavirus travel rules. Just 19.4 million people traveled through the west London airport last year. That was down 12.3% on the previous 12 months and represents the lowest annual total since 1972. The airport blamed its poor … [Read more...] about Heathrow records lowest annual passenger numbers for nearly 50 years
Transport for London scraps face masks rule
Public transport users in London will no longer be required to wear face masks from Thursday. Transport for London (TfL) announced that face coverings will stop being a condition of carriage following the “shift in the Government’s approach” towards living with coronavirus. It added that “decreasing infection rates in London” were also a factor in its decision. The … [Read more...] about Transport for London scraps face masks rule
The Fiver – Five Bookshops in Greenwich to Visit
Continuing our search for the best places for bibliophiles in London, we turn our attention to the other side of the River Thames and the Borough of Greenwich. There are a wide variety of bookshops within the boundaries of Greenwich, from great secondhand stores to large corporate retailers. Whatever you’re looking to read, we can guide you to one of five shops within the … [Read more...] about The Fiver – Five Bookshops in Greenwich to Visit
London Underground and bus fares to increase from next month
Fares on the London Underground and buses in the capital will rise from March 1, the mayor has announced. Sadiq Khan said pay-as-you-go fares will increase by 10p in zone one from £2.40 to £2.50 (this is the fare usually used by tourists who have an Oyster Card or use Contactless). Bus fares will increase by 10p to £1.65, while its Hopper fares – which allow unlimited … [Read more...] about London Underground and bus fares to increase from next month
Londontopia is simply the website for people who love London. It was founded by Jonathan & Jackie Thomas from Anglotopia.net as a place to post articles solely focused on London and its environs. Keep up with all the latest London news at Londontopia! This site is geared towards people who love to visit London and our primary audience is North American but everyone is welcome!