Travel and transport
Car services & taxis
Addison Lee
Although prices have recently increased, and consistency of service is not what it once was, Addison Lee still offer one of the most safe and comfortable journeys home in the capital. They will text you to let you know they have left, and cars are always immaculate.
(020 7307 3788/ www.addlee.com).
Airport Direct
Competitively priced service for all London airports. If you call as soon as your flight lands, they can usually be outside by the time you’re through baggage claim.
(020 7281 0207/ www.airportdirect.uk.com).
Computer Cab
After setting up an account you can make online bookings on Computer Cab’s user-friendly website.
(020 7432 1432/ www.computercab.co.uk).
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Dial a cab
Black cabs that come to your door, with special super-safe booking service for single women.
(020 72535000/ www.dialacab.co.uk).
Express Ways
Cheap airport transfers (Heathrow from £26) as well as business and private deals.
(0845 121212/ www.expressways.co.uk).
Green Tomato Cars
Eco-friendly cab company with a fleet of Toyota Priuses, which emit less than half the carbon dioxide of a standard black cab.
(020 8748 8881/ www.greentomatocars.com).
Radio Taxis
Offering carbon-neutral travel, this award winning cab firm offers booking online and by text to its registered users.
(020 272 0272/ www.radiotaxis.co.uk).
Coach travel
Megabus
(0900 160 0900/ www.megabus.com).
National Express
(08705 808080/ www.nationalexpress.com).
Scottish Citylink
(0870 550 5050/ wwwcitylink.co.uk).
Local cabs
www.tfl.gov.uk has a large database of licensed minicab firms.
A brilliant and, according to our readers, failsafe service allows you to text ‘HOME’ to 60835 and instantly receive a text with licensed minicab firms within your vicinity (tracking where you are at the time of the text).
You can also call 020 9758 2000 to get through to your nearest licensed cab firm, wherever you are in London. Some recommended local firms:
Essex Cars (N7, E8)
(020 7241 2001).
Handicars (SE13)
(020 8852 2211).
Ladycabs (N19, mainly women)
(020 7272 3300).
Panther Cars (SE22)
(020 8693 0101).
Sam’s Minicab service (N16, E8)
(020 7241 4006).
Rail travel
Eurostar
As well as trips to Paris, Lille and Brussels, Eurostar can sell you connecting trains to the rest of France and Europe.
(0870 518 6186/ www.eurostar.com).
The Man in Seat Sixty One
Highly comprehensive site and travel blog detailing how to travel by rail and ship around the world. Hugely informative.
(www.seat61.com).
National Rail Enquiries
Information on service disruptions, as well as seller of national and international rail tickets.
(08457 48 49 50/ www.nationalrail.co.uk).
qjump
Book rail tickets here – particularly good if you book in advance.
(www.qjump.co.uk).
Rail Europe
Buy train tickets for the continent up to three months ahead.
(08708 371 371).
Transport information
AA
Breakdown service, motor insurance, route finder service and driving school.
(0800 828283/ www.theaa.com).
Busmap.org
Allows you to download bus maps for free, order them over the phone, or receive an A to B route by text.
(020 7918 3015/ www.busmap.org).
Congestion Charging
Operates Mon-Fri, excluding public holidays 7am-6pm. Pay in advance to save yourself cash, by using this website or phone line.
(0845 900 1234/ www.cclondon.com).
London Cycle Network
Download free cycle route guides.
(www.londoncyclenetwork.com).
Map my run
Useful (if slightly self-congratulatory) online facility, which allows you to input your cycle or run route, and then calculate anything from the exact distance covered to the calories you have burned.
(www.mapmyrun.com).
Traffic Information hotlines
Check www.bbc.co.uk/travelnews and www.rac.co.uk/travelservices, or dial 1740 from any phone to get the latest from the RAC.
Transport for London
Offers a helpful route finder, which allows you to put in your starting and finishing postcodes, addresses or stations, which methods of transport you want to use, and then devises the quickest or cheapest route for you. This includes bike routes and maps taking you between stops and destinations. Also, you can top up your Oyster Card online to avoid the hunt for a vendor near you (which seems to be practically impossible after 7pm).
(www.tfl.gov.uk).
Travelwatch
The place to voice your complaints about London Transport.
(020 7505 9000/ www.travelwatch.org.uk).
thetube.com
Has up-to-the-minute updates on disruptions and delays.
(www.thetube.com).
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5 comments
Hello,
I would like to quickly ask you how I could get a copy of the time out magazine of last week, as I am one of the dancers who were photographed when we filming the Brazilian film which was shot last month about Jean Charles de Menezes.
many thanks,
Flavia
I have purchased from Jonathan Quearney's tailoring shop and was very pleased. I have now moved away from london and purchased a bespoke shirt from www.mytailoredshirt.com and was very suprised with the fitting since it fitted like a bespoke shirt is supposed to. I cannot fit into a standard shirt since I have had a few beers too many in my time. Its amazing what technology can do these days.
Shirt stream listed above, I must disagree with the reviewer. Unless (s)he by "local values" mean bad service and rude manners. They have ruined a shirt of mine and did not do anything about it, and even insisted on my paying for the cleaning! There are much nicer alternatives in the south ken area.
For those of you interested in Jonathan Quearney's Savile quality services. check out the url www.jonathanquearney.com
Hey Everyone,
Wanna reccomend the waxing diva in Islington. She is absoutely fabulous and specialises in Brazilian and Hollywood with a lovely yummy smelling chocolate hot wax! She takes 45 mins and i tell you after the first treatment with her you notice a significant reduction in hair growth. I've been to so many salons and nothing is comparable - it isn't a wonder why she's called the Waxing Diva :o))))