Transport and Sightseeing
Getting Here
London City Airport
London City Airport is just 3 miles from Canary Wharf provides access to key European destinations and can boast a quick passenger throughput. On average, customers using London City Airport can save up to at least two hours off their journey time, compared with other airports.
Real time flight and arrival times updated every 90 seconds. On line booking and transport information can be downloaded from the London City Airport website - www.londoncityairport.com
Passengers can now travel on the Docklands Light Railway directly from the new London City Airport Station which is located on the extended line from King George V Station into central London. The line has four new stations which now connect local and airport passengers with the London Underground at Canning Town, Canary Wharf and Bank Stations. Up-to-date information on the extended line and journey times is available on the DLR website - www.dlr.co.uk
London City Airport offers a dedicated Executive Chauffeur Service, operated by Quay Cars. To find our more about the dedicated Executive Chauffeur Service or to book call 020 7646 0957 or visit www.londoncityairport.com/quaycars
For further information on
Eurostar
Move to St Pancras International
From 14th November 2007, Eurostar operates on High Speed 1 - the UK’s first-high speed line - from the fabulously restored St Pancras International station, our new London terminal.
The move from Waterloo means journey times are at least 20 minutes faster, with London - Paris in just 2 hours 15 minutes, London - Brussels in 1 hour 51 minutes, and London – Lille in only 1 hour 20 minutes. Eurostar trains travel at 186mph – 50% faster than any other rail service in Britain.
St Pancras International is the best connected station in London, with seven domestic rail operators serving St Pancras, King’s Cross and nearby Euston; and six underground lines including the Hammersmith & City and Northern, which both connect with the DLR and Jubilee lines to serve east London. St Pancras International is located in central London (Zone 1), so travellers will be within easy reach of the City, West End and Canary Wharf – with, for example, just three stops on the tube to Moorgate or Covent Garden.
St Pancras International will be a magnificent new central London station – a destination in itself with quality shops, top bars and restaurants.
Ebbsfleet International opens too
From 19th November 2007, Eurostar services also call at Ebbsfleet International, a new station just off junction 2 of the M25, close to Bluewater shopping centre and ideally placed to serve east London. Journey times to the continent are 10 minutes quicker than from St Pancras. Eurostar has up to 2500 parking spaces, and our passengers can also travel free to and from Ebbsfleet on Southeastern trains and Fastrack local bus services.
Stratford 2009
From 2009, high-speed domestic rail services will link Ebbsfleet, Stratford and St Pancras, making it even easier to connect between Eurostar and east London.
For further information visit the corporate website www.eurostar.com
Other Airports
Heathrow
Heathrow is the world’s largest international airport and provides east London with links to over 250 international destinations with many more onward connections. Heathrow can be accessed by public transport via the DLR and underground network.
Gatwick
Gatwick serves most European destinations and a wide range of transatlantic and international cities. Gatwick is situated approximately 60 minutes’ drive by road via the Blackwall Tunnel or Queen Elizabeth II road bridge and is also accessible by rail via Blackfriars (Thames link service) and Victoria. Both stations are accessible from the DLR/underground networks.
Stansted
Stansted is London’s third major airport and offers services to most major European cities. Stansted can be reached in 30 minutes by a modern direct rail link from Liverpool Street in the City and can be accessed by direct motorway connections from the Docklands within 45 minutes. Stansted can be accessed from Docklands by the direct motorway connections of the A12 and M11.
Road Links
East London is serviced by a fully developed network of roads linking the area to the national motorway network, the major international airports, the Channel Tunnel, East and South East ports and the road network of Europe.
For a detailed map of parking facilities, petrol stations and public toilets in the Pool of London, the City, Spitalfields and Wapping, please visit www.parkingforbluebadges.com and click on London Bridge, Bank, Liverpool Street, Broadgate, Spitalfields, Bethnal Green, Whitechapel or Wapping.
Getting Around
This fascinating area is best explored on foot or on Docklands Light Railway. Please leave your car at home if you can.
Docklands Light Railway
DLR Woolwich Arsenal station opening January 2009
This new DLR station, located adjacent to Woolwich Arsenal National Rail station, will connect east London communities with Bank and the City, Lewisham, Greenwich, Stratford and London City Airport on the King George V/Canning Town route. Trains will run every 7 minutes to and from Woolwich Arsenal, taking you to Bank in 27 minutes, Canary Wharf in 19 minutes, London City Airport in 5 minutes and Stratford in 19 minutes.
The best way to explore the area is by Docklands Light Railway, London's fully automated driverless light rail system. Enjoy excellent views of the stunning modern architecture and historic docks from DLR’s elevated track.
DLR operates 7 days a week with fast, frequent and reliable services from Bank, Tower Gateway in the west, Stratford, Beckton and King George V via London City Airport in the East; Canary Wharf and Greenwich and Lewisham in the south until 0.30 hrs Monday - Saturday and 23.30 Sundays. Tour guides provide free commentary on selected trains from Tower Gateway. Travelcards are valid on DLR.
Docklands Light Railway was the first fully accessible railway in the UK, making access for wheelchair users and people with young children in prams or with heavy bags much easier. Furthermore, platforms have tactile edges for visually impaired passengers and train information is announced on Passenger Information Displays and by audio station announcements.
For more information about DLR accessibility, please visit www.dlr.co.uk.
Visit www.dlr.co.uk, WAP: http://dlr.kizoom.co.uk or call Docklands Travel Hotline (24 hours) on 020 7918 4000.
Click here to read about the new DLR station 'Woolwich Arsenal'
Investment Programme until 2010
Until early 2010, construction will be taking place on DLR to enable the trains to meet passenger growth with the addition of an extra carriage to each train.
With passenger numbers expected to rise from 62 million in 2007 to 80 million a year by 2010, a strategy was needed to increase capacity to meet this growth. A solution was identified to increase trains from their current two carriages to three carriages, increasing capacity by up to 50 per cent on the busiest routes.
To enable three carriage trains to operate, work will include:
- Extending station platforms to accommodate longer trains.
- Remodelling Tower Gateway station.
- A new station east of the existing South Quay station.
- Strengthening of viaducts to carry an additional carriage.
- Construction of two new railway junctions adjacent to
- Poplar and Canning Town stations to improve train reliability and frequency at these busy locations.
For full details on planned works from now until 2010 visit www.dlr.co.uk/improvements
Offer for Local Residents
Local residents in Greenwich, Lewisham, Tower Hamlets and Newham can now travel on the Docklands Light Railway in zones 2 and 3 for just £1.50 (70p for children). This ticket is designed to provide residents with a cheap and easy paper ticket option for their local railway. This scheme is designed to provide residents with a cheap and easy paper ticket option for their local railway.
Never used a DLR Ticket Vending Machine? Then drop along to one of DLR’s free weekly training sessions which are being piloted to help residents get about their everyday life using the railway. Community Workers are also welcome so that they can then train residents directly or send those interested on a DLR session in either English or Bengali. To book a training session you can either enquire at your local Community Centre or call DLR Customer Services on 020 7363 9700.
DLR runs every 10 minutes or less from 05.30 to 00.30 Monday to Saturday. Sundays it runs 07.00 to 23.30
For further information visit www.dlr.co.uk
London Underground & Buses
East London is well served by numerous bus routes and London Underground Central, Circle, District, East London, Hammersmith & City, and Jubilee Lines which provide easy access to the City, West, Central and North London, Heathrow airport and key mainline stations, including Waterloo, Victoria, Euston and Paddington.
For 24 hour information, call 020 7918 4000 or visit www.tfl.gov.uk
Tickets & Attractions Pass
Oyster Cards
Oyster Travel Cards are the most convenient tickets for travel around London and can be used on the Tube, Docklands Light Railway and the entire London bus network, including sections outside Greater London. Travel cards valid for a week, month or year must be accompanied by a photocard, so remember to bring at least two passport sized photos with you. However, if you wish to obtain an oyster card and use pre pay (paying each time you travel rather than a set fee over a period of time) then there is no need for photographs. Also look out for the Visitor Travel Card, which provides additional benefits. Visitor Travel Cards cannot be bought once you are in London, but can be bought online.
For more information, please visit www.tfl.gov.uk
London Pass
Make the most of your trip with a London Pass, your passport to London that gives you FREE entry to over 50 favourite attractions as well as a public transport option on buses, tubes and trains where the transport option is purchased.
The London Pass offers not only great value and convenience, but also enables you to beat the queues at selected major attractions. There are also special offers such as discounts at restaurants and theatres. Where the attraction is normally free to the public The London Pass gives you great offers such as a free guided tour.
So whether you prefer museums or cinemas, galleries or go-karting, cathedrals or zoos, with The London Pass there really is something for everyone.
For more information, visit www.londonpass.co.uk.
Sightseeing
Docklands Light Railway
Tour guides provide a free tourist commentary on selected trains whilst you admire the stunning modern architecture and historic docks from the elevated track. Visit www.dlr.co.uk for more information.
Discover the burial place of England's greatest diarist, Samuel Pepys and home of radical Suffragettes. Visit one of the few remaining parts of the Roman London Wall, see the spectacular panorama of Caneletto's Greenwich at Island Gardens and seek out the London Stone, the forgotten relic of ancient London. The Hidden History of Old London guide helps you discover and understand the hidden, forgotten, unusual and sometimes scandalous history of the areas through which the DLR now runs.
So order your brochure, buy your DLR ticket and discover the history of Docklands and beyond.
City Cruises
With a River Red Rover ticket that lasts all day, you can travel on board the luxury fleet of river liners and hop on and off the boat at three points- Westminster Pier, Tower Pier and Greenwich.
With regular cruises up and down the river on luxury vessels, all of which offer you on board catering and bar services, you can start at Westminster, see Big Ben and Westminster Abbey, then catch the boat down to Tower Pier, visit Tower Bridge Experience and the Tower of London then rejoin the boat to cruise down to Greenwich. Here you can take in the National Maritime Museum, Cutty Sark, the Observatory and, when you are ready, just hop back on any boat to cruise back up the river, enjoying a bite to eat and a drink on the way. You can book your tickets online at www.citycruises.com
City Cruises also operate the the Hispaniola bar and restaurant which is permanently moored alongside Victoria Embankment. The ship boasts a restaurant, bar and function room with great views of the Thames. www.hispaniola.co.uk
Coach Potato Tours
There’s so much fascinating history and development in east London – so why not explore it with Coach Potato? Coach Potato tour operators create great days out and short breaks for groups and individuals, providing the complete package including transport, lunch and tour guides throughout the day, plus pre-booked entrance to many attractions. Furthermore, Coach Potato provide speakers who are experts on their subject and destination. Help in creating promotional literature is also offered to group organisers.
New for this season are the 90 minute long “Interest Walks with Experienced Guides” which normally start at a railway station and finish at a point of interest. The walks are timed so that you can take advantage of travelling to London with cheaper off-peak fares.
Coach Potato tours in East London include:
“Royal Greenwich & Thames History”, during which you can visit three of the most beautiful historic buildings in London and enjoy a River Thames Cruise.
“The Brick Lane Music Hall Matinee Experience” which takes you to the music hall show now situated in Silvertown and includes unrivalled traditional entertainment with a modern twist, with afternoon tea served in the interval.
“Sunday East End Markets” which offers a guided walk of the famous Columbia Road Flower Market, Spitalfields Market and the historic Huguenot area.
For more information and ideas on great days out in east London, call Coach Potato on 08707 202 836, email Ian Kirby at ian.kirby@coach-potato.co.uk
Tour Guides
For your visit to east London you can hire the services of a guide, specialising in all manner of subjects. To view a list of Blue Badge Guide guiding in East London, please visit www.touristguides.org.uk/londonindepth/east.
Otherwise please contact the following organisations:
Association of Professional Tourist Guides
T: +44 (0)20 7780 4060
F: +44 (0)20 7780 4142
E: aptg@aptg.org.uk
W: www.eastlondonguides.com
The Guild of Registered Tourist Guides
T: +44 (0)20 7403 1115
E: guild@blue-badge.org.uk
W: www.blue-badge.org.uk
Greenwich Tour Guides Association
T: +44 (0)20 8858 6169
E: guides@greenwichtours.co.uk
W: www.greenwichtours.co.uk
Go East London
T: +44 (0)20 8883 4169
E: info@goeastlondon.co.uk
W: www.goeastlondon.co.uk
