Public Transport

A great way to cut down on your fuel costs and to save the environment is to take advantage of the public transport available in your area.

Public Transport in London

Getting around London is now easier with so many different types of transport available. From the tube to the trams, to DLR, buses and cycle hire there are lots of modes of transport to choose from.

Oyster Cards

An oyster card is a smartcard which you can use instead of paper tickets to travel within London on the bus, tube, tram, DLR, London Overground and most National Rail services in London. You can either put pay as you go credit on your Oyster card or put travel cards, bus and tram season tickets onto it. Once you have credit or season tickets registeref on your card you simply swipe the card at stations as you use it. These smartcards are reusable and you can top up in many different ways.

Barclays Cycle Hire

If you plan on cycling in London you can now take advantage of the Barclays Cycle Hire, and use the famous blue bikes in the capital. Using the bikes to get around is a great way to see the sights as well as commuting between work places during the day. You pay an access fee, and then for the usage of the bike, but if you use the bike for under 30 minutes then the bike usage is free. You can use the bike for 30 minutes, put it back in a docking station and then take out another bike for another 30 minutes for free and with hundreds of docking stations across the capital, you can ride around London all day for almost nothing. Here are the costs of Barclays bikes in full:

Access fees

• 24 hours: £1
• 7 days: £5
• Annual: £45 (members only)

Usage charges

• Up to 30 minutes: Free
• Up to 1 hour: £1
• Up to 1 1/2 hours: £4
• Up to 2 hours: £6
• Up to 2 1/2 hours: £10
• Up to 3 hours: £15
• Up to 6 hours: £35
• Up to 24 hours(max): £50

You just need to be careful that when you return the bike, that the green light comes on otherwise they will continue to charge you for your journey.

London Underground and Overground

With 13 tube and overground lines running over and under the Big Smoke; getting around London could not be faster or easier. Please note, upgrades and works are continuously taking place on the train lines so make sure that you check out the services updates for the day you want to travel to see if your journey will be affected.

Buses

Across London there are hundreds of bus lines to take advantage of whether you are just taking a short journey, or you will be on the bus for quite a way. London buses run regularly but will have different timetables for the evenings and weekends so make sure that you check the TFL website for their latest bus timetables in your area.

Public Transport in the rest of the UK

Public transport in the UK is a lifeline for many and an alternative transport if you don’t have access to a car. You can travel by train, bus or coach to get around the UK. Here is some information about the transport available in the UK.

Train

The UK has a huge network of railway lines connecting North, South, East and West of the UK. The train is a great option if you are travelling in a group or simply on your own. Long journeys can be expensive on the train, but you can save up to 80% on your fare if you book in advance with mytrainticket.co.uk.

There are a range of railcards you can also purchase from National Rail that give you discounts on fares, see which railcard would benefit you:

• 16-25 Railcard: With a 16-25 railcard you can get up to 1/3 off your travel. To qualify for this card you must be aged 16-25 or a mature student in full time education over the age of 26. It costs £28 per year.
• Family and Friends Railcard: With this railcard you can get up to 1/3 off adult travel and 60% off a child fare. It can be used for up to 4 adults with 4 children. The card can only be used with at least one adult travelling with one child over 5. It also costs £28 a year.
• Senior Railcard: Passengers over 60 years old are eligible for a senior railcard which offers 1/3 off rail travel. It costs £28 a year.
• Disabled Persons Railcard: This card also offers 1/3 off travel at the price of £20 a year. The card allows the card holder and accompanying adult to travel at the discounted price.
• H M Forces Railcard: If you are a member of the Regular Forces or a spouse of a member you are eligible to the H M Forces Railcard and get 1/3 off the price of travel. The card costs £15 a year.
• Network Railcard: This card is £28 a year and applies to people who travel frequently in the South East of England.

Coach

Coach travel is a cost effective way to travel around the UK. It may take longer than the train but it is often a lot cheaper. They offer routes up and down the country, to major cities, small towns or even airports, all at low prices. They even offer special coach travel to:

• Sports events,
• Music concerts,
• Music festivals in the UK,
• Music festivals in Europe,
• And events at Wembley Stadium.

Visit National Express to find the cheapest fares.

Bus

Bus travel is popular in the UK, especially in inner cities. You can plan your journey and find out the price of your ticket at Transport Direct.

Travellers who are of ‘eligible age’ can get a free bus pass offering free off peak travel throughout the UK. Disabled travellers are also entitled to a free bus pass. To find out if you could get a free bus pass visit Directgov.com.