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Useful Information

Time zone

The standard time zone in winter is UTC/GTM. In summer, the difference is +01:00.

Language

The official language is English. However, as it is a multicultural city with a high number of residents from Turkey, France, India, Pakistan, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Poland, Lithuania and China, they say that 100 languages or more are spoken here.

Electricity

In London, as with the rest of the UK, the plugs three straight, flat pins, different to the rounded European pins, with a voltage of 230 V, and sockets usually also have a switch. You need an adapter for electrical appliances bought in other countries.

Climate

The climate in London can surprise you, so you should be prepared for everything: on the same day, temperatures can fluctuate several degrees and it’s quite usual for there to be rain in the morning and to enjoy some sunshine in the afternoon or vice versa.

Shop opening times

Shops in London usually open from Monday to Saturday from 10.00 to 18.00, although shopping centres and some supermarkets close later. Shops in the most popular tourist areas are also open on Sundays until 16.00.

Tips

It is usual to leave a tip of 10–15% in restaurants, hotels and hairdressers, and to round up the taxi fare. Give one or two pounds to the hotel porters, but you don’t need to tip in bars or pubs.

Underground

The London Underground, known as the Tube, is unlike any other metro system in the world. Since some trains of different lines run along the same track, the same platform can be used to reach multiple destinations. And the ticket price increases during peak periods: tfl.gov.uk/modes/tube/

Transport cards

The Oyster card is a magnetic rechargeable card that you can use to pay for single journeys or purchase a Travelcard. You can buy paper Travelcards for one day, seven days or one month. Prices vary depending on the number of zones they include.

Free museums

The main free cultural centres are the British Museum, the National Gallery, the Natural History Museum, Tate Modern, Tate Britain, the Science Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the London Museum, the Saatchi Gallery, the Horniman Museum, the Museum of London Docklands and the Royal Air Force Museum.