Travelling as a family can be very expensive.
Paying for a hotel room, eating out every night and paying for transport around the city can quickly add up! We have put together a list of things that you can do to make your next family trip to London easier on the purse strings.
If you have specific plans for the days that you are spending in London, consider where you are staying and try to get as close to the place or event that you are going to so that you could walk there, this way you’ll save money on transportation.
Instead of renting several different hotel rooms when all you are going to do there is sleep; why not rent a serviced apartment that can fit you all in one place? You will have a fully equipped kitchen as well, meaning that you don’t have to eat out and you can still make budget meals in the comfort of your very own home away from home.
If you do decide to eat out, a lot of restaurants have lunch specials which are less expensive than what is on the main menu.
Depending on how many there are in your family, you should look at what tickets you actually need here. Children under the age of 11 do not pay at all as long as they are accompanied by an adult paying in full with an Oyster card, which you can buy at any underground station. Children under 16 also pay less than an adult, so it is better to buy a child ticket than to buy them an oyster card. Busses are cheaper than the tube, so if you do need to get somewhere a bit further away we would recommend taking the bus.
If you are flying to London, we would always recommend booking train tickets (from the airport to the city) in advance. If you have more time and you want to save a lot more money you can also get a bus into the city which is about a quarter of the price when booked in advance.
Here are some links you may find useful:
Gatwick airport: Bus & Rail
Stansted airport: Bus and Rail
Heathrow airport: Tube, Bus and Train
If you are staying in one of our serviced apartments for a couple of days and are planning to visit a few attractions in the city, you might want to consider buying a London Pass’. Cost effective and convenient, the London Pass allows you to access to 55 major London attractions for as little as £15.83 per day (£11.33 for child). Attractions include Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, and St Paul’s Cathedral.
We hope that you have enjoyed reading about some great ways to save money while you are visiting London with your family. We are always trying to make our guests stay as pleasant as possible, so please don’t hesitate to add any comments, suggestions or questions here.