I am beyond excited to be spending this semester studying abroad in lovely London. That being said, my arrival to the city wasn’t exactly a smooth one, so I’m here to share with you my top three tips for making your first hours in England’s capital as streamlined and stress-free as possible.
1. Don’t buy a SIM card at the airport.
As tethered to our devices as we are these days, the thought of not being able to rely on our phones for information and entertainment in a new place is enough to send most of us scurrying to the nearest available cellular vendor with only a glance at the price tag. Don’t. Unless you’re the most navigationally-challenged person in the universe, or REALLY can’t survive for a few hours without cellular data, wait to purchase an international SIM card until you’re in the city itself. Contrary to what the people who own those airport kiosks and vending machines want you to think, there are PLENTY of stores in London that sell phone plans, often with more options at more affordable rates. So if you value affordability over convenience, wait.
If you’re only staying in London for a short time, buying an international SIM card might not even be necessary. Talk to your home phone company about their international service options, or look into the possibility of relying on wifi for the duration of your stay.
Bonus: don’t withdraw cash or make a currency exchange at the airport either, for much the same reasons.
2. Take the Heathrow Express into the city, not the Tube.
Laughs nervously… Yes, I made this mistake as well. As it turns out, I make very poor judgement calls on three hours of fragmented airplane sleep, but that’s beside the point. Unlike the case of the SIM card or currency exchanges, this is a situation in which it really is worth it to fork over a little extra cash. Don’t spend two hours in a crowded underground car with all your luggage.
3. Map out the ENTIRE route to your final destination BEFOREHAND.
Most importantly, don’t walk out of the train station without a map, drag two suitcases around the streets of London through a weekend market in a touristy area, and rely on vague Google street view knowledge to get you to your destination. If this sounds oddly specific, that’s because it is. As someone who has probably made every mistake in the book when it comes to navigating London city proper, I implore you to do your research before leaving home. Line up your modes of transportation, fare options, and mapping details so that once you get off the plane, you can worry about being in a new city in a foreign country and not everything else as well.
And finally, if things really start to go sideways, don’t be afraid to ask for help! Most Londoners are very friendly and more than happy to advise visitors.