| Several rail companies now run passenger trains in London,
most of which interchange with the tube. The driverless Docklands
Light Railway (DLR) links the City at Bank and Tower Gateway at
Tower Hill, with services to Stratford to the east and the Docklands
and Greenwich to the south.
If you're not in a hurry, buses are a pleasant and interesting
way to get around, as long as the traffic's not gridlocked. Viewing
the city from the top of a red double-decker is a classic London
experience.
London's famous black cabs are excellent but expensive. Minicabs
are cheaper competitors, with freelance drivers, but you can't
flag them down on the street.
If you drive a car in London, you're in for a parking nightmare
- it's almost impossible to get a park in the city centre, and
the punishments for parking illegally are cruel and unusual indeed.
Although it is inexpensive, heavy traffic makes cycling a rather
grim way to get around. Most London cyclists wear masks to avoid
fumes and become artful at dodging.
London's immense tube (consisting of 12 lines) is legendary,
but mainly because it's not that much fun to use - inevitably,
you'll spend a lot of time sitting in tunnels. Still, it's usually
the quickest and easiest way to get around.
Since many of the main sights are relatively close together in
central London, walking is an excellent transport option. It will
also give you a more coherent picture of the city than will travelling
by tube.
Various boats ply London's Thames and canal system, with numerous
companies running shuttle boats on the river.
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