Trip to London and feeling anxious, help!

[Beebatron]

DH randomly booked a hotel for me in London as I've had a rotten time recently and I've wanted a solo trip to London to do museums etc for a long time. However now he's done it I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed and anxious, so for those of you who live in London can you help me get my head around using the tube? Do you just use contactless or will I need an oyster card? I'll also need to get a bus from Archway to Highgate cemetery on Tuesday morning and I've never used a London bus. Do you use money or contactless?
Sorry for the silly questions but I'm feeling quite anxious and overwhelmed about it all!

That’s no distance then- you can just get the 210 bus to Highgate. No need for the tube.

Correct. Just remember to use the same card at each end.

Use the same one throughout, as then you’ll never pay more than a travel card.

Yes that's right, and make sure you use the exact same card when you touch in/out on the tube. On the bus you only have to touch in when you board.

Just so you know there is a price cap on total tube/bus travel that you can do on one day, eg 1 day using tube zones 1-2 won't cost you more than £7.70 if you use the same card all day.

Really recommend the app Bus Times, very easy to use, you can enter your desired journey like Google maps and it tells you what bus to get, where to board and live updates when it will arrive. Lists each stop as you go too.

Also TfL Go is a good one and includes the tube.

London buses have screens and voice announcements that tell you what the next stop is, which I always find really helpful when I’m in an unfamiliar bit.

Seconding avoiding the tube at rush hour if you can - at other times, people are much more likely to help you if you need it. Do remember to stand on the right on the escalators, though, or you’re likely to get people asking you to move.

Oh that's great! Does it stop outside the cemetery?

Archway to Highgate is travelling in the opposite direction to most commuters

Archway is the Tube station for Highgate Cemetery, which is where op is actually going. From the Tube station, take the bus two stops up the hill. But op, you do then have to walk through Waterlow Park. I don't know if there's an alternate route with less walking; buses don't actually go past the cemetery gates.

There is no real rush hour at the moment- certainly not on buses- the busiest time on them is 6am and school children at 8am.

You dont need a cab. People hop on and off buses so getting seats is easy.

Are you doing the guided tour of the cemetery? It is excellent.

highgatecemetery.org/

Worth looking into getting a cab especially if you have mobility issues?

Have fun!

I chose self guided so I could walk at my own pace but I am very excited. I've wanted to go for many years.
I think I may just get an uber there in the morning to save myself some stress and then get the bus/ tube back.

I was surprised at how empty the buses were when I went recently.

Use the tfl Route Planner. It's brilliant. It will give you loads of different options for door to door travel, including the options with least walking.
tfl.gov.uk/plan-a-journey/

If you get the 210 from Finsbury Park get off at Bisham Gardens (stop K I think). It's a short walk to the cemetary from there but downhill. If you get off before you can walk through Waterlow Park which is pretty but quite a steep hill in places.

I second downloading the Citymapper app - it’s brilliant and shows you different transport options and the exact routes door to door. You can search by address or postcode or even by name of destinations - eg. you’d probably be able to search “Start: xyz hotel. End: Highgate cemetery” and it would show you different route options with timings and costs.

For busses, enter at the front only and tap your card on the card reader. Exit through the back doors only (no need to tap out).

For the tube, there will be barriers at the entrance and exit. Have your card easily accessible and make sure it’s not sitting next to another card as that can confuse the scanner.

DLR (Docklands Light Railway) and trains work like the tube, but sometimes there are no barriers at the stations so you need to look out for the card scanners which will usually be somewhere near the entrance and exit.

Tube connections are generally faster but if you’re not in a rush it can be fun to take busses as you see a bit more of the city that way - especially if you can bag one of the front seats at the top (unless that’s tricky with your mobility issues).

Which of the Highgate cemeteries are you visiting?

Have a wonderful time!

Something that may help you… i get anxious if there is a journey where i have no idea on distance or exact location so i use Google Earth to zoom into said place, the street view function of it is really very good. For example i had to take my FiL to an eye hospital, no idea where it was so i was able to plot the route beforehand by putting postcode into the search bar👍 It also is mega handy if yoy want to look up old haunts, mind you the photos are sometimes a bit out of date so bear that in mind. Hope you have a good time !

Buses will generally announce the stops too so you'll know when to get off but if you use an app like city mapper it'll show where you are on your journey in real time

Why are you travelling at rush hour to do a self guided tour?

They stagger the entrance times to make it a more peaceful experience and I stupidly chose one of the earliest ones

I do hope you have got a really good guidebook. The amount of history you learn is amazing.

I took my first solo trip to London a few weeks ago and really enjoyed it. It absolutely was overwhelming. But that's all part of the adventure.

I wouldn't take the underground personally. I'd just walk wherever possible (there are maps on the sidewalks of many touristy parts) or take the bus or train. The underground just freaked the shit out of me and it was far too hot and gross and claustrophobic. Wouldn't go down there again if you paid me a hundred quid lol.

For just a day or two I wouldn't bother with the oyster card. Just use your credit or debit card.

The people are a bit odd. I mean, they don't really talk to eachother. But you can ask anyone for directions and they'll absolutely help you...or try to haha (personally I say just use the maps or your phone where pos).

I'm sure you'll have a great time. Just go for it!

The people are a bit odd. I mean, they don't really talk to each other.

When on public transport, do you mean? Or in general?

All 10 million of us oddballs. Never talking.

Shush. We don’t want the non-Londoners to work out our secret sign language.

The people are a bit odd yep, all 9 million of us!
op don’t be worried to ask for directions, help or info. Most of us are not odd & are perfectly happy to help if we can