We spent three nights in London this summer before our cruise to Spain, Portugal, and France. Since we got home, the question I get asked most is about getting around London with kids. There isn’t one best way. It really depends on what you want to do and where you want to go.
We used London’s black cabs, Uber, the Tube, and a lot of walking. Our girls are 8 and 11. Here’s how each one worked for us, what we paid, and what I’d tell another family planning the same trip.
Our Hotel’s Location Helped a Lot
We stayed at the London Marriott Hotel County Hall on the South Bank, next to the London Eye and across Westminster Bridge from Big Ben. It was a great location. We could walk to a lot of what we wanted to see, Waterloo station was close by, and cabs and Uber drivers could get to us easily.
Black Cabs: My Pick for Getting Around London With Kids
We took a black cab from Heathrow to our hotel, and it was the easiest option for us. Following the airport signs led us right to the taxi line. Bags in, and off we went. That ride was $163.14.
If you’re traveling with kids, I recommend the black cab. Traffic in London is awful, and black cabs are allowed to drive in most of the bus lanes, so you can get places faster than you would in an Uber. They’re also just cool. The back has fold-down seats that face backward, and our girls got a kick out of riding that way. They also had some air conditioning, which mattered in July. The fare runs on the meter, and you can pay with a credit card. It’s easy.
Book a Black Cab With the jump App
Both Uber and black cabs have apps now. For taxis we used jump, and it made things so much easier. With jump and Uber both on your phone, you can see which car is closer and compare prices before you book. Download both before your trip.
The Tube: Fastest and Cheapest, but Not for Me
To be honest, the quickest way to get from place to place in London is the Tube, London’s subway system. It’s the cheapest too. But be prepared to know what you’re doing. It’s fast-paced, you’re in and out in minutes, and nobody stops for questions. Learn the system and know your stops before you go.
We only rode the Tube once, from Waterloo station to the British Museum. It was the girls’ first time on the Tube, and they thought it was great. I didn’t like it. It felt old, dingy, and dirty, and it was a little creepy to me. That’s just me, though. It’s still the quickest and cheapest way around the city, and probably the easiest once you know it.
A ride costs about £3 per adult. That’s cheap, but for a family it starts to add up. One thing that helps when getting around London with kids: up to four children under 11 ride free with a paying adult, so our 8-year-old rode free. Kids 11 and older need their own ticket. You can tap in with a contactless credit card or your phone, but each paying person needs their own card or phone.
Uber: Sometimes Easier, Sometimes a Letdown
We used Uber too. Sometimes it was easier to call an Uber than to hail a taxi. Just know that Uber prices change based on demand, so the price you see one hour can be different the next.
Our worst ride of the trip was an Uber from the British Museum back to the hotel. It was about $19, but it was the longest drive ever. We sat in traffic the whole way with no air conditioning. Uber cars can’t use the bus lanes the way black cabs can, and we felt it. I don’t recommend it.
Walking: The Free Way of Getting Around London With Kids
From our hotel, the best way to get to Buckingham Palace and back was to walk. It’s free, and it’s a beautiful walk.
Dinners and a Show: Black Cabs Again
The day after we arrived, we took a black cab from our hotel to Aqua Shard for dinner. It was about $30 each way.
Another night we took a cab to dinner at Indigo at One Aldwych in the West End before seeing Mamma Mia! That ride was about $20, and the cab back to the hotel late that night was about $25.
London to Southampton for Our Cruise
Getting from our hotel to Southampton to board our cruise ship took a lot of research. Our options were the train, Uber, or a black cab.
The train is the cheapest way to go, but it would have been the hardest for us. We had four large suitcases and two kids, and we were in a foreign country where we didn’t know the system. We would have had to haul everything through a busy London station, get it all onto the train, and then get from the station in Southampton to the cruise port. Yes, it’s cheaper. But you have to know what you’re doing, and we didn’t. For us, it wasn’t the smartest or the safest choice.
That left Uber and a black cab. With four suitcases and two kids, both are expensive. A black cab would have cost us around £400. Our Uber XL was £197. We left at 9:00 AM, and the 81-mile drive took 1 hour and 55 minutes.
I think we lucked out. When we priced it out before, the black cab and Uber were about the same, so it came down to preference more than price. That’s the thing with Uber. Prices change, so you never know.
What We Spent Getting Around London With Kids
| Trip | How we got there | What we paid |
|---|---|---|
| Heathrow to London Marriott Hotel County Hall (July 20) | Black cab | $163.14 |
| Hotel to Aqua Shard for dinner (July 21) | Black cab | About $30 |
| Aqua Shard back to the hotel | Black cab | About $30 |
| Hotel to the British Museum | The Tube | About £3 per paying rider |
| British Museum back to the hotel | Uber | About $19 |
| Hotel to Buckingham Palace and back | Walking | Free |
| Hotel to Indigo at One Aldwych, dinner before Mamma Mia! | Black cab | About $20 |
| West End back to the hotel, late night | Black cab | About $25 |
| Hotel to the Southampton cruise terminal (81 miles) | Uber XL | £197 |
So, What’s the Best Way of Getting Around London With Kids?
It depends, on so much. Do you care most about safety, convenience, or price? Where is your hotel? What time of day is it? Do you have kids or luggage with you? How well do you know the Tube?
For us, black cabs were the best fit most of the time, especially with the girls and our bags. We walked when things were close, took the Tube once, and used Uber when it was easier to get one. For the long trip to Southampton, Uber XL made the most sense.
I’d do it all exactly the same way next time. If you’re planning on getting around London with kids, my advice is to learn about the transportation options before you go. Know what’s available, look at the Tube map, and download both the Uber and jump apps before your trip.
More From Our Europe Trip
This post is part of our series on our summer trip to London and our Celebrity Apex cruise to Spain, Portugal, and France.
London With Kids
- Virgin Atlantic Review: Flying LAX to London With Kids
- London Marriott County Hall Review: A Family Stay by Big Ben
- London With Kids: One Big Thing a Day (Our Easy Itinerary)
- Getting Around London With Kids: The Best Ways, Honestly
- Dining in London With Kids: Our Honest Reviews of 4 Spots
Our Celebrity Apex Cruise
- The Retreat on Celebrity Apex With Kids: Was It Worth It?
- Lisbon Tuk Tuk Tour From a Cruise Ship: Fun, Hot, and Worth It With Kids
- Porto Cruise Port Without an Excursion: Hot Dogs, Vinho Verde, and Shopping With Kids
- Vigo and La Coruña Cruise Ports With Kids: A Walking Tour, Galician Food, and Gelato
- Bilbao Shore Excursion With Kids: The Guggenheim, the Market, and the Pintxos We Missed
- Southampton to Heathrow via Stonehenge: Our Cruise Excursion With Kids
- Le Havre to Paris on a Cruise With Kids: Is the Long Day Worth It?
Planning a cruise? These are already on the blog:
