Visiting London, what do I need to know?

Public transport in London

The London Underground (tube) connects most places in London. See the Transport for London website to learn more and to plan your journey. You can pay for travel on the tube using a contactless bank card (if you are using a foreign contactless card, check with your bank whether it can be used) or using a pre-paid "Oyster card". Remember to touch the yellow circle symbol when you begin and when you finish your journey, so that the correct fare is taken from your card. You can also buy paper tickets, but they are more expensive. See a 90-second video on How To Use The London Underground. Click here to save the London Underground Map. 

For information about London buses please visit the London transport website. 

Other UK cities are accessible by train (trainline website) or coach (national express coach service, megabus).

From the airports 

• From London Heathrow Airport: Underground Piccadilly line goes directly to South Kensington where the conference venue is.
• From London Gatwick Airport : Gatwick Express (faster but more expensive) or a regular (Southern) train to London Victoria station, then the Underground Circle or District line to South Kensington.
• From London Stansted Airport: Stansted Express to London Liverpool street, followed by the Underground Circle or District line to South Kensington. Alternatively (quicker) take Stansted Express to Tottenham Hale, then change to the Underground to go to London Victoria, then the Underground Circle or District line to South Kensington. 
• From London Luton Airport: A shuttle bus to Luton Airport Parkway and then a train to London Blackfriars (the train goes to Brighton), then take the Underground Circle or District line to South Kensington. Alternatively, the National Express coach to London Victoria.

Events in London

The Eventbrite website lists events in London. More information about visiting London can be found at : https://www.visitlondon.com/. Carbon 2022 is running at the same period as the Wimbledon International Tennis Tournament in London. If any of our delegates are interested in attending Wimbledon, the finals will be held at the weekend after the end of the conference. https://www.wimbledon.com/en_GB/tickets/index.html 

Vegetarian restaurants

You can find vegan and vegetarian friendly restaurants on Happy Cow website.

Weather

Please keep an eye on the weather in London while you pack your bags!

Mobile Phones

If you want to purchase a temporary SIM card for your phone, there are distributor machines at the main airports and train stations, as well as in phone shops in London. Alternatively you may find that an e-Sim is a cheaper alternative (some description here).

Charging electronic devices

Know more about plug type and electricity voltages in England. Travel adaptors are available at the airports and Eurostar terminal if required.

Health

If you have any health issues while in London, details of UK health services for overseas visitors are here. You can find the nearest health care facilities to your current location (A+E means "accident and emergency", "GP" means a doctor) here.

Visa

If you are an international attendee and require a visa to visit the UK, we recommend you apply for a visa as soon as possible to avoid disappointments and delays.