Get to know the Tube and bus routes. Check the Transport for London website, which has a journey planner and downloadable Tube and bus maps. The website also contains an interactive Tube map (see Resources). Click on a station name and you can find its ticket office opening hours, bus connections, and train times, as well as a map of the surrounding area.
Know your zones. London is divided into 9 travel zones, and your fare will change depending on which zones you travel through. The further out from the city center you are, the higher your fares will be. Most of London's tourist attractions are within Zones 1 and 2, but since your fare depends on your point of departure, look up the zone of the station nearest where you are staying before you buy an Oyster card.
Look up the different types of Oyster cards. These reusable blue plastic cards are the way to get around London. There are several different options, but the basic distinction is between pay-as-you-go service and Travelcards. A Travelcard allows unlimited travel for a certain amount of time (1, 3, or 7 days). A pay-as-you go card allows you to put money on your Oyster card. When you run out of money, you refill the card. London has a cap on public transportation prices, which means that after you pay a certain amount of fare money using your pay-as-you-go card, you're in the clear and can ride for free the rest of the day (to read up on the price cap system for buses and the Tube, and for other detailed fare information, see Resources).
If you don't plan to use public transportation much, a pay-as-you-go card is a good bet. A Travelcard is useful if you are going to spend a lot of time on the Tube or bus or if you don't want to worry about checking the amount of money left on your card (fares change from peak to off-peak hours as well as between zones). You can also buy a Travelcard for certain zones and then add pay-as-you-go money on the same Oyster card. This is a good option if you're planning a day trip to a destination outside Zones 1 or 2, or if you're planning to take the Tube into London from Heathrow (located in Zone 6).
Buy your Oyster card. You can order a Visitor Oyster card online (this card looks different from a regular Oyster card, but the only real difference is that you can't buy a 7-day Travelcard using one). The easiest place to buy your Oyster card once you're in London is the ticket office in a Tube station. Some newsagents and grocers also sell Oyster cards.
If you're staying out late, remember that the Tube doesn't run all night---depending on the day of the week, the last trains run around 1:30 a.m or earlier. Fortunately, London has a comprehensive night bus service. Pick up a night bus schedule before you head out.
