How can a station be in two different transport zones?

moove2london on 13 Sep 2012

When looking at a tube or London transport map, have you noticed that some of the stations lie in two zones? These are known as boundary zones and there are a number of stations in London which this term applies to.
In these types of stations, the lower fare will apply to your ticket.
For example, North Greenwich is in both Zones 2 + 3. If you are travelling on a Zones 1-2 travelcard, then the station is considered to be a Zone 2 station. But if you are travelling from somewhere in Zone 3 on a Zone 3 only travelcard, then the station is considered to be a Zone 3 station and no excess fare will be applied to your journey. There are several of these types of stations all over London which we have listed below for you.

Stations which are considered to be in Zones 1 + 2 are:

• Earl’s Court
• Elephant and Castle
• Hoxton
• Notting Hill Gate
• Vauxhall

Stations which are considered to be in Zones 2 + 3 are:

• Archway
• Bromley-by-Bow
• Clapham South
• Clapton
• Cutty Sark
• Deptford Bridge
• East India
• East Putney
• Elverson Road
• Greenwich
• Hampstead
• Herne Hill
• Lewisham
• Manor House
• North Acton
• North Dulwich
• North Greenwich
• Pudding Mill Lane
• Putney
• Turnham Green
• Willesden Green
• Willesden Junction

Stations which are considered to be in Zones 3 + 4 are:

• Bounds Green
• Bowes Park
• Crystal Palace
• East Ham
• Hendon
• Hendon Central
• Kew Gardens
• Leytonstone
• Manor Park
• South Wimbledon
• Woodgrange Park

There are no zones that are in both Zones 4 + 5

Stations which are considered to be in Zones 5 + 6 are:

• Hatton Cross

Stations which are considered to be in Zones 6 + 7 are:

• Moor Park

There are no zones that are in both Zones 7 + 8 or 8 + 9.

To find out more about London Transport Zones, please read our Transport in London page or alternatively check out tfl.gov.uk

Where to live in London in Transport Zone 2

moove2london on 07 Sep 2012

If you’re wondering where to live in London but know that you’d like to live fairly near to Central London but can’t afford the sky-high prices of Zone 1, then you might consider the next best thing…. which is Zone 2. Zone 2 encompasses an enormous 156 stations in North, South, East and West London so there’s plenty of choice.
The advantages to living in Zone 2 are that you can still be in Central London within a few minutes and can still very much feel part of the buzz of London. In some cases you may even be able to walk to your workplace. Prices are much cheaper than Zone 1 also, but vary massively across the huge Zone 2 area. The disadvantages are that prices aren’t as affordable as they are in Zones 3 + 4 (and beyond) and if you’re interested in living in suburbia, then Zone 2 doesn’t quite cut it.
Take a look at some of the stations below to begin your search.

The following stations are located in the part of Zone 2 which is north of the river:

All Saints (Docklands Light Railway)
Archway (Northern line – this station is in Zones 2 + 3)
Arsenal (Piccadilly line)
Barons Court (Piccadilly line and District line)
Belsize Park (Northern line)
Bethnal Green (Central line and National Rail network)
Blackwall (Docklands Light Railway)
Bow Church (Docklands Light Railway)
Bow Road (District line, Hammersmith & City lines)
Bromley-by-Bow (District line, Hammersmith & City lines – this station is in Zones 2 + 3)
Brondesbury (London Overground)
Brondesbury Park (London Overground)
Caledonian Road (Piccadilly line)
Caledonian Road and Barnsbury (London Overground)
Cambridge Heath (National Rail network)
Camden Road (London Overground)
Camden Town (Northern line)
Canary Wharf (Jubilee line)
Canonbury (London Overground)
Chalk Farm (Northern line)
Clapton (National Rail network – this station is in Zones 2 + 3)
Crossharbour (Docklands Light Railway)
Dalston Junction (London Overground)
Dalston Kingsland (London Overground)
Devons Road (Docklands Light Railway)
Drayton Park (National Rail network)
Earl’s Court (Piccadilly line, District line – this station is in Zones 1 + 2)
East Acton (Central line)
East India (Docklands Light Railway – this station is in Zones 2 + 3)
Essex Road (National Rail network)
Finchley Road (Jubilee line and Metropolitan line)
Finchley Road and Frognal (London Overground)
Finsbury Park (National Rail network, Victoria and Piccadilly lines)
Fulham Broadway (District line)
Goldhawk Road (District and Hammersmith & City lines)
Gospel Oak (London Overground)
Hackney Central (London Overground)
Hackney Downs (National Rail network)
Hackney Wick (London Overground)
Haggerston (London Overground)
Hammersmith (Piccadilly, District and Hammersmith & City lines)
Hampstead (Northern line – this station is in Zones 2 + 3)
Hampstead Heath (London Overground)
Heron Quays (Docklands Light Railway)
Highbury & Islington (Victoria line, London Overground and National Rail network)
Holland Park (Central Line)
Holloway Road (Piccadilly line)
Homerton (London Overground)
Hoxton (London Overground – this station is in Zones 1 + 2)
Island Gardens (Docklands Light Railway)
Kensal Green (Bakerloo line and London Overground)
Kensal Rise (London Overground)
Kensington (Olympia) (District line, London Overground)
Kentish Town (Northern line)
Kentish Town West (London Overground)
Kilburn (Jubilee line)
Kilburn High Road (London Overground)
Kilburn Park (Bakerloo line)
Ladbroke Grove (Hammersmith & City and Circle lines)
Latimer Road (Circle and Hammersmith & City lines)
Limehouse (Docklands Light Railway and National Rail network)
London Fields (National Rail network)
Maida Vale (Bakerloo line)
Manor House (Piccadilly line – this station is in Zones 2 + 3)
Mile End (Central, District and Hammersmith & City lines)
Mornington Crescent (Northern line)
Mudchute (Docklands Light Railway)
North Acton (Central line – this station is in Zones 2 + 3)
Notting Hill Gate (Central line – this station is in Zones 1 + 2)
Parsons Green (District line)
Poplar (Docklands Light Railway)
Pudding Mill Lane (Docklands Light Railway – this station is in Zones 2 +3)
Putney Bridge (District line)
Queen’s Park (Bakerloo line and London Overground)
Queensbury (Jubilee line)
Ravenscourt Park (District line)
Rectory Road (National Rail network)
Royal Oak (Circle and Hammersmith & City line)
Shadwell (Docklands Light Railway and National Rail network)
Shepherd’s Bush (Central line and London Overground)
Shepherd’s Bush Market (Hammersmith & City and Circle line)
South Hampstead (London Overground)
South Quay (Docklands Light Railway)
St John’s Wood (Jubilee line)
Stamford Brook (District line)
Stepney Green (District and Hammersmith & City lines)
Stoke Newington (National Rail network)
Swiss Cottage (Jubilee line)
Tufnell Park (Northern line)
Turnham Green (District line – this station is in Zones 2 + 3)
Upper Holloway (London Overground)
Wapping (London Overground)
Warwick Avenue (Bakerloo line)
West Brompton (District line and London Overground)
West Hampstead (London Overground, National Rail network and Jubilee line)
West India Quay (Docklands Light Railway)
West Kensington (District line)
Westbourne Park (Hammersmith & City and Circle line)
Westferry (Docklands Light Railway)
Whitechapel (London Overground, District and Hammersmith & City lines)
White City (Central line)
Willesden Green (Jubilee line)
Willesden Junction (Bakerloo line and London Overground)
Wood Lane (Hammersmith & City and Circle line)

The following stations are located in the part of Zone 2 which is south of the river:

Battersea Park (National Rail network)
Bermondsey (Jubilee line)
Brixton (Victoria line and National Rail network – separate stations)
Brockley (London Overground and National Rail network)
Canada Water (Jubilee line and London Overground lines)
Clapham Common (Northern line)
Clapham High Street (National Rail network)
Clapham Junction (National Rail network)
Clapham North (Northern line)
Clapham South (Northern line – this station is in Zones 2 +3)
Cutty Sark (Docklands Light Railway – this station is in Zones 2 + 3)
Denmark Hill (National Rail network)
Deptford (National Rail network)
Deptford Bridge (National Rail network)
East Dulwich (National Rail network)
East Putney (District line – this station is in Zones 2 + 3)
Elephant & Castle (National Rail Network, Northern line and Bakerloo lines – these stations are in Zones 1 + 2)
Elverson Road (Docklands Light Railway – this station is in Zones 2 + 3)
Greenwich (National Rail network – this station is in Zones 2 + 3)
Herne Hill (National Rail network – this station is in Zones 2 + 3)
Kennington (Northern line)
Lewisham (Docklands Light Railway and National Rail network – these stations are in Zones 2 + 3)
Loughborough Junction (National Rail Network)
New Cross (National Rail network)
New Cross Gate (National Rail network and London Overground)
North Dulwich (National Rail network – this station is is Zones 2 + 3)
North Greenwich (Jubilee line)
Nunhead (National Rail Network)
Oval (Northern line)
Peckham Rye (National Rail Network)
Putney (National Rail Network – this station is in Zones 2 + 3)
Queens Road Peckham (National Rail network)
Queenstown Road (National Rail network)
Rotherhithe (London Overground)
South Bermondsey (National Rail network)
St Johns (National Rail network)
Stockwell (Victoria line, Northern line)
Surrey Quays (London Overground)
Vauxhall (Victoria line and National Rail network)
Wandsworth Road (National Rail network)
Wandsworth Town (National Rail network)

Where to live in London on the London Overground line

moove2london on 08 Jul 2012

Continuing our series of ‘where to live in London’ posts, this article discusses 5 popular areas to live with stations on the London Overground network, which you may find useful if you need to take this route to your workplace. The London Overground currently serves 5 rail routes around London which includes 83 stations. These lines are the North London line, the West London line, the East London line, the Gospel Oak to Barking line and the Watford DC line. At the end of this year (2012), the South London will be added which will run from Dalston Junction to Clapham Junction via Surrey Quays. London Overground may not be classed as the ‘tube’, but the trains are extremely regular and it’s nice to be a large air-conditioned carriage which is mainly above ground – much more pleasant that a hot, sweaty tube journey on a hot summer’s day.

There are many areas to choose from if you wish to live near a station on the London Overground line, but here are 5 popular places that you may consider living in:

Highbury & Islington
Technically more Highbury than Islington as the station is situated at the very far north end of Upper StreetA. But either Highbury or Islington are both crazily trendy and popular areas to live in, with beautiful period properties, a buzzing social scene and great independent shops to stroll round on a Saturday morning with a coffee cup in your hand. In terms of open space you’ve got the Highbury Fields right next to the station which happens to be the largest park in the borough of Islington (although still pretty small in terms of many parks and commons across the capital). Prices aren’t cheap here, but if you want to live here try to stretch your budget as much as possible as you won’t regret it, it’s a great area. For more information about these two areas, please view our Islington or Highbury Area Guides.

Hampstead Heath
The beautiful rolling grass of the heath lies to the north of the station with Highgate High Street and village only a stones throw away to the west. Hampstead is extremely posh and crawling with celebrities who want to do ‘normal’ things like going for a pint in the Flask or Holly Bush pubs. The village is full of independent and vintage shops. It’s ubercool, but very charming. If you think about what an American expects London to be like, this is it. The heath is just shy of 800 acres large and is full of wildlife such as squirrels, deer, foxes and even grass snakes!!! To find out more about living in Hampstead, please view our Hampstead Area Guide.

Crystal Palace
This hilly area is situated in South East London. Also known as Upper Norwood, the Crystal Palace Park is the site of the ill-fated palace which burned down in 1936. The park itself is beautiful, yet functional and is home to a small farm (free to visit), the Victorian dinosaurs, remnants of the palace itself (the terraces and Brunel Water Tower), a museum, a cafe, playground and probably most famously the National Sports Centre. Socially, the heart of Crystal Palace lies around the ‘Triangle’, which is a collection of 3 roads jampacked with pubs, restaurants, independent food shops and bric-a-brac shops. It also has a great (yet undiscovered by many outsiders) market called the Haynes Lane market. Although the pubs are always full, the nightlife in Crystal Palace isn’t quite as happening as it is down the roads in Brixton or Clapham – people who live there tend to be in their 30s rather than 20s. But it’s a green and safe area well worth considering. For more information on Crystal Palace, please view our Crystal Palace Area Guide.

Hackney
Don’t be put off by East End tales of living in Hackney, these are largely in the past, although it does still have it’s dodgy parts. However, Hackney is now a magnet for trendy 20 somethings who are into fashion, art or music. A particular lovely part of Hackney is situated to the north of Victoria Park and is called Victoria Park Village. You’ll find it to be filled with quality pubs (some on the park), organic food shops, wine merchants, restaurants and even a smattering of designer clothes shops. Hackney is well placed for quick and easy journeys into Central London, or into nearby Shoreditch and Hoxton if that’s more your scene. To find out more about the area, please view our Hackney Area Guide.

Clapham Junction
To start with, Clapham Junction is confusingly located in the Battersea area, but it’s a short bus ride away from Clapham Common and high street.
A quick walk down the Northcote Road in this location will tell you why it’s such a popular place to live. Pubs, bars, restaurants, street cafes and independent shops line the long road which runs from Clapham Junction up to Wandsworth and intersects with Battersea Rise (upon which you’ll find more of the same). Even though it’s not Central London, the establishments on this road are packed every night of the week with drinkers. It’s a very sociable place to live indeed. For functional shopping, you’ll find a Debenhams department store in the area and a huge Asda store. The train station is absolutely huge and can get you into many parts of Central London, or a multitude of other places, within a few minutes. Depending on what you’re looking for, prices aren’t too dreadful in this area – there is quite a bit of decent ex-council housing available to live in, or period conversions on roads off Lavender Hill or St John’s Hill. For more information on Clapham Junction, please view our Battersea Area Guide.

Cycling in London

moove2london on 19 Jun 2012

London may not strike you as a particularly cyclist-friendly city at first glance, but if you look again, you might find that for a metropolis of its size, London is surprisingly easy to navigate by bike. Ever growing numbers of cyclists in London testify to this. And of course this equation also works the other way round: the more cyclists there are the more cyclist-friendly London will become, as the city administration will be forced to take cyclists into consideration when planning new infrastructure projects. So if you live in London and like cycling, don’t let the traffic scare you off: Get yourself a bike and let’s go!

Cycling around town
First of all, there’s no better way to explore the city! Cycling around town and enjoying the sights is not just for tourists. London is such an immense and ever-changing city that even if you live in London for many years, you will still discover something new every time you venture out of your home or work place. So make the most of it! On the next sunny weekend coming up (yes, they do exist), get on your bike and explore a new part of town. You can map out your route beforehand using the online Cycle Journey Planner or the free maps and cycle guides provided by Transport for London: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/cycling/11598.aspx. You’ll be surprised to see how many designated cycle routes there are in London. You can get almost anywhere without having to go on one of the big roads!

Leisure Routes
There are of course also routes leading out of the city, ideal for a family day out on the bike. One obvious option is cycling along London’s many waterways. London has many canals with cycle and foot paths running along the side and no cars to be seen. Alternatively, you could cycle up the Thames towards Richmond and beyond, or explore the Lee River Valley, a large natural park stretching 26 miles from East London through Essex to Hertfordshire.

Commuting
Many people who live in London use their bicycle for a very practical purpose: it gets them to work and back every day. If you feel confident enough cycling in London, it’s definitely an option worth considering. After all, it has many advantages: It’s a great way to avoid the throngs of people on public transport every morning and every evening, coughing and sneezing into your face, ramming their elbows into your rips and forcing you to listen to the music on their iPods. Instead, it helps you keep fit and saves you money – not only money for public transport, but also money you might otherwise spend on a gym membership.

Cycle and Socialise
As with many sports and activities, cycling in London is also a great way to meet others when you’ve come to live in London and don’t know many people yet. London offers a vast number of cycling clubs for all ages and fitness levels. Cycling events and rallies take place on a regular basis, ranging from rather eccentric activities such as bike polo and naked bike rides to simple cycle training events or social rides in and out of London. On the last Friday of every month, the Critical Mass London organizes an open ride through town to raise awareness of cyclists – a great opportunity to meet people. If you live in London as an expat, check out InterNations, a worldwide network for expats that organizes events and activities around town. You may well find other cycling enthusiast there, or a cycling group you can join.

Last but not least, a word of warning: Bicycle theft is a real plague in London. Make sure to always lock your bike to something. If there is no bicycle parking available, lock it to a tree or a steel railing. Never leave your bike out in a slightly dodgy area over night. Many bicycle thieves operate professionally, using special tools and vans to transport the stolen bikes.

Where to live in London on the Victoria line

moove2london on 13 Jun 2012

Here is the latest instalment in our series of ‘Where to live in London’ on a particular tube line posts. In this article we’ve chosen 5 residential areas of London which have stations on the Victoria line.
You might choose to live somewhere with a station on this line if you work in places such as Victoria, Oxford Circus, Euston or King’s Cross.
The Victoria line uses a light blue colour on the London tube map. It is a short tube line and only serves 16 stations.

Stockwell

Stockwell is located in South London and is flanked by Clapham Road and Brixton Road all the way up to Kennington. An interesting fact about Stockwell is that it contains the largest Portuguese population outside of Portugal (an estimated 27,000 people). This means that Stockwell has a fantastic selection of Portuguese restaurant and food options, particularly on the South Lambeth Road. Stockwell is a really quick tube or bus ride into Central London and a stone’s throw away from Clapham or Brixton for a night out, although it still boasts plenty of pubs of it’s own. For more information on Stockwell please read our Stockwell Area Guide.

Brixton

Brixton is infamous for many reasons, some of them bad, some of them good. The area of Brixton is absolutely buzzing with activity in the form of live music, cuisines from around the globe, market stalls and er yes you’ll sometimes come across the whiff of something illegal in the air. Brixton locals are extremely proud of their town and have even lauched their own currency, the Brixton Pound which has been in use since September 2009. Brixton is at the very end of the Victoria line, which is a good thing as it means you can often get a seat on a north-bound train. For more information about Brixton, please read our Brixton Area Guide.

Pimlico

Pimlico is situated in the SW1 postcode which confusingly for some is actually north of the river in the borough of Westminster. Although it’s in the centre of the town there is a great deal of ex-council and housing association accommodation which makes living in Zone 1 an affordable option for some. There are plenty of cultural and sightseeing activities for you in or near Pimlico including trips to Tate Britain, Buckingham Palace, St James’s Park and Palace, Westminster Abbey and of course you can always wander alongside the river. For more information about living in Pimlico, please read our Pimlico Area Guide.

Highbury

N5 can be found to the south of Finsbury Park and to the north of ever-popular Islington, so it’s a perfect location if you’re looking for close proximity to amazing nightlife, bars, restaurants and independent, swanky shops. Highbury itself offers the largest park in Islington, called Highbury Fields, the Highbury Swimming pool and great transport connections into Central London. Accommodation here comes with quite a high price tag, but you get what you pay for, so if you can afford it you won’t be disappointed. To find out more about Highbury, please read our Highbury Area Guide.

Walthamstow

Quite different to Highbury is the E17 postcode of Walthamstow which is famous for THAT boyband and the former dog racing track. This is an affordable part of town to live in which is located near to the open spaces of Waltham Forest. It’s found at the northern end of the Victoria line, which is perfect for getting a seat on for that early morning south-bound journey into work. For more information on Walthamstow, please read our Walthamstow Area Guide.

Where to live in London on the Central Line

moove2london on 12 Jun 2012

We’ve been doing a series of articles on ‘where to live in London’ on each of the tube lines. In this article, we feature 5 residential areas of London which happen to have stations on the Central line. The Central Line runs from West London through Central London and through to East London and even out to parts of Essex. It serves 49 stations. You might choose to live in these areas if you take the Central line to your workplace in somewhere like Liverpool Street, Bank, Holborn, Tottenham Court Road, Oxford Circus, Bond Street or Marble Arch.

Ealing

Ealing is located in West London and is often thought of as a town in it’s own right. It is a large area made up of 3 suburbs – South/Little Ealing, Ealing Broadway and Ealing Common. Ealing is full of pubs, restaurants, shops and all other day-to-day facilities you could possibly need. Perhaps because it is situated far enough outside of Central London, it has a really ‘leafy’ feel to it, yet you can be in Zone 1 in superquick time thanks to the excellent transport facilities of many varieties that Ealing has to offer. For a comprehensive guide to Ealing, please check out our Ealing Area Guide.

Bethnal Green

Absolutely perfect for those who work in the City of London, as you can pretty much walk to work – you could even consider going home during your lunch break if you were so inclined! Bethnal Green is the heart of the East End of London and was home to the likes of the Kray brothers. It’s also located extremely near to Brick Lane for amazing curries and Shoreditch for jaw-droppingly trendy bars. Bethnal Green isn’t 100% glamorous, but it’s location on the edge of the City makes it well worth investigating. For more details on what Bethnal Green has to offer, please visit our Bethnal Green guide page.

Shepherd’s Bush

Shepherd’s Bush is a perfect place to live if you’re into your shopping. You have the choice of the Shepherd’s Bush Market, which is a real locals market selling fresh produce, fabrics and household goods. But if you’re more shopping mall than market stall, you’ll be thrilled to learn that Westfield Shopping Centre is on your doorstep here. Shepherd’s Bush boasts good transport links and is popular with the Aussie and Kiwi communities which gives it a lively vibe.
Check out our Shepherd’s Bush area guide.

Stratford

Stratford has changed beyond recognition in the past 10 years. No longer an unattractive East London suburb, it is now a major hub which at the moment is synonymous with the London 2012 Olympics. Stratford is well positioned for quick trips into the City, into the Docklands and Canary Wharf and for City Airport. Since September 2011, it has also been home to Westfield Stratford shopping centre. For more information on Stratford, please view our Stratford Area Guide.

South Woodford

South Woodford is one of the most far-reaching East London postcodes before you hit Essex. The area feels both safe and suburban and is popular with footballers and their WAGs. It is both near the countryside of Epping Forest whilst still being reasonably convenient for getting into London (a tube journey takes around 30 minutes). The high street contains the usual suspects as well as independent boutiques and gastropubs. The local cinema is also a big draw. For more information on South Woodford, please read our South Woodford Area guide.