What to do in an 8-hour layover in London?

Are you in London only for a long layover? And you still want to visit the city but you are unsure how? Worry not, I’m here to help!

This guide will answer all your burning questions about nailing your 8-hour layover in London. 

Here, we will lay out transportation and logistics, sightseeing and activities and propose a few dining options. All of this is to help you maximize your experience in London and make the most of your time in the city before catching your next flight.

So the first question is, why leave the airport for such a short time? It sounds stressful!

A long layover can either be a pain because you will die of boredom at the airport or you can use it to your advantage by visiting the city you are transiting to. Trust me, there are worse places to do a fun layover than London. London is an exciting city with TONS of things to do, whether it's your first time in the capital or you have been there multiple times. 

Yes, leaving the airport for such a small of time can be stressful if you are not a seasoned traveller. If this is one of your first times doing a big trip or have high anxiety, I will suggest not taking this adventure. If you are used to doing this, then you have more than enough time! In our case, we decided to catch a glimpse of London, we were on our way to Bulgaria and we had to change airports to add a little complexity to it all. 

Prep time and time management are essential to successfully do your layout!

My best tip will be to find out what you want to do BEFORE you arrive. This way you will not waste any time searching for this to do. This will also allow you to see how to get from 1 point to another. You don’t want to spend your whole day in the tube or be disappointed because what you wanted to visit or do is closed or has big waiting lines. London has a lot of things to do, you cannot do them all, you will have to cherry-pick the most important things for you. If you need to make reservations, make them it can save some time. 

Do your math! A good time management of your London layover is the key! Remember that if you leave an airport, you will have to go through security regardless of your final destination and customs (if you are an international traveller) so be sure to keep AT LEAST  1 hour to do all of these processes. Also, remember that you need to be on time for your next connecting flight, so at least one hour before your boarding time (it is written in your boarding pass). This means that you will lose 3- 2 hours of your precious time in the city.

Transportation and Logistics

What is the quickest way to get to London?

Forget the car, taxis or Uber take the tube! This tool will help you plan your transportation time, it will tell you if there are delays or how long it will take you to get to the attraction that you want to visit.

Also, if you buy tickets in advance, you can have discounts on public transport.

If you are at London Heathrow Airport, you can take the Heathrow Express (faster but more expensive) which will take you downtown in just 15 minutes. The express trains drop you off at Paddington Station, a perfect stop to either connect to other stations or to walk around central London. The Stansted Airport has also an express train which works the same way. You take this train to the London Liverpool Station from where you can get access to the underground.

The other option, the cheapest option, is to take the Piccadilly line which will get you to Central London. The regular Tube will take you 60-75 minutes to get to central London. You can see that you are already saving 1h of your time. Yes, the express options are more expensive but it will be worth splurging. If you are leaving for another part of London that is not downtown, I suggest examining all of your options.

For all your transport, I will suggest buying a one-day pass directly at the airport. There, you will get unlimited entries to the tube for £26. If not, you can consider buying an Oyster card, these two options will allow you to save some time while purchasing your tickets. The purchase of the express trains is additional to this fee, a single ride on the express is £25. However, if you book your tickets in advance you can get more than 50% deals on the ticket prices.

There’s also a Travelcard (different from the Oyster Card), which has its own benefits, check if this is cheaper for you. You can weigh the pros and cons of each card with the official FAQ for whether the Oyster Card or Travelcard is right for you.

I’m changing airports, do I have enough time?

London has 5 airports, all of which can be reached through public transit. Chances are that you will be arriving and leaving from Heathrow Airport since it's the main international airport. The other 4 airports are smaller and serve other European or local destinations or local. The other airports are Gatwick, Stansted, Luton & London City airports 

If you need to change airports, worry not, the transfer is very easy. The best way is to take the public transit. The major airports have “Express” options which are a little more expensive than the regular tube but can save you precious time. 

What do I do with my luggage?

If you have your luggage, I would suggest storing it that way you are not carrying it around. You can leave them in the airport if you are doing a Heathrow layover meaning if you are returning to Heathrow airport. If you are arriving at a different airport and departing from another one, there are a few spots around the city where you can store them. 

The rates change by how long you leave your bags and how many you have. Don't worry, your luggage will be safe since the luggage drops, some of them look like airport security, they scan your bag and store it at the back. Here is a complete list of the places where you can leave your baggage. Each luggage storage company has different prices and requirements, do a little research beforehand.

Also, be mindful of where you leave your baggage, do you need to go back to this station to pick it up? Are you going to have enough time?

Psst: The British call baggage storage “left luggage” so don’t be confused.

Other tips 

Download Google offline map. If you are planning not to activate your data, it’s best to have a copy of the offline map with you to help you navigate around London.

Dress for the weather. Be mindful of this, London can be chilly and it will most probably rain so maybe carry an umbrella with you.

Security - Do I need to go through security again for a connecting flight? Yes! You are obliged to through security no matter the airport.

Now for the fun part, How to Explore the City on an 8-hour layover in London?

There are a lot of things that you can do in London, it all depends on what you want to do!

London is one of those cities that have so many things to do! Choosing what to do in a few days can be difficult so planning what to do in a long layover can be even more difficult! Here are multiple ideas, depending on your time and liking.

Layover option for First timers

For London first-timers, leaving your baggage at Victoria Station (if you choose not to leave it at the airport) is extremely convenient since you are right in Central London with its main landmarks, Buckingham Palace and Big Ben. If you are lucky enough, you might catch the guards’ change. Jump back to the underground and head to the London Bridge station to see the iconic Tower Bridge. Other iconic options can be the London Eye and Westminster Abbey. 

Then, should you have time to take a break, simply grab a beer in a London pub or go for tea time? 

Another great itinerary to do is to go to St Paul's Cathedral, one of the most famous and most recognizable sights of London, cross through the Millennium Bridge and have a drink at the World’s best 50 bar, Lyaness. The cocktails are refined and original, plus the views from the bar will give you great snapshots of the city! From here, walk through the South Thames banks, an entertainment and commercial district.

Another good option could be to visit the famous Trafalgar Square. The historical square monumentalizes the Battle of Trafalgar. Now, this public plaza is home to celebrations, protests, events, and more. In the summer there are ballet performances. The National Gallery is also situated there.

Tours

A sightseeing tour is always a good plan since it will give you a tour of the city in a short time. Taking a tour is a good option since they already plan things for you and you know approximately how long this activity will take, where it starts and where it ends. Hop-on and hop-off tours can be great for this or take a walking tour.

Or better, why not experience an Afternoon Tea in a double-decker bus while visiting London’s best attractions? If you are a Harry Potter fan, you can also do a Harry Potter tour which will take you to some of the filming locations for the movies. Or you can take the WB Harry Potter studio tour.

Museums

If it is not your first time in London and you have already visited all of the above, then why not go to a museum? Did you know that the Capital has more than 200 museums? With these many expositions, I'm sure you will find one of your liking. One of the main museums in the British Museum, the Tate Modern and Natural History Museum. If you want to visit a museum, beware that some have huge waiting times and you need to be aware of your limited time. You also have to see if your tube station is not on the other side of the city.

Foodie stops

If you are a foodie and you have been to the capital several times, why not indulge in some of the many trendy city Markets like the Borough market? This way you can eat delicious food and forget about the airplane food that you will have to eat for some hours during your next flight. Also, don’t forget to have real fish and chips during your visit!

Shopping and Entertainment stops

 If you are looking for all the busy action that the capital has to offer, then head to Covent Garden located in the West End. This is the district of the theatre and entertainment area. This area is full of stores restaurants and bars. It also has a car-free Piazza and much more! If you are looking to shop then the iconic Harrods or you can go to the famous Oxford Street.

Get the views

Another great idea would be to go to the Sky Garden bar where you can see the city from above! Located at 20 Fenchurch Street, the Sky Garden sits on the 43rd floor of the “Walkie Talkie” building. You can enjoy the panoramic views of the city with the views of the Thames, London Eye, St Paul Cathedral, Tower Bridge, Tower of London, The Shard and Canary Wharf, among others. The gardens are three storeys of landscaped gardens lush with South African and Mediterranean plants. This will be a great space for the possible bad weather in London and it will be a feast for your eyes. My biggest tip for this attraction is to book the bar at a specific timeslot, this way you will not wait in line. I was pleasantly surprised that the drinks were not more expensive than in other parts of the city.

Free things to do

London can be very expensive, even for a couple of hours; here are 20 free things to do in the city. Parks are a good free option and seeing a little bit of nature is always pleasant after long flights. Hyde Park is one of the most famous parks in central London and it’s home to Serpentine Lake, where The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain is. As you know Princess Diana died in a car crash in 1997. If you are a Peter Pan lover then visit his statue at the Kensington Gardens. 

Did you know that many of London’s museums, such as the British Museum and the National Gallery, offer free entry to their permanent collections? The changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace is also free, you might want to research when this happens to time your itinerary accordingly.

If you are unsure if you have time to achieve all your stops, just ask the nice people at the information desks, they will be able to assist you more on your specific needs. 

So what are you doing during your next layover in London?

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