Surviving and Making the Most of Your Time in the UK

Cambridge is a fun city to be in however it is always nice to travel out and explore other places. London is only 50 minutes away so it’s really easy to jump on a train and get there after classes or at the weekend. I have summed up a way to make your time in the UK fun, cheap and easily accessible. From being in Cambridge to exploring London, I have a set of apps that will sort you out to ensure you make the most of your time in the UK.

1. STUDENT RAIL CARD

1/3 off rail fares when you travel by train for anyone aged 16-25. This means you can save money on trips into town, days out to the coast, or weekend festivals as many times as you like.

The Railcard costs just £30 so after three or four trips, the card will have paid for itself. And over a year, you could save an average of £179*. Your Railcard doesn’t just save you money on travel, it can also save you money on days out, restaurants, hotels and more.

2. STUDENT OYSTER CARD

Getting around London using the underground can be stressful and the one thing I recommend is getting an oyster card. With your rail card, go to the counter and have your oyster registered as a student so you are able to travel at a discount. This is a great option rather than spending on day travel cards especially when you are spending a lot of time in London. The cost of an Oyster card is £5 which is refundable if you choose to take your Oyster card back.

3. TRAINLINE

This mobile app enables you to look at train times, purchase tickets and allows you to have your ticket in the palm of your hands so you never have to rush for trains, stand in long queues and lose your tickets.

4. TUBEMAP

Nothing is more daunting than figuring out how to get from one station to another in London. With the hustle bustle of the London city life, this app saved my life and over time I was able to know how to get around without having to look. This is also a great app to know when there are delays, which stations are working and so you will always be on the know. You can plan your route by keying in you the station you are at and where you want to go and just like that you will be given a planned route so you never have to get lost again. It’s also free which is a bonus!

5. CITYMAPPER

Comprehensive, easy to use and also playful, Citymapper offers more detailed journey planner information than Google Maps, including real-time departures and disruption alerts, as well as Uber integration and cycle routes. It is available in around 30 cities worldwide, with all the obvious city-break destinations covered.

6. LONDON PASS

Once you’ve bought a London Pass you don’t have to pay to get into any of the attractions it covers. Simply show your card at the entrance or ticket office of any attraction included on the London Pass, they will scan it through our special card readers and you will be allowed entry.

• Free entry to over 60 attractions, tours and museums
• Fast Track Entry – skip the lines at selected attractions to save time
• Free Hop on Hop off Bus Tour to explore London with a 1 day ticket
• Optional Oyster Travelcard to cover all of your transport needs
• Free Mobile Ticket option for an instant Mobile London Pass at your fingertips
• Free 160+ page guidebook packed with helpful tips, info and maps
• Free Money Back Guarantee for all online orders
• Over 20 exclusive special offers.

7.TIMEOUT LONDON APP

Discover and explore with Time Out, your trip planner for local and worldwide use. In over 30 cities you can plan events, find places to eat and drink and save your favourite searches to a customisable Home Screen. Search London and other cities around the world for the most exciting events, and save the best to create a customisable travel guide.

I hope you all find this useful and make the most of your time especially during summer to explore London. Happy Summer Days!!

Cassey Alexander
BSc (Hons) Psychology
Malaysia