| Britain |
Facts for the Visitor
Definitions| Britain: | England and Wales and Scotland. |
| United Kingdom: | England and Wales and Scotland and Northern Ireland. |
| US citizen: | No visa required, visitors permitted to stay 6 months. |
| Japanese citizen: | No visa required, visitors permitted to stay 6 months. |
| Available everywhere. Most are on the Plus network. The usual maximum withdrawal is £400 in England and £250 in Scotland. |
| US$ 1 = 0.6662 English/Scottish Pounds (£) on June 20, 2000. |
| 240V, 50Hz. Plugs have 3 rectangular pins. |
| International Certificates of Vaccination are not required. |
| A company called "Left Luggage" will keep your luggage for a £4 per piece per 24 hour charge. There is a Left Luggage in Charing Cross and King's Cross train stations. |
| Buy a BT Telephone card (£5 or £10) at any train station kiosk or mini-mart. Card phones can be found in most small towns. They're the easiest way to make reservations while driving through Britain. |
| The London rail system is divided into zones 1-6. Zone 1 is city center, and higher numbered zones lie further from the center. Buy a Day Pass instead of a Single (one-way) or Return (two-way) ticket. The Day Pass is valid for unlimited travel until 03:00 within the zones that you select when purchasing the Day Pass, except during weekday mornings until 09:30 (rush hour). The difference in cost between the Day Pass and a Single ticket is less than £1, and therefore the best travel option. This recommendation includes train transport from Heathrow and Gatwick Airports to the city. |
| Trains in Britain are expensive and less regular that on the European continent. Renting a car is the cheapest and most convenient option. Buy a British Road Atlas and a good Bed & Breakfast guide at any bookstore (like W H Smith). We really liked the British Bed and Breakfast guide by Alistair Sawday. The cheapest way for North Americans to rent a car in Europe is through http://www.autoeurope.com. See our France - Facts for the Visitor page for AutoEurope details. |
Copyright © 2000-2002 Wes and Masami Heiser. All rights reserved.