To London 2 Mar 2003
 

Leaving USA 2 Mar for 7 nights in London. Been on Fodor's often and found many good ideas. Thanks to all. Few things remaining. I did not write for tickets to Changing of the Keys; can tickets be secured in London, and, if so, how? On what days is Westminster Abbey open? Where can we get a "Travelling in London" map. Help is appreciated.

No - you cannot get Ceremony of the Keys (I assume that is what you meant) unless you write for tickets several weeks in advance.<BR><BR>Westminster Abbey is open Mon - Sat (but can be closed at any time due to special events/services). Of course you can go on Sunday if you attend a service - but not for looking around.

On maps: Not sure if you meant a specific map, but you can find a huge variety in any bookshop, and of course, London Transport produce many different free maps, not just of bus and trains routes but also guides to all sorts of things you might want to visit, and how to get there by public transport. You should be able to pick them up in most Underground stations, and some of the larger ones have dedicated information kiosks. You can also download many of them from their website, but that can be time-consuming. <BR><BR>See<BR>http://www.londontransport.co.uk/tfl/out_abt.shtml<BR><BR>http://www.londontransport.co.uk/tfl/interactive_journey.shtml<BR><BR>One they don't seem to mention on the website, but is very useful, is called 'Experience London' - a diagram map of central London and main tourist attractions with the various bus routes that go past them.<BR>

We're going to London the middle of March - the Experience London map sounds like a good one. Do I just look for it in the Underground stations?? Is there a way to get it before we leave? I hadn't heard of that one before. Thanks for the info.

Janis has a point that Westminster Abbey can be closed for special events. We tried to go last Saturday and it was closed for Girl Scout Thinking day. (This is ironic because Thinking day in our country usually takes place in a stuffy, noisy and overheated cafeteria!) We had to fly home on Sunday, but I noticed the sign said it was closed Sunday as well. So if this is a priority, I'd check in advance and base your time around that.<BR>Aside from that, we loved our time in London... We used a small pop-up map, which was useful. Also I had a copy of The Lonely Planet Guide to London on me since it has museum hightlights in it. You will love being able to just wander into a museum for free. Have a great trip!

Even tho Westminster Abbey may be closed to tourists you may be able to attend the service (ceremony) taking place that day. We attended a special service a few years ago which was honoring Canadian war dead and it was awesome. We just walked in off the street. We sat in the same area as the Royal Family for Princess Diana's funeral. There were both the men's and boy's choirs and the music was sublime.

For cheriegal: <BR><BR>Most stations, especially at Heathrow and in central London, will have stands full of different leaflets. <BR><BR>London Transport seem to be trying new ideas for maps and leaflets all the time at the moment. <BR><BR>'Experience London' seems to be a variant on the Visitors Guide they have been running for years, but with the diagrammatic map showing main bus routes and tube stations in relation to the main tourist sights. This is also available on its own.<BR><BR>Just keep your eyes peeled and in a station where there's a dedicated information kiosk, ask.<BR><BR><BR>