Tap in, walk more: how to get around London

Most days in central London start on foot and end on the Underground, and a contactless card or phone covers nearly all of it. Almost every residence on this site is within ten minutes' walk of a station, and more than half are within five.

The Tube, and how to pay

The Circle, District and Piccadilly lines run close to more central residences than any others, because South Kensington, Gloucester Road, Kensington, Knightsbridge, Victoria and Westminster all sit on at least one of them. The Piccadilly is the line to learn first. It runs from Heathrow through Knightsbridge, Hyde Park Corner, Green Park, Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square and Covent Garden, which covers most first-time sightseeing without a change.

The Central line is the fastest way east to west across the West End and the City. The Elizabeth line is newer, faster and air-conditioned, which counts for a lot in August, and links Paddington, Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road and Farringdon with Canary Wharf and Heathrow. Rush hour runs roughly 7.30am to 9.30am and 5pm to 7pm on weekdays, so walk short hops then.

Paying is simple. Give each person their own contactless card or phone and use the same one every time, because pay-as-you-go fares are capped and a busy day never costs more than the equivalent travelcard. Touch in and out on the yellow readers, on the Elizabeth line and the Overground too. Paper single tickets cost much more and aren't worth buying.

Cabs, bikes and walking

You can hail a licensed black cab when the yellow TAXI sign is lit. The meter runs on three tariffs: weekday daytime, evenings and weekends, and a higher rate from 10pm to 6am and on public holidays. Drivers know the city without satnav, and if you'd rather book, most front desks will call a car and the app-based firms work all over central London. Between 5pm and 7pm, though, a cab across the West End is often slower than walking, so sit it out with a drink or take the Tube.

Santander Cycles docking stations are everywhere in central London, and most central residences have several within a few minutes' walk. Hire through the Santander Cycles app or with a bank card at the terminal; rides start from £2 and there's no need to book. The calm routes run through Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens and Regent's Park and along the Thames Embankment, while the main roads are anything but, so plan your route in the app before you set off.

Central London is also far more walkable than the Tube map lets on. Covent Garden to Leicester Square is quicker on foot than by Tube, and so is Green Park to Piccadilly Circus. South Kensington to Knightsbridge takes about 15 minutes along Brompton Road, Mayfair to Soho about 20, and Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens between them give you a mostly traffic-free walk from Kensington to Hyde Park Corner.

The river and Heathrow

Uber Boat by Thames Clippers runs a river bus along the Thames, stopping at piers including Westminster and Greenwich. For most trips it's slower than the Tube, but for Greenwich it's much the better way to go, with the Tower, the City and Canary Wharf sliding past on the way. Buy tickets in the app or at the pier.

The Heathrow Express is the quick way to the airport: a quarter of an hour from Paddington, with trains every 15 minutes. The Elizabeth line takes just under half an hour from Paddington to Terminals 2 and 3, costs less and carries on through the West End to the City, so it may save you a change. The Piccadilly line is the cheapest and slowest, but it runs straight to South Kensington, Knightsbridge and Green Park. With luggage and more than two of you, a car to the door is usually simplest, so ask the residence's reservations team when you book whether they can arrange one and what it'll cost.