Journey Planner is one of the best features on the Transport for London website and is definitely worth checking out before a trip to the capital. It allows you to submit transport inquiries to discover the best routes in real time throughout London. You can use the following to figure out the best way to get from A to B:
- a subway station
- a zip code
- a specific address
- A place of interest
How Journey Planner Works
You can select the date and time you want to travel. This allows you to check for currently planned engineering work, station closings, elevator / elevator access issues, or unexpected delays. If there is a change in normal service, Journey Planner will offer an alternate route.
Once you have submitted your travel plans, Journey Planner will provide you with a list of routes. Symbols make it easy to see if it suggests walking, bus, subway, or train routes. The site provides an estimated travel time, which is helpful when planning what time to depart.
Click ‘View’ for more details on an individual trip. A fantastically detailed route appears, with time for each stage (you usually overestimate your walking time, so you can save a few minutes here). There is a map available for each stage of the journey so you can check exactly what they suggest. There are also symbols that show you if you need to go up or down stairs (usually in metro stations), so if you have any mobility problems, you can avoid these routes.
Additional characteristics
If you are using a UK mobile (cell) phone, you can even choose to have the route sent to you as a text message (SMS).
The following language options are available:
- German
- Italian
- French
- Spanish
