Moving to London – how to prepare yourself for the big city life – check our guide!

It is that time of your life when you have already decided to move to London, or you are still gathering information on how to do it and plan your move in the best possible way. We have your back covered!

This guide can help you with overall planning, from picking the best neighbourhood, getting to know companies for removals in London, in addition to how to start your daily life in the new place. One thing is for sure, life in the British capital is interesting, fascinating and brings a lot of opportunities in every aspect of life, from career improvement, studying opportunities, social relationships and overall daily standard of living.

1. How to move in the city and use the transportation services

Regardless of the London neighbourhood, you would like to stay in, you will definitely have to travel through the city for one or another reason, like getting to know the surrounding area, registering for local services, going to work interviews, doing the shopping for your new home, etc. The best part of London transportation is that it offers some of the fastest city lines for subway and tube metro stations. You can also use city buses for most of the destinations, but to put it simply: all locals prefer the tube or train services because they are several times faster than the bus. 

The good news is that you can use the same transportation card – Oyster, for any public transport line or vehicle you choose. Oyster cards cost £5 and you can buy them at every tube or rail station and get a free transportation map for all the city lines.

2. Picking a neighbourhood and renting a room or house

When deciding on the best area to live in London, you should make your personal research based on your needs and wants based on the lifestyle you are looking for. For example, if your party animal spirit is calling upon you, Camden will be the best neighbourhood to make new connections or meet old friends in local pubs, night clubs and bars. You must be prepared though that Camden’s boho lifestyle in central London is cashing out the pockets and maintaining a decent life there will not come easy.

You can alternatively join Hoxton or Shoreditch in East London to get a good taste of London’s daily activities, street food, small festivals and young hipster communities. Of course, the further you get from the centre of London, the less expensive the house renting is. Be prepared that room renting mostly starts from £150 for a room, if you share the rest of the house with roommates. If you are coming from another town in England or the EU, get to know local house removals companies in London to help you out with packing and relocating your stuff or furniture.

3. Tips for making your life easier as being a local Londoner

Living in the 21st century, buying a local sim card if you are coming from abroad is one of the first, most helpful things you can do when you enter Britain. Be aware that Londoners make use of a lot of mobile applications to make their life easier: transportation navigation, banking, personal arrangements, paying the bills and even finding a job or a venue with favourable events in which to spend the day or night. So it will be wise if you get a plan with mobile data enough to cover you up for those needs. Finally, just be prepared for the well-known rainy weather and pack your boots, coat and umbrella.