Practical Information

Population

7,300,000

Time Zone

GMT

Languages

English

Climate

Total Annual Rainfall

585mm (23 inches)

Average Winter Temperature

just below 6°C

Average Summer Temperature

20°C- 30°C

Average Spring and Autumn

11° - 15°C

What to Pack

Spring and Autumn

Summer

Winter

Boots and rain-proof gear.

Umbrella

Comfortable shoes are important because there is plenty to see and walking around the city is the best way to experience it all.

Electricity

240V 50HzHz

Electric Plug Details

British-style plug with two flat blades and one flat grounding blade

Religion

Church of England, Catholic, Methodist, Muslim, Jewish, Sikh and Hindu.

Money

ATMs, or cash points, are very common in London. You can use cards from any bank in the world that is part of the Visa, MasterCard, Cirrus or Maestro systems. Most banks now allow their card holders to withdraw money from other banks’ ATMs without charge. However, if you haven’t got a UK high-street bank card, there is nearly always a charge for cash withdrawals. You should contact your bank to find out how much this is before using ATMs too freely.

Currency

Pound sterling (£)

Banks

• 9am – 6pm from Monday to Friday
• 9am – 1pm on Saturday

Exchange Bureau

You can change money in most high-street banks and some travel agent chains, as well as at the numerous bureaux de change throughout the city.

Compare rates and watch for the commission, which is not always mentioned.

Always ask how many pounds you’ll receive before deciding. It is a good idea to shop around.

Credit Cards

Credit cards Credit and debit cards are accepted almost universally in London, from restaurants and bars to shops and even some taxis.

Visa and MasterCard are used more than American Express and Diner’s Club, while many people use their credit and debit cards to get ‘cash back’ from supermarkets so they don’t have to go to an ATM if they are low on cash.

. When paying by credit card many shops ask you to enter your personal identification number (PIN) when making a payment.

You'll find ATMs at most large supermarkets, train stations, some petrol stations and even in some pubs and shops.

Cost of Living

Shopping basket price guide

Milk, 1 litre - £0.62; €0.92

100% juice, 1 litre - £0.66; €0.98

Soup x 400g - £0.40; €0.59

Spaghetti, 500g - £0.48; €0.71

Sliced cheese, 200g - £0.99; €1.47

Toast bread, approx. 20 slices - £0.44; €0.65

Rolls, 4 pieces - £0.28; €0.41

Fruit yoghurt, 250ml - £0.19; €0.28

Ice cream, 2 litres - £0.85; €1.26

Sparkling water, 1.5 litres - £0.72; €1.07

Still water, 2 litres - £0.43; €0.64

Apples, 1kg - £1.07; €1.58

Potatoes, 1kg - £0.32; €0.47

Oranges, 1kg - £0.99; €1.47

Other indicators

Pint of beer in a pub £2.50, €3.45

Meal for two in a restaurant £25, €37

Big Mac £1.99, €2.95

Can of Coke £0.60, €0.89

Cinema ticket £8, €11.84

Theatre ticket from £20, €29.60

Newspaper £0.35, €0.52

Packet of 20 cigarettes £5.10, €7.55

Hair cut (men’s) from £7, €10.36

Hair cut (women’s) from £25, €37

One week’s food shopping £30 per person €44.40

Mobile phone from £40, €59.20

International stamp £0.47, €0.70

Andrex toilet paper (9 rolls) £3.50, €5.18

These are average UK prices and are intended as an indicator only. Prices may vary across the UK. Based on exchange rate of GBP 1 = Euro 1.48.

Transport

If you are planning on using public transport regularly around London, it is recommended that you buy an Oyster Card. You can top up your card as needed and it is the cheapest way to get around London. Visit www.tfl.gov.uk for more information.

Prices

Bus Fares – single fares- £2

Oyster - £1 at all times

Tube Fares- Single adult cash Tube fares within zone 1 - £4; Oyster - £1.50

For more information and advice on what to do on arrival, visit the arrivals page.

Visas

See our section on visas

Shop Hours

From Monday to Saturday - 9 or 10am and 6 or 7pm (However, most shops are open until 8pm on Thursday)

Sunday -12pm – 6pm

Health

We can arrange for students to see a doctor near the school, or if the student is too ill to come in, then a visit would be arranged through the host family/residence.

There may be a charge especially for non-EU students.

We strongly recommend that all students take out medical insurance in their country of origin. This should include provision for any dental emergencies as dentists are very expensive in the UK.

You can book insurance through EC.

Water

Tap wateris safe to drink

Vaccinations

Not required

Telephones and Mobile Phones

Country Dialing Code

+44

Useful Numbers

• 999 – Emergency Services (police, fire, ambulance)
• 100 – Operator (for help with calls locally, nationally and to the Republic of Ireland)
• 155 – International Operator (for help with international calls or calls to a ship)
• 118 500 – Directory Enquiries (can supply phone numbers for individuals and businesses in Britain if given name and location)
• 118 505 – International Directory Enquiries (as above but for overseas individuals/businesses)

Telephone Cards

The simplest and cheapest way for students to call home is by telephone card. These can be bought from the EC Centre, newsagents and other shops throughout London. These cards can be used to make local and international phone calls from various telephone booths.

Mobile Phones

The UK is GSM compatible The UK uses a GSM (or 2G) and UMTS (or 3G) mobile phone system.

The cheapest way to phone home on your mobile is to buy a UK SIM card.

Public Holidays

Please note that EC does not offer tuition on public holidays should one fall during your booked course dates. There are eight public holidays called bank holidays in the UK. On bank holidays most offices, banks, schools and a lot of shops are closed.

Public holidays observed in London are:

1st January - New Year’s Day

Good Friday: Friday before the UK Easter (March or April date varies)

Easter Monday: Monday after Easter (March or April date varies)

May Day bank holiday: first Monday in May

Spring bank holiday: last Monday in May

Summer bank holiday: last Monday in August

25th December - Christmas Day

26th December - Boxing Day

Christmas Closing Dates 2008: The last day of school is 19 December 2008. Centres re-open on 5 January 2009.

Safety

London is not a dangerous city but it is always wise to ensure that you take sensible precautions to ensure your personal safety and that of your belongings.

DO

• keep all your personal belongings with you at all times, particularly in public places such as bars, restaurants and public tranport

Don't

• take passports, flight tickets and large sums of money with you when you go out, especially in the evening.
• leave such items unattended.