england travel budget

18 ways to explore England on a budget

Jul 15, 2023 • 11 min read

From free activities to budget meals, these top tips can help you save money when you visit England © Photo by Roo Lewis / Getty Images

From cliff-backed beaches and quaint villages to vibrant cities and historic sights, England has plenty to entice visitors. But it can also be a fairly expensive destination, particularly in terms of accommodations, tours and sightseeing . 

The good news? Many of England’s museums , natural sights and heritage attractions are free. Public transportation can be affordable when planned in advance, and plenty of wallet-friendly dining options exist: from pub lunches to the iconic takeaway fish and chips. 

Even London , famously one of Europe’s most expensive cities, can be explored on a budget if you’re careful. Outside of the major tourist destinations, the rest of England becomes much more affordable, so heading off the beaten path can be particularly rewarding. 

Get ready to explore the land of rolling countryside, ancient castles, and dazzling white cliffs with these top money-saving tips and a guide to daily costs.

Average daily costs in England

Hostel room: £15–30 (dorm bed) Hotel room for two: £100 Self-catering apartment (including Airbnb): £70  Camping pitch: £20–30 Single bus ticket: £2.80 (can reach over £6 in rural areas) Coffee: £3 Takeaway sandwich: £3 Dinner for two at a mid-range restaurant: £30–50  Pint at the bar: £4–6 Takeaway fish and chips: £10 Pub lunch: £12.50–25

Total average daily cost per person: £50–150

Bear in mind that travel costs – particularly accommodation – vary significantly across England depending on the destination. Prices in London and other popular cities are generally much higher than in smaller towns or rural areas.

Figure out which London airport is the cheapest to fly to

London has six major airports but transport costs into the city center – or further afield – can vary widely. To figure out which airport is cheapest to fly to in England, you should factor in the onward travel costs to your final destination. 

Heathrow, London’s main and busiest airport, is on the London Underground's Piccadilly Line and the new Elizabeth Line, so travel into central London can cost as little as £5.60. Buses from Heathrow Central Bus Station can provide affordable onward travel to the rest of England. 

The second largest airport, Gatwick, competes directly with Heathrow for a number of destinations, often resulting in lower flight prices. It’s not on the London Underground, but there is a train station and a bus station with connections into central London starting from £13.30 and £7 respectively. There are also good connections with other parts of England, particularly the south.  

London’s Luton, Southend, and Stansted airports are popular hubs for budget airlines such as EasyJet and Ryanair, though they have a longer journey time into central London. Finally, the centrally-located London City Airport is usually the most expensive to fly to, but allows for cheap and convenient onward travel within the city center. 

Remember to check other destination airports

Depending on your onward travel plans, flying into London might not be your best bet. Manchester Airport is the third biggest in the UK and has flight connections with over 200 destinations worldwide . As with Heathrow and Gatwick, the amount of flight options can drive competition between airlines and result in lower prices. 

Smaller airports throughout England may be better positioned for onward travel to other parts of the country. Bristol and Newquay airports are much closer to Southwest England than the London airports, for example, while Birmingham Airport might be a better option for the Midlands.  

Remember to factor in the price of onward travel, as this can have a huge impact on travel costs. If you want to visit the Lake District, trains from London Heathrow to Oxenholme train station take almost 10 hours and start from £114.20 . Trains from Manchester Airport to Oxenholme, by comparison, take 1h 39m and start from £6.50.  

If you’re trying to get the best flight deal possible, it’s a good idea to widen your search to include all English airports and to check the onward travel options before making your decision. 

Weigh up your transport options

Unfortunately, public transportation isn’t always the cheapest or most practical way of getting around England. Most cities and towns have good internal bus networks, but many rural areas and small towns have limited – or no – public transport services, and trains between cities can be pricey. 

Train tickets are notoriously expensive in England, but traveling off-peak and booking around 12 weeks in advance can dramatically reduce costs. Check and compare train times and ticket options on National Rail . If you plan on traveling by train regularly, purchasing a National Rail annual railcard may help reduce costs. 

The best way to travel around England for budget visitors is by coach, but journey times are often much longer than by train or car and the routes aren’t always convenient. Bus travel is cheapest when booked direct: the two main operators are National Express and Megabus . Both offer competitive prices. 

If you plan on visiting multiple destinations or traveling to parts of England with limited public transport services, driving may prove the most practical way to get around. According to  Kayak , car hire in the UK is £43 per day on average, although prices can be as low as £16 per day. 

Book transport in advance for the best deals

If you plan to travel around England via public transport, booking in advance is almost always the cheapest option. Advance train tickets can be around 50% cheaper, while Trainline claims its customers save an average of 61% when booking in advance.  

Train tickets can usually be booked around 12 weeks before the departure date, while bus tickets from National Express – the UK’s largest coach operator – go on sale up to one year in advance. 

Find free parking

Park & Ride services on the outskirts of towns and cities usually offer free parking when you pay for the bus into the center. This usually works out much cheaper than paying for city center parking, not to mention congestion fees, which are becoming increasingly common in busy cities. 

Street parking, where allowed, is often free in England, though sometimes only for a limited time, and rarely in city or town centers. Apps like AppyParking and Parkopedia can help you find free places to park.

Visit in spring or autumn for the best prices

June to August is the peak tourist season in the UK. Travel costs, especially accommodation, can rise dramatically during these months, as well as during school and public holidays. The shoulder seasons of April to May and September to October are often much quieter and cheaper times to visit. The weather is usually fairly mild, though changeable and with a greater chance of rain than in summer.  

November to March is the off-season in England and is generally the cheapest time to visit (except Christmas). It’s worth noting that many outdoor and summer-based tourist attractions close during winter, especially in seaside resorts. 

Avoid traveling during school and bank holidays

School and public holidays are the most popular travel times in England and tend to see significant price increases. To save money, avoid traveling during school holidays, which happen every six to seven weeks, if you can.

The exact dates vary across the country , but generally speaking, the longest holiday period is from the end of July and throughout August, with an additional two weeks around Christmas and Easter. There are also "half-term" holidays of one or two weeks, usually falling in February, May and October.

Additionally, there are eight Bank Holidays in England throughout the year. Extra holidays are sometimes added for national events such as Royal weddings and funerals.

Make the most of England’s free attractions

If you’re exploring England on a budget, there are plentiful free attractions to enjoy. All national parks have free entry, as do most other natural attractions such as woodlands, country parks, lakes and beaches. Likewise, there are miles of public footpaths, bridleways, and long-distance walking and biking paths to enjoy free of charge across the country. 

Many museums and art galleries offer free entry, and even the ones that don’t often have a monthly free-entry day. Churches and cathedrals are usually free to explore as well, although some ask for donations from visitors. 

Get 2-for-1 on attractions with National Rail

The National Rail Days Out scheme offers 2-for-1 tickets at over 300 attractions in England when you travel by train. There’s a huge variety of attractions across the country, including aquariums, zoos, football grounds, museums, gardens, and cinemas. Simply show your train ticket on entry to receive the discount.

Join English Heritage and/or the National Trust

Many of England's top heritage properties, beauty spots and historic sites are managed by either the National Trust or English Heritage charities. Stonehenge and Dover Castle are two of the most famous English Heritage sites, while the National Trust manages over 500 gardens, nature reserves, and historic houses such as Agatha Christie’s former home Greenway House in Devon .

Both charities offer annual memberships allowing free entry to all attractions as well as free car parking at a number of locations. Both charities also offer temporary memberships for short-term visitors from overseas. These can be well worth purchasing if you plan on visiting several attractions.

Look for discounts for students, seniors, groups and families 

Many attractions throughout England offer discounts to students, children (usually under 18s) and seniors (usually 60+). Some also offer cheaper packages for groups and families, so check the best options online when planning your trip. 

Check online for discounts

Coupons and special offers are popular in England. If you’re visiting an attraction or a restaurant, check its social media pages for any current deals that may be running. Likewise, local Facebook Groups and newspapers can be good sources for news of special offers and discounts in the area.  

You can also sign up for online deals websites to find discounts on days out, meals and more. Groupon and HotUKDeals are two popular websites for finding deals on UK travel.

Book rooms in budget hotels

Accommodation can be one of the biggest costs when traveling in England. The budget hotel chains Premier Inn , Travelodge and Holiday Inn Express offer decent hotel rooms (if a little bland) at affordable prices. Guesthouses and B&Bs are usually cheaper than hotels and often have a lot more character. 

Hotels on the outskirts of towns and cities can be cheaper than those in the city center, but check that there are convenient public transport options before booking, as taking taxis will quickly mitigate those savings. 

Remember that hostels aren’t just for backpackers

The Youth Hostels Association (YHA) has hostels across England, some of them in extraordinary buildings, including castles! These offer budget-friendly dormitory accommodation for backpackers, but there are many other options to suit all kinds of travelers. Groups can book an entire dorm – or even the whole property – and many hostels have private and family-sized rooms, camping pitches, cabins and even glamping.

Embrace the English caravan parks

Holiday parks with static caravan accommodation are popular throughout England, particularly around tourist hot spots on the coast or in the countryside. These can be a very affordable option, especially for groups or families, although prices rise significantly during the summer holidays. Many parks have facilities such as a pool, restaurants, shops and entertainment.

Pitchup  is a handy website to search and book holiday parks, caravans, campsites, and glamping sites across the UK. Keep in mind that some holiday parks can only be booked directly through the parks themselves. 

Enjoy a good meal out on a budget

England’s reputation for high prices and bad cuisine is somewhat undeserved. There’s good food to be found across the country, from minimal-mile menus at country pubs to excellent seafood along the ample coastline . Food trucks are increasingly popular, especially in cities and tourist towns, and can be a great way to get a takeaway meal for less than £10. Speaking of takeaways, the famed British staple of fish and chips usually costs around £10, best eaten on the beach at sunset for a no-frills budget dinner.

For indoor dining, pubs are generally cheaper than restaurants and many offer very good food alongside local ales, ciders and other drinks. Look for gastro-pubs, where the emphasis is more on dining than drinking. Expect to pay around £12–20 for a main and even less if there’s a deal on.

Consider signing up for a Tastecard

You could also sign up for a Tastecard which offers dining discounts such as 2-for-1 meals at eateries all over the UK — including chains like Pizza Hut, Prezzo and Giraffe. Membership is £34.99 a year so this is probably only worth it during a long-term stay in England or if you plan to use the discount card a lot during your visit.

Stay in self-catered places and shop in budget supermarkets

Dining out is obviously going to eat into your budget. Consider opting for self-catering accommodation where you've got the facilities to store and prepare your own meals.

The cheapest supermarkets are Aldi and Lidl , although most supermarket brands usually have good special offers on. Supermarkets are also great places to pick up cheap lunches (many have a “meal deal” combo of a sandwich, side and drink) or put together a picnic to take with you while you’re exploring England. 

Dine out on weekdays

At pubs and restaurants, weekdays are often the cheapest days to dine out. During the week, many establishments offer fixed-price set menus or deals such as 2-for-1 mains that won’t be found on weekends. 

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Travel Better, Cheaper, Longer

England Travel Guide

Last Updated: April 18, 2024

England is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. While most travelers tend to stick to London (which is understandable as it’s a great city!), the rest of the region has a lot to offer and sees a fraction of the crowds.

In fact, backpacking around England was one of the highlights of all my travels in Europe .

England’s smaller cities, like Bath and Oxford , are both fascinating and culturally rich. (And, since they aren’t as crowded as London, they’re a bit cheaper too.)

Liverpool , the birthplace of The Beatles, boasts a rich musical history while the countryside has fascinating estates and natural beauty. There’s the mountainous north, the rolling hills of Lancaster and Cornwall, Stonehenge , Hadrian’s Wall, and Tudor cities like Chester.

In short, there is a ton to see and do in England. This England travel guide can help you plan your trip, save money, and make the most out of your time here!

Table of Contents

• Things to See and Do
• Typical Costs
• Suggested Budget
• Money-Saving Tips
• Where to Stay
• How to Get Around
• How to Stay Safe
• Best Places to Book Your Trip
• Related Blogs on England

Click Here for City Guides

Top 5 things to see and do in england.

1. Tour London

You can’t go to England without visiting London — it’s one of the most popular cities in the world. It’s home to charming pubs, world-class museums, tons of history, some of the best theater performances in the world, a diverse population, incredible food, and a wild nightlife. It might be a city that often breaks the bank, but fortunately, London has a plethora of free markets, museums are often free, and it has a ton of relaxing parks that you can enjoy on a budget. There are lots of free walking tours here too!

2. Drive the coast

England’s coastal towns make for a relaxing holiday (especially if you have a vehicle). The most popular destination is Brighton , well-known for its summer parties and festivals. But don’t overlook places like Weymouth, Salcombe, Dover, Hastings, St Ives, or Newquay — and that’s just a handful of them in the south of the country. You could literally spend months just discovering each new place. The towns offer everything from old-world traditional charm (think cobbled streets and Tudor houses) to bright lights and fun fairs (Brighton’s pier is similar to LA’s Santa Monica).

3. See Cornwall

Cornwall is like mini-New England — you can see why English settlers felt at home in the New World. Just like the USA’s New England , Cornwall has rolling hills, beautiful lakes, small towns, rural farms, wonderful hiking trails, tiny fishing villages, great food, and even a winery. The area has been populated since the Neolithic and Bronze Age. Eventually, the Britons (who were Celtic in origin) claimed the region, with the first written account of the region dating back to the 4th century BCE. It’s also been an important maritime region for centuries. The laid-back pace of life here is one of the reasons why it’s one of my favorite places in England. Don’t miss it!

4. Spend a day in Bath

Bath is named after the famous (and marvelously well preserved) ancient Roman baths located in the heart of the city that date back to 70 CE and were in use through to the 5th century. The audio guide by Bill Bryson is a must and adds a lot of context and details. The baths are the main attraction in town, though the abbey, Georgian and Victorian houses, and river are also nice to see. Literature buffs can also explore Jane Austen’s heritage as she lived in Bath for most of her life.

5. Explore the Lake District

Located in Cumbria, in Northern England, and about an hour from the border with Scotland, the Lake District is home to one of England’s best national parks. The lakes in the region are a result of the last ice age and receding glaciers cut the U-shaped valleys that are now filled with water. It’s perfect for hiking mountain passes and sailing around pristine lakes. It’s very popular (and crowded) during the summer. It is to northern England what Cornwall is to the south: a natural, rural paradise that embodies the best of England and, outside of Cornwall, it’s my favorite region in England.

Other Things to See and Do in England

1. see buckingham palace.

Buckingham Palace, home to the Queen of England, is a fascinating sight that’s only open to the public during the summer. If you can’t (or don’t want to) visit the palace, you can catch the changing of the guards at 11am four times a week (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays). If you want to check out the palace, admission is 30 GBP when purchased online (33 GBP on the day), while exclusive guided tours are 90 GBP. Check the Royal Collection Trust website for details on other events happening throughout the year.

2. Visit the Tower of London

Built in 1070, the Tower of London has expanded many times over the years. It was built as a double-leaf bascule bridge in the middle (both sides lift up) to maintain river access to the Pool of London docks while easing congestion on each side of the river. You can visit inside the tower and walk along the glass walkways. Weapons, armor, and coins were made here until 1810 and today you can view the famous crown jewels, walk the battlements, wander recreated medieval palace rooms, see the iconic Yeoman Warders (known as the Beefeaters as they were allowed to eat as much beef as they wanted from King Henry VII’s table), and spot the legendary black ravens that live in the tower. Skip-the-line tickets are 29.90 GBP. Be aware that lines are long so it’s best to plan ahead.

3. Relax in Brighton

Brighton is a great little seaside resort town on the southern coast of England that’s perfect for a weekend getaway. Considered the hippest city in the UK, Brighton is known for being quirky, bohemian, artsy, and very LGBTQ-friendly. It’s a popular summer destination for locals who come here to relax on the beach, enjoy the fleeting summer sun, and wander the pier where there are amusement rides, carnival-style stalls, and street food.

4. Listen to music in Liverpool

Liverpool has spectacular museums, but as the World Capital City of Pop, the real reason to go is for the music, or more specifically, for The Beatles. The Beatles Story museum has all kinds of memorabilia and information about the famous band, who were from Liverpool. Besides the music, Liverpool has a rich history and culture as well as fun pubs, so don’t sell it short.

5. Check out Chatsworth House

Located in Derbyshire, this massive and lavish mansion was built in 1549 for the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire. While there are many beautiful houses and castles throughout the UK, this is one of the most astonishing. It’s so striking in fact, that countless films and TV series have been filmed here (including Peaky Blinders, Jane Eyre , and of course Pride and Prejudice ). The home has played a role in popular culture since it was mentioned in Jane Austen’s book, Pride and Prejudice in 1813. On your visit, you can wander the 25 stately rooms, stroll the 105-acre gardens, and make new furry friends in the operating farmyard. Admission to the house and garden costs 26 GBP (just the garden is 15 GBP).

6. Tour Oxford University

Founded in the 11th century in Oxford , this university is one of the oldest in the world. You can visit the many beautiful colleges within Oxford for just a few dollars, or you can take a 90-120 minute guided tour of the entire university with Bodleian Libraries (20 GBP). You can even see the colleges in which they filmed parts of Harry Potter ! For art history buffs, stop in at the free Ashmolean Museum on campus for impressive Eastern and Ancient Egyptian art collections.

7. Attend the festivals

England is known for its festivals, especially during the summer. For music, be sure to check out the famous (and muddy!) Glastonbury festival or the Liverpool International Music Festival. Also, the UK has three huge annual Pride events in London, Brighton, and Manchester. This is just the tip of the festival iceberg though as every city and town has a lot on offer.

8. See Stonehenge

Stonehenge , located just 15 minutes from Salisbury, is one of the oldest man-made structures in the world (dating to 2,500 BCE!). You can’t go up to the stones anymore, but it’s quite a fascinating site, especially since we still have very little idea how they dragged the stones there. The audio tour is worth getting so you can get some historical context on the site. Admission starts at 22 GBP.

9. Visit Old Trafford

I highly recommend a visit to Manchester United’s home stadium. With over 74,000 seats, it is the largest club football stadium in the UK and the 11th largest in all of Europe. The tour is awesome and takes you below the stadium seating into the player’s lounge, and even into the pitch-side dugout. Dig deeper into some football (aka soccer) history at the onsite museum. Admission is 35 GBP.

10. Admire Ely Cathedral

Also known as the ‘Ship of the Fens,’ this cathedral is visible everywhere in the small city of Ely in Cambridgeshire (and from miles around too). Originally built in the 12th century, it’s renowned for its Romanesque architecture, complete with a stunning entrance and an octagonal lantern tower. The Lady Chapel is the largest in all of England. The cathedral is also home to the National Stained Glass Museum, whose collection spans 800 years and includes stained glass from across the UK and Europe. Visiting the cathedral only costs 9 GBP (online, or 10 GBP on the day), entry to the museum is 5 GBP. Booking in advance is recommended if you want to join one of the tours which cost between 1.50-12 GBP.

11. Relax in Greenwich Park

Considered to be one of London’s largest parks, it is also one of the most beautiful — and a perfect escape from the city’s bustle. There are several historic sights here as well as a rose garden, meandering pathways, a tea house, the Royal Observatory, the National Maritime Museum, a café, and even a deer park. It is the oldest enclosed royal park in London and a relaxing place to spend a few hours with a book.

12. Hike Hadrian’s Wall

Declared a World Heritage Site in 1987, Hadrian’s wall has been standing since the 2nd century. It was built by the Romans to keep the Celts out of Roman England (though that didn’t work so well). While you can make a brief visit to see the fortifications and ancient walls in many spots of the country, if you’re up for it, you can also hike the entire 83-mile (135-kilometer) length of the wall itself (most people do it in 6-8 days).

13. Go to Salisbury

Not far from Stonehenge is the beautiful town of Salisbury . Just 1.5 hours from London by train, it has a breathtaking 750-year-old cathedral that is home to the Magna Carta and tombs dating back to 1099. Salisbury is one of the few places that wasn’t bombed during the World War II Blitz so it is beautifully preserved. Cathedral Close and Market Square are both worth visiting in Salisbury as well as Old Sarum (what is thought to be the original site of Salisbury) and Salisbury Museum.

14. Stay in Chester

I love an under-visited destination and, for me, Chester is one of those places. Chester’s center looks like something out of an old novel by Charles Dickens. The homes in Chester are typically Victorian in design and the old taverns, hotels, and little shops all have retained their charm and original look. There’s plenty to do in Chester, including walking along the city walls and seeing the rows of medieval houses that showcase the historic architecture. Chester Cathedral is over 1,000 years old and well worth a visit (it has been added to and restored but has kept its medieval feel). For something a little more contemporary, go on a river cruise.

15. Visit the colleges at Cambridge University

Like Oxford, Cambridge University is made up of different colleges. Founded in 1209, the University is an architectural delight and wandering around the many buildings in the city. Most notable include the stunning buildings at Kings and Queens Colleges as well as the iconic quads at St. Johns and Trinity. There are lots of walking tours to choose from if you want to learn more about Cambridge’s history and some are even led by the students themselves. Expect tours to last around 90 minutes and cost 20 GBP.

16. Enjoy afternoon tea

Tea is a scene unto itself in England. With a history dating back through the centuries, this tradition can be enjoyed at every level of your budget. Starting with just the drink, you can find quaint tea shops literally all over the country. There you can try different types of tea and a selection of cakes to go with it should you need a sweet treat. In Devon and Cornwall, you can have cream tea which is tea with scones, cream, and jam (although these are now often served in other places too). Afternoon tea, or high tea, is a more lengthy affair and comes first with finger sandwiches and tiny savory pastries, then with scones (with cream and jam) and little cakes. Some places offer a glass of champagne to go with it. Most traditional tea houses offer afternoon tea but if you’re after more of a sense of occasion and your budget can stretch to it), the big hotels also offer it every day.

17. Visit Bristol

Many people only pass through Bristol on their way to Bath but it’s really worth a visit of its own. With a population of 500,000, Bristol is a hip college town with amazing eateries, great food, wonderful things to see, lots of green space, and plenty of things to do. Aside from taking a walking tour (my must-do in any city!), some of my favorite things to do include a tour of Bristol’s Romanesque Cathedral that was built in 1148, wandering King’s Street, and admiring Clifton Suspension Bridge. Bristol has a great museum and art gallery that is worth a visit and I also really enjoyed St Nicholas’ Market. Other things worth doing include the S.S. Great Britain, the Avon Railway, and Blaise Castle.

  For more information on specific cities in England, check out these guides:

• Bath Travel Guide
• Brighton Travel Guide
• Bristol Travel Guide
• Cambridge Travel Guide
• Liverpool Travel Guide
• London Travel Guide
• Manchester Travel Guide
• Oxford Travel Guide

England Travel Costs

Accommodation – Hostels cost 10-30 GBP a night for a dorm room. Amenities usually include free internet, breakfast, a common room, TV, and kitchen facilities. Private rooms in hostels start at around 50 GBP and go up from there. Campgrounds can be found all around the country, and most have basic facilities (such as bathrooms, electricity, and Wi-Fi). Expect to pay 10-20 GBP per night for a place to pitch your tent.

Budget hotels offer similar amenities and start around 60-80 GBP per night for a twin room but can be more like 120 GBP in peak season. Apartment rentals (like Airbnb) cost anywhere from 35-90 GBP per night for a private room depending on the city, while entire apartments/homes start around 90 GBP per night but average 110-120.

Food – While British cuisine has evolved in leaps and bounds in recent years, it’s still very much a meat and potatoes country. Fish and chips remain a popular staple for both lunch and dinner while roasted and stewed meats, sausages, meat pies, and the quintessential Yorkshire pudding are all common options as well. Curry (and other Indian dishes, such as tikka masala), are super popular too.

A kebab costs around 5-6 GBP, burritos and sandwiches cost 6-10 GBP and traditional fish and chips cost about 10 GBP. Indian and Asian food can be purchased for 8-10 GBP. Pizza is usually 8-10 GBP. Fast food (think McDonald’s) is around 6-7 GBP for a combo meal.

A meal at a casual pub or restaurant costs 12-16 GBP and you can expect to pay at least 30-35 GBP for a three-course menu with a drink in a mid-range restaurant. A meal in a higher-range establishment costs upwards of 70 GBP.

Beer is around 6 GBP while a latte/cappuccino is 3-3.50 GBP. Bottled water is about 1.20 GBP.

A week’s worth of groceries costs around 40-60 GBP. This gets you basic staples like rice, pasta, veggies, and some meat. The best places to buy cheap groceries are Lidl, Aldi, Sainsbury’s, and Tesco.

Backpacking England Suggested Budgets

On a backpacking budget, you need at least 55 GBP per day. On this budget, you can stay in hostel dorms, cook all your meals, limit your drinking, use public transit to get around, take the bus between cities, and take advantage of all the free sites in the country (free museums, parks, beaches, etc.). It’s a tight budget so if you want some more wiggle room, I’d add another 10-15 GBP per day, especially if you plan on drinking while you’re there.

On a mid-range budget of around 135 GBP per day, you can stay in a private hostel room or private Airbnb, cook some meals and eat out at cheap pubs or fast food stalls, do some intercity travel by train (if you book early), have a couple of drinks, take the occasional taxi, and visit some paid attractions like Westminster Abbey or the Tower of London.

On a “luxury” budget of 255 GBP per day or more, you can stay in a hotel, eat out wherever you want, drink more, take taxis and the train to get around, and do more tours and activities. This is just the ground floor for luxury though. The sky is the limit!

You can use the chart below to get some idea of how much you need to budget daily, depending on your travel style. Keep in mind these are daily averages – some days you spend more, some days you spend less (you might spend less every day). We just want to give you a general idea of how to make your budget. Prices are in GBP.

England Travel Guide: Money-Saving Tips

England isn’t a cheap place to visit. You’re going to spend a lot of money here, especially if you stick to cities (and London will be about 30% more expensive than the rest of the country). However, there are plenty of ways to save if you know where to look. Here are my top ways to save money in England:

• Take advantage of the free museums – Public museums offer free admission in every city throughout England and the United Kingdom. It’s a great way to learn about influential artists, immerse yourself in the country’s history, and spend a rainy day without paying a cent.
• Book early – Book all transportation well in advance. You can find fares for around 2 GBP with a little planning. Megabus not only runs buses but also provides trains throughout England and is the best option for cheap travel throughout the country.
• Get a Taste of UK card – The Taste of the UK card offers up to 50% off and 2-for-1 deals at selected restaurants. You don’t need to be a United Kingdom resident to get the card and the first month’s membership fee is waived, which is perfect for most travelers.
• Eat pub food – Eating out in England can get quite expensive, but for good, cheap, and filling meals, visit the local pubs. Most serve food, and you can get a good meal for 10-15 GBP or less. Plus, the pubs are a great way to meet people!
• Take a free walking tour – Most major cities in England offer free walking tours. They usually last a few hours and are a great way to see the city. Some tours even have a specific focus, such as history, food, or architecture. Just make sure to tip your guide!
• Eat the lunch specials – Another way to lower your food expenses is to stick to eating out during lunch only. I typically do my eating out during lunch and then cook my dinner to lower my food costs.
• Visit the cathedrals – Many of England’s cathedrals are free to enter. It’s a wonderful opportunity to see some of England’s 15th to 19th-century architecture. just make sure to dress and act appropriately.
• Get a London tourist pass – If you’re planning to do lots of sightseeing in London, the London Pass provides access to over 80 attractions via its 1-10 day passes. Other passes available include the London City Pass from Turbopass (which includes an option to add transport costs), and the London Sightseeing Pass. Compare prices and activities to see which pass is the best choice for you and your budget.
• Bring a water bottle – The tap water here is safe to drink so bring a reusable water bottle to save money and reduce your plastic use. LifeStraw is my go-to brand as their bottles have built-in filters to ensure your water is always clean and safe.

Where to Stay in England

England has tons of awesome and budget-friendly hostels. Here are my favorite places to stay in England:

• Astor Hyde Park (London)
• St. Christopher’s (London)
• YHA Manchester (Manchester)
• The Full Moon Backpackers (Bristol)
• Seadragon Backpackers (Brighton)
• Embassie Liverpool Backpackers (Liverpool)

How to Get Around England

Public transportation – England has excellent transportation in nearly every town and city, including buses, trains, and trams. Getting a travel pass is often far cheaper than buying single tickets as well. For example, in London, a one-way fare on the tube in Zone 1 costs 6.30 GBP, but getting a Visitor Oyster Card reduces that to 2.50 GBP per ride.

Train – In the United Kingdom, the National Rail service is always expensive. It’s one thing the locals love to complain about. A journey from London to Liverpool can cost as little as 25 GBP or as much as 150 GBP! Who knows? Prices flucuate a lot! The earlier you book the better.

You can use the National Rail website or Trainline to research schedules and prices.

A Eurail Pass, which allows travelers to explore Europe by providing a set number of stops in a specific time period, might also be a good option. For more information, here’s a detailed breakdown of how Eurail passes work .

Bus – The cheapest way to travel around the country is via Megabus, where fares start at 1 GBP. You need to book at least a month in advance, but even if you miss that deal, fares are rarely more than 10-15 GBP. Flixbus also has cheap fares starting at just 3 GBP.

National Express is the other main bus company in England, and they offer great discount passes to full-time students and people under 26 years old. The passes cost 12.50 GBP and give 30% or more off adult fares.

To find bus routes and prices, use BusBud .

Flying – Domestic flights around England are cheap when booked in advance. A flight from London to Manchester or Liverpool costs around 49 GBP and takes about an hour. However, once you factor in getting to and from the airport, it ends up almost always being faster to take the train unless you’re traveling far (such as from London to Scotland).

Car Rentals – Car rentals can be an affordable option in England, costing as little as 20-30 GBP per day for a multi-day rental. Don’t forget you have to drive on the left, and most cars are standard rather than automatic. Additionally, drivers need to be at least 21 to rent a vehicle here.

For the best car rental prices, use Discover Cars .

When to Go to England

Thanks to its temperate climate, visiting England year-round is enjoyable as there are very few weather extremes. Summer is peak tourism season, and temperatures are the warmest during this time — but rarely are they ever above 30°C (86°F). Although tourist sites and attractions are teeming with people, there’s also a great atmosphere in the air. People make the most of the warm weather, and there are tons of events and festivals happening all over the country.

Spring (late April-May) and autumn (September-October) are also fantastic times to visit, as temperatures are still warm and the crowds are a bit thinner. Plus, with the seasons changing, you either see gorgeous spring flowers in bloom or the leaves turning color in autumn. Just be prepared for a little rain.

Winter lasts from December to February and tourism crowds thin out dramatically. You can still do plenty of sightseeing, although further north (or in mountainous areas) some attractions may be closed for the season. Temperatures dip below 5°C (41°F) so dress warmly. Snow is not uncommon.

Keep in mind that England is famous for its gloomy, dreary weather. It can rain a lot, so make sure you pack some weather clothes and some waterproof gear no matter when you visit.

How to Stay Safe in England

England is very safe and the risk of violent crime here is very low. Scams and pickpocketing can occur around high-traffic areas, however, especially in London around tourist attractions like the Tower of London. Pickpockets tend to work in teams, so stay alert and be aware of your surroundings. Keep your valuables secure and out of reach just to be safe.

Solo travelers, including solo female travelers, should generally feel safe here, however, the standard precautions apply (never leave your drink unattended at the bar, never walk home alone intoxicated, etc.).

While break-ins are rare, if you rent a car, don’t leave any valuables in it overnight just to be safe.

Scams here are rare, however, you can read about common travel scams to avoid here .

If you experience an emergency, dial 999 for assistance.

The most important piece of advice I can offer is to purchase good travel insurance. Travel insurance protects you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. You can use the widget below to find the policy right for you:

England Travel Guide: The Best Booking Resources

These are my favorite companies to use when I travel. They consistently have the best deals, offer world-class customer service and great value, and overall, are better than their competitors. They are the companies I use the most and are always the starting point in my search for travel deals.

• Skyscanner – Skyscanner is my favorite flight search engine. They search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites tend to miss. They are hands down the number one place to start.
• Hostelworld – This is the best hostel accommodation site out there with the largest inventory, best search interface, and widest availability.
• Booking.com – The best all around booking site that constantly provides the cheapest and lowest rates. They have the widest selection of budget accommodation. In all my tests, they’ve always had the cheapest rates out of all the booking websites.
• HostelPass – This new card gives you up to 20% off hostels throughout Europe. It’s a great way to save money. They’re constantly adding new hostels too. I’ve always wanted something like this and glad it finallt exists.
• Get Your Guide – Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace for tours and excursions. They have tons of tour options available in cities all around the world, including everything from cooking classes, walking tours, street art lessons, and more!
• The Man in Seat 61 – This website is the ultimate guide to train travel anywhere in the world. They have the most comprehensive information on routes, times, prices, and train conditions. If you are planning a long train journey or some epic train trip, consult this site.
• Rome2Rio – This website allows you to see how to get from point A to point B the best and cheapest way possible. It will give you all the bus, train, plane, or boat routes that can get you there as well as how much they cost.
• FlixBus – Flixbus has routes between 20 European countries with prices starting as low 5 EUR! Their buses include WiFi, electrical outlets, a free checked bag.
• SafetyWing – Safety Wing offers convenient and affordable plans tailored to digital nomads and long-term travelers. They have cheap monthly plans, great customer service, and an easy-to-use claims process that makes it perfect for those on the road.
• LifeStraw – My go-to company for reusable water bottles with built-in filters so you can ensure your drinking water is always clean and safe.
• Unbound Merino – They make lightweight, durable, easy-to-clean travel clothing.
• Top Travel Credit Cards – Points are the best way to cut down travel expenses. Here’s my favorite point earning credit cards so you can get free travel!
• Take Walks – This walking tour company provides inside access to attractions and places you can’t get elsewhere. Their guides rock and they have some of the best and most insightful tours in all of England.
• Fat Tire Tours – For bike tours, use this company! They have fun, interactive tours led by expert local guides. You’ll get to see all the main sights without breaking the bank!
• BlaBlaCar – BlaBlaCar is a ridesharing website that lets you share rides with vetted local drivers by pitching in for gas. You simply request a seat, they approve, and off you go! It’s a cheaper and more interesting way to travel than by bus or train!

England Travel Guide: Related Articles

Want more info? Check out all the articles I’ve written on backpacking/traveling England and continue planning your trip:

The 14 Best Things to Do in Bristol

Where to Stay in London: The Best Neighborhoods for Your Visit

The 8 Best Hostels in London

How to Spend a Week in London

The 9 Best Walking Tour Companies in London

70+ Free Things to Do in London

Get my best stuff sent straight to you, pin it on pinterest.

• Where To Stay
• Transportation
• Booking Resources
• Related Blogs

Is England Expensive? An England Trip Cost Guide

Last Updated on January 18, 2023

by Maggie Turansky

Disclaimer: This article contains affiliate links. That means if you click a link and make a purchase, we may make a small commission. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. For more information, see our privacy policy.

Is England expensive to visit? Figuring out your average England trip cost is one of the most important things to determine before planning your trip to England . This lovely country has a reputation for being pricey, especially in the capital of London .

And while England isn’t exactly the most affordable nation in the world to visit, if you plan in advance and you’re smart and deliberate with how you spend your money, you can easily visit England without breaking the bank.

In general, England can be an expensive destination to visit and expect to spend approximately £75-220 per person per day (roughly $93-272 USD). This means that the  cost of 7 days in England is around £525 to £1,540 (about $650-1903). 

There are countless ways to cut costs and priorities expenses on numerous different categories such as accommodation, transport and food. Even if you’re not necessarily travelling on a restrictive or tight budget, it can be helpful to see what the general prices in England are so that you know if you’re overpaying or just to have an idea of what to expect.

So if you’re planning a trip to England and are curious about what you should expect your trip to cost, you’ve come to the right place. After living in England for a number of years and travelling around the country extensively, we are well versed on the average prices in England.

Table of Contents

England Trip Cost Guide

Accommodation prices in england.

The first and most pressing cost that you need to consider when planning out the average cost of your England trip is the price of accommodation. This is generally going to be the most expensive aspect of your England travel budget but how much you spend can really depend on the type of accommodation you choose.

England is chock full of budget accommodation options, so you needn’t think you’ll have to spend an arm and a leg to rest your head at night. In fact, you don’t even need to subject yourself to sleepless nights in a 20-bed hostel dorm in order to save a few quid in England. In fact, there are lots of options to save money on a night’s accommodation in England.

If you do plan to go the classic budget backpacker route and stay in a hostel , expect the cost of a dorm bed to vary from place to place. It’s safe to assume the prices in London, for instance, are going to be a lot more expensive than a small town in Yorkshire — or really anywhere outside of the capital, and this holds true for all accommodation options.

In general, if you want to stay in a hostel in England , expect prices to start at around £25 per night — but expect prices to be higher in London.

If you still want to save money on accommodation but don’t necessarily feel like staying in a hostel, then finding a private room on Airbnb is a great option. You can find countless clean and comfortable rooms in local’s homes on the platform all throughout England at very agreeable prices.

While this may prove a more expensive route if you’re travelling solo, if you split the cost with a partner or friend, you will end up with roughly the same per-person cost as a hostel dorm — with a more “local” experience and far more privacy! Expect a private room on Airbnb to average about £45 per night.

Moving up on the ladder, we get to the cost of a budget hotel or a room in an affordable B&B or pub. This is still a great way to save some cash and can be a great option for those who have a bit of a higher budget to play around. It’s also a good choice for budget-conscious families. Expect a room in a budget hotel to start at around £60, give or take where you’re visiting.

If you’re looking at staying in mid-range hotels in England, then expect those to start at around £80-100 per night — and expect prices to be a bit higher in London. This is the area where your nightly costs will being to increase significantly as going above a mid-range accommodation budget can be quite expensive in the UK.

And finally, if budget isn’t much of an issue but you’re interested in staying in some more high-end or luxury hotels or other accommodation options, you can expect these to start at least £150-200 per night. Of course, London is going to be more expensive, however, certain luxury accommodations outside of the capital are going to be around the same price.

All in all, however, it actually isn’t necessary to spend more than about £25-30 per person per night for accommodation in England if you’re trying to travel on a budget and plan to spend up to £50-100 per person if your budget leans toward the upper mid-range or luxury. This is assuming that you’re splitting accommodation costs between two people.

Transportation Prices in England

Another of the most expensive and prescient expenses that one needs to consider when travelling to England is the cost of transportation. You’re going to have to get around somehow and it really isn’t everyone’s cup of tea to go absolutely everywhere on foot — it also isn’t practical, either. So how much is transportation in England going to cost? Well, like all things, it’s really going to depend.

Similar to your accommodation costs, transport in England doesn’t really have to be all that expensive if you plan a bit in advance and are smart about where you spend your money. Prices can also vary from place to place.

In London, for instance, it isn’t a city where you can rely completely on getting around on foot (it’s far too big for that), but it’s also worth knowing that the British capital has the highest public transport costs of any city in the world, so do keep that in mind.

If you’re trying to save money in London, consider taking the bus rather than the underground (it’s very easy to navigate), because at £1.65 per ride no matter the distance, it is significantly cheaper than the tube.

Also, check to see if you really do need to take the tube between certain areas or if it would be easier to walk. Tourists often spend more time going between two nearby tube stations underground when it would be faster (and, you know, free ) just to go on foot. Make sure to utilise Google Maps and CityMapper before you go anywhere to avoid this common mistake.

Outside of London, you can use lots of different options to get from point A to B. If you’re just planning on visiting major cities and don’t have much interest in visiting some national parks or more rural destinations, for instance, you can rely solely on the public transit system.

If you’re trying to stick to a tight budget, then you’re going to also want to stick with taking the bus. Coaches in England are safe, comfortable, reliable and significantly more affordable than the train. However, prices do vary depending on the distance and time you are travelling. It also is almost always more affordable to book your tickets in advance.

If your budget is slightly higher, then travelling by train can be a good option, however, keep in mind that train travel in England can actually be quite expensive. If you would rather travel around England by train, then it is always a good idea to book your tickets as far in advance as possible. This will ensure that you get the best deals as fares get steadily more expensive the closer to the date of travel.

If you do travel by bus or rail in the UK, then we suggest booking in advance . Here you can find great prices on transport tickets as soon as they come available.

Another fantastic, albeit slightly more expensive, mode of travel in the UK is to rent your own car. While you don’t need a car at all if you’re staying in London and many other UK cities are easy enough to navigate on foot or via public transit, if you want to visit some smaller towns or just go on one of England’s many road trips — including from London to Cornwall or from London to Manchester — then renting a car is a great option. It also doesn’t have to be as expensive as you may expect.

As with most places outside of North America, it’s typically cheaper to hire a manual transmission rather than an automatic, but you can even find some basic automatics starting from around £50 per day. Obviously, this is just the base fare and doesn’t include petrol or any insurance costs.

If you want to get a great deal on a car hire in England, then we suggest browsing and booking through Rental cars.com. This platform aggregates prices across most major rental companies to ensure that you don’t overpay.

In order to further save money, we also suggest considering taking out an excess insurance policy with iCarHireInsurance in order both to save money compared to the equivalent insurance charged by car hire companies and also to ensure that you don’t pay anything if you damage your vehicle in any way.

All in all, if you don’t hire a car for your entire trip and plan to walk and use public transit for some of it, expect to average about £15-40 per day on transportation in England, however, it can definitely be more or less depending on your habits.

Food Prices in England

Now it’s time to get onto something that’s just as important as the price of accommodation and transportation in England but not nearly as nuanced and complicated: food. You’re going to need to eat, that food costs money, and how much depends, you guessed it, on your habits!

To be honest, however, food prices in England aren’t actually all that expensive, provided you’re not eating at high-end, Michelin-starred restaurants for every single meal (and would you really be all that concerned about your England trip cost if that was in your budget anyway?). However, you can expect a little variance on food prices depending on how much you are willing to spend.

If you’re travelling on a tight budget, then it’s recommended to cook the majority of your own meals or stick to street food and similar things for meals. Find accommodation that has self-catering facilities and maybe one that includes breakfast and you probably don’t have to spend more than about £15 per person per day on food.

If you’re keener to eat out for one or two meals per day, then make sure to budget a bit more on meals. If you make breakfast at your accommodation (or it’s provided for you), you grab a quick sandwich meal deal or an easy picnic for lunch, and you eat at a mid-range restaurant or pub for dinner, then you’re looking at spending around £20-25 per person per day in England.

And finally, if you want to have a sit-down meal most days in England and also want to allow for a few splurges on some higher-end dining, then expect to spend closer to £30-40 per person per day on food. This is an expensive option and it’s worth knowing that it’s possible to eat quite well in England without having to spend an arm and a leg on food.

Activities Prices in England

Now we’ve gone away from the boring basics that factor into your total cost of an England trip and it’s time to discuss how much it’s going to cost you to actually go out and do things in this lovely country.

One of the most refreshing things about England is that activities don’t really have to cost that much at all — even if you’re not trying to cut costs!

One of the best things about the UK is that the vast majority of state-run museums — including some of the best museums in the world — are completely free to enter. If you want to spend an entire day exploring the British Museum in London, then you only need to worry about your accommodation and food costs for the day.

Though you do typically have to pay for special or temporary exhibits in museums, the vast majority of museums are completely free to the public and you won’t be missing out on anything if you don’t pay for a special exhibit.

There are also some private museums out there or National Trust sites that do charge an entry fee. These can vary depending on the site, however, expect to pay somewhere around £10-15 for entry. It’s worth noting that there are almost always student and other concessionary discounts available that can save a significant amount of money, as well.

Free walking tours are also a fantastic way to explore various cities, get to know their history, and not have to worry about it taking too much of a toll on your budget. These are available in almost all major English cities and can be a great insight into a place without breaking the bank.

Though tours themselves are free, the guides do work on a tipped basis and, therefore, it is good practice to tip around £10 if you do one of these tours.

And finally, another of the most popular activities to do in England involve getting outside and exploring the incredible natural scenery that this amazing country has to offer. Hiking and walking in England is a favourite national pastime and it is also one that is perfectly free of charge.

So whether you want to do the iconic Seven Sisters cliffs walk in the South Downs or traipse through the stunning nature of the Lake District , you don’t have to worry about going over budget — just make sure to pack a good rain jacket and solid, waterproof shoes ! England isn’t known for its dry weather.

All in all, if you plan to do a paid activity or two most days, expect to spend about £10-20 per day on average.

Entertainment Prices in England

And finally, we get to the last aspect of any England travel budget that you need to consider: the cost of entertainment. In a land known for its pub culture, world-class theatre and thriving arts scene, this is not necessarily an area that you want to ignore when visiting England.

But how much entertainment will factor into your total England trip cost will depend a lot on your habits and expectations.

If you plan to spend every night at the pub into the wee hours of the morning or want to enjoy every West End production on offer in London, then you’re going to have to budget a lot. If you’re looking to enjoy some of the infinite entertainment in England but also want some balance, then you don’t have to worry about spending too much.

Lets first discuss the pub and how much a basic night out is going to cost. You can’t go wrong with sipping a beer in a convivial pub wherever you are in England, but you should be aware of how much this is going to cost.

On average, outside of London, expect a pint (that’s 568 ml) to land you somewhere between £4-5. In London, you’re looking closer to £5-6 for a basic beer and even more if you’re drinking craft beer — think around £7-8 on average.

A glass of house wine, on average, will set you back around the same as a pint, around £3-4. Cocktails are where things tend to get a lot more expensive. If you’re looking for something basic, like a gin and tonic (and not with a fancy craft gin that you may see in lots of places in England), plan to spend about £8-12 for the privilege and where you are.

If you’re heading to a hip, subterranean cocktail bar that has become so popular in the recent years, you’re looking at drinks prices starting at around £10 and moving up from there. Some places in London have cocktail prices at well over £15.

Away from drinking, if you’re interested in experiencing theatre in England — London in particular — that’s not going to be cheap, either. Tickets in the stalls can cost over £100 at some shows, however, if you’re willing to seat in the mezzanine levels and further back, you can get tickets for as little as £20-30.

It’s also worth scouring the prices at the TKTS counter in London and also entering in some of the online lotteries, where you can often win the chance for £20 tickets in some of the best seats in the house.

All in all, however, if you plan to have a couple of beers each night or want to go out and get some cheap seats at the theatre, plan to have an entertainment budget starting at £10 per day while in England.

Average England Trip Cost

So how much does a trip to England cost? Obviously, that depends on your habits and your budget entirely, but here are some numbers to start out with when trying to figure out your average cost of a trip to England. This is a base level assuming that you’re trying to save as much money as possible without sacrificing many paid activities or entertainment.

Accommodation: £25-100/night

Transportation: £15-40/day

Food: £15-40/day

Activities: £10-20/day

Entertainment: £10-20/day

So, at a base level, expect to pay around £75-220 per person per day for your trip to England cost.

This also doesn’t include any pre-trip expenses such as flights ( search on Skyscanner for great deals! ) or travel insurance. For travel insurance, SafetyWing  is a good option if you’re travelling to England on a budget. They offer affordable and flexible travel medical insurance policies.  =

Obviously, it is entirely possible to spend a lot more and, if you scrimp and save, it is even possible to spend less. However, this is a good budget if you want to save your hard-earned travel money while not sacrificing comfort or fun.

England may not be the most affordable destination to visit, however, there are many ways to cut down on your average England trip cost. If you know how and where to spend your money, you are sure to have a great and budget-friendly time in England!

Are you trying to figure out your average cost of a trip to England? Have you visited before? Let us know in the comments!

Related Posts:

The Perfect Weekend in Manchester Itinerary

The Ultimate 2 to 3 Days in The Cotswolds Itinerary

The Perfect 3 or 4 Days in the Lake District Itinerary

About Maggie Turansky

Maggie is a co-founder and writer for The World Was Here First. Originally from the US, she has lived in five different countries and has travelled to dozens more, both solo and with her partner, Michael. She particularly loves exploring Spain and spending time in the Caucasus and the Baltics. Read more about Maggie

I enjoy your notes about the UK but we decided to take a trip to the Baltic states,I will appreciate if you can enlighten us with your knowledge about those countries thanks mort

Have a look at our Baltics itinerary if you want to map out a trip! You can also find everything we have written about the region in our Baltics travel guide 🙂

Dear Maggie and Michael

Thanks a lot for the effort both of you make to keep us

up to date where people, places and prices are concerned when travelling abroad .

I enjoy reading everything you write and the pictures are lovely .

2020 has been very difficult for everybody but hope one day this nightmare is over ,

until then we may be able to travel again , because it would be too dangerous now .

I love the British Isles , Ireland , madrid and amsterdam .

My favourite animals are dogs and cats . I love watching films by British writer

Jane Austen , especially Pride and Prejudice .

I have a niece called Maggie and my favourite chocolates are called Cadbury .

yours sincerely

Fiona Serrano

Thanks so much for your comment, Fiona! I’m happy you enjoy reading our articles and hope that you’re able to travel again soon. Stay safe and well! 🙂

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Best Time to Visit

Weather & Climate

England's Airports

Top Destinations

One Week in England

Top Things to Do

Foods to Try

Top Road Trips

Best Beaches

Your Trip to England: The Complete Guide

England is more than just the iconic sites in London, and planning a trip to the country can be overwhelming thanks to its many destinations and famous attractions. Whether you're looking to enjoy England's beaches, its historic sites or to pub hop through the countryside, there's a lot to consider before arriving in Blighty. From what to eat to where to stay, here's everything you need to know about visiting England.

Planning Your Trip

Best Time to Visit: England makes for an amazing holiday destination any time of year, but take advantage of the warmer weather and long days during the summer, especially July and August, to make the most of your trip. If you prefer to avoid crowds, visit in May or September. Christmas is also very popular all over England, with celebrations, lights and holiday markets taking place throughout December.

Language: English is the primary language spoken in England, however many residents hail from all over the world, so it's not surprising to hear multiple other languages spoken, especially in bigger cities like London.

Currency: The currency in the U.K. is the pound sterling, also known as GBP or just "the pound."

Getting Around: England has a vast network of trains, which connect both the major cities and smaller towns. While trains are the easiest way to travel, visitors can also rent a car or opt for cheaper buses. Within major cities, look for public transportation, like the Tube in London or the trams in Manchester. Taxis and Ubers are also plentiful in more populous destinations.

Travel Tip: There's a lot to see and do in England despite it being a relatively small country, so plan your itinerary to maximize a particular region or activity. Be sure to give yourself at least two days in London and then venture onward to another area, whether it's the beaches of Dorset or the excitement of a northern city like Manchester.

John Harper/Getty Images

Things to Do

There are a considerable amount of things to do around England and what you choose to do depends on your preferences. Consider visiting a town like Brighton or Whistable if you want to hang out on the beach, or drive through the picturesque Cotswolds to enjoy the famed English countryside. Historic sites, like Winchester Cathedral and Whitby Abbey, are popular with visitors, as are museums like the Tate Modern in London and Manchester Art Gallery in Manchester. Lovers of literature will also find a lot of interesting attractions, from Jane Austen's House in Hampshire to the birthplace of Shakespeare in Stratford-upon-Avon.

• Pay a visit to Stonehenge , which is a great day trip from London or a stop on the way to Bath or Bristol.
• Take a day trip to Windsor Castle , located in Windsor. Other popular royal sites include Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, and St. Paul’s Cathedral.
• Experience the real Downton Abbey at Highclere Castle , which can be found in Hampshire, not far from Winchester or Newbury.
• Embark on a hiking trip in the Lake District or Peak District, or stroll along the Dorset Coast on the South West Coastal Path .
• Venture southwest to Cornwall, a scenic coastal area with lots to do , like the Tate St. Ives and the Eden Project.

Explore more attractions with our full-length articles on the best things to do in England and the best beaches in England .

What to Eat and Drink

English food is a lot better than you might assume, especially in the bigger cities where there's a vast range of international options. For a truly classic experience, dine in a local pub, which can be a great way to try favorite British dishes like a Sunday roast or bangers and mash (as well as a refreshing pint). The country is dotted with Michelin-starred pubs, like The Crown in Bray and The Hand & Flowers in Marlow, and it's worth seeking out a higher-end pub experience.

• In the seaside towns, seek out fish and chip shops for the freshest catch. When in doubt, ask a local for their favorite shop.
• Enjoy afternoon tea, a traditional experience in England. Visitors can find it at any number of local tea rooms or hotels. Some of the best include Cliveden House Hotel, Fortnum and Mason, and most National Trust properties around the country.
• Indulge in a full English breakfast, which can be found on most breakfast menus around England. It's a good way to fill up for a day of sightseeing, too.
• England may not be famous for its wine, but there are many wineries around the countries, most in the south. Look for vineyards like Rodington, Chapel Down, and Greyfriars.

Learn more about English cuisine with our article on the best foods to try in England .

Where to Stay

Deciding where to stay in England depends on your destination. There are plenty of hotels throughout the country, both in the cities and in rural areas, but some spots, like beach towns, are better experienced with a holiday rental. In the cities, opt for a hotel near the center of town, like Covert Garden in London, to make your trip more walkable. Many pubs also offer accommodation, which can be a cheaper option in small towns. For a splurge, look for luxury country house hotels, like Chewton Glen, Clivden House Hotel, and Lime Wood Hotel.

Getting There

Most travelers coming from the U.S. arrive in London by plane, flying into nearby airports like Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton, and City. However, England has numerous airports, some of which are international and have flights to and from the U.S. Visitors from Europe can take the Eurostar train into St. Pancreas from Paris, Brussels, or Amsterdam.

• Heathrow International Airport: Heathrow, located west of London, is the primary airport used by international travelers coming to England. It can be accessed by Tube, train, bus, or taxi, and it's recommended to look into public transportation when arriving during rush hour. The Heathrow Express gets passengers from the airport into Paddington Station in only 15 minutes. Travelers can catch trains to the rest of England from Paddington, as well as Kings Cross, Euston, Waterloo, and Victoria.
• Manchester Airport: Manchester Airport is a large international airport with three terminals, serving the areas around Northwest England, including Liverpool and the Peak District. It's accessible to central Manchester by Metrolink tram service, train, bus, or taxi.
• Birmingham Airport: Birmingham Airport is an international airport located near Birmingham, Coventry, and Leicester, with transportation links to most of central England. Most airlines connect to the U.S. via Europe.
• London City Airport: Located centrally, London City is popular with short-haul flights to Europe, but also services the U.S. via New York City. Taxis or public transportation are both good options to head into London, which has connections to the rest of England via train.

Explore our article on  how to get to Heathrow , as well as  our guide to London's airports and our guide to England's airports .

Culture and Customs

While England, especially international cities like Manchester and London, can feel similar to the U.S., there are a few differences, notably when it comes to tipping and service. All restaurants and bars will include a service charge (usually 12.5 percent) on the bill, so there's not need to leave extra cash. If you do want to leave a cash tip, 10 to 15 percent is customary. It's also nice to tip food delivery people, taxi drivers and bartenders, although they don't expect large tips the way service people do in the U.S.

If you encounter a long queue, and you likely will, it's considered polite to stand patiently in line without complaint or cutting. The English also have a reputation for being fairly reserved in public, especially on public transportation, so be mindful of your volume, particularly when traveling in a group or with kids. Of course, all of that polite behavior goes out the window at a pub, especially during a sports match.

If you decide to rent a car, there are some important road rules to learn when driving in England, including driving on the opposite side of the road. Read our guide to driving in the U.K. before you head out.

Money Saving Tips

• Take advantage of free museums as much as possible. London and Manchester have many museums that are free to enter, including the British Museum and the Manchester Art Gallery, and there are great free attractions throughout England. It's a good way to see iconic spots without spending any of your travel budget.
• Long-distance buses (called coaches in England) are the cheapest way to get around, although they may not be the most exciting. Those on a budget can opt to take a coach between cities. Look for good options with National Express when journeying to and from London.
• To save money on meals, look for holiday rentals or self-catering accommodations that have kitchens. It's easy to find local grocery stores or markets anywhere in England, so why not try your hand at some bangers and mash at home?
• England is full of beautiful parks and gardens, many of which are free to enter. It's a good way to spend time outside, especially if you bring along a picnic. During the warmer months, take advantage of the country's outdoor spaces for quick and cheap lunches and nice strolls.

Visit England. "Practical Information and Advice." https://www.visitengland.com/plan-your-visit/practical-information-and-advice

Visit London. "Tripping in London." https://www.visitlondon.com/traveller-information/essential-information/money/tipping

Visit London. "Best 25 free attractions in London." https://www.visitlondon.com/things-to-do/budget-london/free-attractions-in-london

Your Trip to Birmingham, England: The Complete Guide

Your Trip to Edinburgh: The Complete Guide

Your Trip to London: The Complete Guide

Your Trip to Manchester: The Complete Guide

A Guide to Airports in England

Your Trip to Boston: The Complete Guide

10 Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Plan Your UK Trip

One Week in England: The Perfect Itinerary

Stay Cheaper By Staying Close to - Not in - London

Manchester Airport Guide

The Top 20 Things to Do in England

15 Best Foods to Try in England

Top 20 Most Popular UK Cities for International Visitors

France Guide: Planning Your Trip

Your Trip to Egypt: The Complete Guide

Weather in England: Climate, Seasons, and Average Monthly Temperature

The cheapest way to travel ENGLAND ON A BUDGET

By Author Katie

Posted on Last updated: May 14, 2024

Along with the rest of Europe, the UK is known for its expensive train fares and pricey domestic flights. As Brits, we wanted to share our top tips on the cheapest way to travel England on a budget. 

Growing up in England, we spent many hours working out the cheapest ways to get around the country.

With bustling cities like London, seaside locations like Brighton and Tenby , historic cities like Oxford and Cambridge and miles and miles of gorgeous countryside, the UK offers so much more than a red phone booth and black cab.

So here are our tips on how to travel to England on a budget.

How to Travel England on a Budget – Planning Tips

• Sign up for updates – Groupon, Hot UK Deals, Holiday Pirates and Secret Escapes are great websites to sign up for before any travel around the UK. We bagged ourselves £1 train tickets from London to Birmingham because of the Hot UK Deals updates. You may also wish to sign up for myvouchercodes.co.uk, and vouchercode.co.uk to get some great offers and browse the voucher codes on Stena Line Voucher Codes for deals too.
• Book in advance – Whether you are planning to catch a plane, bus or train; booking your ticket early almost always works out cheaper. A lot of companies will sell a certain about of tickets for the cheapest price before the price begins to rise.
• Be flexible – Whether it’s a bus, plane or train, be flexible on the stations/airports you fly in between. Trains to and from major cities around the UK can be much more expensive than a train from a lesser-known station nearby the major cities.
• JourneyPro – This app allows you to plan a journey anywhere in the country but is perfect for navigating the London Underground. It is free to download and a bit of a lifesaver when you are lost in the big city.

• Holiday Pirates – The team at HotUKDeals has launched the Holiday Pirates website in recent years, offering cheap, last-minute deals on holidays and hotels around the world but also across the UK. Not only do they offer some great trips and hotels but you can also get cheaper attraction tickets!
• Go in the Off Season – January through to March is cold and wet – the perfect time to save money on travel in the UK. Hotels, buses, trains and flights are a lot cheaper during these months than during the summer.

Travel around England on a budget

• Travel Smart – The train is usually the most efficient way of getting around the UK.

It is cheaper than flights, offers more stops at those less known towns and cities and is faster than a bus journey. Tickets can be booked in advance and various railcards can be purchased to give you further discounts on individual journeys.

If you are travelling for some time in the UK, you may wish to look into getting yourself a BritRail  card, that will also give you deals on attractions around the UK.

Use National Rail to find the best route for you then head to websites such as virgin trains and Megatrains to bag a cheap fare.

Often, the cheapest fares can be found on The Trainline’s Fare Finder.

• Get the bus – Buses are not my favourite form of transport but they are normally the cheapest way to travel around the UK.

Booking early with Megabus can bag you £1 for journeys although at unusual times. National Express bus routes offer better times and comfortable coaches at a higher price.

These buses are worth using for short, 3-4 hour journeys! You can even choose to upgrade your bus to the Megabus Gold for a more luxurious bus ride.

• Fly – Flying around the UK can be expensive but is useful if you are travelling long distances from one side of the country to another.

Smaller airports can offer cheaper flights around the UK, look out for; Stansted and Luton (when travelling from London), Bristol, Prestwick, East Midlands and Belfast. Stick with budget airlines and unusual flight times to get the best deal.

Kayak and Momondo are the best sites to browse but EasyJet offers some good prices but aren’t listed on these sites.

Why not fly over to Edinburgh from London? Emily Luxton shares how you can make the most from a weekend in Edinburgh. 

• BlaBlaCar – Lift share your way around the UK with BlaBlaCar. Search the journey you wish to take across the country, along with your chosen date and get cheap journeys.
• Drive – The best way to get around the UK is to drive. Compare rental car costs on GoCompare and choose a company that allows you to pick up and drop off your car at different locations.

Driving around the UK travel tips

Petrol is more expensive than in Asia and America but is about the same as in most places across Europe.

The UK is connected by so many motorways with service stations to make your journey a more pleasant one! Just bring change and check for toll charges; some tolls require a pre or post-payment online or a massive fine!

Plus, if you are driving, you can access the random but fun attractions and things to do along the way to each city and also take advantage of the cheaper, free parking chain hotels that are normally found on the outskirts of towns and cities.

• Bike it – When staying in London, rent a Boris bike and explore the great city at a cheap price.
• Get an Oyster Card – If you plan on staying in and around London for some time, it is worth getting yourself an Oyster card. The card itself costs £3 and you can top it up as you go. You use this card for the underground train and buses around London, with a £6.60 cap on it, meaning you will never spend more than £6.60 getting around this expansive and expensive city.
• Railcards – For those living, studying, or working in the UK, you can get yourself a Railcard . There are railcards offering discounts for students, families, couples, and seniors as well as those just travelling in the South East. A yearly fee gets you discounted prices on all train rides across the country.
• Walk – UK cities are accessible and easy to walk around. Opt for a walking tour to save money and see all your favorite sites.
• Flying to the UK – One option to save money, if you have plenty of time for your trip, is to fly via a different European city first. If you plan on travelling around Europe for an extended period of time, fly into a city like Amsterdam, Paris, or Ukraine (with the national airlines) to get cheaper prices to Europe. You can travel via train or bus to England afterwards.
• Omio – Check out the Omio website to compare the best ways to travel the country. If you want to head from one area of England to another, or even travel across the UK, head to Omio and search your journey. This website will tell you the best options for you to choose from, comparing trains, flights, buses and coaches as well as the best times and prices to travel. 
• Use the buses – Every city and town will offer some type of bus service and you can find these simply by googling the city or town and bus service. These buses get you around a place but often can take you from one town to another. Make sure you have change for your ticket though!
• Avoid express – There are a handful of airports in and around London, with many of them offering ‘express’ trains into the city centre. It will cost a lot more for this ticket and won’t save you much time either.

Example: 

Heathrow – £36 for an express return taking 15 minutes or £21 for a standard return taking 30 – 40 minutes.

Gatwick – £35 for an express return taking 30 minutes or £20 for a standard return taking 35 – 45 minutes. 

• Book trains in advance – Use websites like Train Line to book your train ticket in advance. On-the-day tickets can be twice as expensive and good discounts can be found online

Save money on accommodation in England

• Stay at Universities – This was a fairly new concept whilst I was at University but it seems to be getting more and more popular.

Websites like University Rooms help you find university rooms in cities and towns across the UK; the best deals are found in the summer months (June – September) and over Christmas and Easter when students aren’t at University.

• YHA – YHA offers cheap hostels across the country and is known to be clean and fairly modern. Many of their hostels offer family rooms as well, ideal for families or group travellers on a budget.
• Chain hotels – Travelodge and Premier Inn are your cheap but clean, spacious and comfortable hotels in the UK. Head to their websites in advance of your trip and you can snag a room for as little as £29 a night. These hotel chains are in all major cities and towns and can also be found at the service stops off major motorways.
• Pay in dollars – If you are American, you may be able to save some money by booking in dollars. Many high-end hotels like Egerton House Hotel and Milestone Hotel offer guaranteed dollar rates, so check your hotel’s website for this first before booking. 

• Air B’n’B – Just like the rest of the world, there are some great Air B’n’B options in the UK with some great prices to match. Plus, if you click here you can get £30 off your booking!
• Outskirts – When planning a trip to one of the small cities and towns, try looking at hotels just slightly on the outskirts. Local buses are convenient and inexpensive so booking hotels on the outskirts of towns may work out quite a bit cheaper.
• Caravans – Think of an RV – but smaller. In the UK, Caravans are popular for those wanting to park up on the coast or in national parks. Caravan Parks are cheap and often offer restaurants, cafes, bars, and even performances. There are lots of websites that allow you to search for the perfect Caravan for your trip.
• Camp in a garden – That sounds crazy, right? Camp in My Garden offers travelers a place to set up a tent or park a caravan in the homes of locals.
• Guest Houses – Cheaper than hotels but often with a lot more character, Guest Houses offer cheaper options yet still offer similar amenities.
• Do your research – There are some amazing, cheap hotels around the UK. Do some proper research, using TripAdvisor, booking.com and Air B’n’B to help you choose the perfect place to stay. But also use cozycozy to find cheap accommodation options and check out the deals on Agoda.

Save money on attractions in England

• English Heritage Pass – If you intend to visit some of the historical sites around the UK, you can save money on all the entrance fees and ticket costs by purchasing English Heritage Pass . There is a yearly fee but if you are here for some time, it may be worth the price.
• Historic Scotland Explorer Pass – Scotland is an incredible place with so many castles, abbeys, ancient sites and museums. So save money by purchasing an Explorer Pass!
• The National Trust Touring Pass – With so many National Trust properties across the UK, it is hard to make a decision on which places to visit. Pick up a pass to save money if you plan to visit a few.

• Pass cards – The London Pass and the Edinburgh Pass are attraction cards that allow you entry into multiple tourist attractions in the chosen city but also offer great discounts in restaurants and theatres. We personally love the Go City Pass for London, as you can edit the amount of days you want to spend in the city.
• Free Attractions – Like everywhere in the world, the UK offers some amazing FREE attractions. Museums in London are completely free to enter as are many castles, National Parks and Hike trails around the country. There are lots of free things to do in London to enjoy and explore.
• Book online – If you are visiting a popular attraction, it is worth looking at ticket prices online before you go. Prices online can be purchased at a reduced rate whilst also saving your ideal time slot
• Coupons – Coupons are popular in the UK. Travel by train and pick up the 2 for 1 booklet from stations outside of London or head over to VoucherBin to get discounted deals.
• Walking tours – Take advance of the free walking tours around the major cities; find a local free tour on Free tours by foot. 
• Visit the Cathedrals – Whilst in the UK, make sure you visit the stunning cathedrals in every city! Fun fact – cities in the UK can only be called a city if it has a cathedral. Anyway, these can date back all the way to the 15th century and offer stunning architecture for absolutely nothing!
• Shopping – If you want to enjoy a bit of shopping in the UK, there are plenty of options to choose from. If you are looking for luxury brands and designers, head to one of the many outlet malls around the country to save money on good-quality items. Alternatively, if you are in the UK and find you need to make a quick purchase – maybe you forgot a scarf or need more socks, head to Primark. This is a very cheap store for quick, easy clothing items – just don’t expect them to last for more than a few months.

How to save on Food and Drink in England

• Taste of UK card

These little gems get you discounts and deals across a selection of restaurants in the UK. You can get yourself a card from the website and the first 90 days cost just £1 – perfect for those touring the country.

• Walk away from the tourist attractions

This is the same in many places around the world, but to find the best and cheapest restaurants, pubs, hotels and hostels you’ll need to look further away from the central tourist attraction.

Travelodge and Premier Inn can be found in and around most towns and cities across the UK with decent private rooms at affordable prices.

Wetherspoon pubs offer cheap alcohol and food whilst chain restaurants are unfortunately often cheaper than independently run restaurants in the smaller cities around the UK.

OK, I can promise you that during your stay in the UK, there is a 90% it will rain! When it rains, it pours and puts you off getting all dressed up for a fancy dinner.

JustEat and HungryHouse are websites that allow you to search the menus of nearby restaurants that will deliver to your address.  You can compare prices and read reviews on the website before ordering anything.

• TablePouncer

Get the TablePouncer app. Available in major cities, this app is ideal for last-minute dining. It offers you great discounts and deals at top local restaurants and reserves your chosen restaurant in seconds – helping you save money and time.

• Plan your food

One of the most exciting things to do when you travel is to wander the streets and walk into any restaurant, bar or cafe that takes your fancy.

Food in England is ridiculously expensive compared to most other countries in Asia, the Americas and even Europe. Plan ahead and use TripAdvisor, blogs and google maps to locate and choose one or two great restaurants in your chosen area in your price range.

Have a look for the nearest supermarket (Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda are all budget-friendly places) to stock up on snacks and breakfast/lunch food. Food at service stations is also expensive so make yourself sandwiches or budget for these extra prices.

The food court in Marks & Spencers offers high-quality food but at higher prices than most supermarkets.

Pubs offer daily specials and most towns and cities have magical Wetherspoon’s (a chain of British Pubs) that offer reasonably priced meals.

Like many places in Europe, there are some amazing restaurants in the UK, especially when you head into Central London. If you want a treat, head to these restaurants at lunch for a cheap lunch menu!

• Voucher Cloud

Another great app to use when searching for the best deals and prices. Voucher Cloud uses your location to share restaurant and attraction offers as well as supermarket deals.

• Eat Ethnic food

Scattered around the UK are some excellent ethnic restaurants, from Chinese to Indian, Middle Eastern to Pasta – there are foods from all over the world. These are often tasty, interesting and a lot cheaper than fine dining options.

• Dine at a pub

For a decent, hearty meal, head to the pub! Alcohol can be pricey in the UK but there are some great meal options for a pie and pint! Plus, you get to eat the delights of British food.

My personal favourite has to be Wetherspoons! A chain of pubs around the UK that offer cheap meals – A burger, chips and beer for £5.49!

• Fish’n’Chips

One of the UK’s most popular meals is, of course, Fish and Chips!

Whilst you are in the UK, you need to stop and try this infamous meal whilst saving money – a bag of chips and a cod really don’t break the bank.

When visiting any of the University cities and towns, head to the bars. Many offer great promotions and happy hours, especially on the weekends.

Creative Tip: Afternoon teas are a must whilst in the UK and they aren’t just limited to London. You can find some great Afternoon Tea outside of London for cheaper prices and even ones that cater to Vegetarians and Vegans.

• Enjoy the chains – I know many people may disagree but when you are travelling on a budget, it is worth making use of chain restaurants. Nandos is a popular choice in the UK whilst Pizza Express has some great two-course deals. Also, don’t forget to head to Wetherspoons for a pint and a greasy plate of British food – it sounds awful but doesn’t knock it before you try it!
• Meal deals – Head to any supermarket and you will find some type of meal deal.  These often include some type of salad, sandwich or pasta with a snack and drink for less than £4. This makes for a cheap, quick lunch or even a chilled-out dinner with a few extra snacks. 
• Use the markets – To travel to England on a budget, make sure you visit the markets. Most cities will have some type of market (it may only be on for the weekend) and here you will find great food but fair prices. Don’t expect to find super cheap food here but expect good value.
• Pub food –  can’t stress this enough, if you want a good, sit-down meal, head to the local pubs. Not the pub opposite Big Ben or the one in Covent Garden, head down the quieter streets and find local pubs. Food is good value and often very British!

Travel London on a budget

• Staying in London – Stay near the underground but don’t worry about the city centre. London has a comprehensive underground system that can be used to get everywhere. Use the Underground map to help you get around and don’t forget to down the map on your phone to help you when you are out and about. 
• Thames Clipper – The Thames Clipper is a public ferry service that costs around £8 for a full journey; a much cheaper experience on the Thames compared to the tours available.
• Cycle – Whilst in London, you can choose to cycle using the Santander Cycle Scheme. You will notice bikes dotted around the city and for £2 for 24 hours, you can cycle between the sights.
• Get an Oyster card – Whilst in London, get yourself an Oyster card. This means you can travel around the underground without having to buy an individual ticket each time but also, these journeys are capped so you don’t spend more than a set maximum. If you have a contactless card, you could use this on the underground and on buses too.
• Skip the Shard and head to the Sky Garden – Skip the Shard, it is overpriced. Instead, opt for the Sky Garden, offering stunning views completing for free.
• Theatre tickets – There are lots of great websites that help you get discounted theatre tickets. Head to the theatre of your chosen show at 9.45/10 am to see if they have any last-minute tickets for that day or use websites like Last Minute or London Theatre Tickets.

Read here for more London Travel tips and Free things to do in London.

Don’t forget to visit some of my favourite places in the UK: Liverpool , Bristol, Brighton and Chichester are some of my top picks!

So these are the main ways we use to save money whilst living and travelling around the UK. Do you have any other suggestions? Share your ideas in the comments below!

Travel in England FAQ

How much should I budget for a trip to England?

A week in England will cost around $1500 – $2000, for a solo traveller, depending on where you are staying. London hotels are more expensive than in other cities but you can visit the UK on a budget and spend as little as $100 a day. 

What is the cheapest month to travel to London?

The cheapest months to travel to London and England are September to the start of October and January to March. You can find cheaper flights to the UK during these months and there are fewer tourists, so you will find a budget hotel easily and attractions will be quieter. 

What is the best way to travel around the UK?

The train is the easiest way to travel the UK but catching buses with Megabus or National Express is often the cheapest way to travel the UK. 

Is the train cheaper than the bus in England?

Often the bus is cheaper, especially when moving between smaller cities. However, the underground is much quicker than buses around London’s city centre and train travel around the UK is more reliable than buses. 

Is food expensive in England?

Food prices vary in England but an average sit-down meal is more expensive in England than in Eastern Europe cities but similar to prices in the US and Western Europe. You can find cheap food in supermarkets and chain restaurants and decent-priced meals in pubs. 

How much money do I need for 2 weeks in London?

If you are a budget traveller and intend on cooking for yourself in a hostel and visiting the free attractions, you can visit London for under $50 a day. However, if you want to eat out more and visit some paid attractions, you will need around $100 a day whilst those looking to go shopping, watch a theatre show or football game, expect to budget around $150 a day. 

How do I get cheap London tickets?

Cheap London train tickets can be found when purchasing tickets in advance, online. Use Nationalrail.com to compare prices. Also, avoid travelling between 6.30 – 9.30 and 15.30 – 18.40; this is peak travel time and prices are higher. Also, sometimes 2 singles can be a better value than a return. 

For cheap flights to London, compare prices on Skyscanner and check flight prices to London Stansted, Gatwick and Luton; these smaller airports can sometimes be cheaper than Heathrow.

Is it worth renting a car in England?

If you are staying in a city, no, it is not worth renting a car. However, if you plan on travelling the country a lot, then it can work out cheaper to rent a car. However, compare prices on Avis and Europcar and make sure to book your car hire online as far in advance as possible; prices rise as you get near the pick-up date. 

How do I plan a road trip UK?

• List the places you want to visit
• Plot these destinations on google map to work out the most efficient routes
• Compare rental prices using Travel Supermarket.  
• Don’t pay for a GPS (car companies overcharge and you can use your phone GPS instead).
• Be flexible with your dates but book accommodation in advance. 
• Stick to the speed limits and laws
• Enjoy your travels

How many days are enough to visit the UK?

If you are only visiting London, you can spend 3-4 days seeing the most popular attractions. If you want to visit other cities and sites in the UK such as Bath, Stonehenge, Oxford and Liverpool, plan at least 10 days in the UK. 

How much is a meal in London?

Budget restaurants in London (ethnic or chain restaurants) will cost between £6 – £10 whilst mid-range restaurants will cost you around £15 – £25 for a main meal and drink. High-end restaurants in London can cost anything between £40 to $140+ per head. 

How much should I budget for food UK?

If you are staying somewhere with a kitchen, you could budget as little as £20 for food. However, if you will be eating out 2-3 times a day, you will need at least £35 a day, presuming you are picking up a light breakfast or lunch from the local supermarkets. 

Do I need cash for London?

You will need some cash, mainly for buses and cabs. However, credit and debit cards are widely accepted. 

What is the cheapest airport to fly into England?

• London Gatwick
• London Heathrow
• London City Airport

What is the cheapest day to fly to the UK?

Friday is consistently the cheapest day to visit the UK. 

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How Much Does it Cost to Travel in the UK?

Last updated: April 19, 2024 . Written by Laurence Norah - 28 Comments

One of the most common questions we’re asked from people who read our UK guides, and in particular our detailed one week and two week UK itinerary posts is: how much does it cost to travel in the UK?

Of course, the answer is – it depends! There are a lot of factors to consider, from your travel style (budget to luxury) through to who you are travelling with (solo, family, group), and the kind of travel you want to do (self-drive, group tour, etc).

Then of course there are the attractions you are interested in visiting, the time of year you visit – there are just so many variables to take into account. Which makes answering the question quite tricky!

But we’re going to tackle it anyway. In this post I’m going to go through all the major costs you need to consider when planning a trip to the UK, and provide budget ranges for each of them.

This should give you some good ideas of what a trip like this might cost. We’ll also provide some money saving tips for each area.

Let’s get started.

In summary, you are looking at between £75 and £200 per day per person for travel in the UK. These costs will of course vary depending on your travel style, sights visited, type of transport used and dining choices.

In this post we’re going to go into detail on the four main cost areas you need to consider when travelling in the UK. These are:

• Accommodation
• Sightseeing

We’re going to look at each of these individually to give you some cost ideas. At the end of the post we’ll then put these together to give ideas of a total trip cost for the UK for a few different travel styles.

1. Transport Costs for Travel in the UK

There are a number of ways to travel in the UK. To start with, there is an excellent public transport network in the UK which includes long distance bus services (also called coaches in the UK), a good passenger rail network and multiple low cost airlines.

Our preferred way of travel in the UK (and abroad), is to self-drive where possible. We find it gives us the greatest flexibility, letting us stop when we want to, and not have to be strict about following a timetable. Of course, depending on the type of trip you want to do, this might not be the best option – if you’re only visiting cities for example, we recommend using public transport to get between them.

Price of Car Rental in the UK

• Budget : £100 – £150 per week for a small car that will fit two people and luggage
• Mid-range: £200 – £300 per week for a mid-range car that will fit four people and luggage
• High-end:  £400 – 600 per week for a small SUV or car capable of carrying more than five people

Money Saving Tips for Car Hire in the UK

Book by the week.  Most car hire companies offer better rates if you book for a week rather than a few days. Of course, there’s no point booking for a week if you only need the car for a day or two, but you might find that seven days is cheaper than six for example. We have also found that when we book a car for two or three weeks, many hire car companies have given us a free upgrade to say thanks for our custom.

Pick up your hire car on leaving the city.  In the UK, there is really no need to have a hire car in a city. UK cities are for the most part easy to get around either on foot, or have excellent public transport networks. Your hire car will likely spend its time costing money in an expensive parking lot. So just book your rental for when you leave the city.

Don’t pick it up at the airport. If you can avoid picking up your hire car at the airport, you will usually save money. Most car hire companies charge higher rates for cars picked up at the airport – it’s a combination of a trapped market and a convenience factor. Compare prices between the airport and the city, and if you can get to the city easily from the airport, and the price is better, do that.

Avoid one-way trips where possible.  Most car hire companies will charge you extra if you want to drop the car off in a different place to where you picked it up. We have actually done this many times – the key is to find a car rental company that charges minimal one-way fees. In our experience, Enterprise is pretty good for this.

Don’t forget the fuel costs. Fuel in the UK is relatively expensive compared to somewhere like the USA. Thankfully, the majority of cars are quite fuel efficient and distances aren’t that great. However, fuel prices vary wildly. Generally, the cheapest fuel can be found at supermarkets, such as Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury’s. The most expensive fuel is usually along the motorways, at the service stations.

Avoid additional fees:  The way that hire companies bump up their revenues is by charging you for a lot of addons when you come to pick up your car. These can include everything from a GPS unit through to extra insurance cover. Many of these are not truly necessary, and some travellers might find that their credit card already offers things like Collision Damage Waiver insurance. So definitely check in advance what addons you need, so you don’t fall prey to high pressure sales tactics at the rental desk.

Use a comparison service:  For car hire, we usually use a comparison search site that lets us compare prices across multiple providers at the same time. We recommend searching for your car rental on Discover Cars here . They compare a range of providers so you can find the best deal for your trip. Just make sure when comparing prices that additional fees like one-way drop offs are covered.

Consider your age:  Car hire companies around the world give better rates to what they consider to be more experienced drivers. Younger drivers, particularly those 21 and under, can pay hefty surcharges for car rental. Usually, drivers over 30 get the best rates. If you are travelling in a group of different ages, consider renting the car in the name of the older driver. Just be aware that you might need to pay more to add additional drivers, so be sure that the named driver is happy to do all the driving if necessary.

Price of Public Transport in the UK

Public transport in the UK is difficult to put a price on as there are huge variables depending on where you are going, how far in advance you book, and how you travel (bus, train, plane) – as well as if you choose to travel in standard class or a more premium class.

As an example though, a one way single ticket from London to Edinburgh by train (~4hr 30 min) would cost you around £150. If you book the same trip in advance, you could go on the same journey for as little as £25 one-way.

A similar journey by coach would take between 10 and 15 hours, and cost between £16 and £80.

You could also fly, which would take around an hour of actual flight time (although you would need to factor in the time of getting to and from the airport and check-in). Flights with a budget airline from London to Edinburgh for example start from as little as £13 (with no luggage!), and go up to around £200.

Money Saving Tips for Public Transport in the UK

Book in advance.  For planes, buses and coaches, the best prices are available if you book well in advance, and if you can be a little bit flexible with your timings. Avoid travelling at peak times (usually 0630 – 0930 & 1530 – 1830).

Use the right booking site.  For train tickets, we recommend The Trainline, which we have found to be the most user friendly option. Opt to pick up your tickets from the station to avoid postal charges, or use their e-ticket option. They also let you book tickets for destinations all across Europe, and so are a handy one stop shop for all your ticket needs.

For long distance buses, there are a number of operators to choose from. The two we would recommend are  National Express  and  Megabus , both of which offer a wide range of routes across the country.

For flights, we suggest a good comparison engine that includes the budget airlines – we recommend Kiwi.com .

Go carry on only.  If you choose to fly, packing carry-on only can save you a good amount in baggage fees. Just be aware that UK airlines have different baggage size standards to other airlines around the world, so always check with the airline first.

2. Accommodation Costs for a UK Trip

Accommodation is one of the major costs for any travel, and a UK trip is no different. Of course, the question  “how much does accommodation cost in the UK?” is not straightforward, and there are multiple factors to consider – everything from time of year through to the level of comfort and service you need will affect the price.

There are lots of options for accommodation in the UK, so whatever your budget, we are confident you will be able to find something to suit your travel needs.

Our costs are based on two people sharing a private room, but there are other options of course, including dormitory accommodation in hostels, if you are looking to save even more.

Price of Accommodation in the UK

• Budget:  £40 – £100 for a budget room for two people, usually this would be an en-suite room. Dorm rooms are also available, think around £25 per bed.
• Mid-range: £100 – £150 would get you a nice room for two in most parts of the country
• High-end: £250+ would normally be the starting point for a room in a luxury property, although deals can be had, see below for more information

Money Saving Tips for Accommodation in the UK

Travel off-peak.  If you can travel in the quieter times of year, such as January and February, particularly in less visited parts of the UK, you can score some remarkable deals. For example, we stayed in this luxury hotel near Inverness for £70 per night including breakfast in February. The same room in June is over £300!

Check the hotel website for deals.  Whilst we love booking engines for their convenience, sometimes we find that a particular property has a special deal running that’s only available if you check their website. These might be things like three nights for the price of two, or free breakfast if you book direct.

Book online.  We use booking.com extensively for our travel accommodation. After making five bookings, we qualified for their extra “Genius” discount, which often scores us an extra 10% off. We also like that they list everything from hostels to apartments to hotels of all categories, making it an excellent one-stop shop for our accommodation needs.

Use Alternative Accommodation Providers . There has been an explosion in options in the accommodation market over the last decade or so. If you’re on a tight budget, definitely consider websites like  Couchsurfing.  There are lot of options out there to help you find great value accommodation, so take advantage of them. Take a look at our guide to AirBnB Alternatives and holiday accommodation websites for the UK for more inspiration.

3. Food Costs for a UK Trip

The UK used to have a pretty poor reputation when it came to food, but thankfully over the last ten – twenty years this has improved a great deal, and you can now get really fantastic meals as you travel. That said, dining in the UK is not particularly cheap, although there are some ways to reduce the costs.

One thing to note, for US readers in particular, tax is always included in menu prices in the UK, so what you see is what you pay. Service is not included, but tips are appreciated.

Price of Dining in the UK

• Budget:  £5 – £10 per person per meal at a fast food restaurant or takeaway style meal
• Mid-range:  £10 – £30 per person per meal at a mid-range restaurant or nice pub style meal
• High-end:  £35+ per person per meal at a nice restaurant

Money Saving Tips for Dining in the UK

Drink less.  Drinking with a meal can really push your budget up. Even soft drinks can be quite expensive in the UK, so if you can stick with tap water with your meal, you can save a fair bit of money.

Find deals.  Whilst not as common as say France, you can still find good deals in the UK for dining out. Many restaurants will offer early-bird dining specials for example, for dining at times earlier than usual, such as 5pm – 6.30pm. Others may have special menu deals, where you can get a two or three course meal at a discount at lunchtime.

Fast food.  Don’t forget the fast food chains if you’re looking for cheap and easy food on the go. As well as reducing your time spent eating if you’re having a full day of exploring, these can be very cheap. To really save money, skip the extras, and find the really cheap menu items. For example, you can normally buy a single hamburger at McDonald’s for under £1. Two of those and a medium fries will keep you going for a while.

Small cafes.  If fast food doesn’t do it for you, consider stopping off at a small cafe. Often attractions have these, as do department stores and other high-street locations. Normally they have a small selection of well priced menu items, such as a soup and a sandwich, or a baked potato with a filling. Usually these meals will come in at under £5 per person.

Supermarket meals. If you’re ok with a cold meal, a reliable cheap option is to get a meal from a supermarket such as Marks and Spencer. These places usually have an extensive range of sandwiches and other snacks, often very well priced. You’ll be able to get a sandwich, snack and a drink for under £5 in most cases. Plus you can then find somewhere pretty to eat it and dine al fresco! Other options for cheap eating include chains like Eat and Pret a Manger, which also offer soups and hot items.

Cook for yourself.  To really save money on your food in the UK, you should opt to cook for yourself if you can. Obviously this will need a bit of forward planning, as you’ll need to book accommodation that includes cooking facilities, such as a self-catering holiday cottage, or a hostel with a kitchen. Cooking for yourself can really save you money though.

Eat the included breakfast. If you’re staying at a hotel or bed and breakfast that includes a breakfast (or other meal), make sure you take advantage of it, as that saves you the cost of a meal.

4. Sight-seeing Costs for a UK Trip

Sight-seeing costs in the UK will really vary depending on what you are interested in seeing. There are lots of free attractions, including many museums and outdoor sights, that won’t cost you anything at all.

There are also other trips and activities, such as day trips to specific sights you might want to see (for example Stonehenge from London ) that you will want to book a tour for. If you are thinking about taking a tour, we can recommend Rabbie’s , who offer small group tours in the UK & Ireland. We also recommend Viator who offer a huge range of tours in the UK .

Costs for sight-seeing in the UK

Costs will vary tremendously depending on what you are interested in. Museums and other attractions like stately homes range from free to around £25 per person at the upper end of the scale, although £6 – £12 per person is a more common cost.

Note that many of the major museums in the UK are free, like the Natural History Museum in London, or the National Museum of Scotland, for example.

If you decide to take a tour, the price of these will vary depending on a number of factors. Private tours will cost more than group tours for example, and multi-day tours will be more expensive than day trips.

As a guide, a day trip from London, such as a visit to Stonehenge  will cost you between £50 and £110 , depending on duration and inclusions. This price is fairly reflective of day trip prices from cities around the UK – see our guides to day trips from Edinburgh , day trips from Glasgow and day trips from Inverness for more inspiration.

Multi-day group tours will cost more, usually in the region of £75 – £150 for each day of the trip. When comparing tours like this, always check what is included and what isn’t – for example, some tours will include accommodation and attraction entry, and others won’t.

Private multi-day group tours are the most expensive option of all, and you should look to budget in the region of £500 – £1000 per day for this sort of tour, which will usually include the cost of your driver and vehicle, with accommodation costs added on top.

Money Saving Tips for Sight-seeing in the UK

Get a City-based Attractions Pass.  If you’re planning on visiting a lot of attractions in the same city, you will probably find that an attractions pass will save you money. For London, we recommend the  London Pass  (see our review here ). For Edinburgh, there’s a good pass that covers Edinburgh’s royal attractions .

Get a society membership. For certain types of attraction in the UK, such as historical homes and castles, you can save money with a membership to the organisation that manages the properties.

In the UK, there are a number of these, but the key organisations are the National Trust and English Heritage .

For English Heritage, visitors to the UK can purchase either a full year long English Heritage membership or a special English Heritage Overseas Visitors Pass .

The latter pass is specially designed for overseas visitors who might want to visit a few attractions on a visit, but who might not get the full value from a yearlong membership.

For the National Trust, the story is similar. You can either join the National Trust, or get a visitor pass here .

Visit on free Days.  Sometimes museums and attractions in the UK will have free days where you can visit for free. Check the attraction’s website or social media accounts for details of when these might be.

Use qualifying concessions. Many attractions offer discounts to different demographics – for example based on your age or eligible military service. It’s always worth checking if you qualify for a discounted price. If so, make sure you carry proof of your eligibility, for example, if it’s an age-based discount, carry official government issued ID like a driving license or passport so you can prove your age.

In Summary: How Much Will a UK Trip Cost you?

Assuming two people are travelling together in the UK, using a hire car to get around and staying in private hotel rooms with en-suite facilities, our suggested costs per person per day would be as follows:

• Budget : £50 – £100
• Mid-range:  £100 – £250
• High-end: £300+

So, for a trip like our suggested two week UK itinerary , you would likely be looking at the following total approximate costs for two people for a two week UK trip.

• Car hire: £300 – £600 + fuel (~£100 – £200)
• Accommodation: £700 – £2000+
• Food: £300 – £1000
• Sight-seeing / tours:  £200+
• Total:  from around £750 per person

Of course, you can spend a little less or a lot more, depending on your travel style, but these ballpark figures should give you an idea of costs.

Also, don’t forget to include any visa costs, travel insurance, additional sightseeing, nice meals out, souvenirs, and of course, the cost of getting to and from the UK.

Further Reading for Planning your UK Trip

Hopefully in this post we’ve answered the question of how much does it cost to travel in the UK. To further help with planning your UK trip beyond the budgeting side, we have a lot more content that we think you will find useful.

• For itinerary ideas covering the whole UK, check out our 1 week and 2 week UK itineraries . These are self-drive itineraries, so do check out our guide to driving in the UK for tips.
• If you’d rather not drive yourself, we have a UK itinerary by public transport
• If you’re heading to Scotland, we have a 7 Day camping itinerary for the North Coast 500 , as well as a detailed North Coast 500 Planning Guide and a guide to our favourite B&B’s on the North Coast 500
• A two day Edinburgh itinerary  &  21 Highlights in Edinburgh
• A Two Day Glasgow and Loch Lomond itinerary
• A guide to  10 of the best Stately Homes in England
• For London, we have some detailed itineraries to help you plan your visit. These include a  1 Day London Itinerary , a  Two Day London itinerary , a 3 day London Itinerary and a  Six Day London itinerary
• The top Harry Potter sites in London
• The  Best Photography Locations in London
• Tips on Buying and Using the London Pass
• Our favourite  Things to Do in Kensington
• A guide to things to do in Portsmouth
• The  Highlights of Oxford
• Things to do in Cambridge
• Visiting  Blenheim Palace and the Cotswolds
• 20 Things To Do in Dublin
• A  Guide to Touring the Scottish Borders
• If you want a physical (or digital!) book to accompany your travels, then Amazon do a good line in  UK Travel Guides , and there is naturally a  Lonely Planet  and a  Rough Guide  to the UK available.

And that’s it for our guide to how much it costs to travel in the UK! We hope you found it useful – as always you’re welcome to share your questions and feedback in the comments below.

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There are 28 comments on this post

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Toni Hendrix says

7th October 2022 at 12:59 am

Hello, A friend and I are in our 70’s and would like to do a month+ trip perhaps in April-May 2023 so that we can see a bit more, thinking Wales, Scotland, England, Ireland. Sort of a retirement blowout! Have we lost our minds…definitely! We’re debating about various ways to travel, where to stay,etc. One of us has had Covid but no shot and the other has all shots and still got Covid. Do we both need to be vaxed? We both have Donne ancestral research and would like to see castles in our lineage: Compton in Devonshire, Bamburg, Strickland & Devonshire. She has taught school overseas and I have been. flight attendant and done some travel. Hopefully, we can figure out a rational way to do this. Is there any hope? Thank you!

Laurence Norah says

7th October 2022 at 2:23 pm

Sounds like a fun adventure! So currently you don’t need to be vaccinated to travel to the UK. You can see the latest rules here , which you will want to check before you travel. You will also want to check the rules for the country you are traveling from so you can get back home. I’d also add that things can change very quickly, so vaccination requirements for example might be reintroduced if a new strain appears. So if possible being vaccinated might make that easier, because getting a vaccination whilst abroad is likely to be challenging. Whatever you choose though, good insurance is a good idea to cover any eventualities.

I definitely think you can do the trip you mention. Given that your trip is to a few different locations you might find renting and driving a car is going to be the easier option for getting around.

Have a great time!

Ann E. McCollister says

5th February 2022 at 6:36 am

I’m 70 years old, not well off, always wanted to go to UK (England, Ireland, Scotland). Saved $2000 (!), want to make a trip with my 3 sisters before I die. I appreciate all the advice and suggestions you’ve made and will share with my sister’s and investigate further. Cheerio and much thanks, I want to do what YOU do! You needn’t reply but encouragement would help. Afraid my dream won’t be fulfilled. Annie

6th February 2022 at 12:45 pm

It’s lovely to hear from you. I am sure that with your budget the three of you will be able to make the trip happen. There are lots of good value accommodation. I’d recommend looking for good value B&B’s where breakfast is normally included. If you are happy to drive, renting a car between the four of you will be quite inexpensive. Alternatively, we can also recommend the Rabbie’s Tour company – they do really good value tours all around the UK and are a great alternative to driving yourself.

I am very sure you will be able to realise your dream. The main cost is likely to be your flight, but luckily there are lots of routes. I’d suggest signing up for something like Google Flights and their alerts for prices.

I’m also happy to offer more specific input and help if you need it, it’s no trouble at all. If you have any questions, fire away!

21st May 2020 at 4:50 pm

Dear Laurence,

Have you ever balanced the costs (in time and money) of car rental,parking and accomodation in UK?

Car rental is relatively unexpensive compared to public transport and hotels whilst unconvenienlty located accomodation sites tend to be more affordable.

Many times, having a car allowed me to stay on those far away locations and swiftly reach my daily tourist destination by car.

On the other hand, parking availability and costs sometimes bars me from reserving otherwise most convenient accomodation sites.

21st May 2020 at 4:55 pm

I haven’t done the maths precisely. The challenge is that public transport costs can vary hugely, depending on how far in advance you book it. The same ticket booked 8 weeks in advance might cost £20, wheras the same day price might be £200. So if you are able to plan in advance and be flexible with dates and times, it can be more affordable.

We prefer to travel by car if we can though, as it’s just a lot easier for the more remote locations. Public transport in the UK is great for cities and towns, but outside of this you start to rely on slower and less regular local bus routes, which will really slow a trip down. For our UK itineraries, my suggestion is usually to start in London, and to only pick up the hire car after you have done the sightseeing in the city. Outside London, parking is generally a lot easier to find and less expensive.

10th February 2020 at 7:19 am

This is great information! Many thanks. I am planning 19 nights in GB in August with my daughter. We want to drive with a train perhaps from London to Edinburgh. One travel agent here in Australia told me he couldn’t find a hire car company that would add my daughter as a second driver due to her age. She will be 21 with an open licence for more than a year. Surely this is not so!!! Are you able to reassure us that we will both be able to drive?

10th February 2020 at 1:28 pm

Thanks very much! So the legal age for renting a car in the UK is 21, however unfortunately many car hire companies set a minimum age of 25 or 23. This is down to each company having their own policy and approach to risk. However, some companies will rent to drivers at 21, such as Sixt – so it is possible. However, they charge hefty fees for the privilege, of up to £39 per day! I wasn’t able to find any other rental companies, but it’s possible if you contact local smaller car rental agencies that you might be able to find a better deal.

Best of luck, and have a great trip!

Sue Knauf says

13th January 2020 at 4:18 pm

So pleased to have come across your informative website. We (my husband & I) are looking planning a trip to the UK. We prefer rural rather than cities & hope to spend most of our time exploring Scotland (including some of the outer islands) & Ireland. We tend to ‘wing’ our travels rather than be highly organized. Our quandry is whether to hire a car & find accommodation each night or hire a small campervan. I have heard campervans can be a pain on the narrow roads in rural area’s. We are looking to travel probably in July. Would your answer be different if we came in May?

13th January 2020 at 4:27 pm

Lovely to have you here as a reader 🙂

So a smaller campervan will generally be fine as long as you are used to driving a manual vehicle and don’t mind reversing and driving on the left. I believe based on where your e-mail address suggests you are from that neither of these will be an issue for you.

I would say that based on your preference to wing it, that a campervan is going to make more sense. Whilst it will be more expensive than a normal car, you can get smaller vehicles ( Spaceships just launched in the UK with a range of options for example) which should be reasonably priced and easier to manoeuvre. However, the main reason for suggesting this is that winging it in the Scottish Highlands in both May and July can be a risky approach. Accommodation can book out weeks and sometimes months in advance, and not booking ahead definitely runs the very real risk of having to drive for hours to find somewhere to stay (accommodation is spread out and the roads are slow). Combine this with the fact that there are large areas with no cell phone coverage, and this would end up just being a stressful trip.

So for that reason alone, having your own bed is going to be a lot less stressful.

May and July are both popular times. May is usually busier for normal accommodation, whilst July tends to have more families and campers. May is our favourite month to travel in Scotland though, as you can usually avoid the dreaded midge 😉

We have a range of content on Scotland to help with your planning, I’d say our NC500 camping itinerary would be a great starting point.

Let me know if you have any more questions!

Renuka Rajput says

7th January 2020 at 12:51 pm

Hello I am really glad to find your website. We are planning to travel UK in March as planing to few liverpool matches at that time. Will it be good time to travel or will it be too cold to explore tourist destination.

Thanks in Advance.

7th January 2020 at 3:10 pm

Hello Renuka,

I will try to help 🙂 It is hard to answer because everyone has a different definition of cold. If you are coming from a tropical country, then March in the UK might seem cold, however if you are travelling from somewhere like Canada, it will feel warm!

Generally, March should be fine though. Temperatures will likely be between 12C and 16C, which in my opinion is good for sightseeing. March is also a good month as it won’t be too busy with tourists. You will want to bring some warm layers and also either an umbrella or raincoat, as rain is likely. That said, rain is a possibility all year in the UK.

I hope this helps 😀

11th April 2019 at 6:05 am

Hi, really great sharing with much details for travelling in UK. Wonder if you have any suggestions for travel to Manchester and thereabouts?

11th April 2019 at 11:25 am

I haven’t visited Manchester for a while, despite living there for a period many years ago. So I don’t currently have any up to date recommendations, however, we hope to visit Manchester soon and fix that!

Rosemary Anderson says

23rd March 2019 at 6:50 pm

I love your site and have found great ideas for my family’s upcoming trip.

One question: We are doing a home exchange with a family who has offered to let us use their car–which is great. But we have looked (quite a bit!) online, and it seems to be very difficult to get insurance on anything other than a rental car. Do you have any suggestions?

Thanks, Rosemary

23rd March 2019 at 7:10 pm

Hi Rosemary!

Thanks very much 🙂 So this is an interesting question. Normally in the UK the car insurance policy is associated with a specific driver (normally the owner and then any other drivers) rather than some countries where you insure the car and then anyone can drive it.

My initial response is that I’m not sure exactly how you would go about doing this. Based on my experiences driving friends cars in the UK, they have had to ring their insurance to add me as a named driver. However, I don’t know exactly how this works with non-UK licenses, nor do I know how it might affect their insurance should something happen.

I did a search, and whilst this service does exist, it doesn’t seem to cover US license holders, only holders from specific countries like those in the EU, Switzerland, Australia and New Zealand.

The only company I found that does seem to include US drivers was this one: https://www.hertsinsurance.com/walkabout/

I have never used them and I can’t comment on what they cover or if they are any good, but it might be worth a try!

Good luck 🙂

13th January 2019 at 2:36 am

Wow, just found your itinerary and I’m going to follow it, with a couple minor tweaks to the schedule when I go June 1st with my husband and son. Thanks for all the great advice and mapping it out. Mona

13th January 2019 at 9:48 am

Our pleasure Mona – have a great trip, and let us know how it goes!

Paul Gadsdon says

23rd December 2018 at 4:24 pm

You will find UK car hire half the price of the US. You can get a small car for £80 a week

Also dont forget all UK national museums (about 300 or so), are free

23rd December 2018 at 4:32 pm

Thanks for your input! I’ve updated the budget hire car price. I think £100 – £150 is reasonable, I’ve taken a look on various sites and for various dates, and it’s a definite struggle to get a week of car hire with unlimited mileage for much less than that.

I’ll make a point about the free museums too 🙂

Thanks again!

Cheang PY says

26th November 2018 at 2:00 pm

Awfully glad to have found your website. Very informative. 6 of us retirees (age 57-80) are planning to self-drive UK for 2 weeks, visiting Cornwall and Wales. Would like advice on accommodation (homestay/airbnb?), etc. Thank you.

27th November 2018 at 11:21 am

Our pleasure. With a group, an AirBnB or similar would be a great idea, as you can usually get more for your money. Our only advice is to only book places with good reviews. The best option is simply to search a site like AirBnb (we also have a list of Airbnb alternatives here, ) for the dates and number of people for the destinations you want to visit, and work from there.

Have a great trip!

19th January 2019 at 4:14 pm

Thank you for your suggestions. We are also looking at mpv for hire for six. Is it cheaper to get the vehicle at the airport? Thank you.

19th January 2019 at 4:24 pm

My pleasure. If you mean in comparison to booking in advance, I would say in general it will be more expensive booking car hire at the airport.

If you mean will it be cheaper picking up from the airport or from another location, usually it is cheaper to pick up a car from an location different to the airport, as airport car hire is nearly always more expensive than city locations, due to the convenience.

Samara says

29th July 2018 at 9:55 am

Great read! I appreciate the in depth breakdown. Just got to London and am going to be following your 2 week itinerary religiously!

29th July 2018 at 12:28 pm

Thanks very much! Have a great trip – do let us know if you have any questions 🙂

Ryan Smith says

3rd May 2018 at 3:03 pm

Thanks a ton for all the useful information about cost of traveling in UK, it saves me so much time Googling for the guide like this. Thank you 🙂

3rd May 2018 at 7:11 pm

My pleasure – have a wonderful trip!

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How to Visit England & Scotland on a Budget

This post may contain affiliate links, meaning if you buy or book through one of these links, I may earn a small commission .

The UK is known for having some of the highest prices in Europe, so it takes a little planning if you want to visit England and Scotland on a budget. The good news is that this is perfectly doable for any sensible traveler. I was actually pleasantly surprised by how affordable my husband and I were able to make things on our trip there last summer. Even when considering the fact that the pound is worth about a third more than the US dollar!

To help you with your planning, I have put together the below sample budget to give you an idea of what to expect. This budget assumes you are two people taking a 10 day trip to Great Britain. You will be traveling around, and making stops in the following cities:

• Days 1-3: Bath
• Day 4: York
• Days 5-6: Edinburgh
• Days 7-10: London

Keep in mind that trips involving multiple cities will almost always be more expensive than staying in one place. When planning your travels, you should certainly consider whether each stop is worth it, and make sure you don’t overextend yourself.

Here is an example of a moderate England & Scotland budget for two people (in USD):

This is what I would consider to be a moderate budget for two people taking a trip to England and Scotland. These amounts factor in room for some splurges, while saving money in other areas. Let’s breakdown what all is being included here.

England & Scotland budget breakdown:

Transportation.

You can rent a car when visiting the UK, but you certainly don’t need to. We personally did not because we were a bit nervous about driving on the opposite side of the road while also on the opposite side of the car. Combine that with driving a manual transmission (automatic is more expensive), and we totally chickened out.

Instead, we had the exciting experience of hopping from train to train, and found them super easy to use. That being said, trains in the UK are not always the cheapest option. There is some strategy involved to avoid paying more than you need to.

For example, when I first looked up a train to London from Edinburgh, I was horrified at the prices. The initial prices I found were around 200 pounds per person, which was enough to make me want to vomit. For a second, I considered flying between these two cities, as that can actually be cheaper at times.

The good news is that I did find a way to make train travel more affordable for our trip. The key is buying nonrefundable train tickets in advance and using a railcard (as opposed to railpass). I go into much more detail in my post about navigating the Great Britain trains here .

This one is a tricky subject, and if you’re not careful, you can end up paying $1,200 per flight. I recommend not overpaying for your flights though, and think you should try to get two for the price of one like we did. So how do you do this? Here are a couple ways to find cheap flights to London:

• Be flexible about the time of year you travel and the days you travel on. If you travel on a less popular day, such as Tuesday, or in a slower time of year (aka not summer), you can certainly find lower prices.
• Be a savvy traveler and look for a credit card with rewards points. This is how we avoided paying the full price of one of our flights. At the time we were only using the Capital One Venture , but we have now added the Chase Sapphire Reserve to our repertoire.

So groceries is an optional category, although I suggest using it to save a little bit of money. If you stay in an Airbnb with a kitchen, or even just a room at an inn or hotel with a mini fridge, you have the oppportunity to buy things like cereal or sandwiches for some cheap meals. I personally like to incorporate simple options like this, so I have more room to splurge once in a while at a nicer place. Trust me – pub food may be inexpensive, but it’s usually not worth your money.

Food & Drink

Food and drink is the area where you need to be most conscientious if you are trying to stay on budget. It’s very easy to be impulsive here and lose track of what you’ve spent in a day. Even if your budget is not tight, it’s still good to plan ahead for food and drink because it’s crazy how easily you can get off track here.

You can see I’ve mostly allowed about $75/day for two people. How did we do this for two people on three meals a day you may ask? First off, we tried to stay at places that had breakfast included. Second of all, we utilized grocery stores for cereal and premade sandwiches, such as the local Waitrose grocery store while staying in London.

We generally did not do very much fine dining, and tried to find as many deals as possible. Here is how we stayed cheap while dining out:

• We went to a lot of cafes for meals, which tend to be cheaper than more formal restaurants.
• We mostly did not order drinks at restaurants, which actually saves a ton of money. The beer of Great Britain was also not our favorite, which helped us be less motivated to buy it.
• In London, we ate a lot of ethnic food, such as Indian and Vietnamese, which is usually more cost effective.
• In Bath , we ate at a nicer restaurant, Bistrot Pierre that offered a lower cost prix fixe menu for those willing to eat dinner before 6:30 pm. You still got great menu items, but at a fraction of the cost!

My lodging budget of $1,500 factors in 10 nights at an average rate of $150/night. In this price range, there are plenty of good inns and Airbnb’s available. Unfortunately, this excludes London, where it’s hard to find much for under $200 a night. That being said, it is still possible to find cheap lodging options in London. Especially if you are willing to stay in a hostel or someone’s spare room.

Sadly, the more things you do while on your trip, the more money you’re going to spend. Since this is a 10 day, multi-city trip, you’ll want to allocate a good chunk of your England and Scotland budget to activities. To keep this area under control, it’s best to try to find as many free things to do as possible, and balance that out with the expensive sights you are most excited about. So what does my budget of $475 include?

Above, I have included the highlights from each of these cities that are definitely worth your money. Keep in mind that this list does not include the many free things there are to do in England in Scotland, which I’ll list below.

Free Things to Do in England and Scotland

The below list is not all-inclusive of the many free things there are to do in England and Scotland. However, it does include our favorite free activities in each of the cities included here:

• Bath: Wandering this beautiful city to marvel its streets filled with honey-colored stone buildings is quite a treat. There is plenty of impressive architecture to admire from the outside, such as the Royal Crescent or The Circus.
• York: Do not miss the free walking tour offered daily at various times. On your own, you can also peruse The Shambles and walk on the Roman Wall for nary a penny.
• Edinburgh: No money is needed to explore the Royal Mile, or window shop on colorful Victoria Street. Pass by the famous Greyfriars Bobby statue and be sure to gently pat (not rub!) its nose for good luck. Harry Potter fans should certainly stop into the Greyfriars’s Kirkyard. This cemetery’s headstones inspired several characters’ names in the books.
• London: Many of London’s museums are free, including the Victoria and Albert Museum, National Gallery, and the British Museum. However, you may notice many of the museums will still ask for optional donations. For $0 you can also enjoy some green space at the expansive Hyde Park, and pay homage at the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain. Finally, you can of course watch the famous changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace completely free of charge.

As you can see, it is certainly possible to do England and Scotland on a budget. All it takes is a little bit of planning and prioritizing, so that you are allocating your funds to the sites you’re most excited about. It’s true that the UK can be more expensive than other European countries, so your dollars may not stretch quite as far there. However, a visit to England and Scotland is absolutely still worth your time, and you do not need to go broke in order to have an amazing trip. So go on, and let yourself experience all that is historical, royal, and rugged in these two beautiful old countries.

Related Posts

want to go from St Louis Missouri to Glasgow Scotland on a budget for two. For 14 days

That sounds like it would be a lot of fun! Will you be staying in Glasgow the whole time? The less you move around, the lower your budget will be 🙂

Greyfeiar Bobby statue is being destroyed by people rubbing its nose. It’s actually advised to not touch tge statue. I’d recommend taking that bit out of your article.

Thanks for the update! I’ll change the wording.

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UK: Travel Budget Calculator

Plan your UK trip with ease! Use our Travel Budget Calculator to manage costs across cities like London & Manchester. Ideal for all travelers.

How much does it cost to Travel the UK!?

The United Kingdom is one of the most iconic countries in the World. From its Royal Family and History building to country town and footballing second cities such as Manchester & Liverpool, the UK has alot to offer!

Is the UK Expensive to travel?

According to  Numbeo , the  UK is the 12th most expensive country  to live in out of 122 surveyed. (2016). The UK average is 0.81 the cost of living in New York.

Local purchasing power (cost of living / average wage),  in the UK is the 22nd most expensive out of 122.

The  UK  cost of living is relatively high, but this also reflects the relatively high wages in the  UK.

The UK cost of living is also quite high due to higher transport and energy costs. Tax rates are higher then US/European rates for goods like alcohol, petrol and cigarettes.

Regional differences (North/South) Divide?

There is a North/South Divide in the UK. With the cost of living in  London  15% higher then that in Manchester. For example rents in London are an average of 52% higher than Manchester!

So if you want to explore the UK on a Budget, consider spending less time in London and more time in other cities such as Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool and Historic places such as York or Bath.

Fun Fact:   Norway  is the fourth most expensive at 0.99 and India the cheapest at 0.24

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To help you budget your next adventure to Russia

Dive into our interactive Travel Budget Calculator below

User Guide:  Simply select your “Travel Style”,  ” Number of Persons” and Number of Days Traveling.

Top Tip:  “Group” travel budget gives the  total budget for 4 people!  To find out how much that is each simply divide by 4.

Family Budgets:

Families would be best using the Group selector, or those with small children should select “Couple” if the children are young enough to share a room.

We have compiled the data in the table above from our vast travel experience & other reliable sources.  source

What currency is used in the UK?

The United Kingdom uses the Great British Pound (GBP). Symbol. £.

1 USD = £0.76

UK Travel Costs (Budget):

I. budget backpacker travel costs:, ii. mid range travel costs:, iii. luxury vacation travel costs:, where to stay in  london .

For a complete list of our recommend hotels in London   follow the link  HERE

Insider Tip:

• Invest in a quality Travel Camera!

Capturing the Memories of your adventure is essential!

You will be able to show your friends, family and even grand kids all the wonderful photos captured.

For more info see, our recommend  Travel Photography Gear

Make sure you are equip with some great Photography Gear!

A high quality Tent & backpack can also be great investments to help you cut costs and have more of an adventure while traveling!

Important! Are you Insured??

Be aware that you will need separate travel insurance if you are traveling to the UK!

If you get ill or have an accident it will be a very costly experience!

All travellers to the UK should have a robust travel insurance to avoid paying out thousands of dollars.

I always recommend  World Nomads , I’ve used these for years,

they are the best and most reliable insurance, they also provides an unlimited medical budget!

Getting hit with a large hospital bill after getting sick or injured, could really add to your worries! Get some Travel Insurance

CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR FREE QUOTE FROM WORLD NOMADS

For more info see:  Why you NEED Travel Insurance?

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• Travel Planning Guide

Travel Budget for London Visit London on a Budget or Travel in Style

• London Costs

• London Hotel Prices
• Best Business Hotels in London
• Best Party Hotels in London
• Best Cheap Hotels in London
• Best Hotels for One Night in London
• Best Hotels for a Weekend Getaway in London
• Best Hotels for One Week in London
• Best Pet-Friendly Hotels in London
• Best Romantic Hotels for Couples in London
• Best Family-Friendly Hotels in London
• Best Hotels for First Time Visitors in London
• Best Luxury Hotels in London
• Best Adults Only Hotels in London
• Is London Expensive?
• How much does a trip to London cost?
• 1 Day in London On A Budget
• How to get to Central London from Heathrow Airport
• Is London Worth Visiting?
• Northern Ireland
• Lake District National Park
• How much does it cost to travel to London? (Average Daily Cost)
• London trip costs: one week, two weeks, one month

Is London expensive to visit?

• How much do I need for a trip to London?
• Accommodation, Food, Entertainment, and Transportation Costs
• Travel Guide

How much does it cost to travel to London?

You should plan to spend around $238 (£190) per day on your vacation in London. This is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors.

Past travelers have spent, on average for one day:

• $43 (£34) on meals
• $32 (£26) on local transportation
• $308 (£246) on hotels

A one week trip to London for two people costs, on average, $3,329 (£2,653) . This includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.

All of these average travel prices have been collected from other travelers to help you plan your own travel budget.

• Travel Style: All Budget (Cheap) Mid-Range Luxury (High-End)
• Average Daily Cost Per person, per day $ 238 £ 190
• One Week Per person $ 1,665 £ 1,327
• 2 Weeks Per person $ 3,329 £ 2,653
• One Month Per person $ 7,134 £ 5,686
• One Week For a couple $ 3,329 £ 2,653
• 2 Weeks For a couple $ 6,659 £ 5,306
• One Month For a couple $ 14,268 £ 11,371

How much does a one week, two week, or one month trip to London cost?

A one week trip to London usually costs around $1,665 (£1,327) for one person and $3,329 (£2,653) for two people. This includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.

A two week trip to London on average costs around $3,329 (£2,653) for one person and $6,659 (£5,306) for two people. This cost includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.

Please note, prices can vary based on your travel style, speed, and other variables. If you're traveling as a family of three or four people, the price per person often goes down because kid's tickets are cheaper and hotel rooms can be shared. If you travel slower over a longer period of time then your daily budget will also go down. Two people traveling together for one month in London will often have a lower daily budget per person than one person traveling alone for one week.

A one month trip to London on average costs around $7,134 (£5,686) for one person and $14,268 (£11,371) for two people. The more places you visit, the higher the daily price will become due to increased transportation costs.

Independent Travel

Traveling Independently to London has many benefits including affordabilty, freedom, flexibility, and the opportunity to control your own experiences.

All of the travel costs below are based on the experiences of other independent travelers.

Prices in London are reasonable and comparable to your average travel destination. Hotels, food, and sightseeing are generally within normal price ranges.

Within Europe, which is known to be an expensive region, London is a moderately priced destination compared to other places. The overall cost of travel here is fair for the region and comparable to Basel or Bellagio.

For more details, and to find out if it's within your travel budget, see Is London Expensive?

How much money do I need for a trip to London?

The average London trip cost is broken down by category here for independent travelers. All of these London travel prices are calculated from the budgets of real travelers.

Accommodation Budget in London

Average daily costs.

Calculated from travelers like you

The average price paid for one person for accommodation in London is $154 (£123). For two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room, the average price paid for a hotel room in London is $308 (£246). This cost is from the reported spending of actual travelers.

• Accommodation 1 Hotel or hostel for one person $ 154 £ 123
• Accommodation 1 Typical double-occupancy room $ 308 £ 246

Hotel Prices in London

Looking for a hotel in London? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options.

Find the best hotel for your travel style.

Actual Hotel Prices The average hotel room price in London based on data provided by Kayak for actual hotel rooms is $126. (Prices in U.S. Dollars, before taxes & fees.)

Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world.

Recommended Properties

• Premier Inn London Angel Islington Budget Hotel - Kayak $ 95
• Hotel 41 Luxury Hotel - Kayak $ 368

Transportation Budget in London

The cost of a taxi ride in London is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $32 (£26) per person, per day, on local transportation in London.

• Transportation 1 Taxis, local buses, subway, etc. $ 32 £ 26

Recommended Services

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Flights to London

Rental cars in london, what did other people spend on transportation in london.

Typical prices for Transportation in London are listed below. These actual costs are from real travelers and can give you an idea of the prices in London, but your costs will vary based on your travel style and the place where the purchase was made.

• Taxi Ride £ 15
• Heathrow Express £ 18
• Luggage Storage £ 8.00
• London Map £ 1.29
• Oyster Card £ 36
• Train to Gatwick Airport (2) £ 22
• Oyster Card £ 27

Food Budget in London

While meal prices in London can vary, the average cost of food in London is $43 (£34) per day. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out an average meal in London should cost around $17 (£14) per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in London is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.

• Food 2 Meals for one day $ 43 £ 34

Recommended

• Traditional English Walking Food Tour With London Food Tours Viator $ 96
• Spice Quest - London's First and Only Spicy Food Tour Viator $ 154

What did other people spend on Food in London?

Typical prices for Food in London are listed below. These actual costs are from real travelers and can give you an idea of the prices in London, but your costs will vary based on your travel style and the place where the purchase was made.

• Lunch at Starbucks £ 13
• Tea £ 6.00
• Afternoon Tea at Fortnum & Mason £ 39
• Morning Tea £ 6.35
• Pastry £ 5.00
• Sushi Dinner for One £ 18

Entertainment Budget in London

Entertainment and activities in London typically cost an average of $41 (£33) per person, per day based on the spending of previous travelers. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.

• Entertainment 1 Entrance tickets, shows, etc. $ 41 £ 33

The Go City London Pass offers great discounts on attractions in London. With the Go City Explorer pass, you can choose to visit specific sights and attractions at a discount. Or, you can visit as many included attractions as you like with a multi-day All-Inclusive Pass. The average visitor saves 30% off of the regular admission prices.

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• Winston Churchill's London and The Churchill War Rooms - A Private Tour. Viator $ 243
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What did other people spend on Entertainment in London?

Typical prices for Entertainment in London are listed below. These actual costs are from real travelers and can give you an idea of the prices in London, but your costs will vary based on your travel style and the place where the purchase was made.

• Two Tickets to a Concert £ 83
• London Symphony Orchestra £ 34
• London Pass £ 47
• Comedy Show £ 8.00

Tips and Handouts Budget in London

The average cost for Tips and Handouts in London is $4.21 (£3.35) per day. The usual amount for a tip in London is 10% - 20% .

• Tips and Handouts 1 For guides or service providers $ 4.21 £ 3.35

Scams, Robberies, and Mishaps Budget in London

Unfortunately, bad things can happen on a trip. Well, you've just got to deal with it! The average price for a scam, robbery, or mishap in London is $23 (£18), as reported by travelers.

• Scams, Robberies, and Mishaps 1 $ 23 £ 18

Alcohol Budget in London

The average person spends about $19 (£15) on alcoholic beverages in London per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.

• Alcohol 2 Drinks for one day $ 19 £ 15
• Great British Pub Tour and Explore London's Hidden Treasures Viator $ 37
• Guided Historic Pub Tour (London) Viator $ 27

Water Budget in London

On average, people spend $5.07 (£4.04) on bottled water in London per day. The public water in London is considered safe to drink.

• Water 2 Bottled water for one day $ 5.07 £ 4.04

Related Articles

London on a budget.

When to go?

Neighborhoods, food and dining, transportation, tips to save money in london, more related articles.

We've been gathering travel costs from tens of thousands of actual travelers since 2010, and we use the data to calculate average daily travel costs for destinations around the world. We also systematically analyze the prices of hotels, hostels, and tours from travel providers such as Kayak, HostelWorld, TourRadar, Viator, and others. This combination of expenses from actual travelers, combined with pricing data from major travel companies, gives us a uniqe insight into the overall cost of travel for thousands of cities in countries around the world. You can see more here: How it Works .

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UK trip planner

• How to plan your UK Trip – A step by step guide

If you feel overwhelmed when planning your UK trip, this article will help. I recommend following each step below in order.

From deciding when to go, what to see, how to get around and even what to pack I will walk you through each step and make your planning process smoother and less daunting.

Step 1 – Decide when to visit the UK

Uk travel toolkit, step 2 – decide on your budget, step 3 – start your research, step 4 – check your passport and any visa requirements, planning your itinerary, popular destinations in england, popular destinations in scotland, popular destinations in wales, looking for a good map to help plan your itinerary, itinerary suggestions, intrepid travel, flying to the uk, other inbound transport options (bus/ferry/eurostar), travel insurance, step 7 – book accommodation, how to get around london, driving in the uk, train travel in the uk, by coach or bus, take an internal flight, english heritage overseas visitor pass (not available to uk residents), city passes, activities and experiences, book airport transfers, plan how you will access the internet, money matters*, check medical supplies.

• Start packing!

Suggested timeline for planning your Uk trip

London travel guide & itinerary planner (+ 4 bonus ebooks), 10 step guide to plan your uk vacation.

Visiting the UK is wonderful at any time of year but it is important to be aware of the possible impact of the seasons on your travel plans.

If you have set dates when you have to take your vacation it is still essential to be aware of the possible weather conditions for the time you will be in the UK.

The weather varies greatly depending on where you visit in the UK. It will be considerably colder in Scotland in winter than in London for example. Generally the further north you travel the cooler it becomes at any time of year!

The days are also shorter in winter leaving less time for sightseeing especially if you are exploring countryside areas such as the Cotswolds or the Highlands of Scotland .

Summer – June to August

This is peak tourist season and it is busy all over the UK. School holidays in July and August lead to an influx of visitors to popular seaside destinations as well as cities such as London and Edinburgh .

The daylight hours are longer during the summer with light evenings enabling visitors to do and see more.

There are also many popular festivals and shows held during the summer months.

Midges can be a problem in Scotland in the warmer months, so insect repellant is recommended if you plan your trip during this time.

Whilst the weather can be warm to hot in the UK during the summer it is sensible to check the forecast, wear layers and carry an umbrella!

If you are planning to visit during this peak time, booking accommodation, transport, tours and tickets as soon as possible is important. Read – How far ahead to book for the UK

Autumn/Fall – September to November

Once the schools return in early September tourist destinations start to become less busy. This is a great time of year to visit Scotland and the Scottish islands particularly in the early Autumn months.

At the end of October the clocks are put back one hour and daylight hours start to dwindle.

Winter – December to February

The coldest months in the UK can herald ice and snow and freezing temperatures in Scotland and on higher ground in England and Wales.

The days are short due to reduced daylight.

This is also a time to visit Christmas markets and enjoy the build-up to the festive season. London is spectacular at this time of year and very busy in the lead up to Christmas.

Read more about visiting the UK in winter

Spring – March to May

March can still be a chilly time of year in the UK but at the end of the month the clocks spring forward one hour and the hours of daylight begin to increase.

Daffodils, crocuses and tulips make a colourful appearance and the countryside recovers from the dark days of winter. Spring is a wonderful time to visit the UK .

School holidays over Easter can lead to an increase of visitors to popular destinations such as London, the Cotswolds and Cornwall.

The weather can be variable throughout the spring and an umbrella will probably be necessary but some warm sunny days are generally expected.

Read: When is the best time of year to visit the UK?

AVAILABLE TO PURCHASE NOW!

The UK TRAVEL TOOLKIT is the perfect resource to organize and track your itinerary.

It includes pre-travel checklists, pages for essential destination information such as hotel reservations and bookings, a packing list, budget tracking sheets, important contact numbers and addresses, tour information, flight information, car hire, train travel planner, daily travel memories as well as at a glance pages for weekly and daily itineraries.

Available to download and print off or to use as an editable planner on your laptop or iPad this is the ideal tool to reduce stress and stay organised both before and during your trip.

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE AND PURCHASE YOUR COPY

Deciding what your budget will be is an important step. It can be expensive to travel in the UK particularly if you plan to spend extended time in big cities such as London.

However, there are ways to budget for your trip. Even in London there are many free attractions available to help you plan a more budget-conscious trip. I recommend also weighing up the benefits of discount cards and passes to see if you can save money that way.

There are a variety of accommodation options available in the UK to suit all budgets ranging from hostels and B&Bs to boutique stays and luxury 5* hotels. You can find detailed accommodation guides for London , England , Scotland and Wales to help you find the best accommodation for your needs and budget.

Using public transport such as trains, coaches and buses can be cheaper than hiring a car too.

We recommend planning on an average individual daily budget (excluding airfares and accommodation) of £60 (budget) £125 (mid-range) and £200+ (luxury)

This budget should cover activities, transport and food.

Read – How much does it cost to visit the UK? UK budget planning guide

Once you have decided when you will visit, for how long and your budget the next step is to research what you want to see and do in the UK.

Considering which airport you will fly into from your country of origin may also influence your plans as well as your proposed length of stay.

This stage can be overwhelming as there is so much information available. Using our website to identify which areas, cities and places match your interests is a great way to start.

Also pop over to our Facebook group UK and London Travel Planning and join thousands of others planning their trip. It is the perfect place to ask questions and discuss plans with other travellers visiting the UK.

You can find inspiration in this selection of the best UK travel guidebooks available (including city, region and country guidebooks)

Citizens of the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand can stay in the UK visa-free for the purposes of tourism for up to 6 months (at the time of publishing this article)

This situation could change at any time so please check with your local foreign office for the latest advice about travel to the UK.

United States – click here

Canada – click here

Australia – click here

New Zealand – click here

Due to changing regulations on the 1st January 2021, (because of Brexit) citizens of the EU, EEA or Switzerland should check the official UK government website to check the situation prior to travel.

Some visitors to the UK require 6 months validity remaining on their passport so check in case you need to get a new passport.

We recommend iVisa for all your visa requirements. Save time with their easy traveller friendly application process. Their visa specialists are available 24/7 to help wherever you are in the world. Click here to find out more about how iVisa can help you.

Step 5 – Where to go (Itinerary planning)

This can be the hardest part of planning any trip. With so many wonderful destinations in the UK to choose from it can be overwhelming when you have to decide which to see and which to leave out.

It is easy to include too many places and end up exhausted at the end of your trip so do think carefully about travel times and distance and just how exhausting a packed schedule can be.

Questions regularly asked in my UK and London Travel Planning Facebook group include:

• How much can I fit into my limited vacation time?
• What are the must-sees in London?
• What are the must-sees in the rest of the UK?
• How can I put together an itinerary to include all the things I want to see?
• How long do I need in London, the Cotswolds, Bath, Scotland etc?
• How can I do all of this without feeling exhausted at the end of my holiday?

There are many articles on this website to help you to prioritise and plan your itinerary and even suggested itineraries you can follow or adapt.

In STEP 1 you will have decided when and for how long you will be in the UK so that gives you a baseline upon which to build your itinerary.

In STEP 8 we will look at transportation around the UK in more depth but it is worth considering at this stage whether you prefer to hire a car , take public transportation, join organised tours to areas of interest or perhaps using all three.

In London, I highly recommend that you use public transport or a taxi to get around the city and do not hire a car. It is expensive, there is limited parking in central London and you will spend most of your time in a traffic jam! You can read my guide to using London transport here .

Many places are easily reached by train (see our top 10 UK train trips or our 14-day best of Britain rail itinerary ) including the major cities. However, the train has its limitations particularly if you plan to access rural areas such as the Cotswolds, Cornwall, the Jurassic Coast and the Highlands of Scotland this is best done on a road trip or by taking a tour.

This doesn’t mean excluding them from your itinerary but consider carefully the locations of your chosen destinations and the best ways to get to (and around) them.

You will find information in all my city and area-specific travel guides about the transport options to each destination as well as must-sees, itinerary suggestions and recommended time to spend there.

So what are the popular places visitors want to see when in the UK?

• London – everyone want to visit the capital city! I recommend at least 3 days in London to enable you to see the main sights landmarks and attractions. Read my essential tips and planning guide to start planning your London itinerary without the overwhelm!
• The Cotswolds – although you can visit the Cotswolds on a day trip from Bath or London I recommend at least 2/3 days to fully explore this beautiful region.
• Bath – one of England’s most beautiful cities and popular for its stunning architecture, Roman baths and many teahouses. It is possible to see the main highlights of Bath in one day or use the city as a base to explore the Cotswolds and Stonehenge.
• York – this historic city is the perfect stop for those traveling between London and Edinburgh.
• In south west England the counties of Dorset , Devon and Cornwall attract visitors looking for (amongst other attractions) beautiful beaches, coastal walks, stunning countryside and quaint villages
• Brighton – visit this English coastal city on a day trip from London and enjoy exploring its famous Pavilion, independent shops and pier.
• The University cities of Oxford and Cambridge – Enjoy a walk around these beautiful and historic cities within easy reach of London.
• The Lake District – perfect for nature lovers, walkers and those seeking to experience the best of the British countryside
• A bit of a hidden gem but absolutely worth visiting are the counties and cities located in the North East of England. The county of Northumberland has a stunning coastline, areas of outstanding natural beauty, castles, Roman sites and great walks. A little further south is the historic city of Durham – home to a UNESCO World Heritage-listed cathedral and castle.
• An English castle – most visitors to the UK want to visit at least 1 castle (or even spend the night in one)

Read more – England Travel Guide

• Edinburgh – popular with visitors for its history, architecture, culture and castle Edinburgh is the perfect Scottish destination for first time visitors to the country.
• Scottish Islands – offering stunning scenery, wildlife, culture and history choosing which of the islands to include in your itinerary is the first step.
• Scottish Highlands – beautiful scenery, landscapes, wildlife and experiences await in the Highlands. This is an entire holiday of its own so think carefully if this is an area you wish to visit – either plan a driving holiday or base yourself in one or two cities and take day trips.
• Explore a Scottish castle – with so many beautiful castles in Scotland most visitors include at least one or two in their itinerary.

Read more – Scotland Travel Guide

• Cardiff – the Welsh capital
• National Parks such as Snowdonia and Pembrokeshire are popular with nature lovers, walkers, climbers and adventurers.
• Castles including Caernarfon and Conwy are popular with visitors to Wales.

Read more – Wales Travel Guide

Read more – Best travels books and maps for planning your UK trip

As I mentioned previously I highly recommend thinking carefully about your priorities and interests. It is very easy to over plan and try to fit in too much.

Spending a few days in London can be exhausting in itself. If you plan to take a road or rail trip around the UK I recommend 3 days per destination (but consider travelling time and distances)

It is possible to base yourself in London and take tours or day trips to nearby cities and areas of interest, plan a road trip around the UK or even a train travel itinerary that incorporates your areas of interest but what you can fit in will depend greatly on the length of your trip.

If you have 7 days I would recommend 3/4 days in London followed by 4 days to explore areas in the south of England such as the Cotswolds, Bath, Stonehenge and Oxford.

If you have 10 to 14 days (or longer) for a road trip or train trip it is possible to include many of the popular destinations throughout England, Scotland and Wales in your itinerary.

These are just a couple of examples of possible itineraries!

• Highlights of Scotland – Edinburgh -> Kelpies -> Glasgow -> Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park & Glencoe -> Glenfinnan -> Isle of Skye -> Inverness -> Loch Ness -> Pitlochry -> Edinburgh
• Grand tour of England, Scotland Ireland and Wales – London -> Cambridge -> York -> Durham -> Alnwick -> Edinburgh ->Inverness -> Loch Ness -> Glasgow -> Belfast -> Dublin -> Caernarfon -> Liverpool -> Stratford -> Oxford -> London
• England, Scotland and Wales – London -> York -> Edinburgh -> Glasgow -> Liverpool -> Cardiff -> Bath -> Stonehenge -> Cotswolds -> Oxford -> London
• 14 day best of Britain by train – London -> Bath -> Cardiff -> Liverpool or Lake District -> Edinburgh -> York -> London

The ideal place to discuss your proposed itinerary is in our free UK and London Travel Planning Facebook Group – pop over, have a chat and find out other travellers experiences exploring the UK.

Consider booking an organised group tour

If you prefer to avoid the stress of planning your own trip there is always the option to book a packaged group tour of the UK.

There are a number of tour companies that offer tours around the UK including Trafalgar, Intrepid and Tourradar.

Good to know – Many tours also incorporate Ireland in their itineraries so if you were considering a visit to the Emerald Isle you will find many combined tour options.

Read more – Best UK tours 2023 – Comparison and itinerary guide

A great place to start Tourradar is a marketplace for tours. Use the filter option to sort tours by date, travel styles, maximum group size, ages, and interests and check out reviews so you can pick the ideal tour for your needs.

This 11 day Best of Britain tour covers 25 destinations across England, Scotland and Wales and includes accommodation, an expert guide, meals, transport and more.

Click here for more UK tours from Tourradar

Intrepid are a popular choice for those seeking a small group tour with a focus on discovering a region’s people and culture. Many of their UK tours have an active focus – cycling or walking.

They have several tour styles available ranging from Basix to Comfort.

Tours with Intrepid include this 5 day tour of the Orkneys in Scotland , a 7 day walk along Hadrian’s Wall in Northern England and a 4 day cycle tour of the Lake District.

Click here for the full range of UK tours from Intrepid

Trafalgar is a well known and respected brand that has been in business since 1947. Their coach tours appeal to the 50+ age bracket with an interest in culture and history.

• 7 Day Best of Scotland tour includes Edinburgh Castle, Pitlochry, the Isle of Skye, Glasgow Cathedral, Culloden Battlefield and Stirling Castle.
• Amazing Britain – From Shakespeare’s theatrical roots and mystical Stonehenge to the fresh air and rugged outdoors of the Scottish Highlands, where you’ll learn all about the locals’ favourite drink at a traditional whisky distillery.

Click here for more tours of Britain and Ireland from Trafalgar

Rabbies offer small group tours of England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland with no more than 16 people to a tour. They offer guaranteed departures so you know once you book you will go!

Their tours vary in length from day trips to up to 17 days and they have a wide selection of family-friendly tours to choose from.

Here is a selection of some of the great tours on offer

• The Lake District, Edinburgh, Mull & the Isle of Skye ( 9 day Rail and Trail Journey ) – Enjoy 3 wonderful UK destinations on this 9 day tour.
• Heart of England, Wales & Yorkshire ( 5 day tour ) – Travel through the Peak District, Shakespeare country, Welsh mountains, and beautiful British cities.
• Scottish Island Hopping Extravaganza ( 17 day tour ) – Discover the majesty of Mull, Skye, Iona, Orkney & the Outer Hebrides on this tour from Edinburgh.

> You will find more small-group tour options from Rabbies here

Step 6 – Book flights and organise travel insurance

Next step is planning how you will get to the UK. If you are in North America, Asia, Africa or Australia/New Zealand the answer is generally by air. (Unless the UK is the start or end point for a cruise or you are travelling overland by train or bus)

There are 15 major airports in the UK including Heathrow airport, London Gatwick, Birmingham, Luton, Edinburgh and Manchester.

To find the best flight deals to the UK I sites such as Skyscanner or CheapOair provide comparisons of all available options (prices and routes)

Skyscanner is useful if you are searching for various route options and the cheapest dates to travel. Set up an email alert if prices change.

CheapOair is good for deals on first and business class travel.

If you are entering the UK from mainland Europe there are a number of other transport options available including taking a ferry, bus or the Eurostar.

The Eurostar departs from Paris, Amsterdam and Brussels with some stops at other regional cities along the way with the final destination at St Pancras International Station in London.

The Eurostar is a quick, easy and comfortable way to travel between London and major European cities such as Paris and Brussels where onward high-speed connections will transport you all across the continent.

You can even pop over to Paris from London on a day trip if you plan carefully!

Read – Best booking sites for UK travel

At this point (with a tour or flight booked) we highly recommend taking out travel insurance.

I learnt this the hard way after booking pricy plane tickets and waiting to pay for travel insurance. A few weeks before we were due to fly my husband was admitted to hospital and though recovered in time for our trip it tripled our insurance costs which also then excluded his medical condition. Now I pay for the insurance as soon as my flights are paid for!

Due to the impact of the pandemic, it is vital to check the terms and conditions of any cover you are considering. Ensure that general health cover and repatriation is included and check what cover is provided for any Covid-19 related issues (health/cancellation/delays etc)*

For US-based travellers Travel Insurance Master and for Australian-based travellers Cover-More are companies which both offer travel insurance.

*Advice given in this article is general in nature and is not intended to influence readers’ decisions about investing or financial products. You should always seek your own professional advice that takes into account your personal circumstances before making any financial decisions. We always encourage our readers to compare options when it comes to financial products. Read our full disclosure.

There is a huge range of accommodation options available in the UK to suit all travel budgets and styles including Airbnbs, hotels, B&Bs, cottages and even castles!

We recommend using booking.com for your hotel and apartment accommodation. It is the site we use for our own trips all over the world. The site is easy to use and we find the option to book with free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance of a stay absolute essential. It may cost slightly more but for peace of mind it is invaluable.

Vrbo and Plum Guide are other sites to check for accommodation across the UK. Offering many unusual, quirky and unique choices such as cosy Cotswold cottages, log cabins in the Lake District and castles in Scotland as well as more budget-friendly London accommodation options.

You will find your perfect accommodation in my guides

• London Accommodation Guide
• England Accommodation Guide
• Scotland Accommodation Guide
• Wales Accommodation Guide

Step 8 – Book transport

There are a number of options for getting around the UK including by train, car, bus, internal flights and ferry. In Step 5 you will have identified how you will get around London and the UK so now is the time to book!

If you are arriving at a London airport you will need to know a little about London transport options and the Oyster Card so you are prepared.

I would recommend that you avoid driving in London if you can. London is a busy, congested capital city that is best travelled by foot, cab and public transport.

Consider purchasing a Visitor Oyster Card which can be used to access public transport in the capital. You can also purchase the  Visitor Oyster Card  as part of your  London Pass .

Read more in my full guide to  getting around London using public transport.

How to get around the UK

Hiring a car  and taking some road trips around the UK is an option. If you do plan to hire a car don’t forget that you will need your full licence and ID such as a passport (if your licence was not issued in English you will need an international driving permit)

If you are travelling to the UK and plan to hire a car I would recommend comparing prices before booking – you can compare prices from all major car hire companies from Discover Cars.

If you decide to drive there are some  important points to remember:

• Drive on the left side of the road.
• Most cars are manual (automatics are more expensive to hire)
• Everyone in the vehicle is required by law to wear a seat belt.
• “Gas” stations are called petrol stations and the fuel for your car will either be petrol or diesel. It is important to know which fuel type your hire car requires. We have had friends fill up with the wrong fuel and it was a costly mistake. Petrol is expensive in the UK compared to many other countries around the world so factor this into your budget.
• Roundabouts are common in the UK – give way to traffic on the roundabout which will be approaching from the right.
• It is illegal to use a cell phone when driving in the UK.
• Pay attention to speed limits. Speed cameras are common in the UK and you will be fined if found to be above the limit.
• Children under 12 (or 135 m tall) must use a child car seat.

🚗 Nervous about driving in the UK? Tripiamo is the number one guide teaching Americans how to drive and get around across the United Kingdom.  Read more about Tripiamo

My own personal choice is to travel by train in the UK when possible. It is fairly easy to travel by train between major cities but can become trickier to travel around rural areas such as the Cotswolds, Scottish Highlands, Jurassic Coast etc without a car.

If you enjoy train travel there are many  beautiful scenic rail journeys  to take in the UK. There are also some sleeper train services such as the Caledonian Sleeper which are an adventure in themselves.

For more information our comprehensive guide to travelling the UK by train which was written by my husband (who worked in the UK rail industry for 25 years) is essential – you can find out more about the guide here .

• London to Birmingham  – 1 1/2 hours
• London to Manchester – 2 hours
• London to Edinburgh – 4 1/2 hours
• London to Cardiff – 2 hours

I recommend  The Trainline  for tickets for trains, buses or flights in the UK.

If you are travelling on a budget the cheapest way to travel the UK will be by coach though your journey time will be longer.

The largest company is National Express whose network serves over 1200 destinations. You can check prices and timetables for National Express via the TrainLine which also provides a handy comparison between coach and train times and prices.

If you are really pushed for time flying may be an option. It is important to calculate how long you need to be at the airport before your flight (at least 2 hours with checked baggage and 1 hour without) plus the time to get to and from airports at either end.

Check on Skyscanner for routes and prices.

If you plan to visit the Scottish Islands , the Isle of Man, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Wight, the Scilly Isles, and Ireland you will need to take a ferry (though flights may also be an option)

There are many ferry companies in Scotland but the main two are CalMac (for the Inner and Outer Hebrides) and Northlink Ferries (Orkneys and Shetland) If you are planning a road trip around Scottish Islands it is important to book in advance due to limited capacity.

Tickets can be purchased for ferry routes across the UK from Direct Ferries

Ferries to Ireland from the UK are as follows

• Wales – Fishguard to Rosslare and Holyhead to Dublin
• England – Liverpool to Belfast and Liverpool to Dublin
• Scotland – Caimryan to Belfast

> Read more in our complete guide to transportation in the UK

Step 9 – Book attractions, tours and activities

Once you have firmed up your itinerary I recommend booking tickets for any attractions, tours, activities and experiences. This is particularly important during peak seasons for popular attractions such as the Tower of London, London Eye, Churchill’s War Rooms in London, the Roman Baths in Bath, Stonehenge, and the Jacobite Steam Train in Scotland for example.

I recommend purchasing skip the line tickets during the summer months so as to avoid standing in long queues.

There are a number of city and attractions passes available for the UK which may be cost-effective if you are planning to visit many of the most popular sights and attractions.

I recommend listing the cost of each attraction you want to visit in London and comparing the amount to the cost of one of these London Passes.

There are a number of passes available in London including the classic London Pass with access to more than 80 of London’s top attractions, tours, and museums as well as a hop-on hop-off bus ticket and the Go London Explorer Pass which allows you to create your own tour of London with a pass to 2, 3, 4, 5 or 7 top attractions.

The More London for Less 5 Attractions Pass covers Madame Tussauds London, the SEA LIFE London Aquarium, The London Dungeon, DreamWorks Tours: Shrek’s Adventure! London, and The London Eye all on 1 great value ticket.

The Royal Museums Greenwich Day Pass includes the entrance fee to the Royal Observatory and Cutty Sark, a free audio guide at both attractions and access to The National Maritime Museum & The Queen’s House.

The Three Palace Royal Pass includes entry to the Tower of London, Hampton Court and Kensington Palace.

With so many passes to choose from it can be confusing – read my comparison guide to London Passes to help you choose the best one for your needs and interests.

The English Heritage Pass entitles unlimited access to more than 100 of the most important places in English history including castles, abbeys, Roman ruins and prehistoric monuments.

Heritage sites included in this pass are Dover Castle , Stonehenge and Hadrian’s Wall .

The pass is valid for 9 or 16 consecutive days.

• York City Pass – This pass is valid for one or two full days of sightseeing and gives your entry to 25 attractions in York.

Click here for more tours and attractions in York with Get Your Guide

I highly recommend taking some day tours when you are exploring the UK. It is the best way to learn about the places you are visiting as tour guides are always keen to share their knowledge of the history and culture.

Walking tours are also a great way to get your bearings, especially in larger cities such as London. There are lots of fantastic group tours (or private tours if you prefer) available for many popular destinations across the UK.

I recommend the following group tour companies:

Take Walks – Take Walks offer a selection of small group tours in London including VIP access to the British Museum , a VIP tour of the Tower of London and tours of the Houses of Parliament . Their London in a Day Tour is very popular and includes the Tower of London Tour, Westminster Abbey & Changing of the Guards plus a Thames cruise. Find out more about Take Walks London tours here.

LivTours – Another great tour company offering private and semi-private tours of London.

⭐️ Click here for our preferred partners for private driver guided tours

Get Your Guide is a platform that gathers the best activities across the globe in one place which means that they have tons of amazing day trips to choose from all over London and the UK. With free cancellation on most of their tours up to 24 hours before departure they are my go-to for larger group tours and tickets. Click here find more day tour options in the UK!

There are some fantastic experiences waiting for you in the UK from attending a football match to baking scones in the Cotswolds there is something for all the family to enjoy including

• Private London photoshoot with Scalens Studios ( Quote code UKTP10 at checkout for 10 extra images for free)
• A tour of Anfield the home of Liverpool Football Club

For more memorable activities to add to your itinerary take a look at Get Your Guide (our gift guide for Anglophiles also has some great suggestions for once in a lifetime activities.)

Step 10 – Prepare for departure

It is important to know how you will get from the airport to your accommodation and book transfers ahead of time.

There is nothing worse than arriving jet-lagged and feeling disorientated in an unfamiliar environment.

If you are flying into one of London’s major airports (Heathrow or Gatwick) there are a number of options open to you including taking the train, bus or (the more expensive) taxi.

Approximate times to travel from each airport by train into central London are:

• Heathrow – 45 minutes
• Gatwick – 45 minutes
• City Airport – 30 minutes
• Luton – 40 minutes
• Stansted – 50 minutes

If however, you prefer to avoid negotiating the London Underground with your luggage we recommend booking with our preferred partner Riz of XFA Cars which is the less stressful option.

Read more – How to get into London from Heathrow Airport or Gatwick Airport

You will find many places that offer free WiFi in the UK including shopping centres, coffee shops and trains. When booking your accommodation check if free WiFi is included.

If you have an unlocked smartphone consider purchasing a SIM card prior to departure or on arrival at the airport. Another great option is to purchase a portable WiFi device such as the Solis from Skyroam . Quote Tracys Travels at the checkout for a 15% discount. Unfortunately, the Solis is only available to purchase in the USA at the present time.

An alternate option is to purchase a portable device through TravelWifi.

We recommend these apps for London and the UK – just remember to download them before you travel.

Read more – How to access the Internet while travelling in the UK

The UK currency is the Pound Stirling – £

Read – How Should I Bring Money to the UK? A Complete Guide to Cash & Cards

You will find ATM’s all around the UK if you need to withdraw cash though be mindful of currency charges and fees.

Visa and Mastercard are accepted in most places (shops, restaurants, transport etc)

There are 1p 2p 5p 10p 50p £1 £2 and £5 coins as well as notes in the following denominations – £5, £10, £20, £50 and £100.

Contactless transactions are available up to a £30 value (after a number of taps you will be required to enter your pin number so ensure you know what it is!) Ensure you have told your bank of your travel plans prior to departure to prevent them from blocking your card for suspicious usage!

I do recommend carrying some cash. I usually keep £50 worth of notes and change in my wallet.

I have a Wise account (formally Transferwise ) and Wise Mastercard which I use as well as my normal credit cards when I am in the UK. The Wise Mastercard works like a debit card and can be loaded up with your home currency and converted into £££’s when required.

It avoids the charges you would incur using credit cards or your normal bank debit card and is an easy way to handle spending money when travelling.

The exchange rate is excellent and you can hold a number of currencies on your card. At the end of the trip you can transfer any unused currency back into your bank account.

Click here for more information about the Wise card *

If you need to take prescription medications with you on holiday make sure you have enough for the duration of your trip.

If necessary keep a copy of the script with you too in case of an emergency.

I recommend keeping essential medicines in your hand luggage. Although it is rare these days there are still cases of luggage going missing and arriving a few days late (or not at all)

Click to buy – UK Travel Toolkit the perfect resource to organise and track your itinerary

We start packing a few days before our flight just to make sure we have everything and give us time to purchase any last-minute necessities.

Also, consider carefully the type and amount of luggage you plan to bring. If you are travelling by public transport it will be a little a lot more difficult with lots of large suitcases.

Check out my recommended packing list for the UK (for all seasons) which will provide an idea of what to bring as well as recommendations for suitcases and travel bags.

Essentials for your UK packing list include the following items

Read more – Complete packing list for London and the UK (all seasons) & also check out my UK Travel Packing Essentials

This is my suggested timeline for planning and booking your UK travel itinerary.

6 – 12 months in advance

• Plan your itinerary
• Book International flights
• Take out travel insurance
• Book accommodation (for popular destinations if you are visiting during peak times)

3 – 6 months in advance

• Book accommodation
• Book transport (car hire/ train tickets are available 3 months prior)
• Consider booking attractions and tours (especially if travel is during peak season)

1 month in advance

• Book attractions and tours and any restaurants you particularly want to visit
• Book airport transfer
• Buy an Oyster card for London (posted to your home address)
• Buy a Sim card or wifi device for internet access
• Purchase any essential items such as travel adaptors now
• Complete travel planner with all booking information, numbers and essential information.

1 day in advance

• Email or provide hard copies of your itinerary to family members/friends

Start planning your UK trip – step by step

My step by step guide may have given you lots to think about but if you follow each of the 10 steps you will find the process easier and less overwhelming.

My guide to the best booking sites for UK travel also contains useful links and information which compliments and adds to this post.

Why not pop over and join our Facebook community and discover more inspiration, tips and advice to make the most of your UK holiday.

• EXPLORE Random Article

How to Travel to England on a Budget

Last Updated: November 24, 2021 References

This article was co-authored by Angela Rice and by wikiHow staff writer, Jessica Gibson . Angela Rice is a Luxury Travel Specialist and Co-Founder of Boutique Travel Advisors, a luxury travel advising business in Phoenix, Arizona. Angela specializes in consulting and curating highly customized and unique travel itineraries for clients seeking luxury, group, and multi-generational family travel. Angela studied at Arizona State University and The University of Iowa Tippie College of Business. She has prior consulting experience in accounting and business, which helps her run her business behind the scenes. Angela has been featured in The Washington Post, Reader's Digest, Travel Weekly, USA Today, Travel Market Report, Phoenix Magazine, and MSN. She is also a frequent guest on WBBM News Radio 105.9 FM's Travel Tuesday show. There are 14 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.

Exploring England can feel like the trip of a lifetime and it's completely possible to do on a budget! Since it's such a popular destination, you've got lots of options when it comes to flights and accommodations. This means you can easily find a discount flight and use public transit to get around. Plus, there's so much you can do for free or very cheap once you're in England. We've put together some money-saving tips so you plan the British trip of your dreams without breaking the bank.

Plan your trip between November and March.

• Expect the winter temperatures to hover around 48 °F (9 °C). You should also be prepared for rain!
• Most British people take their holidays in July and August so prices jump and you'll have fewer options during these summer months.

Fly into Stansted Airport (STN) instead of Heathrow Airport (LHR).

• If you're not planning on exploring London, Manchester and Birmingham service budget airlines so they're great arrival points.
• Be open to flying into Europe if it saves you money. You may be able to get a cheap flight to Paris, Brussels, or Amsterdam. Then, take the Eurostar Channel Tunnel train into London. This usually takes a few hours but could save you hundreds of dollars.

Choose a discount airline and book in advance.

• When you search for flights, look for weekday flights instead of weekend options. These are often 10% cheaper!

Plan a long trip to maximize your flight expenses.

• For instance, instead of booking a flight that gives you 5 days to spend in England, take at least 2 weeks. Your flight expenses will be the same either way, but you can pack more experiences into a longer trip so it's a better value.

Explore England by public transit.

• London buses don't access cash, so you have to buy tickets in advance. You can buy a single trip for around £1.55 or spend a maximum of £4.65 to ride for a whole day.
• If you buy an Oyster card, you can load it with as much money as you like. As you travel, you'll tap the card to the payment system on the bus or tube and it will automatically deduct the cost of the ride. However, it will price cap so you don't end up spending more than the daily rate.

Hop on a coach or train to travel throughout England.

• Megabus is a popular discount coach service that even connects stops in England with popular destinations in Scotland. [6] X Research source It offers a number of cheap tickets, so book early to snag them. As the tickets sell, the price goes up.

Stay in an inexpensive hotel or hostel.

• Don't forget to check home-share apps for the city you're staying in. You may be able to rent just 1 room and save a little money.
• If the weather looks alright when you're traveling, consider camping. You can find campsites or ask a landowner for permission to camp if you find a beautiful location. [8] X Research source

Book an affordable bed and breakfast to save on meals.

• You may also get drink service and cookies in your room!
• Your B&B owner may offer an inexpensive evening meal or they may sell a cheap, packed lunch or dinner that you can take with you on your travels for the day.

Save money by eating at food carts or small restaurants.

• England offers a wide variety of cuisines, especially in larger cities. You can find delicious Chinese, Italian, Thai, and Indian food throughout the country. [11] X Research source
• Plan on spending around £10 for a meal with a drink in most pubs or chain restaurants.
• Feeling overwhelmed by all the options around you? Ask a local and let them know you're on a budget. They'll probably be able to point out a few great options.

Hit up a free museum or do a self-guided tour.

• Watch the changing of the Guards in London
• Explore the beauty at Dimminsdale Nature Reserve in Leicestershire
• Tour a Winchester Military Museum in Hampshire
• Enjoy a picnic in Bath's Alexandra Park in Somerset
• Check out a local festival like the International Kite Festival in Lancashire

Invest in a London Pass if you plan to hit the city's tourist sites.

• Tower of London
• St. Paul's Cathedral
• Royal Botanic Gardens
• Kensington Palace
• Shakespeare's Globe Theatre tour
• Royal Albert Hall tour

Check out inexpensive shows, concerts, or markets.

• For instance, spend a few hours shopping at London's vintage clothing stores or check out a used bookstore.
• Check local papers to find inexpensive events that are happening while you're in town.
• Rent a bike to pedal through the city so you can take in more sights.

Expert Q&A

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.frommers.com/destinations/england/planning-a-trip/when-to-go
• ↑ https://www.frommers.com/tips/money-and-currency/40-tips-for-making-london-cheaper
• ↑ Angela Rice. Travel Specialist. Expert Interview. 18 September 2020.
• ↑ https://www.visitlondon.com/traveller-information/getting-around-london/london-bus
• ↑ https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/National-Railcards.aspx
• ↑ https://uk.megabus.com/journey-planner/map
• ↑ https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/how-travel-cheap-save-money-hotels-airbnb-deals-hostels-travel-apps-homestays-farmstays-camping-a7229701.html
• ↑ https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/blog/2018/08/wild-camping/
• ↑ https://petergreenberg.com/2008/03/26/is-a-bed-breakfast-stay-right-for-you/
• ↑ https://youtu.be/w5ak3mMgHZY?t=194
• ↑ https://www.chefspencil.com/the-10-most-popular-ethnic-cuisines-in-the-uk/
• ↑ https://www.visitengland.com/things-to-do/free
• ↑ https://londonpass.com/en-us/london-attractions
• ↑ https://www.visitlondon.com/things-to-do/budget-london/101-free-things-to-do-in-london

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Budget travel , United Kingdom

Backpacking the uk on a budget – travel costs + itinerary.

Table of Contents

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While the UK is undeniably a beautiful place to travel , it can be expensive. I created this guide to backpacking the UK to help you explore the best of Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland) and Northern Ireland. So you don’t break the bank doing it, I’ll share a complete cost breakdown for budget travel in the UK. Since I grew up in the United Kingdom and return between trips, I have almost 30 years of experience living and spending money (or rather trying not to!) in the UK. There are so many fantastic places for budget travel in England, Scotland, Wales and NI such as London, Oxford, Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, Bristol, Brighton, Cornwall, Devon ( England ), Cardiff, Pembrokeshire ( Wales ), Edinburgh, Glasgow, the Highlands ( Scotland ) and Belfast (Northern Ireland).

Keep reading for my itinerary for backpacking the UK!

UK BACKPACKING ESSENTIALS Lonely Planet guidebook – Great Britain , Scotland , Wales , Ireland Accommodation: Hostels & apartments – Booking.com / Hostels – Hostelworld.com Activities: GetYourGuide / Viator Getting around: Trainline / Busbud Flights: Skyscanner

Like budget travel ? Check out my budget guides to South Korea , India , Cuba and Taiwan !

Is it expensive to backpack in the UK?

Yes, the UK is expensive to travel. There are no two ways about it. The UK isn’t as expensive as Scandanavia or certain parts of the US but it’s up there as one of the world’s more expensive regions. Backpacking the UK on a budget is a totally different experience to travelling in Southeast Asia or South America. Luckily, I have plenty of budget tips for the UK to share. Of course, the ultimate tip is to escape the holiday hotspots in favour of hidden gems in the UK .

UK budget travel – what’s the cost?

Well, how long is a piece of string? However, here’s a rough estimate of how much to budget per day in the UK:

Backpacker’s UK budget (staying in hostels and cooking your own meals) – £60 per day. Mid-range UK budget travel (staying in budget Airbnbs and hotels and eating out half the time) – £100 per day. Luxury UK travel budget (staying in nice hotels and eating out for all your meals) – £200 per day.

Backpacking the UK – cost of a visa

Depending where you’re coming from, the conditions of visiting the UK will vary. Make sure you do your research and check out the current costs and requirements.

Backpacking the UK – mobile data

The best way to stay connected while travelling in the UK is to pick up a local SIM card. I use giffgaff and pay £10 for 9GB of data and unlimited calls and texts. Sign up for giffgaff and pre-order a SIM to be delivered to a UK or overseas address.

How to backpack the UK – modes of transport

If you’re wondering How much should I budget per day UK? , let’s get this out of the way: public transport makes it hard to travel on a budget in the UK! Recently, I flew into Manchester via Poland as it was a quarter of the price of the train. I don’t mean to encourage unnecessary air miles as I try to take public transport wherever possible. It’s just tricky when UK trains are more expensive than organs on the black market (I think?).

Trains in the UK

My best UK budget travel tip? Book trains in advance and be smart.

The railways in the UK are privatised which means there are lots of rival companies. Booking a ticket is a bit like playing the lottery as prices vary considerably. Here’s a screenshot of a train 4 minutes later being 5 times the price:

Average UK train prices START from:

Manchester – London: £35.

London – Brighton: £20.

Cardiff – London: £30.

Edinburgh – London: £60.

However, if you’re backpacking in the UK with limited time, you can’t deny the train is the quickest way to get around. Here are my best budget train tips:

Book your journey online to save money – it’s usually a lot more expensive to buy tickets at the station on the day. Select individual times rather than open returns. You’ll be restricted to the time you choose but at least you’ll save money. I use Trainline to shop for good deals and try and book your journeys a week in advance. If you’re visiting Wales, check the best train deals on the Transport for Wales website.

UK budget travel hack #1: go on Trainsplit . This website books you on the individual legs of your journey to save you cash. You end up carrying eight tickets but I’ve saved £15 per journey before by doing it.

UK budget travel hack #2: If you’re aged 16-25 and plan to make more than 2-3 journeys, it might be worth buying a Railcard . These cost £30 but save you a third on journeys so if you’re making a really long one, for example London to Edinburgh, you might make it back in one trip.

UK budget travel by coach

Coach travel can be ridiculously cheap. I’ve made it halfway across the country on a £1 ticket while backpacking in England!

Average coach prices in the UK:

Manchester – London: £20.

Brighton – London: £15.

Cardiff – London: £20.

Edinburgh – London: £50.

If you’re travelling England on a budget, use coach companies National Express and Megabus . Both have toilets, chargers and an online entertainment system. National Express are generally more reliable but the Megabus sales are best for picking up bargains. Compare prices using the Busbud website. Super hack for budget travel in the UK: Travel overnight and you won’t pay for accommodation. This is the lowest of the travel lows but I’ve done it plenty of times and it works!

Cost of local buses

If you’re backpacking the UK on a budget, you will want to catch local buses rather than taxis. You can take buses around cities as well as between towns and cities within the same county. These typically cost a few pounds per journey.

The main bus companies to look out for include Stagecoach which operates all around the country and Arriva which operates around the Midlands, North East, North West, South East of England and Wales. For these buses, you pay the driver in cash or with contactless bank card rather than booking online like the UK coaches and trains.

Cost of internal flights in the UK

Use Skyscanner to find these. You can find real bargains, like London to Scotland for £25 return. Just remember to factor in the price of getting to the airport. From Oxford, I have to catch a train to a London airport and then it becomes less of a bargain. Skyscanner tip – use the ‘search by month’ tool to find the cheapest dates. You can also use the ‘to anywhere’ feature if you’re flexible on where you’re going.

Budget tip – I recently found out how you can drop-off for free at Stanstead Airport !

Cost of taxis

Metered taxis in the UK cost around £3 per mile . Black cabs in London cost considerably more and should only be used as a last resort.

Taking Uber in the UK is a great way to save money but it’s only available in larger cities. Smaller cities and towns have to rely on more expensive private taxi companies. As a general rule, I’d avoid taxis if possible if you’re travelling the UK on a budget. Usually, local buses are the cheapest way to get about.

UK backpacking – where to stay

If you’re hoping to backpack the UK on a budget, finding affordable accommodation will be your biggest challenge. Accommodation prices in the United Kingdom vary depending on the city and type of accommodation you choose but they’re generally pretty high compared to many other countries. Staying in hostels is the cheapest option when backpacking the UK. Here are a few general costs:

Cost of hotels in the UK

Hotel rooms in the UK start at around £35 per night and head into the hundreds. If you’re travelling in a pair, this will reduce the cost of travel in the UK. Hotels occasionally offer single rooms but these are rarely half the price of a double or twin room. My best UK budget tip for solo travellers is to avoid hotels and opt for hostels or rooms in shared Airbnbs.

Budget hotels in major UK cities: London – The Z Hotel Victoria // Point A Hotel Paddington // Browse all London hotels . Oxford – The Buttery Guesthouse // browse all Oxford hotels . Brighton – The Royal Albion Seafront Hotel // browse all Brighton hotels Bristol – Mercure Bristol Grand Hotel // browse all Bristol hotels Manchester – easyHotel Manchester // browse all Manchester hotels Liverpool – The Z Hotel // browse all Liverpool hotels Edinburgh – CoDE Co-Living – The Loft // browse all Edinburgh hotels Glasgow – Glasgow Argyle Hotel // browse all Glasgow hotels Belfast – Jurys Inn Belfast / browse all Belfast hotels

Cost of Airbnbs in the UK

The UK is well set up on Airbnb with loads of private apartments and rooms available. Staying in a bedroom in an owner’s flat is usually cheaper than a budget hotel and only slightly more than a backpackers hostel. Renting a whole apartment is usually more expensive than a hotel room but can be reasonable if you’re backpacking the UK with a couple of other people. Private rooms in Airbnbs start at £20 per night. Entire properties (typically small flats) start at £40 per night. Remember to check the cleaning and service fees on Airbnb; these are in addition to the first price quoted when browsing the website.

Cost of hostels when backpacking the UK

Hostels in the UK start at £15 per night and are undoubtedly the cheapest places to stay, as well as a great way to meet people while travelling solo . A few good options for UK backpacking include:

London – Safestay , Wombat’s City Hostel Manchester – Selina NQ1 Manchester

Bristol – The Bristol Wing / Full Moon Backpackers

Liverpool – YHA Albert Dock , Selina Liverpool

Cambridge – YHA Cambridge

Brighton – Happy Brighton Edinburgh – Code Pod Hotel , Safestay Royal Mile Glasgow – Euro Hostel Glasgow . Even though UK accommodation is expensive, there’s usually a hack. For example, many travellers love getting outdoors at Centerparks but the prices are notoriously high. Plenty of lesser-known cheaper alternatives to Centerparks exist but you just have to do your research!

Don’t want to pay for accommodation? Check out Trusted Housesitters and set yourself up as a house sitter!

Backpacking the UK – tours & activities

Luckily for those backpacking in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, there are free museums, parks and neighbourhoods to discover. For guided tours and bucket list experiences, I would recommend GetYourGuide , a booking platform with affordable tours in almost all UK cities.

Top experiences for backpacking the UK:

Harry Potter studio tour (London)

Jack the Ripper tour (London)

Regents Canal, Camden and Little Venice boat tour (London)

Loch Ness & The Highlands with Hotel Pick-Up (Edinburgh)

Evening Underground Ghost Tour (Edinburgh)

The Titanic Experience with SS Nomadic Visit (Belfast)

Giant’s Causeway and Game of Thrones Day Tour (Belfast)

Best places in the UK for backpacking

To travel cheaply in the UK, pick affordable destinations to start with. There are plenty of fun and beautiful places I would recommend for UK backpacking. Planning a trip to England on a budget? Let’s start with my favourite English destinations…

Sure, it’s expensive but you can’t backpack the UK and miss London! It’s not just the main attractions like the Tower of London, London Dungeons and Buckingham Palace that put London on the map but the quirky neighbourhoods like Camden with its colourful street art and alternative East London with yet more street art in Shoreditch .

It’s possible to backpack in London because even the expensive areas like Greenwich have free things to do . Another pricey area worthy of a visit is Notting Hill where you can wander the streets and find colourful houses in London for free.

Best travel guide for London? Lonely Planet Pocket London gets my seal of approval.

Visiting Oxford as a day trip is a great excursion from London. There’s bags of history, a fantastic Covered Market for foodies and lots of impressive Oxford colleges to visit . There are plenty of free things to do in Oxford and some excellent food markets. It’s small and walkable so there’s no need to pay for transport whilst there. Read all my Oxford blogs here. Trains from London start at £5 each way (use Trainline to book) or you can get an anytime return on the Oxford Tube (bus) for £18 which is valid for 3 months. Check for other bus deals on Busbud .

If you’re backpacking England on a budget, I would suggest spending time in the north to save money. Manchester is one of my favourite UK cities. It’s fun, affordable and has plenty of hipster bars and cafes. A weekend in Manchester is the perfect amount of time to spend. The restaurant prices are way lower than London and you’ll find so many cheap eats in Manchester for under £10. Read more Manchester blogs:

• The best day trips from Manchester, England
• Where to find street art in Manchester
• 12 cool Manchester coffee shops not to miss
• The coolest restaurants in Manchester for 2022

The Lake District

The Lake District isn’t the cheapest place for backpacking England BUT if you’re travelling in a group, you can book a self-catering accommodation in the Lake District and cook your own meals. The various hikes, lakes and woodland walks are free. Nightlife is limited so have cosy nights in your cabin, spend quality time with your companions and take advantage of supermarket wine!

This fun and lively city on the coast is just an hour’s train ride from London. Brighton is a hippie and forward-thinking city with a beach, pier, tasty vegan food scene and plenty of LGBTQIA nightlife. Check out my complete guide to visiting Brighton as a day trip from London .

Bristol is another of my favourite UK cities with lots of quirky Bristol street art , vegan food, a lively open-air dining and drinking area beside the harbour and cool neighbourhoods like Bedminster. A weekend in Bristol is a great amount of time and you can also catch a 15-minute train to historic city Bath as a day trip .

With its Beatles history, cultural galleries and dockside dining around the waterfront, there’s a lot to love about this city in the north of England. The outside areas have a lively vibe in the summer but the many museums and cafes mean there are plenty of things to do in Liverpool during winter too. With cheaper prices up north, Liverpool is one of the better places for budget travel in England.

The capital of Scotland is a must for backpackers especially if you visit during August for the famous Fringe Festival (although prices shoot up for accommodation). With lots of history and several Harry Potter locations in Edinburgh , it’s one of the most iconic cities in Europe. Although it’s not cheap, there are several free things to do in Edinburgh .

I tagged Glasgow onto a trip to Edinburgh while backpacking in the UK and ended up falling in love with its quirky street art, up-and-coming areas and affordable eats. It’s without doubt, one of the cheapet cities for budget travel in the UK. When spending a weekend in Glasgow , you can explore free attractions including The Lighthouse (a modern gallery inside a period building), Pollok Country Park, The Hidden Alley, Kelvingrove Art Gallery and the Botanical Gardens. Excellent cheap eats in Glasgow include Gnom ,  Potluck ,  Cafe Strange Brew and Bread Meats Bread . Don’t miss the street art in Glasgow !

The capital of Northern Ireland is a vibrant city that makes a great base for exploring the surrounding region. Being the birthplace of the SS Titanic puts Belfast on the map but there are so many other reasons to visit , not just the fact the prices are relatively low compared to London and cities in the south of Great Britain. I’ll share my UK backpack itinerary further down.. .

What to eat and drink while backpacking the UK

Some of the traditional dishes to try in the UK include fish ‘n’ chips, pie and mash, a Sunday roast, full English fry ups (with sausages, bacon, black pudding, toast, baked beans and fried eggs), Yorkshire puddings, scotch eggs and sausage rolls. Make sure to have an afternoon tea with scones, cake, finger sandwiches and a pot of English breakfast tea. For breakfast, try English crumpets spread with marmite! Regarding the costs, I have good and bad news for you. Eating out in the UK is expensive but supermarkets are really affordable. So, let’s start with the average costs of eating out…

Main dish in a mid-range restaurant: £10-20. 3-course meal and alcoholic drink: £35 – £60 at a mid-range restaurant.

Budget UK restaurants

To eat out in the UK on a budget, there are a couple of decent chains which you’ll find in most cities. None of these places will set you back more than £10 per main dish. Pizza Express / Zizzi / ASK – these Italian restaurants are pretty similar. You’ll get a decent pizza for a tenner and there are always deals on if you check their websites. Leon – I love the concept of this place which is healthy fast food. It’s more of a cafe vibe but it’s open in the evenings too. I like the naked burgers with salad, and they do a solid breakfast deal of a coffee and food item for £4. Greggs – sausage rolls and pasties for pennies. I’m not saying your waistline will get smaller, but your food bill will. Plus, they have a ton of vegan options. Pieminister – to sample hearty English cuisine, try these hearty pies with various sides. Pies start at £5 or you can eat one with mash, mushy peas and gravy for £8. Nando’s – Brits are obsessed with having a ‘cheeky Nandos’ aka a Portuguese-style chicken meal with peri-peri sauces and various sides. Wagamamas – reasonably priced Asian food with a casual canteen vibe and excellent katsu curries.

UK budget travel – do you tip?

In the UK, we leave a 10% tip in restaurants but that’s about it. Occasionally, tips are already added to bills by the restaurant especially if you’re dining in a large group. Double-check the bill to see whether service is included – you don’t want to pay it twice. More commonly, a restaurant bill will include only the food and drink ordered. It’s at your discretion to add approximately 10%. Unlike some countries, we don’t tip bartenders. You might leave the change at the end of a cab journey and of course, you can give a tip to a tour guide if they’ve done a good job. But as a general rule, we don’t have a huge tipping culture.

Cost of supermarkets in the UK

One of the great things about backpacking the UK on a budget is the quality of the supermarkets. I didn’t realise until I travelled to other places how good they are. If you’re backpacking the UK and staying in self-catering accommodation, a week’s supermarket shop can cost as little as £30 per person and make affordable meals throughout your trip. For that reason, my best budget tip for the UK is to eat out as little as possible. UK supermarket costs: Pint of milk – £1, loaf of bread – £1, bag of own-brand pasta – 50p, jar of pasta sauce – £1. To give you a feel for the prices of main supermarkets, I’m going to provide a couple of examples of things their regular shoppers might say:

• M&S – ‘get the butler to pick up some canapés!’
• Waitrose – ‘throw out the rest of the smoked salmon – it’s a day out of date!’
• Sainsbury’s – ‘I buy the Taste the Difference range at weekends and the Basics during the week’
• Tesco – ‘£2 for a sandwich? Bargain!’
• Morrison’s – ‘help me, I’m poor’
• Iceland – ‘I don’t know what’s worse, the risk of salmonella or Peter Andre on their TV advert!’

Stick to the cheaper ones and you can spend less than £10 a day on food. Another UK budget tip is to buy supermarket own-brand items – these are always cheaper than global brands.

Food markets in the UK

If you’re expecting the food markets of Southeast Asia while backpacking in the UK, you’re in for a disappointment. However, there are food markets in some UK cities. I love the many food markets in Oxford , the city where I live. There are also lots of fantastic London food markets. A food market dish can cost as little as £5. While it’s still cheaper to make a packed lunch or cook at home, they’re a great option if you want something tasty without paying restaurant prices.

Budget eating tips for UK backpacking

1. Use hostel kitchens to cook your meals and make packed lunches for your days out. 2. Pack teabags and coffee sachets to save you buying £2.50 coffees every morning. 3. Grab a refillable water bottle . Not only are these environmentally friendly, but you won’t have to spend money on bottled water.

Backpacking the UK – drinks & nightlife

There’s a big pub culture in the UK but it isn’t cheap to go out. People often do rounds which means, depending how many people you’re with, you can drop £50+ on a night out!

Here are a few costs to prepare you for UK budget travel: Pint of beer in the UK: £4.5-7. Glass of wine in the UK: £6-9. Cocktail in the UK: £10-14. Club entry in the UK: This usually costs £5-10. For popular clubs in London, you can spend £20. I’m not sure if this is responsible advice but pre-drinking before going out to a bar or club is a big deal for young English people, and those backpacking in the United Kingdom! A bottle of wine that’s £5 in a supermarket will be £20 in a bar so you can see why people drink at home with friends first. A word about Wetherspoons – it’s not exactly classy but this chain of pubs is damn cheap. I’ve had a bottle of Prosecco for £10 and full meals for £5.

Backpacking London – free things to do!

Even though London is one of the world’s most expensive cities, you can’t deny there are endless free activities. If you’re backpacking in England, you’ll enjoy the plentiful of parks and the countless museums as well as free concerts and events on weekends, especially in the summer. Some of the best free things to do in London during your UK budget travel trip include… Museums – the British Museum, Museum of London, Natural History Museum, Science Museum, Queen’s House, Victoria & Albert, Imperial War Museum. Markets – Leadenhall Market, Broadway Market, Maltby Street Market, Borough Market, Camden Market, Colombia Road Flower Market, Greenwich Market, Portobello Road Market, Brixton Village, Pop Brixton, Old Spitalfields Market. Check out my guide to the best London food markets .

Finding Instagrammable locations in London (like these colourful houses) is free!

Galleries – Tate Britain, National Gallery, Somerset House, Saatchi Gallery, Whitechapel Gallery, National Portrait Gallery, God’s Own Junkyard, open-air East London street art , Carrie Reichardt’s House.

UK backpacking itinerary

Here’s a month’s itinerary for backpacking the UK: Days 1-4: London, baby! With 4 days in London, you can spend a day exploring the tourist highlights like Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, the Tower of London and the London Eye. Then, spend a day in East London finding street art and browsing cool markets. Another day, take yourself over to Camden and walk the towpath to Little Venice where you can take a boat ride and have brunch on a barge. You could also squeeze in Notting Hill during this day. Don’t miss Greenwich on day 4! Day 5: Take a day trip, I would suggest to Oxford or Margate . Both places are 1.5 hours away on public transport.

Day 6: Catch the train to Brighton and spend 1-2 nights visiting this beach town, shopping in boutiques and indulging in vegan food. Days 7-9: Head over to Bristol . Whilst spending a few days in this quirky city, you can also take a day trip to Bath .

Days 10-17: Wales! With a week in Wales, you can spend a day in Cardiff , visit tourist-friendly Pembrokeshire and head up north to more remote parts of Wales.

Related read: Stops for the ultimate Wales road trip

Read more of my Wales blogs:

• Guide to visiting Holy Island, Anglesey
• What to do in Anglesey, Wales
• The best things to do in Conwy, Wales
• The top attractions in Llandudno, Wales’ perfectly preserved Victorian seaside town
• Why to visit Portmeirion, the idyllic Italian village in Wales
• Fun facts about Wales

Days 18-20: Continue your UK backpacking itinerary from North Wales back into England and arrive in Liverpool. Tip – for getting around in Wales, hire a car with Rentalcars.com or take public transport. Book trains on the Transport for Wales website. Days 20-22: Spend a few nights hanging out in quirky Manchester and eating fantastic food. From here, you can take a detour into the Lake District if you have time. Days 22-27: Scotland! Here you can spend a couple of days exploring Edinburgh then head over to Glasgow. Finally, visit Inverness and take a day trip to Loch Ness . Days 28-30: Fly to Belfast and take day trips around Northern Ireland, starting with Giant’s Causeway.

Best time to backpack the UK

The UK has clear seasons: winter from December to February, spring from March to May, summer from June to August and autumn from September to November. In the summer, temperatures can reach 30 degrees and in winter they drop to around 0. In the summer, it gets dark at 9.30pm and in the winter it can get dark by 4pm. Spring and winter are between the two, characterised by their spring flowers and red autumnal leaves. Winter is miserable in the UK and summer is busy and expensive. I’d choose spring or autumn to dodge the crowds and stay reasonably warm! It rains all year around.

Events in the UK

If you can time your UK backpacking adventures around the following events, do! Glastonbury Festival – while this is my favourite UK festival , it’s not easy to get tickets. You have to fight it out with a billion other wannabe attendees the October before when tickets are released online and gone within minutes. Tickets are £260 but it’s worth increasing your UK travel budget to try and nab one. Glastonbury is one of the world’s best festivals with its many stages, inventive and quirky sets and underground raves in rabbit holes.

Notting Hill Carnival – this neighbourhood of London is fancy and upmarket throughout the year but becomes loud and vibrant during the bank holiday weekend in August when it becomes a vibrant celebration of Caribbean culture. Everyone is welcome! Edinburgh Fringe Festival – Unlike Glastonbury which is a camping festival, the Fringe is spread out across the city of Edinburgh comprising arts, music, culture and comedy acts. Attending the festival is free and you pay for individual shows. St Patrick’s Day – held on 17th March each year, this was once an auspicious day to celebrate the patron saint of Ireland. Now it’s a day dedicated to drinking! This a very lively night out across the whole UK. Expect to buy a lot of pints for people you meet at the bar. Bonfire Night – this is a strange day when you consider it commemorates an attempted terrorist attack on the Houses of Parliament in 1605. Nowadays, Guy Fawkes Night is celebrated on the 5th of December with bonfires and fireworks. Many people hold them in their gardens but, if you’re backpacking in the UK, you can easily join public events.

UK backpacking essentials

• Warm clothes for the winter: jeans, jumpers, jacket, scarf and waterproof shoes 
• Shorts, t-shirts, dresses etc for the summer – but always prepare for bad weather!
• Mini travel umbrella (packs up small)
• The latest copy of Lonely Planet Great Britain / Scotland / Wales / Ireland
• Technology : a GoPro if you’re making videos – I use the HERO8 Black
• Solo photography pick: Manfrotto tripod and Joby Gorillapod
• A power bank to keep your devices alive
• Sustainability: a stainless steel reusable water bottle to reduce the use of plastic bottles
• A reusable metal straw to save on plastic ones
• Travel luggage: Osprey Farpoint backpack ( men’s ) ( women’s )
• Packing cubes (handy for organising backpacks and suitcases).

UK budget travel quick links Guide books – LP always get my seal of approval. Use the latest copy of Lonely Planet England . Getting there & around by air – I use Skyscanner to find the best-value flights, using the ‘search by month’ tool to find the cheapest dates. You can also use the ‘to anywhere’ feature if you’re flexible on where you’re going. Car hire – use Rentalcars.com to compare car rentals and campers in the UK (and all around the world). Confused about visas? I use iVisa to check visa requirements and apply for visas online For UK trains , I use Trainline . The search feature allows you to compare prices, and they show live departure times on the website. For buses , I use busbud . It’s the only site that compares UK coaches and buses. Find London to Manchester journeys for £1!  I use Booking.com for accommodation. They have the best range of hotels and self-catering apartments, plus you can filter by review score and price to find the best-rated budget places. For hostels, I use Hostelworld.com . To save money on accommodation, I use Trusted Housesitters , a website that connects homeowners going away and travellers who can sit their homes & pets. Browse UK tours and activities on GetYourGuide . I also check Viator as they often have fun & unique offerings. Need travel insurance ? I use True Traveller (for UK & Europe residents) since it’s affordable but covers everything you’d need including various activities, valuables and pre-existing conditions. Unlike some companies, they insure you if you’re already travelling / don’t yet have your flight home booked. Get a quote . For travel insurance for other nationalities, I recommend Hey Mundo and for long-term digital nomad travellers, I suggest Safety Wing .w Check out my resources page for more travel discounts and tips!

Read my other UK guides:

• My London guides
• My Oxford guides
• How to spend a weekend in Oxford
• How to spend a weekend in Manchester
• How to spend a weekend in Norfolk
• 1 day Birmingham itinerary
• The perfect Margate day trip from London
• The perfect weekend in Dorset
• How to spend 2 days in the Lake District
• Things to do in Liverpool in winter
• How to spend a weekend in Bristol

Thanks for reading my UK backpackers guide!

If you liked it, please share it

See you next time for more adventures,

For more UK backpacking tips, follow me on Instagram , Facebook , Twitter and YouTube .

Ps. Liked this guide to backpacking in the UK? Pin this for later!

Rose is a solo traveller from the UK who has been on the road since 2015. She wants to show other women that solo travel isn't scary and doesn't have to be expensive! Rose has lived in Mexico, Canada and all over Asia, seeking out food, bubble tea and street art wherever she goes!

2 thoughts on “ Backpacking The UK On A Budget – Travel Costs + Itinerary ”

This is super helpful and awesome tips! I’m hoping to solo visit for ~2-3 weeks in early September and see all of GB. I was originally thinking a BritRail pass would be best but they are quite expensive (but still less than a rental car lol) and then I must figure out how to get from stops to destinations (castles, coasts, trails, hostels/BnBs, etc./adds costs) so it will be a bit of planning! I’ll be sure to review a lot of your articles here to help LOL. 5-stars 🙂

Hey Andrew! Glad it helped, yes planning is really required to see the UK affordably! Getting between the out-of-city attractions is always the tricky bit…

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A Little Advice… 5 Tips to Plan a Backpacking Trip to England & Scotland

Last updated on September 11, 2023 by Shannon

Kids are out of school, businesses across Europe are closed, and flights are packed elbow-to-elbow.

Ah, it must be August in the United Kingdom. I arrived in the UK in the late summer, and this is a rough time of year to plan a trip to England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland.

Although it’s a beautiful time to visit, it’s also stressful for budget backpacking, or budget travel in general. Because my yearlong trip was only lightly planned, I learned the hard way that you have to be on your game if you plan to tour around England, Scotland, and Ireland on a backpacker budget .

Table of Contents

Can You Backpack the UK on a Budget?

It’s possible to travel the UK on a budget, but it’s a lot of work!

You see, tourists from both the United States and Europe head to England and Scotland from July through September; this means cheap accommodation is booked quickly, and UK tours and food all come at a high premium.

Although I had my trusty Lonely Planet Great Britain , which offers budget travel tips, it only halfway works when you’re backpacking quickly during high season. Many sights in London and elsewhere are free—you can visit all the museums, and you can hike in the Lake District without spending a penny.

But accommodation and transport prices are brutal if you’re not prepared; for this reason you really need to plan your trip ahead of time if you’re traveling in the summer high season in England and Scotland, even if you usually like to wing it!

These six key points are ones I wish I had known before planning my time in the UK during the summer. These are the essential tips for budget travel across my two months in England, Scotland, and Ireland—using these tactics on my trip not only saved me money, but made it possible to find transport and affordable food every day, and somewhere to sleep every night.

How to Save Money Touring England, Scotland, and the UK

The short of it is: Touring England and Scotland is pricey—all UK travel is going to be more expensive than other places in the world—but there are several real steps you can take to make UK travel more affordable.

1. Book your accommodation ahead of time.

I’m definitely a fan of spontaneous travel and rarely do I fully book my trips advance. When I land in a new place, my MO is usually to book the first two nights of accommodation through Booking.com or Hostelworld (I prefer the rewards discounts on Booking.com that kick in even when booking hostels through the platform).

The rest of my trip? I leave that up to whim, luck, and the advice of other travels. For traveling in England and Scotland during high season, however, that style of travel is extremely difficult. Budget accommodation across the UK is usually fully booked, particularly on the weekends.

What’s more, even the cheapie beds are expensive. Some hostels and budget hotels in London raise prices on the weekends. The only way you can find affordable places to sleep is through a bit of advance planning.

For me, as an American, every price is exchanged from my home currency into the dominating pounds sterling. If you’re traveling on a low budget, the difference of a few pounds extra stacks up quickly.

When I first arrived in the United Kingdom, lack of pre-booking meant I ate up a three-day budget in one heartbeat. All because I had to float myself in an expensive city for a few days until the a nearby budget hotel had openings.

All of the usual hostel sites work for pre-booking. As noted, I usually use Booking.com or Hostelworld for a hostel booking website. And in my many trips to England and Scotland over the years, advance planning on VRBO can net you truly great deals if you’re traveling in a group or as a family.

Also consider local listing like the Scottish Independent Hostels site—it has heaps of highly tailored local information, as well as local accommodation. If booking ahead of time feels too restrictive and you still want to be spontaneous, consider just booking your accommodation for Friday and Saturday nights.

And a hot budget travel tip for traveling families: hostels are still a great choice, by the way. Independent hostels especially are family-friendly, and I have stayed with my toddler son in hostels since his birth. Staying in a private room as a family not only costs less for the room, but your family saves money by cooking occasional meals—making breakfast at the hostel, and prepping a snack for later in the day, is one of the easiest ways to save money in your food budget!.

2. Plan your transportation well!

Why Use Buses in England, Scotland & Ireland?

While trains are faster to be sure, buses are a great way to plan a budget trip in both England and Scotland. The UK train system is both extensive and expensive. Seriously expensive. Buses, on the other hand, offer rock-bottom seats if you book in advance, as low as 1 GBP between cities. I never booked months in advance, so my seats were around 10 GBP—still an absolute bargain considering a similar train ride cost upwards of 60 GBP.

The United Kingdom has a lot of bus options.  Megabus is the cheapest by far. It’s also perfectly good if it run betweens the cities you’re visiting. But note that Megabus has limited routes and runs between mostly just the major cities in Scotland and England. CityLink is more expensive but still cheaper than the trains.

When Trains are a Good Option

Traveline Scotland  was incredibly helpful in planning my route from one city to another. The website gives precise directions and timetables for taking public transport, and you can even select whether you want to include walking, buses, trains, and metro. Rome2Rio also has a good bead on all the different options if you’re planning to travel between two very difficult destinations.

If you have the budget, or if you simply prefer the trains, use the National Rail site to plan your UK train travel. It’s imperative that you book online, however, and book a month in advance if possible. If you don’t, the peak pricing can cost double or triple at the ticket counter.

Rental Cars, Uber, & More

If you’re really going to do it right, then a rental car would probably be most ideal. This is actually a cost-effective option if you are traveling with friends, especially if you use an aggregator site like RentalCars.com—I found an amazing deal on a rental car for an Ireland road trip I took with my dad in 2019.

The fact is, for budget travelers, the cost of splitting a rental car will equal out when split among you, given how pricey trains can be if booked last minute. If you’re solo, you can have that same experience by booking one of the hop-on, hop-off buses that travel around Scotland, specifically, so that travelers can admire the Highlands.

And although the United Kingdom rightly has a fantastic reputation for public transportation, you should always download Uber onto your phone and have that option ready if you find yourself in need of quick transport elsewhere locally. While it’s not as budget as the tube, it’s nearly always a better price than the local taxi cabs.

For my own travels, I used a combination of all three of these when planning my own route around England, Scotland, and Ireland. I trained from London to the Lake District , then I took the public bus to the Isle of Skye and onward across the Highlands to Loch Ness and then to Edinburgh .

From there, I took a £20 flight to Dublin and rented a car for three weeks. To help offset the expense, I picked up other backpackers at my hostels in Cork and Dingle and they chipped in for gas since they didn’t have to buy a bus fare.

3. Make a plan for daily your meals.

Nearly all hostels and vacation rentals have kitchens—and they are often surprisingly well stocked! With that in mind, I highly recommend cooking your own dinner at least a couple of times a week if you’re traveling on a tight budget.

Head to the nearest Tesco Lotus (it’s the most reasonable of the UK’s grocery stores). I found the easiest options for a good mix of eating out and eating in was to cook breakfast and often lunch. Pick up some fruit, yogurt, and muesli. Then you could even do sandwiches for lunch, or eat lunch while you’re out exploring for the day and cook pasta and veggies for dinner.

It’s also possible to eat affordably in the UK. Head to the pubs for the daily special; this is a great option for lunch or dinner as the specials run at a time of day where you can often use the meal as either one.

I used this budget hack from London to Edinburgh, and I always found something tasty and hearty offered at the pubs. As a vegetarian, eating out is a hard in some countries . But UK pubs always have vegetarian options, even if it sometimes lacks much imagination beyond glorified pasta. For this reason, I actually enjoyed cooking for myself, at least when I backpacked through the tinier British and Scottish towns.

Also, budget travelers should look for ethnic restaurants. In London, there are many Asian and African restaurants where you can find a meal for perhaps £8. Or if you eat meat, fish and chips and kebabs are plentiful.

4. Carry an umbrella.

It rains, it pours. In short: the United Kingdom is wet. You’re shrugging right now and thinking, “Huh, of course it’s wet, this girl is crazy to recommend this as a tip.”

It’s even wetter than you imagine.

Budget travelers need the right packing list : poncho, a rain cover for their packs, and a rain jacket. As a budget travel tip, this comes into play because you will be out in the elements waiting for public transport.

Although the big cities have covered bus stops, there’s little chance you will find covered ones in the Scottish highlands. I was lucky to have a rain jacket for myself and my bag when waiting during a few misty rains as I crossed Scotland via bus. You’ll get so wet you’ll wonder, “ Does it rain all the time in Scotland? ” But then, the sun will come out.

Others were less lucky. I met a couple who had completely abandoned their UK travel plans because they had spent hours standing in the rain and were either sick or just plain tired.

Plan ahead and you’ll be more flexible and happy as you crisscross England, Scotland, and Ireland!

5. Pick Your Destinations Wisely

The fact is, moving around will cost you more than staying in a few spots. But what is the fun of backpacking the UK if you don’t actually see any of the sites?! Cities are actually going to offer some of your best budgeting for food and activities since there are so many free things to do. But smaller cities will offer a lot of free outdoor and natural activities.

Here are a few popular budget-friendly big to visit in the United Kingdom:

• London : London is the capital and largest city in the UK, and it is known for its rich history, cultural attractions, and diverse neighborhoods. While it can be an expensive city to visit, there are also many budget-friendly options, such as staying in hostels or using the city’s extensive public transportation system.
• Edinburgh : Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and is known for its stunning architecture, vibrant cultural scene, and beautiful natural surroundings. There are a number of budget-friendly accommodation options, including hostels and guesthouses, as well as many free or inexpensive attractions, such as the Royal Mile and Edinburgh Castle. If you visit during the Fringe Festival though, or anytime in August, expect to pay dearly for most things—it’s not a good month for budget travel in Edinburgh.
• Manchester : Manchester is a vibrant city in the north of England that is known for its music scene, sporting events, and diverse neighborhoods. There are a number of budget-friendly accommodation options, such as hostels and Airbnb rentals, as well as many free or inexpensive attractions, such as the Manchester Art Gallery and the Manchester Museum.
• Liverpool : Liverpool is a city in the northwest of England that is known for its rich cultural and musical history. It is home to a number of budget-friendly accommodation options, such as hostels and Airbnb rentals, as well as many free or inexpensive attractions, such as the Liverpool ONE shopping center and the Royal Albert Dock.
• Bristol : Bristol is a city in the southwest of England known for its vibrant art scene, beautiful natural surroundings, and historic neighborhoods. Like elsewhere in the UK, you’ll find a good number of hostels and vacation rentals. A few of the better free or inexpensive attractions include walking the harbor and soaking in the vibes, visiting the Bristol Zoo, and wandering the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery. A self-guided street art tour is also a fun way to explore the city for free.

And consider these smaller cities in England and Scotland when traveling on a budget:

• Dundee : Dundee is a city in the east of Scotland that is known for its beautiful parks, cultural attractions, and stunning coastline. Budget attractions include the Verdant Works and the Dundee Contemporary Arts Center.
• Glasgow : Glasgow is a vibrant city in the west of Scotland that is known for its lively music scene, cultural attractions, and beautiful parks. Free or inexpensive attractions include the Glasgow School of Art and the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum.
• Hay-on-Wye : Hay-on-Wye is a small town located in the Welsh Borders, in the west of England. It is known for its beautiful countryside, charming architecture, and vibrant literary scene. There are many free or inexpensive attractions, such as the Hay-on-Wye Castle and the Hay Literary Festival.

6. Plan to spend more.

One of the beautiful things about exchange rates is that you just don’t know what’s going to happen. From the time that I started planning my round the world trip to the time I arrived, the exchange rate from the US Dollar to Pound Sterling fluctuated nearly 50 cents on the dollar. 

I spent a lot more money than I had initially planned when plotting my trip across England, Scotland, and Ireland. I also had a cushion in my world travel budget , and that meant that I was able to still enjoy my time and not spend the entire visit pinching pennies too closely. Plan for a budget trip in the UK, but then add a cushion in case you go over your budget.

Think of it in terms of the range of fluctuation. In Asia, when the exchange rate fluctuates it makes on a tiny impact on the amount you end up spending on accommodation. In the UK, however, a change of 20 cents easily means $4 more a night just for accommodation. Stretch that across several weeks and you could be grossly over budget going into the rest of your travels.

Speaking of money, American travelers who don’t have a chip in their credit card should add their card to Apple Pay or the Android equivalent. All across Europe, the credit card machines are most effective with wifi-chipped cards, which most U.S. cards don’t feature.

The hack around these is to use your phone—there are nights now when I leave my home in Barcelona with only my cell phone, knowing every single bar and restaurant accepts Apple Pay. It will make your time in England, Scotland, and Ireland much simpler if you travel with the right credit cards .

The United Kingdom is gorgeous—I do not regret for a second adding this place onto my itinerary for my RTW trip . It might have been, however, a poor choice as a budget traveler. I decided to visit the UK solely to attend the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland .

I had visited England during college and only remembered hemorrhaging money. I did better this time around, but I could have also stayed longer in other areas without the huge expenses associated with traveling the UK.

In the long run, it might have made more sense to save the United Kingdom for an isolated trip in the future, rather than a part of my  round the world trip itinerary . Planning England and Scotland as an independent/shorter trip it would have been less of a financial strain.

Without the worry about my budget holding out until the end, I might have more readily enjoyed a few more pints along the way. That being said, I learned a lot and the UK always beckons me back—partly because dear friends live in Bristol, so I’ve made a habit to visit them twice a year for years now.

Budget backpacking has a learning curve, but there are ways and resources and even budget backpacking books  and budgeting guides to help.

Inspiring England & Scotland Travel Reads

I have an entire list dedicated to the best travel books in general, as well as the books to read before visiting Ireland . These are my top picks for the books you should buy or download before a budget trip to the UK.

• Round Ireland with a Fridge : A very entertaining book about a guy named Tony and his adventures around Ireland, with a refrigerator.
• The Old Ways: A Journey on Foot : This is a fascinating and gripping read about one man’s journey. Robert shares his adventures as he walks from the chalk downs of England up to the Scottish northwest, as well as journeys in Palestine, Spain, and the Himalayas.
• Notes from a Small Island : In this book Bill Bryson writes about his life and adventures after moving to Britain in 1973. A fun read that will have you searching for flight deals to the UK.
• Lonely Planet Great Britain : I have tried all of the different guidebook brands, I continue to use the Lonely Planet even as my travels grow beyond backpacking. It’s laid out better than other guidebooks and it has the most thorough budget transportation sections to and from cities—this was essential planning a trip to the the tiny towns in Scotland.

Essential Travel Planning Resources

❗ Yes, you need travel insurance . IMG Global is the travel insurance I’ve used for well over a decade of traveling solo, and with kids. Here’s why .

🧳 Smart packing can save your trip. Shop my favorite travel gear , including all of the packing essentials for world travel , gear to keep you safe on the road, my favorite travel books , and more.

🛏️ Find great accommodation . Booking.com is essentially the only hotel booking site that I use. It has a wide and affordable selection of traditional hotels, but also hostels and vacation rentals, too. Use these pro tips to find the best travel accommodation .

📍 Navigate more effectively. Rome2Rio is super handy to assess the full range of transport options between two cities—shows everything from flights to trains, buses, minibuses, and more. If you’re booking a rental car, I’ve always found the best deals on RentalCars.com .

✈️ Book affordable flights. Expedia is one of the first places I look for low-cost flights .

☕ Peruse all of my tips for round the world travel , or learn how to move and live abroad .

10 thoughts on “A Little Advice… 5 Tips to Plan a Backpacking Trip to England & Scotland”

This article was a breath of fresh air. It offered a unique ideas that I hadn’t encountered before.

Travelling to England is the best gift which any traveler can gift himself/herself. I m very happy that you got a chance.

Carry an umbrella. Such a simple task, yet somehow i used to forget carrying one every time & it would rain for sure.

Hey – I can’t remember if the M&S (Marks and Spencers) stores are in Ireland, but if you get a chance, have the pink lady apple juice. It is amazing!

Man, I will have to save that one for next time cuz I am outta here!! Lol, plus I haven’t seen one here in Ireland yet – they may be here, but I have spotted one. Remind me again when I next head to the UK :-)

What a BEAUTIFUL site-such a treat when you can’t go yourself-wonderful photos-thanks so much!!

I think it was this money saving tips blog post you refer to :-)

It is! It is!! Will update. Thank you Andy. :-) I hunted and hunted…got frustrated, and stopped :-)

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Wonderful trails，even for first time hiker like Jerry，my husband。It's quite well marked，with GPS on cellphone，no wrong turns。We really enjoyed the walk。

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The UK has some seriously special settings to host visitors from home or away on holidays and long weekends.

Be it enjoying remote spots amid centuries-old woodlands or direct access to an isolated stretch of beach, there is an array of impressive escapes to experience the Great Outdoors first-hand. Think cosy chalet interiors, budget log cabins ideal for families trying to cut costs and luxury romantic retreats in home-from-home lodges.

And it isn’t just in the summer months that you can escape to the country, despite the predictably unpredictable British weather. Chalets, lodges and log cabins are often fitted with hot tubs, sun decks, wood-burning fires and BBQs to accommodate every season.

If you’re looking for a place to spend a bank holiday with friends or to celebrate a big birthday with the whole family, check out these stylish lodges, cabins and shepherds’ huts that are on par with any country cottage stay.

Read more on UK travel :

• Things to do in Cornwall when it rains: The best indoor activities to try
• The best UK holiday destinations for families
• Isle of Wight travel guide: Where to eat, drink, walk and stay on England’s biggest island

Herston Log Cabins, Swanage, England

Best for: adventures with the family.

This rustic log cabin site has a relaxed yet adventurous atmosphere ideal for a family staycation. Overlooking the rolling Purbeck Hills and the Jurassic Coast, self-catering cabins, lodges and cottages boast modern interiors, hot tubs and sheltered outdoor spaces — and you can leave the car behind. Families staying at Herston can stroll down to the seaside town centre and blue flag Swanage beaches to enjoy water sports, restaurants and arcades.

The site’s children’s play area and proximity to the Swanage steam train to Corfe Castle are a bonus for a family day out. That’s not to say this site neglects its adults. There’s an on-site bar, The Old Mess Room, for parents to try local ales, an entertainment programme including karaoke and a restaurant that honours the age-old tradition of a Sunday roast. Cancel the dog sitter and bring your pet along for £5 per night.

Log cabins from £660 for a three-night stay sleeping up to seven.

Pantglas Hall Holiday Lodges, Camarthen, Wales

Best for: budget chalets.

The woodlands of Carmarthenshire are a sight to behold from Pantglas Hall Holiday Lodge, where 25 self-catering log chalets blend in with their green surroundings. Most interiors in the well-equipped one-to-three-bedroom holiday homes are made cosy with fireplaces and feature verandas to take in scenic views of the sprawling country estate.

Avid walkers or cyclists can explore its hills and spacious open fields from the doorstep of the rural hideaways; Carmarthenshire is known as the National Botanic Garden of Wales, after all, and cycling trails are plentiful.

Couples can relax in the on-site leisure facilities with a dip in the hot tub or pool before heating up in the sauna or split the price among friends for an idyllic budget getaway in the heart of Wales.

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Rates provided by Booking.com

Hotel Amenities

Health & wellbeing, cameron lodges, loch lomond, scotland, best for: luxury living.

Set above Loch Lomond’s tranquil landscape, these lodges make for the ideal intimate and indulgent Scottish break. Whether on a spa break, country getaway or simple escape from reality, kick your feet up and unwind in the expansive living spaces of the home-from-home rooms. Private terraces also offer the chance to enjoy al fresco dining while taking in the view.

Just 25 minutes from Glasgow Airport, the freshwater loch and its surroundings are home to tiny islands, steep mountains and enchanting forests spread over 400 acres. Luxuries include five-star facilities such as the Thermal Experience at the Cameron Spa and dining across four restaurants and bars for those nights when you just can’t be bothered to cook.

From £1,122 for four adults to enjoy a three-night stay.

Shepherd’s Hut Scarborough, Yorkshire, England

Best for: remote escapes .

Lose yourself in the North Yorkshire countryside with a remote stay in your own slice of Stepney Hill Farm. The compact Shepherd’s Hut studio room sleeps two and features a cosy wood-burning stove, a private external bathroom and a kitchen and dining area.

With a picnic bench outside for summer BBQs, facilitated by the on-site butchers, and the addition of a hut-side hot tub, switch off and embrace the secluded spot with distant views of the coast and working farm fields. Not far from two sandy beaches, the isolated escape enjoys peace and quiet – bar the flock of sheep – with the option to take a long lunch at the farm’s tearoom if you fancy a change of scenery.

Hinterland Cabin, Snowdonia, Wales

Best for: romantic retreats.

A short drive from Anglesey, Hinterland Cabin screams (or, rather, croons) idyllic romance for couples who want to enjoy a retreat for two to Snowdonia. The luxury retreat in Conwy, a medieval market town, is set in enchanting woodlands overlooking the valley and cliffsides below. Inside, fresh flowers and fluffy bathrobes await your arrival at the North Wales staycation spot. Chic interior furnishings include oak beams, gold-accent decor and a spacious walk-in shower. Welcome hampers come with authentic Welsh produce, such as Snowdonia cheese and local cider.

Outside, revel in the cabin’s construction from the old slate and railway sleepers of the Conwy Valley line. Couples can enjoy a sauna, yoga deck and hot tub or take a walk around the nearby fishing lake, all from the comfort of the self-catered cabin.

From £1,695 for two adults to enjoy a seven-night stay.

Barend Holiday Lodges, Dalbeattie, Scotland

Best for: quirky architecture.

The striking Scandinavian-style architecture of Barend Holiday Village’s impressive chalets is enhanced by great balcony views – a dream for long or short UK holidays. Nestled in Dalbeattie’s forests in the Dumfries and Galloway region, the quirky family-run holiday homes comfortably sleep two to eight people.

Free swimming in a heated pool, a sauna and access to golf services at Craigieknowes Golf Club’s nine-hole course create a great setting for getting active in the Great Outdoors. Barend offers a range of great walks for dog owners, – most chalets are pet-friendly – ramblers and families looking to take a light stroll down to the beach at Sandyhills Bay.

Six person lodges from £578 per three-night stay.

Read more: Best UK hotels: Where to stay for a luxury or affordable break

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The best (and worst) budget airlines in the UK

T hey’re the airlines we love to hate, whisking passengers to Europe and beyond for miniscule fares with incredible regularity – in theory, at least. But the reality of “budget” airlines , as all-too many of us know, can be fraught with hidden fees, confusing baggage allowances and copious delays.

However, not all budget airlines are created equal. In a bid to find the best low-cost carrier, we’ve compared Wizz Air, Jet2, easyJet and Ryanair on all of the key credentials. There is a clear winner – and loser – but do you agree? Have your say in the poll and comments below. 

Explore the categories

Best for routes and connections, best prices for summer 2024, best for seat comfort, best for punctuality, best for hand baggage allowance, best for fines and fees, best for priority boarding, best rated on trustpilot , best rated by the telegraph readers, the verdict.

By passenger numbers, Ryanair is Europe’s largest airline group: it carried 182 million people in 2023. This summer, it will have a fleet of 600 aircraft – by far the biggest of our survey, serving more than 250 airports across 40 countries.

Ryanair is also the best-connected of the bunch. It flies from 22 UK airports, including lesser-served ones such as Newquay and Teesside, so we’re rating it top for UK range. Its routes include rarer low-cost destinations too, such as Jordan, Montenegro and Morocco . 

Currently operating from 18 UK airports, easyJet serves 155 airports across 36 countries. It is Europe’s second largest airline by passenger numbers (pipped by Ryanair), with a large fleet of 336 planes.

In March, easyJet opened a new three-aircraft base in Birmingham – joining the likes of Liverpool, Newcastle and Edinburgh . For connectivity, it comes second place to Ryanair.

In third place is Wizz Air, which serves 95 routes to and from the UK, to more than 30 countries – including cities in North Africa, the Middle East and South Asia. 

There are 207 aircraft in the Wizz Air fleet, and it has hubs at London Luton and Gatwick. It flies from a further six UK airports: Glasgow, Birmingham, Newcastle, Aberdeen, Leeds and Liverpool, so has a fair regional coverage.

For routes and connectivity, Jet2 ranks fourth. It flies to over 65 European destinations from 11 UK airports, with a new base at Liverpool opening in March. Other hubs include Birmingham, Bristol, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds and Stansted.

It operates 119 aircraft, and is the UK’s third largest scheduled airline; notable destinations include Norway , Morocco, Cyprus and Iceland . 

The winner: Ryanair

The loser: Wizz Air has a higher number of destinations than Jet2 – but the latter scoops Wizz on its choice of UK airports. It’s a tie.

Let’s say you want to fly from London to Malaga this summer, 13 to 21 July – hand luggage only , on the lowest-cost tariffs. Which airline has the cheapest return fares? 

The price per adult offered by Ryanair currently starts from £127.90 (departing Stansted, though you’ll need to leave Malaga at 5.55am); with easyJet it is £133.98 (from Gatwick, arriving in Malaga just after midnight). 

Wizz Air’s fares start from £219.98 (leaving Gatwick at 5.55am); Jet2’s start from £231 (departing Stansted at 9am). 

Prices were sourced directly from the airlines on April 18, 2024, and are inclusive of booking fees.

The winner: Ryanair, for a superb £127.90 per adult fare, return.

The loser: Jet2. However, this was the airline with the most “decent” flight timings for its cheapest tickets: departs Stansted at 9am, and departs Malaga at 8.25pm.

When it comes to seat width (which the industry generally measures in inches), our four airlines are pretty much equal. On Wizz’s Airbus A320 and easyJet’s Airbus A321neo, the seats are 18in wide. Opt for Jet2’s Boeing 737-300 or Ryanair’s Boeing 737-800, and you’ll miss out on an inch: their seat width is 17in.

But when it comes to seat pitch, there’s a clear winner. This is the distance between any point on one seat and the same point on the seat in front – so is a good measure of not only leg room, but “headspace” and perception of roominess in the cabin. According to Seat Guru, and verified by the airlines, Wizz’s seat pitch is 28in, easyJet’s 29in, Ryanair’s 30in, and Jet2’s 31in. 

The winner: Jet2

The loser: Wizz Air

If you boarded a flight anywhere last summer, chances are it was delayed or cancelled . Airport strikes, wildfires, air traffic meltdowns: which airline fared best against the odds?

The aviation analysts at OAG provided Telegraph Travel with data across more than half a million flights from June 1 to September 3, covering airlines departing from 48 UK airports. 

Ryanair operated 91,897 flights, of which 31.8 per cent arrived or departed on time. For easyJet, 44.7 per cent of its 111,551 flights were on schedule, while 57.7 per cent of Jet2’s 38,986 services ran as planned. 

The data from OAG suggested that Wizz Air managed to depart or arrive on time on just 7.8 per cent of its services. The airline contested the figure, insisting that “almost half” of departures and “almost 40 per cent” of arrivals were on time. It added: “The majority of delays were due to issues outside of Wizz Air’s control, such as the recent air traffic control fault, meaning these statistics are not an accurate representation of our overall performance.”

The loser: According to OAG, Wizz Air experienced the most disruption – though this figure was disputed by the airline – therefore it’s a tie between Wizz Air and Ryanair.

We compared the size and weight limits for free hand baggage, on a standard ticket. 

Jet2: 56 x 45 x 25cm (total volume 63,000cm3); maximum 10kg.

easyJet: 45 x 36 x 20cm (total volume 32,400cm3), “which needs to fit in our baggage gauge and under the seat in front of you”. Maximum 15kg.

Wizz Air: 40 x 30 x 20cm (total volume 24,000cm3), and “must be placed at the feet of the passenger under the seat in front of them”. Maximum 10kg.

Ryanair: 40 x 20 x 25cm (total volume 20,000cm3); no weight limit is listed.

The winner: easyJet’s 15kg limit is the most generous weight – but for size, Jet2 is the best. Its volume allowance is more than three times the size offered by Ryanair.

The loser: Ryanair

Best for checked-in luggage

When you pay to bring a suitcase, the fee structure varies wildly. For ease of comparison, the following covers luggage weighing 20kg or more, booked at the same time as your flight. 

With Ryanair, a 20kg bag costs £18.99 to £59.99, according to your route and travel dates – the lowest weight allowance of our four airlines. Excess baggage ranges from £9 to £11 per kilo, the cheapest fee in this comparison.

Jet2’s baggage add-on covers bags up to 22kg: costs vary, and it doesn’t quote a ballpark fee online if you don’t have a booking. According to mybaggage.com, the average cost is £21 each way. Excess weight is £12 per kilo.

Wizz charges between £8.25 and £87.11 for a 20kg bag, in peak season, with an excess fee of £12 per kilo. On easyJet, 23kg of hold luggage costs from £9.49 per item; excess weight is £12 per kilo.

The winner:  The varying prices make it hard to compare fees, but easyJet’s baggage allowance is the most generous, at 23kg.

The loser: It’s a tie: Ryanair and Wizz Air offer 20kg each. The latter’s upper threshold is the most costly, though Jet2 isn’t transparent about its fees unless you have a booking with them.

To change a name on a booking, Ryanair charges £115 per flight. To change your flights costs £45, plus any additional fare. To check in at the airport rather than on the app, Ryanair charges £30 or £55 if flying from Spain. Boarding pass reissue is £20.

Name changes with Jet2 cost £35; flight changes are £35, plus any additional fare. No charge for airport check-in or boarding pass print-out.

With easyJet, name changes cost £55; flight changes are £25 if more than 60 days before travel, or £49 if within 60 days, plus any additional fare. There is no charge for airport check-in or boarding pass print-out. 

Name changes with Wizz cost £55; flight changes cost £36.50 to £46, plus any additional fare. If you want to check in at the airport, you can pre-book online for £11.50 per flight; airport check-in without pre-booking costs £35.50.

Be warned: in many instances, the above fees are higher if arranged via a customer services agent, rather than online. 

Jet2 is the only airline not to offer speedy boarding as an optional add-on. But if you want to board first (or at least be in the queue to board first), Ryanair’s priority access costs from £6 to £36, and includes two cabin bags.

Wizz’s package costs up to €58.80 (£50.62) when booked in advance, and includes priority boarding and check-in, plus a carry-on wheelie. To get “Speedy Boarding” on easyJet, you’ll need an easyJet Plus card (£215 annually), pay for a Standard Plus or Flexi fare, or add a large cabin bag to your booking – priced “from £5.99”.

The winner: There really isn’t much between easyJet and Ryanair

The loser: Jet2, for not offering the option

On customer review website Trustpilot, Jet2 is by far the best-rated of the airlines – scoring an overall 4.5 (“Excellent”) out of a possible five. It has five-star reviews from 72 per cent of reviewers; four stars from 14 per cent; and one star from 7 per cent. 

“Pleasant and attentive cabin crew,” reads one verified Jet2 customer review. “Friendly and informative captain. Took off an hour late but we made up 25 minutes. Excellent.”

It’s a different story for the rest of the pack. Ryanair and easyJet both score 1.4 stars overall, and Wizz Air 1.3 stars (out of five). A total of 89 per cent of Wizz customers awarded it just one star.

“Robbery,” states a reviewer of one of the airlines. “I don’t understand why people still buy ticket[s] from that airline… [it] should not be allowed to operate in our society.”

The loser: Wizz

In last year’s Telegraph Travel Awards, Jet2 was voted “best short-haul airline” – scooping the top spot for the second consecutive time. Almost 30,000 readers voted in the awards, widely praising Jet2 for its clear contact with passengers, and giving refunds without fuss . 

Further down the table, easyJet took 10th place, Ryanair 22nd and Wizz Air came 23rd – the very last place. Wizz faced criticism from Telegraph readers for its slow refunds, last-minute cancellations and poor customer service .

Bravo to Jet2, which is rated consistently high for customer satisfaction, baggage allowance and comfort – while offering the lowest fees and fines among its peers. Our study suggests it doesn’t come cheap, though: in our fare comparison, it was the most expensive by £103.10.

At the other end of the spectrum, the wooden spoon goes to Wizz. It tallies three individual “loser” titles and three shared ones, and no “wins” to its name – thanks to hefty delays, terrible reviews, reportedly poor service and measly bag allowance.

A Wizz Air spokesperson said: “We do not consider these findings to be representative and the results are most certainly not what we are hearing from our customer surveys.

“Our most recent customer data shows Wizz Air’s brand consideration to be higher than our main UK competitor. We also perform better in customer service, refunds, ease of booking and information provided to customers.

“We are proud to have offered more than 90 million customers affordable airfares, getting them from A to B for the lowest price possible.

“Regarding costs, ticket prices and optional extras are clearly outlined on our website and app. We are an ultra-low-cost carrier and to keep our fares low, we offer optional add-ons at an additional charge, such as checked luggage or preferential seating. Unbundling products means that customers only pay for what they need and we can offer the most affordable and exciting travel opportunities.

“In terms of performance, 2023 was one of our strongest summers to date. We completed more than 99.36 per cent of our flights and saw a 67.4 per cent reduction in the number of cancellations. In the last fiscal year, our on-time performance was better than all but one of our major competitors.”

This story was first published in December 2023 and has been revised and updated.

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Money latest: Easiest countries for Britons to retire to revealed

Analysis has found the easiest countries for British retirees, taking into account culture, visa requirements, cost and more - with Ireland coming out top. Read this and the rest of today's consumer and personal finance news - and leave a comment - below.

Tuesday 21 May 2024 10:56, UK

• Grocery inflation at lowest level since October 2021, industry data suggests
• Good news for drivers as oil prices hit two-month low
• Travel sites with highest percentage of scam-related reviews - with Airbnb top
• Two big moments this week - here's what's happening 

Essential reads

• Easiest countries for Britons to retire
• Britons should treat tea more like wine, expert says - as some secrets of improving flavour revealed
• Money Problem : 'My second-hand Ford is being written off with a known issue - but no one is taking responsibility'
• How to sell your home without an estate agent
• Basically... What is the FTSE
• Best of the Money blog - an archive

Ask a question or make a comment

For many Britons, retirement means moving somewhere new.

New analysis from relocation experts Property Guides has found the easiest locations for retirees, taking into account culture, visa requirements, cost and more. 

Landing in the number one spot is Ireland, with a lack of visa requirements, English-speaking residents and relatively "safe and happy" environment.

Spain, Portugal and Cyprus claim the next three spots on the list.

However, Spain is high on the minimum annual income requirement.

"Spain's is one of the most expensive. It is currently around €27,000 (£23,000) per year for the first applicant. Just over the border in Portugal, it is less than €8,500 per year. Turkey's is the cheapest, working out at a little over £5,000, while Italy requires over €30,000," Property Guides says.

Turkey also came out well for the low cost of living - unlike New Zealand.

European countries in general offer visas aimed specifically at those receiving pensions or investment incomes, according to Property Guides.

Commonwealth countries such as Australia and Canada, however, actively restrict those over 55 from moving there, even if they have a high passive income (income such as pensions, that doesn't require a job). 

It becomes easier if retirees have children who are already legal residents.

"Golden visas", which encourage wealthy people to invest in a country, are becoming less common. 

"Most countries are now cancelling their residential investment option, including Cyprus and Portugal, and Spain will soon be closing its own. However, for now, you can still get one in Spain, Greece and Turkey, for as little as a €250,000 property, and these we have judged the easiest to retire to."

Property Guides also looked at health services. They took rankings from a Legatum Prosperity Index. 

"Top scorers were Germany, Italy and France, in that order. Bottom of the pile was the USA."

The research noted that state pensions are not uprated for retirees in Canada, New Zealand and Australia.

It also factored in "sunshine hours", with the top three being Cyprus, Portugal and the US. Ireland came last here.

By Sarah Taaffe-Maguire , business reporter 

Good news for motorists: oil prices are at a more than two-month low at $83.08 for a barrel of Brent crude oil.

Lower prices will likely filter down to the pumps in about 10 days.

But it's not such good news for those in the Brixham area.

The parent company of South West Water - who supplies the Devon area - said 15% don't have normal service.

Shares in Pennon Group, which also owns Bournemouth Water and Bristol Water, fell 6.7% after it reported flat pre-tax profit - £16.8m was recorded for the 2023-24 financial year, the same as 2022-23.

That's despite shareholders being in line for a higher payout of 44.37p  a share.

Drug maker AstraZeneca is one of the best-performing stocks on the FTSE 100 index of most valuable London-listed companies today.

After it announced it aims to double revenues by 2030, the share price rose 0.53%. 

If you're buying dollars, you can get $1.27 for your pound or €1.17. 

By James Sillars , business reporter 

Grocery inflation has eased to its lowest level since October 2021, according to industry data released before official figures tipped to show a big dent in the overall pace of price increases in the economy.

Kantar Worldpanel - which tracks supermarket till prices, sales and market share - said its measure of grocery inflation slowed to 2.4% in the four weeks to 12 May from 3.2% the previous month.

The measure showed there is still upward pressure on the cost of items such as chilled fruit juices, drinks, sugar confectionery and chocolate confectionery - the latter a consequence of poor cocoa harvests.

Prices were still falling fastest in toilet tissues, butter and milk, the report said. It has previously pointed to wider assistance in falling costs from a price war among supermarkets.

Fraser McKevitt, Kantar's head of retail and consumer insight, said: "Grocery price inflation is gradually returning to what we would consider more normal levels. It's now sitting only 0.8 percentage points higher than the 10-year average of 1.6% between 2012 and 2021, which is just before prices began to climb.

"However, after nearly two and a half years of rapidly rising prices, it could take a bit longer for shoppers to unwind the habits they have learnt to help them manage the cost of living crisis."

Read more on this story below ...

Airbnb has the highest percentage of scam-related reviews, according to new data.

8.5% of comments left on the holiday-let site warned about scams, travel payment website PayFasto said.

Trivago came in second with 7.5%, Hotels.com third with 6.5%,  Myholidays in fourth with 6.1% and Booking.com fifth with 5.8%.

PayFasto says it is essential to do your research before booking a holiday online.

"Sometimes, if a deal looks way too good to be true, it often is," the company said. 

"Make sure you do research on the site and make sure they have legitimate ways to contact them if you were in the position where you needed to. If the site has no contact options, then this is certainly a red flag. "

It also warned holiday-goers to look for the ATOL (Air Travel Organisers' Licensing) scheme on websites, which guarantees customers protection separate from insurance when booking a package holiday that includes a flight. 

Sky News has contacted Airbnb for comment.

Basically, the FTSE (short for Financial Times Stock Exchange) is an index of the 100 largest companies by market capitalisation listed on the London Stock Exchange.

The index, operated by a division of the London Stock Exchange Group, is often referred to by its nickname "Footsie" and was created in 1984.

Among the companies in it are BP, HSBC, Barclays, Glencore and AstraZeneca.

Figures are reviewed every quarter. At each review some companies will exit and others will enter. Promotion and relegation, just like in league football for example, depends on performance.

The value figure presented in the evening is the closing value of the FTSE 100 for that day - representing the combined value of the top 100 companies.

How to invest in FTSE 100

You can buy individual shares of FTSE 100 companies via a share dealing platform.

There is stamp duty of 0.5% to pay on UK share purchases.

Once you've bought shares, you will need to keep track of the markets. If the shares you buy go up in value, you'll make a profit when you sell them subject to any fees.

Losses are only crystallised if you sell below the purchase price.

Tracker funds (open-ended investment companies or exchange-traded funds) provide the easiest way of investing in the FTSE 100.

Trading hours are Monday to Friday from 8am- 4.30pm.

You may have read about the FTSE reaching record highs in recent weeks - but the London-based index is actually a relative laggard this year compared with rivals in the US, Japan and Germany.

Membership arguably doesn't hold the prestige it once did - and an increasing number of major companies are citing the fact they could be valued higher as a reason for snubbing London.

Shell last month indicted it could abandon the city for New York for this reason.

Is it the top British companies?

The index is chock-full of companies that have little or nothing to do with the UK - such as Fresnillo, a Mexican gold and silver miner; Antofagasta, a Chilean copper and gold miner; and Ashtead Group, a plant and tool hire company which derives £90 in every £100 it earns from the US.

Even companies thought of as British, such as BP, Rolls-Royce, BAE Systems, Shell and Diageo, the world's biggest scotch whisky and tequila producer, derive the vast majority of their earnings outside the UK. In fact, of the 20 biggest companies in the Footsie, only one - the Lloyds Banking Group - can be said to make most of its income in the UK.

For a better gauge of how corporate Britain is doing, investors are better off looking at the FTSE 250, the next biggest 250 listed companies on the London Stock Exchange and home to household names such as Bellway, Games Workshop and ITV.

Read other entries in our Basically... series:

Britons will, on average, pay £182.40 more a year for broadband and £94.80 for mobile after last month's hikes, according to research by Uswitch.

Price hikes in April mean monthly broadband bills have increased by an average £15.20 and mobile bills by £7.90, with customers who have stayed with their provider for more than five years being hit hardest. 

Mobile customers across both pay-monthly and SIM only contracts who have stayed with their provider for eight to nine years paid an extra £13.20 on their mobile bill last month - a huge rise in comparison with the national average price increase of £7.90, Uswitch reports.

Those who switched their provider less than one year ago were the best off, with their increases averaging out at £6.70.

Similarly, broadband customers who stayed with their provider for seven to eight years paid an extra £22.10 this month - significantly more than the national average price rise of £15.20.

Those who switched less than one year ago paid 23% lower than the national average.

This Uswitch chart illustrates the numbers...

"Customers seeing these price rises can still take action," says Sabrina Hoque, telecoms expert at Uswitch.

"Your provider will let you know when your contract is about to end, so don't be tempted to ignore these emails when they come through. Run a comparison or ring your provider up and negotiate a better deal."

We are a nation of tea drinkers – we drink around 100 million cups a day and 70% of us say we'd choose tea over alcohol.

But, on International Tea Day, experts have told Sky News that Britons should be treating tea more like wine.

One key thing not enough of us are doing is checking the back of the packet to see which country our tea is coming from.

Tea is grown in more than 60 countries, with the UK getting most of its supply from East Africa. All tea comes from the same plant – the Camellia sinensis – but where it is grown can really affect its flavour.

Let us know your tea tips, or how you make yours, in the comments section

"The black tea that we tend to drink here are blends, so you could have tea from seven different origins in one bag," the chief executive of the UK Tea and Infusions Association, Dr Sharon Hall, told the Money blog.

"You might have Kenyan tea in there for that really good colour but you might also have teas from Assam in there to give it that really malty flavour which we as consumers love in the UK.

"Depending on where that tea bush is grown, whether it's up high in the Himalayas or down low, the tea leaves off that will really have a different flavour profile. It's just like wines," she added.

If you look on the packet, it should tell you the origins of the tea you are consuming.

According to the Teabackyard website , the following regions have these flavour profiles...

Assam . Assam tea grows in tropical lowlands in the Assam region in India, near the Brahmaputra River. This produces a malty, chocolatey flavour. 

Ceylon . Ceylon tea is cultivated in Sri Lanka. Some tea plants are grown at up to 6,000 feet. The flavour is said to be spicy, chocolatey, and citrusy.

Kenyan . Kenya's black tea plants grow in lush green plantations located in lowland regions. This tea is often used in tea blends to provide a robust base because it is strong and full-bodied. It is a tea that almost needs milk to tame down its "bite".

Keemun . Keemun tea is grown only in the Anhui province of China. Some in China claim this was the first breakfast tea - and it is now used in tea blends too. It is a lighter-bodied black tea with a more delicate taste and isn't usually used as a base tea. Hints of smoky maltiness come through in flavour, with a subtle floral aroma.

Two teabags?

Dr Hall said two teabags was quite typical of the UK's habits, with the majority of Britons preferring a strong brew.

Despite this, data from the UKTIA shows only 7% of people brew their tea for the optimal 3-4 minutes suggested by many black tea brands, and nearly a fifth only leave the bag in for less than a minute.

Dr Hall insists tea hasn't become weaker, so if you are using two tea bags, it might be time to check the packet to see what your recommended brew time is and giving that a go to get the "optimal flavour". 

"Really in terms of the flavour you get out of those blends, they are very brand specific, like a stronger black tea you might find a brand that delivers that. But in terms of strength, that is really to do with brew time and how you prepare your tea," she explained,

She said that for green tea, she might brew the bag for slightly less time, but she likes to leave her black tea for a good five minutes.

If you are still struggling to make the perfect cup of tea, Dr Hall suggests a key ingredient could be how you boil your water.

One element that she emphasised in particular is using a "smart boil" system to make your tea – basically, measure out the amount of water you need and only boil that amount.

Not only does it save you money, it also means there is more oxygen in your water which "excites the flavours out of the leaves", meaning it could help to make your tea more flavourful, she said.

Your favourite mug, adding the milk after the water, and taking five minutes to relax are also key, she said.

UKTIA has released its latest UK "tea census" today - here are some of the key findings:

• 70% of Britons are choosing tea over booze;
• The age group most likely to choose a cuppa over alcohol are 30-44-year-olds (81%);
• 18-29-year-olds are more likely (72%) than 45-59-year-olds (64%) to pass up alcohol in favour of tea;
• Sweet biscuits are the most popular snack pairing (48%), followed by a chocolate biscuit, cake, a sandwich and chocolate;
• Britons' preferred types of tea are black tea (84%), green tea (60%), peppermint (46%), ginger (43%), chamomile (37%), lemon balm (22%) and spearmint (20%);
• Around 40% of people say putting on the kettle helps to encourage someone to open up, according to the UKTIA.

HMRC is reportedly using AI to recruit staff , with some not speaking to a human until their first day.

The hiring process for some junior roles - including customer service adviser - are being done virtually with candidates asked to send a CV and 1,000-word statement to an email address and then answer six questions from a pre-recorded video, according to The Sunday Times .

One current HMRC employee who went through the process told the newspaper it was "so daft and the questions themselves were waffle".

HMRC said that for entry-level roles, recruitment processes were automated to manage the higher level of applicants it received.

Ryanair has reported another year of record profits and passenger numbers.

At the same time, the average fare at the airline, which is Europe's largest by passenger numbers, was 21% more expensive than 12 months earlier, its annual results showed.

But the company suggested a cut in ticket prices could be on the way after this summer when prices will either be the same or more expensive than last year.

Annual profits reached €1.92bn (£1.64bn), surpassing the previous record of €1.45bn (£1.26bn) made in the year ending March 2018.

Read the full story here ...

Business flights to and from the UK have decreased by nearly a third  since the COVID pandemic.

Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and examined by the New Economics Foundation found there were 29%  fewer trips in 2023 than in 2019.

In total, businesses shelled out around £2.9bn less on air travel in 2023, a 22% decrease from four years earlier, according to City AM.

"Business use of air travel peaked in 2007 and has fallen further since the pandemic. Today, growth causes major damage to our climate while benefiting only a tiny group of airport owners and wealthy frequent flyers," Alex Chapman, senior economist at the New Economics Foundation, told the newspaper.

The number of 56-65 year olds looking to buy their first home has grown by 13% in the first quarter of this year.

The average age of a first-time buyer is 33 - but 2.2% are now in the 56-65 age bracket.

This compares with 44.8% aged 18-30 and 35.6% aged 31-40, according to data from Legal & General.

Further analysis found the average loan searched for at the end of 2023 and beginning of 2024 increased by 3.7% from £214,299 to £222,148, pointing to the fact buyers can afford larger loan values due to inflation dropping and monthly earning increasing.

Kevin Roberts, Legal & General Mortgage Services managing director, said: "Our figures show that the desire to own a home remains strong, even for those who are waiting longer to take those first steps onto the property ladder. 

"As affordability begins to ease, we'll likely see further activity in the first-time buyer market, especially if inflation continues to fall and the Bank of England reduces its base rate later in the year." 

BT Group has pushed back its timetable for moving all customers off the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) and onto digital landlines.

New digital landlines provide services using the internet and will replace 40-year-old analogue landline technology that has become increasingly fragile and difficult to fix.

It aims to allow all UK telecoms companies to offer consumers and businesses clearer and better quality phone calls, as well as new features such as anonymous caller rejection or three-way calling, according to the Gov.uk website.

When is the switch happening?

BT now says the switch is happening in stages.

From this summer, customers who have not used their landline in the last 12 months, who do not identify as vulnerable or have additional needs, have not contacted an Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC) in the last 24 months and live in an area where a data sharing agreement is in place, will be switched - unless they have opted out.

Vulnerable customers or those with additional needs will start to be switched from summer 2025 with the aim to have all customers moved off the old analogue PSTN by the end of January 2027.

Howard Watson, chief security and networks officer at BT Group, said: "Managing customer migrations from analogue to digital as quickly and smoothly as possible, while making the necessary provisions for those customers with additional needs, including telecare users, is critically important.

"We need all local authorities and telecare providers to share with us the phone lines where they know there's a telecare user."

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7 Cheapest Destinations For 2024 That Offer The Most Travel Value

Looking for a cheap destination for your 2024 vacation?

• Find the cheapest vacation spots in 2024 with the Post Office's Holiday Money Report, focusing on currency strengths and local costs.
• Locations like Sunny Beach, Bulgaria, Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, and Algarve, Portugal offer affordable travel experiences with diverse activities.
• Tokyo and Hoi An, Vietnam provide inexpensive yet unforgettable experiences with free attractions like parks, shrines, and cultural sites.

Looking for a cheap vacation? The postal and financial services firm Post Office , located in the United Kingdom, has released a new travel report that highlights some of the most affordable vacation destinations for 2024. The yearly study is intended for tourists from the UK, although Americans might also benefit from this list.

The Holiday Money Report 2024 identifies some of the most affordable holiday locations by examining currency strengths, local costs, and necessary visitor fees in 40 well-liked vacation spots worldwide. The study rates locations using a barometer that accounts for the cost of eight necessities for tourists: beer, coffee, cola, water, wine, sunscreen, bug repellent, and a three-course dinner.

Furthermore, the report provides a decent idea of where travelers’ money will go the farthest, even if it excludes items like lodging and travel. Here are the seven cheapest destinations for 2024 that offer the most travel value.

10 Cheap Travel Destinations In The US, Ranked By Cost

7 sunny beach, bulgaria, travel cost per day: $78.26.

Sunny Beach, situated on Bulgaria's Black Sea coast, was built as a resort town for Bulgarian families in the 1950s and has grown to be the nation's top tourist destination over time. Due to the town's expansion over time, the town now offers vacationers an exceptionally wide range of possibilities. These include go karting, paintballing, casinos, music venues, and a massive waterpark.

Additionally, this cheap destination has a gorgeous waterfront, lined with tall buildings and featuring a lovely blue sea as well as a lengthy sandy beach. When it comes to nightlife, the neighborhood is known for its club scene. With a bustling nightlife and affordable costs, it's a great option if travelers are looking to go out with friends on a tight budget.

6 Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt

Travel cost per day: $76.86.

Sharm El Sheikh is a popular destination for eco-tourists and divers due to its abundant marine life and hundreds of Red Sea coral reef locations. Over the past several decades, the tourism industry in this city on the Sinai Peninsula has expanded quickly, leading to the emergence of upscale resorts and sophisticated nightlife.

Sharm el-Sheikh, known for its affordability and value, stands out as one of the cheapest destinations in 2024, offering an array of budget-friendly activities. Snorkeling and diving in the crystal-clear waters of the Red Sea are must-dos, showcasing colorful coral reefs teeming with marine life.

For excursions on land, sampling delectable street cuisine and touring Old Sharm's bustling marketplaces provide rich cultural experiences without breaking the budget. Additionally, hiking Mount Sinai for breathtaking sunrise views comes at little cost, making Sharm el-Sheikh a treasure trove of affordable yet unforgettable experiences.

5 Algarve, Portugal

Travel cost per day: $74.76.

The Algarve region in Portugal, which offers culture, history, and scenic beauty at a far lower cost than in past years, is one of the cheapest destinations for 2024 that offers the most travel value. Travelers looking for an inexpensive yet stimulating break will find Algarve to be an exquisite destination with its sun-drenched beaches, quaint villages, and mouthwatering seafood.

Algarve's beautiful beaches are well-liked by people all over the world. This is particularly true if travelers go at the height of summer. Even with Algarve's growing popularity, this sunny region of Portugal continues to provide a ton of amazing bargains for cheap costs. There are several affordable hotels in the area; travelers can get some great deals, but they will need to make reservations far in advance.

10 Cheap Solo Travel Destinations For Those On A Single Budget

4 tokyo, japan, travel cost per day: $73.95.

Unexpectedly, Tokyo, Japan, a thriving city where modernity and tradition coexist, claims its place on the list of the cheapest 2024 destinations. The Post Office claims that all travelers need to buy as visitors is $74.43 each day.

Tokyo offers a wide range of free attractions, from skyline views at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building to discounted museum tickets on designated days. Green spaces like Ueno Park and iconic shrines like Sensoji are also free to explore. Enjoy art without spending a yen, with TeamLab installations scattered throughout the city and public sculptures like Louise Bourgeois' giant spider .

Unexpected places, like luxury boutiques and sushi restaurants, also host free art displays. Whether admiring Mt. Fuji from observation decks or stumbling upon art in unexpected places, Tokyo provides endless opportunities for exploration without breaking the bank .

3 Mombasa, Kenya

Travel cost per day: $68.79.

With its white sand beaches, lively marketplaces, and rich Swahili tradition, Kenya's Mombasa comes in on the list of the world’s cheapest travel destinations for 2024. Its seaside location on Africa's east coast entices visitors looking for both leisure and cultural discovery.

Given that Mombasa Island is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Kenya, travelers should definitely make the effort to visit if they haven't already . It's best to avoid choosing a date between December and March when travel is at its busiest and rates are highest.

12 Top Travel Destinations In The US For 2024

2 cape town, south africa, travel cost per day: $68.07.

With the backdrop of Table Mountain and immaculate coastlines, Cape Town, South Africa, promises a memorable vacation with an expenditure of $68.48 per day for necessities. Here, travelers can savor fine cuisine inexpensively while immersing themselves in the dynamic culture.

Tourists can visit Boulders Beach, renowned for its colony of African penguins , which presents a picturesque scene with ancient granite boulders and shimmering turquoise waters, or explore Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens for serene sunset concerts and scenic strolls. At the historic Labia Theater , enjoy diverse films, or indulge in culinary delights at food markets like Oranjezicht City Farm and Mojo Market .

Budget-conscious travelers can also explore the vibrant streets of Bo Kaap for free, unwind on hiking trails such as Lion’s Head and beaches like Clifton, or ascend Table Mountain on complimentary hikes or cableway rides.

1 Hoi An, Vietnam

Travel cost per day: $64.10.

Hoi An, Vietnam, tops the list of the most affordable destinations for 2024. The Southeast Asian city offers the best value for travelers’ money and won't break the bank, with a total projected cost of just $64.51 per day for travel necessities, according to the Post Office survey.

Hoi An, a city on Vietnam's central coast, draws tourists with its UNESCO-recognized Ancient Town, a charming area where lantern-lit lanes lead to delightful stores and street food vendors. Additionally, it's located near some of Asia's most breathtaking white-sand beaches.

Hoi An's Ancient Town, a historic gem from the Nguyen Dynasty, reflects cultural exchanges with Japan and China. Notable structures like the Cau Pagoda showcase foreign architectural influences.

On-budget travelers can explore bustling streets and cultural sites like the Hoi An Museum and Folk Island's Handicraft Village at VinWonders Nam Hoi An . History enthusiasts can visit the Hoi An Impression Theme Park and delve into the town's 400-year history, featuring the Hoi An Memories Show. For tranquility, travelers on a budget can visit Cam Thanh Village's coconut tree-lined rivers, offering basket boat rides and local boat shows.

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• Government efficiency, transparency and accountability
• Government spending
• Public Spending Statistics release: May 2024
• HM Treasury

Public spending statistics: May 2024

Published 17 May 2024

© Crown copyright 2024

This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: [email protected] .

Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.

This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/public-spending-statistics-release-may-2024/public-spending-statistics-may-2024

About this release

This release presents updated Public Spending data for the years 2018-19 to 2022-23. All data in this release are National Statistics and are on an outturn basis. TME figures are consistent with data published by the ONS in April 2024. All data and further background detail can be found in the accompanying tables published alongside this release. We welcome any feedback at [email protected]

Total expenditure (£billions)

Budgets are divided into Departmental Expenditure Limits ( DEL ), which are firm plans for three or four years, and Annually Managed Expenditure ( AME ), covering spending which is demand-led, less predictable and more difficult to control. In the accompanying excel tables, table 1 shows the aggregate position for all departments and all types of spending, with some of the main types of spending shown separately. Table 8 shows in detail how the budgeting data is used to construct the Total Managed Expenditure ( TME ) figures published by the Office for National Statistics. These are based on National Accounts concepts and are used in the aggregates which underlie the government’s fiscal policy.

• TME was £1,157.4 billion in 2022-23, an increase of 10.5 per cent on the previous year.
• TES was £1,075.6 billion in 2022-23, an increase of 12.7 per cent on the previous year.

Total Departmental Expenditure Limits, 2022-23 (£millions)

For the full table, including years from 2018-19 onward, please refer to Table 7 in the accompanying budget tables excel.

Budgeting Statistics (Tables 1 to 9)

• Total DEL expenditure (Resource DEL excluding depreciation plus Capital DEL ) was £545.9 billion in 2022-23, an increase of £3.3 billion or 0.6 per cent on the previous year in nominal terms. The largest decrease in DEL spending in nominal terms in 2022-23 was for DLUHC – Local Government, which was down by £9.5 billion to £11.8 billion. This decrease is largely a result of expenditure related to Covid-19 measures falling in 2022-23. The largest increase in DEL spending in nominal terms in 2022-23 was for Energy Security and Net Zero, which increased by £7.2 billion to £20.3 billion. This increase is largely a result of expenditure related to the energy bills support scheme.
• Total departmental expenditure (Total DEL plus resource and capital departmental AME ) was £943.7 billion in 2022-23, a decrease of £234.9 billion or 19.9 per cent on the previous year.
• Resource departmental AME was £363.5 billion in 2022-23, a decrease from £618.1 billion in 2021-22. The largest decrease in resource departmental AME spending in nominal terms in 2022-23 was for Energy Security and Net Zero, which was down by £196.4 billion to -£81.6 billion. This mainly reflected higher provisions for the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority ( NDA ) in 2021-22.

In the accompanying excel tables, tables 1 to 9 show central government departmental spending on a budgetary basis. These are the aggregates used by the government to plan and control expenditure. They cover departments’ own spending as well as support to local government and public corporations. They are consistent with “Estimates” voted by Parliament and broadly consistent with departmental Resource Accounts, which are based on commercial International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) adapted for the public sector.

Real terms public expenditure (£billions)

In the accompanying excel tables, tables 10 to 11 present spending under the “expenditure on services” framework. This is based on National Accounts definitions and covers the whole of the public sector. It therefore has wider coverage than the budgeting framework and is also more stable over time.

Trends in functional expenditure (Tables 10, 10a and 10b)

Compared with the previous year:

• in real terms, spending in seven of the ten functions (excluding EU transactions) for 2022-23 increased whilst spending in three functions fell, compared to 2021-22.
• the largest real terms percentage increase was in general public services (38.9 per cent), mainly as a result of an increase in public sector debt interest.
• spending on health shows a nominal and real terms decrease in 2022-23 (1.4 per cent in nominal terms and 7.6 per cent in real terms). This is due to higher levels of expenditure in health for 2021-22, which was largely related to covid-19 measures.

In the accompanying excel tables, tables 10, 10a and 10b show public sector expenditure on services broken down by function over a longer number of years, allowing long-term trends to be identified. Table 11 presents data broken down by economic categories such as pay or grants.

National Statistics are accredited official statistics [footnote 1] . These accredited official statistics were independently reviewed by the Office for Statistics Regulation in November 2011 . They comply with the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics and should be labelled ‘accredited official statistics’.

Our statistical practice is regulated by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR). OSR sets the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics that all producers of official statistics should adhere to. For further information, please see the explanation web page on the OSR website.

You are welcome to contact us directly with any comments about how we meet these standards. Alternatively, you can contact OSR by emailing [email protected] or via the OSR website.

Spending frameworks used in HM Treasury spending publications

Trends in public spending, chart 1: trends in public spending since 1999-00.

• TME as a percentage of GDP , which shows the size of the public sector relative to the size of the whole economy, was 45.3 per cent in 2022-23, which was an increase of 1.0 per centage points when compared to 2021-22. Figures for 2020-21 show the highest percentage (53.1 per cent) in the period covered by these tables (from 1999-00), reflecting not only increased spending, but also lower GDP as the economy entered recession during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Chart 2: Real terms trends in Public Spending

From 2011-12 onwards the ‘grant-equivalent element of student loans’ is no longer part of the TES framework and has therefore been removed from the Education function. Therefore, figures are not directly comparable between 2010-11 and 2011-12. A full explanation of this decision can be found in PESA 2016 Annex E .

Revisions in this release (since the February 2024 publication)

Changes to Total Managed Expenditure ( TME ) and public sector debt interest in all years are due to updated ONS data. More information about these changes is available in the monthly ONS public sector finances (PSF) release .

Additional information about the PSS release

Upcoming revisions and changes in forthcoming releases.

The next HM Treasury PSS National Statistics release will be published in July 2024, alongside the Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses (PESA) release . There are no expected changes to the spending frameworks for the next release.

PSS publication schedule for the coming year

Gdp deflators and money gdp.

Real terms figures are the nominal figures adjusted to 2022-23 price levels using GDP deflators from the Office for National Statistics (released 28 March 2024).

GDP Deflator: Financial years 2018-19 to 2022-23 taken from ONS series L8GG in Table N .

Accredited official statistics are called National Statistics in the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007  ↩

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