London Travel Guide for Indians

London at a glance

Currency

British Pound (GBP). A small cash float for tips and old-school pubs is plenty; cards handle everything else.

Cards & ATMs

Contactless caps the daily Tube fare automatically. Indian Visa/Mastercard work seamlessly; refuse DCC.

Visa

Standard Visitor Visa for Indian passport holders — apply through VFS, takes 3–6 weeks. ETA is not for Indians (yet).

Transport

Just tap your card on the Tube and buses. Skip Oyster unless travelling with a child. Black cabs accept cards.

Etiquette

Stand on the right of escalators, walk on the left. No tipping needed at most pubs. Apologise excessively (it works).

Common mistakes

Don't buy GBP at the airport. Don't use bureau de change on Oxford Street. Don't tip on a card unless asked to.

Cash vs card in London Mostly cashless

Cash-heavyFully cashless

London sits at about 95 on the cash-to-cashless spectrum. London is effectively cashless. Contactless and Apple/Google Pay work everywhere from the Tube to corner shops.

Money for your London trip

How to carry money to London, answered here. For live rates, conversion and buying, we hand you to the pages built for it.

CurrencyBritish Pound (GBP)

Cash vs cardMostly cashless

Best combinationForex card plus a small cash float

Live rate

1 GBP = ——

The same live rate Matrix Forex shows across the site. Rates move through the day.

Buy British Pound See the live GBP rate Open the converter →

What things cost in London

Typical local prices in London, for orientation only. These are local prices, not exchange rates.
Everyday item	Typical price
Coffee	£3.5
Tube daily cap	£8.10
Hotel (3-star)	£140
Pub meal	£15

London is contactless from the moment you land. Tap your Indian card on the Tube barrier and the daily and weekly caps apply automatically — you do not need an Oyster card unless you are travelling with a child.

The biggest avoidable cost is buying GBP at the airport. Order online before you fly, lock the rate, and have notes delivered to your home — the difference is often £20–50 on a single trip.