London has several types of public transport:
There's also the river bus and cable car, but these are more for leisure and entertainment than efficient city travel.
Unfortunately, the Tube map only shows Underground, Overground, or DLR lines, not trains, which are often convenient. So when planning routes, it's better to use an app. The most convenient is Citymapper, but Google Maps works too.
There are two payment options: a regular bank card (including Google/Apple Pay) and Oyster. For the Tube and inner-city trains, you can also buy paper tickets, but they're more expensive.
Children under 18 can travel free, but from age 5, they need to order a special Oyster with a photo. You can do this free online on the Transport for London website. Adults don't need to buy Oyster if they don't have a Railcard — the cost and discounts are exactly the same with a regular bank card. A bank card is the recommended payment method. However, Oyster has a small advantage — you can travel on credit. If you only have a pound on your card and travel to zone nine, your balance will go negative.
You can top up Oyster, if you use it, online through the Transport for London app.
You need to tap your card both on entry and exit so the fare is calculated correctly. Sometimes you need to tap at intermediate points on your journey. Terminals for such intermediate points are colored pink.
Be careful. Entry points don't always have turnstiles, and you might accidentally walk past the terminal. For example, when traveling on the DLR. If you ride without paying, you risk running into an inspector. If you forget to tap only on entry or only on exit, you'll be charged the maximum fare as if you traveled across all of London. However, if you install the Transport for London app, you can specify where exactly you forgot to tap and get a refund. They don't ask for any proof.
The cost of Tube travel depends on which transport zone you're traveling from and to, and whether you're traveling during peak hours. To avoid memorizing the table, use the extremely convenient Citymapper app. The app not only plans routes and shows costs but also shows the status of different Tube lines in real-time, which can save time.
Bus travel always costs £1.55 regardless of journey length. Moreover, from the moment of payment, you can transfer from bus to bus for free within an hour. You still need to tap your card though.
Both Oyster and bank cards have capping — a maximum amount you'll be charged per day or per week. For example, no matter how much you travel within zone two, you won't pay more than £7.40 per day. You can view the amounts on the TfL website.
Within London (zones 1-9) and even some stations beyond (including Gatwick Airport), train travel can be paid for the same way as the Tube — with a bank card or Oyster. Of course, paying with Oyster entitles you to ride in standard class; for first class, you'll need to pay extra.
Inspectors often walk through trains. So be careful. Both the starting and ending stations must be in a zone where card payment is allowed.
For buying train tickets to other cities, it's convenient to use the Trainline app, or you can buy paper tickets at station machines. The app lets you buy train tickets not only in the UK but also in the EU, which is convenient. But note that they sometimes (but not always) charge a booking fee. However, sometimes even with the fee, the ticket is cheaper than buying online.
You don't need a passport to buy tickets or travel by train. Unless you're going abroad on Eurostar.
Tickets are often valid all day. Although you specify a departure time when buying, you can take any train in that direction on the specified date. However, be careful! Some tickets aren't tied to a specific time but are only valid outside peak morning and evening hours.
Since tickets aren't tied to a specific time, during peak hours you may well end up standing.
Those who frequently travel by train can purchase a Railcard. It offers discounts for different age groups (16-25, 26-30), but even if you're over 30, you can get a family discount. Railcard can be linked to Oyster for convenience or to the Trainline app if you use it.
For trips to Europe, it makes sense to get GHIC or EHIC cards for yourself and family members through NHS. With these, in EU countries and some others, you can receive emergency medical care or visit A&E centers cheaper than regular tourists, or even free.
GHIC/EHIC is not a replacement or equivalent of health insurance. They cannot be used for visa applications.
The British coastline has rather cold ocean water, but there are many beautiful places with cliffs and lighthouses. There are beaches too.
https://zimamagazine.com/2021/06/10-luchshih-plyazhej-velikobritanii/
Better to do this early so you don't miss conferences or corporate summits.
Russian citizens are usually sent for administrative processing. B1/B2 visa duration is set at the officer's discretion. Maximum duration depends on citizenship (Russia — 3 years, Ukraine — 10 years); if you're subject to administrative processing, it's only for one year.
Administrative processing has different levels. In the worst case, they may ask for records of all your travels over several years with funding sources or something similar.
They look particularly closely at those who worked on cryptography, nuclear research, or studied at universities with such profiles. The general rule for interviews is to answer only the questions asked and not give extra details. A person who shares more than they were asked raises suspicion.
Attitudes toward Russian citizens are probably stricter. For example, two Snap employees from the same team in identical positions applied simultaneously for visas with the same purpose. The Russian citizen was sent for administrative processing but eventually received a 3-year visa; the Moldovan citizen wasn't asked anything and immediately got a 10-year visa stamped in their passport.
The visa process is described in detail on the embassy website. Unfortunately, Fragomen only helps with relocation, not tourist visas, so you'll have to do everything yourself. But save all receipts. You may be reimbursed through Concur.