Weather:

Contrary to popular belief, it does not rain every day in the United-Kingdom. However there is always the possibility of rain no matter what season you're travelling during, so it is always advisable to bring some type of waterproof clothing. Winter is generally cold and wet so it is wise to bring clothes that will keep you warm as the temperature drops to below freezing during the evening and is normally just above freezing during the day. Snow is not uncommon but do not be disappointed if you don't see any. During the summer you will normally be comfortable in pants and a T-shirt although there are days when shorts would be more appropriate. Bring some warm clothes as the temperature does fall in the evening. The summer months are from the beginning of June to the end of August. Spring and autumn are very unpredictable. The temperature will vary from warm to cold so research the weather before travelling.

Getting about:

Train:

Train travel in the UK is an excellent alternative to travelling by car. Despite poor press, the trains, more often than not, do run on time. Tickets can be bought directly at the station through the ticket offices or via the Ticket Machines which generally take most debit and credit cards and cash. If you are looking to save money on train tickets then you should book your ticket well in advance. It’s also a good idea to look out for the 2 for 1 or family ticket offers as these can save you a lot of money. There are also ticket offers that combine free or reduced price entry into some of the top attractions in the UK. Travelling by train is much more relaxing and gives you a chance to appreciate the countryside as you pass through.

London Underground/Tube:

The underground in London is by far the easiest and best way to get about. The service runs frequently between the hours of 6am and 12.30am Monday to Saturday with a less frequent service running on Sundays and Bank Holidays. It is always worthwhile looking out for the signs indicating engineering works as these can close some of the underground lines down over weekends and at night and often catch people out especially late at night. Tickets for the underground can be purchased at the ticket offices or via the ticket machines. If you are planning on travelling around London then look out for the 1 Day Travel Cards that can be purchased. Prices vary according to the Zone you wish to travel in. Information on the various Zones is available on the many Underground Maps posted about in the stations. It’s a good idea to purchase a pocket size Tube Map as you will get great use out of it. Lastly don’t lose your ticket as you will be asked to pay the full price when you reach your destination.

Airports:

There are many airports serving the UK but typically visitors to the country will use Heathrow or Gatwick as these are the two main entry ports. Both of these airports have fast train links into London which is a lot cheaper than a taxi and quicker than the coach. In addition there are numerous other airports such as Southampton, Cardiff, Dublin, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Luton, Birmingham, Stansted, Manchester and Aberdeen. There are a number of low-cost airlines which service these airports and provide a quick travel alternative especially if you are travelling to Scotland, Ireland or Wales.

British Summer Time

The clocks change twice during the year with British Summer Time (BST) starting on the mast Sunday in March and ending on the last Sunday in October. The clocks officially change at 1am.

• In Spring, the clocks go forward – losing an hour.
• In Autumn, the clocks go back – giving an extra hour in bed!

The way to remember is to think “spring forward, fall back”.

In the next three years the clocks change on the following dates:

Bank Holidays

The expected Public (sometimes referred to as Bank Holidays) Holidays for the next three years are as follows. When a date falls on a Saturday or Sunday then a “substitute” day is allocated – normally the following Monday. It used to be the norm that all offices and businesses closed on a Public Holiday but this has changed over the years with many businesses remaining open. There isn’t a hidden rule so always check before hand to avoid disappointment.

Food and Drink:

Eating in the UK & Ireland can be as cheap or as expensive as you want to pay. There are a multitude of choices from fast-food outlets, pizza-style restaurants, and excellent pub bistros all the way up to fine dining Michelin star restaurants. Most restaurants, outside of London, stop serving food around 10pm but naturally the fast-food outlets remain open a lot later. Eating in hotels is generally a lot more expensive than eating out in a restaurant.

In England, you must be over 18 to drink or purchase alcohol. By law most Pubs or bars (Public Houses) around the country stop serving alcohol at 11, however there are exceptions. For example, hotels are exempt from this law and some bars manage to get around the law by turning themselves into clubs, which generally are allowed to stay open till 2 a.m.

Health Services:

In the event of an emergency the number to call in the UK is 999. When you call the number you will be asked first of all which service you require (Police, Fire or Ambulance), then they will trace your call and repeat the number out loud, then they will ask you what you want all of which takes only a few seconds but can seem like an eternity.

Health care is free to all European Union residents as well as common wealth residents. If you are not a resident in one of these countries make sure you have adequate health insurance or you could be left facing a very large bill if you are unfortunate enough to get into an accident whilst in the United Kingdom.

Money:

In the UK VAT (Value Added Tax) is currently 15% and is included in all pricing you see – where applicable. The majority of shops provide the ability to pay for your goods through a debit card or credit card using the Chip and Pin technology. This is a widely used and accepted practice for even relatively small amounts of money. Please be sure to know your pin number – you may be asked to provide a signature but this is less common. Cash point machines, where you can withdraw your money, are common and can be found in high streets and shopping malls.

Coins come in the following units – 1p, 2p, 5p, 20p, 50p, £1 and £2

Notes come in the following units - £5, £10, £20 and £50

Due to the majority of people using cards to pay for goods far less cash is actually carried around by people today.

There are plans to raise the VAT rate to 17.5% in 2010.

Important note: unlike the UK and Northern Ireland, the currency in the Republic of Ireland is the Euro – much like the rest of Europe. 

Newspapers:

In the United Kingdom there are many national and also smaller regional newspapers. The quality dailies with national circulation are The Telegraph, The Guardian, The Independent, The Times and the Financial Times, all of which cover local national and international news as well as sports. The tabloid papers in the United Kingdom are The Sun, The Star and The Daily Mirror. These typically cover more outrageous topics and celebrity gossip type stories. There are also papers that are in between these two and they are The Daily Mail, The Daily Express, and Today. These cover some of the wackier stories but also carry a lot of mainstream news. You should also have no trouble finding international papers like USA Today and the New York times.

Post:

Mail in the United Kingdom is extremely quick within the country, with next day service almost everywhere else. To send a letter currently costs less then 30p within the United Kingdom and European Union and less then 50p for international mail. The post office also provides other services like savings accounts and various license services. They even provide insurance services.

Telephones:

It will cost you a minimum of 10p from a pay phone but much more from a hotel room. Unlike the US you pay per minute for every call no matter where you are calling. There are three different calling zones in the United Kingdom, Local, Regional and National. There are also two different time rates 8am to 6pm being the more expensive and 6pm till 8am being the less expensive. 0800 calls are toll free and 01 numbers are regional or national calls, all others are charged at various rates and can be expensive. Examples include 0890 numbers, which currently cost 49c per minute. It is recommended that you check with your hotel to see how much your calls are going to cost you before you dial.
Useful Numbers: Operator: 100 International directory enquiries: 153. UK (except London) directory enquiries: 192 London directory enquiries: 142

Tipping:

The only people that it is customary to tip are those in the hotel and catering industry. Unlike the United States, bartenders, taxi drivers, hairdressers and guides do not expect to be tipped. This does not however mean you can’t! In the case of bartenders offering the bartender a drink is a good alternative. The smallest note that you can get in the United Kingdom is £5 which is quite a lot of money, so when tipping hotel porters don't underestimate the value of £1 Coins. 

Electric voltage

The electricity voltage in Britain is 240v AC / 50 Hz. The plug is a 3 pin plug and it is advisable to purchase an international adapter if you have already got one.