Layover guide
Staying connected in London
Free wifi at Heathrow and Gatwick; PAYG SIMs and eSIMs sold with no contract or credit check.
All of London
Heathrow: free wifi across all terminals on the network "_Heathrow Wi-Fi" (note the leading underscore). Register once with an email address and it lasts the duration of your stay; free internet kiosks also in every terminal.
Gatwick: free wifi at up to 50Mbps after an email sign-up form; a paid 100Mbps tier costs GBP 5 per 24 hours or comes free with a myGatwick account.
Pay-as-you-go SIMs and eSIMs are easy for visitors: O2 sells PAYG SIMs and eSIMs online with no contract, no credit check and no commitment, activated by inserting the SIM and topping up via app.
- Heathrow Airport (official) · checked 2026-08-18
- London Gatwick Airport (official) · checked 2026-08-18
- O2 (operator) · checked 2026-08-18
The rest of London
The whole guideGetting out of the airportBlack cabs on the meter from ranks outside each terminal with a small Heathrow pick-up charge, or three rail routes into town, only one of which runs through the night and only at weekends.Ride-hailingApps are legal but every ride is a pre-booked private hire job, the pick-up is in the short stay car park rather than the terminal kerb, and the app estimate replaces a meter.Local laws that catch crew outThe traps that catch crew here are blades, cannabis, and open alcohol on the transport network, and all of them come straight from UK government departments and TfL.WeatherMild maritime climate: pack for rain in any month, light layers year-round, and increasingly real summer heat with no monsoon or snow season to plan around.Eating near the crew hotelsFood markets are the efficient layover feed: Borough Market by London Bridge (closed Mondays), Old Spitalfields open daily; carry a card, everything takes contactless but a few stalls do not.What to buyNo VAT refund on goods you carry home; street markets (vintage, food) are the distinctive buy, and cards work nearly everywhere.TippingTipping is optional, not expected: 10-15% in restaurants only if no service charge is on the bill, round up taxis, and by law staff now keep 100% of tips.