Flights
London has six airports and direct flights from almost everywhere; Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Glasgow are well served from Europe and increasingly long-haul. Low-cost carriers connect the UK densely to the continent, which makes frequent short visits realistic in a way few destinations allow.
Getting around
Trains are fast and frequent but expensive if booked late: advance fares released around twelve weeks ahead can be a fifth of the walk-up price. Railcards pay for themselves quickly. Long-distance coaches are much cheaper and much slower. Driving is on the left, and city-centre charges apply in London and several other cities.
When to come
May, June and September give the best combination of weather, daylight and prices. July and August are the most expensive. Winter days are genuinely short — dark by four in December — which surprises visitors from lower latitudes more than the cold does.
Orders of magnitude
| Hotel night outside London | £70 to £120 |
|---|---|
| Hotel night in London | £120 to £250 |
| Restaurant meal | £15 to £35 |
| London–Edinburgh by train, booked early | £40 to £90 |
What holds everywhere
- Insurance covering medical costs and repatriation stops being optional as soon as local healthcare is limited. Check it actually covers the destination: many policies exclude areas under adverse travel advice.
- Carry cash. In much of the world cards work in the big cities and nowhere else. Check the ATM situation and your bank's charges before leaving.
- Leave margin on connections. A tight transfer on a thinly served route is expensive: the next flight may be tomorrow, or in three days.
- The real budget runs over two years, not one trip: repeated flights, paperwork, translations, legalisations, any support sent. It is always underestimated.
Frequently asked questions
Which airport makes sense?
Heathrow for long-haul, Gatwick, Stansted and Luton for Europe and budget carriers, Manchester and Edinburgh if the north is the destination. Factor in the transfer: a cheap fare into Stansted plus a coach and a night in a hotel often costs more than a direct flight into Heathrow.
What should the budget allow for?
Three items that are almost always underestimated: the flights themselves over several years; the paperwork — certified translations, apostilles, application fees, and the immigration health surcharge, which for a partner visa runs to a substantial four-figure sum; and the weeks of lost earnings that a move or an appointment costs. Put all three on the table early. Money is the commonest source of conflict for binational couples, and usually not because of the amount but because it was never discussed.