For a tourist visit to the UK, a valid passport and an Electronic Travel Authorisation, or ETA. A national ID card is no longer enough for most standard tourist visits.

• Passport: your document must be valid for the whole stay.
• ETA: required for tourism, family visits and some other short stays.
• ETA cost: £20 on the official GOV.UK website.
• Validity: an ETA allows multiple journeys, usually up to 6 months per visit, for up to 2 years or until the passport expires.
• Children: every traveller needs an ETA, including babies and children.

For Windsor, Oxford, Cambridge, Brighton and Bath, the train is usually a better choice than a car. You avoid heavy traffic, parking, driving on the left and city restrictions.

• London–Windsor: fastest services to Windsor & Eton Central from Paddington can take around 25 minutes with a change; from Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside it is often around 55 minutes.
• to Oxford: fastest services from Paddington take around 45–52 minutes.
• to Cambridge: fastest services from King’s Cross take around 49 minutes.
• to Brighton: fastest services take around 58 minutes to about 1 hour.
• to Bath: fastest GWR services from Paddington take around 1 h 19.
• Railcard: if you plan several train trips, check Railcard options; many offer up to 1/3 off selected fares.

• National Rail
• Trainline
• Railcard

You do not need a car in London. For most first visits, the best combination is public transport, walking and trains. A car becomes useful only for the Cotswolds, countryside, smaller scattered places or a longer England road trip.

• Without a car: London, Windsor, Oxford, Cambridge, Brighton, Bath.
• With a car: Cotswolds, countryside, coastal villages, scattered places and multi-day road trips.
• In London: traffic, parking, Congestion Charge and ULEZ quickly make a car expensive and impractical.
• Practical: for a first visit to England, choose trains rather than renting a car at the airport.

If you still drive into London, check two things first: the Congestion Charge for the central zone and ULEZ for emission standards. This is not something to solve casually on the way, because costs and penalties can add up quickly.

• Congestion Charge: £18 per day if paid in advance or on the same day.
• Late payment: £21 if paid by midnight on the third day after travel.
• Hours: 07:00–18:00 Monday to Friday and 12:00–18:00 on Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays.
• ULEZ: if the vehicle does not meet emission standards, the daily charge is £12.50.
• Rental car: a violation can also bring an administration fee from the rental company.

• Congestion Charge
• ULEZ

UK driving rules are clear and the penalties are not symbolic. Seat belts are mandatory, and using a handheld phone or similar device while driving is punished with points and a fine.

• Seat belt: the fine can be up to £500 if you do not wear one when required.
• Children: the driver must make sure children use the correct child seat or seat belt.
• Handheld phone: £200 fine and 6 penalty points for holding and using a phone, tablet or similar device while driving.
• New drivers: if you passed your driving test in the last two years, 6 points can mean losing your licence.
• Hands-free: even hands-free use can be a problem if it means you are not in proper control of the vehicle.

England uses the pound sterling. London is expensive, and the budget rises fastest through accommodation, public transport, coffee, pubs, concerts and paid tickets. Cards are widely accepted, and you usually need less cash than in many other countries.

• Currency: pound sterling.
• Payments: card or phone is enough in London almost everywhere.
• Backup: a small amount of cash is still useful for small places, markets or unexpected situations.
• Accommodation: usually the biggest cost; also check neighbourhoods outside the strict centre if they are well connected.
• Museums: many major museums are free, but special exhibitions are often paid.

For a visit to the United Kingdom, arrange travel insurance. The European Health Insurance Card can be useful if you are entitled to use it, but it is not a replacement for travel insurance.

• Recommendation: arrange travel or health insurance for the whole trip.
• EHIC: take it with you if you are entitled to use it in the UK.
• It does not cover everything: private healthcare, trip cancellation, lost luggage or repatriation.
• Practical: save your policy number and assistance contact, not only a PDF in your email.

• Healthcare for EU visitors
• European Health Insurance Card

After Brexit, roaming in the United Kingdom is not as automatic as roaming within the EU. Before departure, check your mobile plan, especially if you will use navigation, Citymapper, maps or tethering a lot.

• Phone: check roaming costs with your operator before travelling.
• eSIM: a useful backup for longer stays or heavier data use.
• Electricity: type G plugs are used, so you need an adapter.
• Voltage: 230 V, 50 Hz.
• Practical: offline London maps help when your battery or signal decides otherwise.

Save emergency numbers before the trip. In the United Kingdom, 999 and 112 work for emergencies, while 111 is important for non-emergency medical advice.

• 999: emergencies — police, fire, ambulance, coastguard.
• 112: European emergency number, also works in the UK.
• 111: NHS number for non-emergency medical advice.
• 101: police for non-emergency matters.
• Practical: for health problems that are not life-threatening, do not call 999; check 111.