By Taxi

London cabs are among the most comfortable and best designed in the world. You can pick one up either by heading for a cab stand or by hailing one in the street (the taxi is available if the yellow taxi sign on the roof is lit); once they have stopped for you, taxis are obliged to take you anywhere you want to go within 9.5km (6 miles) of the pick-up point, provided it's within the metropolitan area. To call a cab, phone tel. 020/7272-0272 or 020/7253-5000. The meter starts at £3.80 ($6.10), with increments of 20p (30¢) thereafter, based on distance or time. Each additional passenger is charged 40p (65¢). Passengers pay 10p (15¢) for each piece of luggage in the driver's compartment and any other item more than .6m (2 ft.) long. Surcharges are imposed after 8pm and on weekends and public holidays. All these tariffs include VAT. Fares usually increase annually. It's recommended that you tip 10% to 15% of the fare.

If you call for a cab, the meter starts running when the taxi receives instructions from the dispatcher, so you could find that the meter already reads a few pounds more than the initial £3.80 ($6.10) when you step inside.

Minicabs, small cars, are also available, and they're often useful when the regular taxis become scarce or when the Tube stops running. These cabs are meterless, so the fare must be negotiated in advance. Unlike regular cabs, minicabs are forbidden by law to cruise for fares. They operate from sidewalk kiosks, such as those around Leicester Square. If you need to call one, try Brunswick Chauffeurs/Abbey Cars (tel. 020/8969-2555) in west London; London Cabs, Ltd. (tel. 020/8778-3000) in east London; or Newname Minicars (tel. 020/8472-1400) in south London. Minicab kiosks can be found near many Tube or BritRail stops, especially in outlying areas. You can also hail a minicab if you spot one on the street. If you have a complaint about taxi service, or if you leave something in a cab, contact the Public Carriage Office, 15 Penton St., N1 9PU (tel. 020/7230-1631; Tube: Angel Station). If it's a complaint, you must have the cab number, which is displayed in the passenger compartment.

Cab sharing is permitted in London, with cabbies permitted to carry two to five persons going to different destinations. Taxis accepting such riders display a notice on yellow plastic, with the words "Shared Taxi." Each of two riders sharing is charged 65% of the fare a lone passenger would be charged. Three persons pay 55%, four pay 45%, and five (the seating capacity of all new London cabs) pay 40% of the single-passenger fare.

By Car

Don't drive in congested London. It is easy to get around without a car, traffic and parking are nightmares, and depending on where you're from, you may have to drive from what you normally consider the passenger seat, on the "wrong" side of the road. It all adds up to a big headache. Plus, gridlocked London, in a desperation move, is now charging £5 ($8) for cars to enter the most congested parts of Central London from 7am to 6:30pm Monday to Friday.

By Bicycle

One of the most popular bike-rental shops is On Your Bike, 52-54 Tooley St., London Bridge, SE1 (tel. 020/7378-6669; Tube: London Bridge), open Monday through Friday from 8am to 7pm, and Saturday from 9:30am to 5:30pm. The first-class mountain bikes, with high seats and low-slung handlebars, cost £12 ($19) per day, £25 ($40) per weekend, or £60 ($96) per week, and require a £200 ($320) deposit on a credit card. Heavy traffic makes biking in London's streets difficult, but biking in the parks is a pleasure.