What You Need to Know Before Traveling to the UK

Visiting any country for the first time can be a scary and daunting experience. The new culture, the way of life and all the new rules might seem like a lot to learn, but, learning a bit about the country and planning your trip well ahead of time can help make things easier and your journey smoother. You will also avoid offending the locals!

Things are no different when it comes to travelling to Britain. Whether it is left lane driving, their obsession with tea and staying in queues, life in the UK varies from other parts of the world. If you are planning on visiting the UK and do not have the time to read a 600 page Lonely Planet travel guide, here are the top things that you need to know before you visit.

How long can you stay without a visa?

This should be your first concern. If you are from an English speaking country or a country in the European Union, you are not required to have a visa and are able to stay for up to six months. If you are not the list of visa-free countries, you will have to apply for a visa prior to your visit. 

Abhishek Jain, from Diplomat Visa, a UK Visa Assistance provider in Delhi, suggests to plan well ahead as visa application can take time. 

Always make sure that your passport is valid for at least six months and does not expire before the end of your stay. This is true for any country that you visit and should generally be kept as a rule of thumb for any visit abroad. Ensure your passport has one blank page so that the entry stamp can be stamped at the customs.

The UK uses the Pound Sterling

Unlike the rest of the European continent, the UK has not switched over to the Euro due to the strength of the Pound Sterling. Some shops in the country do accept Euros but you will receive your change in pounds. You can withdraw from your card through the many ATMs across the country but keep in mind that you will be charged a foreign transaction fee of about 3 per cent. This pesky little fee has a tendency to add up, so make sure to include it in your calculations when budgeting.

Almost any establishment in the country will accept cards but the UK also uses a security protocol called “chip and pin” - which is not used in the US. The chip refers to an embedded pin in the card and the pin refers to your pin code and if your card does not have the ”chip” transactions might sometimes be refused. If that is the case, you should use a credit card.

P.S - always call your bank and let them know you are leaving abroad. You do not want your card blocked because it was deemed a fraudulent transaction.

There is a robust public transportation system

The car culture is not as strong as it is across the Atlantic in the United States. Taxis are widespread and easy to find throughout the country’s cities. If you are in London, you are best off getting an Oyster card. It makes it much easier (and cheaper ) to travel on the bus and subway, or Tube as the British call it, because you just have to swipe it. If you do not have an Oyster card, you can buy a ticket for your journeys. Make sure to have change on you.

Get used to walking around London. The city is walker friendly and allows you to get up and close to the many attractions scattered across the country. You can also find trains to many cities across the UK. If time permits, consider taking a train to somewhere like Glasgow or Bath so you can get a better view of England's beautiful countryside and natural landscape.

You are bound to face issues with the English accent!

Well, everybody in the UK does speak English, but the accents from certain parts like Yorkshire and Scotland can be difficult to decipher for someone from out of the country.

Coming back to London, there are hundreds of cultures in play and while that has improved the cuisine considerably, there are also some people who do not speak English well or at all, so it is something you need to be aware of.

Moreover, if you are coming from across the Atlantic, you should know that words have different meanings. What you call elevators are referred to as lifts in the UK and tea is not just tea in this part of the world; it is an entire 4 pm meal!

There are many customs you need to know

If you did not know it already, you have to drive on the left in the UK. If you are getting your own car, make sure to keep this in mind. It might be difficult in the beginning due to your muscle memory but forgetting this can be catastrophic if you forget. The British also walk and stand on the left and you will be expected to do the same, especially on escalators - unless you are overtaking someone. During peak hours in the Tube, you can ruin a smooth flow of foot traffic if you are not careful, so always make sure to obey these unspoken rules.

There is more information available on the UK Government website.

Keeping both your fork and your knife together in the middle of the plate shows that you have finished your meal. If you cross your fork and knife at the top of your plate, it signs that you are not finished and the waiter will assume the same.

Beer is generally served at room temperature but you can ask for some ice if you wish. Asking for ice means a couple of cubes at max and not a glass full of ice. Talking about drinking, the minimum drinking age over there is eighteen and the drinking culture in the UK is very strong; you can even call it the national past time in the country and you would not be wrong at all.