About London

About London

When beginning to plan your escape to London, it's a good idea to resolve any doubts you might have before travelling, and discover both the areas and history of the city.

Other questions

London facts & figures

London is Europe’s largest city and one of the largest in the world. It has a population of over 8.1 million in its urban area and over 14 million in the metropolitan area, and is divided into 33 districts.

Electricity, plugs and sockets

The power sockets used in the United Kingdom is Type G with three rectangular prongs. This type of plug is not common, so you’ll most likely need an adapter for your appliances. Normally, these adapters are cheaper if you get them before travelling, but you can also easily find them in London once you arrive. If you stay in a hotel, we recommend you ask to borrow one.  

Opening hours

In London, shops are normally open from 10 am to 6 pm, however, some supermarkets and shopping malls are open until later. In the centre, you’ll find supermarkets open until 11 pm.

Current local time

The timezone in London is GMT (Greenwich Mean Time). In other words, London is 5 hours ahead of New York, 8 hours ahead of San Francisco and 11 hours behind Sydney.

Helpful Telephone numbers

  • Emergency number: 999
  • Emergency (dialled from mobiles): 112
  • London area code: 020
  • U.S. Embassy: 020 7499 9000
  • Australian Embassy: 020 7379 4334