Time is precious when you are on holiday. The last thing you want to do is spend time standing in queues. We look at a few ways in which you can reduce the queuing when exploring London.

Obtaining a London Pass is definitely useful.  This is a sightseeing city card, which can be purchased before arriving in London.  It covers all the top attractions as well as activities like a cruise on the River Thames, or Hop on Hop Off bus tours. Not only does it offer discounts on entry to key attractions such as Hampton Court Palace, The Tower of London – it also gives fast-track entry. By showing your pass, you can simply skip the lines and get in quickly.

Arrive early, book a stay in one of the popular hotels near Kensington Gardens and plan your day in advance.  This means you can arrive at top attractions early and get in even more quickly. Work out exactly what you want to see. For example, the Crown Jewels are a key attraction within the Tower of London and as the day progresses, people often have to wait to enter the display.  So on arrival at the Tower of London, go first to the Crown Jewels display. The earlier you are, the more chance you have of being at the front of the queue.  Exploring other areas of the Tower, which do not require any queuing can then be done at your leisure.

Planning on using public transport? Head out of your hotel room at the London House Hotel and get an Oyster card in advance.  You can then quickly move through the underground entry system or get on buses quickly.

Choose your times for travelling to London Transport.  By far the biggest queues to get on buses or on the underground are going to be at times when Londoners are going to and from work.  Key commuter times tend to be around 7.30/9am and 4.30/6.30.  Avoiding those times means that you stand a much better chance of travelling in comfort, with minimal queuing or being crushed in the crowds.

Queuing in cafes and pubs for drinks and meals is the norm. Again avoiding the times when Londoners are seeking refreshments – early morning, lunchtime and early evening means that any queues will be much shorter.  Opt for a late breakfast or early lunch, relax with a drink when the commuters have gone home.  Bear in mind that in the West End theatre district, pubs and restaurants are going to be busy before and after performances at nearby theatres take place.