There are many types of fares depending on the day of the week, the time of day, student status, number of days (or weeks) the ticket has to be valid, family ticket, and so on. It is best to explain to the ticket salesman what your route is (e.g. only train or train plus underground or bus) so that he can give you the cheapest possible ticket. Railcards and Network cards are passes that allow the holders to have considerable discounts on certain routes. These can be discounts for any member of the family or people travelling with them. If you plan to use the train quite often, but on an irregular basis, this might be an interesting offer.

You can take your car on the shuttle train through the Channel tunnel with Eurotunnel in Folkestone (UK) and get off in Calais (France). You can either pay for your ticket on the spot in Folkestone or order it by phone. It is highly advisable to order your trip by phone in advance because there are periods when the train is booked full and rates might be higher when you simply show up. You should remember to arrive 25 minutes before departure, or even longer if you are planning to go to the shopping facilities. It is important never to forget to take along your passports and those of your children, as you will be going through customs. Otherwise, you will have to go back for them.

It can be quite confusing using the underground for the first time. When taking the correct line make sure it is going in the right direction (East - West or North - South). In planning your route, take into account that the underground walking tunnels can be quite long and it may take a while before you find the right exit. Travelcard: you can use the London buses, underground, and certain train networks.

This is a good way to get around towns and cities, it is normally quite cheap and services within major cities are frequent. Bus links within the UK are generally speaking very good.

The destination is shown on the front and the back of the bus. Buses are not required to stop everywhere so signal the bus driver on time if you want to get on or off. London (and other cities) is divided in zones and your fare depends on the zones of your journey. You can pay the fare to the driver when you get on the bus. Tickets depend on the destination, number of days (week or months) you want to travel.

There are also long-distance buses (coaches), express buses and sightseeing buses. Express buses are usually cheaper than the British rail system. The main bus company that serves the United Kingdom is National Express. Their buses are of very high standard and normally run on time. Buses can also get crowded on long distance trips, so if your journey is going to be more than an hour it is probably a good idea to book your ticket in advance if the bus company allows this.

You can call for a taxi by telephone through listings in the Yellow Pages, or approach one directly at a taxi stand. Taxi stands are often located outside shopping centres, large office buildings, hotels, airports, train stations and bus stations. In some cities you may also get a taxi on the street by raising your hand to show the driver you need a ride. Taxis charge for time and distance travelled and can be quite expensive.

There are two types of taxi in the UK. Traditional taxis (licensed hackney carriage) and mini cabs. Traditional taxis can normally be distinguished by the taxi light on their roofs. All of London's famous Black Cabs are licensed taxis. Licensed taxis are allowed to pick people up anywhere and they must have a meter and display their tariffs. The driver of the taxi must also have his/her badge on display. Traditional licensed taxis can be almost any colour and many also display "all over advertising". In London taxis are licensed by the police and given a thorough mechanical test at least once a year. The taxi drivers pass strict tests of their knowledge of London streets, places of interest, famous buildings, hospitals etc. before they are given a licence. Mini cabs are normally regulated and they are only allowed to pick up people who have pre-booked by phone or in person at the mini cab company offices. It is illegal for mini cabs to respond to hails in the street. Drivers do not have to pass any tests and mini cabs often do not usually have a meter so passengers should agree a price before starting a journey.

This can be a very cost effective way to see a lot of the UK especially if you want to see some of the smaller towns and villages. It also gives you the freedom to go where you want when you want.

Driving in the UK can be very different from driving in your country and the road rules are something that you should followed very strictly. You can contact the DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency) for more information. When you apply for a licence in the UK, you have to do a written test and then a driving test. If you don't understand any of the instructions or questions in the tests, don't hesitate to ask.

There are several car hire companies within the UK like Avis www.avis.com and Budget www.budgetrentacar.com , and others that you will find in the Yellow Pages. Prices start from about £20 a day with discounts being offered for longer periods of hire. If you have never before driven in the UK it would probably be wise to hire a car only after you have seen how people drive here.

Flying can sometimes be the cheapest and more convenient option, when travelling around the UK. British Airways, British Midland, EasyJet, Ryanair, Buzz are the main airlines.