Living in London is a fascinating, exhilarating and often frustrating experience if you are a newcomer. This is a busy cosmopolitan city and you’ll love living here once you’ve adjusted to the pace and dynamic. If you’re moving to London then you’ll have heard all about how impossible it is to drive a car in the city. Not only does rush hour seem to last all day, the government charges you fees to drive. While the public transport system in London is efficient as well as good value for money, if you absolutely insist on having a car, there’s a couple things you’re going to need to know.

How To Find Parking Near Your London Flat

Finding a parking space close to your new London rental can be a little like looking for buried treasure.  You know it’s there somewhere and yet you never seem to find it.

• For travel here you should find out about the streets with free parking that are located close to the major tube stations. You can use your mobile phone to get a street reference. If your destination is not close to a tube station, then you can always rent a parking space from various companies that offer their services on the web. Mush less than you’d usually pay, but still a hefty monthly charge for the convenience of being able to park in the street three blocks away from a station!
• You might be able to find parking close to your apartment by contacting your local council for a map of the controlled parking zones. Most areas inside the congestion zone have residential parking options available for a fee.
• If you’re going to leave it to chance, then you’d best get a London A-Z (everyone has one).  It will tell you everything you need to know about streets that have parking zones and when you are allowed to park in each.

Even if you do manage to find the mythical free parking spot on any given day, you’ll have to expect that it’ll still be quite a walk from where you want to be.  Just because you’ll have a car doesn’t mean you shouldn’t invest in a good pair of shoes!