United Kingdom: know before you go

Most visitors to the United Kingdom now need either a visa or an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before they travel. The ETA is the big change for short-stay visitors: since 2025 it applies to passport holders from the USA, Canada, Australia, and the EU (except Ireland), among many others. It costs £20, links to your passport, and lets you visit for up to 6 months at a time for tourism, family visits, or certain short business trips. Irish and British citizens do not need it, and neither do people who already hold a valid UK visa or permission to live, work, or study in the UK. If your nationality is not on the ETA list, apply for a visa before you travel.

Heathrow is the main international gateway, with direct flights from most of the world. Gatwick and Stansted handle a large share of European and budget traffic, while Manchester, Edinburgh, Birmingham, and Glasgow bring long-haul and regional arrivals closer to the north, Scotland, and the Midlands. All the main London airports connect to the rail network. The Heathrow Express, Gatwick Express, and Stansted Express are the quick airport trains into central London, and a BritRail pass covers all three.

Trains connect the four nations on the National Rail network, and for most journeys between cities they beat flying once you add airport time. Buy single Advance tickets as early as you can; they go on sale up to 12 weeks ahead and the cheapest seats sell out first. A BritRail pass is only for people who live outside the UK and must be bought before you arrive, so weigh it against point-to-point fares if you are making just one or two long trips. If you drive, remember you are on the left, and only a handful of roads and crossings in Great Britain charge tolls. The London congestion charge is a separate city-level cost.

The UK uses the pound sterling in all four nations, and cards, especially contactless, work almost everywhere from London cabs to Highland petrol stations. Keep a little cash for markets and small purchases, but you will rarely need much. Prices in shops include VAT, and there is no nationwide tourist tax, so the ticket price is the price you pay. Tipping is smaller than in North America; many restaurants add a service charge, so check the bill before you add more. If you carry cash, declare £10,000 or more when you enter or leave.

The UK is a safe country to walk around, and the main risk in tourist areas is petty theft rather than violent crime. Watch your phone and wallet in crowded stations, markets, and around major sights, and use ATMs inside banks rather than on the street. Taxis are safe if you use licensed black cabs or a pre-booked private hire car; avoid unmarked cars offering rides. In an emergency dial 999, and use 101 for non-urgent police matters.

The National Health Service provides care across the UK, but it is not automatically free for visitors. UK residents and some visa holders get free NHS treatment; most short-stay tourists are charged, and the charge can be around 150 percent of the NHS cost. Travel insurance is not optional here: it should cover medical treatment and evacuation, because US Medicare and Medicaid do not pay abroad. Bring any prescription medicine in its original packaging, and carry a copy of the prescription.

Mobile coverage is good across cities, towns, and most main roads, though it thins in the Scottish Highlands and parts of rural Wales. Since Brexit, EU roaming rules no longer automatically cap your charges, but many UK and European networks still include the UK in their plans, so check your home provider before you leave. The simplest fix on arrival is a pay-as-you-go SIM or an eSIM; both are easy to buy at airports, supermarkets, and high-street phone shops. Wi-Fi is common in hotels, cafes, and many city buses and trains.

The UK is informal but orderly. Queuing is taken seriously: join the back of the line and do not push in. Say please and thank you, and a quick sorry when you bump someone, even if it is their fault. Stand on the right on escalators so people can walk on the left. Cars drive on the left, so look right first when you cross a road. Tipping is smaller than in North America and never compulsory; a service charge on the bill means you have already tipped.

English is the working language everywhere in the UK, and you will be understood in every city, station, and hotel. Welsh is an official language in Wales and appears on signs alongside English; Scottish Gaelic is spoken in parts of the Highlands and Islands; and Irish is recognised in Northern Ireland. No visitor needs to learn any of these to travel, but a simple 'diolch' in Wales or 'tapadh leat' in Scotland is always received warmly.

The UK has strong legal protections for disabled travellers, and most new trains, museums, and public buildings are step-free or have lifts. Older stations and some listed buildings can still have steps, so plan ahead. National Rail offers assisted travel at staffed stations, and you can book help before you travel. London's black cabs can take wheelchairs, and most major attractions have accessible routes and free entry for carers.

Bank holidays are the days banks and many businesses close, and they differ by nation. England and Wales share eight; Scotland usually has nine; Northern Ireland has ten. Public transport runs on a reduced Sunday-style timetable on many bank holidays, and tourist sights often stay open but can be busier. Christmas Day is the one day when almost everything closes. Scotland added an extra 15 June 2026 bank holiday to mark the men's football World Cup.

Book the things with fixed capacity before you fly: long-distance train tickets, popular restaurants, and timed-entry museums. Advance train fares are the biggest saving, and they release about 12 weeks out. Some attractions, such as the Churchill War Rooms and the London Eye, sell timed tickets that are cheaper online than at the gate. Book a table for dinner in busy cities, especially Thursday to Saturday.