Dublin to London: Fun Facts to Know for Your Visit to England’s Capital

London is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, attracting people from the farthest reaches of the globe as well as those closer to the English capital. Ireland is among the top countries for visitors to London and upwards of 90 per cent of holidays from Ireland end up being repeat visits. Of course, Great Britain also sends many people to Ireland too, with 4.8 million Brits crossing the Irish Sea in 2019.

So, to help you on your trip from Ireland here’s a bunch of fun facts to know for your visit, ranging from getting a bit of home comfort to the best way to get around the vast area.

Go by plane and train

The most direct ways to get to London from Dublin are to fly into London Heathrow, London City, or London Stansted airports. However, you may find it cheaper to fly into London Luton or London Gatwick and then get the train for the rest of your journey. If you’d like to see another part of Britain first, there’s always the option to fly into Birmingham, Bristol, or even Southampton, and then take a direct train into London.

Rock up to Blighty on the ferry

Your alternative option is the car ferry. Naturally, if you take the car ferry, you’d most likely be looking to drive off of the ferry and then over to London. However, some prefer to take the car ferry as a means of getting home on the return leg but leaving it parked near the port. This way, you can take the train in, utilise London’s superb public transport system, and never worry about the city’s congested roads or lack of parking.

Enjoy the same lottery tax breaks in London

Residents of the UK love the lottery, with some 70% of adults playing regularly. It’s big business in London, so much so that when Brits come to Ireland, they’ll often play the lottery – especially because there isn’t any Irish Lotto Tax for a UK player if they win with a ticket purchased in Ireland. Of course, depending on what you do with the winnings, you may need to pay DIRT, Gift, or Inheritance Tax. In the UK, this status quo continues, with UK winners being used to not paying taxes on lottery wins, and there being several stories of tourists winning jackpot prizes while in the country.

Learn the real names of the landmarks

As we know, the English language is loaded with slang, nicknames, and turns of phrase – even when it comes to the capital’s landmarks! For example, since 2021, the colossal clock commonly referred to as ‘Big Ben’ is actually the Elizabeth Tower. Canary Wharf Tower is actually called Canada Square, which is a reference to the site’s original developers. As apt as the nickname ‘The Cheesegrater’ is, the building is actually Leadenhall Building. Finally, the famous building commonly referred to as the ‘Gherkin’ is actually 30 St Mary Axe.

Max out your Oyster card for unlimited exploration

Oyster cards are the optimum way for any Londoner or Irish tourist to make their way to every corner of the sprawling metropolitan area. While they let you onto buses, the overground rail, river buses, and DLR, it’s all about utilising the Tube. The simple top-up card just has you swipe in when you enter the gates and then when you leave. However, to make the most of the card, you’ll want to go on an exploration rampage, making the most of public transport whenever you can; this is because, once you hit the Daily Price Cap, subsequent use is free.

Use these fun facts to make the most of your trip from Dublin to London!