In message , Chan WK
writes
Hi netters,

A lady friend will be travelling to London for a two-weeks training
programme. Would appreciate comments on how much she should budget for
based on following info :

a) will fly into UK around July-August timeframe

That will be expensive, but this isn't an air travel newsgroup, so let
us move on...

b) probably take train from/to airport to/from London city centre to
save cost

Depending on the airport and the exact type of train, the train fare
will be between five and fifteen pounds. This is trivial compared to all
the other costs of the trip!

c) training venue is University College of London (for
"histology-related work". Not sure which campus at this stage)
d) she is not a frequent traveller, so preferably staying at somewhere
close to UCL

"Bloomsbury" is the best way to describe the area.

http://abacus.gene.ucl.ac.uk/paul/ucl-guide.html

Some transport-related questions :
1) what is the mean of getting around in London, as well as to/from
the airport?

Airport travel is well covered in airline seat-back magazines, and is
well signed. Inside London, use the tube or buses.

http://www.transportforlondon.gov.uk/tfl/

2) how much will it cost? (assuming not taking taxi which I was told
is prohibitively expensive - she does have budget constraints)

You'll have difficulty spending more than five pounds a day for public
transport inside London.

Some probably off-topic questions :
3) how much for accommodation which is close to UCL? (to minimize
travelling effort for her safety)

Safety is not an issue.

I agree with the advice to try using a student Hall. Otherwise, you may
well be paying at least fifty pounds a night in a conventional
downmarket hotel:

http://www.london-hotels-guide.co.uk...bury/index.cfm

4) how much for meals?

How long is a piece of string? McDonalds for five pounds, tourist-trap
bistro for forty pounds. Poor quality sandwich from a convenience store
one pound. Better sandwich from a specialist shop three pounds.

If someone is staying for two weeks it might be worth investigating a
room with some self-catering facilities. Also check to see if the
student halls have cafeteria facilities. UCL itself should (and
presumably will be running during the summer vacation).

For more adventurous types, here's an example of places to stay that are
meant for holiday lets, but are often within a five pound/half hour
commute:

http://www.cottageguide.co.uk/Jd/
--
Roland Perry