Customer Reviews

THE PENGUIN LONDON MAPGUIDE (PENGUIN HANDBOOKS S.)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have used this mapguide since 1990 -- it is my "bible" in London. Far more portable and much less overwhelming than "London A-Z," this mapguide contains everything a traveller in London will need. If I could only take one book to London, this would be the one.

We were returning from Greenwich tired and footsore. The LONDON MAPGUIDE indicated we could transfer to another bus to Paddington right on Russell Square. When we alighted, there were no layover stops for the elusive Bus #7. After tromping for ages around Bloomsbury, we gave up and hiked back past the British Museum to Oxford Street, where we knew we could get a bus.

The flaw of this and all other map guides to London are the bus routes. The Underground is fun, but sometimes a bus is more convenient, and, as G. K. Chesterton wrote, the best way to see London is from the top of a double-decker bus.

Even London Transport's "Travelling in London" folder doesn't do justice to the bus system. Granted, it is diabolically difficult to keep up with route changes, but if someone were to undertake it and do a more thorough job, the result would be a truly useful map guide.

But don't let one complaint detract from the value of this otherwise outstanding guide. Because of the lack of bus information, most travellers take to the Underground and are quite satisfied with it. I still recommend THE LONDON MAPGUIDE and still would use it myself, if only for lack of anything better.

I have lived in London and visit there extensively. This pocket guide is the most comprehensive I have found. It is easy to read for a newcomer, but in-depth enough for a really experienced Londonphile. As only one example, the map delineates the location of the London Stone, sadly anonymous in modern times (and on any other map I have ever used), but historically significant. The guide includes locations of a host of destinations, including theatres, significant buildings, museums, etc, etc. My only complaint about the guide is the same for any map of the city; detail pages do not step far enough out of the core downtown areas. Overall, an excellent rating.

I am a frequent traveler to London, and have worn out more than one copy of this excellent map! Among its best features are locations of prominent buildings and numbers of bus routes. Don't leave home without it!

Print is large enough to easily read, but overall size of book is small enough to fold and place in most jacket pockets, purses and shoulder bags. Informative enough to be the only reference material you need when leaving your hotel room for your daily excursions through the city.

The subways (tubes) are cleverly color coded and it's easy to decide where to make your connections. Bus numbers are confusing but only rode bus one time since tube system is so clean, quick and efficient.