Traveling to UK - haven't been since 1987 - need cell phone advice

[DavidRoss]

Hi UK friends. I am looking for some advice on getting a phone or SIM or other suggestions. My wife and I are traveling this September for the Disney Cruise leaving out of Dover. We will be arriving two days before and saying a day after the cruise. We have tickets for the Harry Potter Studio tour.

Our phones from the US will work on WIFI but won't work over cellular. I am concerned about being able to use UBER / LYFT for instance.

Does anyone have any suggestions for what to use / do in this case? In addition to using a phone for data, I also have a handicapped parent and will need to be able to contact a caregiver occasionally to check up on my mother.

Do they sell burner phones with data at the airport or something like that?

Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[Jon84]

They don't sell burner phone often, but if your phone is unlocked to any network, then you'd easily be able to pickup a sim card at the airport, most supermarkets etc. Just top it up with a tenner and you'd be sorted for the month.

 

[zavandor]

No Lyft in the UK, only Uber.

 

[pinklotusflower]

Uber can also be hit & miss depending where you are.

 

[GZanta77]

What cellphone provider do you use? Most of them have packages that can be bought for overseas data. Our t-mobile phones were a godsend on our European cruise last year - free data/texts in every country we visited.

Don't rule out public transportation in the UK - depends where you are and want to go, of course, but could be worth consderaing.

 

[k8Davies]

My wife and I are traveling this September for the Disney Cruise leaving out of Dover. We will be arriving two days before and saying a day after the cruise. We have tickets for the Harry Potter Studio tour.

Their other guys are right no Lyft only Uber - but it depends on where you are staying as if it's the Center of London public transport is the way to go - especially for the studio tour as it near Watford which is a bit of a way by car.

If my memory serves me well to get there you would have to get the train from Kings Cross and I know they've got a load of HP stuff there and even a platform 9 & 3/4 entrance.

 

[clareyfairymouse]

For the Harry Potter tour there is the night bus that takes you to and from Watford station to the studios which makes it nice and easy

 

[GZanta77]

I should also point out - you can buy a UK simcard on eBay - sometimes pre-loaded with £5 or so. That way you will have it before you leave the US and just put it in your phone when you arrive.

 

[Emma27]

To get to Harry Potter you would need to go from Euston train station in London - I live about 5 minutes from Harry Potter Studio and do the commute to London every day! There are London Northwestern Trains every 20 minutes throughout the day (usually at 04, 24, 34 and 54) with more at rush hour. Its about a 20 minute train journey to Watford Junction and then from there there is a bus which takes you to the studios which is very well signposted at Watford Junction station (or just follow the crowds!).

 

[Jon84]

I should also point out - you can buy a UK simcard on eBay - sometimes pre-loaded with £5 or so. That way you will have it before you leave the US and just put it in your phone when you arrive.

They sell them at the WH Smiths in all the Arrivals Halls.