Is London Safe for Solo Female Travelers?

London is generally safe for solo female travelers. It is a busy city with a high level of security measures in place. The public transportation is reliable with CCTV on buses and trains, and metro stations are usually populated even late at night. However, as is the case in any major city, pickpocketing and other small crimes can occur, particularly in tourist-heavy areas. It is recommended to remain vigilant, especially at night, and avoid isolated areas.

Safety rating

4.7 /5

Based on 37 experiences

4.5 /5

Based on research and crime data

Safety overview

Safety at night:Safe

London is generally a safe city. It's equipped with plenty of CCTV cameras and well-lit areas, with generally calm residential areas and popular tourist locations. Nonetheless, like any big city, it has less safe areas too. Walk with confidence, avoid poorly-lit areas, and it is best to use reliable public transport or reputable taxi services at night. Always stay vigilant and trust your instincts.

Public transportation: Safe

Public transportation in London is generally safe though it can be crowded at times. The buses, trains, and tube networks are well-maintained, with CCTV surveillance and regular patrolling officers. There are well-lit platforms and there's plenty of signage. Always have your belongings where you can see them to avoid pickpocketing and try to avoid traveling alone late at night.

Street harassment: Low

London is generally safe and respectful towards solo female travelers. Like any major city, occasional cases of street harassment can occur but they are not the norm. It is still advised to take necessary precautions, especially when traveling at night or in less crowded areas. Overall, the atmosphere is predominantly welcoming, making the city a good destination for solo female travelers.

Petty crimes:Moderate

In London, tourists could occasionally encounter petty crimes such as pickpocketing, especially in crowded tourist spots and public transport. Always maintain awareness of your surroundings and secure your belongings. However, the city is generally secure with an active police presence.

Tap water:Very safe

The tap water in London is of exceptional quality and it is absolutely safe for drinking. The water supply is subject to stringent regulatory controls and testing to make sure it's clean and doesn't contain any harmful substances. It goes through a rigorous purifying process, which includes filtering, disinfection, and pH balancing. You can drink it straight from the tap without getting any water purifying tablets.

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Travel experiences

Overall rating

4.5 /5

based on 37 experiences

Rating summary

Things to do

4.9/5

Safety

4.7/5

Food

4.6/5

Budget-friendly

2.8/5
Emma

Emma

United States

Solo travel experience

I highly recommend going solo to London as an American or english speaker it’s so easy to get around and it’s refreshing to be able to communicate with people! I took a solo trip when I was studying abroad in Rome and even though I was only there for 2 days it was a blast. I used the tube to get around and walked a lot too. Definitely ride the London Eye and eat some fish and chips. It’s a bit pricey because the conversion to pounds is more than dollars and euros so just be aware of that. Hostels are decently cheap and there are plenty of activities to do around. I went to a concert there and met some really cool people!! Do plan to bring layers and an umbrella the weather can be pretty gray. Go to Gail’s bakery and drink some tea while you’re there, too!

Posted: November 28, 2023
Things to do: 5/5Food: 4/5Budget-friendly: 2/5Safety: 5/5
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Shelly

Shelly (31)

Israel

Solo travel experience

Very cool city! I was not expecting much, and was really surprised by how much I enjoyed the vibe! So much to do, see, eat! The only down side for me was how expensive everything is! Except museums. They are free 😜

Posted: November 19, 2023Experienced: November, 2023
Things to do: 5/5Food: 5/5Budget-friendly: 1/5Safety: 4/5
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Solo travel experience

London is indeed a wonderful city! There's so much to do and experience there. The nightlife is vibrant, and there are plenty of bars and clubs to explore. Getting around is easy with trains, taxis, and buses readily available. The food is also amazing, with a wide variety of cuisines to choose from 😄🇬🇧

Posted: November 19, 2023
Things to do: 5/5Food: 5/5Budget-friendly: 5/5Safety: 5/5
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Solo travel experience

London is a great place to visit, there is so much to do. And I love that there are so many green parks everywhere. Transport is easy! But everything is quite expensive, eventhough there are free museums.

Posted: October 7, 2023
Things to do: 5/5Food: 4/5Budget-friendly: 3/5Safety: 4/5
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Solo travel experience

I loved London. I took public transportation, very easy and cheap. Everyone I asked gave me directions and help. Very friendly. I bought a pass for the “hop on hop off” bus. So worth it. I went to many places, buses came every 6 min at stops. Seen Buckingham, Big Ben, Tower Bridge, Westminster, and more. I was so nervous but it turned out amazing. People are nice, lots of tourists and I felt safe.

Posted: September 20, 2023
Things to do: 5/5Food: 5/5Budget-friendly: 3/5Safety: 5/5
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Solo travel experience

I stayed at Studios2Let North Gower, which I recommend. It's small but comfortable and well-located. I did a tour to Windsor Castle, Stonehenge, Bath, and Lacock. I was pleasantly surprised by the Victoria and Albert Museum, so I advise visiting it. I loved London. I paid for everything using Apple Pay. I didn't use cash or physical cards at all. The transportation system is very convenient.

Posted: September 5, 2023
Things to do: 5/5Food: 5/5Budget-friendly: 4/5Safety: 5/5
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Solo travel experience

I stayed in London for 6 days and it was amazing. The atmosphere was great and I felt safe everywhere. The underground was easy to use and I enjoyed staying in Bloomsbury. Here are my tips: 21 Get an Oyster card for transport. 2. Take the train to Bath for a day trip. 3. Use the Heathrow Express to get to Central London. 4. Have a contactless credit card as most places (including public toilets) accept tap to pay.

Posted: August 8, 2023
Things to do: 5/5Food: 5/5Budget-friendly: 3/5Safety: 5/5
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Solo travel experience

London was the first place I did solo and I loved it. I usually ate at more casual places because I felt strange eating alone in a full-service restaurant which was easier on my pocketbook as well. I loved walking around, at least in the more central areas, and taking the double-decker busses. Also, the British Museum was free and definitely worth a visit.

Posted: May 25, 2023
Things to do: 5/5Food: 5/5Budget-friendly: 3/5Safety: 5/5
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Solo travel experience

I stayed in an Airbnb in Shoreditch, and I really liked the area - there are a lot of affordable restaurants, bars, etc. around there. The tube was the best mode of transportation. It was quick, clean, and fairly easy to navigate. The traffic is bad if you take Ubers / cabs, and they are pricey so don't recommend them. I liked walking along the Thames and being in the Buckingham Palace area.

Posted: May 21, 2023
Things to do: 5/5Food: 5/5Budget-friendly: 3/5Safety: 5/5
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Hanna

Hanna

Ireland

Group travel experience

Best vibes ever! Metropolitan cosmopolitan city. People from all over the world, wide and wild range of things to do. Recommended 100000/0! Best season probably spring or autumn. Not to many tourists but the weather is still fine! Go and have your best time!!

Posted: May 11, 2023
Things to do: 5/5Food: 5/5Budget-friendly: 5/5Safety: 5/5
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Local experiences

Nour

Nour

United Kingdom

Yes London is safe for solo female travelers! Its one of my favorite cities in the world. You can even travel at night as a solo female traveler. It is well connected by tubes, buses etc and usually there is always people on public transport so ur not alone. Specially on weekends. Try not to walk alone after 12 am during the week. I would suggest you rent a lime bike and go to the nearest station or bus stop and get public transport. I would not spend too much time on the touristy areas like central London and west London. And try to engage with the real authentic London life. Visit museum they are mostly for free!! Visit Sunday markers in east London. Parks and canals are your friend for cheap nice hangout in summer and museums and cafes are ur friends in winter. East London hackney is my favorite area in London for food, bars, cafes, clubs, Sunday markets, pubs, canal walks, and super diverse and cool.

Posted: December 1, 2023
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Mia

Mia

United Kingdom

London is a big city, of hustle and bustle, and surreal, cultural entanglement! For nightlife, Eventbrite is a great app to check out and buy tickets for a great night. There are some absolutely amazing locations, if you know where to look! I have personally found that the best nights out have been smaller venues in London, like jazz bars, open mic nights, and dance nights, (especially infused with cultural music – like Latin nights) My best advice would be to pick a genre of music that you love, and look up that genre on Eventbrite. Thursday, Fridays and Saturday nights are generally the best! Or look up free parties in London, (because London is a space with lots of emerging artists there have great free gigs all the time) I guarantee you'll be able to find something for you! 

Posted: November 26, 2023
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I live in London and it’s a great city to live in. Easy transport routes, buses, DLR and the tube. London is a diverse place, there are a variety of restaurants to dine in and immerse yourselves in different cultures. It’s always good to stay vigilant as you never know if you come across a thief etc.

Posted: November 18, 2023
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London is generally safe for women, however staying in more touristy areas is recommended. Cheaper accommodation would be found in hostels or hotels in zone 4,5 or 6. I would recommend going to food markets to try various new food dishes such as one in Camden or exploring the options of Asian dishes in Chinatown. One tip to save the money is to walk around London or use one contactless card and commute around. In terms of popular touristy attraction such as London eye - I would recommend booking more than one attraction to lower price or even buy cereal box which has a voucher on it. I would recommend to explore all places that London is known by foot and allow yourself to truly be taken by its charm.

Posted: November 18, 2023
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Maddy

Maddy

United Kingdom

London is a lot of fun and in general I feel super safe here. It’s a massive city of course, and big cities always have their fair share of crime, but overall it’s a good vibe. Be wary of pickpockets in tourist areas like Covent Garden - but having said that, you should try to visit, especially in the summer where the street performers are out! One of my favourite things to do in London is to walk down the canal - you can find canal routes in the heart of London and further afield. In areas like Kings Cross (Coals Drop Yard) the canal side becomes a small party in summer. They erect pop up bars and install a big screen where they show films throughout the day and evening, both week days and weekends - and all for free. Highly recommend!

Posted: November 11, 2023
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Mostly safe for women travellers Amazing food and drink options available Great pubs if you drink Good night life Expensive city Lots of tourist spots Local tour guides available Weather changes drastically - always check weather to choose appropriate clothing for the day before you leave house

Posted: November 9, 2023
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I originally came to London for a week's holiday to take my mind off of a stressful time in my life. Never took my flight back and ended up staying there for 7 years. This is definitely one of the most exciting cities I've ever been to. Despite the crazy high cost of life, living there feels like a dream. Whether you're a bookworm or a party-lover, there is always something exciting going on. And the city has such a huge variety of different architectures and parks, even after 7 years, I kept discovering new places to visit. All in all, a fantastic city to come to, for a week, or for a lifetime

Posted: June 14, 2023
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Sonia

Sonia (41)

United Kingdom

London is a great city with a wide variety of cultural things to do, and so many free museums, lovely parks and more choice of cheap eats than ever before. Generally its pretty safe but have to be careful with mobiles

Posted: May 24, 2023
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Mani

Mani (42)

United Kingdom

A lot of things to see and do, lots of places and a large variety of food and wine to taste, easy to get around and explore

Posted: April 22, 2023
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My recommendations: - lots of events on boats on the Thames that do comedy or jazz nights, - cable car across the Thames for around £5 return (roughly) - visit parks - do a big walk through Hyde Park, Buckingham Palace, along the Thames to Battersea Park. - Markets: Borough Market, Camden Market, Maltby Street Market, Portobello Road Market, Columbia Road Flower Market. - Free walking tours - Lots of very affordable comedy bars with good acts; Angel Comedy and Top Secret Comedy Club are personal faves - East London, Shoreditch is fun has lots of thrift shops, good places to eat and edgy bars and Hackney Wick has lots of Breweries, bars and food places along the canal. - Galleries/Museums are free in London and we have loads, so make the most of those. Science Museum, Natural History Museum, Tate Modern are fun ones, but have a Google and you'll find something. - for travelling around people mostly use an App called 'City Mapper', it gives costs time to get from A to B via public transport (which is very affordable and safe). Google Maps is okay by City Mapper is a bit more accurate - if you use a contactless card, your daily travel is capped, making it more affordable than a travel card. - check how long walking takes vs public transport, often you can walk from place to place pretty easily

Posted: November 20, 2022
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Meet locals in London

Mariana

Mariana

Speaking

About Me

I'm a easy going person, I like music, concerts, eating out, do picnics, walking and having fun. Im so exited about traveling alone, Even though I have no experiencies. Any advice, Im just right here 🙋🏻‍♀️

Countries I’ve Visited

🇦🇷 Argentina, 🇨🇴 Colombia, 🇬🇧 United Kingdom, 🇺🇾 Uruguay

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Tamara

Tamara

Speaking

About Me

I'm a freelance UX and service designer, currently community manager for a small non-profit. I enjoy solo travel as an introvert, going at my own pace and planning my day, but sometimes miss sharing experiences and adventures with others. I tend to stay in boutique hostels with female dorms or Airbnbs. (I'm always up for sharing accommodation or rentals!) I'm a foodie (vegetarian), coffee lover, culture vulture, love urban photography and just coddiwompling around. I don't drink much (maybe socially) and am not a party person. I kind of had an existential/early mid-life crisis during the pandemic, feeling like I'm missing out on life and what if the next year brings something even worse!? So I cancelled my lease in London and went travelling. As a millennial I'm unlikely to but my first home any time soon, and 50% off my income went on rent, so in order to save up (and work part time for my mental health), I'm house and pet-sitting. My itinerary: 🇵🇹 Portugal until 15.5. 🇪🇦 Spain 18.5.-1.7. 🇧🇻 Denmark 1.7.-20.7. 🇸🇪 Sweden 20.07.-22.7. 🇬🇧 UK 29.7.-24.8. 🇭🇷 Croatia 24.8.-20.9. If you'd like to follow along with my trips, you can find me on Instagram 📷 @coddiwomplingdumpling ✏️ Also! Please contribute to my list of hostels with female-only dorms if you discover a gem https://www.google.com/maps/placelists/list/D8OAFWAR7H21iTMn_rV_iYLuA9M6qQ

Countries I’ve Visited

🇧🇪 Belgium, 🇭🇷 Croatia, 🇨🇿 Czech Republic, 🇫🇷 France, 🇩🇪 Germany, 🇬🇷 Greece, 🇮🇹 Italy, 🇮🇪 Ireland, 🇲🇨 Monaco, 🇲🇪 Montenegro, 🇳🇱 Netherlands, 🇵🇹 Portugal, 🇷🇸 Serbia, 🇪🇸 Spain, 🇨🇭 Switzerland, 🇬🇧 United Kingdom, 🇺🇸 United States, 🇩🇰 Denmark, 🇸🇪 Sweden

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Aideen

Aideen

Speaking

About Me

Hi, I'm a young woman recently moved to London to pursue my dream of becoming an actress. I love travelling and visiting New countries places and meeting new people. I love history and hiking in beautiful natural forests mountains .

Countries I’ve Visited

🇧🇷 Brazil, 🇭🇺 Hungary, 🇩🇪 Germany, 🇫🇷 France, 🇨🇾 Cyprus, 🇨🇦 Canada, 🇮🇩 Indonesia, 🇮🇹 Italy, 🇮🇪 Ireland, 🇲🇨 Monaco, 🇳🇵 Nepal, 🇳🇱 Netherlands, 🇵🇹 Portugal, 🇸🇰 Slovakia, 🇪🇸 Spain, 🇺🇸 United States, 🇬🇧 United Kingdom, 🇹🇭 Thailand, 🇹🇷 Turkey

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Stay with locals in London

Nour

Nour

Speaking

You can stay for:

3 days

About me

Hi I am Nour! Syrian living in London. Work in international relations. Open to support other women who wanna visit London with any advice they need. I also have an extra cheap room for short rent in north London :) I speak English and Arabic! Happy to join the community!

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Daria

Daria

Speaking

You can stay for:

3 days

About me

Hi ladies, I was made in Russia but based in London currently . In general I’m a spontaneous, open minded and outgoing person, who’s always up to adventures 💃 Not only I love to travel and learn about new cultures but also to meet new people along the way, so feel free to message and ask me any questions to learn more :)

Countries I’ve Visited

🇻🇳 Vietnam, 🇬🇧 United Kingdom, 🇹🇭 Thailand, 🇹🇷 Turkey, 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates, 🇨🇭 Switzerland, 🇰🇷 South Korea, 🇪🇸 Spain, 🇸🇬 Singapore, 🇵🇱 Poland, 🇵🇭 Philippines, 🇦🇹 Austria, 🇦🇷 Argentina, 🇧🇴 Bolivia, 🇧🇷 Brazil, 🇧🇬 Bulgaria, 🇨🇱 Chile, 🇨🇴 Colombia, 🇭🇷 Croatia, 🇨🇿 Czech Republic, 🇪🇨 Ecuador, 🇫🇷 France, 🇩🇪 Germany, 🇬🇷 Greece, 🇮🇳 India, 🇮🇹 Italy, 🇱🇻 Latvia, 🇱🇹 Lithuania, 🇲🇾 Malaysia, 🇲🇨 Monaco, 🇵🇪 Peru, 🇷🇺 Russia, 🇵🇹 Portugal, 🇳🇱 Netherlands, 🇮🇪 Ireland, 🇮🇩 Indonesia

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Yashvini

Yashvini

Speaking

You can stay for:

2 days

About me

I’m a fun loving travel lord who loves talking to ppl. Science math and music

Countries I’ve Visited

🇰🇪 Kenya, 🇮🇳 India, 🇺🇬 Uganda

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Upcoming visitors to London

Kim

Kim

Speaking

About Me

Hi!! Trying to spend more traveling this year and found this app, not sure how to use it just yet!

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Jessica

Jessica

Speaking

About Me

Hi, my name is Jessi, I’m 23 years old and are currently in the middle of my PhD in Psychology. I am quite chill and love traveling, reading, going hiking and swimming. I am pretty outgoing and love to challenge myself with trying out new things!

Countries I’ve Visited

🇦🇹 Austria, 🇨🇦 Canada, 🇭🇷 Croatia, 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic, 🇪🇬 Egypt, 🇫🇷 France, 🇩🇪 Germany, 🇭🇺 Hungary, 🇮🇪 Ireland, 🇲🇹 Malta, 🇷🇺 Russia, 🇪🇸 Spain, 🇹🇷 Turkey, 🇬🇧 United Kingdom, 🇻🇦 Vatican City, 🇮🇹 Italy, 🇨🇿 Czech Republic, 🇨🇾 Cyprus, 🇰🇷 South Korea, 🇻🇳 Vietnam, 🇸🇬 Singapore

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Local discussions

Travel"Do you have any recommendations for an architecture walking tour in London?"

Anybody have any architecture walking tour recommendations for London? Can’t seem to find one specific to architecture on google anywhere! Any and all help appreciated.

Posted: November 3, 2022
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Solo travelWhat are your tips for a solo stay in London during Christmas?

I‘m looking to book a little stay in London for a few days during Christmas time, I’m open about hostel recommandations and activities, I’m gonna be by myself but I enjoy doing a lot of things alone so please share your tips

Posted: October 31, 2022
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TravelWhere should I stay, go, and how to get around in London in December?

Hi everyone! I’m going to London in December for about 7-8 days (flying into Gatwick) and it’s my first time. Do you guys have advice on where to go, where to stay, and about transportation? I heard it’s cold there then!

Posted: October 26, 2022
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Solo travelWhat are some good accommodation options near Gatwick Airport for a 2-night stay in London?

Looking for accommodation recommendations for London next week (2 nights). For reference, I’m flying in and out of Gatwick Airport, but still want to explore the basics during that short time. I’m struggling to find something reasonably priced & available!

Posted: October 7, 2022
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Solo travelWhat are recommendations for London hotels close to transportation?

Recommendations for London hotels? Looking for something central close to transportation as I will not have a car

Posted: September 6, 2022
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Safety in United Kingdom