When I first came here I noticed a there were a lot of transports but there was the lack of a short guide. Why would you need a guide? Simply because there are many details in the London transport which are not obvious at first. I will try to be short, and should there be any mistakes or gaps, I'll fix them if you tell me.
Types: In London you have buses, trains (you'll see the work 'rail' a lot), tram (which I never used), underground (or tube), DLR, Overground, WAIT WHAT? Well... the first four seem pretty obvious, but DRL and Overground not so much. DLR (Docklands Light Railway) is a way of transport for the docks, at the same price as tube, and Overground is a suburban rail also at the same price as tube (but confirm this before you travel).
Tube stations have direct connections with DLR and Overground, so you can plan your journey by looking at one of these maps:
Buses are cheaper than tube and are really cool to use at weekends, because there is less traffic. In each bus stop there are maps you can use, which are really handy when you're looking for some place.
The train is more expensive than bus, but cheaper than tube. This is by far my favourite transport for everyday commute. It's more quiet than the tube, it's fast and the time between trains is not too long (10 - 15 minutes).
In London there are also Barclay's bicycles which can be used to go around the city, but they are paid so it will only compensate depending on how long you have to use them. The best thing about this service is that Barclay's spread maps around the city, and for this reason I've never actually felt lost in London.
You can have 7 days or 1 month Travelcards which may compensate if you use more than one transport per day (for instance, rail and tube), but you are limited to certain zones (London is divided in layers, like an onion, going from the most central zone 1, to peripheral zones like 6.
If you have any questions or corrections to this post, let me know. Best of luck in your next travel in London!
