# What should I know before visiting England? > England travel tips for 2026: the £20 UK ETA, why EES and ETIAS do not apply, service charges, contactless travel, train fares, Christmas closures, plugs. - Source: https://clevertourists.com/resources/things-to-know-before-visiting-england - Authors: Evan & Clara, Clever Tourists (first-hand, from years of travel across 20 countries) - Published: 2026-09-12 - Last updated: 2026-10-29 **The one thing you cannot skip: most visitors, including Americans and EU citizens, need a £20 (≈ $27) UK Electronic Travel Authorisation before they fly, and since 25 February 2026 airlines refuse boarding without one.** After that, England is mostly about cost control: walk-up train fares are high, many restaurants add a 12.5% service charge, and tax-free shopping for tourists ended in 2021. We spent about 19 days in England from 14 November to 3 December 2023, in London, Bath, the Cotswolds edge, Leamington Spa, the Peak District, Shrewsbury and the Mendips. The rules and fares below come from GOV.UK, TfL and other current sources. ## Entry: the ETA, not EES **1. Get a UK ETA before you fly.** GOV.UK lists the fee as £20 (≈ $27) and says the ETA lets you visit the UK for up to 6 months at a time. Every traveller needs their own, including babies; British and Irish citizens are exempt. Full enforcement started on 25 February 2026, so airlines check for it at boarding. The Home Office says most decisions come within a day, but allow 3 working days, and an ETA lasts 2 years or until your passport expires. Apply only in the official UK ETA app or on GOV.UK; look-alike sites charge more. See [do I need a visa for the UK](https://clevertourists.com/resources/do-i-need-a-visa-to-visit-the-uk) and our [UK ETA application guide](https://clevertourists.com/resources/uk-eta-how-to-apply-us-citizens-2026). **2. EES and ETIAS do not apply in England.** The UK is outside the EU and the Schengen Area, so there is no EES fingerprint registration on arrival, ETIAS will not cover it, and days in England do not count toward your Schengen 90 days in 180. If you combine England with Spain or Italy, you deal with both systems: see our [ETIAS and EES explainer](https://clevertourists.com/resources/etias-and-ees-explained-europe-entry-2026-2027). **3. You can probably use the eGates.** Holders of US, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand, Japanese, South Korean and EU passports, among others, can use the automatic ePassport gates at major airports. The minimum age for children was lowered in 2026, so check GOV.UK's current rule if you travel with younger children. ## Money and costs **4. Cards rule, and there is no tax-free shopping.** Contactless is accepted almost everywhere and some cafés are card only. Visit London notes that the VAT refund scheme for tourists ended in 2021 and there are no confirmed plans to restore it, so the price on the tag is what you pay. Some shops can sell VAT-free if they ship goods directly abroad. **5. Check the bill for a service charge.** Many restaurants, especially in London, add a discretionary 12.5% service charge. If it is there, do not tip again; if not, about 10% for good table service is normal. You do not tip for drinks at a pub bar. See [tipping in England](https://clevertourists.com/resources/tipping-in-england-uk-restaurants-service-charge-guide). **6. England is the most expensive country on our route.** Our [daily budget by country](https://clevertourists.com/resources/daily-travel-budget-by-country) puts it at about $90 to $140 a day on a budget and $250 to $350 mid-range. London rooms and walk-up train fares are the biggest costs; free national museums and capped London transport fares claw some back. ## Getting around **7. In London, tap in and out with one card.** Contactless bank cards and phones work on the Tube, buses and most rail in London, at the same fares as Oyster, with daily caps. Use the same card or device for every journey or you lose the cap. Details in our [Oyster vs contactless guide](https://clevertourists.com/resources/london-oyster-vs-contactless-free-museums-guide). **8. Book long-distance trains ahead.** Walk-up fares between cities are among the highest in Europe; Advance tickets bought early are much cheaper, and a Railcard (such as Two Together for two adults travelling together) takes a third off most fares. Our [day trips from London](https://clevertourists.com/resources/day-trips-from-london) and [Bath to Castle Combe guide](https://clevertourists.com/resources/castle-combe-cotswolds-day-trip-from-bath-guide) cover routes we used. **9. Traffic comes from the right.** England drives on the left, so look right first when crossing; London paints LOOK RIGHT on many crossings. Rental cars are mostly manual unless you book an automatic, and country lanes in the Cotswolds and Peak District are narrow. Our [2.5-week England itinerary](https://clevertourists.com/resources/england-itinerary-our-2-5-week-route-london-bath-cotswolds-peak-district) shows the route we followed. ## Pubs, manners and seasons **10. Order at the bar.** In most pubs there is no table service: go to the bar, order and pay, and carry your drinks back. Food is often ordered at the bar too, using your table number. Children are allowed in many pubs, especially ones serving food, at the landlord's discretion, but nobody under 18 can buy alcohol. **11. Queue, and stand on the right.** Queueing is taken seriously, at bus stops as much as in shops. On London Underground escalators, stand on the right and walk on the left. **12. England is not the whole UK.** England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are separate nations within the United Kingdom, and calling a Scot or a Welsh person English goes down badly. Your ETA covers all of the UK. **13. Pack for rain in every season.** England has no reliably dry month. May, June and September give long days and fewer crowds; in late November and December, when we were there, it gets dark around 4pm. See [best time to visit England](https://clevertourists.com/resources/best-time-to-visit-england) and [best time to visit London](https://clevertourists.com/resources/best-time-to-visit-london). **14. Christmas Day stops public transport.** In 2025 TfL ran no Tube or bus service on 25 December and no National Rail trains ran, and major museums close over Christmas. Read [what's open on Christmas Day abroad](https://clevertourists.com/resources/whats-open-on-christmas-day-abroad-europe-asia) and, for New Year, the [London fireworks ticket guide](https://clevertourists.com/resources/london-new-years-eve-fireworks-2026-tickets-guide). Bath's market dates are in our [Bath Christmas market guide](https://clevertourists.com/resources/bath-christmas-market-2026-dates-opening-hours-guide). ## Plugs, water, phone and emergencies **15. The plug is Type G, not the European one.** England uses the three-pin Type G plug at 230 V, so a European two-pin adapter will not fit; bring a UK or universal adapter. Bathroom sockets are usually shaver-only, so charge everything else in the bedroom. Tap water is safe to drink, and restaurants will bring tap water free if you ask. **16. Call 999 in an emergency, 111 for urgent advice.** 999 (or 112) reaches police, ambulance and fire; NHS 111 gives non-emergency medical advice. For data, an eSIM bought before you fly is simplest; see [eSIM or local SIM](https://clevertourists.com/resources/esim-or-local-sim-for-international-travel). ## Frequently asked questions ### Do Americans need an ETA to visit England? Yes. US citizens need a UK ETA before travelling. It costs £20 (≈ $27) on GOV.UK, allows visits of up to 6 months, and has been fully enforced at airline boarding since 25 February 2026. ### Does ETIAS or EES apply to England? No. The UK is outside the EU and Schengen, so it uses its own ETA. Days in England do not count toward the Schengen 90 days in 180. ### Can tourists get a VAT refund in England? Not in shops. The tourist VAT refund scheme ended in 2021 and Visit London says there are no confirmed plans to restore it. Some retailers can sell VAT-free when they ship goods abroad directly. ### What plug adapter do I need for England? A Type G (three-pin UK) adapter. England runs at 230 V, and a European two-pin adapter will not fit.