Imagine commuting in London was not only stress-free but, dare we say it, actually relaxing.

Well it could be. You could walk.

You don't need to walk all the way from your front door to the office, but taking a walk as part of your journey could do wonders for your stress levels and your bank balance.  By walking you won't be spending money on public transport, parking or congestion charges.

Do you commute into town and swap your overland train for the underground? Why not take a break from the tube and walk from the mainline station? That way, you can get some fresh air and enjoy the daylight.

Your office may be closer than you think. Transport for London's walk finder (opens external window) will draw you a map – door to door!

Every year, millions of people visit London just to get a glimpse of its amazing architecture and stunning sites. You can see them as part of your daily routine. Walking in London is fabulous. And it's so easy...

Get off early

If your mental map of London is based around the tube map, it might be time to get out on the streets and explore. The best way to get to know the city is to explore on foot.

• There are 109 journeys between central London tube stations that are quicker by foot? Pledge to get walking today.

Have you considered getting off public transport a stop or two earlier and exploring different routes to your workplace. Who knows...you might discover a new place to buy your lunch or do some shopping?!

It's getting easier

The Mayor of London is committed to making London a walking-friendly city. Work is already underway to ensure this happens, including such things as:

• Legible London (opens external window) is a comprehensive pedestrian way-finding system to help people navigate London on foot. It is being trialled in Bond Street, and will eventually be rolled out to key central London locations and the Olympics area by 2012, with major town centres covered by 2015.
• Six strategic walking routes (opens external window) covering 362 miles in London, have been established by Walk London and Transport for London which could form part of your a commute or a nice lunchtime walk.
• TfL have a whole range of tools to help you get around London; from free mobile travel alerts to tube line closures, from nightbus routes to cab numbers to get you home.

There is loads of information about walking in London out there:

• TfL's Walk Finder (opens external window) will introduce you to local walking routes or try Walk it (opens external window).
• Walk London (opens external window) currently provides 6 routes in easy to walk sections across London, which total 56 different walks to choose from, with points of interest marked along the way. That's over 580 Km (362 miles) of walking!
  
• Read about one walker's experience as he follows the routes of the London Underground (above ground!) taking photos as he goes (opens external window).
• Check out our news stories for the latest events and initiatives in London

Do you have a clever route through central London? Have you discovered a hidden gem? We want to hear from you. Email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with the details or photos.