Open for business: How to avoid London's Olympic rush

Olympic rings float on a barge in front of the skyscrapers of Canary Wharf -- one of London's financial centers.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• London's mayor says the city will remain open for business during the Olympic Games
• But the city's infrastructure will be strained by an extra 550,000 people in the city every day
• Olympic organizers and city authorities have compiled advice for businesses to help limit the Games impact

(CNN) -- London will at be the center of the sporting universe come Friday but as far as the city's commercial community is concerned, it will be business as usual during the Olympics.

The English capital is one of the world's foremost financial and business hubs, but given the expected influx of nearly 550,000 tourists and sports fans every day during the Games, accommodation will be at a premium and getting around will be trickier than usual.

Both UK chancellor George Osborne and London mayor Boris Johnson have publicly stated their determination to ensure the city remains "open for business" and contingency plans are in place to ensure this remains the case.

But if you're visiting London in a professional capacity over the next three weeks, what can you do to avoid the crowds and make the most of your business travel time?

CNN has compiled the below guide to help the business traveler sidestep the Olympic hulabaloo.

Is Heathrow ready for the Olympics boom?

Cabbies protest 'Olympic lanes' in London

A visitor's guide to London

Getting there

Heathrow Airport in west London expects to cater for 80% of all Olympic athletes, officials and media entering the UK through during the course of the games, pushing its capacity to the limit.

See also: Ultimate guide to London Olympics

But London is also accessible from the sky via a number of other airports both in and around the city. Gatwick, Luton and Stansted and London City international airports all offer alternatives to Heathrow.

Smaller airports throughout the south east of England -- such as Southampton, Bournemouth and Southend -- are accessible from international destinations and have connecting bus or train services to the capital.

London is also accessible from mainland Europe by the Eurostar train, a favorite of the business traveler for its speed, comfort and disembarkation point right in the heart of the city