Affordable parking anywhere near Natural History Museum

[Avelandra]

Looking to book a few days in London. I wanted to go by train, but from our local station, the cheapest price is £120pp for a return and there is no way I'm paying that. We were hoping to go to the museum, but can't seem to find anywhere to park that costs less than £50 for 24 hours. Is this just the standard sort of price we will have to pay? The hotel we are staying at offers parking, but again it's £64 for 24 hours

Have a look here www.parkopedia.com/ We've had some cracking deals in London through it and it's dead easy to use.

Looking at parking near tube lines or local train lines.

What days are you thinking of going? If going over a long weekend, a lot of Residents’ Bays in the London Borough of Kensington and Chelsea expire on a Saturday afternoon, and it’s free to park on single yellow lines on a Sunday. That might bring down the cost somewhat.

Have a look on parkonmydrive type sites. Though not so many in central London.

Or I'd take the advice of another poster and park at an underground stop. We are 25 mins from Marylebone, the station car park is around £6 a day or you can park for free on the roads. You'd have to pay for the tube fares though which would negate some of the saving.

Agree to going on Sunday loads of free parking round the corner on a road named Queens Gate. 5 min walk to the museum. Did this a few weeks ago :)

Have you looked into rail passes? Friends & Family or Two Together? Usually save a lot.

Lots of people park in zone 2-6 then get the tube in. Some outer stations have parking.

You have to remember in addition to parking charges in Zone 1 you also have congestion charges, ultra low emissions zones...really not worth it which us why people tend not to use a car unless absolutely necessary. (Or they are rich/in the diplomatic service)

Did you put the journey into Train line? - they normally automatically show you group save etc. - We are going to London in summer holidays and the prices range from £60 to £25 for me and 2 children depending on ticket type.

Don't forget to factor in the congestion charge if you plan on driving into central London.

I would park at a zone 6 tube station and get the tube in.

Yes definitely look into railcards if you haven't got one already. If you are travelling with kids under 16 the friends & family card costs £30 for a year. It gives you 30% off adult tickets and 60% off child tickets.

Stay and park in outer london and get the tube in.

@mobear

What days are you thinking of going? If going over a long weekend, a lot of Residents’ Bays in the London Borough of Kensington and Chelsea expire on a Saturday afternoon, and it’s free to park on single yellow lines on a Sunday. That might bring down the cost somewhat.

Not all! I was volunteering at a charity event at the Albert Hall one Sunday evening. My car got towed from a parking space and I had to find some obscure scarey deserted underground car park near Hyde Park to get it back, and I didn’t have my credit cards with me so had to phone someone to pay the release charge....... I asked how many other people they had towed that night “Two” . Did I feel blessed. Oh yes indeed.

If you're coming from north park at Cockfosters and get Piccadilly line all the way

The Natural History Museum isn’t in the congestion charging zone so it would depend on how and from which direction you drove into London.

@Mumdiva99

Don't forget to factor in the congestion charge if you plan on driving into central London.

And the ULEZ if your car is old! Check here -

tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/check-your-vehicle/?intcmp=52451

The congestion charge itself will add £15 a day.

Just to answer some questions -

On the hotel website in Kensington, it advertises itself as not being in the congestion zone, but now looking at the map it does appear that it is within the zone

Looking at going on a Friday morning and coming back Saturday afternoon

No kids, just myself and DP

Trainline was the cheapest I could find at £120, National Rail was £167 each

@supercritter

If you're coming from north park at Cockfosters and get Piccadilly line all the way

Piccadilly line is not stopping at Kensington station until 2022.

I've never been on the tube before so have no idea what to do

Where are you coming from?

@viques The Residents Bays have their hours of operation on them. The rules regarding single yellow lines are set out here: www.rbkc.gov.uk/sites/default/files/media/documents/Single_Yellow_Line_CPZ_April_2020.pdf

@PatriciaHolm North Somerset. My car is quite old, so driving into the centre definitely isn't a good option it seems. Now just trying to work out which tube/hotel etc would be best

Just try the train coming just after the rush hour in the morning - it should reduce the price.

Also look at the cost of a 1 day travel card - you might find 2 of those cheaper than one return....but again they are normally for off peak.

There's a car park in the Uni round the corner that we used when we had tickets for the Royal Albert Hall.

It's was fairly cheap but not sure if it was discounted due to our RAH tickets

Oh yes Sunday is free parking