Oh dear - I rashly booked hotel and theatre tickets in London with no thought to transport. Can anyone advise about parking?

[MrsBede]

Usually anything I book comes after months of deliberation and research but today something came over me and I saw some bargain theatre tickets and a central hotel room - cost just over £100 for both for three of us, which to me is a massive bargain so I booked it all.

Now I realise that I haven't actually stayed overnight in central London for over 20 years and never with a car/children . Usually I drive down on a Saturday and park at Stanmore for a pittance, stay all day and drive home. But that obviously won't work on a weekday. Other times we've stayed less centrally in travel lodges with carparks, but I've booked non-refundable central hotel now, which actually will be good with evening theatre, but, of course, doesn't have parking and, while I think there is NCP quite near I assume it will cost a fortune and result in us sitting for hours in traffic/getting lost finding it.

Does anyone know of outside congestion zone carparks near a tube I could use and safely leave car overnight? I have looked at the train, which would be another £100, including the cost of a railcard. I'm happy to pay that if needed, but to be honest I like the flexibility of going by car. I'm not trying to be cheap - I just don't want to drive in the centre anyway but like not being restricted to train times.

Any advice would be great.

I wouldn't assume it wont work on a weekday, especially if it's during the school hols

I was going to suggest parking at Stanmore - are you thinking it wouldn’t work because too busy? I think you’d find a space, as PP says it’s school holidays and it’s nowhere near as busy as pre-COVID times.

Try Justpark.com, you might find you can leave on someone's drive near a tube station for a couple of days

We've got a trip to London booked at the end of August. Staying near Holborn. Pre-booked the NCP on Bloomsbury Square. All in (parking, fuel and congestion charge) it's a bit more expensive than the train but DP didn't want public transport with covid. And we can go visit a zoo on the way back home.

I recommend Just Park- we had a carpark right behind the national gallery for about £25 all day which was a bargain compared to the train!

There’s a Novotel at Hammersmith that’s v convenient too, on JustPark.

@Thunderpunt

Try Justpark.com, you might find you can leave on someone's drive near a tube station for a couple of days

Agree with this, have found some good bargains with them and being on someone's drive feels safer to me.

www.q-park.co.uk/en-gb/cities/london/chinatown/

Ah - reassuring to see Stanmore may be okay in school hols and I hadn't thought about the Covid impact re wfh. I like to do what I'm familiar with! I'd really rather not drive into the centre so that would suit me fine.

justpark.com would be perfect for you. We've used them and have also rented out our own driveway through them. People who have booked with us seem to appreciate that the homeowner can keep an eye on their car all weekend

I used Justpark.com and found an underground car park near where we stayed. Booked a space for the duration of our stay, turned up and parked. Didn’t expect it to be so easy.

Last time I went I parked the car in Watford and got the train from there. Worked a treat

Don’t forget congestion charge and low Emission zone charge (depending on your car the website will tell you)

Is your hotel anywhere near Westfield? I’ve parked overnight there before.
uk.westfield.com/london/access

I did have a quick look on Justpark but found it hard as it asks you where you want to park and I don't know! I just want to be out of the congestion zone and I drive from the midlands, so somewhere that makes sense for that - but you can't search for that!

I think I must be the opposite side of London to you if you are coming into Stanmore, but I live 5 mins walk away from a railway station in Zone 3 SE London which is 25 mins on the train into Victoria which has free on road parking and you can always get a space (especially in the school holidays).

Can you find somewhere like that?

Ncp app has deals

I mean Westfields Shepherd’s Bush btw. Pretty sure it’s outside the congestion zone. However I ended up paying it anyway just in case as there was a detour for a closed road and I wasn’t sure if I had gone in the congestion area because of it and they won’t tell you until you get a penalty…

Is getting a train instead of driving an option?

Another vote for JustPark. I attend a central London uni part time and sometimes drive because of equipment rather than getting the tube. You can park in some really prominent places very reasonably. Just don’t forget about the congestion charge.

There are NCP car parks on Queensway (Bayswater) so out of congestion zone and easy to get around from there.

How about mega bus or something like that they come from midlands and used to be dirt cheap compared to train prices and will drop you at major stations in centre of town.

Thanks everyone - think I'm going to book a driveway in Ealing for £13 on Justpark, which seems like a bargain to me and no stressing about not getting a space.

Hammersmith. Kings Mall car park.

I often park at Hillingdon. It's in zone 6, usually plenty of spaces even on a weekday. Looks like prices have gone up recently- a whole £7 per day and overnight is fine.