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Original poster

London Mners travel advice needed please!

28 replies

JuneOsborne · 27/10/2022 07:59

I'm bringing the kids to London on Friday. Teen D's wants to see Camden market, younger D's (9) wants to just be in London, we may hop across to Borough Market for a Turkish coffee, posh chilli's, some Comte and tea before heading back home.

We're driving, hopefully parking at Hillingdon.

We used to have oyster cards from when me and DH used to go to London for fun, but I'll be damned if I can find them. So, should I buy a day pass? Just use our debit cards to tap in and out? What's the best thing to do?

I'm technically a student, D's is 17, other D's is 9 and DH is coming too.

I've been on the tfl website and just can't figure out the best way to do this! (Makes me laugh, me and DH would just jump on a train and go to London and never even think about this stuff, oh how times have changed!)

The main reason for trying to get it sorted on my head is that I don't want to faff about. I know we're a good hour away from where we want to be when we get to Hillingdon, so just want to jump on a train and get going.

Thanks!

OP posts:
LadyR77 · 27/10/2022 08:01

Just use your debit cards, the charges are the same as using Oyster. Your 9 year old will travel for free :-)

Original poster
JuneOsborne · 27/10/2022 08:07

Thanks @LadyR77 how does that work with the barriers?

OP posts:
Original poster
JuneOsborne · 27/10/2022 08:08

I mean with the littler D's?

OP posts:
Johnnyfartpants · 27/10/2022 08:09

There are double wide barriers so the littler DC would come through with you or DH. Older DC will go through on his own.

Original poster
JuneOsborne · 27/10/2022 08:12

Ah, thanks, that's fab. We have taken the smaller one to London before, but I booked a hop on hop off bus and we didn't touch the tubes with him.

Just got to make sure everyone else has a different debit card with them. Easy enough!

OP posts:
ChakaKhanfan · 27/10/2022 08:13

You just need to go through the child/luggage barriers, they stay open a little longer to allow two to go through.
Have fun!!

QuicheQuoche · 27/10/2022 08:13

Where are you coming from to go from Hillingdon?
I find it costs me more to travel from Hillingdon so tend to go from Gerrards Cross and then get the tube from Marylebone or walk to Baker Street.
Or there’s Chesham/Amersham which is still Metropolitan Line but might be cheaper.

Original poster
JuneOsborne · 27/10/2022 08:14

ChakaKhanfan · 27/10/2022 08:13

You just need to go through the child/luggage barriers, they stay open a little longer to allow two to go through.
Have fun!!

Awesome. Yes, looking forward to it! Nice to not have to do the museum's and the proper touristy stuff, just hang out in the cool markets, which is way more fun to me. Happily I think the kids will agree.

OP posts:
Original poster
JuneOsborne · 27/10/2022 08:15

QuicheQuoche · 27/10/2022 08:13

Where are you coming from to go from Hillingdon?
I find it costs me more to travel from Hillingdon so tend to go from Gerrards Cross and then get the tube from Marylebone or walk to Baker Street.
Or there’s Chesham/Amersham which is still Metropolitan Line but might be cheaper.

The Midlands, so straight down the M40.

OP posts:
SundayAtDevilDirt · 27/10/2022 08:19

There's so much to see and do in Camden, I took my DC (6 and 9) in the summer hols and it was their favourite day out of the whole summer! We were there from 10-6 - no way would we have attempted to go anywhere else on the same day. Use your debit card on the wider gates and DC just go through with you - no charge for them.

My DC particularly loved the man selling magic tricks in the market hall, a little crazy golf bar in the stables market, watching the boats on the lock and the Cyberdog shop.

Have fun!

loudbatperson · 27/10/2022 08:21

I would suggest thinking about parking near to Hayes & Harlington instead. Then you can get the Elizabeth line straight to Paddington. It's a lot quicker than the metropolitan line from Hillingdon.

Camden market is just a fairly quick bus ride (27) away from Paddington. From Camden market you can get the northern line to take you down towards Borough market.

Original poster
JuneOsborne · 27/10/2022 08:23

loudbatperson · 27/10/2022 08:21

I would suggest thinking about parking near to Hayes & Harlington instead. Then you can get the Elizabeth line straight to Paddington. It's a lot quicker than the metropolitan line from Hillingdon.

Camden market is just a fairly quick bus ride (27) away from Paddington. From Camden market you can get the northern line to take you down towards Borough market.

Right, will start mapping that then, thanks. Is it on street parking I'm looking for?

OP posts:
QuicheQuoche · 27/10/2022 08:26

You could get off at Junction 2 and park in Beaconsfield, not sure how much the station parking is but there’s street parking if you don’t mind a five minute walk.
I always just get a day travel card into London and then all Zones.
For me, my daughters and my Sister it was £30 from GX but Hillingdon it was £50.
I think it’s because a it’s a more popular place to travel from so the price increases.

Original poster
JuneOsborne · 27/10/2022 08:27

QuicheQuoche · 27/10/2022 08:26

You could get off at Junction 2 and park in Beaconsfield, not sure how much the station parking is but there’s street parking if you don’t mind a five minute walk.
I always just get a day travel card into London and then all Zones.
For me, my daughters and my Sister it was £30 from GX but Hillingdon it was £50.
I think it’s because a it’s a more popular place to travel from so the price increases.

You guys are fantastic, so much better than trying to figure it out with a million browser windows open and the tfl website!

OP posts:
QuicheQuoche · 27/10/2022 08:29

The Elizabeth line is lovely, DD went on it the other day from Langley.
That station has a car park, I think she wants to go again today so if she does I’ll look at the car park charges when I drop her off.

Original poster
JuneOsborne · 27/10/2022 08:34

QuicheQuoche · 27/10/2022 08:29

The Elizabeth line is lovely, DD went on it the other day from Langley.
That station has a car park, I think she wants to go again today so if she does I’ll look at the car park charges when I drop her off.

That's really kind, thank you. I'd like to go on the Elizabeth line, so this sounds great. 😋😀I can't get rid of the weird emojis that have appeared!

OP posts:
VeronicaBeccabunga · 27/10/2022 08:35

I do the Hillingdon route sometimes, more usually the train from High Wycombe.
Wycombe & Beaconsfield both have multi-storey carparks.
If you are going to hop on and off the Tube the Travel Card [for rail and Tube for the day] is excellent value and the trains into London are fast on the Chiltern Line.
Tube from Hillingdon will stop at every single station, sometimes it sits for some time at random stops, and it takes ages.

Original poster
JuneOsborne · 27/10/2022 08:42

VeronicaBeccabunga · 27/10/2022 08:35

I do the Hillingdon route sometimes, more usually the train from High Wycombe.
Wycombe & Beaconsfield both have multi-storey carparks.
If you are going to hop on and off the Tube the Travel Card [for rail and Tube for the day] is excellent value and the trains into London are fast on the Chiltern Line.
Tube from Hillingdon will stop at every single station, sometimes it sits for some time at random stops, and it takes ages.

You can't beat insider knowledge, thanks. I'll sit down later and make a proper plan. I'm getting as excited as the kids! Might make a packed lunch for the car journey, you know, the kind where the minute you get in the car, you crack it open, that's how excited I'm getting!

OP posts:
sm40 · 27/10/2022 08:50

Not sure if it's been mentioned but citymapper app is your friend. Tells you how to get from a to b on a variety of routes when you are here.

Original poster
JuneOsborne · 27/10/2022 08:57

sm40 · 27/10/2022 08:50

Not sure if it's been mentioned but citymapper app is your friend. Tells you how to get from a to b on a variety of routes when you are here.

Not heard of that, but will download it now, cheers!

OP posts:
QuicheQuoche · 27/10/2022 09:03

The Chiltern Railways App is very useful too if you do end up getting that line.
Some of the Gerrards Cross trains are direct to London so very fast and the app will show which trains are stopping at all stations and which aren’t.

TheSnugglyDuckling · 27/10/2022 09:47

There’s an underground theme park in Camden btw the kids might enjoy www.camdenmarket.com/things-to-do/babylon-park

loudbatperson · 27/10/2022 09:53

There is a car park at Hayes & Harlington station, but it's not very large so does fill up.

There are quite a few car parks within a few minutes walk though.

On street park is not available for stays longer longer than a quick trip to a shop in the immediate area. If you did want free on street parking you could park about a 10 minute walk away or so.

Just to note..... as you are coming on a Friday, parking is very busy all around Hayes, due to prayers. So have a list of a couple of places to try, or park a little further away from town.

Also, DO NOT pull up to the front of the station, it is private land and camera controlled. They fine everyone.

Notgoodatpoetrybutgreatatlit · 27/10/2022 09:59

I just popped on to say I travel round London a lot on public transport and have done for 40 years and I think the Elizabeth Line is the best thing ever invented!
Also bus apps are great I have one ATM called London bus pal. You always know how long you have to wait and where your bus is going and how fast!

QuicheQuoche · 27/10/2022 21:22

So sorry, I didn’t get to Langley in the end!
So I don’t know how much it is to park there. One thing though when I was there earlier in the week is that they weren’t actually any spaces left anyway so street parking might be the way to go or there’s an outside car park called ‘Harrow Market’ but I don’t know what the maximum parking time allowed there is.