Where to park then get the train/tube into London

[LondonTrip24]

I have a weekend away planned with my children next week. They want to do everything Christmassy! The train into central London, coming from Birmingham was my first option but the prices are shocking. A friend suggested driving to the outskirts, then tube or train into London. Please could I have your suggestions and also if the car park is likely to have spaces if we arrived there at 11am ish. Thanks

If you use the M1 you could park at Luton Airport Parkway Station (just off J10 of the M1) and get the train straight into London St Pancras Int. in 21 minutes (if you get the quick train). The car park is pretty big too and trains are regular.

I'd price up Friends and family railcard and travel via Chiltern Railways into Marylebone.

Can you get to Northampton? Plenty of parking at the station.

Failing that, Stanmore.

I travel down to London from the Midlands (Warwick) all the time. When the train strikes were rife, I did plenty of research into this, and have used several of them.
Hillingdon is the closest to the motorway so is very easy.
Chalfont & Latimer is my preferred option. Parking at C&L is ridiculously cheap, and there is plenty of it.

Amersham has limited overnight parking, so that's much less use.

I know lots of people that use Westfield shopping centre as a place to park, but that's not such an easy drive.

Stanmore is good for the M1, but you'll be driving down the M40 I assume.

The other option to consider is Banbury - train tickets may be more affordable from there. If you buy on Trainline, it will automatically apply any Splitwise discount it finds.

Have you got a railcard? Saves alot if money.

If coming from Birmingham I would park at beaconsfield. Big car park, never full, less than 5 mins from the motorway and 25 mins on the train into London.

The slow train along the Chiltern line is good and reliable, and much cheaper than the fast ones

Beaconsfield is still a train journey rather than tube though- tube is much cheaper than train, so makes more sense to park somewhere you can get on the Met Line.

It’s quite an expensive train fare and car park, and trains are pretty average and often absolutely packed on the weekend. Reliable is not a word I’d associate with Chiltern Rail these days!

There are better options at Hillingdon and Amersham with TFL services.

I'd park at Hayes & Harlington then get the Elizabeth Line up to Bond Street / Tottenham Court Road.

Is your car ulez compliant? just a thought some of these are in the zone

Drive to Westfield White City and park there. It's right next to Shepherd's Bush tube station and there's loads of good shops and restaurants there. Plenty of parking.

Westfield in white city you can get the m40 straight there from Birmingham

I have parked in Watford and then taken the train in. There is a travel lodge type hotel just by the station, we stayed there and drove home the next day.

We've parked in Westfield (west London one) and tubed in from there. Parking is pretty reasonable!

We normally drive to Richmond or Surbiton. Richmond has a car park we just pay for can’t remember where, then Surbiton the street we used to live on has free parking on a Sunday! So we’d sometimes go there too.

I did Marylebone to moor st with chiltern for the cricket at edgebaston for £36 return a few weeks ago through the train line

Curious to hear what your decision was OP??