Family trip to London

[Nellsbells173]

We’re hoping to go to London in the Easter holidays for two nights, 2 adults 2 children (age 8&9).
What’s the cheapest way to get there? We don’t have a huge budget. Trains have crazy prices and buses will take so long. We’re travelling from Wakefield.
Does anyone have any tips or best ways to book things are suggestions?
At this rate we’ll either get there but have no funds or get there for 20 minutes before we need to start travelling home!

Random date in April you can get 2 + 2 for £89 return. If you get a family railcard (Tesco clubcard points?) you will get it for £55. That's a weekday and at lunch time. If you travel peak times it will cost more, usually after 9:30am prices will be less.

Do you have a family railcard? If you have some Tesco vouchers you can exchange them for a railcard, valid for a year. The railcard can get you reductions of up to 30% on some trains. Book off peak trains. I don’t know about long distance buses.

When you get to London then concentrate on things that are free! There are loads. Museums and galleries, walking, parks, sights and iconic buildings. There are so many you won’t miss the paying attractions. If you are desperate to do something that costs, eg a boat trip then go on the scheduled commuter boats rather than a tourist one. Same with bus tours, go upstairs on ordinary buses, look out of the windows. Your kids will travel free on tubes, buses and the docklands railway.

Look out for kids eat free deals. Take your own snacks and put together snack packs/drinks for when you are out and about. Avoid rip offs like ice cream vans in tourist places.

Enjoy London.

What will I find the £89 return on?
I’ve looked at the railcard which does look good, though it would still put trains up to over £170 for us at the cheapest. What’s the best way to type things in? No Tesco points unfortunately.

Thanks for the tips on what to do, that is helpful.

LNER website

Sorry posted too soon, check trains from Westgate, they are direct and the Kirkgate tickets are more expensive. If that's your preferred station to travel from buy the local ticket separately.

Rail card would be good for reducing the price.

When mine were younger and we were on a tight budget I used to drive and book a premier inn with free parking eg Greenford a bit neater out, but near a tube station and just get the tube into the centre every day. That used to work out a lot cheaper for us.

• a bit further out

LNER does the £89 family return. However, I have already looked for Easter holidays (travelling from similar part of country to you - possibly even the same train service) & no family return tickets are available for my journey so they might already be sold out.

However using my family & friends railcard (bought with £10 of Tesco clubcard vouchers) I’ve been able to find tickets for just over £100. We’re going to fill our week with sightseeing, and visiting free museums (NHM & Tate modern).

Some cheaper advance tickets are only available from 12 weeks before- are you searching too soon?

Try using the trainline, but type Wakefield (any) in. This will show both stations.

4th April 08:56 out £30.50
6th April 16:27 or 19:48 back £22.90 with F&F railcard.

Or you could drive to say Luton/St Albans, park there and train in from there.

I can find mega bus tickets for £105 via their website or train for £114 via Trainline (Tues to Thurs) with Railcard.
Just play around with pairs of dates.

Thank you for all your responses, they’ve been really helpful. I’ve found a good deal if we do train there but bus back which fits better at timings, but also currently looking at staying out of the centre like @Ohhelpicantthinkofaname suggested. Not sure on tube pricing though so looking into that now.

We usually drive to London from Yorkshire. Stay at premier inn on the docklands (excel). It's really cheap, and often free parking. Because it's east of the city getting there is easy, very little traffic etc.

Bit further away from the city, but nice walk along the dock to the cable car to the 02 (north Greenwich tube) or can get the DLR from near the hotel.

Definitely get the Family and Friends Railcard for travel. Also book the Sky garden (free) for a fantastic view across London.

OP can you drive to another station or does it need to be public transport all the way? Like an hour south or a northern tube station. We normally drive to one of the northern tube stations with a decent sized car park, much cheaper than the train.

We’ve booked the premier inn at Greenford today and decided to drive down, it will work out better for timings. Now just to plan the activities, going to have a read up with that. Thanks will all the suggestions that you’ve given.