I am an underground virgin!!

[Theirmumxx]

Me and hubby are majorly stepping out of our comfort zone and travelling to Wembley in the next few weeks (we live in Manchester).

our plan is to drive to Watford junction , park our car and get the tube into Wembley underground?

this might be a silly question but will Watford be the first stop or will we be getting on a tube that has already picked others up? this might seem irrelevant to some but I get terrible travel sickness and really need a seat 😂😂 so thinking if Watford is the first stop I should be fine?

sorry if this doesn’t make sense I literally have no idea what I’m talking about hahah

Watford Junction is an overground (normal train) station not a tube one. It’s not the start of a line. While you might get a seat on the journey into Wembley the trains leaving afterwards will be heaving I imagine (it’s a few years since I’ve been).

That’s going to be true whatever line you use though.

Oh god 🫣 I’ve no chance of understanding them ha x. X

Yes Watford junction will be fine on the way in - but like PP said will be super busy on the way home

Are you going to Wembley to go to the stadium or arena? Wembley Park is a nearer tube station but it will be absolutely heaving after an event.

If you're driving to the edge of London, you could probably drive somewhere closer than Watford. It's probably 40+ mins on the train (before you've waited around for one), so you might want to stop somewhere further down the line.

Watford Junction is for London Overground or long distance west coast trains into Euston. It is the start of the Overground into London, which stops at Wembley Central. Don't get on a long distance/fast train - your ticket won't be valid and you'll get a fine, and it doesn't stop at Wembley anyway.

Watford tube is at the end of a side branch of the Metropolitan line, it's located in a housing estate and has next to no parking.

Why are you driving all that way? Why not take a train to Euston and a tube back out to Wembley.

Also, fyi, after a match or concert, all the stations local to Wembley having veeeeerrrry long queues to get in - it can be hours.

There's nothing much to understand really! Just look at the tube map to see what line you want. In the station, follow the signs for the platforms for that line (making sure you pick the platform for the right direction - Eastbound , Westbound etc). Then get on the train!

There is a tube station at Watford. It’s the start of the line into Wembley Park so you would get a seat. The trains are air conditioned and quite smooth running which should help with travel sickness.

BUT Watford tube station is quite a way from Watford Junction - about half an hours walk. There is a bus but it would take a similar amount of time. A cab would get you there in about 10 mins.

Can you drive to Stanmore instead? It's a bit further south than Watford but not far from M1.
You can then get the jubilee line straight through to Wembley.
Just check ULEZ if your car is older

Download the Citymapper app to see all your travel options in London

A good alternative is take the M40 to Gerard Cross (J2 M40). The train from Gerrards Cross takes between 15 and 30 minutes to Wembley Stadium and is above ground (see Chiltern Railways). It’s obviously busy getting back onto the train
but it’s very well managed and is easy.

Not totally sure why you are planning on driving then catching the tube? Why not take the train to London St Pancras, then the tube back out?

Also, here's an extract from the tube map to help you visualise the advice PPs have said - the orange double line is the London Overground, goes from Watford Junction (with the fast 20 mins trains to Euston). The burgundy line is the Metropolitan tube line from Watford tube station, in a completely different place to Watford Junction.

Link https://tfl.gov.uk/maps/track/tube

Agree with @Crankyfeminist that the (paid for) parking at the Watford tube station is very limited, and there are restrictions on all the surrounding roads to stop you parking there for a whole day (and you can't pay for on street parking). You can pay to park at Watford Junction although it's not cheap.

At least Watford overground (from Watford Junction) and Watford tube (from the other ststion) are the first stops, so you'd likely get a seat.

Trains from Manchester go to Euston, not St Pancras.

This is a good idea. There is a car park at Stanmore station.
Alternatively you could park in Pinner station car par but make sure you park in the station car park and not in Sainsbury's car park. They are next to each other.

The Underground is great fun, I've loved it since I was a child. Grew up in Devon and visited my aunt in London about once a year. From the ENORMOUS escalators to the wonderful map, the Victorian tunnels, the weirdness of disappearing down into the earth and popping up somewhere completely different, it's great.
I was totally disappointed by the New York subway, no deeper than the drains and very neglected. Hopefully it's been restored since I travelled on it.
Nb. Love the Manchester trams. If you get a chance, try the Docklands light railway.

What’s the reason for driving? I live in Manchester and would never bother driving to London, direct train from Piccadilly to Euston then jump on the tube, it’ll be quicker and if you book in advance not too expensive.

Train would definitely be quicker, but likely to be way more expensive than driving. And unpredictable... will it be cancelled? Will it run on time? Will there be a strike? Will we get a seat? Trains in this country are in a terrible state, and are just not reliable or cost effective. Which is a crying shame, as train travel can be lovely when it works. Like it does in other European countries.

Agree with driving to Stanmore or Pinner - or even North Harrow. Just ask for a seat if you need it - most people would happily give you a seat, myself included :)

Don't park at Watford. Exit the M1 at junction 4 and park at Stanmore or Canons Park station. They both have good car parks and are 3-4 stops from Wembley Park on the Jubilee Line.

Not necessarily more expensive if you book in advance, with a seat reservation.

Theres just as likely to be a hold up on the motorway doing that journey than it is to be disrupted on the trains. Petrol is crazy expensive too, plus parking charges.

Oh, c'mon. Unless it's actually a strike day, which you will know about in advance, the train will almost certainly be running, and fairly close to time. You can book a seat. Don't manufacture unnecessary flap. There could as easily be a motorway-closing accident on the way.

If you want to head in the Watford direction, go to Croxley instead. It’s one stop on from Watford on the Met line so you always get a seat and there is loads of parking at the station. Takes about 25 mins to Wembley Park.

Trains are regularly disrupted. I travel from the midlands to London and Manchester for work, by train, and always have to build in a big contingency for delays. Yes - cancellations are rarer, but my point is that you can't rely on trains fpr important things like you used to.

I had trains booked to Brighton 4 weeks ago - outbound train cancelled by strikes. Inbound train, 2 days later, cancelled (as was the one before and after it), but only notified of the cancellation 2 days before travel (strikes were announced 3 weeks earlier).

I'd love to travel by train more, but you always need a plan B now.