Going to London wwyd?

[Lemondrizzle13]

I’ve started another thread about this.

We are planning a short trip to London next week, we’ve left it a bit late planning and booking. Anyone experienced in visiting London wwyd?

Plan A was to drive from Birmingham to a hotel in Wimbledon south. There is free parking at the hotel, the hotel is £150 for two nights and it’s a 10 minute walk to Colliers Wood tube station. We would then buy underground passes and travel into central London.

Plan B is book a hotel in central London. There are hotels still available, Southwark, Waterloo, which are walking distance from some of the main attractions. We would get the train from Bham which is £115 for a return but the hotel is around £300 for the two nights.

We are trying to keep costs down and want to fit in as much as we can. Driving seemed the easy option just because of quickness and faffing about with bags on the train. We did it that way several years ago but lots of people seem to say it’s easier to get the train and stay more centrally.

Wwyd?

We go to London a lot and usually go by train, however we are going this weekend and you need to be aware that Euston is closed from Friday until Thursday next week. The Snow Hill to Marylebone trains will run but are likely to be busier and more expensive.

We are driving instead and have a hotel booked at Fulham with parking. (it's handy for where we specifically are going)

On our last visit we had to drive due to having to transport heavy equipment and we booked a cheap Premier Inn at Hangar Lane which has parking and is very handy for the tube. We have also stayed at Canary Wharf and parked there in the past.

Option B

If you are travelling via train with another adult, you can buy a two together train pass. Its not a means tested pass such as those on benefits, you don't need to me married/at same address and it saves 30% off train fares, plus it lasts 12mths! DH and I did London to Edinburgh once and saved the cost of buying it on that trip alone. You'd need to check any time restrictions.

www.twotogether-railcard.co.uk/

It’s definitely doable from Colliers Wood with the hour I was factoring in walking time to the station and walking/catching another tube to places.

Staying in central London is definitely preferable, my husband and I just feel a bit lost without the car. But daft really because we won’t be using it once there.

I find being in London without a car quite liberating.

Yeah defo stay central. One thing people always forgot about London is how tiring it is! Once you’ve shlepped into the city from Colliers Wood you’ll already be a bit knackered. And only then will you be starting your central London part, which will also be knackering!
it’s great not having a car! So much easier. And you’ll be in central London so can go anywhere for dinner and only be a short tube journey back to the hotel.

Yes it is definitely tiring 😴

It actually looks like it’s £100 from Moor Street to Marylebone for two adults and a child return.

They are set train times but that shouldn’t be a problem.

That seems like a bargain.

You could of course drive into central London, it's not impossible. We stay in Camden a lot and always drive. Parking will be very expensive of course and you feel like banging your head on the steering wheel as you drive along the A40 but it's doable

We did consider it as you can book parking in different places. But with the cost, the traffic and the congestion charge it seemed a bit much!

We always stay at Wembley Park. easy drive from the midlands. Premier inn last Easter and this was £90 for 2 nights. £30 for parking. It’s literally a two minute walk from the tube and on the Metropolitan and Jubilee lines.

Regardless of how long it takes to get into town from Colliers Wood, if you wake up to find the Northern line is suspended for some reason (signal failure, trespasser on the line etc) you’re fucked. And that’s all too possible.

There are always alternative routes but they’ll take longer & be extra packed.

I would definitely stay central.

Have you got a friends and family railcard? You can often save a lot with one of those.

I would take the train and stay central.

@EmpressaurusKittyis spot on. Don’t rely on one tube line to get in and out of central London. If you go for a hotel near Southwark tube station, that’s a great spot. A short walk to the Southbank and Tate Modern. St Paul’s, The Shard, Tower Bridge, Covent Garden all walkable.

A central London hotel within walking distance of most things will be significantly more enjoyable and relaxing than having to travel back on the tube at the end of the night.
Birmingham to Marylebone on the Chiltern train line is £35 return! Don’t bother with the expensive Euston line.

Why have you got two threads?!! I’ve replied to the other one…

Have you got a Railcard? It's worth the £35 for the savings you'll make. You can get a family and friends one of your travelling with kids or a two together one if just 2 adults

Because I initially was asking about the museums.

I wanted to ask about the travelling/hotel but didn’t think many people would see it or reply as the title was about the museums.

I don’t have a railcard.

As you can probably tell I’m a bit clueless. This thread has been most helpful though so thank you.

Think I’m going to book the train from Moor St then one of the Premier Inns, either Waterloo Lambeth or Tate modern.

Better get to booking it or everything will be sold out.

Definitely get a Railcard too. You'll save quite a bit on train fares that you can put towards the hotel

Ok thanks I’ll look into that too 🙂

Which days are you planning to travel? I use Trainline and can see fares for less than you've suggested, even without factoring in a railcard.

Maybe Monday to Wednesday.

Probably should leave early to make the most of the first day.

An open return from Moor Street to Marylebone is £79 which will give you more flexibility and is definitely a nicer train, I travel into Birmingham this way fairly often.

Where are you finding this please?

Is that on train line for two adults and one child?