Day trips from London

[tassietravellers]

We will be in London for 8 nights in July and we were thinking about taking 1 or 2 day trips, I have been looking at Brighton and Canterbury, but are open to any suggestions.

 

I have been looking at train v coach travel, train from London to Canterbury is 67.20 pounds return for the 2 of us, with off peak day tickets, compared to 10 pounds return by coach. The train trip is 56m and the coach 1hr50, which isn't a problem with us. Have I got something wrong or is train travel quite expensive in the UK.

 

All suggestions welcome :-)

 

thanks Deb

[buchhalm]

Brighton: Pebbly beach, a bit sad and tacky. Nothing too special. A bit like Atlantic City without the casions perhaps.

Canterburry: Charming. Perhaps closer to what you imagine "England" to be.

Consider Bath (thermal springs and a fabulous public bath house).

Stratford-upon-Avon. (Shakespeare country),

Oxfors, Stonehenge, the Cotswolds...

Check on the London Tourist Board website for guided coach tours ex London, or

http://www.visitlondon.com/things-to-do/sightseeing/sightseeing-tours?ref=nav

[tassietravellers]

Brighton: Pebbly beach, a bit sad and tacky. Nothing too special. A bit like Atlantic City without the casions perhaps.

Canterburry: Charming. Perhaps closer to what you imagine "England" to be.

Consider Bath (thermal springs and a fabulous public bath house).

Stratford-upon-Avon. (Shakespeare country),

Oxfors, Stonehenge, the Cotswolds...

Check on the London Tourist Board website for guided coach tours ex London, or

http://www.visitlondon.com/things-to-do/sightseeing/sightseeing-tours?ref=nav

 

Thankyou

We had a month in the UK in 2012 and got to Stratford, Cotswalds, Stonehenge, but Bath is a great suggestion.

So at the moment its with Cambridge and Bath :)

[orchestrapal]

Skip Brighton pretty tacky.

Cambriger or Oxford, Bath and Stratford would be my choices

There is so much to do in London that you hardly need to run

elsewhere in just 8 days.

[eandj]

If you haven't been, you can even take the train to Paris for a day.:)

[Post Captain]

We will be in London for 8 nights in July and we were thinking about taking 1 or 2 day trips, I have been looking at Brighton and Canterbury, but are open to any suggestions.

 

I have been looking at train v coach travel, train from London to Canterbury is 67.20 pounds return for the 2 of us, with off peak day tickets, compared to 10 pounds return by coach. The train trip is 56m and the coach 1hr50, which isn't a problem with us. Have I got something wrong or is train travel quite expensive in the UK.

 

All suggestions welcome :-)

 

thanks Deb

Deb ~

 

Yes, train travel can be quite expensive IF you purchase your tickets on the day of travel.

 

However, you can save a considerable amount by purchasing tickets in advance, online. The only drawback to the cheaper Advance tickets is that you have to select (in advance) the specific train departure time, and be sure that you can make that train. If you miss that train for that some reason, you can't use your Advance fare ticket on a later train.

 

Just a couple of examples of possible savings:

 

The standard "Off Peak" return (round-trip) fare between London and Cambridge is £23.70 per person. However, for certain train times, you can buy two single (one-way) Advance tickets for £6.00 each--a savings of almost 50 percent off the standard Off Peak fare.

 

The standard "Off Peak" fare between London and Bath is £31.50 each way, or a total of £63.00 per person. The Advance fare on certain trains can be as low as £15 each way--a savings of more than half off the standard Off Peak fare.

 

Play around with the trip planner function at the National Rail website to find the lowest possible fares:

 

http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/service/planjourney/search

 

A couple of caveats:

 

"Advance" fare tickets don't go on sale until a certain time (45 days, IIRC) before the travel date. If that's the case for a particular journey you'd like to make, just do a "dummy" booking by putting in another date--say, three weeks from now--to see what the Advance fare will probably be.

 

Also, you will have to collect the physical tickets at the station before your journey. To do so, you will need the credit card that you used for your online booking. You can retrieve the tickets from an automated machine or from an agent at any ticket window at the station.

 

[tassietravellers]

If you haven't been, you can even take the train to Paris for a day.:)

 

Thanks, we'll be arriving in London after spending time in Paris :-)

[tassietravellers]

Skip Brighton pretty tacky.

Cambriger or Oxford, Bath and Stratford would be my choices

There is so much to do in London that you hardly need to run

elsewhere in just 8 days.

 

Hi, thanks, we did have a week in London in 2012, so thought we might get out for at least one day to an area we hadn't been.

Bath might be the go, we did go to Oxford and Stratford last time. Lovely places.

[tassietravellers]

Deb ~

 

Yes, train travel can be quite expensive IF you purchase your tickets on the day of travel.

 

However, you can save a considerable amount by purchasing tickets in advance, online. The only drawback to the cheaper Advance tickets is that you have to select (in advance) the specific train departure time, and be sure that you can make that train. If you miss that train for that some reason, you can't use your Advance fare ticket on a later train.

 

Just a couple of examples of possible savings:

 

The standard "Off Peak" return (round-trip) fare between London and Cambridge is £23.70 per person. However, for certain train times, you can buy two single (one-way) Advance tickets for £6.00 each--a savings of almost 50 percent off the standard Off Peak fare.

 

The standard "Off Peak" fare between London and Bath is £31.50 each way, or a total of £63.00 per person. The Advance fare on certain trains can be as low as £15 each way--a savings of more than half off the standard Off Peak fare.

 

Play around with the trip planner function at the National Rail website to find the lowest possible fares:

 

http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/service/planjourney/search

 

A couple of caveats:

 

"Advance" fare tickets don't go on sale until a certain time (45 days, IIRC) before the travel date. If that's the case for a particular journey you'd like to make, just do a "dummy" booking by putting in another date--say, three weeks from now--to see what the Advance fare will probably be.

 

Also, you will have to collect the physical tickets at the station before your journey. To do so, you will need the credit card that you used for your online booking. You can retrieve the tickets from an automated machine or from an agent at any ticket window at the station.

 

 

Thanks so much, I will have a play around with that site...great advice, again thank you :-)

[Cotswold Eagle]

 

Also, you will have to collect the physical tickets at the station before your journey. To do so, you will need the credit card that you used for your online booking. You can retrieve the tickets from an automated machine or from an agent at any ticket window at the station.

 

 

Good advice in your post, but glad to say this is not necessarily true anymore. Many train operating companies now offer a print-at-home service for some tickets.

[PinkUK]

Windsor (pretty town and castle) and Hampton (for Hampton Court Palace) are easily reached by train from London and both worth a visit if you haven't seen them. The station at Hampton is right next to the palace and within the London oyster zone so if you purchase a visitor Oyster card transport there should be easy and relatively cheap. I hope you enjoy your visit.

[Eboracum_d]

York is just under two hours by train. The National Railway Museum is just next door to the station and York Minster and the medieval streets within easy walking distance.

[tassietravellers]

Thank you all, some great ideas. Half the fun is planning :)

[insidecabin]

As well as places have you looked at events.

 

if you have an interest see if there is anything on.

[tassietravellers]

As well as places have you looked at events.

 

if you have an interest see if there is anything on.

 

Good idea, thanks :)

[orchestrapal]

Good idea, thanks :)

 

Don't miss Kew Gardens which is easily rechable by Underground.

[skisteamboat]

Don't miss Kew Gardens which is easily rechable by Underground.

 

And by bus. I second that recommendation and it makes a very nice "short" day out.

 

Cheers

[insidecabin]

If interested in war history

 

Quite a few of the imperial war museum sites are accessible.

http://www.iwm.org.uk/

 

Bletchly park

http://www.bletchleypark.org.uk/

 

RAF museums

http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/

[4774Papa]

Last year, we rented a car and did Salisbury, Stonehenge and Avebury, as well as the next day, Windsor Castle.

Also, we did Cambridge from a ship's tour.

All were good.

If you are staying in London, do a tour rather than rent a car.

I have heard that Canterbury is super.

[Flainefan]

Canterbury is a great town with lots to see and do: the cathedral, city walls, medieval streets, ancient buildings, some great pubs and places for tea.

 

Within London, I suggest you take the river bus to Greenwich from Westminster or the London Eye. You will pass by the Tower and under Tower Bridge on your way down river to Greenwich pier. From there you have easy access to the Royal Naval College, National Maritime Museum, Cutty Sark, the covered market and our beautiful Greenwich Park with the prime meridian. Again, some good pubs and tea shops to explore. To return you could take the train or even the Docklands Light Railway (DLR).

Edited June 1, 2014 by Flainefan

[tassietravellers]

Canterbury is a great town with lots to see and do: the cathedral, city walls, medieval streets, ancient buildings, some great pubs and places for tea.

 

Within London, I suggest you take the river bus to Greenwich from Westminster or the London Eye. You will pass by the Tower and under Tower Bridge on your way down river to Greenwich pier. From there you have easy access to the Royal Naval College, National Maritime Museum, Cutty Sark, the covered market and our beautiful Greenwich Park with the prime meridian. Again, some good pubs and tea shops to explore. To return you could take the train or even the Docklands Light Railway (DLR).

 

Thanks great suggestions, I think we'll go to Canterbury, sounds a lovely place to visit for the day. :-)

[tassietravellers]

Last year, we rented a car and did Salisbury, Stonehenge and Avebury, as well as the next day, Windsor Castle.

Also, we did Cambridge from a ship's tour.

All were good.

If you are staying in London, do a tour rather than rent a car.

I have heard that Canterbury is super.

 

 

Thank you, great suggestions

[tassietravellers]

Thanks all for the great ideas, definitely giving us plenty to think about :-)

[nikel]

Bath might be the go, we did go to Oxford and Stratford last time. Lovely places.

 

How would one get there from London and how long is the ride.

[tassietravellers]

How would one get there from London and how long is the ride.

 

We had a hire car last time as we had a month touring the UK, but this time are planning on using trains from the London base.

 

They are all accessible by train from what I understand.