BootsnAll Travel Community

Hello All!! Haven't posted in a while, but I will be studying abroad in London for five months this coming January, and I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions for transport to cities outside of London for extended periods. I will be based in London, but want to take weekend trips outside the city. Any information/experiences would be much appreciated! I will definitely be getting an Oyster card for city travel, but trains/buses that run throughout the country/up to Scotland is what I need info on.

Always

Em

The key to securing cheap rail travel in Britain (for trips out from London of the kind which interest you) is often to book well in advance. This applies particularly for longer distance journeys (viz. more than an hour or two from London by train). For most routes, booking open between 12 and 8 weeks prior to travel.

For day trips (ie. within 60 to 90 mins from London - and all with excellent train connections) you might consider Arundel (NB. station is 20 mins walk from the town); Lewes and Brighton (easily combined in a day: a ticket from London to Lewes can be used via Brighton); Cambridge; Winchester; Oxford; Hever (but check the castle is actually open on the day you want to go); Canterbury. For all of these routes you could get a day return ticket (just a few pence more than a single, no need to advance book, but you must return same day). Travel out from London anytime on weekends and holidays, but only after the morning commuter peak on work days.

For weekend-away trips, consider Bath, York, Edinburgh, Ludlow. These would all be instances where advance booking could reap great benefits.

I do hope these few thoughts help. Enjoy your spell in London.
Nicky
www.hiddeneurope.co.uk

Consider the bus as well. Oxford has 2 services which run from opposite Victoria Station and Marble Arch about every hour (they're 24 hour services, and a lot of students use them for late nights out on the town ).

Megabus offers excellent deals if you book in advance, but taking the overnighter to Glasgow is a slog.

Megatrain (same website) is a fantastic bargain, but there are probably very few seats available. From what I've seen, they run special carriages rather than selling off spare capacity. I have no idea why they can offer travel so cheap while everybody else has to pay through the nose...

If you're aged 18-25 then you can get a Young Person's Railcard. This costs £20 and is valid for one year, saving you 1/3 on virtually all National Rail services. Buy it when you first arrive and you'll definitely make the money back!