Driving to London, leaving car in suburbs and going by train
Discussion
Driving to London at the end of Feb for a long weekend from Devon. We usually get the train but due to repair work and possibly strikes the return train is looking to be a 6 hour slog instead of the usual 2 hours. Thinking instead about driving most of the way and then hopping on a train/tube to take us into central London as the hotel has no parking.
Where would be the best place to park the car and get on the train coming from the south west?
Where would be the best place to park the car and get on the train coming from the south west?
Depending on where the hotel is Id find a carpark nearby. We stopped at the Hilton Metropole in the summer and found a carpark about 5-6 minute walk away which was only about 18 quid for 24 hours. Only stinger is its inside the congestion zone.
Just Park is pretty good for city carparks.
Just Park is pretty good for city carparks.
If the idea is to have a reasonably clear run in the car and then a short hop on the train with minimum drama then I drive from here in Somerset to Basingstoke and get the train from there to Waterloo and back - biggish carpark at the station there, and trains to London every 10-12 minutes all day, IIRC, so no scheduling worries. Any closer to London starts to be a bit hit-and-miss for traffic, but you can escape West from Basingstoke pretty easily.
If you don't want to venture beyond the M25 and you may choose between the A303 or M4, depending on traffic on the day, then how about Bracknell? There are a couple of car parks, either next door or across the road. The only downside is that it takes an hour into Waterloo, but depending on your final destination you could get off at Richmond/Vauxhall and hop on the tube.
SteBrown91 said:
Depending on where the hotel is Id find a carpark nearby. We stopped at the Hilton Metropole in the summer and found a carpark about 5-6 minute walk away which was only about 18 quid for 24 hours. Only stinger is its inside the congestion zone.
Just Park is pretty good for city carparks.
I'd go with this. Outside of people peak times, the traffic in London is rarely as bad as people make out and parking also easier and cheaper than you'd think. Despite living close to two separate lines into London, if we're going in to watch a show in the evening we will almost always drive as it's quicker and cheaper than taking the train. Even rocking up to the NCP at Covent Garden works out at most half the price of the equivalent train.Just Park is pretty good for city carparks.
IroningMan said:
If the idea is to have a reasonably clear run in the car and then a short hop on the train with minimum drama then I drive from here in Somerset to Basingstoke and get the train from there to Waterloo and back - biggish carpark at the station there, and trains to London every 10-12 minutes all day, IIRC, so no scheduling worries. Any closer to London starts to be a bit hit-and-miss for traffic, but you can escape West from Basingstoke pretty easily.
The only problem with that, as also referenced by the OP, is that right now Network Rail are still fixing the massive landslip that happened near Hook in mid January and due to the work involved it's likely they might still be working on that by late Feb. Although SWR are now running trains from Basingstoke to Waterloo again they're at a reasonably reduced regularity / not guaranteed (weekday used to be approx 12 or 13 trains an hour now down to 4), as they're having to use one of the London bound lines for Westbound trains whilst they fix the landslip.https://www.southwesternrailway.com/plan-my-journe...
Edited by AlexRS2782 on Monday 6th February 23:54
What train??? When I do this I either:
Park in Newbury, ten minute walk to the station. Plenty of streets to leave the car in for free. Straight into Paddington.
Park in Hayes, maybe 15 minutes to the station but you can park in some streets there for free. Straight into Paddington.
I live in Somerset and always go M5/M4
Park in Newbury, ten minute walk to the station. Plenty of streets to leave the car in for free. Straight into Paddington.
Park in Hayes, maybe 15 minutes to the station but you can park in some streets there for free. Straight into Paddington.
I live in Somerset and always go M5/M4
blueg33 said:
rawenghey said:
Slough and Hounslow.
My word.
Prepare yourself before you arrive in either of those places.
Slough is fine. Especially around the station, its all regenerated. My business did the library, skating rink, 2 x hotels, 300 odd resi etcMy word.
Prepare yourself before you arrive in either of those places.
The only thing is the tube takes ages because of all the stops. You’d be better off using one of the Elizabeth line suggestions above…
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