Go Back  Fodor's Travel Talk Forums > Destinations > Europe
Reload this Page >

Travel from Kensington, London to Cambridge

Travel from Kensington, London to Cambridge

Old Aug 21st, 2017, 12:05 PM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 153
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Travel from Kensington, London to Cambridge

Hello, I'm a bit confused on the various website offering information from Kensington to Cambridge. I will be staying at the Hilton Olympia London in October. I want to do a day trip to Cambridge. My confusion is whether the underground will take me from Kensington to Cambridge with some transfers, or do I need to take an actual Rail Train? As a side, if you know of a tour group, I might be open to that. However, I want to go at my leisure and not feel rushed. I know that I will not see all of Cambridge, but intend to see some highlights. I am also considering hiring a tour guide once I arrive there.

Thank you ~
Sturion is offline  
Old Aug 21st, 2017, 12:10 PM
  #2  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
the Tube goes nowhere near Cambridge but real trains do -take the Tube to Kings Cross train station for usually twice hourly trains to Cambridge where at the train station you can I believe hop on Hop On and Off buses that take your around Cambridge's main sights.

Otherwise it's about a mile or so walk from Cambridge's train statio to town center.

See www.nationalrail.co.uk for schedules and fares.
PalenQ is offline  
Old Aug 21st, 2017, 12:12 PM
  #3  
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,398
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
No the Tube is just for London and environs. You will need to take a train to Cambridge. It's an easy trip and I doubt you would need a tour guide once there. We traveled there some years ago and it's a great walking city!

"The average journey time between London Kings Cross and Cambridge Station is 1 hour 1 minute. The fastest journey time is 1 hour 3 minutes. On an average weekday, there are 96 trains per day travelling from London Kings Cross to Cambridge Station. The journey time may be longer on weekends and holidays."
From the trainline web site.
newtome is offline  
Old Aug 21st, 2017, 12:22 PM
  #4  
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 27,609
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
The trains from Liverpool Street station are a little slower but much cheaper than the trains from Kings Cross. Take a bus or taxi into town - the station is out of the center.

It is worth doing a guided tour of King's College Chapel, but otherwise a good guidebook should suffice.
thursdaysd is offline  
Old Aug 21st, 2017, 12:26 PM
  #5  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
https://www.visitbritainshop.com/usa...ghtseeing-bus/
PalenQ is offline  
Old Aug 21st, 2017, 12:40 PM
  #6  
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 27,609
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
@PQ - total and complete waste of 21 GBP. The center of Cambridge is entirely walkable, the OP just needs a cheap city bus, from the station to the center.

Forgot to put the railway link in my last post:

http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/servic...ourney/search#

For the buses use google.maps.
thursdaysd is offline  
Old Aug 21st, 2017, 12:43 PM
  #7  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Well I did not recommend the bus but mentioned it because OP expressed interest in a tour group. Zillions of folks ride these buses which do give commentary en route and the views from the open-air top deck can be awesome.

I tend to agree with you!
PalenQ is offline  
Old Aug 21st, 2017, 01:02 PM
  #8  
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 17,268
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
" Zillions of folks ride these buses which do give commentary en route "

Three cities in Europe are especially unsuited to these ridiculous HOHO time wasters. Oxford, Cambridge and Florence dominated the world in what they were good at centuries before some imbecile 20th century pseudo-businessperson tried to foist a pointless invention on cities that didn't need it.

Like Uber in London, or Airbnb anywhere (or Amazon in most of Europe), HOHO buses in Europe's major heritage cities are the unnecessary in search of a reason for existence.

HOHOs almost never make sense in real cities. But in those cities that were designed almost a millennium ago to be walked through, they're truly pointless.

Here's a small way you can strike back at exploitative techno-ripoffs. Look at the HOHOs in Europe's heritage cities, wave a Churchillian V sign at them, then visit them the way God planned.

On foot. See the cities properly - and save yourself a fortune.
flanneruk is offline  
Old Aug 21st, 2017, 01:06 PM
  #9  
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 27,609
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Someone wanting a tour of Cambridge would be much better advised to start here:

http://www.visitcambridge.org/official-tours

And for King's College:

http://www.kings.cam.ac.uk/visit/admission.html
thursdaysd is offline  
Old Aug 21st, 2017, 01:25 PM
  #10  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
How about a punt tour?
PalenQ is offline  
Old Aug 21st, 2017, 01:31 PM
  #11  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
https://www.scudamores.com/chauffeur...waApZpEALw_wcB

Yup for a different view of Cambridge!
PalenQ is offline  
Old Aug 21st, 2017, 01:37 PM
  #12  
mjs
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 3,122
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Easy train from Kings Cross or Liverpool street to Cambridge. Take bus in front of the train station to downtown Cambridge. Used to be service every 15 min or so. Obtain a map to the city somewhere and wonder around. Used to be able to wonder everywhere but nowadays the Colleges seem to charge admission.
A punting trip to Granchester would also be fun
mjs is offline  
Old Aug 21st, 2017, 01:46 PM
  #13  
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 72,628
Likes: 0
Received 50 Likes on 7 Posts
>>A punting trip to Granchester would also be fun
janisj is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
avalon
Europe
24
Dec 12th, 2009 03:18 AM
jewela
Europe
6
Jul 29th, 2007 02:34 PM
dcappolino
Europe
6
Jan 14th, 2006 08:35 PM
swrtraveler
Europe
4
Apr 4th, 2005 12:18 AM
higgy
Europe
4
May 14th, 2004 06:08 AM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are On


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -