Car rental/train question for Winchester
Feb 12th, 2009, 09:35 AM
#41
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Willit,
Apologies for the slightly agresssive email before - didn't mean it to sound so aggressive ... I was just thinking that being in Winchester, meant that it was easy to get to London & if they go out of peak, it shouldn't be that bad ... getting to Richmond would mean getting in car, driving up M3, finding Richmond, then station, parking, etc.
Mark
Apologies for the slightly agresssive email before - didn't mean it to sound so aggressive ... I was just thinking that being in Winchester, meant that it was easy to get to London & if they go out of peak, it shouldn't be that bad ... getting to Richmond would mean getting in car, driving up M3, finding Richmond, then station, parking, etc.
Mark
Feb 12th, 2009, 10:01 AM
#43
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The isplumm/willit spat illustrates an important point here.
If you're based in more or less central Winchester, using a car to get to London strikes most people as doolally. Walk or get a bus to the station, get a cheapo train ticket and the next thing you know you're at Waterloo and can pretty well walk to most places in London you might want to go to.
More than a mile or two outside central Winchester, though and it looks different. The road system means getting onto the road to London is quicker than getting to the station, it costs a fortune to park, it's fast to about Richmond and if you're driving anyway, there's a reasonable argument for staying in the car till it gets near a tube station.
Nothing absolute here. Depends where you're starting from.
If you're based in more or less central Winchester, using a car to get to London strikes most people as doolally. Walk or get a bus to the station, get a cheapo train ticket and the next thing you know you're at Waterloo and can pretty well walk to most places in London you might want to go to.
More than a mile or two outside central Winchester, though and it looks different. The road system means getting onto the road to London is quicker than getting to the station, it costs a fortune to park, it's fast to about Richmond and if you're driving anyway, there's a reasonable argument for staying in the car till it gets near a tube station.
Nothing absolute here. Depends where you're starting from.
Feb 12th, 2009, 10:14 AM
#44
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Hi, isplumm1--Thanks for the suggestions regarding Eastleigh, etc. These will be good to keep in mind for rainy days.
The reason for the Richmond discussion, really, was that I had asked if there was anywhere closer in to London to catch a train and thereby spend less for tickets. I was frankly appalled at the cost for 4 of us to take the train from Winchester--even off-peak. Trains here in the Boston area are just a lot less expensive, and there are commuter passes for locals that make it much more affordable, so I was really surprised at the cost. Even on Southwest Trains, which appears to have a "GroupSave" rate that's heavily discounted off-peak, the fare would be 52GBP for 4 people (with Super Off-Peak schedule). We've spent about that much for a 3-hour journey on Amtrak here in the States...
Using the costs TimS provided, the Richmond option appears to be the cheapest, even if not the most convenient. With the Travelcard, we'd pay about 25GBP for a family of 4, plus 7GBP for parking, saving us 20GBP a day. I don't know how difficult the driving would be or whether traffic would be an issue, but we could sure use the extra 20GBP!
I do still always appreciate any and all advice... Thanks!
The reason for the Richmond discussion, really, was that I had asked if there was anywhere closer in to London to catch a train and thereby spend less for tickets. I was frankly appalled at the cost for 4 of us to take the train from Winchester--even off-peak. Trains here in the Boston area are just a lot less expensive, and there are commuter passes for locals that make it much more affordable, so I was really surprised at the cost. Even on Southwest Trains, which appears to have a "GroupSave" rate that's heavily discounted off-peak, the fare would be 52GBP for 4 people (with Super Off-Peak schedule). We've spent about that much for a 3-hour journey on Amtrak here in the States...
Using the costs TimS provided, the Richmond option appears to be the cheapest, even if not the most convenient. With the Travelcard, we'd pay about 25GBP for a family of 4, plus 7GBP for parking, saving us 20GBP a day. I don't know how difficult the driving would be or whether traffic would be an issue, but we could sure use the extra 20GBP!
I do still always appreciate any and all advice... Thanks!
Feb 12th, 2009, 10:25 AM
#45
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"GroupSave" rate that's heavily discounted off-peak, the fare would be 52GBP for 4 people (with Super Off-Peak schedule).>
To me, having traveled in U.K. for decades seems like a tremendous deal
and if in Winchester you'd save a lot of time by not having to drive in possibly congested highways, find parking at Richmond (is it always available at the station parking lot)
On the plus side however from Richmond you can hop the Tube anywhere in London.
How about pricing a Winchester to Richmond train then doing the TravelCard from Richmond.
If going to the South Bank- London Eye area it would be much quicker to take SW trains right into Waterloo and walk to South Bank, Trafalgar, Parliament and Big Ben, Picaddilly, etc. - you would not have to buy a TravelCard or take the Tube at all in this case as Waterloo is a few-minute walk from the South Bank and short walk from many other sites.
To me, having traveled in U.K. for decades seems like a tremendous deal
and if in Winchester you'd save a lot of time by not having to drive in possibly congested highways, find parking at Richmond (is it always available at the station parking lot)
On the plus side however from Richmond you can hop the Tube anywhere in London.
How about pricing a Winchester to Richmond train then doing the TravelCard from Richmond.
If going to the South Bank- London Eye area it would be much quicker to take SW trains right into Waterloo and walk to South Bank, Trafalgar, Parliament and Big Ben, Picaddilly, etc. - you would not have to buy a TravelCard or take the Tube at all in this case as Waterloo is a few-minute walk from the South Bank and short walk from many other sites.
Feb 12th, 2009, 01:32 PM
#46
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Hi,
I would say that you need to keep Eastleigh, etc for a rainy day - but it might be worth going along for an evening? I have to be honest, I don't think there is much to do in Eastleigh apart from that for kids - but not have kids it isn't something I ever worried about.
Although going to somewhere like Richmond is most likely cheaper, like PalenQ, I do wander whether it is worth the effort ... would you be even able to park there during the week? If you look at the stations on the main line - Southampton / Eastleigh / Winchester etc, the car parks are nearly always full be 9AM.
Mark
I would say that you need to keep Eastleigh, etc for a rainy day - but it might be worth going along for an evening? I have to be honest, I don't think there is much to do in Eastleigh apart from that for kids - but not have kids it isn't something I ever worried about.
Although going to somewhere like Richmond is most likely cheaper, like PalenQ, I do wander whether it is worth the effort ... would you be even able to park there during the week? If you look at the stations on the main line - Southampton / Eastleigh / Winchester etc, the car parks are nearly always full be 9AM.
Mark
Feb 13th, 2009, 02:32 AM
#48
I live there, and agree with CW! There is not much worth seeing in Eastleigh (I'm battling to think of anything that would be of any inerest to an overseas visitor)
To go back to the Richmond issue, I have done this trip quite often, and have never had problems parking - it is a huge car park. I am not pretending it is a perfect solution, but providing you don't hit the rushhour traffic, it is fairly painless.
To go back to the Richmond issue, I have done this trip quite often, and have never had problems parking - it is a huge car park. I am not pretending it is a perfect solution, but providing you don't hit the rushhour traffic, it is fairly painless.
Feb 13th, 2009, 03:24 AM
#49
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Come off it Willit / CW, there loads to do in Eastleigh - I mean there's the museum, the McDonalds, the KFC, hmmmmm .... yes you are right there is little to do in Eastleigh!!!
Might improve once the cinema / bowling alley opens in March - but I'm not holding my breath!!!
Mark
Might improve once the cinema / bowling alley opens in March - but I'm not holding my breath!!!
Mark
