We will be visiting in August. We are flying into Heathrow. We want to spend the first day visiting an aunt in St. Albans via train then return to London same day, spend the night in London and the next morning take the train to Manchester to visit family. I believe for St. Albans we use the London St. Pancreas Station and to get to Manchester the next morning will use the London Euston. Can anyone suggest a hotel close to these stations as we will have luggage checking in and out? Any comments on the train travel would also be appreciated? Thank you.

I think the Euston train will come into Manchester Piccadilly. There is a Malmaison just next to the station.

If you wish flexibility on the train to take any train anytime then strongly consider the BritRail England pass which covers trains from either airport into London and to St Albans and Manchester

Also investigate www.nationalrail.co.uk for advance online discounted but highly restricted fares

but walk up fares can be sky high

For pass prices: www.britrail.com or as i usually recommend if you want to talk to a British rail expert www.budgeteuropetravel.com - they also don't charge mailing fees like most others. www.ricksteves.com also has good info

Passes not sold at stations in Britain - Brits can't use them

If you have more than two in your party then the BritEngland pass for the 3rd thru 9th passengers traveling together they pay 50% of what the first two pay

kids 15 and under get a free family pass to match the adult pass

So for mini groups and families the railpass can be even more a great deal.

But for two it all depends on how you go about your ticketing - check out www.nationalrail.co.uk for prices and compare. A nice thing about the pass for folks landing and railing out the same day is that the pass would cover the train from the plane and then you take the next train to St Albans - not worrying about the non-changeable non-refundable natures oft in online discounted fares. www.thetrainline.com is similar to nationalrail.co.uk

Passes are good on all the various rail franchises in the U.K. without exception. So with lines with perhaps more than one train company you can just hop on any train and not worry about the one you may have bought an online ticket from.

I did check out the Malmaison. The website mentions it is on Charterhouse Square by the Barbican underground station. This does not seem that close to Euston. Do you have any other suggestions on where to stay?

In regard to the train I will look into the rail pass to see what is more economical.

Thank you.

Sorry, I meant the Malmaison in Manchester - should have been more specific.

I apologize I was not that specific - the hotel I will need will be for the one night in London. I have been checking hotels close to the Euston Station - it seem the Thistle is right there. Does anyone have any comments on this?

This hotel etc was discussed only recently:

http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=35090156

If departing from London, trains to St Albans go from St Pancras station; trains to Manchester Piccadilly leave from Euston station. Your plan is to go into London from the airport, head out to St Albans, then come back into London, stay overnight and then head up to Manchester... that works ok, but there is another option, which avoids back-tracking.

Trains from London to Manchester go via Watford junction, which is only 10 miles from St Albans (though not every northbound train stops there). You could consider going to St Albans, then take a taxi over to Watford Junction (or even a train from St Albans Abbey station) and jump on a train to Manchester from there. Would save a fair amount of back-tracking... and might get you into Manchester without the need for an overnight in London.

Just a suggestion...

A rail bus Heathrow to Watford Junction is i believe valid with a England railpass - one of the few buses so covered.

If we decide to go straight from Heathrow to Watford/St. Ablans - can you tell me more about the Rail Air. Also, if we decided to hire a car service can anyone recommend one and would this be outrageously expensive.

Coaches to London Heathrow Airport UKNational Express Coaches & public bus services run to Heathrow from all over the UK ... 3) Heathrow - Watford Railair - connects Watford Junction railway ...
http://www.totaltravel.co.uk/travel/...uide/coach-lhr

"Just Airports" gets plenty of plaudits for airport transfers; you'd have to email them for a quote, but plenty of travellers on this board (and Frommers) speak very highly of them. Find them at www.justairports.com

Frommers? Wash your mouth out with soap!