Trains in London & surrounding areas
 

We have 5 days in London (and on the 6th day we're traveling to Edinburgh by train) and not sure which day trips to make (our 2 children are 11 y/o), but here is my dilemma:<BR><BR>I won a Brit Rail 4 day pass for myself -<BR>If I purchase 4 day passes for the rest of my family (3 people) it is $277.50.<BR><BR>The GER website has a 20# special London-Edinburgh - which would equal $92/US for my husband and two kids. <BR><BR>This is probably a stupid question, but I haven't traveled much by train - are both trains the same - will we be able to travel together if I have a BritRail pass and my family get their tickets through GER?<BR><BR>If I get the tickets through GER, what are my options for taking day trips from London (via train)? Right now we're thinking Stratford, Stonehenge, and one other day trip. (Any recommendations would be appreciated) - Is Stonehenge a full day trip, or can I add another destination in on that day? I've heard Bath and Salisbury are popular, too. <BR><BR>I would want to use my pass for the day trips and look at buying same-day return trips for husband and kids; how do I find the price for the single day trips?<BR><BR>Or - should I just buy them a Brit Rail pass and not worry about it? <BR><BR>Thanks!<BR><BR>

Ah, the confusion wrought by the privatization of the British Rail system. Brit Rail is an organization that develops and markets passes on behalf of the 27 train operating companies that comprise the national rail network in the UK. Brit Rail does not operate any trains itself. GNER is one of the 27 operating companies, doing the route between London and Edinburgh. To go to Stratford upon Avon, you would take, I think, Thames Trains or the Chiltern Trains. To get to Stonehenge you would take a Southwest train to Salisbury and local bus from there. <BR><BR>You would undoubtedly save money by buying individual tickets, if you can get the &pound;20 fare to Edinburgh. You can find fares at www.qjump.co.uk

Ron - thank you for your advice. I've found the fare to Stratford (and Salisbury) is $66/US for 1 adult/2 kids. <BR><BR>Now if I can only decide which day trips to take! Any advice?

Sandy, you only have five days in London, and you want to do three day trips? Two is plenty! London is a huge city, and there is much, much to do. What time of the year are you going? That may decide some events you plan to do (outside vs. inside.)

Not only is two day trips enough, but with two 11 y/o's you would figure part of London is Windsor castle combined with Legoland and Eton. (it's not London proper, but not far enough to really call a day trip)

Sandy, if I was travelling with 11 year old kids, I would do a day trip to Warwick for Warwick Castle and would do an overnight stopover in York on the way to Edinburgh, for the wall, the Jorvik Centre, for a ghost walk and maybe for the railway museum.

London is a huge city with literally hundreds of things to see, I would not take two (or three) day trips with only 5 days there. Assuming you are coming from the US you will have jetlag to contend with the first day, so that can be kind of a wash-out. I doubt if any 11 yr olds are going to enjoy the traveling involved with doing day trips. I'd center my activities on London proper this time around since you are already going to Edinburgh by train. We go toLondon every year, there is plenty to see .. 5 days just is the tip of the iceberg. <BR><BR>I'd recommend The London Eye, the kids will enjoy it I'm sure. The London Museum is also very good and not overwhelming as is the British Museum (which is marvelous too). The Tower is certainly worth a minimum of 1/2 day visit, and kids enjoy it a lot. <BR><BR>We've made lots of day trips and for kids I'd recommend Warwick Castle - but it's about 90 min. by train and it's a full day once there. With so few days in London I'd forget day trips this time around. Closer in are Windsor and Hampton Court (my favorite). HC is only 30 min. by train from Waterloo Station.<BR>The kids might really enjoy Harrod's Food Court too (kids of all ages seem to :-)<BR><BR>We've been on GNER trains to York and seen the ones that go to Edinburgh at Kings Cross Station. You can get tickets by calling GNER - we did when we went to York. Calls are really not expensive and sometimes it is simply better to talk to the ticket agent directly then figuring out website info.<BR>

Sandy: Lori got it right (unless you have been to London several times). With just 5 days you are unlikely to have the time or inclination for any all-day trips out of the city. The first day is going to be tough due to jet lag, getting into the city, checking into your hotel and just getting your bearings. <BR><BR>Concentrate on seeing London - and plan at most a day out to Hampton Court Palace or perhaps Windsor (not both).

Thanks for the advice - I've gone ahead and purchased the 20# tickets from London-Edinburgh. We're going to hang loose on the day trips - buy cheap day returns if we feel like taking one or two. We have a week in Paris before London, so thankfully we won't have to contend with jet lag.

Sandy: recovering from your jet lag in Paris makes a big difference - actually adding a full day to your sightseeing possibilities in London. But you are smart to "hang loose on the day trips". There is soooooo much for families to do in London you very likely will stay in the city - and wish you had more time to spend before heading to Edinburgh.<BR><BR>Go to the Tourist Information Center in London (there are good ones at Victoria station and Waterloo) - they will have loads of infromation about guided and on-your-own day trips. Then if you do decide to venture out you will have already studied/decided your options.<BR><BR>ps: at Victoria station there are two TICs - go to the larger one near the Buckingham Palace Road side.