London holiday

davenkelly

Hi,

I have recently been lucky enough to win some merlin annual passes, and as the majority of the attractions a London based, decided we would go to london for a week at some point in 2013.

I've never been before and don't really know where to start with transport / meals / getting there etc, but don't really want to spend too much

I have booked travelodge central bank for Sunday june 2nd until the 8th as part of the travelodge sale for £90.

Is it worth us taking our car? (What is car parking etc like??) as we were hoping to go to Thorpe park also.

Can anyone give my any advice for getting around....the attractions we definately want to visit (as they will be free!) are:

- London eye
- London dungeon
- London aquarium
- madam Tussauds


Thanks in advance..

googler

I can't imagine why anyone would want to drive into central London, when there's buses, taxis, underground, bus tours, etc., AND a congestion charge for going into the city.....

There's no parking at the hotel; from their website;

"There is no parking available at the hotel.

Alternative parking is available nearby:

Vintry Thames Exchange Car Park
Bell Wharf Lane Off Upper Thames Street
London EC4R 3TB "


I shudder to think how much that will cost for a week..... oh, found it - £22 per day. If your hotel is £90 per night, that bumps up your daily expenditure by 25% or so.....

You can figure out the congestion charge from here

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/roadusers/congestioncharge/whereandwhen/

The London Eye is right next to the Aquarium, but having been to both, I don't recall seeing ANY parking within the local area. Likewise, Madame Tussauds is on the Marleybone Road, which is a busy dualled street. I can't see anything other than on-street parking from satellite view, and I really wouldn't want to be driving around looking for a space there....

All the other attractions should be easily reachable by Tube.

Where are you travelling from?

Liz3yy

My partner and i regularly spend time in London for weekend breaks and recently did just that before Xmas. We travelled by train all the way from Dorset this time but in the past we have driven to a convenient tube station, parked there then finished our journey by tube / train. Is this an option for you?

It would of course depend on whether you can leave your car at the station all week - I know our local one permits this - if so it would be a lot cheaper than parking in London by the hotel.

The hotel we stayed at last weekend near Notting Hill wanted £25 per DAY for parking

davenkelly

Hi,

We have decided not to bring the car as the costs outweigh the benefits, we are travelling from near leeds.

I have been looking at the TfL website and it mentions a 7 day travel card which we can purchase from £29.20 for zone 1-2

The £90 is not per night, it's for 6 nights (£15 per room per night in the sale woop woop!!)

Just been trying to estimate how to get everywhere....London is confusing!!! :rotfl:

googler

davenkelly wrote: »

We have decided not to bring the car as the costs outweigh the benefits, we are travelling from near leeds.

I have been looking at the TfL website and it mentions a 7 day travel card which we can purchase from £29.20 for zone 1-2

Or you can get an Oyster card, which if you keep topped up can be used on repeat visits to the capital.

Just been trying to estimate how to get everywhere....London is confusing!!! :rotfl:

So, train from Leeds will come in at Euston, St Pancras or Kings Cross. Northern Line from Euston or Kings Cross takes you direct to Bank tube station (avoid that one in rush hour), and from there it's walking distance to hotel.

From hotel to Eye and Aquarium, Circle or District Line to Embankment, then one stop South to Waterloo. Again, walking distance from there.

M Tussauds from hotel;

Central Line from Bank to Bond Street, one stop North on Jubilee Line to Baker St
or
Northern Line from Bank to KX, Circle Line to Baker St
or

A few other combinations

TFL Standard Tube Map plus Google maps makes it all easy

googler

I may be alone in my view, but I think the mapping, station signage, and other factors make the London Underground an absolute model of clarity compared to other transport systems.

Faith177

googler wrote: »

So, train from Leeds will come in at Euston, St Pancras or Kings Cross. Northern Line from Euston or Kings Cross takes you direct to Bank tube station (avoid that one in rush hour), and from there it's walking distance to hotel.

From hotel to Eye and Aquarium, Circle or District Line to Embankment, then one stop South to Waterloo. Again, walking distance from there.

M Tussauds from hotel;

Central Line from Bank to Bond Street, one stop North on Jubilee Line to Baker St
or
Northern Line from Bank to KX, Circle Line to Baker St
or

A few other combinations

TFL Standard Tube Map plus Google maps makes it all easy

It is probably quicker to walk from embankment to the Eye & aquarium tbf.

Plus it is a nice walk along the river and across Westminster Bridge

googler

Faith177 wrote: »

It is probably quicker to walk from embankment to the Eye & aquarium tbf.

Plus it is a nice walk along the river and across Westminster Bridge

Says true....

berks

Thorpe Park - Southwest Trains from Waterloo to Staines (Windsor or Reading Line), then shuttle bus to/from Park which I think is free.

billyolly

Used a web site Park at my house cost £4 a day .There may be some inside London but we parked just outside M25 and got the tube into town .Brought a Oyster card online before we went and it all went of with no trouble.A cheep way of getting to London is by National Express coaches for example.

lika_86

How many of you are going?

If it's nice weather you could spend an afternoon at Greenwich, buy sandwiches etc from M&S and then take them up the hill to near the Royal Observatory (you don't need to go in), but there's an amazing view over the city from the top of the hill. You could then get the boat back into the city.

If the London Eye will be free for you then I'd go twice - once in the day and once as it gets dark.

London's amazing to just walk around seeing the famous sights, so Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge, Houses of Parliament, Hyde Park etc. Then there are all the museums, galleries etc (the famous ones are all free - British Museum, National Gallery, V&A, Naatural History Museum etc).

I live in London and I think it's hard to advise people as to what to see and much of it is personal preference. What do you enjoy or want to see other than the Merlin stuff?