Hello--we are going to London for just three days at the end of September, and I would like to visit Chawton House in (or near?) Alton. I already got tickets for Sunday mid afternoon of that week, but we will not be driving. I'm hearing mixed things about how long the train ride is but I'm hoping it's not too much more than an hour. I am also aware that there's a cab or a long walk to get to the House and Gardens but I really would like to go. Does anyone know if this is a doable day trip? Thank you.
Posted by
Ontario, Canada
7617 posts
Doable. There's no way to get there by train in an hour. Have a look at Google Maps, and plug in an early morning Sunday start. It looks like a bit over 2 hours, with a train out of Waterloo, then a bus from Alton, and then a walk of a mile or so. Reverse the process for the return trip. Have a look at the National Rail site for more precise train information: https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/
Posted by
Washington
1198 posts
Hi, you may want to contact the taxi company in advance and reserve and/or give them a heads up as to what train you're on. Likewise, if you need a taxi to return to Alton station, you may also want to reserve. We called the taxi company for a lift from Chawton that afternoon, and they were busy so we walked back to Alton. That was a weekday. The walk is okay, but I wouldn't want to do it in the pouring rain (Mrs. Bennet might disagree. ;)
The taxi company we used (Alton 8s website) is in a small building next to the station & Waitrose parking lot.
Punching in a fake train trip on a September Sunday, I'm seeing 1 hour, 55 minutes travel time from Waterloo station to Alton.
Posted by
Central Coast CA, USA
452 posts
I did a day trip from London to Chawton last September. It can be done, but it takes a little over two hours each way. My original plan was to take a train to Winchester (~1 hr from Waterloo station) and then bus#64 (~30 mins) from Winchester to Alton, then walk (less than a mile). However, my friend ended up meeting me at Winchester station and very kindly gave me a ride to and from Chawton. It was about a 20 min drive each way. You could take a taxi to/from Winchester, which will reduce travel time to ~90 mins each way, but I do not know how much it will cost.
Make sure you visit both Chawton House (and grounds) as well as Chawton Cottage. I enjoyed both very, very much and would definitely do a day trip again, even if it took 2-3 hours each way.
Posted by
Lake District, England
12278 posts
Normally, on a weekday, Alton is 1 hour 10 minutes from London Waterloo by direct train.
On a Sunday (so 20 September) it is a change of train at Woking- which makes it 1 hour 55 minutes.
On 27 September there is engineering work on the line so there is a rail replacement bus from Farnborough (Main) station. It is 50 minutes on the train to Farnborough then a 50 minute bus ride- total travel time 1 hour 50 minutes.
However there is a cheap Sunday ticket called a Sunday Out Return which costs £23 return before any railcard discounts- a ticket type unique to South Western Railway.
Winchester is too far from London to have Sunday out tickets but there are Advance (train specific) fares from £11.40 each way.
The aforementioned bus 64 runs on a Sunday but doesn't call at Winchester station, so you have to transfer to Winchester (Broadway).
On a weekday (not Sunday) bus 38 calls into Chawton Village (stopping at Jane Austen's House) 4x a day between Alton Station and Petersfield station (which is on the Waterloo to Portsmouth line).
From Alton a taxi should be around £10 each way for the 3 miles, from Winchester about £40 each way for the 16 mile journey
Posted by
Lake District, England
12278 posts
Alton is also the start of the Watercress preserved steam railway- a very nice journey, and an unusual instance of where modern electric main line trains and steam trains can be seen side by side- https://watercressline.co.uk/
Because of the main line connection, one of the easier preserved steam railways to visit in the UK- far easier than the North Yorkshire Moors railway for instance.
And it is called the Watercress line, because of the watercress which is grown in the area, and beds of it can still be easily visited from the train. It was also one of the reasons to build the line, to allow easy transport of the crop all over the UK.
Posted by
London
1655 posts
Yes, you can definitely do this as a day trip from London! You can also combine it with a visit to Winchester Cathedral where Jane Austen is buried (also a very impressive and beautiful cathedral). Everyone has already provided very good advice on transport so I don't have anything to add on that, but I will endorse Stuart's recommendation of the Watercress line- it's a great day out in easy reach of London. I don't know if you'd be able to fit in a ride on the Watercress line with a visit to Chawton House but it's worth consulting the schedules.