Hi, I am debating between booking a tour to visit Stratford and Warwick Castle or doing it independently. Both would be as a day trip from London. If we do it independently what would be our best strategy? How frequent are trains between Warwick and Stratford on the weekend? How long are the stops at Warwick Castle and Stratford on the tours?
Thanks,
Joanna
There are several "Stratford"s in the UK.
One is the area in East London where the most recent London Olympics was held and now the location of the strange Mittal sculpture cum thrill ride and many sporting activities, as well as a tourist attraction.
I'm guessing that you actually mean the birthplace of William Shakespeare, which is Stratford-upon-Avon, in Warwickshire.
If so, it is possible to reach Stratford-upon-Avon from Warwick via train in about 35 minutes several times a day (5 stops, direct) or somewhat longer than 90 minutes via Birmingham Moor Street but more frequently. I haven't checked but Saturday service is likely near a weekday service and Sunday service if it exists at all won't be direct and you probably will have to go via Birmingham Moor Street.
I have no idea about tour buses.
Both Warwick and Stratford-upon-Avon are very easy to reach by train from London.
We did a 28 day drive tour of Wales and England in October. It was wonderful.
We spend a full day in Stratford Upon Avon as well as another full day at Warwick, where we visited the castle,
It would be very hard to do both in one day, unless you cut corners and didn't visit all the Shakespeare sights in Stratford.
The Castle was interesting, it is operated by the same company that owns Madame Tussauds, All throughout the castle there are lifelike wax figures of people, like Henry VIII and his six wives. Also, there is a good birds of prey show as well as jousting.
If you drive to Stratford Upon Avon, best to park in the large carpark at the edge of the city.
Looking Up Train Schedules and Routes Online gives you the Deutsche Bahn train schedule link and tips for using it. For Britain only, www.nationalrail.co.uk also includes prices and ticket-buying links. A few trains run directly between Stratford-upon-Avon and London around commuter hours.
If you want to see Stratford-upon-Avon properly, you need an entire day there. The HoHo bus gives you a glimpse of the town, but you really need time to hop off and spend at least an hour at each of the main destinations (the birthplace, Anne Hathaway's cottage, and Mary Arden's farm). Otherwise it's hardly worth it, IMO. This is from someone who has been there twice and failed to plan adequate time, much to my disappointment.
I can't speak for Warwick Castle, but if you combine it with Stratford-upon-Avon you will not see very much of either place.
I did an overnight in Stratford and then took the bus from Stratford to Warwick. Easy enough. Pick-up the bus in town center and drops you off right outside the castle. Doing both in one day would be a bit rushed.
