Hello!
I have started planning out a trip for the end of February. We would like to make it our both to Windsor Castle and the WB Harry Potter tour, but to do that we will have to rent a car. We are staying near the South Kensington Station and would like an easy place to pick up and drop off a car on the same day with the drop off being around 10 or 11 PM. The only place I have found is Heathrow so far. Does anyone recommend a place closer or a company that they prefer?
Thank you!
Perhaps I'm missing something, but as far as I know, you can get to Windsor from London easily via train and also to Harry Potter WB studios from London via transit as well. If you mean, you want to do both in one day, then perhaps you are right and a rental car would be the way to go (although I can't think it would be a pleasant day out). Others here will know more; you could also ask over on the TripAdvisor London forum.
If you feel this is the itinerary you want, perhaps you could take the train from London to Windsor, see the castle, and pick up a rental car there?
I do know you need to book your tickets for HP well in advance; don't turn up on the day and expect to get in.
Hope you have a good trip!
I'm really really confused.
Why do you need to rent a car?
Before I chop off your head, perhaps there is a critical reason for that?
If you have never driven to Windsor and driven around it for 90 minutes looking for a suitable parking like I have, you might still think it is a good idea. I'm here to say it often isn't. It is a small town which gets loads and loads of visitors every day. It is absolutely trivial to get to by train, about an hour from Waterloo, or about half that from Paddington and the train from Paddington stops just opposite the Castle. Paddington is 5 simple stops on the clockwise Circle Line from South Ken.
A very simple and fast train ride from either Euston Station or Harrow and Wealdstone to Watford Junction puts you just across a small drive to bus stop number 4 which has a very special Bus with special decoration which takes you straight to the Studio Tour.
South Ken on the Piccadilly Line to Green Park to the Victoria Line to Euston and upstairs to the London Midland trains to Watford Junction at xx:49, xx:54, xx:24, or xx:34 most hours during the day which takes between 15 and 20 minutes for the trip.
Or South Ken on Piccadilly Line to Kings Cross and back one station to Euston on the outbound Northern Line Bank Branch, and above. Or Piccadilly Line to Leicester Square and northbound on the Charing Cross Branch of the Northern Line.
Or South Ken on the anti-clockwise Circle Line or District Line to Embankment to the northbound Charing Cross Branch of the Northern Line.
all of those are your choice.... depending on loadings, any delays, or your preference.
I hope you aren't trying to do both of these on one day - it would be absolutely exhausting.
Just hiring a car to go to the Harry Potter would be a colossal waste of time and money. Public transit would be so much easier and faster.
You both make excellent points. We did want to try to knock it out in one day, especially with Harry Potter being open a bit later. I will have to rethink this and just split them up into two days or just see one or the other.
Thank you!
This June my niece and I visited the Warner Brothers Studios while staying London. Just as Nigel said, getting to Warner Brothers Studios was very easy.
“South Ken on the Piccadilly Line to Green Park to the Victoria Line to Euston and upstairs to the London Midland trains to Watford Junction…”
The train ride was comfortable and we traveled through some country side, past residential homes, saw some children playing football. Nice change of pace. Make your way through Watford Junction’s train station, down the stairs, and out the front doors. Look for the Mullany Coaches shuttle bus to the studio. When we were there the shuttle was in the parking lot. For the two of us I paid £4 to the driver for two return trips. FYI, the driver doesn't make change. The coach was a double decker and we were able to find seats on top. Lots of the people had to stand during the trip. The studio’s parking lot is very large and out in the open and windy.
No more from me, “Spoilers”
Enjoy, Catherine
