York or Cotswolds

How much time do you have?

We are planning to spend about a week in the Cotswolds and four days in the York area.

IMO the Cotswolds is worth seeing, I love the Cotswolds. Really, it's an individual decision if it's worth it.

It sounds like you only have one night allocated for York. If so, it probably doesn't make sense to detour to the Cotswolds on the way to visit for a few hours. There is a lot to do in York; you'll need the time there. If you can spend two nights in York or one night each in the Cotswolds and York, then it might make sense.

The drive from London to York is quite dull - the M1 or the A1 - and the journey is best done by train.

The Cotswolds are off route and you ideally need more than one night in York, so I would suggest that you visit Rutland instead of the Cotswolds. It's just as picturesque, with chocolate box villages, but without all the crowds, plus if you drive up the A1, it's not much off route. Hambleton is a pretty village plus the towns of Oakham or Stamford are worth exploring and if time permits, you can take a boat trip on Rutland Water.

You need a full day to explore York and visit the Railway Museum.

We stayed in a timeshare on Rutland Waters and really enjoyed the area but you really need more time to visit sites in this area as they are not as packed together as the Cotswold towns. So if you only have one night I would stay in Woodstock and visit Blenheim Palace and then drive around all the scenic towns the next day. Or if you go to York it might be better to take the train. You don't need a car; especially since they don't let you park the center of town anyway. You can visit York Minster, visit the Train Museum and walk the Wall around the town. Take a tour out to Castle Howard.

If you are going to York for 1 night - go by train from London Kings Cross. To get cheapest fares - pre book about 11 weeks in advance specific services.
www.nationalrail.co.uk KGX > YRK

Driving to the Cotswolds on the way to York is out of the question. Driving from London to York direct is pretty boring and on very busy roads. Train will be shooting along at 125mph for much of the journey.

If you do wish to make a detour en route (by car or train), I would suggest Cambridge. With train, you would have to split the journey tickets and it might work out cheaper to do say YRK to Peterborough (where you change trains); Peterborough > Cambridge and finally Cambridge to KGX.

Not sure where you plan to pick up a rental car, this is just to give you an idea of times.....if you pick up car in Slough and drive to the Cotswolds, say Chipping Campden it's a 1 hour 45 minutes drive. Then from Chipping Campden to York would be a 3 hr drive.