Travel Tips in UK

I suggest you buy a guidebook to London such as Rick Steve's London. Then you can decide what intersts you and ask more specific questions.

I second Frank's suggestion. If you have a couple of things you are having a hard time choosing between, this forum is excellent at giving you some personal perspective. But this is more like asking someone else to plan your trip. After a little more research on your part, we may be able to help more.

I can give you some transport suggestions. Buy Oyster cards at Heathrow and load each of them with about £20. Use them to get to Marble Arch on the Tube and for any other rides you take on day 1.

Buy one-day National Rail paper travelcards at any mainline train station to use on day 2. They will be good on the Tube, Docklands Light Railway, and National Rail trains within the zones covered and on the entire London bus system. They will qualify you for the 2for1 offers found at www.daysoutguide.co.uk. Those offers include Wimbledon, Lord's Stadium, and Thames River cruises. Print the vouchers you need and take them with you. You won't need your Oyster cards on day 2.

On day 3 use your Oyster cards to travel by Tube or bus to and from a train station from which you will depart for the day trip of your choice. Buy train tickets at the station.

On day 4 buy one-day National Rail paper travelcards again if you're going to visit any places that are on the 2for1 list. Otherwise just use your Oyster cards.

On day 5 use your Oyster cards for any rides you take in the morning and for the Tube to Heathrow.

The Oyster computer will automatically give you the best fare for each ride you take. On any given day you will never pay more than 50 pence less than what a one-day travelcard would cost for the zones in which you travel that day. If you run low, you can top up the card. If you have money left over, you can get a refund at Heathrow, including your deposit.

I agree with those who say that York is about as far north as one should go for a day trip out of London.

There is a wide range of fares for longer train rides in the UK. It all depends upon whether or not you can commit to a particular date and time far enough in advance to take advantage of discount fare offers. For example, the standard 2nd class single (one-way) fare for London-York is £52.50. A same-day return (roundtrip) ticket is £79.20. However, booked online far enough in advance, you can get a single fare of £8, making your trip to York and back for a total of £16.

There are no discount fares for shorter routes. The best you can do is buy a same-day return ticket. For example, the cost for a same-day London-Cambridge return ticket is £25.

For cheap tickets in the UK try http://www.nationalexpresseastcoast.com/

Ammendment to previous post.(I hit enter to soon).

http://www.nationalexpresseastcoast.com/ is showing a same day return fare 20 gbp fare from London to York.

Thanks Tim for your suggestions.

Just a quick question though. Is it advisable to make a half day trip ( 8 HRS) to Scotland for sight seeing? Or do we need more time to explore such countrysides. And what's the best mode to raech Scotland? Appreciate your inputs.

Thanks

Im wondering the same thing RE: going north. Im going to London in Dec for 7 days and im also wondering if its worth it to waste a day of London time to go up there!!!!

It'll take you most of a day to get up there, and most of a day to get back. So it's unlikely do-able on either the 5 or 7 day schedule. Don't worry though....there's lots to do in London, and day trips to places like Windsor and Stratford are possible if you get bored with London itself.

Tami...also be aware that in London in December, you'll only have about 8 hours of daylight. Sunrise will be about 8 AM and will set around 4 PM.

I've done numerous day trips out of London but the furthest ones were Bath and York. Scotland would be ridiculous.

Even a day trip to Paris makes more sense than Scotland.

Joel,

The fares I quoted were from the NXEC site. What date and time did you use to get the £20 same-day return fare?

Tim, Since I didn't see a specific date for travel, I just put in the 10th of November.

Thanks Tim,

From the feedback of others in the chat, I think a one day trip to Scotland is not do-able.I think we might as well focus on London and the near about areas like Bath, Stonhenge, Neasden. We will be residing at Marble Arch. Can you suggest the easiest mode to visit these places? And do you have any suggestions for the must see locations within our short stay in London and the best mode of commutation for the four days of our stay. Sorry to be a bother but we highly appreciate your guidance.

Thanks

For a day trips the following cities are nice- Windsor is only about 20min. by train from Paddington station. It makes a nice day or halfday trip. The castle is one of my favorites and the town is very nice. Cardiff Wales is a two hour train trip from paddington. Bath is about 1 1/2 hours from Paddington. Also a nice day trip. York is wonderful- a 2 1/2 hr. trip from Kings Cross. Very interesting and good shopping. Canterbury is a short train ride from Victoria and Dover is further down the same line. Stratford-Upon Avon is a good day trip, but deserves a couple of days to really enjoy. Feel free to pm me for more ideas or details.