It’s day journey time once more. I’ve gotten a variety of emails currently asking what the perfect day journeys from London by practice are, so I wish to dedicate a weblog publish to the topic at this time. I hope you discover it useful in your journey planning, to not point out thrilling in your London itinerary.
Day Journeys from London by Prepare
One of many causes I’ve by no means written about day journeys from London by practice earlier than is that just about any day journey from the UK capital may be finished by rail. That stated, some are simpler to do than others.
Windsor Fortress is an effective instance. It’s accessible by practice, however the journey requires a change en route and when you miss your connection—which isn’t unusual and occurred to me earlier this yr—it could actually add a variety of time to your journey.
Equally, the Cotswolds may be reached by practice, however when you’re there it may be difficult and gradual to get between cities and villages by taxi or bus.
So at this time I wish to give attention to the day journeys which have direct practice connections from London and stations within the coronary heart of the motion.
1. Cambridge
Like Cambridge. Not solely is Cambridge straightforward to get to by practice from a number of London stations, nevertheless it’s additionally lower than an hour’s journey from the capital when you take a quick service.
That makes this college city one of many best day journeys from London by practice, which is nice when you’re pressed for time.
Add to that lovely structure, wealthy historical past, and gorgeous streets, and Cambridge is tough to beat for a day trip from London.
There are schools to discover and plenty of little lanes to wander down, and one in every of my favourite issues to do in Cambridge is go punting on the river behind the universities.
It’s an idyllic—to not point out quintessentially English—technique to spend a sunny afternoon.
2. Oxford
Cambridge’s educational rival, Oxford is one other nice choice for spending a day away from London. It too is just 60 minutes from London by practice and is served by a number of trains each hour.
Oxford has extra of a metropolis really feel than Cambridge, however its schools and structure are simply as stunning.
There are lined markets to discover, retailers to go to, and bridges to sigh over (or underneath). And Cambridge doesn’t nook the market on punting, both. There’s loads of that to be finished in Oxford, too.
3. Tub
West of Oxford, Tub is one other of the preferred day journeys from London by practice. An hour and a half away, it has a barely longer journey time than the colleges however continues to be an easy journey.
And it’s value it, too. Touring to Tub is like stepping straight right into a Jane Austen novel.
The structure is gorgeous, the yellow stone glows within the afternoon mild, and there’s romance within the air.
Add to {that a} Roman spa, an abbey with a stunning fan-vaulted ceiling, and bridges with arches, and it’s exhausting to beat Tub for magnificence.
4. Brighton
Talking of Jane Austen, Brighton is one other straightforward day journey from London by rail. Trains go away from a number of stations within the capital and the journey takes an hour or much less in lots of instances.
This seaside gem isn’t simply someplace younger ladies from Austen’s novels go to chase after their love pursuits, both. It’s simply as enjoyable for modern-day vacationers.
With an opulent 18th-century pleasure palace, an amusement park on a pier, large seashores, and little lanes filled with retailers, Brighton was created with hedonism in thoughts.
5. Margate
Margate is one other seaside city that’s simply accessible from London by practice. Over on the Kentish coast, it’s round an hour and a half from town and is conveniently served by a few London stations.
Also known as Shoreditch-on-Sea, Margate brings cool east London model to the waterfront. With a hip amusement park and plenty of classic retailers, it’s an incredible place to play hipster for a day.
If that’s not your factor, Margate has a world-class artwork gallery, stunning historic homes, and candy cafes.
6. Winchester
Again inland, Winchester is one in every of my favourite day journeys from London by practice. It’s an hour or much less by rail from the capital and the station is a fast and straightforward stroll from the guts of town.
As soon as in Winchester, there’s a wealth of heritage websites and exquisite locations to discover. The cathedral is gorgeous, King Arthur’s spherical desk is famous, and the ruins of the medieval bishop’s palace are haunting.
Add to that the bucolic river stroll and gardens of the Hospital of St Cross, and it’s exhausting to wish to take the practice dwelling.
7. Birmingham
Birmingham is one other metropolis that’s straightforward to entry from London by practice, however for some motive not many day trippers do.
It’s lower than an hour and a half on quick providers, although, and there are a number of practice stations proper within the coronary heart of Birmingham’s metropolis middle.
Birmingham is stuffed with historic structure and lined buying arcades, and has an incredible museum and gallery with various collections of all the things from artwork to antiquities.
Its library is a feat of up to date structure with sweeping views, and at Christmas the markets carry the streets alive with seasonal cheer.
8. Leicester
If Birmingham is neglected, Leicester would possibly as effectively not exist in most individuals’s minds. Which is a disgrace, as a result of there’s so much to like about this metropolis. A lot in order that I’ve been twice. And at simply over an hour from London, it’s straightforward to journey to.
So what’s there to do in Leicester? There’s an abundance of historic treasures to find, from Richard III’s burial web site to Roman ruins and a ravishing cathedral.
There are fairly streets to discover, of which the pedestrianized New Stroll is especially beautiful. And there are museums just like the Leicester Museum and Artwork Gallery, which has an incredible assortment of Arts and Crafts Motion items.
9. Dover
Again by the ocean, Dover is one other of the perfect day journeys from London by practice. Out on Kent’s south coast, it’s served by plenty of London stations and the quickest providers arrive in simply over an hour.
As soon as in Dover, there’s all the things from the legendary white cliffs to the hilltop citadel to discover.
The citadel itself has in depth historical past that includes a Roman lighthouse, Anglo-Saxon church, and Napoleonic Conflict-era tunnels that have been used as an Allied command middle in World Conflict II.
And that’s to say nothing of the views throughout the channel to France.
10. Whitstable
One other Kentish coastal spotlight, Whitstable is equally straightforward to get to from London by practice. It’s served by a couple of London station and the quickest providers attain the city in lower than an hour and 1 / 4.
Whitstable is known for its seafood, and for the annual oyster competition that it hosts every summer season. However it’s an incredible place to go to at different instances of yr for its scrumptious recent catches, fairly seashores, and candy excessive avenue full of retailers.
11. Canterbury
Inland in Kent, Canterbury is simply as easy to succeed in as its neighbors on the ocean.
There are direct trains from London and the quickest arrive in just below an hour and a half. The 2 stations in Canterbury are each in straightforward strolling distance of the middle, too.
The cathedral is the primary occasion in Canterbury, and it’s value a go to whether or not you’re spiritual or not. It’s enormous, stunning, and provoking, and when you’re finished inside there are gardens and cloisters to see outdoors.
However it’s not simply the cathedral right here. The encompassing streets are full of retailers, cafes, and hidden surprises to find.
12. Bristol
Heading west, Bristol is one other of the perfect day journeys from London by practice.
Lower than an hour and a half from the capital, this metropolis on and across the River Avon is well accessible by rail and makes for an incredible day trip from the Massive Smoke.
Bristol has so much to see and do, from giant museums to small retailers and cafes. There are gorgeous bridges, colourful homes, and little lanes to discover, and there’s a improbable zoo as effectively (the crimson pandas are cute!).
13. St Albans
I’ll finish with what would possibly simply be the simplest day journey from London. St Albans is lower than 20 minutes by practice from some London stations and is a good selection when you don’t have a lot time or don’t wish to spend an excessive amount of of it in transit.
St Albans has a variety of Roman historical past, and is a perfect place to go to when you like Roman ruins. However it has a up to date aspect, too, with retailers, avenue markets, and eating places on the town.
It additionally has one thing in between with St Albans Cathedral, which dates again to Norman instances, and the Ye Olde Combating Cocks, a pub that claims to be the oldest in England.
Ideas for Day Journeys from London by Prepare
Whichever day journey you select, bear in mind to purchase tickets effectively upfront. Costs go up the nearer you get to the date of journey, so reserving forward can prevent some huge cash.
Additionally take into account that departure instances and stations can change, so make sure that to search for probably the most up to date info earlier than you journey.
And at last, do not forget that delays, upkeep work, and cancellations are frequent so go away your self loads of time if in case you have a connection to make or night plans in London once you get again out of your day journey.
If you need extra recommendation about touring by rail from London, you may learn my straightforward suggestions for navigating practice journey within the UK.
Above all, I hope you might have an incredible day trip and that this publish has helped you uncover some thrilling new day journeys from London by practice. Scripting this information has impressed me to ebook two, so keep tuned for weblog posts about them within the coming weeks.
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