I need to travel from Sheffield to London on the afternoon of Saturday 1 May, returning on the Sunday morning. Taking the train for the whole route looks like it will be expensive and take forever (engineering works etc).
If I drive the whole way are there any relatively cheap parking places in Central London? Or does it make sense to drive to a local station and take the train in - I was thinking about places like Harpenden or Luton but any suggestions would be gratefully received.
Thanks
Pete
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Northampton, Luton or Watford would all work.
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Northampton, Luton or Watford would all work.
Weekend engineering work has meant busses from Sat aft/eve 'til the middle of Sunday between either Northampton or Milton Keynes and Hemel Hempstead for weeks while they deliver Branson his improved railway service to Brum and Manchester. For MK and Northampton the improved service comprises fewer trains, no faster than the old ones!!.
At weekends stay on the M1 to Watford, leave at J5 and follow the fast link into the town, following the signs for Junction Station. Plenty of parking and trains evry 10-15 mins.
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come off at edgware go to stanmore underground station
£2.00 a day jubilee line to central london 20 mins max
no engineering works good chance off some at luton\ harpenden
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If you think I am going to blab on here about a *FREE* parking spot within 7 mins walk of hendon central you are barmy...........
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IIRC most meters only work until 6 pm on a Sat, after which you can legally park on a single yellow anyway. But before 6 pm they can be horrendously expensive, and the wardens will almost definitely get you if you take a chance.
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Have you tried the "midland mainline" home site if not give it a try, usually some decent offers on it.
Look for tickets and promotions and tick
then
ticket types and tick
then
look for leisure and tick standard class
Just make sure that they are not same day returns
We get there special offers through the post. Sometimes they are day returns other times you can pick another day to return. Usually it costs us from Sheffield £15 each return but have had a return ticket for as low as £10. I can not see any change out of £40 if you go down by car. Costs for fuel, car park, tube fares will soon run away with your money.
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There is usually engineering work on the Thameslink line at the weekend. Its been driving me round the twist for several months now.
However this usually means that the trains run ok to Kentish town and then you need to use the tube from there. A travelcard will still be aver £10 from Luton. Luton Airport parkway is the easiest to get to from the M1 with plenty of parking, or you could take the M1 down as far as Hendon and catch the train from there.
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I read often, only post occasionally
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I usually park near Golders Green underground station at the weekend. Plenty of free parking in a good area, 5-10 minute walk from the underground and close to the end of the M1.
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Where are you staying on the Sat night? Some hotels have arrangements with local car parks.
Generally large Car Parks - NCP etc - in say Holborn are about £20 for 24 hours - sometimes less on a weekend. Is it really worth the bother to find somewhere to park near M1, tube in and out, to save a few pounds?
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Thanks very much for all the really helpful suggestions - loads of options there that I hadn't considered.
Pete
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Calling from Harpenden, I agree with Spikeyhead. The multi-storey car-park at Luton Airport Parkway usually has plenty of free space and the train journey into King's Cross Thameslink is not much more than 30 minutes. But if I were you, I'd seek out a bargain train ticket for the whole journey and use the time to enjoy yourself reading or doing something else useful ? far preferable to a stressful 2.5 hours (if you're lucky) of dead time driving down the M1. I'd be surprised if you couldn't find an advance-purchase ticket that will cost you less than your petrol and parking bill (£4.00 per day, although weekends may be cheaper).
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Bit top secret this one ! As any HJ Londoners know, parking in Hampstead is a no-no at any time - HOWEVER - you can park in Belsize Park (just below it) from 1pm on Saturday, through Sunday, in the CONTROLLED SPACES - for free ! Just look for the control plates to check - they are quite small !
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Have no experience of leaving my motor 'on the streets' overnight but when down in the Big City for the day I always use roads close to Brent Cross tube station then take the 'rattler' down to Charing X! Have never had any 'trouble' but last week had to look at streets further afield than normal as Barnet Council(?) have now made bays/roads closest to the station available only to Permit Holders. Finally ended up on Montpellier Rise!
Best...
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