Day out in London - can I reduce the travel cost?

[aimee-lou]

I really want to take my 5yo to the Natural History Museum (he loves Andy's Dinosaur Adventure on CBeebies lol) and to the science museum. We live in Norwich but my MIL lives near Colchester so getting the train into London wouldn't be a problem and she would happily babysit the younger two for the day while we were in the big smoke.

Train Tickets - £100 for the 3 of us!!!! That's for 3 x day return tickets, 1 child 2 adult.

Seriously - I know the museums are both free but we would need buses/underground in the capital, and food! My life that's just such a shock!

Does anyone have any ideas how we can cut the cost down? We don't travel down there often, or on the train often enough to warrant a rail card. Is there a cheaper travel arrangement? Should we drive to closer in? Does anyone know of anywhere good to do that? We would have to do it during school holidays too although I didn't think that affected train fares.

Thanks all

 

[hattiehippo]

Check that you won't save over the cost of a Family railcard on just the one journey - you can put the journey in on Trainline.com to compare.

I take Tom up to stay with my parents in the Midlands by train. The railcard was £30 for a year but we saved £50 on the tickets for just one journey.

Or you might be able to book very specific tickets which are much cheaper - you can only travel on a certain train at a certain time but it might save more. Or look at coach fares - though that might take too long to be worth the journey.

 

[RachA]

Do you get tesco clubcard vouchers? We got our family railcard using them and it was half price. We then used it for me and the two children to travel over new year and just that one trip made the railcard worth it.

Iro when you are there-try and find vouchers for money off at places and maybe even take a picnic with you. I know my eldest would much prefer a picnic to eating in a cafe.

 

[shanny]

It pants isn't it - we always end up driving as train so expensive unless you book miles in advance and can travel on some random day

Friend went on the bus recently - said it was cheap and pretty good.

 

[aimee-lou]

Ooh yes I do have a club card - I will see what I can get. I'll also check the prices with the railcard too thanks for the tip!

I was trying to figure out if I could get to a town closer and almost Park and Ride it. Coach/bus may be an option if we could get a bit closer to. I just think he would get so much from it. I will keep trying.

 

[aimee-lou]

Awesome help ladies. Looks like I can knock £20 off by buying a railcard as the tickets then are only £50 for all of us (railcard is £30). Unfortunately I don't have enough club card vouchers at the moment although next batch I may have. But....the tickets for £50 include unlimited bus and tube travel too!!!

And RachA i would be all for taking a picnic to have in a nice park or garden somewhere but my Hubby is anti-picnic (boo hiss! lol ) so we eat out on days out most of the time. not a problem as we would only be taking eldest and he's a sucker for a toastie/panini lol.

 

[kanga]

Oyster card for underground. Is there a stopper train you can get or split the tickets. Go off-peak obvs.

If you buy the tickets online then do it through boots treat street and earn points.

 

[lindseymw]

Out of curiosity, I have just checked ticket prices for us to go to Edinburgh. We have been meaning to go up to Edinburgh for a while on the train. I have only been on a train once and it was for work so they paid.

It would cost us around £20-30 in diesel for us to drive but to go via the train it's £400!

 

[lovelylaura]

For some reason when we go to London it's always cheaper to go on a Saturday than a week day, I guess it's because of commuters so maybe look at that too x

 

[aimee-lou]

For some reason when we go to London it's always cheaper to go on a Saturday than a week day, I guess it's because of commuters so maybe look at that too x

That's a good point. I had been looking mid-week but will try a weekend

 

[embo216]

We live near Colchester and the trains are fab We recently went into London to do the same, natural history and science museum which are pretty much next to each other. We actually drove in though and parked up really close. The parking wasn't too bad really but my OH drove as I don't like the london driving but he is a Londoner so is used to it

 

[suzib76]

It depends when you are traveling and when you book. I am going first class from Dundee to London in May, booked it last week, for just over £100. Tickets are on sale for up to 12 weeks so if you are planning way ahead you can usually get cheap advance tickets. Also if you travel from a small station check the fares from your closest main station. I booked for 7 of us to go to London a while back and it was £850 cheaper to travel from a station 5 or so miles away than it was to travel from our local one. We only paid £247 first class for the 7.cAlso if you are booking cheap always check the first class prices, it includes food and drinks so can often work out cheaper.

 

[Wriggley]

Hay how comfortable are you or DH at driving through busy cities? honestly we always drive to London because its so much cheaper! as for parking we have found london car parks for £5 for 24 hours and we have often used 'park at my house' basically people who live in the major parts of London who dont have a car sign up to this company where they rent out their parking spaces, garages, drive ways etc... usually for around £8 for 24 hours

we have used it a few times and its soo easy - also the London congestion zone is much smaller now so if you plan your route you can avoid these - then we get underground day passes... multi zones are around 4-6 quid (well were for us last time)

 

[EcoMama]

I know your ds is 5, but my son is 5 too and we just say he's 4 if they ask, so no need to buy him a ticket x

 

[suzib76]

I know your ds is 5, but my son is 5 too and we just say he's 4 if they ask, so no need to buy him a ticket x

But be aware there is a penalty if you get caught....

 

[aimee-lou]

I know your ds is 5, but my son is 5 too and we just say he's 4 if they ask, so no need to buy him a ticket x

But be aware there is a penalty if you get caught....

I'd be afraid he's drop me in it! He's also quite big for his age so I don't like doing it unless I can avoid all questioning lol.

 

[EcoMama]

I know your ds is 5, but my son is 5 too and we just say he's 4 if they ask, so no need to buy him a ticket x

But be aware there is a penalty if you get caught....

I'd be afraid he's drop me in it! He's also quite big for his age so I don't like doing it unless I can avoid all questioning lol.

Yeay 5 yr old is tall too and can't do it but have friends with kids similar age who still can. Oh well x

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

We drove too. Petrol is only about £15 return in my car. i usually park covent garden x

 

[Pearls18]

You don't need an oyster anymore if you have a contact less card that will be the same rate as an oyster without needing to buy one, if you already have an oyster you can load a travel card onto it and get a third off off-peak journeys in London. Weekends are off peak, 9.30-4.30 in the day is off peak mid week.

 

[CareBear]

You could drive the Newbury Park and then get the tube in I've heard parking is quite cheap and then you get all day travel cards or use contactless/oyster card. Might work out cheaper.