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10 Easy day trips from London by train (Part 1) · UK Travel Planning

• 0:03
  Speaker 1: Welcome to the UK Travel Planning Podcast.
• 0:06
  Speaker 1: Your host is the founder of the UK Travel Planning website, tracey Collins.
• 0:10
  Speaker 1: In this podcast, tracey shares destination guides, travel tips and itinerary ideas, as well as interviews with a variety of guests who share their knowledge and experience of UK travel to help you plan your perfect UK vacation.
• 0:26
  Speaker 1: Join us as we explore the UK from cosmopolitan cities to quaint villages, from historic castles to beautiful islands, and from the picturesque countryside to seaside towns.
• 0:41
  Speaker 2: Hello and welcome to this week's episode of the UK Travel Planning Podcast, and this week I'm joined by Doug Hello, who is here to talk about all things trains.
• 0:51
  Speaker 2: Now we have decided, after talking extensively about this episode, that we've decided to divide it into two parts.
• 0:58
  Speaker 2: So basically, the premise of this episode and next week's episode so episodes 96, which you're listening to now, and 97, which will be out next week is to chat about the easiest and best.
• 1:11
  Speaker 2: Probably easiest, I guess, is what we're kind of focusing on day trips from London by train, that a lot of you love to base yourselves in London and if you want to take a day trip out, you have got so many choices seriously so many that I think that this probably will be a two-part podcast, that we will probably extend later on in the year and probably do at least another episode to include other places.
• 1:39
  Speaker 2: Basically, how we have chosen the destinations for this episode and next week's episode is to choose easy train destinations, so basically easy destinations for you to get to from London that are also interesting and places that you'll probably are worth you visiting.
• 1:59
  Speaker 2: So not to overwhelm you, in this episode we're going to do five and next week we'll do another five.
• 2:04
  Speaker 2: So not to overwhelm you, in this episode we're going to do five and next week we'll do another five and we will talk about basically how to get to each of these destinations, how long it will take you to get there, which London train station to leave from, and we also have a guide on the UK Travel Planning website to all the main London train stations.
• 2:23
  Speaker 2: So I would suggest that you do take a look at that as well, and I will link to that in the show notes At the end of the episode as well.
• 2:29
  Speaker 2: We're going to have to share some train tips, because I know it can be quite daunting the thought of taking a train from London or anywhere around the UK if you haven't done it before.
• 2:37
  Speaker 2: But should we make a start?
• 2:40
  Speaker 2: Yeah, so we're going to start with the first five and we are going to start basically north of London at 12 o'clock and we're going to work around clockwise.
• 2:49
  Speaker 2: Okay, okay.
• 2:50
  Speaker 2: So the first destination that we chose is York.
• 2:52
  Speaker 2: So, Doug, if somebody decides to want to go to York and why wouldn't you?
• 2:57
  Speaker 2: Because it's absolutely beautiful which train stations or train station in London would you head to?
• 3:02
  Speaker 2: How long would the journey take?
• 3:05
  Speaker 3: Okay, so York is on the East Coast main line and you travel there from London King's Cross Railway Station and it takes two hours and it's a direct service.
• 3:16
  Speaker 2: And that train station is a few minutes walk outside the centre of York, not very far, so it's easy sort of five, ten minute walk to get inside.
• 3:25
  Speaker 2: So inside the walls around York, because the train station is actually located outside the Roman walls which surround the city.
• 3:32
  Speaker 2: So York, I mean it's just such a fantastic city to visit.
• 3:37
  Speaker 2: So if you have an interest in history, viking history, Roman history it's a beautiful, beautiful destination to visit.
• 3:45
  Speaker 2: So what are your favourite things to do in York, doug?
• 3:48
  Speaker 3: Well, anybody who knows me will not be surprised to hear that the National Rail Museum in York is my favourite place and it is free entry, and I've lost count of the number of times I've been there in dozens, absolutely dozens, over the many, many years.
• 4:03
  Speaker 3: Um, but you're right, you know York.
• 4:05
  Speaker 2: There's something for absolutely everybody there isn't there there is, and I have to say I've been at York Railway Museum numerous times with you actually- every time.
• 4:13
  Speaker 2: I go, you always head there.
• 4:14
  Speaker 2: I don't always go there, I will say that.
• 4:16
  Speaker 2: But if you enjoy trains, it's a perfect destination.
• 4:20
  Speaker 2: Other obvious destinations to visit in York are York, minster, the Shambles just enjoy walking around and absorbing the history of the city.
• 4:31
  Speaker 2: The Jorvik Museum, which we went to last summer and absolutely thoroughly enjoyed.
• 4:36
  Speaker 2: That, didn't we?
• 4:37
  Speaker 3: It was, it was incredible.
• 4:38
  Speaker 2: Very, very good.
• 4:38
  Speaker 2: There's so many things to do in York that we have an entire podcast episode, which is episode three, where I talk to York resident Sinead, a York travel expert, all about York, and she shares lots and lots of information and tips for visiting York.
• 4:52
  Speaker 3: Okay, and don't forget the Chocolate Museum in York as well.
• 4:56
  Speaker 2: Oh, yes, we did try that.
• 4:57
  Speaker 2: That was a lot of fun, absolutely so.
• 5:00
  Speaker 2: Our second destination for this episode is the gorgeous University City of Cambridge, and I have to say this is one of my favourite cities to visit in the UK, and I can go back to Cambridge over and over again and every time I go there I kind of fall slightly more in love with it.
• 5:17
  Speaker 2: It's a very easy day trip from London by train.
• 5:21
  Speaker 2: So, doug, how long does it take to get to Cambridge and where?
• 5:23
  Speaker 2: Which train station?
• 5:24
  Speaker 3: Kings Cross and Pancras again, and one hour 20 minutes this takes you.
• 5:28
  Speaker 3: The railway station in Cambridge is a little outside the city so you've got a good 15-20 minutes walk, but outside the train station there's a buses and taxis yeah, and we've taken the bus and we've walked in.
• 5:40
  Speaker 2: It's absolutely fine.
• 5:41
  Speaker 2: But just do factor that in if you you know, by the time you get there, especially and we will talk at the end about thinking about kind of days of the week and seasons and time of the day, the time of the year that you're visiting- and also if you come from a slight different direction london liverpool street you can also take a train from there okay, so you've got various options to get to cambridge so I would highly recommend when you go to cambridge that you do book a walking tour.
• 6:03
  Speaker 2: I was very lucky last april to do.
• 6:06
  Speaker 2: I'd booked on one and there was only myself and my friend on on the tour, so we ended up having basically a private tour, but you will learn more about cambridge if you do that.
• 6:13
  Speaker 2: Also highly recommend that you include a visit to King's College Chapel in that tour as well.
• 6:21
  Speaker 2: You can include that tickets with some of the tours, and I will put a link to the one that I did last year.
• 6:25
  Speaker 2: It's beautiful, absolutely phenomenal place to visit.
• 6:30
  Speaker 2: So definitely include that.
• 6:31
  Speaker 2: And Cambridge really is just.
• 6:32
  Speaker 2: It's just gorgeous to walk around.
• 6:34
  Speaker 2: You know, take a punt on the River Cam if that's something that you're interested in.
• 6:38
  Speaker 2: It's always interesting to see people having a go.
• 6:40
  Speaker 2: You know, have a stroll around the backs of the university.
• 6:44
  Speaker 2: Colleges are beautiful to see as well, and we've got a favourite pub as well, haven't we in Cambridge?
• 6:50
  Speaker 3: Yeah, the Eagle Pub is very well worth a visit.
• 6:53
  Speaker 3: It's got great history there, modern history as well.
• 6:55
  Speaker 3: Yeah, absolutely.
• 6:56
  Speaker 2: So we're not going to kind of share too much about why, but you should check out the show notes on behalf of Guide to Cambridge, exactly why we recommend popping into that pub.
• 7:05
  Speaker 2: It's extremely interesting.
• 7:06
  Speaker 2: So, third destination on our list, going clockwise again, 12 o'clock clockwise from London is Canterbury Andclock clockwise from London is Canterbury.
• 7:16
  Speaker 2: And we are often asked about Canterbury and we know that's another very, very popular destination for you guys to visit from London, the centre of London, and Canterbury, again, is an easy city to get to.
• 7:28
  Speaker 2: So if I was going to go to Canterbury, doug, which train station would I go to and how long would it take?
• 7:33
  Speaker 3: Okay, so you do have a few options, depending where you're based in London.
• 7:37
  Speaker 3: So you can come out of St Pancras, london, victoria or Charing Cross.
• 7:42
  Speaker 3: The fastest, though, is from St Pancras you come down to Canterbury West train station.
• 7:49
  Speaker 3: There's two train stations in Canterbury and that'll take you about one hour.
• 7:53
  Speaker 2: Yeah, so that's an easy trip.
• 7:55
  Speaker 3: Very easy so in Canterbury.
• 7:57
  Speaker 2: Obviously the main attraction is the cathedral.
• 8:00
  Speaker 1: Yes.
• 8:02
  Speaker 2: Do book when you go there for a tour.
• 8:04
  Speaker 2: Again, when you actually enter the cathedral, you can book tickets for a tour.
• 8:09
  Speaker 2: Highly recommend that.
• 8:10
  Speaker 2: It's very, very interesting.
• 8:12
  Speaker 2: Obviously, it's an incredibly historic cathedral.
• 8:15
  Speaker 2: Canterbury itself is actually just another lovely city to walk around, isn't?
• 8:20
  Speaker 3: it, yeah, incredibly historic.
• 8:22
  Speaker 2: There's surrounding areas also, yeah, so the buildings as well as buildings, cobblestone streets, uh, the city was bombed in world war ii so half of the city was actually destroyed and the other half wasn't.
• 8:34
  Speaker 2: So you can see the the difference, uh, when you're walking down the kind of medieval streets.
• 8:38
  Speaker 2: Um, the cathedral as well was hit but luckily not destroyed.
• 8:43
  Speaker 2: So it was.
• 8:43
  Speaker 2: They did have a bit of bomb damage there.
• 8:45
  Speaker 2: But Canterbury again.
• 8:48
  Speaker 2: We highly recommend staying in Canterbury, actually, if you can, because it is such a lovely city.
• 8:54
  Speaker 2: There's some lovely places to eat there as well, some really nice cafes.
• 8:58
  Speaker 3: That's right, and if you're there, some of the gardens are lovely too.
• 9:01
  Speaker 2: Yeah, definitely.
• 9:03
  Speaker 2: So.
• 9:04
  Speaker 2: Then our fourth destination for easy day trip from london, and again another popular destination to go down to, is dover.
• 9:13
  Speaker 2: Uh, so dover you went to I don't think it was last year, it was the year before on a beautiful june day I did, and I was very, very lucky with the weather.
• 9:22
  Speaker 3: but, uh, you have choices from London train stations to get to Dover.
• 9:27
  Speaker 3: You can go from St Pancras, victoria, charing Cross or Waterloo East.
• 9:31
  Speaker 3: The journey takes between one and two hours.
• 9:33
  Speaker 3: Yeah, but yeah, I had a great time in Dover.
• 9:38
  Speaker 3: So much to do there.
• 9:38
  Speaker 3: I caught a taxi and went to the first one, went down to the lighthouse.
• 9:42
  Speaker 2: Yeah, and you needed cash, didn't you, for that taxi?
• 9:44
  Speaker 2: I did need cash for that one.
• 9:50
  Speaker 2: Yes, yeah, the um, the taxes did not take cards.
• 9:51
  Speaker 2: Yeah, so that's worth planning for.
• 9:52
  Speaker 2: If you decide to take the train down rather than a tour down to dover, that do take some cash, just in case the taxis are still wanting to have cash to take you.
• 9:58
  Speaker 2: Where did you get the taxi from outside the train station to?
• 10:02
  Speaker 3: the lighthouse or not far from the lighthouse.
• 10:05
  Speaker 3: The driver dropped me across the other side of a field, but there's a public footpath to the lighthouse and I had some tea and cake there and then I had a most lovely walk across the grass banks and observing the white cliffs of dover yeah, I mean, you've got some lovely photographs from that day as well.
• 10:23
  Speaker 2: And we have got an article which tells you all about how to get to Dover from London.
• 10:29
  Speaker 2: So do take a look at that and we will link to that in the show notes.
• 10:33
  Speaker 2: So then our next destination is.
• 10:37
  Speaker 2: Another favourite of mine is Brighton, which is on the south coast.
• 10:41
  Speaker 2: Now, brighton, I mean, it's just a lovely destination, especially on a sunny day, on a sunny, warm summer's day.
• 10:49
  Speaker 2: Brighton is.
• 10:50
  Speaker 2: It's just fantastic, isn't it?
• 10:51
  Speaker 2: it is, it is yeah so if I want to go down to brighton doug, how would I get down to brighton from london?
• 10:57
  Speaker 3: yeah, well, basically two train stations, you've got the london bridge train station or victoria, and the journey takes about one hour so again, not very long.
• 11:06
  Speaker 2: So is it very far from the train station to actually get into Brighton itself?
• 11:09
  Speaker 3: no, not very far at all, okay, so it's just a short walk.
• 11:12
  Speaker 2: And then what?
• 11:13
  Speaker 2: What attractions?
• 11:15
  Speaker 2: I'm going to say straight away, because before I actually asked Doug this, I'm going to answer this question myself is like why would I go to Brighton to see the Brighton Pavilion every time?
• 11:23
  Speaker 2: I would go to see the brighton pavilion because it is fantastic, absolutely fantastic.
• 11:29
  Speaker 2: If you haven't heard of the brighton pavilion or don't know what it is, I'm going to put a link in the show notes so you can find a little bit more out about it.
• 11:36
  Speaker 2: But believe me, it is worth a visit yeah, that's right.
• 11:40
  Speaker 3: I know you enjoy it, but there's plenty of different shops and quirky shops in Brighton as well.
• 11:44
  Speaker 3: People go there for antiques.
• 11:46
  Speaker 2: Yes, there's the Rose, so you can go and do a lot of shopping there.
• 11:49
  Speaker 2: It's a very arty city.
• 11:52
  Speaker 2: There's also the Pier, so what's the beach like in Brighton, doug?
• 11:58
  Speaker 3: It is a pebbled beach and there's no sand there, but it's pebbled and you've got the pier as well, which is very famous.
• 12:06
  Speaker 2: Yes, and so, yeah, it's a lovely day out.
• 12:08
  Speaker 2: Honestly, brighton is very popular and actually I have got a whole episode coming out about Brighton next month with Kate, who actually lived in Brighton for a few months, so she's going to share some of her tips about things to do and see in Brighton.
• 12:27
  Speaker 2: So now we've gone through five, so that's York, cambridge, canterbury, dover and Brighton.
• 12:29
  Speaker 2: We've talked about all the different train stations you can leave from.
• 12:31
  Speaker 2: The reason we're saying that these are easy train journeys from London is that there are no changes of train.
• 12:36
  Speaker 2: Is that correct?
• 12:37
  Speaker 3: That's right, and we went for about two hours train duration as well.
• 12:41
  Speaker 3: Just one thing to factor in is I mentioned train stations to depart from, but factor in your time to get to the train stations as well.
• 12:51
  Speaker 2: Yeah, absolutely so.
• 12:52
  Speaker 2: If you're a little bit nervous about train travel in the UK, doug has written an e-book which he shares lots and lots of tips.
• 12:59
  Speaker 2: So I know if you've already got the ebook, you'll you'll know the sort of information that he shares in there which will help you on the day of travel, help you to prepare for taking trains, just basically, um, just make it less stressful and easier for you because you'll know kind of all that kind of vital information to know about travel by train.
• 13:17
  Speaker 3: And because they are such short train journeys you can factor in just wait till after early morning and all the main rush hours gone, so you can travel a bit more leisurely without the rush to get to the starting station.
• 13:33
  Speaker 2: Yeah, absolutely.
• 13:33
  Speaker 2: So what tips would you share for anybody who's planning any of these day trips from London by train?
• 13:39
  Speaker 2: Doug?
• 13:40
  Speaker 3: Okay.
• 13:40
  Speaker 3: So if you've already got a train ticket, check that it's valid for using at the time that you're looking to travel.
• 13:46
  Speaker 3: If you have a BritRail or Eurail pass that you've activated them on that travel day, and if it's a spontaneous thing and you have no tickets, you can still buy at the station, but allow yourself plenty of time to buy that.
• 14:01
  Speaker 2: And the same with a rail card.
• 14:02
  Speaker 2: If they have a rail card, they can just show the rail card at the train station when they purchase or if they purchase online.
• 14:07
  Speaker 3: Yes, if they've already got a national rail card.
• 14:09
  Speaker 3: Well, two together or friends and family, for example you can show that when you buy the ticket at the station or online you can do it and you can just tick on that you've got a veil pass before you purchase the tickets perfect, and all that sort of information is included in the uk train ebook as well in a lot more detail about the different types of tickets and that sort of information.
• 14:31
  Speaker 2: So what about days that I choose to travel, seasons?
• 14:36
  Speaker 2: What sort of factors would you think are important to consider?
• 14:39
  Speaker 3: well, considering the number of people.
• 14:41
  Speaker 3: I mean during school holidays and summer months there's you know there's going to be more people traveling and at weekends, on sundays I've mentioned many times about engineering works etc maybe not the best day, but you know it's a short train journey so you could probably get away with it on those occasions.
• 14:57
  Speaker 3: But also the time of year, the time, the time that you spend at the destinations, with light evenings in the summer, you can spend that much longer there.
• 15:04
  Speaker 2: Definitely, and just do a little bit of research before you go to each of the destinations, and we have got travel guides for each of the places that we just talked about in this episode.
• 15:12
  Speaker 2: So, as I said, this is episode 96 of the UK Travel Planet podcast.
• 15:17
  Speaker 2: You will find links to everything we talked about, all the destinations, doug's e-book and some train travel tips that we also share on the website, which you can find in the show notes for this episode at uktravelplanetcom.
• 15:31
  Speaker 2: Forward slash episode 96.
• 15:33
  Speaker 2: But that just leaves us until next week where we're going to do part two of this episode and we're going to talk about another five destinations, with also a bonus destination included in that next week.
• 15:44
  Speaker 2: So that just leaves us until next week to say Happy.
• 15:48
  Speaker 2: Uk travel planning.
• 15:50
  Speaker 2: Thank you.