Harry Potter World trip, plus the city on one day, from Preston Lancs advice please

[Noddi09]

OK, thanks first for allowing me to join the forum


We have booked a few nights in rooms 20 minutes walk from Watford Junction, and over three days will visit the tour, and have a day in the capital. We could do with some travel advice to cover the short visit if possible.

There are 3 adults in the party, requiring off-peak fares advice, for best prices and when and how to pre-pay. (We have no Railcards or any other way of saving).


Leaving on Monday 18th September after 1pm from Preston, Lancashire.
Returning on Thursday 21st September in the afternoon sometime.

I assume the best tickets for travel there and back would be to Watford Junction Return x3. (We thought about Euston but that would mean daily travel to Watford).


Itinerary:

Monday 18th: Leave Preston, between 1pm and 3pm to arrive at the hotel (rooms in house actually) in the afternoon.
Tuesday 19th: Travel into London city for touring around the capital.
Wednesday 20th: Harry Potter World Tour (booked already).
Thursday 21st: Leave to come home (we could go back into the capital for another look around, but not guaranteed) at any time off-peak.

** On Monday 18th, we need off-peak return tickets (come home Thursday).

** On the Tuesday 19th, we need budget travel into the city - be this by train return, buses, or underground. Would it best to sort this travel on the day - because we have no fixed timescale for this days movements, but the question is which one (best value for more travel options - such as underground go anywhere all day x3, bus rambler tickets go anywhere all day x3, or mainline into Euston and wing it from there for the day!)

** On Wednesday 20th, we would walk to Watford Junction for the Harry Potter Shuttle bus service.

** On Thursday 21st we need to leave the property before 11-ish but would spend the time after that either looking around Watford, or we could go elsewhere for a few hours I suppose, as long as travel costs are cheap enough.


My daughter is paying for this (not us - i.e. mum and dad) so there is a limit to what she can afford.

To me, all that itinerary looks a touch complicated, but I guess it may be easier to plan for than I imagine.... especially with the good advice of yourselves (I was recommended this site by a friend who works for the railway somewhere).


Best regards, and thanks in advance.
Paul, Gill, and our Rachel.

 

[wilbers]

First thing that jumps out is that you can get a two together railcard. That will likely pay for itself just on this trip alone.

 

[Merseysider]

If your daughter is aged up to 30 she'd be entitled to a railcard; ie the 16-25 or 26-30.

 

[peterblue]

This also depends as to whether you want to buy advance tickets (cheaper, but you have to travel on a specific train) or off-peak return tickets (more flexible)

If you are buying offpeak return tickets, I would recommend buying the 2 Together railcard. The return ticket to Watford is about £110 (offpeak, not via London) without a railcard and about £73 with. Railcards cost £30 for one year so you're saving money already.

If your daughter is between the ages of 16-30 she can also buy either a 16-25 or 26-30 railcard and enjoy the same saving

 

[AlterEgo]

Why do you need off peak return tickets? Do you need flexibility? As your times seem fairly certain, Advances will work out better value.

All of the London travel (including from Watford) on the Tuesday is available on Contactless, just use your contactless debit card to open the gates and the price will always be capped at the Travelcard rate anyway. Same with the buses and trams if you go on them. Always tap in and out of trains and tubes, tap in only on buses and trams.

 

[Andrew1395]

If you don’t mind the slow journey. It will be cheaper to travel by the Metropolitan Line at Watford Met station (near Watfords Cassiobury Park). This will get you Baker Street or change Finchley Road for the Jubilee line to the West End or Waterloo for the Southbank attractions.

Or If your accommodation is near to Bushey station, you will also save money travelling from Bushey compared to Watford Junction. Bushey station is south of Watford Town Centre and has a regular fast service to Euston, as well as the slower London Overground 15 service.

You can even get the 142 bus from Watford Junction/Town Centre/Bushey station to Stanmore for Stanmore Jubilee line station. The 142 and 258 buses in Watford (no others) are part of the Oyster ticketing scheme. So you can use a bank card for contactless travel on those two bus routes, all trains from Watford Junction for journeys toward London, all trains from Bushey, and the Met (Watford Met) and Jubilee lines (Stanmore).

If you start your day from Watford Junction you pay a bit more than from the Met station or Bushey, but still have oyster contactless or paper one day travelcard from the booking office options. Just to say if you travel toward Euston there are slow London Overground trains (45 mins) or fast London North Western at 20 mins.

if you are after quirky free museums to visit. Near to Euston is the Welcome Museum. Also Close is the British Library. Lincoln’s Inn and Sir John Sloane Museum is another interesting free attraction.

Watford itself in the town centre is mainly shops, cinema and restaurants. Cassiobury Park is worth a stroll, and you can walk along the canal path toward Kings Langley. But if you have enough time you could take the train to Berkhamsted (quaint town, castle ruins and canal walks). Or St Albans (nice town, St Michaels Street and impressive Cathedral). Or if shopping is your thing on your way home break your journey at Milton Keynes.

 

[Bald Rick]

I would strongly advise against travelling by bus from Watford to London. You’d be changing at least once and it will take around 2 hours. (There is a National Express Coach option, but that takes a while and is not cheap).

The train is about 20 minutes. Or the Met Line 40.


The daily cap for using ‘pay as you go’ (your bank card, contactless on the gates) is £14.90 off peak from any of Watford Junction, Watford High St, Bushey, or Watford Met Line into central London. That’s definitely your best option for getting there (after 0930) and unlimited travel in between Off peak (avoiding 1600-1900).

 

[Gloster]

Thursday 21st. Watford is not known as one of the country’s great tourist destinations; I admit that I have only been there once and that was to buy a lampshade in Trewins. However, there is an hourly service taking seventeen minutes to St Albans, which is more interesting.

 

[Woolos 22]

There is the battle of britain museum which is 30 mins on the 142 bus from watford. Here is the link jthehttps://bentleypriorymuseum.org.uk/

 

[MikeWh]

The daily cap for using ‘pay as you go’ (your bank card, contactless on the gates) is £14.90 off peak from any of Watford Junction, Watford High St, Bushey, or Watford Met Line into central London. That’s definitely your best option for getting there (after 0930) and unlimited travel in between Off peak (avoiding 1600-1900).

Not quite.

The off-peak cap (touch in after 0930) is £14.90 from Watford (Met), Watford High Street and Bushey. It is £21.30 from Watford Junction. There is no need to avoid 1600-1900 because although peak single fares are charged, they are still limited by the off-peak cap.

 

[Bald Rick]

Not quite.

The off-peak cap (touch in after 0930) is £14.90 from Watford (Met), Watford High Street and Bushey. It is £21.30 from Watford Junction. There is no need to avoid 1600-1900 because although peak single fares are charged, they are still limited by the off-peak cap.

my Apologies. I thought the Junction was in Zone 9, but evidently not.

 

[miklcct]

There is no need to avoid 1600-1900 because although peak single fares are charged, they are still limited by the off-peak cap.

The cap from Watford Junction is so high that, if the evening peak is avoided, you are unlikely to hit the cap.

Also remember that, using a contactless card, you can be charged an inner cap plus the PAYG singles in the outer zones, unlike an Oyster card where the use of the outer zone will invalidate the inner cap.

 

[AF91]

Lovely to hear from people visiting the studio tour. I live just round the corner from Watford Junction so am always seeing the crowds heading off there on the bus.

A few suggestions for your trip to London. As some people have already mentioned, its cheaper to head in on the Met line if you don't mind a slightly longer journey. If you do travel from Watford Junction then make sure to avoid London Overground unless absolutely necessary but go to platforms 7 or 9 for fast services into Euston. Overground is the same price but over twice the journey time. When I'm taking visitors sightseeing I tend to head straight to Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus or Charring Cross (Northern Line from Euston or Bakerloo Line from Baker Street) as loads of the main sites are in that vicinity.

For your trip to the studios, make sure you leave plenty of time for the bus. mostly the queues are ok but there are times that the queues can get really long to the point where you might have to wait for a few busses before being able to get on.

For potential things to do on Thursday, Cassiobury Park is about a 15 to 20 minute walk from Watford Junction and is absolutely excellent for a walk around. Berkhamsted is about a 15 minute train ride away and has a castle right by the station which you can go around. It was free in the past but haven't been for a number of years so can't say for certain. St Albans is also a short train ride away and has a number of roman remains around the town as well as a very impressive Abbey. Watford town centre has also got plenty of leisure activities following an extension to the shopping centre with bowling, mini golf, axe throwing, escape rooms and a cinema on offer.

In terms of food, The Junction Cafe is a short walk from the station and is good value for lunch. L'Artista is a really popular italian restaurant in the town centre but is always busy so it's best to book a table. The town centre in general is great for food options along the full length of the High Street.

 

[Bald Rick]

Forgot to say - the HP Studio tour is amazing.

 

[MikeWh]

The cap from Watford Junction is so high that, if the evening peak is avoided, you are unlikely to hit the cap.

Also remember that, using a contactless card, you can be charged an inner cap plus the PAYG singles in the outer zones, unlike an Oyster card where the use of the outer zone will invalidate the inner cap.

That's a good point. However, if the zone 1-2 cap has been reached then an evening peak journey will be charged from Willesden Junction (zone 2/3) which is a lot cheaper than from Euston.

 

[Noddi09]

Thanks for all the replies. Lots to read through and consider.

Our stay is on Ricky Road just off the A412 near the West Herts Sports ground, so no problems getting to and from WJ station.

Do you have to buy Oyster cards to get around?

Seems the best travel into London is gonna be the underground - is that the £14.90 fare - and is that one way or return?

 

[AF91]

Thanks for all the replies. Lots to read through and consider.

Our stay is on Ricky Road just off the A412 near the West Herts Sports ground, so no problems getting to and from WJ station.

Do you have to buy Oyster cards to get around?

Seems the best travel into London is gonna be the underground - is that the £14.90 fare - and is that one way or return?

If you're off the Ricky Road then Watford Met should be nice and easy. You don't need an oyster card but either oyster cards or contactless cards are by far the easiest ways to get around.

 

[Noddi09]

If you're off the Ricky Road then Watford Met should be nice and easy. You don't need an oyster card but either oyster cards or contactless cards are by far the easiest ways to get around.

Do I buy the cards on arrival? Oyster cards I have heard of. How much are they and does the one card cover ALL travel?

By contactless cards - do you mean our own debit cards as in a "shop" contactless payment? Would that be dearer?

 

[miklcct]

Thanks for all the replies. Lots to read through and consider.

Our stay is on Ricky Road just off the A412 near the West Herts Sports ground, so no problems getting to and from WJ station.

Do you have to buy Oyster cards to get around?

Seems the best travel into London is gonna be the underground - is that the £14.90 fare - and is that one way or return?

As your stay is about the same distance from Watford Junction and Watford High Street, I recommended you to not use Watford Junction for your trip to London such that you are capped at the zone 1-9 rate. You can either use Watford High Street or Watford (Metropolitan) station which are all within the fare zones, depending on where in London you want to go.

A contactless payment card is a bank card (credit or debit card) which has Mastercard Paypass / Visa Paywave functionality, which you can tap at the gate to pay your fare without buying a ticket beforehand.

 

[AF91]

Do I buy the cards on arrival? Oyster cards I have heard of. How much are they and does the one card cover ALL travel?

By contactless cards - do you mean our own debit cards as in a "shop" contactless payment? Would that be dearer?

Yes. You can use your normal contactless bank cards directly on the oyster readers at the ticket gates to get the standard oyster fare. If you have enough contactless cards to cover each person who needs a ticket then this is by far the best option. Just remember that you need a different card for each person travelling. If you need to get an actual oyster card they should be available from the stations or from some newsagents around the town. You have to pay a deposit for the card (£3 per car I think) but it is possible to retrieve the deposit at the end of the trip from certain ticket machines.

Oyster cards and contactless bank cards can be used across trains, tubes, busses and some river boat services across the capital. Don't fall into the trap of tapping the card at absolutely every oyster reader you see as some tourists do. You only need to tap in to start a journey and out to end a journey on the trains and tube and just need to tap once as you get on a bus as they carry a flat fare. Make sure that you still tap in and out even if barriers are open to avoid getting charged the maximum fare.

 

[Hadders]

An Oyster card costs £7 these days (and you can't get a refund either) so better to use a contactless card. The fares are the same (I know there are some minor differences but we don't need to worry about them for the purposes of this thread)

 

[Fawkes Cat]

There have been suggestions about maybe spending some time in St Albans. If so, bear in mind that you will need to buy an ‘ordinary’ ticket for that: using Oyster or your contactless card only works from Watford for journeys towards London. To put it another way, Watford is the edge of the Oyster/contactless zone.

And to confirm: the £14.90 / £21.30 is the most that will be charged for one card for a day’s travel in the Oyster/contactless zone. So if you really want, you could spend all day riding on tube trains, buses, trams and the surface railway in London, and not pay more than that. As above, just make sure you tap in and out on the Underground and other trains, and tap in on buses and trams. And don’t use a station as a short cut - some years back I got charged an additional maximum fare for tapping in at one end of Earl’s Court station and then out at the other end.

 

[Gloster]

Just one thought from someone who hasn’t lived in the area for half a lifetime and might be me getting confused. If you do travel from Watford Junction to Euston, make sure that your ticket is valid on whichever train you use and that the southbound one isn’t Set Down Only at Watford. There was at least one thread in the Disputes & Prosecutions Forum from someone who had been required to buy a ticket from Rugby or somewhere like that as they had mistakenly got on a Set Down Only train.

 

[AF91]

Just one thought from someone who hasn’t lived in the area for half a lifetime and might be me getting confused. If you do travel from Watford Junction to Euston, make sure that your ticket is valid on whichever train you use and that the southbound one isn’t Set Down Only at Watford. There was at least one thread in the Disputes & Prosecutions Forum from someone who had been required to buy a ticket from Rugby or somewhere like that as they had mistakenly got on a Set Down Only train.

The displays on the platform now state which trains shouldn't be boarded. Its just a case of making sure you don't get on any Avanti services between Watford and Euston as I think all of them are restricted.

 

[randyrippley]

Something that's not been pointed out yet.........
The insanities of the UK ticketing system sometimes make tickets to London from Lancaster significantly cheaper than those from Preston. If you have the time it could be worth getting returns from Lancaster to London, and singles to Lancaster and boarding the Avanti there. DON'T try getting tickets from Lancaster and boarding at Preston - you'll get caught. On the way back get off at Preston "for a break of journey"

 

[30907]

Something that's not been pointed out yet.........
The insanities of the UK ticketing system sometimes make tickets to London from Lancaster significantly cheaper than those from Preston. If you have the time it could be worth getting returns from Lancaster to London, and singles to Lancaster and boarding the Avanti there. DON'T try getting tickets from Lancaster and boarding at Preston - you'll get caught. On the way back get off at Preston "for a break of journey"

Just to clarify: this would be useful if the OP wants to circumvent the evening restrictions from WFJ on a Thursday.
BTW, do Avanti enforce the "no break of journey" rule outside the morning peak period when Preston passengers would pay the Anytime Return?

 

[randyrippley]

Just to clarify: this would be useful if the OP wants to circumvent the evening restrictions from WFJ on a Thursday.
BTW, do Avanti enforce the "no break of journey" rule outside the morning peak period when Preston passengers would pay the Anytime Return?

I've not seen any recent complaints in the press about it, but at one stage Avanti were penalty faring / surcharging anyone boarding at Preston with a Lancaster ticket. Or perhaps more accurately, anyone found south of Preston with an unclipped Lancaster ticket - the assumption being all tickets were checked by Preston

 

[30907]

I've not seen any recent complaints in the press about it, but at one stage Avanti were penalty faring / surcharging anyone boarding at Preston with a Lancaster ticket. Or perhaps more accurately, anyone found south of Preston with an unclipped Lancaster ticket - the assumption being all tickets were checked by Preston

Yes, I know, but were they doing it after 0915ish when an Offpeak from PRE-EUS became valid?

 

[MotCO]

Split ticketing for home to Watford has not been suggested yet. https://tickets.railforums.co.uk/ is a ticket website which may offer cheaper fares by splitting the whole journey into small chunks, provided the train stops at the station where the split applies. (Note: this forum receives a small commission on each sale.) (Also, do not use The Trainline - they charge you commission on most journeys.)

 

[randyrippley]

Yes, I know, but were they doing it after 0915ish when an Offpeak from PRE-EUS became valid?

I don't have an answer to that, but the implication from the press reports is they were doing it on ALL trains