Trip to England

How to go

I guess I'm a kind of patient, in other words, I'm addicted to England. I want to go to England at least once a year and visit a lot of places. I still have many, many places to visit.
If I travel to England for 7-10 days, the best plan should include a few days stay in the countryside and a one day trip near London, plus some days in London. I always think it over, how I can visit lots of places effectively.
In this page, I have listed and outlined how to go to the places which I've already visited according to "GIO GLOBE TROTTER"* and "English towns visiting by trains"**. Moreover, I wrote about the route which I had chosen.
When we visit the countryside in England, we have the choice of selecting a rent-a-car, trains and bus, or coaches. Generally, using a coarch is cheaper, but will take longer.
The principle which I chose when I traveled by myself for a three week period was to use cheaper coach travel for as long as I could. However, if it would take more than two hours one way, I would use trains. Moreover, if I have to chage trains to go there, I almost always used a coarch.
I'm really glad if this data will be helpful to you in visiting many places.

* "GIO GLOBE TROTTER" is a series of Japanese books which talks about travelling in each country all over the wolrd. There is a lot of valuable information which is written by many of it's readers.
** "English towns visiting by trains"is a Japanese book included many colour photos. This book introduces you to many towns which you can visit by train and devotes two pages to each town.

Where? How to go In my case
Aberdeen It takes about five or six hours to go to Glasgow from Euston, London. Then, change trains at Glasgow Queen Street station, five hundred meter away. After two hours and forty five minutes, you'll arrive. Or it takes seven hours from Kings Cross, London. We flew from Heathrow.
Ambleside(the Lake District) It takes about three hours to Oxenholme. After that, you should change to the local line to go to Windermere(twenty minutes). From there, you should take a bus. We visited there in the same way.
Arundel It takes one and a half hours from Victoria by train. We visited there in the same way.
Bath <train>It takes about one and a half hours from Paddington station by train.
<bus>It takes about three or three and a half hours from Victoria Coach station.
On my first trip : I used the train from Paddington.
On my second trip : I used a package bus tour which visited Bath, Salisbury and Stonehenge.
Bibury It takes about one hour and fifteen minutes from Paddington station to Kemble. From there, you should take a bus.
We visited there when we drove to the Cotswalds by rent a car.
Bourton-on-the-Water It takes about one hour and forty minutes from Paddington station to Morton-in-Marsh by train. From there, you should take a bus. We visited there in the same way.
Brighton <train>It takes about one hour from Victoria station.
<bus>It takes about one hour and forty-five minutes from Victoria Coach station.
We used the train.
Bristol <train>It takes one hour and thirty minutes from Paddington station. Sometimes, you need to change trains at Bristol Parkway station.
<bus>It takes about two hours and thirty minutes from Victoria, coach station.
I used the train from Paddington station and changed trains at Bristol Parkway station.
Cambridge <train>It takes one hour and twenty minutes from London, Liverpool Street station to Cambridge.
<bus>
It takes two hours from Victoria, coach station.
I used the coach on both my first and second trips.
Canterbury <train>It takes about one hour and forty minutes from Victoria.
<bus>It takes about one hour and fifty nimutes from Victoria Coach station.
I used the coach.
Castle Combe It takes about one hour from Paddington to Chippenham by train. From there, you should use a bus.
We visited there when we drove to the Cotswalds by rent a car.
Chester <train>It takes about two and a half hours from Euston, London.
<bus>
It takes about five hours from Victoria Coach Station.
I used the train.
Chippenham It takes about one hour and twenty minutes from Paddington.
We visited there when we drove to the Cotswalds by rent a car.
Chipping Camden It takes about one hour and forty minutes from Paddington to Morton-in-Marsh. From there, you should get on a bus.@Or it takes about two hours and fifteen minutes by train and you take a bus for about one hour.
We used the bus from Morton-in-Marsh.
Cirencester It takes about one hour and fifteen minutes from Paddington to Kemble. From there, you should get on a bus.
We visited there when we drove to the Cotswalds by rent a car.
The Cotswolds Woodstock, Castle Combe, Cirencester, Stow-on-the Wold, Chipping Camden, Chippenham, Bibury, Bourton-on-the Water, Mourton-in-Marsh On my first trip : We use a train to Morton-in-Marsh. We visited Stow-on-the-Wold, Chipping Camden, Bourton-on-the Water and so on from Morton-in-Marsh.
On my second trip : We rented a car and visited Woodstock, Castle Coombe, Cirencester, Chippenham, and Bibury.
Dover <train>It takes about one hour and fifteen minutes from Victoria station. Or you can get on a train at Charing Cross station.
<bus>It takes about two hours and thirty or forty minutes.
I visited there together with Canterbury. From Canterbury, I used the bus.
Edinburgh It takes about four and a half hours from Kings Cross, London. We visited there when we drove in Scotland by rent a car.
Eastbourne <train>It takes about one hour and forty minutes from Victoria. Or you can get on the train at Charing Cross.
<bus>It takes about two hours and fifty minutes from Victoria Coach station.
I used the train at Victoria.
Ely It takes about one hour and twenty minutes from Liverpool Street station to Cambridge. Then you should change trains. Or It takes one hour and fifty minutes from Kings Cross.
I had planed to use a bus to Cambridge and once I got there, use the local bus. However, on checking the time table, I found out that I had to wait for a bus for a long time, so I used the local line from Cambridge to Ely.
Fort William It takes about five or six hours from Euston station to Glasgow. From there, you should change trains and take a ride for about four hours. We visited there when we drove from Aberdeen to Edinburgh by rent a car.
Greenwich <train>It takes about twenty minutes from Charing Cross.
<ferry>You can get on the ferry from Westminster pier or the Tower of London.
<bus>It takes about about forty five minutes from Euston.
I used the ferry from the Tower of London.
Hampton Court Palace It takes about thirty or forty minutes from Waterloo station.
I visited there in the same way.
Hastings <train>It takes about one hour and a half from Charing Cross station by train. Or you can get on a train at Victoria station.
<bus>
It takes about three or three and a half hours from Victoria station.
I got on the traion at Victoria station. On my return trip, I took the alternative route ; on the way, I got off the train at Rye and went back to London via Ashford.
Hever Castle It takes about one hour and ten minuts from Victoria station to Oxted. At Oxted, you should change trains to Edenbridge Town. After Arrivign at Edenbridge Town, you shoudl take a taxi. After ten minute ride, you'll arrive at Hever Castle. At first, I got on a train at Victoria station to Oxted. At Oxted, I take a taxi for twenty minutes.
The Isle of Wight You can get on a ferry from Portsmouth, Southsea, Southampton, or Lymington. Surprisingly, I took the train from Penzance to Salisbury via Exeter, and chenged trains to go to Southampton. Rrom there, I got on a ferry to Cowes and finally arrived at Shanklin.
Land's End It takes about five and forty minutes from Paddington station, After that, you should use a bus for fifty minutes. We visited there in the same way.
Leeds Castle <train>It takes about one hour from Victoria staion to Bearsted. From there, you should use a bus for about ten minutes.
<bus>It takes about two hours from Victoria Coach station.
I used a bus package tour which included an afternoon tea.
Liverpool <train>It takes about three hours from London, Euston staion via Crewe. From York, it takes two hours and twenty minutes. From Manchester, it takes fifty to sixty five minutes.
<bus>It takes about four and a half hours from Victoria Coach station. There is a night bus from London too.
I used the train from Euston.
Moreton-in-Marsh It takes about one hour and forty minutes from Paddington station to Morton-in-Marsh. We visited there in the same way.
Norwich <train>It takes about two hours from Liverpool Street station.
<bus>It takes about two hours and forty-five minutes from Victoria Coach station.
I used the train to go to Norwich, but I used the bus on my return trip to London because there was a rail strike!
Nottingham <train>It takes about two hours from St. Pancras.
<bis>It takes about two hours and forty-five minutes from Victoria Coach station.
I used a bus at Victoria Coach station.
Oxford <train>It takes one hour and fifteen minutes from Paddington by train. Then you should use the bus.
<bus>It takes about one hour and forty minutes from Victoria.
On my first trip : After arriving at Heathrow Airport, we used the coach. On my second trip : I used the bus from Stratford-upon-Avon.
On my third trip : I visited there on the way to Morton-in-Marsh to London.
On my forth trip : We visited there when we drove to the Cotswalds by rent a car. On the way to London, we dropped in.
Penzance(St.Michael's Mount •Land's End) <train>It takes 5 hours and forty minutes from London, Paddington.
<bus>It takes 7 to 8 hours from Victoria coach station.
I used the train on both trips.
Pitlochly It takes about nine hours from Euston station. We visited there when we drove from Aberdeen to Edinburgh by rent a car.
Rye It takes about one hour and a half from Caring Cross station to Hastings. At Hastings, you should change trains and after twenty-five minutes, you'll arrive there. When I went to Hastiongs by train, on my return trip, I took the alternative route. I got off the train at Rye on the way to London via Ashford.
St Ives Get on the train to Penzance or St. Earth. It'll take about five hours and 40 minites. Then, change to the local train for St. Ives. the first occasion : I changed trains at St. Earth ; on the second occasion : I changed trains at Penzance.
St. Michael's Mount It takes about five hours and forty minutes from Paddington to Penzance. From there, you should take a bus.
We visited there in the same way.
Salisbury • Stonehenge <train>It takes about one and a half hours from Waterloo to Salisbury by train.
<bus>It takes about two hours and forty minutes from Victoria Coach station.
I used a package bus tour which visited Bath, Salisbury and Stonehenge.
Scarborough <train>It takes about two hours and fifteen minutes from London, Paddington station. It takes about two hours from King's Cross station. Then, change trains. It takes about one hour from York.
<bus>It takes about five hours and fifty minutes from Victoria Coach Station.
I changed trains at York.
Seven Sisters It takes about one hour and forty minutes from Victoria to Eastbourne by train. From there, you should take the bus. We saw Seven Sisters from the opposite side. We used the train to Eastbourne and after that, we walked for about forty-five minutes.
Southport It takes about forty five minutes from Liverpool Central Station. We visited there in the same way.
Stirling It takes about five or six hours to go to Glasgow from London, Euston. Then, change trains at Glasgow Queen Street station, five hundreds meters away. After about thirty five minutes, you'll arrive there. We visited there when we drove from Aberdeen to Edinburgh by rent a car.
Stradford-upon-Avon <train>It takes two hours and fifteen minutes from Paddington.
<bus>It takes about three hours and ten minutes from Victoria Coach station.
on my first trip : I used the coach.
on my second trip : I took the train from Paddington.
Stow-on-the-Wold It takes about one hour and forty minutes from Paddington to Morton-in-Mash. From there, you should get on a bus.
We visited there in the same way
Thornbury Casle Hotel It takes about one hour and thirty minutes from Paddington to Bristol Parkway on week days and Saturday. However, I don't know why, it takes about two and a half hours on Sunday. From there, you should use a taxi.
We visited there in the same way.
Windermere(The Lake District) <train>Catch the train from London, Euston, to Oxenholme(about 3 hours). Then, change to the local train to Windermere(20 minutes). Or take the direct train from Manchester Airport. It'll take two and a half hours.
<bus>It takes about seven hours from Victoria coach station.
on my first trip : I took the train to Oxenholme and changed to the local train ; on my second trip : I took the direct train from Manchester Airport
Windsor <train>It takes about forty minutes to one hour from Paddington to Sloug station. Then, you should change trains. Or it takes about one hour from Waterloo.
<bus>It takes about fifty minutes to one hour by Green Line Coach.
I used the coach.
Woodstock It takes about one hour from Paddington to Oxford by train. Then you should use the bus.
We visited there when we drove to the Cotswolds by rent a car.
York <train>It takes about two hours from Kings Cross station.
<bus>It takes about four hours from Victoria Coach Station to York.
I used trains on both my first and second trip.
On my third trip, I took the train from Scarborough.
Scotland Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Stirling, Pitlochry, Fort William We drove from Aberdeen to Edinburgh by rent a car.

(2003.10.13, 2003.11.19, 2005.3.5)
Japanese


to the TOP

Trip to England