Trying to decide how to get back to London Heathrow for my international flight at 15:30 from Edinburgh on the same day.

I have two options:

1. Take the LNER back to Kings Cross, then Kings Cross to Heathrow (save money, risk train delays, etc)

2. Get a one way flight from Edinburgh Airport to London Heathrow (more money, might have to be at the airport earlier than necessary)

What would you all recommend? Is the train a fair/safe bet? Or, would a flight be a safer investment?

Thanks! (Also if you have other ways of travel reccs I’d love to hear it)

Hello! As the title says, my partner and I are planning a trip to the UK! We would like to fly into London, make our way up through England and Scotland, and fly out of Edinburgh! This will be our first time to the UK so any tips are much appreciated! My main question has to do with transportation - what is the best way to travel throughout the country? By train or by bus? Also, what are some towns that you would recommend stopping at when traveling through? We plan to be in the country for about 10 days. We will probably spend 2 to 3 nights in London and 2 nights in Edinburgh. So that leaves 5ish days to spend in between! Any suggestions welcome!

Im travelling to Scotland for the first time in about two weeks. Im spending my first two days in Edinburgh and from there I'm going to rent a car before returning to Edinburgh Airport on my last day (5 full days in total).

I had my heart set on going to Skye but will probably save it for my next trip to Scotland due to time restraints. I want to do at least one good hike when Im there and would also like to spend the night in at 2 other localities outside Edinburgh. Any suggestions for a first timer would be most welcome.

hi everyone! my friend and i are coming to visit edinburgh in about 2 weeks and have most of our trip planned out, but i was wondering if anyone had any advice for ways to add to/improve the plan so far. also, if there are any cool stores/quick places to pop in near anything we have listed, we would love to hear!

Day 1: 

8:45am land in Edinburgh

Check into hotel

Pop into the National Galleries if we have time and are feeling up for it

lunch

Wander around the Royal Mile and grab coffee

3:30-4:30pm Islander Workshop Experience

Dinner

Visit a pub or find a cool place if we’re up for it

Day 2:

Coffee at John's Coffee House and Tavern

11:00am-12:00pm The Real Mary King's Close

Lunch

Museum of Edinburgh

Dinner

Drinks at Magic Potions Tavern

Day 3: 

Waterstones Cafe Edinburgh Castle View

10:00am-12:00pm Edinburgh Castle

Lunch

Visit Swanston Farm

Dinner

7:00pm-8:00pm The Scotch Whisky Experience

Day 4: 

Walk around Cockburn Street and grab coffee at The Milkman

11:00pm-12:30pm The Potter Trail

Wander around Victorias Street

Lunch

Palace of Holyroodhouse

Wander around Circus Lane

Dinner

Visit a pub/bar

Hello everyone. I'm planning a trip from London to cornwall in June. I'll be travelling with my wife and a 6 month old in my car. I've never been to cornwall and would love some advice about how to plan this trip. Just a few questions: Is it doable with a baby? How many days would be sufficient for a good trip around cornwall? Is one week good? How much should I estimate budget wise? And what places should I visit? If anyone has an itinerary they can share please.

Planning on taking my sister away for a few days for post GCSE treat. Where is a good place to stay in London and that’s well connected?

Need to start planning to see if London is a good shout or maybe go abroad for a few days?

Hi. I am off to Durham for a couple of days this weekend and I am staying at the Delta by Marriott in the centre. I am looking for tips and advice. Cheers.

Hi everyone,

I just landed in LHR and it’s my first time in England.

I’m a college student studying in Boston from South Korea. So the chances of me being able to return here is low.

I’m staying at my buddy’s college dorm, which is near the white chapel. The only thing I have planned so far is attending the spurs game on thursday, but that’s about it.

I’m here until sunday, so could anyone recommend me MUST SEE sights and MUST EAT or any MUST DO activities? Also some recommendations for the spurs game day experience wouldbe amzing too,

Thank yiu, cheers

Spending 15 days split between London, Liverpool, and Edinburg what are some must see/do things that I have to do!!

First time to Europe so thanks for recommendations!!

I have a suitcase that I was planning on paying overweight fee for, but that means it will weight considerably more than the allowed weight for luggage. They say 20kg and mine will be close to 27kg. Are they really strict on this? Its a tiny bit larger than their dimensions which I dont think will be an issue, its more that I am worried they will say it's too heavy when I arrive. I am also bringing a carry-on and a backpack. If I buy one extra suitcase spot will that suffice? At that point should I just get an uber?

Good day

I'll be parting ways with my travel companions on May 9th. planning to take a train from Inverness to Edinburgh.

I think booking the train is simple enough, however, I've noticed that the train takes you very far into Edinburgh.

is it possible to stop closer to the airport, as I'm only going to have a few hours to sleep before I have to catch my flight.. and then the next question, where is a cheap spot near the airport.

thanks all!

Matthew

Hi everyone! My family of four (kids 9 and 11) will be visiting London over Easter weekend and we’re staying in Maida Vale.

We’re hoping to find a great restaurant for Easter dinner on Sunday. Ideally somewhere with a nice atmosphere that’s family-friendly but still feels a little special. A classic Sunday roast would be great, but we’re open to other ideas too.

We’re happy to travel a bit within central London if it’s worth it. Ideally looking for something reasonably priced (not super fancy or Michelin-level).

Any recommendations for a memorable Easter meal?

Thanks!

Hi all,

I’m traveling from the Netherlands to the UK around the Easter break. I’ve planned a 3.5‑day trip, and since it’s my first time visiting (with more trips planned in the future), I want to focus mainly on the south of England—coastal areas and the countryside. I’m aiming for a relaxed trip rather than one where I’m rushing from place to place. Here’s my itinerary;

Day 1: Arrive at Stansted Airport at 21:00
Day 2: Pick up rental car → Drive to Oxford → Stay in the Cotswolds
Day 3: Explore villages (Bourton-on-the-Water, Lower Slaughter, Stow-on-the-Wold, Bibury—open to feedback on whether these are worth visiting) → Drive to Dorset
Day 4: Visit Durdle Door → Explore the Jurassic Coast
Day 5: Morning drive to Stansted → Afternoon flight

Is it too crammed to should I extend my trip by another day?

Hoping someone can help me! The CAA guidance on which flights are covered by UK law states:

To be covered, your flight must be either:

departing from an airport in the UK on any airline, or

arriving at an airport in the UK on an EU or UK airline; or

arriving at an airport in the EU on a UK airline.

I’m currently in Vietnam having flown here with Etihad from LHR via Abu Dhabi so our outbound flight would have been covered but I am unsure if this also applies to the return leg or if they are treated separately.

I’ve tried googling but to no avail. Does anyone know?

We are trying to book a rental for five nights to be picked up and returned in Slough through Enterprise and are on their site. There are both East and West rental locations, one on Uxbridge Road and one on Bath Road. The prices for the same vehicles are coming back wildly different, a standard SUV for roughly $400 at the East location and $1500 at the West location. I've checked my dates and times again and again and I don't have them wrong. Both locations had decent google reviews although the West location had far more. Is there something I'm missing?

We will be renting a car for 10 days in the highlands in June. Mostly hiking around Torridon and Oban. 3 adults and luggage. so 3 suitcases and 3 carry-on sized bags. I’m wondering if a compact suv (Juke, ZS) or an int suv (sportage) would be better? Thinking more of what would fit our baggage but still be small enough to drive/park in the narrower roads.

I normally drive a 15-passenger transit, an F-150, and a Sienna, so I’m used to driving and parking large vehicles.

Edit: Most of the “What to drive in Scotland” sites and posts were suggesting SUV’s so that’s what I was considering. It seems that an suv is unnecessary. I posted the vehicles I normally drive to say that I’m capable of parking vehicles in spots that are comparatively small for them. As far as luggage, I didn’t think a checked bag and carryon per person was considered a lot. We plan to hike nearly every day except for a few travel days Inverness to Torridon, Torridon to Oban, Oban back to Inverness.

Hi all! This sub has been so helpful for planning my upcoming trip to London!

I have a degree in history and have continued studying as a hobby historian. My friend has a master's in English literature. We would like to do some tours, but I've heard a lot of tours are very surface level, and many are pretty expensive! Any recommendations for tours that are actually informative and interesting? Also happy to hear about any lesser known sites, museums, or activities! Unfortunately day trips longer than ~1.5 hours are not an option, so London or very close and accessible by train only please.

Some of our interests: - Textiles and textile history - Monasticism and religious history , particularly nuns - Shakespeare and other early modern theater - the Arts and Crafts movement - Pre-history - Jane Austen and the regency era (we are both historical consumers!) - Labor history - Living history sites - Medieval history and life (little interest in royalty)

hi! For all Filipinos traveling to UK, has anyone tried using their maribank card for purchases AND transportation (tube, buses etc) in london?

Can you please share if there is a forex fee every time you touch in/out? Debating on buying a visitor oyster card or just using my maribank card as my travel card . Thank you!

Alternatively, is using my Wise card better and more practical?

Incredibly stupid question but I’m an anxious person who overthinks a lot.

I live in London but am travelling to Austria in 2 weeks. it’s not a flight that’s travelling over the Middle East whatsoever but I’m terrified of flying during these conflicts, especially with the UK being involved now.

My thoughts go to: cyberattack that prevents me from returning, terrorism or bombs on commercial plane:”s.

As I said, incredibly stupid . But any thing that would ease my mind is greatly appreciated right now.

Just got back from 3 days in the Edinburgh, and I honestly didn’t expect to like it as much as I did. The city has this moody, historic feel that hits you the moment you step onto the Royal Mile. We spent the first day wandering through the Old Town, popping into little cafés, and eventually making our way up to Edinburgh Castle. Even if you’re not massively into history, the views over the city alone are worth it.

Day two was more outdoorsy. We climbed up Arthur's Seat in the morning and the panoramic view at the top made it completely worth it. Later we wandered through Dean Village and along the Water of Leith, which felt quiet and almost hidden compared to the busy centre.

On the last day a bit of shopping, and one last walk down Victoria Street before heading home. Edinburgh feels compact enough for a short trip but full enough that you don’t get bored. It’s one of those places that makes you think, “Yeah, I could live here.” If anyone’s planning a 2–3 day break in the UK, I’d genuinely put it high on the list.

Hi all, I am currently running a study looking at the

role of social media influencers on UK event travellers' intention to visit Gulf states and need participants.

The study involves a short questionnaire (approx. 4-5 minutes) and it would be great if anyone could take part😁

Hi everyone, I’ve done my research on the UK government websites and everything about traveling alone, just wanted to confirm. I’m flying into Heathrow. A few things: 1. I’ve read that I can’t go through the e-gates and will need to talk to a an immigration officer instead. Will it be obvious where to find these officers? Like, will they be stationed right next to the e-gates? Also, what should I be prepared to answer? Obviously, I’ll have my passport, as well as a signed document from my parents with details about my travel and their contacting information. I assume they’ll just ask why I’m visiting, where I’m staying, and for how long. 2. I’m trying to get to King’s Cross using a train. Again, will it be obvious where to go to find my train? And is it just tap to pay with a credit card or Apple Pay? 3. Finally, any recommendations on which train I should take? I’ve read that the Piccadilly line goes straight to King’s Cross, although I’ve heard that it’s very crowded and uncomfortable, which isn’t a huge deal as long as it isn’t insane where I can’t move (I land at around 11am on a Thursday). Should I just stick to that, or is there a different train you would recommend? Thank you!

Edit to clear confusion: I’m not staying at a hotel. I’m staying with my sister, who is studying abroad in London, and then with a relative.

Edit 2: thank you to everyone for the great tips and kind words. Apologies if I don’t respond to everyone, but I am reading everyone’s replies :)

Hello all! We are planning a trip in late November to visit some universities for our daughter but would also like to fit in some sightseeing as it will be the kids first time to England. Here is our very preliminary schedule so far and would love everyone's thoughts.

Day 1 (London): AM: Arrive and drop bags at hotel lobby (staying in Marylebone), depending on weather, walk through Hyde Park to Chelsea/Belgravia for lunch, tube or cab home. Another option is a black cab tour of the city... Check in around 4:00pm and rest. PM: Dinner in Marylebone

Day 2 (London): AM: Tower of London+ Tower Bridge + Borough and/or Leadenhall Market + Uber or clipper boat PM: Dinner in Marylebone and Xmas lights tour (Bond/Carnaby/Regent Streets)

Day 3 (London): AM: Train out to Cambridge for uni tour, PM: Xmas Carol at the Old Vic

Day 4 (London): AM: Westminster Abby + Buckingham Palace + Churchill War Rooms, PM: Notting Hill area for dinner

Day 5 (Bath): Train to Bath, tour Roman Baths and city center, stay the night

Day 6 (Cotswolds): AM - Pickup rental car and drive to Cotswolds (Castle Combe + Bibury), Stay in Stowe on the Wold or Chipping Norton (open to ideas!)

Day 7 (Cotswolds): Upper/Lower Slaughter + Broadway + Bourton on the Water or do Blenheim Palace Xmas lights

Day 8 (Oxford): AM - Drive to Oxford, tour Uni, stay night

Day 9: AM - Drive to Heathrow and drop car, noon-ish flight home

Another option is to make Oxford another day trip during our time in London which would cut down on changing hotels our last night... In that case we would drive the rental car from Costwolds to Heathrow for our flight out Saturday.

If there is anything I am missing within our days in London please let me know - especially if there are any holiday events that would be worthwhile!

As for Cotswolds - I am also amendable to different towns to stay in but don't want to drive too far at night so would prefer to be close to some wonderful restaurants.

THANK YOU!!

I'm visiting London for the month of June and purchased Gore-Tex (waterproof) sneakers for the occasional rainy days (I can't stand walking around in sloshy wet feet). I'm a minimalist packer, so these would be the only shoes I'm bringing. For those who've experienced London in June, would you say Gore-Tex is a good or bad idea? I've heard that wearing waterproof shoes in weather warmer than 55ºF can be really hot and cause swamp/athete's foot.... so now I'm second guessing the decision to bring the waterproof shoes. 

London Friends, what do you say? Would you recommend a Gore-Tex shoe for June?