Travelling to OHC – Stratford upon Avon
Some information to help you plan your trip to our OHC locations from the main London airports and other common arrival points. If you are arriving in the UK at another port or airport, please contact us at [email protected] for help and advice.
Please note, prices give are approximate and are intended to give you an idea of how much travel will cost. Prices will vary depending on the time of day you travel and how and when you buy your ticket. See websites for exact price information.
Remember, OHC can arrange competitively priced, reliable and safe taxi transfers from the airport directly to your homestay; we strongly advise students under 18 years old to use this service.
General Advice:
• If you arrive at a London airport, you may need to travel to central London (see below, ‘Travelling to Central London’) before going on to your accommodation or other UK destinations • Most travel can be booked online and is often much cheaper if booked in advance. Prices given here are for tickets bought at the airport/station on the day of travel • When you buy tickets (especially in advance) check whether there are restrictions on when you can travel or the company you travel with. • It is often possible to buy one ticket that will take you from the airport to your UK destination, but this may only be possible online. • Train travel is usually faster but more expensive than coach travel. However, you may need to change trains or travel between London stations, so a direct coach may be a quicker journey. • When you arrive at your destination, you may need to take a local taxi to your accommodation – this is likely to cost around £10.00 (perhaps £15.00 in London), but may be more if the journey is longer or traffic is very bad. • Quoted prices may change, or may be higher at peak times (for example before 09.00).
Using London Underground: London underground is easy to use – the lines are colour-coded and the map is easy to understand. If you arrive in central London, you will need to use the underground (or a London taxi) to go to your London accommodation or to a station to continue to other UK locations.
• On London Underground you will automatically get the cheapest prices if you use a contactless credit or debit card, or Oyster card (just touch into the yellow spots by the ticket gates, and touch out again when you leave the underground). You can buy an Oyster card at underground stations. Prices below are for tickets bought at the station. • One-day travel card (zones 1-6): £15.00 - £20.00 – this allows unlimited travel for the day around London by underground, train or bus. • Single journey: approx. £5.00 - £10.00
Useful websites for planning travel/booking tickets:
Rail Travel: http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/
Coach Travel: http://www.nationalexpress.com/home.aspx London Underground: https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/tube/
Travelling to Central London:
From London Heathrow (LHR):
By London Underground: Heathrow airport is on the Piccadilly Line in travel zone 6. Journey time to central London, approx. 40 minutes.
Price: £5.00-£10.00 (single)
By train: There is an express rail service from Heathrow to Paddington Station in central London. Trains leave every 15 minutes, journey time approx. 15/20 minutes. Book in advance online for much cheaper tickets (http://www.heathrow.com/transport-and-directions/trains/heathrow- express/ )
Prices:
Single: £25.00 - £30.00 (depending on time)
Return: £40.00
From London Gatwick (LGW):
By train: There is an express rail service from Gatwick to Victoria Station in central London. Trains leave every 10-15 minutes, journey time approx. 30 minutes
Prices: £20.00 - £25.00 depending on time/service.
By coach: National Express coach service from Gatwick to Victoria Coach Station. Coaches leave every 30 minutes, journey time approx. 1hr 20 minutes
Prices: £10.00 (single) £15.00 (return)
From London Stansted (STN):
By train: there is an express rail service between Stansted and Liverpool Street Station in central London. Trains leave every 15-20 minutes, journey time approx. 55 minutes
Prices: £20.00 (single), £30.00 (return)
By Coach: National Express coach service from Stansted to Victoria Coach Station. Coaches leave every 20 minutes, Journey time 1 hr 40 minutes.
Prices: £15.00 - £20.00 (single) depending on time.
Travelling to Stratford upon Avon:
Direct to Statford upon Avon: You will not be able to travel directly to Stratford upon Avon. All journeys will involve changing trains or coaches.
If you arrive at a London airport, you will need to travel into central London and from there onward to Stratford upon Avon. Trains for Stratford upon Avon leave from Marylebone station in central London. Coaches leave from Victoria Coach Station.
For a faster train journey to Stratford upon Avon with fewer changes, you may find it easier to travel to Warwick Parkway station and take a taxi from the station. Train prices are similar to prices to Stratford upon Avon and a taxi from Warwick Parkway to Stratford will cost around £20.00 - £30.00
From London Heathrow:
By train: from Heathrow, it is cheaper not to buy an advance ticket online.
(Ticket bought online): Journey time approx. 3 hours, with 3 changes of train. Price: £90.00 - £100.00, single or return
(Tickets bought at stations): Heathrow Express to London Paddington – journey time 15 minutes, price: £25.00 - £30.00. London Paddington to London Marylebone (by London Underground) - Journey time approx. 10 minutes, Price: £5.00 - £10.00 (single). London Marylebone to Stratford upon Avon – journey time approx. 2 hours. Price: £30.00 - £40.00 (single) – total cost, approx. £70.00
By coach: National Express coaches. Total journey time approx. 5 hours with 1-2 changes of coach (may include waiting up to 2 hours between coaches). Price: £20.00 - £50.00 (single), £50.00 - £90.00 (return)
From London Gatwick:
By train (ticket bought online in advance) - Journey time approx. 3 hrs 30 minutes with 3 changes of train. Price: £50.00 (single or return)
By coach: National Express coaches. Total journey time approx. 6 hours with 1-2 changes of coach (may include waiting up to 2 hours between coaches). Price: £20.00 - £30.00 (single), £40.00 - £50.00 (return)
From London Stansted:
By train (ticket bought online in advance) – journey time approx. 4 hrs with 3 changes of train. Price: £50.00 (single or return)
By coach: National Express coaches. Total journey time approx. 4-6 hours with 1-2 changes of coach (may include waiting 1-2 hours between coaches). Price £30.00 - £40.00 (single), £50.00 - £80.00 (return)
From Birmingham International Airport (BHX):
By train (ticket bought online in advance) – journey time approx. 1hr 30 minutes with 2 changes of train. Price: £15.00 - £20.00
By coach: National Express coaches. Total journey time approx. 2hr 30 minutes (may include waiting approx. 1 hr between coaches). Price £15.00-£30.00 From Central London:
By train: from London Marylebone station (with one change of train). Trains leave approx. every 30 minutes, Journey time approx. 2 hours.
Price: £30.00 - £40.00 (single or return)
By coach: there are two National Express coaches per day from London Victoria coach station direct to Stratford upon Avon. Journey time approx. 3hrs 30 minutes Price: £15.00-£20.00