England how to get there. Can i get to england by train? Opening hours and ticket prices

London is a city that many people gaze on when they dream of visiting a modern metropolis with an amazing history. The world's oldest metro, 40 higher educational institutions, dozens of theaters, many museums, as well as traditions and ceremonies - all these are attributes of a large city, whose history goes back almost 2000 years. Of course, almost any tourist wants to touch such a rich history. But how do you get to London from Moscow? The traditional means of travel to the capital of Great Britain has been and remains the plane. But a trip to London from Moscow is also possible by train. Here are the options for rail transport and consider ...

Route information

This route includes two trains. From Moscow to Paris you will need to take train number 23, and to get from Paris to London, it is best to use the services of the EuroStar railway company, which trains connect France, Belgium and England.

Train No. 23 departs from Belorussky railway station 3 times a week in winter 1 (Monday, Thursday and Sunday) and 5 times in summer 2 (Tuesday and Saturday are added). Departure time is 8:42. Travel time is 39 hours. The train crosses the territory of five states: Russia, Belarus, Poland, Germany and France. From the windows of your compartment you can see cities such as Smolensk, Minsk, Brest, Warsaw, Berlin, Hanover, Frankfurt am Main and Strasbourg. A train arrives in Paris from Moscow at 20:42.

The Paris-London high-speed train departs from Paris Central Station 16 times throughout the day. The last flight leaves for London at 21:13. If you miss it, you will have to go to England the next day. But there will be an opportunity to get to know Paris a little. By the way, the time from Paris to London is a high-speed train (and its speed is up to 300 km / h) in 2.5 hours. The train arrives at the station Londonlocated in the central part of the English capital, next to the King Cross St. Pancras metro station (Northern line, Piccadilly line and Victoria line).

1 from 09.12.2012 until 23.05.2013 and from 06.10.2013. until 12.12.2013

2 from 26.05.2013 until 03.10.2013

Comfort of trains No. 23 and "EuroStar"

Train No. 23 includes first and second class carriages, as well as luxury carriages. The second class implies the presence of three-seater compartments, each of which has a washbasin and air conditioning. In addition, there is a toilet in the carriage. The first class differs from the second in that the compartments are double, and there is also a shower in the carriage.

The compartment in the "Lux" is an enlarged area, a fold-out sofa, an upper seat and an armchair, as well as a bathroom, shower, washbasin, toilet and breakfast, which is included in the ticket price.

EuroStar trains include Standard, Standard Premier and Business class carriages. "Standard" includes air-conditioned carriages, individual tables by the armchairs, a bar-buffet. Standard Premier has adjustable seats with plenty of legroom. In addition, each seat has an individual socket. Complimentary newspapers are provided to passengers, and snacks are served directly on private tables. In "Business" the ticket price includes a continental breakfast or a three-course lunch.

Ticket prices

! All prices are indicated at the time of this writing!

It is clear that the price consists of two components: train number 23+ train "EuroStar" (Paris - London).

Train number 23:

Train "EuroStar" (Paris - London):

Minimum ticket price from Moscow to London (with this option, if you are traveling individually, not in a group):

adult - 395€ , preferential adult - 290€ , children - 206€ .

3 in the "Lux" class, you can take 2 children up to 12 years old.

4 when buying a whole compartment with two passengers, you can take 1 child up to 12 years old with you.

5 when buying 6 or more tickets.

6 children under 4 years old - free if they do not occupy a separate seat.

From Moscow to London via Frankfurt am Main and Brussels

Route information

If you decide to get to London from Moscow in this way, you will have to change 3 trains along the way. At the first stage, you will need to get to the German city of Frankfurt-am-Main (carriages in train # 21). Then change to the high-speed train ICE (Inter City Express), following to Brussels. The well-known EuroStar company will take you from the capital of Belgium to London.

Train number 21 departs daily from Belorussky railway station, from Moscow at 00:44 in winter and at 23:44 in summer. The journey takes 33 hours and you will arrive in the city on the Main at 6:40 am local time.

There are several ways to get from Frankfurt to Brussels, but I will only mention two direct ICE trains that leave the station FrankfurtHbf at 10:16 and 14:29 (there is another direct train to the capital of Belgium in the evening, but then in Brussels you will not be able to catch the last evening EuroStar train). On the way, the train is 3 hours and 20 minutes, and arrives at the station BrusselZuid (South Station).

Well, the final stage of such a trip is one of 10 Brussels-London trains that leave from the same Brussels South Railway Station (the last one leaves for England at 19:52). Arrival at LondonSt. Pancras- after 1 hour 55 minutes.

Train comfort

Russian Railways uses wagons similar to those that run on the Paris train (first and second classes), as well as sleeping cars, each of which has 10 compartments, to transport passengers to Frankfurt am Main. Each compartment has a washbasin, and the number of berths can be 1, 2 or 3. Such cars are equipped with modern air conditioning systems. Traveling in them is quite comfortable.

The level of comfort of cars in ICE trains corresponds to the level of "Standard" and "Standard Premier" trains "EuroStar", the equipment of which has already been written here.

Ticket prices

Moscow - Frankfurt am Main (2 options):

Frankfurt am Main - Brussels:

The price of a ticket on the train "EuroStar" (Brussels - London) does not differ a cent from the ticket Paris - London.

If you choose to travel via Frankfurt, the minimum adult ticket price will be 423€ , and for a child - a little more 200€ .

7 Ticket price depends on the day of the week and the time of train departure.

Conclusion

The article lists only two of the most convenient travel options from Moscow to London by rail. In fact, there are more of them, but the road through Warsaw, Cologne and Brussels has additional changes. If you go through Kiev, you will get a decent "detour", because after that you will still pass through the Polish capital.

Again, the options that have been described in sufficient detail are the most convenient both in terms of transfers (their minimum) and in terms of total travel time. The disadvantage of the first option is that train number 23 does not follow every day. The second option has an extra change, but it is guaranteed that you will not have to wait for the next train anywhere all night. But the time that you spend on trains, and there, and there will be approximately the same.

If you decide to travel from Moscow to London by train, then the choice, of course, will be yours. I just want to note that in any case, your trip by rail will be comfortable, interesting and, I hope, without incident ...

"- flight SU 2578 every day, flight SU 2584 every day, except Monday, Saturday to Heathrow airport (London);
- British Airways - three daily flights to Heathrow (London);
- easyJet - one flight daily to Gatwick airport (London).

Important! EasyJet Airlines will cease flights to Moscow from London from March 21, 2016 (the last flight will take place on March 20, 2016).

From Saint-Petersburg:

- British Airways - one flight daily, Heathrow (London);
- "Russia" flies to London from St. Petersburg two or three times a week.

From the Baltics and Poland:

- easyJet - flights to London from Tallinn; from Krakow to Belfast, Bristol, Edinburgh, Liverpool, London;
- Ryanair flies from Riga and Tampere to London; from Krakow to Birmingham, East Midlands, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Edinburgh; from Kaunas to Birmingham, Bristol, London, Edinburgh; from Warsaw to Bristol, East Midlands, Liverpool, London, Glasgow;
- airBaltic from Riga to London.

From Kazakhstan:

Air Astana from Astana to London.

To the UK by train

There is no direct train from Russia, you can get there with one change in Brussels or Paris on the Eurostar high-speed train, following the tunnel under the English Channel. Travel time from Moscow is 43 hours, tickets will be more expensive than air tickets. At the same time, a single Moscow - London ticket is not for sale, so you should separately buy a Eurostar ticket from Brussels to London or Paris to London, respectively. Tickets are sold on the Eurostar website (www.eurostar.com), the average cost is from 120 euros one way, however, if you buy long in advance (a month or more), you can buy a ticket for 60 and sometimes even 40 euros. British immigration control is carried out before the departure of the train from Paris and Brussels, directly at the railway stations (Brussels and Paris, respectively), in connection with which it is necessary to arrive at the station at least an hour before the train departure. All border formalities are carried out at the station according to the usual scheme, exactly like at the airport, so you must have all the required documents with you (return tickets, hotel reservations, and so on).

To the UK by ferry

Numerous regular ferries operate from France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway, Denmark and Sweden to the UK, with up to 50 ferries a day. The ferry is by far the cheapest way to get to the UK from mainland Europe, the cost of a single passenger from Calais (France) to Dover (UK) is from 12 euros one way (and the cheapest fare can be both when bought long before departure, and directly on the day of departure). Travel time is about two hours. You should arrive at the port at least an hour and a half before the departure of the ferry, since passport and border control of France (at the exit) and the UK (at the entrance) is carried out in France. After passing the control, passengers board a bus that takes them through the closed territory of the port directly to the ship. Upon arrival in the UK, there will be no other passport control.

To the UK by car

Distance from London by road (excluding the ferry crossing): Moscow - 3,090 kilometers, Paris - 415 kilometers, Brussels - 235 kilometers, Amsterdam - 190 kilometers, Berlin - 865 kilometers.

From the territory of Russia can be reached by routes from Moscow and St. Petersburg. Unfortunately, there are no direct flights from other cities.

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A country with such a resounding name attracts the attention of businessmen, financiers, representatives of science and culture and, of course, tourists. Great Britain is one of the largest financial centers of the planet; millions of people visit it every year for various purposes. You can get there by water, land and air.

Air traffic

From the territory of Russia can be reached by routes from Moscow and St. Petersburg. Unfortunately, there are no direct flights from other cities. From the capital of the Russian Federation there is a connection with London and Manchester, and from northern Palmyra only with London. British Airways and Aeroflot depart from Moscow twice a day with the final point of the route in London. Transaero operates one flight per day. Flights to Manchester are carried out once a week. You can fly to Edinburgh via London on a flight of the same company once a week.

Air bridges from St. Petersburg have been established by British Airways and Pulkovo. The British company operates flights daily, while the Russian company operates twice a week.

From the territory of Ukraine by air to Foggy Albion can be reached only from Kiev to London. Daily flights are operated by British Airways with a landing at Heathrow, UIA aircraft also fly daily with a landing at Gatwick Airport, twice a week, Luton Airport receives WizzAir flights (Monday and Friday).

Indirect flights to London can be reached via Riga and Tampere, to London, Birmingham and Edinburgh via Kaunas, to London, Liverpool and Glasgow via Warsaw, to London, Manchester, Liverpool and Edinburgh via Krakow. All flights are operated by Ryanair. There is also an airBaltic flight from the capital of Latvia to London. Air Astana has laid a route from the capital of Kazakhstan to London.

• It will be useful: air tickets to the UK.

Railway connection

There is no direct connection with the British Isles from Russia and Ukraine, it is necessary to change trains. The transfer takes place in Warsaw, Brussels, Paris and other cities. This route has several unpleasant features. It is preferred by travelers who want a quick glimpse of Europe on the way. It's easier and cheaper to fly by plane.

Firstly, it will take almost two days to get from Moscow. Secondly, there is no single ticket for the road and you need to select a transfer and book tickets in advance. Thirdly, you need to go through the channel under the English Channel on the Eurostar train, and it does not differ in the cheapness of tickets. The cost of a ticket in a Standard class carriage reaches up to 200 euros per person, in a Premier class carriage - up to 260 euros, in a business class carriage - 330 euros. Finally, the last drawback is the need to go through customs directly at the stations of departure. Due to the influx of migrants and the attendant confusion, this can take a long time.

Car traffic

London from Moscow is separated by more than three thousand kilometers. There is no point in talking about all the possible routes, you just need to mention the passage in the tunnel under the English Channel. This service is not cheap, starting at 49 pounds. On the English side, travelers arrive at Folkestone and then turn onto the M20 to London. You can reduce the cost of crossing the English Channel, for this you need to use a ferry.

Ferry service

As you know, Great Britain is an island, and you can get there by ferry. This is the most economical option. Ferries leave from ports in Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Norway, and British customs control is also carried out here. For example, from the port of Calais in France, you can get to Britain in just two hours, it costs 12 euros per person.

Undoubtedly, the UK is a "tasty morsel" for tourists. There is very beautiful architecture of different eras, wonderful souvenirs and shopping, the calm silence of the moorlands, under the sauce of the story about the Baskervilles dog, and many other interesting things. You can get there in different ways, but you need a visa to enter the island, and the Schengen is not suitable for this purpose.

It will be necessary: air tickets to the UK.

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“Don't think about what you’ll tell when you come back. Time is here and now. Seize the moment. "

Paulo Coelho. "Aleph"

A blogger from me, frankly, is so-so: when I feel good, grabbing a camera and a laptop is practically the last thing that comes to my mind.

So this time: almost 2 years have passed since our previous trip to visit friends in London, and all this time we savor the memories of every day we lived in this trip with great pleasure and with dreamy smiles on our faces. But I was going to write about him only now.

(This was already our second visit to London, and I described in detail my impressions of my first acquaintance with this wonderful city in this article: Then, in addition to numerous London museums, we managed to make excursions to Windsor, Stonehenge and Oxford.)

Text navigator

The trip from Edinburgh to London by train along the east coast of the island did not tire us in the least and even gave us pleasure (although it would have been faster and cheaper by plane): green fields on both sides of the railroad and sheep grazing on them. And so - almost all the way, 5.5 hours. Part of the way, the train goes along the seashore: green hills and herds of grazing sheep against the background of the blue sea - it's very beautiful, a real pastoral idyll! Now I'm sure: I can watch this for hours! (I bought railway tickets).

Our friend Olga met us at the Euston station, and we, embracing from the bottom of our hearts, went to her. At home, in the room where we were settled, a surprise awaited me: a luxurious bouquet of delicate, light pink peonies. The mood was getting higher and higher ...

And the very next morning we all went together to get acquainted with the outskirts of London.

Hever Castle

Hever Castle is located in the village of Hever, Kent, near Edenbridge, 30 miles southeast of London. The castle, built in the 13th century, was the seat of the Boleyn family from 1462 to 1539. It was in this cozy place that Anne Boleyn spent her childhood - the second wife of the world famous English King Henry VIII (the prototype of the gloomy literary hero - Bluebeard) and the mother of Queen Elizabeth I of England.

The first thing we did was visit the castle. Very atmospheric place!

The interiors are perfectly preserved:

Bedroom of Henry VIII:

And on the second floor of the castle, in the Long Gallery, a magnificent exhibition with wax figures about the history of Anne and Heinrich is organized.

Here is also a copy of Anna's last letter to her husband, written by her in the Tower, less than 2 weeks before the execution:

After the execution of Anna and her brother, their ambitious father was removed from the court and lived in Hever Castle until the end of his days (1538). After that, the estate was empty for a couple of years, and in 1540 it was presented to Anna of Cleves, the fourth wife of Henry VIII.

Let me remind you in brief: this marriage was concluded for political reasons, and Henry did not have warm feelings for his wife. The King of England was greatly disappointed that in reality Anna bears only a distant resemblance to the portrait painted by Hans Holbein the Younger. In addition, the young wife discovered a clear lack of education.

The monarch's disappointment was so great that they were divorced less than 7 months after the wedding, without actually entering, according to historians, into a marital relationship. After the annulment of the marriage, Anna remained in England, she was granted a generous content and the unofficial title of "beloved sister of the king" ( The King's Beloved Sister). She was a generous benefactor and bequeathed her fortune to the poor. After the divorce, she maintained warm friendly relations with Heinrich and his family, which were not there during the period when she was his wife. She died in 1557 and was buried in Westminster Abbey.

The fate of this woman teaches us, it seems to me, first of all, two things:

• For happiness in your personal life, it is necessary to BE, and not to seem. Photoshop and other similar "tricks" in this matter are certainly bad helpers.
• No one knows how your future fate will turn, and what is best for you at the moment. And who knows, if Anna Klevskaya's appearance justified the expectations of her husband, if she would not be on the chopping block in a couple of years, as happened before her with Anne Boleyn, and after her - with Catherine Howard. So, if suddenly at the moment of difficult trials it seems to you that everything is lost, and life is flying to hell, try to look at the situation from a different angle.

The interiors of the castle remind us as of its medieval owners,

and about the owner in the first half of the XX century - Baron Astor:

The castle is surrounded by beautiful gardens with a charming lake, on which, if you wish, you can go boating. It took two years to manually excavate the lake, 35 acres (over 14 hectares) and over 3 meters deep.

At times it is difficult to get rid of the feeling that you are in Italy.

(And this is no coincidence: at the beginning of the 20th century, the estate was acquired by William Waldorf Astor, who emigrated from the United States and received British citizenship and a baronial title. The Italian Garden with fountains, cascades, waterfalls and caves was created to exhibit numerous statues and sculptures that Mr. Astor collected while serving as the American Ambassador to Italy).

But looking at the immaculate lawns, you come back to reality: such lawns and roses are found only in England!

Such a cheerful Holy Father accompanied us from the castle:

Both the castle and the park are wonderful. Very intimate and cozy. It is not for nothing that this place is very fond of the nearby British actress Judy Dench (known to us for many roles, in particular, for the role of the chief of British intelligence "M" in "Bondiana").

We could easily walk here at least all day, but the program planned for us was eventful, so we had to hit the road.

The address: Hever Castle & Gardens, Hever Rd, Hever, Edenbridge TN8 7NG, UK
Official site: https://www.hevercastle.co.uk
Ticket prices (castle + park, in 2019):adults - £ 16.75; students and people over 60 years old - £ 14.75; children 5-17 years old - £ 9.40.
Working hours:the park is open to visitors at 10:30, the castle - at 12:00. The last entry is possible from April to October - until 16:30, in winter - as a rule, until 15:00 (for specific dates, check on the official website), in this case you will have another 1.5 hours to get acquainted with the sights.

How to get toHever Castle by public transport from London:

By train from London Victoria and London Bridge stations (via Oxted or East Croydon) to Edenbridge Town station (then 3 miles by taxi, which is recommended to be booked in advance by calling 01732 863800 (Relyon Taxis), although the cars of this company are parked right next to the railway station). The second option is not to get off at Edenbridge Town Station, but get off at the next Hever station. There is no taxi from there, but on foot to the castle is only 1 mile, all the way from the station is marked with white and red wooden signs. (But in bad weather, this road may not be the most pleasant walk! The official website recommends stocking up on a flashlight and rubber boots).

High Rocks

where you can not only relax on the road, but also buy entrance tickets.

Huge boulders, covered with green moss in shaded areas, are what you expect to see anywhere but 30 miles from London.

As in many other places, a similar landscape here was formed by a descending glacier.

It's great to walk here (but only in comfortable shoes!),

admire ancient monolithic boulders braided by tree roots.

Above, the cafes and the nearby houses look like a village of hobbits:

Agree, and below they are very cute:

Entrance to the park:

Opening hours and ticket prices:

Additional Information:

Cultural program in London: 5o’ clock tea, theater, barSky Garden»

It was decided to spend the next day in the midst of the cultural and social life of London. On our last visit to London we attended the musical "The Phantom of the Opera" at Her Majesty's Theater, and this performance gave us such pleasure that it was decided to go to the musical again.

This time our choice fell on "Les Miserables" at the "Queen's Theater" ("Queens Theater").

Before the show, we walked around central London.

And we looked in a cafe in front of the theater, - I wanted to feel for myself what the famous English tradition of tea drinking “5 o'clock tea” is.

What can I say, it's a pleasant tradition (in front of the theater, I think, just what you need), but it's definitely not for dieters. See for yourself - such a shelf of baked goods ... is my annual rate, under normal conditions:

The production is quite high quality, the music and the acting are at their best. But “Les Miserables” are “Les Miserables” - after the performance you leave almost crushed with grief ...

To "correct" the mood, friends invited us after the theater to one of the most beautiful and famous bars in London - "Sky Garden"... The “Sky Garden” space with several bars and restaurants is located on the top floor of this skyscraper, on the right in the photo:

Cocktails and other drinks are not budgetary here (not at all!). But the setting is magical!

Inside is a real garden, very well maintained:

And all of London, shimmering with lights, is at your feet (the view from the windows is almost 360 degrees):

Churchill's estate in the suburbs of London (Chartwell-house)

The next morning on the program we had a visit to the country estate "Chartwell" - the beloved home of Sir Winston Churchill from 1922 until his death in 1965.

W. Churchill spoke quite definitely about the significance of this place in his life: "A day spent outside Chartwell has been wasted." (“A day away from Chartwell is a day wasted”.)

A stunningly picturesque and interesting corner of England for all history lovers! Churchill rebuilt the estate, bought in 1922, almost completely, it took him, an uncompromising perfectionist, 2 years, in collaboration with the architect Philip Tilden.

It's amazing how much you can learn about a person by looking at their home! On the great National Trust website ( https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/), which contains information about almost all the sights of the UK, on \u200b\u200bthe Chartwell page https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/chartwell this place is called "home and inspiration" of Sir William Churchill.

Here, definitely, not only the landscape and interiors have been preserved, but also the atmosphere!

Hand-dug swimming ponds and swan ponds:

A pond with goldfish and the same chair that the Prime Minister liked to sit on in the last years of his life:

And his bench in front of the house:

Butterfly House:

Magnificent garden with flower beds:

The Rosary is the pride of his beloved wife, Lady Clementine Churchill:

Cricket Lawn:

And, which surprised me very much, the studio in which Sir Winston Churchill painted more than 300 paintings, I admit, is very talented for an amateur. For some reason, people are usually not surprised that he won the Nobel Prize in Literature, but the paintings, many of which are exhibited here, are truly amazing ...

We enter the house:

The interior has remained unchanged since the residence of the Churchill family - Winston, Clementine and their four children,

but taking pictures inside - alas - is not allowed. We'll have to be content with a photo of the view from the terrace:

Inside, you can leisurely wander around with a detailed description of the exposition presented to visitors in several languages, including Russian (all photos increase when clicked):

The Chartwell Estate is an amazing place: cozy and hospitable. Everything here tells us that the people who lived here were happy: only in a house where happiness lives, friends like to visit.

For visitors there is a cafe, picnic tables, and a souvenir shop and, most importantly, you don't want to leave here! You can easily spend a whole day here, especially if, like us, you are lucky with the weather.

Knowle Manor (Knole) - castle and park with deer in the townSevenoaks

On the way back another surprise awaited us: friends brought us to the town of Sevenoaks. We arrived there quite late, so we did not have time to inspect the incredible castle - Knowle Manor - the building was already closed to the entrance. Photos in the yard:

English castles are incredible! In particular, this one traces its history back to 1456, when the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Bourchier, acquired the Knowle estate, which from that time was used as the residence of the archbishop: after the death of T. Bourchier in 1486, the estate passed to his follower, John Morton, then , (1504) - to William Warham, and finally, in 1532 - to Thomas Cranmer. After 6 years, he was forced to "voluntarily" transfer the estate to King Henry VIII. More precisely, Henry VIII simply "squeezed" the property he liked from the head of the church: the testimony of Ralph Maurice, who then served as the secretary of the archbishop, about the content of the conversation between the archbishop, who was trying to resist weakly, and the insatiable monarch, was preserved. The archbishop tried to convince Henry that this house is too small for him and not too good, so it would be better if it remained in the possession of the archbishop. But Henry was persistent.

After the death of Henry VIII in 1547, for almost 23 years Knowle changed several owners, but from 1570 to the present, the estate is owned by the Sackville family, the first of which was a prominent statesman, I Earl of Dorsett, Thomas Sackville.

The castle was completed and rebuilt in different eras, so traces of different styles can be observed in the interiors: from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, to the Baroque and Victorian era. The interiors have been preserved in excellent condition - it is a pity that I can only admire them in the guidebook I bought at the last moment before the closing of the store, and I hope to get to Sevenoaks again someday to see this beauty with my own eyes.

The surroundings of the castle are no less amazing: in the noble manor of Knole, the last surviving medieval park in Kent County, deer live in their natural environment!

Not only are they not at all afraid of people, but they can easily come up and persistently ask what it is that you are chewing delicious:

Powerful oaks, after which the settlement was probably named,

upon closer inspection, they turned out to be not oaks at all, but sycamores:

Some facts about the park:

How to get toKnole from London

From central London (London Charing Cross, London Bridge or London Victoria stations) by train to Sevenoaks train station, then 1.5 miles (about 2.5 km) on foot or by taxi.

London museums

It was decided to devote one of the days to museums, which we never reached on our last visit to London.

Natural History Museum (Museum natural science)

This beautiful building houses the Museum of Natural History - in our country it would most likely be called the Zoological Museum. It is good, the exposition is interesting.

But here we were disappointed: the famous cinematic (see the film "Night at the Museum") Hintze Hall with the skeleton of a diplodocus and a skeleton of a blue whale suspended from the ceiling, alas, was closed for reconstruction.

Therefore, having skimmed the rest of the exposition, we went to the Victoria and Albert Museum located literally in the next building.

Allocate time to visit the Natural History Museum: 1-2 hours.
The address: Cromwell Road.
Underground: South Kensington.
How to get there:
Working hours: The museum is open every day from 10:00 to 17:50. Last Friday of the month until 22.30
Ticket prices:IS FREE
Official site: http://www.nhm.ac.uk

Victoria & Albert Museum (Victoria and Albert Museum)

A huge and definitely noteworthy museum of art and design, the collection of which Queen Victoria and her husband Albert began to collect as a result of numerous travels and expeditions organized by the Kingdom. It contains many paintings, sculptures, stained glass, a collection of porcelain, jewelry, etc. The exhibit isn't as big as the British Museum, but it's still huge and very cool. Inside there is a beautiful courtyard where you can relax and have a cup of coffee.

We walked here for a long time, about 3 hours - this is at least, but during this time we did not bypass even half of the exposition, but only, at a fairly fast pace, managed to walk along two floors (of 6 levels).

But even during this time we received an overabundance of impressions, one might say, tired of beauty. (By the way, I can't walk around the Hermitage for more than 3 hours, for the same reason). In general, I want to come back here again and again.

Allocate time for visiting: 2-3 hours.
The address: Cromwell road
Underground: South kensington
Working hours: the museum is open daily 10: 00-17: 45, on Friday - 09: 00-23: 00.
Ticket prices: IS FREE
Official site: http://www.vam.ac.uk

London shops

After the museums, we moved towards the shops - they are beautiful in London and, definitely, deserve a separate note - I'll get together and write somehow. In general, it seemed to me that shopping here is no worse, and by many criteria even better than, for example, in Italy.

Department store "Harrods"

The main competitor to Selfridges for the title of the most “posh” among the stores in London.

Perhaps the most famous department store in London. It is considered one of the largest and most fashionable department stores in the world.

He is truly luxurious!

Agree, such an interior is more likely to be seen in the Hermitage or the Cairo Museum, and not in a department store. Eh, stereotypes ...

But with shops, here, of course, too - complete order:

How to get there: nearest metro - Knightsbridge
The address: 87-135 Brompton Road, Knightsbridge
Harrods Department Store open until 21:00
Official site: http://www.harrods.com/

Memorial to Princess Diana and Dodi Al Fayed at Harrods Department Store

On the ground floor of the Harrods department store there is a memorial to the memory of Princess Diana and Dodi Al Fayed.

(The fact is that since 1985 Harrods has been owned by Dodi's father, Egyptian billionaire Mohammed al-Fayed, who later sold it for £ 1.5 billion to the Qatar State Investment Fund).

A crystal pyramid is installed in front of their photo, which contains a wedding ring presented to Diana a few hours before her death, and a glass from which she drank for the last time. This composition is crowned with a fountain with two candles.

In front of this memorial, there is a monument to Diana and Dodi - a bronze sculpture of a dancing couple - a bride and groom - with an albatross hovering above them. The sculpture not only embodies the intertwining of Western and Eastern traditions, but is also a dedication to the "innocent victims of the murder."

Of course, both the memorial and the monument are terribly annoying for the British royal family, which insists on removing both of them from the department store building. Eloquent evidence of this is the fact that after the death of Princess Diana, the royal court did not renew the contract with "Harrods", previously, according to many years of tradition, was the official supplier of Her Majesty's court. Nowadays, the royal coats of arms on the facade of the department store remind of this cooperation.

London tea shops

As you know, the most popular souvenir from England is tea.

Twinings

And the most famous English brand of tea is Twinings.

Back in 1837, in the first year of Queen Victoria's reign, Twinings received the Royal Warrant for Her Majesty's Permanent Tea Supplier and still is. You can buy in supermarkets, duty-free or, what is much more pleasant, in the Twinings company store:

The address: 16 Strand (the Twinings store has been located at this address for more than 300 years and is already a fairly popular attraction in the city itself!)
How to get there: Temple metro station. http://www.twinings.co.uk/about-twinings/216-strand

Fortnum & Mason

This shop on Piccadilly Street shocked us the most! Everything about him is perfect! From teas, coffees and chocolates to gorgeous picnic baskets ( https://www.fortnumandmason.com/t/categories/hampers/themes/picnic-hampers), which by their appearance seem to hint that they need to be loaded, at least in "Bentley", and better - in "Rolls-Royce".

A real paradise for gourmets and aesthetes! It is a pity that this time we traveled without luggage - we managed to take only a couple of packs of tea and coffee (you could have bought it in the “Fortnum & Mason” brand store at Heathrow Airport, before departure, but, firstly, I don’t remember so that you can try everything there (in the sense, appreciate the aromas of tea and coffee) - the goods are in sealed boxes, and secondly, the choice is clearly less.

It is a pity that the delivery of Internet orders, which they carry out "almost" all over the world, is not carried out to Russia.

How to get there: The store is located on Piccadilly Street, exactly in the middle between Green Park and Piccadilly Circus metro stations.
The address: Fortnum & Mason; 181 Piccadilly, London, W1A 1ER, United Kingdom
Official site: https://www.fortnumandmason.com/

Canterbury

Canterbury is an ancient city in the south-east of England in Kent, located 85 km south-east of London. This town with a population of about 43.4 thousand is known primarily as the seat of the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Primate of the Church of England.

It was there that friends suggested that we spend our last day before leaving London. We gladly agreed and did not regret it for a moment.

Surprisingly, if not for friends, then this time we would not have gathered in Canterbury, although it is one of the most visited cities in England. (By the way, the journey from London to Canterbury by high-speed train will take only an hour).

The central part of Canterbury has preserved the charming buildings of the XII century:

There are a lot of nice cafes and shops here.

Some shops are clearly reminiscent of medieval, even eerie:

But the main feature of cozy Canterbury is that the city is rightfully considered the religious center of Great Britain. Here is the residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury and 22 other parish churches. Three of them are UNESCO sites at once - the grandiose Canterbury Cathedral, the Church of St. Martin and the Abbey of St. Augustine.

Canterbury Cathedral is a stunning, truly grandiose structure:

In 597 A.D. Pope Gregory the Great sent the monk Augustine to England as a missionary. Augustine established his throne (or "pulpit") and monastery at Canterbury and became the first archbishop of England.

The entrance to the territory of the cathedral is a gate with stunning, finest carvings:

In 1170 Archbishop Thomas Becket was assassinated in the Cathedral. (The details, believe me, are very interesting, many films have been shot about this story, of which I personally found the film "Becket" (1964, UK, USA) especially outstanding with Peter O'Toole as King Henry II and Richard Burton as Thomas Becket And in this article I found a rather exhaustive description of those events: https://diletant.media/articles/37644007/).

Soon after this murder, according to legend, miracles began to happen in the cathedral, which made it one of the most popular pilgrimage sites in Europe.

The Cathedral is the throne of the Archbishop of Canterbury and to this day is a functioning church. Services are held here daily, many of which are sung by a world-renowned choir. For millions of people of the Anglican faith around the world, the Cathedral of Canterbury is their main, mother Church.

You can spend a lot of time here: the cathedral is both unusually beautiful and interesting - you bet! - 1400 years of history !!

In the center of the cathedral, at the altar, a candle marks the place of the martyrdom of the famous Archbishop Thomas Becket:

When, after a long feud for political reasons, King Henry II exclaimed: “It seems the king has no friends. Who will deliver me from this rebellious priest? " four loyal knights took these words as a guide to action, went to Canterbury and killed Thomas.

The cathedral is decorated with stained glass windows of extraordinary beauty and brightness:

From here, large wooden doors lead to the inner courtyard and the chapter building.

On the ceiling of the courtyard gallery there is a magnificent carved ornament depicting heraldic shields, animals and the faces of saints.

The crypt, the oldest part of the building, was created in the 11th century. From 1170 to 1220, the relics of Thomas Becket were kept in the crypt, then they were transferred upstairs to the Holy Trinity Chapel, where the tomb stood until 1538, before, by order of Henry VIII, it was destroyed and removed, and the ashes were simply disposed of. So another despotic ruler tried to erase from history the memory of the rebellious and rebellious archbishop.

The life and miracles of St. Thomas are described today by the beautiful 12th century stained glass windows in the Holy Trinity Chapel of the cathedral (where the tombs of the kings Henry IV, Edward, and another legendary figure, the Prince of Wales, known as the "Black Prince" are located.)

On the territory of the cathedral you can find many structures that belonged to the abbey: a garden of medicinal herbs, laid out around the monastic cells,

the ruins of a hospital, a barn and much more.

An amazing place, here, in the very building of the cathedral, the territory of the abbey and the surrounding area, it is very pleasant to walk, and time flies really unnoticed.

When we gathered to leave the cathedral, hearing that we were from Russia, the local guide - a pleasant old lady - began to persuade us to return in 25 minutes - she invited us to attend the service. It was insanely sorry to refuse (to listen to the organ in Canterbury Cathedral and their famous choir is not brought to everyone!), But we really had to go back.

Summing up

This trip has definitely become one of the best - the most interesting and soulful - of our entire collection of rather big travels. Frankly, we envy ourselves: everyone can only dream of such a wonderful company that we had in London this time.

This voyage left an unusually pleasant aftertaste - warm, hearty, homemade - very similar to the delicious Yorkshire Pudding that Gary, the owner of the house, decided to bake for us on our last evening before leaving:

This journey has enriched us - with new impressions and knowledge, sincere communication with dear and beloved friends (to whom we now dream of repaying the same and showing them our native St. Petersburg and hope that, sooner or later, fate will give us all such an opportunity) and new thoughts, of course. Among them is the following: everything in life must be done on time. You need to think hard before dismissing any opportunities and chances given by fate: the second such gift, perhaps, will not happen - in life it often happens that the "train left" irrevocably.

Dedicated to our friends - Olga, Viktor, Lyudmila, as well as to the memory of a wonderful person, an Englishman with a Russian soul, Gary Mason, acquaintance with whom was another gift of fate for us, and without whom this trip would not have become so amazing.

Photo: Anna Krivova, Valery Chekalov, Olga Shchanovich, Victor Kugaudo, Lyudmila Mason.

Useful links:

Find and buy cheap tickets to London
Book a transfer from London airport to the hotel (and back)
Book a hotel or apartment in London

Natalia Kutenina

04.05.2019 16:56

Anna, you are not only a wonderful creator of a wonderful site, but also an excellent guide, an attentive researcher, an excellent writer and a brilliant photographer! Your notes are always pleasant and interesting to read and consider. Full feeling that I visited London and its environs with you. Thanks for the trip!

As you would expect from such a small and densely populated country, almost anywhere in England can be reached by train or bus. However, road costs are the highest in Europe. London passengers on seasonal or concessionary passes spend more money on travel to work than in any other country in Europe. Moving from one part of the country to another can eat up the lion's share of your budget. It is prudent to plan all routes in advance, gathering all the information about discounts and special offers - please note that some of them are only available outside of England, which means before departure.

It is often cheaper to travel around England by car (of course, if you have someone to share the costs with), although the prices for gasoline and car rental are the highest in Europe. Huge traffic jams are formed around major cities, and even on freeways (the infamous M-25, London ring road), traffic jams often occur, especially on holidays, when it seems that almost the entire city is on the road. Given the congested roads, cycling may not seem like the safest (and safest) way to get around, but many tourists do bring their bicycles with them or rent them upon arrival. There is a whole network of bicycle roads in the country, free from other types of transport.

The British rail network has gone through a reckless privatization that has led to a sharp decline in service levels. Continuous rolling stock repairs and speed limits are still taking their toll on official timetables, and you can read endless stories of delays in the newspapers.

However, in fairness, it must be said that there are few large cities in England that cannot be reached by train, and high-speed trains run on the main directions - for example, from London to York or can be reached in 2 hours. On the other hand, travel across the country can be very long and often involves several connections.

At any rate, the most important information on train timetables and routes throughout England can be obtained from the National Rail Information Service. Credit card bookings can be made through the companies themselves (the NRN can provide you with a specific name and number) or online.

Given the huge variety of options, it is almost impossible to provide clear advice on ticket types and prices. We can only say that the earlier you book a ticket, the cheaper it will be. The most expensive trip will be on Friday or when buying a ticket at the station right before the trip. Different train companies have different names for different tickets - all with certain restrictions and regulations (for example, it is often cheaper to travel from the northern part of the country to than vice versa).

The cheapest tickets need to be booked in advance, 14 or 7 days in advance, and since their number is limited, they sell out very quickly. Usually, a seat reservation is included in the ticket price, but always check, because otherwise you risk being in the corridor next to the toilet.

To give an idea of \u200b\u200bthe difference in price, take a London flight as an example: an "open" ticket (that is, unlimited in terms of travel) round trip can cost from £ 175 and more. If you are traveling outside rush hour and observe some restrictions, the ticket price will drop to about £ 50, and if you order it two weeks in advance (without the right to exchange and return), you can reduce the price to £ 20.

Children from 5 to 15 years of age, inclusive, in most cases pay 50% of the price of an adult ticket, but usually they are not given discounts for pre-sale. For children under 5 years old travel is free, but they are not entitled to a separate seat. On weekends and holidays, many long-haul flights will offer you a first-class ticket for an additional £ 5-15 - which is quite reasonable considering the prospect of a five-hour ride on a crowded train. If the ticket office is closed or there is no ticket machine at the station, you can buy a ticket on the train. Otherwise, you will have to pay the full fare to your destination.

• Railway passes in England

Foreigners planning to take a long trip to England should buy a rail pass. It can be BritRail or Eurail, but in any case, the ticket must be purchased before entering the country. You will be provided with up-to-date information in any good travel agency, or look on the Internet.

The BritRail Classic Unlimited Travel Pass throughout England, Scotland and Wales is available in First and Second Class and is valid 4 days ($ 285/189), 8 days ($ 4 05/269), 15 days ($ 609/405 ), 22 days ($ 769/515) or 1 month ($ 915/609). There is also a youth pass (2nd class only) and a senior pass (1st class only), which cost 30-50% less than classic train passes.

In addition, you can buy a range of other UK passes, including the Flexi-Pass (for specific travel dates), Family Pass (for families), Party Pass (for groups of three to four adults), and Pass'n ' Drive (travel by train plus car rental). For guests of London, the London Visitor Travelcard ($ 32 for 3 days, $ 43 for 4 days, $ 64 for a week) is especially convenient, which gives the right to unlimited travel by bus and metro in the capital, including travel from Heathrow Airport. See below for which passes you can buy locally in the UK.

If you intend to travel a lot by train on the train, it makes sense to buy an Eurail ticket, which allows unlimited travel in the UK and sixteen other countries, but it will not pay off if you limit yourself to England. Eurail Youthpass (for young people under 26 years old) costs $ 414 for 15 days, $ 534 for 21 days or $ 664 for a month.

If you are already 26 years old, you can buy a first class Eurail ticket, which comes in three types: 15 days ($ 588), 21 days ($ 762) and one month ($ 946). There are also tickets for two and three months. Perhaps a more economical option would be the Eurail Flexipass pass, valid for a specified number of days within two months. This ticket is also of two types - for young people under 26 and first class: for 10 days it costs $ 488/694, respectively, for 15 days - $ 642/914.

• Rail passes in the UK

Some passes can only be purchased directly within the UK. These include the Young Person's Railcard (£ 20) for full-time students and those aged 16 to 25, and the Senior Citizens' Rail Card for people over 60 (£ 20). Both of these tickets offer a discount of up to a third of the full fare.

Families can take advantage of the £ 20 Family Railcard, which is valid for four adults and four children and qualifies for a 33% discount for adults and 60% for children. Tickets can be bought at train stations - bring two passport-size photographs and a certificate of age or status.

Intercity buses in England

Long-distance buses duplicate many railway routes and often cost half the price of a train. There are good bus connections between the cities, and the buses themselves are very comfortable. Long-distance buses often offer drinks and sandwiches. The largest transport company is National Express, whose network of routes covers even the most remote corners of England.

For busy routes, as well as on weekends and holidays, it is recommended to book tickets in advance. Full-time students - UK citizens, as well as persons under 25 and over 50 years old can buy a discount card (National Express Discount Coach Card; £ 10 for one year, £ 19 - for three), which entitles them to a 30% discount.

Everyone else, including foreign tourists of any age, can buy a Tourist Trail Pass. It grants its owner the right to unlimited travel on National Express buses for two days out of three (£ 49), five out of thirty (£ 85), eight out of thirty (£ 135), fifteen out of thirty (£ 190), or fifteen out of sixty ( £ 205).

At the same time, Discount Coach Card holders and those who bought a Tourist Trail Pass outside the UK enjoy a 20% discount. In England, passes can be purchased at major travel agencies, at Gatwick and Heathrow airports or at the National Express ticket offices. Outside the UK, contact either National Express or a specialized travel agency.

Local routes are served by many bus companies. In many cases, schedules and routes are well aligned. But more and more often it happens that private companies duplicate the busiest routes in an attempt to undermine competitors, as a result of which more remote areas are left out of reach.

For example, if you want to get from one end of a major English city to the other, then you will probably have a large selection of buses, but to get to the suburbs or to a neighboring village, you can wait a few hours. As a rule, the farther from the city, the less frequent the buses and the more expensive the tickets. But there are very few such districts where even private minibuses go.

During the summer, many national parks organize their own bus routes on weekends and holidays, which take visitors to scenic spots, villages, hiking trails and other remote areas.

In addition, many rural areas not covered by other modes of public transport are served by the Postbus network, which connects vans carrying mail and up to eight passengers. They leave in the morning - usually around 8:00 from the main post office - and deliver mail to remote areas. It is a convenient and inexpensive way of getting around (£ 2-4 per trip) for those looking to get off the beaten path, although it is often extremely slow.

• England Bus Tours

Young people and budget travelers often travel around England in Stray Travel minibuses, which can be hopped on (and off) anywhere on the route. This way, you get the opportunity to travel with like-minded people and see new places far from the beaten track. The bus zooms through England (as well as Wales and Scotland), stopping at Windsor, Bath, Lake District, and before heading back to the capital.

You can book accommodation on your own or ask Stray Travel to do it for you - in any case, you will have a pleasant and economical trip. For travelers with similar requests, Road Trip offers inexpensive bus tours, although they cannot be randomly joined on their routes. If you want something more comfortable, take a look at guided bus tours (mostly for the elderly): any central travel agency will offer you brochures and recommend routes.

By car in England

You need a valid driver's license to drive in England. If you bring your car into the country, then you must have a registration certificate and a document of ownership with you. In addition, insurance is required. In England, left-hand traffic - this circumstance can cause a lot of trouble for foreign drivers in the first days after arrival. Highways - roads with the letter "M" - and main roads ("A") consist of 4-6 lanes, but you can still expect traffic jams during rush hours and holidays. In rural areas ("B" and minor roads), transport sometimes moves only in one lane.

Therefore, you should drive carefully, especially considering that local drivers know this road well and are not prepared for the unexpected. Nor should you underestimate English weather - snow, ice, fog and wind are devastating every year, and highway conditions, like those in rural areas, can deteriorate in a matter of hours. Local radio stations and national Radio 5 constantly provide the latest traffic news.

Speed \u200b\u200bis limited to 50-65 kilometers per hour in built-up areas, 110 kilometers per hour on motorways and two-way highways (motorways), and 80 kilometers per hour on most other roads. As a rule, in all places with street lighting, the permitted speed is reduced to 50 kilometers per hour, unless otherwise indicated.

The British have long resisted the introduction of toll roads (with the exception of a couple of minor cases), but today London and other major cities are levying a tax on entry into the central regions. Fuel is expensive: unleaded petrol and diesel cost over £ 1 per liter. The lowest prices are in suburban supermarkets, and the highest are at service stations on the freeway.

AA (Automobile Association), RAC (Royal Automobile Club) and Green Flag offer 24-hour technical assistance to motorists, as well as other services (including a useful program for online route planning). Some tourists are entitled to free service, thanks to mutual agreements with foreign automotive organizations - check with your association before leaving. If you are not a member of these organizations, you can use their services, but then you will be asked to join urgently and will be charged a hefty amount.

Parking in cities and popular tourist spots can seem like a nightmare and often cost a fortune. If you are going to be in the city for a day, look at the edge of the park-and-ride parking lot, where you can leave your car and take the bus to the center. Long-term or short-term parking in parking lots will be cheaper than using street meters, which limit parking time to 2-3 hours. Generally, the smaller the city, the cheaper the parking.

In some cities, there is free parking in the city center where you can park your car for a limited time. If indicated on road signs, then you need to buy a special cardboard disc at any local store and place it under the windshield. A yellow line along the edge of the road means that parking restrictions are in effect: conditions are indicated on the nearest sign. A double yellow line means that parking is prohibited, but you can make a short stop (no longer than two minutes) to drop or board passengers or load things. But if the lines are red, it means that you can't stop here at all.

• Car rental in England

Compared to other countries, car rental in England is expensive. It may be cheaper to book a car from home, through an international rental office. If you rent a car in, it will cost you a minimum of £ 30 for one day, £ 50 for a weekend or from £ 150 per week. True, easyCar (offices in London, Manchester, Liverpool and) offers cars for about £ 10 per day, but for this you need to make an order well in advance of the trip, besides, be prepared for an additional payment if the company considers that you have returned the car in an unacceptable condition.

When booking a car through one of the international companies, expect about £ 35-40 per day; from a local firm, perhaps 10 pounds cheaper. Car rentals prefer credit card payments and require a deposit of £ 100 or more. There are very few automatic transmissions at the lower end of the price range, and if you want one it's best to order well in advance. A driver with less than one year's experience is unlikely to be given a car rental: most companies prefer customers aged 21 to 75.

For renting caravans, contact Just Go, which provides quality vehicles for 4-6 people and equipped with audio and video equipment, bathrooms and a kitchen, as well as bike racks. Prices - from £ 450 to £ 850 per week, depending on the type of car and the season.

Taxi in England

Only wealthy tourists can afford to take a taxi all the time, especially in London, but sometimes you can't do without a taxi, for example, when you are in a hurry to a neighboring city. It is advisable to take a taxi for several people - in this case, the trip is no more expensive than a bus.

In rural areas, taxis cost around £ 1.5 per mile. In cities, when traveling over short distances, prices are higher, although in different regions of England they differ noticeably: in Manchester or getting home by taxi is much less expensive than in London.

The famous "black cabs" are usually somewhat more expensive than mini-taxis, but are usually more reliable (London taxi drivers must know the location of all the streets in the capital, otherwise they will not be hired). The black cab can be stopped on the street, but mini-taxis are ordered only by phone.

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