How to enjoy a day out in London from Brum

As we approach the day of the King’s Coronation[1], Brummies will be seeing iconic parts of London all over the telly in the coming weeks. Buckingham Palace, with its guards and gates, the long Mall, which will no doubt be lined with flag-waving Brits keen to show their support of Charles III[2]. It might be that you fancy going down to the capital city yourself, to be there during such an exciting time.

However, for some, the idea of navigating London can be a bit intimidating, especially if it’s your first time. Here, we’re sharing an ideal itinerary for royal places to visit, how to get to them and everything else you might need to know. So pack a picnic and plan your day.

If you’re a regular visitor of London from Brum, I’d love it if you’d share your own inter-city travel tips down below too! Leave them in the comments.

How to get to London from Birmingham

By train

The quickest way to get to London, strikes permitting, is by train. You have a couple of options and prices aren’t clear cut – you can shop around to get a good deal, though for guidance, off peak returns cost about GBP39, if you don’t book in advance.

There are trains from Moor Street station, round the back of the big Primark[4], that take around one hour and 50 minutes, via Solihull[5] and Warwick. They go to London Marylebone, which is very central, on the Bakerloo Line (we’ll cover the London Underground shortly!) There are trains from New Street that go to London Euston, and they can get you to London in as little as one hour and 20 minutes, often going via Birmingham International.

Euston is about a mile and a half from Marylebone, so there’s not tons of difference aside from the time it takes to get there. When it comes to buying tickets, shop around on train ticket websites such as the Trainline before you go. According to Money Saving Expert, booking 12 weeks ahead will give you the cheapest fares.

You can also save with rail cards, such as an Off Peak Family Travelcard which allows up to four kids to travel for just GBP1 each to London when accompanied by an adult. Check the guide here for advice[6]. There are some things it’s worth knowing if you’re planning to get ‘open’ returns, which mean you’re not booked on a particular train. A Super Off Peak ticket won’t be a good choice if you’re just planning to go for one day as it’s only valid for those arriving into London after 1pm.

It’s not valid on trains departing between 4pm and 7pm and you can’t leave London between 4pm and 7pm. The best option if you’re going on a weekend or a Bank Holiday is an Off Peak return ticket, as weekends and Bank Holidays are off peak, all day. If you plan to go in the week, you’ll need to be aware of peak hours – rush hour, in essence.

Check with the train company you’re travelling with what trains are peak, so you know what to avoid. If you do pre-book a particular train, don’t miss it or it’ll cost you. Always check your ticket and make sure you’re not getting on an Avanti train if you’ve booked West Midlands Railway, etc.

By coach

By coach is probably the cheapest way to travel to London.

Trains have tables, plug sockets and shops on board, and four people can sit together at a table which is useful if you’re keeping kids occupied on the journey with games and snacks and activities. Coaches from Digbeth to London Victoria vary in journey length, some take as little as two hours and 50 minutes. It can sometimes work out to be significantly cheaper than train and you can get there and back for about a tenner, give or take a pound or two either side.

There are coaches that depart and arrive earlier in the morning and later at night too, so if you’re catching a late show, you can travel back from London close to midnight.

How to navigate London

By tube, bus, tram and Docklands Light Railway

When you book train tickets, often, for an extra GBP6, you can add a travelcard, which will give you unlimited travel around the capital via bus, tube, tram or Docklands Light Railway (DLR, very similar to the tube). If you do that, you don’t have to worry about buying any extra tickets or waiting in queues at ticket machines when you get there. Especially useful on busy days.

The tube goes everywhere in London, and there’s very clear sign-posting on the maps to point you to the main sights, including the best stops for Buckingham Palace and the Houses of Parliament, for example. Your best to plan your journeys around London before you go so you know what tube line you’re getting on. It can be confusing doing it on the fly, given the map is a tangle of different coloured lines and there are tons of impatient commuters bustling around the platforms.

Staff are really helpful at tube stations and can often tell you quickly what platforms you need to head to, but it’s best to be prepared so you don’t have to hold anyone up. It’s unlikely you’ll have phone signal on the Underground, so plan your trips on the Transport for London site or app, and screenshot it so you have it to hand.

Walking

You’ll be surprised at how easy it is to walk to the major sights in the capital. Often it’s quicker to walk than to take the tube, and less stressful if you’ve got kids in tow, for example.

A royal itinerary for a regal day in London

Buckingham Palace

Start the day in Green Park, beside Buckingham Palace.

Head there from Euston, in the direction of Brixton on the Victoria Line (blue), to Green Park station. It takes less than 15 minutes. If you’re getting into Marylebone, walk nine minutes to Bond Street and get the Jubilee Line (silver) towards Stratford, getting off at Green Park.

Then you’ll be able to see the green space near the iconic palace before arriving at the King’s official residence. You’ll see the guards on duty, the great gates where many royal notices have been posted over the years, as well as the Queen Victoria Memorial, marble and gilt bronze. Walk up the Mall, where so many royal processions have travelled.

Changing the Guard, Trooping the Colour, royal weddings and funerals and more have been centred around this stretch of road. Once you get to Horse Guards Road on the right, turn and follow it down to…

Horse Guards Parade

This is the ceremonial parade ground at St James’s Park where Trooping the Colour on the King’s official birthday is held. It’s in June.

You’ll see two mounted cavalry troopers of The King’s Life Guard who are posted outside from 10am until 4pm every day. You’ll see them change at 11am every day, and 10am on Sundays. From here, you can also pop to catch a glimpse of Number 10 Downing Street and see nearby buildings like the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Foreign Office, the Cabinet War Rooms and the Palace of Westminster, if you so wish.

From Horse Guards Parade, continue down the road and down Storey’s Gate until you reach…

FROM CORONATION DAY The Queen in full royal regalia procession out of Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey

This is the church where King Charles and the Queen will be coronated so just be aware that it’ll be closed to visitors from April 25 until May 8. It’s still good to see though, even if you can’t get inside! It has more than 1,000 years of history and so many of the most important royal moments have happened there!

Until September 30, there’s a Coronation exhibition taking place in the Chapter House that will teach you more about the royal ceremony, and there’s archive photos, historic illustrations and more that explain the ceremony, regalia and objects that are intrinsic to it. From there, take a walk up Broad Sanctuary to Parliament Square and reach…

The Houses of Parliament

The Palace of Westminster, Big Ben, Westminster Hall, it’s all here. This is perhaps one of the most photographed parts of London!

Wander down over Westminster Bridge to see it all from the Thames, the other side of which is where you’ll find the London Eye, the London Dungeon and the Aquarium. I’d take some photos and loop back around to St James’s Park tube stop, getting on the District and Circle Line (yellow and green) to Tower Hill for…

The Tower of London

The Crown Jewels are held at the Tower of London, and it’s where you’ll see the Yeomanry Warders (aka Beefeaters!) and their famous ravens. While the other sights are pretty good to enjoy without paying the price of entry, I’d recommend going into the Tower to make the most of the experience (it’s GBP29.90 for adults and GBP14.90 for kids between five and 15).

Allocate about an hour to see the Crown Jewels, take a tour with a Beefeater which begin every 30 minutes and you don’t need to pre-book, and see the famous birds, all within the price of admission.

The Metropolitan Line (magenta) will take you back to Euston, or Baker Street for Marylebone, where you can head back to Birmingham.

References

1. ^ King’s Coronation (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
2. ^ Charles III (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
3. ^ Street parties for the King’s Coronation across the West Midlands where everyone is welcome (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
4. ^ Primark (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
5. ^ Solihull (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
6. ^ Check the guide here for advice (www.moneysavingexpert.com)