Southampton to London to IWM Duxford?

[WNCtourist]

I greatly appreciate feedback on post-cruise plans we are making for June 2024, particularly recommendations on "reasonably priced" hotels to use as a base for 4 days in London. The cruise debarks in Southampton, and we want to head to London for sightseeing, including the V&A, British Museum, IWM London, and also spend a day at IWM Duxford (as if you couldn't guess, one of us is a museum nut and the other a WWII fanatic). 

 

What's a good location for our hotel based on where we plan to go? How do you recommend we get to Duxford and back in a day -- the info I've seen isn't clear to my uneducated eyes?

 

For perspective, we are seniors in the US living in an area with no public transportation, who visited London 5 years ago and grew to love the Underground and British trains.   

 

Thanks for your advice!

[Globaliser]

15 minutes ago, WNCtourist said:

How do you recommend we get to Duxford and back in a day -- the info I've seen isn't clear to my uneducated eyes?

 

Personally, I think I would simply rent a car for a day.

 

Trying to get to Duxford by public transport isn't easy unless it's an airshow day. I think it's either train + bus (on routes that only have a handful of buses each day), or train + taxi (and you'd have to organise a taxi to take you back from Duxford to a railway station).

[WNCtourist]

Thanks @Globaliser -- unfortunately we aren't up for UK driving so a train and taxi may be our best choice.  Am I correct in thinking the train from London Liverpool Station to Whittlesford Parkway is the right one?

[Cotswold Eagle]

26 minutes ago, WNCtourist said:

Am I correct in thinking the train from London Liverpool Station to Whittlesford Parkway is the right one?

That's the nearest station to Duxford, which has a bus service, but literally one bus mid-morning that would work, it seems. I think you can walk it in about 30 minutes, but I have no idea how easy that is.

Edited September 21, 2023 by Cotswold Eagle

[Cotswold Eagle]

There are much quicker trains from London St Pancras and London Kings Cross to Royston, which is at least in a town (Parkway stations tend to be a bit remote!) and has a taxi rank. That may be the better bet, but I always drive to Duxford.

[Island2Dweller]

I would not recommend the walk from Writtlesford Parkway to the museum.  You would walk along the side of a busy major road, then need to cross the junction with a motorway!  There is no protected pedestrian crossing - you would literally take your life in your hands.  (I am astonished that there is no safe provision for pedestrians - but there we are)

The suggestion to take a fast train to Royston then a taxi from there gets my vote

[Cotswold Eagle]

26 minutes ago, Island2Dweller said:

I would not recommend the walk from Writtlesford Parkway to the museum.  You would walk along the side of a busy major road, then need to cross the junction with a motorway!  There is no protected pedestrian crossing - you would literally take your life in your hands.  (I am astonished that there is no safe provision for pedestrians - but there we are)

The suggestion to take a fast train to Royston then a taxi from there gets my vote

I feared it would be something like that. As you say, a real shame they haven't put a proper path in.

On reflection, there may be a better supply of taxis in Cambridge, so I'd suggest getting some quotes. It will be quite expensive either way, I fear, maybe around £40-50 each way? 

It is possible to fly in to Duxford on non-airshow days, but chartering a plane or helicopter probably more expensive than train/taxi 😀

[Globaliser]

30 minutes ago, Island2Dweller said:

I would not recommend the walk from Whittlesford Parkway to the museum.  You would walk along the side of a busy major road, then need to cross the junction with a motorway!  There is no protected pedestrian crossing - you would literally take your life in your hands.

 

Just now, Cotswold Eagle said:

As you say, a real shame they haven't put a proper path in.

 

I absolutely agree about not trying to walk. I was in Whittlesford just last weekend and drove around that junction. I wouldn't be confident that a pedestrian footpath could even be safely put in, given that the crossing road (the A505) and the roundabout are both on a 50 mph limit, and there are no traffic lights.

[WNCtourist]

@Cotswold Eagle Thank you for the suggestion about Cambridge -- I will check on taxi quotes there. The thought of chartering a helicopter is appealing but, alas, out of my price and comfort zone!

[Simon-t]

I've nothing to add to the suggestions on transport, but I will say that Duxford is an incredible museum and well worth the trip.

[markeb]

I can't add to the transportation, but if you're considering going to the Churchill War Rooms or the HMS Belfast, I'd get an IWM joint adult membership. The main IWM is free, but Duxford, the war rooms, and the Belfast all have admission fees. The war rooms at least used to have a separate line for members; admission was otherwise reserved and could sell out. But not for members. If you visit at least two of the admission fee sites, you should come out ahead on the membership.