London is one of the most common business travel locations for professionals all over the UK. It’s home to many of the country’s biggest companies, a thriving start-up scene and regular industry events, conferences and trade fairs. As such, travel into the city comes at a premium for business and leisure travellers alike. If you’re planning on travelling from Harrogate to London for business soon, below we take you through your options when it comes to travel and accommodation.
Travel from Harrogate to London
You have a few options in terms of travel from Harrogate. You can drive if you want to take your car – it’s a fairly straightforward journey mostly down the M1 from Leeds down to the outskirts of London. You’re looking at around 4 to 4 and half hours on the road for a good run, but traffic at either end can add substantially to that. You’ll also have to sort parking in London which can be expensive if you don’t have a space with your accommodation provider.
Most prefer to take the train, but you’ll have to change at least once on your journey from Harrogate. You can travel to either York or Leeds first, both of which offer direct services to London Kings Cross – but many would argue the train from York is more reliable and it’s often faster and cheaper. You’re looking at about 2 hours from York to Leeds which is very reasonable for such a long journey.
Accommodation in London
You’ve usually got a plethora of options when it comes to business accommodation in London. Hotels are a common go-to, but serviced apartments in London offer more functionality and space which may be better for extended or group stays. Book as far in advance as possible to get the best rates, otherwise, you could be forced to pay extra or settle for a poor location.
A general rule is that the further out of London you go, the better deals you can find – but you’re sacrificing convenience if your meetings or events are in the city centre. It’s recommended that you book somewhere close to your engagements to avoid the worst of London public transport at peak times but you may still have to do a little travel depending on where you stay.
Transport in London
Depending on your budget and preference, you can take public transport, private hire taxis or walk and cycle around London while you are there for business. Transport for London offers lots of convenient travel methods and fares to suit your every need. But you may prefer to take the hit on private hire for the service and convenience.
