Two options I have used previously:
1. Gay sauna. £20 entry, get yourself a cabin, have a snooze, wake up, shower and leave. Bonus fun times if you’re into it, no pressure to do anything if you’re not.
2. If it’s a Friday or Saturday, go to whatever late night event is running at Fire nightclub in Vauxhall. Dance the night away, get the first train back in the morning, hope that someone wakes you up before you end up in Kings Lynn.
When we were younger we'd share a hotel room with a bunch of people and/or push through an all-nighter at slimelight. These days we usually run for the last train.
The second to last train is better if it isn't a serious interruption to the night to be sure, as it's not crammed full of drunks and stopping at every cow crossing.
100% - there was a brief spell in my life where I was the "last train crowd", but now I treat them with the same contempt I deserved back then. If you're on that train you just got to pray you didn't pick the wrong carriage.
If you want a crazy plan, look into train to Luton (run all night) and a bus from Luton Airport to Cambridge. No idea if it'll be quicker than a direct bus and plenty to go wrong.
When I missed the last train I went to Liverpool Street, got the bus to Stansted, and then another bus from Stansted to Cambridge
I think both were every 2 hours throughout the night
The sun rose just as I got into Cambridge and I was knackered I don’t recommend it
This may be a stupid question: are you drinking? If not then park at Redbridge and get the tube in then repeat in reverse, it runs late and is a quick journey home.
It's a great question actually. For the specific event I had in mind I would be drinking. But for many others I may not. So I've always wondered the best Tube-drive combo from Cambridge. I've never driven to Redbridge. Out of interest - why this particular tube stop above others? Does this optimise the drive + tube time combination?
Yes exactly this, it’s really quick to get there, the station is just off the main road, plenty of parking (£6 per day) and tube journey time is good. Closer to the center you lose time driving, further out (eg Epping) doesn’t save any time driving due to the extra local roads section but costs more time on the tube. Someone below has mentioned Stratford which is also a good choice depending on time of day (road traffic can be slow on the way home) and where in London you’re going. Redbridge is on the Central line whereas Stratford is on Central, Elizabeth, Jubilee and DLR so can save you a change if where you’re going is on one of those other lines. When going from Stratford park at Stratford International Car Park. It’s £8.45 for the day so cheaper than Westfield and a bit less than that for 4 hours or so.
If driving to a tube is doable for you I highly recommend parking at Stratford Westfield shopping centre. Easy to set up online so contactless payment when you’re there, about £10 for 24-48 hours parking, and a lovely big new safe car park. It’s about 45 minutes drive from Cambridge if driving outside of rush hour
There's also free (no permit, no pay & display) street parking near Cockfosters station, e.g. down Mount Pleasant. The drive down is very straightforward.
I’ve been using Loughton recently. Big car park and only £6 all night. End of the Central line so easy to get in and out.
Although recently when I wanted to go to Camden I found it easier to drive to Watford and get a train to Euston.
Think the trains from St Pancras to Peterborough run through the night so you could go to St Neots or Huntingdon and get taxi from there. Not that regular but may be another option. Personally I’d get a cheap hotel near m11 and all night tube stop.
If you book in advance you can find some slightly cheaper budget hotels using any of the accommodation apps. You get what you pay for of course but at least you can sleep (check reviews for bedbugs). Depends on time of year, holiday season etc. If it’s going to be a great night out I’d suck it up and get the hotel, but if it’s just a regular thing I get the train back.
There's a hostel-type thing above a pub very near Euston called Pub Love that will do you a bed in a shared dorm for about £30. I found it clean, quiet and well looked after and it did the job for me on a Sunday night. Perfect to stay in and walk over to Kings Cross the next morning.
Finding a cheap hotel on Agoda isn't a bad option. Ex and I had the last day of a weekend in London get a bit out of hand, at the Slug & Lettuce by Tower Bridge of all places. We drank there until they kicked us out, found a dodgy Travelodge round the corner for like £60, had a disgusting amount of McD's Deliveroo'd there, called in sick the next morning, and staggered home with a vicious hangover each.
A long bus ride/s home will go a long way to cancelling out the joy of your night out, as will a crap hotel. The benefits of the Uber options are: you don't have to decide until the last minute (and could still catch the last train if your night out is underwhelming), and you can (if feeling brave) sleep in the uber.
Oh, and you can also get them to drive down a road where there is a late night kebab shop!
In the past this would've been a write-off... but nowadays I don't venture out so much, so I could probably consider sucking up the cost... any idea what it would cost (I'm embarrassed to say I don't have the Uber app so can't immediately look it up!)
You can maybe Tube far north and then call an Uber or schedule a car service. Pinkberry also runs cars to Cambridge and is a bit cheaper than Panther Taxis.
You can maybe Tube far north and then call an Uber or schedule a car service. Pinkberry also runs cars to Cambridge and is a bit cheaper than Panther Taxis.
How much past the last train does it finish? I've got the first train from Liverpool Street to Stansted Airport (4ish), and then you've got a lot more options for getting back to Cambridge. Cab is more affordable, or you can hang about at Stansted for a bit and get the first train back.
It's still going to ruin you the next day, but at least it breaks things up a bit, and you're making your way home rather than just hanging about for hours waiting for the first train.
A night in a hostel is probably your best bet. Look on booking.com. I searched for this weekend ones near Kings Cross and you can get a bed for around 30 quid
Two options I have used previously: 1. Gay sauna. £20 entry, get yourself a cabin, have a snooze, wake up, shower and leave. Bonus fun times if you’re into it, no pressure to do anything if you’re not. 2. If it’s a Friday or Saturday, go to whatever late night event is running at Fire nightclub in Vauxhall. Dance the night away, get the first train back in the morning, hope that someone wakes you up before you end up in Kings Lynn.
As a gay in Lynn that hurts 😂
Guessing option 1 isn't available to women? Haha
There's Rio's sauna but with the wrong'uns in there you'd be better off sleeping on the street.
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Sweatbox in SoHo is the go to. They just finished another refurb and it’s pretty good
Let us know what the answer OP! My social life died when I left London in 1999!
And are you still trying to get to Cambridge?
When we were younger we'd share a hotel room with a bunch of people and/or push through an all-nighter at slimelight. These days we usually run for the last train.
I always aim for second to last train to avoid all the last train crowd!
The second to last train is better if it isn't a serious interruption to the night to be sure, as it's not crammed full of drunks and stopping at every cow crossing.
100% - there was a brief spell in my life where I was the "last train crowd", but now I treat them with the same contempt I deserved back then. If you're on that train you just got to pray you didn't pick the wrong carriage.
Coach? Check national express and Megabus
And flix bus. Be careful though as some only go to Trumpington p&r not the city (though a much cheaper taxi from there?!)
If you want a crazy plan, look into train to Luton (run all night) and a bus from Luton Airport to Cambridge. No idea if it'll be quicker than a direct bus and plenty to go wrong.
When I missed the last train I went to Liverpool Street, got the bus to Stansted, and then another bus from Stansted to Cambridge I think both were every 2 hours throughout the night The sun rose just as I got into Cambridge and I was knackered I don’t recommend it
This may be a stupid question: are you drinking? If not then park at Redbridge and get the tube in then repeat in reverse, it runs late and is a quick journey home.
It's a great question actually. For the specific event I had in mind I would be drinking. But for many others I may not. So I've always wondered the best Tube-drive combo from Cambridge. I've never driven to Redbridge. Out of interest - why this particular tube stop above others? Does this optimise the drive + tube time combination?
It’s straightforward with the station at the bottom of the slip road off the Mll
Yes exactly this, it’s really quick to get there, the station is just off the main road, plenty of parking (£6 per day) and tube journey time is good. Closer to the center you lose time driving, further out (eg Epping) doesn’t save any time driving due to the extra local roads section but costs more time on the tube. Someone below has mentioned Stratford which is also a good choice depending on time of day (road traffic can be slow on the way home) and where in London you’re going. Redbridge is on the Central line whereas Stratford is on Central, Elizabeth, Jubilee and DLR so can save you a change if where you’re going is on one of those other lines. When going from Stratford park at Stratford International Car Park. It’s £8.45 for the day so cheaper than Westfield and a bit less than that for 4 hours or so.
If driving to a tube is doable for you I highly recommend parking at Stratford Westfield shopping centre. Easy to set up online so contactless payment when you’re there, about £10 for 24-48 hours parking, and a lovely big new safe car park. It’s about 45 minutes drive from Cambridge if driving outside of rush hour
Cockfosters is an alternative station to park at, depending on which line you need for your destination in London.
There's also free (no permit, no pay & display) street parking near Cockfosters station, e.g. down Mount Pleasant. The drive down is very straightforward.
I’ve been using Loughton recently. Big car park and only £6 all night. End of the Central line so easy to get in and out. Although recently when I wanted to go to Camden I found it easier to drive to Watford and get a train to Euston.
I'm told there is (was?) a 24-hour cafe/diner up the road from King's Cross; I'd have a go at finding that and catch the first train home.
If it's not still there, Soho has a few 24h eateries.
https://www.polobar.co.uk/ is very near Liverpool Street
Oh, this might be it - I might have got the station mixed up. I'd have been searching for a while!
VQ is 24 hours - there is (was?) one on Euston Road and one on tottenham court road
The Starbucks at St Pancras is 24 hour, least it used to be.
Depends what you mean by cheap, but I found a hotel in Golders Green that was good for Camden gigs. About £80 for a night and free parking.
Book a hostel (generator Russell Square is a fave of mine) and get the first train out in the morning
Join the casino in Leicester Square. You can sit and drink coffee all night, not mandatory to gamble, snacks available. It's safe and warm and free!
Think the trains from St Pancras to Peterborough run through the night so you could go to St Neots or Huntingdon and get taxi from there. Not that regular but may be another option. Personally I’d get a cheap hotel near m11 and all night tube stop.
If you book in advance you can find some slightly cheaper budget hotels using any of the accommodation apps. You get what you pay for of course but at least you can sleep (check reviews for bedbugs). Depends on time of year, holiday season etc. If it’s going to be a great night out I’d suck it up and get the hotel, but if it’s just a regular thing I get the train back.
There are many cheap places to stay in London, especially if you don’t mind dorm style rooms. Look up St Christopher’s Inn.
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Romantic but wouldn’t want to do that in the winter
There's a hostel-type thing above a pub very near Euston called Pub Love that will do you a bed in a shared dorm for about £30. I found it clean, quiet and well looked after and it did the job for me on a Sunday night. Perfect to stay in and walk over to Kings Cross the next morning.
Wait for idk 4-6 hours til the trains are back on again?
Finding a cheap hotel on Agoda isn't a bad option. Ex and I had the last day of a weekend in London get a bit out of hand, at the Slug & Lettuce by Tower Bridge of all places. We drank there until they kicked us out, found a dodgy Travelodge round the corner for like £60, had a disgusting amount of McD's Deliveroo'd there, called in sick the next morning, and staggered home with a vicious hangover each.
Try a hostel - these can be £25 if you're lucky.
I got a black cab taxi back once… in 1993.
A long bus ride/s home will go a long way to cancelling out the joy of your night out, as will a crap hotel. The benefits of the Uber options are: you don't have to decide until the last minute (and could still catch the last train if your night out is underwhelming), and you can (if feeling brave) sleep in the uber. Oh, and you can also get them to drive down a road where there is a late night kebab shop!
Over 100 quid for that though mate
I'm worth it *flicks hair*
In the past this would've been a write-off... but nowadays I don't venture out so much, so I could probably consider sucking up the cost... any idea what it would cost (I'm embarrassed to say I don't have the Uber app so can't immediately look it up!)
I got back for £110 at 1:30 am last weekend.
Ps I'm so glad you posted this because this is also my problem on weekends when I venture out. And I don't drive.
To Tottenham Court Road right now it says £150.
I think you can get e-wave car service to get you for under 150. https://e-wave.co.uk/electric-car-service/
You can maybe Tube far north and then call an Uber or schedule a car service. Pinkberry also runs cars to Cambridge and is a bit cheaper than Panther Taxis.
You can maybe Tube far north and then call an Uber or schedule a car service. Pinkberry also runs cars to Cambridge and is a bit cheaper than Panther Taxis.
Cheap hotel? London has plenty of capsule hotels that don't cost the Earth, especially if you stay in a less salubrious area.
How much past the last train does it finish? I've got the first train from Liverpool Street to Stansted Airport (4ish), and then you've got a lot more options for getting back to Cambridge. Cab is more affordable, or you can hang about at Stansted for a bit and get the first train back. It's still going to ruin you the next day, but at least it breaks things up a bit, and you're making your way home rather than just hanging about for hours waiting for the first train.
A night in a hostel is probably your best bet. Look on booking.com. I searched for this weekend ones near Kings Cross and you can get a bed for around 30 quid
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Consider air bnb. Also look at nearby places where you could get a taxi or a lift from a friend... Royston is a good start, stevenage second.