Expert: Bill Cissna - 5/25/2010

Question
Arriving London 6/6/2010from Aust, on 7th would like to visit old friend at Heartford Heath I believe we travel ex Kings Cross
by rail but know nothing else. Will also be leaving London on 10/6/2010 for Manchester also by rail. Again know very little about the procedures. Your assistance would be invaluable.Many thanks.

Answer
Richard, I'm not an expert on British rail travel, but I think I can help you some.

According to the Heartford Heath village website: By train:

Hertford Heath has no railway links of its own, so rail travellers must travel to one of the two Hertford stations - Hertford North from Kings Cross and Moorgate or Hertford East from Liverpool Street.   The journey time is less than an hour from the termini.  A taxi from Hertford will cost about £5.00.

So you are correct about using King's Cross Station to take the train out to Hertford, then you would need to take a taxi from the Hertford train station to your friend's location in Heartford Heath, unless he can pick you up in Hertford.

As for your Manchester trip, it seems that you would use Euston Station in London and go to Manchester Piccadilly station in Manchester.

In my experience, you can go to the station and purchase tickets (one-way or round trip) at the station. Or if you wish, you can study the offerings in terms of BritRail passes, which may or may not save you some money, depending on how much rail travel you will do while in England. I'm assuming you are an Internet user, so I suggest going to www.britrail.com and take a look around. Among other things, you can get timetables for the trains from London to Hertford, and from London to Manchester -- and the reverse trips, too. Some trips require no changes of train; some do, for instance.

I hope that helps!

Bill