Region
Hertfordshire
Base in St Albans or Hertford for 2 nights; day-trip the rest by train from London in under an hour.
More: share, save offline, report a correction
More
Key facts · United Kingdom
- Best months
- Apr–May, Sep
- Currency
- Pound sterling (GBP, £)
- Language
- English
- Plugs
- G · 230 V
- Time zone
- GMT, BST from late March to late October
Rules in force · 8Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…
- Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
- Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
- Britain and Ireland ↗Neither the UK nor Ireland is part of Schengen: days spent here do not count towards the 90/180-day Schengen limit, and a Schengen visa does not admit you to either country.
- Britain and Ireland ↗The island of Ireland runs on two currencies: euro in the Republic, pound sterling in Northern Ireland and Great Britain. Carry a card that pays in both without fees.
- Britain and Ireland ↗Both islands drive on the left. Speed limits are in miles per hour in the UK (including Northern Ireland) and in kilometres per hour in the Republic of Ireland.
- United Kingdom ↗Most visitors who do not need a UK visa now need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before travelling; this includes EU nationals. Irish citizens are exempt. Check the UK government site for your passport.
- United Kingdom ↗The UK is outside the EU and the Schengen area; a Schengen visa is not valid for the UK.
- United Kingdom ↗Driving is on the left; London has congestion and emissions charges for most vehicles, so do not drive in the city.
Hertfordshire sits on London's northern edge, so most of it works as a day trip rather than a base. Trains from London reach St Albans in about 20 minutes, Watford in 15-20, Hertford in 50. Sleep in St Albans for the cathedral and Roman remains, or in Hertford for the quieter county town; use one of them as a rail hub for Hatfield House, the Chilterns edge and the Warner Bros. studio tour.
Where to sleep
Sleep base
Day trip
- StevenageCity guide
Fast trains from London and the north; new town, old town core.
Best May–Sep
JFMAMJJASOND - Hemel HempsteadCity guide
Gateway to the Chilterns edge and the studio tour corridor.
Best May–Sep
JFMAMJJASOND - Abbots LangleyCity guide
Village base near Leavesden studios and the Grand Union Canal.
Best May–Sep
JFMAMJJASOND
Plan the nights
How to split the nights, day-trips and what to do with your bags
Open Plan the nightsClose Plan the nights3 partsNights · Day-trips · Bags
Night sequences
- 2 nights
- St Albans 2 nights; Hatfield House and the studio tour as day trips
- 3 nights
- St Albans 2 + Hertford 1; add Tring or Berkhamsted for the Chilterns
- 4 nights
- St Albans 2 + Hertford 2; day-trip Stevenage, Ware and Bishop's Stortford
- Hertfordshire is a day-trip county: changing hotels between St Albans, Hertford and Watford costs more time than the train rides save.
- The M1, M25 and A1(M) are congested at peak times; rail is usually faster into London.
- Warner Bros. Studio Tour tickets are timed and non-refundable; do not build a tight same-day flight connection around them.
Day-trips door to door
| To | From | Door-to-door p50 | Last return | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hatfield | St Albans | 40 min | unknown | Hatfield House is about a 5-minute walk from Hatfield station; check house opening days before you go. |
| Watford | St Albans | 35 min | unknown | Change at Watford Junction for the Warner Bros. Studio Tour shuttle. |
| Tring | St Albans | 60 min | unknown | Ashridge Forest is under 3 miles from Tring station; no bus, so plan a taxi or a long walk. |
| Hertford | London Liverpool Street | 55 min | unknown | Hertford East is about a 5-minute walk from the town centre and market square. |
| Bishop's Stortford | London Liverpool Street | 50 min | unknown | Useful if you fly into Stansted; the airport is about 5 miles by road. |
Bags between cities
Left-luggage lockers are limited outside the big stations; most day-trippers from London carry bags or leave them at the hotel.
When to go
Months and weather
Open When to goClose When to go2 partsSeasons · Climate
Seasons at a glance
Pick a month to see where to go.
Show all 12 months, country by countryHide the 12-month table
| Country | JJan | FFeb | MMar | AApr | MMay | JJun | JJul | AAug | SSep | OOct | NNov | DDec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Albans | × | × | ok | go | go | go | go | go | go | go | ok | × |
| Hertford | × | × | ok | ok | go | go | go | go | go | ok | ok | × |
| Stevenage | × | × | ok | ok | go | go | go | go | go | ok | ok | × |
| Hemel Hempstead | × | × | ok | ok | go | go | go | go | go | ok | ok | × |
| Berkhamsted | × | × | ok | ok | go | go | go | go | go | ok | ok | ok |
| Bishop's Stortford | × | × | ok | ok | go | go | go | go | go | ok | ok | × |
| Ware | × | × | ok | ok | go | go | go | go | go | ok | ok | ok |
| Harpenden | × | × | ok | ok | go | go | go | go | go | ok | ok | × |
| Abbots Langley | × | × | ok | ok | go | go | go | go | go | ok | ok | × |
| United Kingdom (country-wide) | ok | ok | go | go | go | go | ok | ok | go | go | ok | ok |
Computed from each country’s own data; hover a country name for the source. Advisory countries are left out.
Climate strip
| Zone | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HertfordshireCounty-wide, London's northern border | cool | cool | ok | best | best | ok | ok | ok | best | ok | cool | cool |
- Hertfordshire
- Mild and changeable; May, June and September are the driest and warmest for walking. July and August are school holidays, so the studio tour and Hatfield House are busiest then.
Rain falls year-round; pack a light waterproof. Day length swings from about 8 hours in December to about 16.5 in June.
Getting in and passes
Arrival times and regional passes
Open Getting in and passesClose Getting in and passes2 partsGet in · Passes
Get in
| From | To | How | p50 | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London St Pancras International | St Albans City | Thameslink | ~20 min | Fast and stopping trains; 24-hour service on the Luton and Gatwick corridor. |
| London Euston | Watford Junction | London Northwestern Railway or Avanti West Coast | ~15-20 min | Change here for the Warner Bros. Studio Tour shuttle and the St Albans Abbey branch. |
| London Liverpool Street | Hertford East / Bishop's Stortford | Greater Anglia | ~50 min | Also serves Ware, Broxbourne and Cheshunt for the Lee Valley. |
| London King's Cross or Moorgate | Hatfield / Stevenage | Great Northern | ~25-35 min | Alight at Hatfield for Hatfield House, about a 5-minute walk. |
| London Luton Airport (LTN) | Harpenden / St Albans | Luton DART to Luton Airport Parkway, then Thameslink | ~30-45 min | The DART connects the terminal to the station; trains run through the night. |
| London Stansted Airport (STN) | Bishop's Stortford | Stansted Express or local train | ~10 min | The airport is about 5 miles by road from Bishop's Stortford; local buses 508/509/510 also run. |
| Heathrow Airport (LHR) | Watford | Railair RA3 coach | ~50 min | Stops at Watford Town Hall and Watford Junction; bus 724 continues to St Albans and Hatfield. |
| Gatwick Airport (LGW) | St Albans / Harpenden / Stevenage | Thameslink | ~1 h 15 to St Albans | Direct trains run 24 hours on this route. |
Regional passes
Contactless / Oyster
buyTap in and out on most rail lines inside the London fare zones; simpler than buying tickets.
National Rail paper or e-ticket
buyNeeded for stations outside the contactless zones, such as Tring, Hertford and Bishop's Stortford.
Railcard (e.g. Two Together, Family & Friends)
checkPays off on repeated off-peak trips; check current prices and minimum-fare rules.
Eat and move on
Regional food and where to go next
Open Eat and move onClose Eat and move on2 partsFood · Go next
Regional food
| Dish | Where | Timing / trap |
|---|---|---|
| Pub lunches and Sunday roasts | St Albans, Hertford, Berkhamsted | Book Sunday lunch; village pubs fill by 13:00.Book Sunday lunch; village pubs fill by 1:00 PM. |
| Market-day street food | St Albans Charter Market, Hertford Salisbury Square | St Albans market runs on Wednesdays and Saturdays; check current days. |
| Afternoon tea | St Albans and Tring | Often cheaper on weekdays; reserve for weekends. |
| Canal-side pub meals | Berkhamsted, Ware, Hemel Hempstead | Good stop on a towpath walk; kitchens may close mid-afternoon. |
Go next
London
Thameslink ~20 min from St Albans, ~50 min from Hertford East
The default next base; most Hertfordshire trips start and end here.
East of England
plannedTrain via Cambridge or Bishop's Stortford
Continue north-east to Cambridge, Ely and the coast.
Birmingham
Avanti West Coast via Watford Junction, ~1 h 20
Fast line north; change at Milton Keynes for slower stops.
Sheffield
East Midlands Railway via Bedford or direct from St Pancras
Useful onward leg if you are heading to the Peak District.
Planning aids
Built from this guide's own data
Open Planning aidsClose Planning aids2 partsIn numbers · Going in…
Region in numbers
- Where to sleep
- 2 bases
- Day trips
- 5, 35 min to 1 h
- Nights suggested
- 2–4 nights
- Ways in
- 8 listed
- Best months
- Apr, May, Sep
Going in…
Pick a month for the weather in each zone of the region, plus the country-wide rating and holidays.
Pick a month.
Deep dive
Photos, reading and every source
Open Deep diveClose Deep dive1 partSources
Sources
- officialHertfordshire County Council
- officialNational Rail — journey planning
- officialVisit East of England
- officialWarner Bros. Studio Tour London
- officialMet Office
- secondaryWikivoyage: Hertfordshire, revision 5273215 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Ask about Hertfordshire
Loading…
Was this useful?