Luton

Luton is a large town in Bedfordshire, some north of London. It's a multicultural town with a population of about 200,000. It used to have a straw and hat-making trade, hence "The Hatters" nickname of Luton football club; a couple of factories remain along the Old Bedford Road. Luton later produced Vauxhall cars and Whitbread beers, but little of these remain. Most people only come here for London Luton Airport, a major hub for budget & charter flights. The airport is described below but the focus of this page is the town itself.

Luton's Tourist Information Centre has helpfully been placed 5 mi from town, in Dunstable, so little good it will do you.

By plane

 * For public transport to central London see Luton Airport. It's a choice between a train (shuttle bus to Luton Airport Parkway then train to London St Pancras), or a bus from the airport to London Victoria.


 * Local buses: Arriva Bus A runs every 15 mins between the airport and Luton town railway station (15 mins) and Dunstable (30 mins). Bus 100 runs every 30 mins to Hitchin and Stevenage.

From other London airports
From the other London airports, it may be quicker to use the inter-airport transfer bus then come into Luton on the town bus, rather than travel into central London then out again.

National Express runs from Heathrow Airport (all terminals) to Luton Airport every 30 mins; non-stop Bus 707 takes 50 mins, Bus 787 via Hemel Hempstead takes 70 mins. Fares are demand priced, £18-30 single.

Some of these buses start from Gatwick Airport, but the direct trains (Brighton-Bedford) are much quicker for the same fare. National Express Bus 777 runs between Stansted Airport and Luton Airport every hour or so via Hitchin and Stevenage, journey time 90 min, single fare £16.

By train
Luton has three railway stations, one in the town centre, one close to the airport and one towards the north of the town.

The typical off-peak service from this station is as follows:
 * 4 trains per hour (tph) to Bedford (operated by Thameslink)
 * 2 tph to Brighton via Luton Airport Parkway, St Albans, London and Gatwick Airport (Thameslink)
 * 2 tph to Gatwick Airport via Luton Airport Parkway, St Albans and London (Thameslink)
 * 2 tph to Rainham via Luton Airport Parkway, St Albans, London, Greenwich and Dartford (Thameslink)
 * 1 tph to London St Pancras (East Midlands Trains)
 * 1 tph to Corby via Kettering (East Midlands Trains)

Thameslink trains serve several stations in Central London, including St Pancras International and Blackfriars

The station is on the East Midland Line and is served by Thameslink and East Midland trains. From the station, you can travel north to Bedford, Kettering, Leicester, Loughborough and Nottingham. Passengers can also travel south to St Albans, London St. Pancras International, Rainham, Gatwick Airport and Brighton. The typical off-peak service from this station is as follows:


 * 2 tph to Brighton via London and Gatwick Airport (Thameslink)
 * 2 tph to Gatwick Airport via London (Thameslink)
 * 2 tph to Rainham via London, Greenwich and Dartford (Thameslink)
 * 1 tph to London St Pancras (East Midlands Trains)
 * 2 tph to Luton only (Thameslink)
 * 4 tph to Bedford via Luton (all stations) (Thameslink)
 * 1 tph to Nottingham via Bedford, Kettering, Leicester and Loughborough (East Midlands Trains)

By car
Luton is easily accessible by car about 5 minutes from the M1 junctions 10 and 11, travelling from the south/London and the north respectively. The A505 provides a link via Hitchin to the A1(M), and the Cambridge/Hertfordshire area.

See

 * Some surprisingly pleasant countryside is to be found around Luton. To the north of the town (in the village of Streatley) is a wooded hill named the Clappers, which is a good place for a walk. To the west of the town are Dunstable Downs, the eastern edge of the Chilterns and a popular place for walking, gliding and kite-flying.
 * Some surprisingly pleasant countryside is to be found around Luton. To the north of the town (in the village of Streatley) is a wooded hill named the Clappers, which is a good place for a walk. To the west of the town are Dunstable Downs, the eastern edge of the Chilterns and a popular place for walking, gliding and kite-flying.
 * Some surprisingly pleasant countryside is to be found around Luton. To the north of the town (in the village of Streatley) is a wooded hill named the Clappers, which is a good place for a walk. To the west of the town are Dunstable Downs, the eastern edge of the Chilterns and a popular place for walking, gliding and kite-flying.

Do

 * Football:
 * There is a large South Asian community with several mosques and interesting temples such as Guru Nanak Gurdwara, as well as a jewellery market and curry houses.

Events

 * Luton Carnival, one of the largest summer carnivals in Europe.

Buy
Standard shop brands such as Marks & Spencer, Primark, Wilkinson, TK Maxx

More interesting shopping is to be found in nearby towns: St Albans, Hitchin and Welwyn Garden City.

Eat
For a quick bite, walk through the Arndale (large shopping centre) and grab some ethnic specialities in the market, such as an Indian samosa or savoury African pancake.

There are also franchises like Costa, Gregg's, and McDonald's. Aroma, the Asian restaurant in the Galaxy, offers an incredible (though pricey) buffet; for cheaper prices, go for lunch.

Stay safe
Generally, if you keep your wits about you, you should not run in to any great trouble. Do avoid travelling on your own between midnight and 4am, as drunk people are often looking for fights. If a drunk makes a gesture towards you it is best to ignore them and keep walking. If you have been on a night out it is safest to get a licensed taxi, of which there are plenty.

It is not advised to wear a Watford FC shirt in town, especially in evenings or on Saturdays. Despite lacking the great success and history of the Hatters, Watford are considered rivals of Luton Town FC, and Watford shirts are by no means inconspicuous (their team colour is bright yellow). Wearing a Watford shirt is unlikely to attract more than verbal abuse but could turn ugly if you are not careful. It is similarly not advised to wear a Millwall FC shirt in Luton.

Go next
Luton is very well-placed for travelling to many other interesting places.
 * London is a 30-40 minute train journey away.
 * Whipsnade Zoo, just outside Dunstable.