The two outlet centres most visitors choose are Bicester Village in Oxfordshire, under an hour by train from London Marylebone, and London Designer Outlet in Wembley, which you can reach by Tube. Both sell brand-name goods below the brands' usual prices, but the real saving varies a lot from item to item, so compare before you buy.
An outlet centre is a group of shops run by the brands themselves (or their licensees) that sell stock at lower prices than their normal high-street stores. The goods may be from previous seasons, overstock, or lines the brand sells mainly through its outlets. Prices are usually shown as a reduction from a "recommended retail price" (RRP).
For a visitor, an outlet trip is a half-day or a full day out of central London. It can be worth it if you already know which brands you want and what they cost at home. It is rarely worth it as a general sightseeing activity, and neither centre is the only place in or near London to find a bargain.
| Bicester Village | London Designer Outlet | Ashford Designer Outlet | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where | Bicester, Oxfordshire | Wembley Park, north-west London | Ashford, Kent |
| Type of brands | Mostly luxury and premium fashion, beauty and homeware | Mid-range high-street and sports brands, some premium | Check the outlet's website |
| Size (own figures) | More than 150 boutiques | Shops, restaurants and a nine-screen cinema | Check the outlet's website |
| From central London | Train from Marylebone to Bicester Village station | Tube to Wembley Park, or train from Marylebone to Wembley Stadium | High-speed train from St Pancras to Ashford International |
| Contactless or Oyster? | No, buy a rail ticket | Yes | No, buy a rail ticket |
| Best for | Luxury labels, a full day out | A quick trip, families, a rainy afternoon | Visitors heading to Kent or the coast |
Bicester Village: the luxury outlet in Oxfordshire
Bicester Village opened in April 1995 and has grown into an open-air, pedestrianised "village" of more than 150 boutiques, according to its operator. The list of brands leans heavily towards luxury and premium fashion: international fashion houses, British labels, beauty and fragrance brands, and some homeware. There are also restaurants and cafés, so you can easily spend a whole day there.
Opening hours are long. In September 2026 the Village showed its hours as 09:00 to 20:00, and it opens seven days a week. Hours can change around bank holidays and during special events, so check the website on the day.
The Village offers a number of services that are useful for visitors: a luggage drop at the Train Station Information Hub, a multilingual Guest Concierge, ATMs and free Wi-Fi. A "Hands-Free Shopping" service, where staff collect your purchases for you, is free only for higher membership levels. Parking is free.
Getting to Bicester Village by train
Chiltern Railways runs direct trains from London Marylebone to Bicester Village station, which is on the edge of the shopping area. The Village gives the fastest journey as 46 minutes, while Chiltern's own destination page says 56 minutes, so plan on about 45 minutes to an hour depending on the train. Our guide to London's main railway stations explains where Marylebone is and how to reach it.
Contactless and Oyster are not valid between Marylebone and Bicester Village, so you need a proper rail ticket. Advance tickets are tied to one specific train and are non-refundable, while Off-Peak tickets let you take any train within the permitted times. Children aged 5 to 15 get 50% off Advance and Off-Peak fares, and a railcard takes a third off most fares. Overseas visitors can buy the Two Together and 16-25 railcards, both of which usually cost £35 for a year. Our guide to buying UK train tickets explains how these options work.
If your train goes to Bicester North instead, a shuttle bus runs to the Village. It is free if your ticket says Bicester North or Bicester Village; otherwise the Village lists an adult single at £2.30. There are also coach services from central London; check current timetables and prices on the Village's travel page.
Nobody can sell you a genuine Bicester VIP card. The Village states that it never sells VIP cards and that any card offered for sale is invalid. It adds that if you bought one online, your data may have been misused and you should contact your bank. Real extra discounts come only through its free membership or invitations, for example from some local hotels.
London Designer Outlet in Wembley
London Designer Outlet (LDO) sits in Wembley Park, right next to Wembley Stadium and the OVO Arena Wembley. It is a covered centre with outlet shops, restaurants and a Cineworld cinema. The brand mix is closer to the high street than Bicester: sportswear, casual fashion, footwear, homeware and some premium labels. The centre advertises year-round discounts of "up to 70% off RRP", and it regularly runs extra promotions on top.
The big advantage is how easy it is to reach. It is inside London's Tube network, so your contactless card or Oyster works and the journey counts towards your daily cap. You can combine it with a tour of Wembley Stadium on the same day, or with an evening event at the stadium or arena.
Centre opening hours vary by shop, restaurant and cinema, so check the LDO website. On Sundays the larger stores open for six hours only, either 11:00 to 17:00 or 12:00 to 18:00, which the centre lists by store.
Getting to Wembley Park
You have three options. The Jubilee and Metropolitan lines stop at Wembley Park, about 10 minutes' walk from the outlet; the centre says the trip from stations such as Bond Street, Baker Street, King's Cross St Pancras and Westminster takes just over 15 minutes. Chiltern trains from Marylebone to Wembley Stadium station take about nine minutes, according to LDO. Bus routes 18, 83, 92, 182, 206, 223, 224 and 297 also stop nearby. Our guide to the Underground covers the Tube lines in more detail.
Avoid Wembley on stadium event days. Concerts, football and other big events bring huge crowds to Wembley Park, the stations and the outlet at the same time. Parking also becomes expensive: LDO lists a £50 event-day tariff on stadium days. Check the stadium's event calendar before you choose a date.
Other outlet centres within reach of London
Ashford Designer Outlet in Kent is run by McArthurGlen. Southeastern high-speed trains from St Pancras to Ashford International take about 39 minutes, with the fastest at 34 minutes. It makes most sense if you are already heading that way, for example on a day trip to Canterbury, since high-speed trains on that route pass through Ashford. Check the outlet's own website for opening hours and for the best way from the station to the centre before you go.
There are other outlet centres further from London, including several run by McArthurGlen, as well as factory shops attached to individual brands. For most short-stay visitors, the extra travel time makes them hard to justify, and our view is that Bicester, Wembley or no outlet at all covers most needs.
Remember that outlets are not the only way to shop for less in London. The big department stores hold seasonal sales, especially after Christmas and in the summer, and our guide to Liberty, Selfridges and the other department stores is a good starting point. For one-of-a-kind items at low prices, vintage and second-hand shops often beat outlets on value.
Are the savings real?
Sometimes yes, sometimes much less than the price tag suggests. The discounts are measured against the recommended retail price, which is the price the brand sets for its full-price shops. If an item was never widely sold at that price, or is also on sale elsewhere, the real saving is smaller than the percentage on the label.
Here is a simple example, using made-up numbers to show the calculation. A jacket has an RRP of £200 and is marked "40% off" at an outlet, so it costs £120. If the brand's own website has the same jacket at 30% off in its seasonal sale, it would cost £140 there. Your real saving by going to the outlet is £20, before you count the cost and time of getting there.
When an outlet trip pays off
- You want specific luxury or premium brands that are expensive at home
- You have checked current online prices and found a real gap
- You are buying several items, so the travel cost is spread out
- You enjoy the day out, and the shopping is part of the fun
When it probably does not
- You have no shopping list and just "want a look"
- The brands you like are cheaper in your own country
- You would give up a day of sightseeing in a short trip
- You plan to buy items that the brand's online sale already discounts
Some practical ways to protect yourself:
- Check prices on your phone in the shop. Look up the product name or code on the brand's own website and on its site for your home country.
- Look at the label and finish. If an item seems to exist only in outlet stores, judge it on its own quality and price rather than the RRP.
- Ask about returns before you pay. Bicester Village says return and exchange policies are set by each boutique. A change-of-mind return is hard to use once you have flown home.
- Watch the exchange rate and card fees. If the card terminal offers to charge you in your home currency, compare the rate before you accept. Our guide to money in London explains overseas card charges.
If something you bought turns out to be faulty and the shop will not help, GOV.UK directs shoppers in England and Wales to the Citizens Advice consumer helpline, which can also pass complaints to Trading Standards.
There is no VAT refund at UK outlets
Prices in UK shops include VAT, usually at 20%. Since 1 January 2021, visitors can no longer claim VAT back on goods bought in Great Britain and carried home in their luggage. That applies to outlets as much as to any other shop. GOV.UK says the only tax-free option in Great Britain is for goods delivered straight to an address outside the UK, if the retailer offers that service.
You may still see older or promotional pages suggesting that international visitors can shop tax-free at outlet centres. Do not plan a budget around it. Our full guide to tax-free shopping in the UK explains what changed and the small number of options left.
When you get home, your purchases may also count towards your home country's customs allowance. Check your own country's rules before a big shopping trip, especially for expensive watches, bags and jewellery.
Planning a day: Bicester with Oxford, Wembley with a stadium
Bicester Village describes itself as 10 minutes from Oxford, and trains from Bicester Village also run towards Oxford. That makes it easy to combine a morning of shopping with an afternoon in the university city. Our Oxford day trip guide covers the colleges and libraries, and our page on the Cotswolds from London is worth a look if you have a car and more time.
For Wembley, a sensible plan is a stadium tour in the morning, lunch at one of the centre's restaurants and a couple of hours of shopping. You can be back in the West End for the evening in well under an hour.
A weekday morning at Bicester beats a Saturday afternoon. Weekends and school holidays bring the biggest crowds and the longest queues at popular boutiques. Arriving close to the 09:00 opening on a weekday gives you calmer shops and more choice of sizes.
Think about luggage before you shop. Large bags are awkward on the Tube and on trains, and airline baggage allowances are strict. If you plan to buy a lot, bring a folding bag and check your airline's allowance, and read our tips for London on a budget for ways to keep the rest of the trip affordable.
Sunday and bank holiday opening
England's Sunday trading law limits large shops (over 280 square metres of floor area) to six continuous hours between 10:00 and 18:00 on Sundays. That is why LDO's larger stores keep shorter Sunday hours. Smaller shops are not covered by the six-hour limit, which is why some outlet boutiques open for longer. Large shops may not open on Easter Day or Christmas Day. Our page on bank holidays and opening hours lists the 2026 and 2027 dates.
If you are only in London for a few days and want brand-name shopping without leaving the centre, Oxford Street has many of the same high-street brands at full price, and its own seasonal sales.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get from London to Bicester Village?
Take a Chiltern Railways train from London Marylebone to Bicester Village station, which is next to the shops. The journey takes about 45 minutes to an hour. Contactless and Oyster are not valid on this route, so buy a rail ticket in advance or at the station.
Is Bicester Village really cheaper?
Often, but not always by as much as the labels suggest. Discounts are measured against the recommended retail price. Check the same item on the brand's website before buying, because seasonal online sales can close the gap.
Can I use my Oyster card to get to London Designer Outlet?
Yes. Wembley Park station is on the Jubilee and Metropolitan lines, so contactless and Oyster work and the journey counts towards your daily cap. The outlet is about 10 minutes' walk from the station.
Can tourists get a VAT refund at Bicester Village?
Not on goods you carry home. The VAT refund scheme for visitors ended in Great Britain on 1 January 2021. Tax-free sales are now possible only if the shop delivers the goods directly to an address outside the UK.
Is it worth going to an outlet on a short trip to London?
Only if you have specific brands in mind and have checked that outlet prices beat what you would pay at home or online. On a trip of three days or fewer, most visitors get more from a day of sightseeing.
Sources
- Bicester Village - Frequently asked questions (checked September 2026)
- Bicester Village - About Bicester Village (checked September 2026)
- Chiltern Railways - Bicester Village (checked September 2026)
- London Designer Outlet - Tourism (checked September 2026)
- London Designer Outlet - Getting here (checked September 2026)
- Southeastern - London St Pancras to Ashford International (checked September 2026)
- GOV.UK - Tax-free shopping (checked September 2026)
- GOV.UK - Consumer rights (checked September 2026)