Any Londonners out there to give advice.

mickledore

mickledore

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OK, I'm a Northener, and don't know the first thing about London other than that it's a busy hectic place to be, with a reputation for being unfriendly to strangers! My only experience of the big city in the past forty years is walking from Euston to St Pancras to catch Eurostar, and that short walk seemed like purgatory. Seems an awfully chaotic way to live.

SWMBO wants to visit the Turner Exhibition at National Maritime Museum sometime early next year. We can get a Virgin into Euston, but after that I have no idea what to do or how to get about. Can someone explain how I get to SE10? Tubes, taxis? Not buses, please. What's an Oyster Card? How do I get tube tickets as reports seem to indicate that there are no ticket offices anymore? Is it really a sensible idea to try and get to/from Euston in a day?

Any other general advice that might be relevant? If it's not feasible please say so - it will save me a lot of hassle (and cash!)
 
 
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When we go to London we get the tickets that cover the train journey in and the tube at the local station, you can also do it online, just find the nearest tube station to where you want to visit.
It's a fast moving city so I'd advise planning well, the busy tube stations are not really a place to dawdle, the locals will want to get where they're going quickly and are not the friendliest to tourist that get in their way, saying that I'm far from a youngster but really enjoy London visits and the fast moving life and diverse cultures and people.
 
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I would walk it. You will take in so much of London on the way. I wouldn't worry about the crowds and hectic bustle.... I spent 4 months in London last year and walked everywhere. Very cost effective and so can find some amazing things on the way.... and remember to bring the camera :rolleyes:
 
It looks like you need to get to the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) station called Cutty Sark. I would go from Euston to Bank on the southbound Northern Line (black line on tube map), change at Bank for the DLR and catch a train heading for Lewisham which will stop at Cutty Sark. The total train journey should take a little over 30 minutes, then it is a short walk to the museum. The DLR journey will take you through Docklands, which I always enjoy and Greenwich is very nice to visit, if a little packed with tourists. DLRs are a driverless train so if you can get to the front you get a great view (and if you are childish like me can pretend to drive!). There is plenty to see round Greenwich if the exhibition doesn't take up your whole day (Cutty Sark, Greenwich Observatory/meridien line, pottering round the shops). Should make a very nice day out.

I don't know about the best tickets to get but an Oyster card each will make journeys much easier than fiddling with ticket machines at busy stations. It is a credit card that you precharge with cash and then use to open the barriers at tube/DLR stations. The TFL link above is what you need.

If you are travelling at weekends check the tfl website as they do regular engineering works and will close lines down. If they close the relevant bit of the northern line or the DLR then life will be complicated! Best try midweek if poss.

If you are at all put off by London crowds then avoid travelling across London at anything like rush-hour (before 9am and between 5-6:30). The Northern line can be packed solid and Bank station is one of the busiest.
 
Martyn D said:
It's a fast moving city so I'd advise planning well, the busy tube stations are not really a place to dawdle, the locals will want to get where they're going quickly and are not the friendliest to tourist that get in their way, saying that I'm far from a youngster but really enjoy London visits and the fast moving life and diverse cultures and people.
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This ^^
My daughters started at UCL this year and we took her down and stayed over for the weekend. Not been down for years but I used to love London worked there in the early eighties when thats the only place for jobs then and really enjoyed my time there. Would have moved there if i could have convinced my better half to move. Wondered if I might be a bit more negative about the place now Im in my 50's but no really enjoyed my weekend. Go experience the diversity & culture that is synonymous with our capital city and enjoy yourself.

Steve
 
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Another thing to consider, what about staying over, we stayed out of London not far from the O2 and it wasn't expensive, then went into the city and had a trip on the open top tourist bus, would have never considered doing this but the friends we were with wanted to so we went along, it was one of the best things we've done in London, the guide was very informative and you see things that you'd just walk past and have no idea what it is.
 
As above I would go on the Underground from Euston to Bank (Northern Line Southbound) and the DLR from Bank to Cutty Sark (DLR Lewisham Bound). From Cutty Sark station the Maritime Museum (NMM) is signposted on tourist finger posts, you can walk through Greenwich Market to get there, always worth a look. If you have time after the Turner Exhibition there is also a Nelson, Navy, Nation exhibition at the NMM, it is free and well worth a look.
Fares can be confusing, you can buy a single ticket from Euston to Cutty Sark for £4.50 or buy a 1 day travel card for £8.80 peak and £7.20 off peak (after 0930 M-F & weekends). That is for Zones 1-2 which will include Euston & Cutty Sark, if you want to travel into more zones it will cost you more.
You can buy an Oyster Card which will cost £5 returnable deposit and then you load it with what you want i.e. £5 or £10 etc. The Oyster fares are £2.80 peak (0630-0930 & 1600-1900) £2.10 off peak for Euston to Cutty Sark. With the Oyster you will never pay a total of more than the travel card no matter how many journeys you do. You can order the Oyster cards online and they are valid forever (or at least until they get rid of them), they can also be used by anyone else and can be topped up at machines at most Underground stations.
If you do get Oysters you have to touch them on the reader at the start and end of each journey otherwise you will be charged more, if you use them on a bus you only need to touch in at the start, Most DLR stations do not have barriers so you have to touch in & out on the platforms or on the way to them.
I worked in London for 38 years and have lived in outer London for 40 years and I find it confusing, luckily as I am over 60 I get a Freedom Pass which is like an Oyster plus a national bus pass at no cost :)
 
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archangel said:
I would walk it. You will take in so much of London on the way.
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Without taking anything in, or getting lost, it's at least a 2.5 hour walk.
 
Thanks everyone, there's a lot of info there. I am looking at National Rail Enquiries and can book all the way to Cutty Sark from here, with instructions on when/where to change. As I'm an old fogey I have a bus pass. I can use this on the local trains up here. Where can I use this in London? Just on the buses? Or on some/all of the trains, or just on the buses, which I'd rather avoid.
 
mickledore said:
Thanks everyone, there's a lot of info there. I am looking at National Rail Enquiries and can book all the way to Cutty Sark from here, with instructions on when/where to change. As I'm an old fogey I have a bus pass. I can use this on the local trains up here. Where can I use this in London? Just on the buses? Or on some/all of the trains, or just on the buses, which I'd rather avoid.
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Just the buses. Which normally travel in convoys :)
 
If it's a nice day don't forget to climb the hill up to the Greenwich Observatory for this view. You can see the Shard, Tower Bridge and St Pauls in the West, round to the Olympic stadium and the o2 (Millenium Dome) in the East. Free as well.

David

 
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archangel said:
I would walk it. You will take in so much of London on the way
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Absolutely. I always avoid the tube and make sure I have a street map with me.

Many years ago, I visited a friend in London. He suggested we go to Covent Garden. I was expecting us to go by underground but we just walked round a couple of corners - perhaps 300 yards and we were there.

I worked out that a lot of the short trips I used to do by tube were quicker on foot and if you include the steps you have to walk up and down, in many cases they were less distance to walk too.


new2me said:
Without taking anything in, or getting lost, it's at least a 2.5 hour walk.
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Like myself, I think Archangel was really referring to trips within the city.


Suvv said:
Just the buses. Which normally travel in convoys :)
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There's a very good reason for that. In fact, the Open University had a whole programme on it as part of a mathematics course a few years ago. If you are really bored, I could explain it to you!


mickledore said:
Thanks, thought that might be the case. Tube it is.
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If you have a bus pass, why not go by bus? You just need a route map - same as you would for the tube.


Steve.
 
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I assumed the OP was there for a day trip (" Is it really a sensible idea to try and get to/from Euston in a day?") and might possibly want to spend as much time at the destination as possible ;)
I think a lot of visitors take the tube without looking at distances on foot. When I first lived in London, I was taking tubes from Clerkenwell (Farringdon) into the West End for a couple of weeks before realising it was much quicker on foot.
 
Thanks, again. The plan is for a day trip. That's doable. Leave home 6.30 and by back by 9PM. Book now and I can go First Class for £100 return. Seems a steal! Don't really want to start walking through London for two reasons - we'll either get lost or sidetracked, and I'll spend all my time either looking at the map or cursing the crowds!
 
If you go fairly early in the year don't forget the Astrophotography exhibition at the Royal Observatory, pretty much where you are going anyway and its free

Also make sure you get the 2 for 1 brochure that gives reduced entry/fares to many attractions and lots of other things including the river bus (another good way to get to Greenwich)

When you buy your train tickets get a travelcard for zones 1 and 2, that will cover your journey for the day

Tube and bus system plus river boats are easy to navigate via the TFL journey planner, but do keep an eye on your belongings and just take sensible precautions

I was born, lived and worked in London for forty years so all comes as second nature, but only earlier this week my daughter's friend had her purse pickpocketed on the tube travelling back from a day out.

Don't forget the tube map is purely a schematic and not geographically correct so don't rely on it for walking distances

Crowds are all part and parcel of being in London and places like Canary Wharf are much more pleasant at the weekends although still busy

You are welcome to PM me if you do want to know anything specific, might live 70 miles away now, but still very much a Londoner and enjoy sharing its delights with others including some not so well known interesting places to visit
 
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Everyone suggesting walking does realise it's nearly 8 miles from Euston to Cutty Sark DLR?

Just remember to get on the correct branch of the northern line at Euston to go to Bank, otherwise it's a bit of a roundabout Journey.
 
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South of the river????

Is that bad? Is it near the Dome - Blair's folly?

I've just realised - I met a woman(lady) from Greenwich in Borrowdale in September. She's one of my flickr contacts. She'll no doubt be working midweek, but could be a good person to ask. She must know the area.
 
You can walk it from isle of dogs under the thames, theres a tunnel that brings you out at the cutty sark
Get DLR to island gardens, cross road next to sweet shop theres an ally called Douglas Path go up there then you will see a dome building inside the gardens thats the entrance to the tunnel ( you will now thats the place because you can see the ship from this side of the Thames Barry
 
mickledore said:
South of the river????

Is that bad? Is it near the Dome - Blair's folly?

I've just realised - I met a woman(lady) from Greenwich in Borrowdale in September. She's one of my flickr contacts. She'll no doubt be working midweek, but could be a good person to ask. She must know the area.
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South of the River is jut fine, and in many areas as good or better than other areas North and West - enjoy your stay. I would make sure you have an Oyster card as mentioned above as cash fares are double.
 
mickledore said:
South of the river????
Is that bad?
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It's an age old joke between those who live North/South of the river that on the "other side" there be Dragons - sort of :D

You'll be just fine, there are more things in just that small part of Greenwich than you can see in a day, especially if the weather is nice.

Don't forget to report back with your experiences, would be great to hear how you get on.



The Dome referred to earlier is not Blair's Folly but the structure on the left of this picture. It's the Southern end of the Greenwich foot tunnel.

David

Edit - just re read this there is another tunnel entrance identical to this on the North side of the Thames in Island Gardens.
 
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i grew up in the east end ,i got out of there 50 years ago ,you couldn't drag me back with wild horses for any reason now ,and yes there are dragons south of the river i went out with a few in my teens :woot::woot:
 
Lots of good advice here. I'd agree about going to Island Gardens on the DLR and walking through the tunnel - bit of info here - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenwich_foot_tunnel

The Transport for London site http://www.tfl.gov.uk/ is good for info on the Oyster card and for visitors.

If you like Chinese food and want some good cheap food try the Tai Won Mein in Greenwich. It is on the corner of Creek Road and Greenwich Church Street (and only a few mins walk from the Cutty Sark). I was there yesterday and a huge plate of food cost less than a hot beef sandwich in Greenwich Market. If you google for 'Review of Tai Won Mein' you'll get an idea of what it is like.

If, after visiting Greenwich, you end up near Covent Garden and need another meal have a look at Bistro1 on Southampton Street - http://bistro1.co.uk/, again excellent and very reasonably priced.

Dave
 
You could also try the northern line down to Embankment tube as said, but get out Thames River side and walk across the road (Victoria Embankment) to the pier, then catch a smooth n fast Thames Clipper to Greenwich and the Cutty Sark...perhaps the quickest route and a little river sight seeing as a bonus. oyster card is accepted too.

Don't bother with the dome unless you have a reason, try wandering through the Thames foot tunnel to the Isle of Dogs and straight on up to the streets of a US city, also know as the Docklands. ;)
 
we hit london ;sat year for our anniversary loved every min of it and would do it again i hope to next year all being well

we stayed near wembley (north side ) and it was a 45 min ride into centre of london - the underground looks complicated and is 1st few times there is a app out there that will tell you what line you need which direction it is going in trust me that was the confusing part if you don't know london and also what colour the line is

other then this we had a great time (i enjoyed the mix of the tube though) the worst about the under ground was working out on a map which part of london you want to be at i.e. which station then converting it to the line and colour once you have a rough idea it was easy after 2 days i could pretty much work out where i needed to be and which line too

but walking is great seen some great things while down there and missed a lot too so we said we would go again as soon as we could
 
We're going to London for the day tomorrow from Birmingham. Its quite easy to get the tube around London and many of the attractions are close to tube stations. With today's technology and smart phones having maps apps if you get lost you can always find your way again!

With the tube in every/most stations if there not a ticket office with a person, there's a machine to buy tickets. We've never bothered with an oyster card (they cost an extra £5 each to get one), just bought a day ticket that covers the 'tube zones' that we'll stay within that day. Keep it safe though as you'll need it to get in and out of the stations before/after each journey. Just plan before you go where you want to go/do/see and get a vague idea of the closest tube stations and just plan your route using a tube map (free from stations).

It's very much do-able but you will find yourself darting between tube stops to keep up with the flow of other people.

Also - make sure you give yourself plenty of time to get back to your return train. We got back on the train with seconds to spare once and vowed we'd never do it again - close shave!
 
I'd suggest that you simply buy a day travelcard (£8.80) when you get into Euston, then you can go anywhere in town and simply won't have to worry about it.

Down the escalators, and before you can get into the tube, there's ticket machines and offices on the left hand side, you can't miss them.

Go through the barriers, down the escalator and you want Northern (black) line Bank branch southbound - NOT Charing Cross Branch! very important! :) it's the second option that you'll come to, so don't worry as you walk straight past the passage on your left at the bottom of the escalator.

The wander up to the observatory is good as others have suggested, a really great view if it's a clear day. River bus is a good shout too - show your travelcard and it's cheaper.

A walk along southbank, say from the Tate Modern to Westminster, is always time well spent, especially around sunset - you could get the river bus from the Cutty Sark to Waterloo (and see the London eye and Westminster from the boat), walk along Southbank to London Bridge, and then you can easily get Northern Line straight back up to Euston.



And don't be worried, we may be grumbly if someone fumbles with their purse in the ticket barriers on the tube, or at tourists on oxford street in general, but we're pretty helpful and friendly really :)
 
I went to Richmond last year , I bought a combined tube and train ticket but it was quite confusing as some stations were closed at the weekend and my ticket was for specific trains minutes apart , if I'd got on the wrong train I'd be expected to pay the full fare

Something to bear in mind if you buy a combined ticket, I got there OK but the last train was a bit tight
 
Just wanted to add that you need the 'City' branch of the Northern Line - it splits in two and you must be on the one that stops at Bank. To be honest if I were you I would get a ticket to Euston and then get one day travel cards. It doesn't sound like you will be back in a hurry so I don't really see the point in getting Oyster cards. You want it to be as straight forward as possible so ordering travel cards in advance seems a good idea -

http://visitorshop.tfl.gov.uk/travelcards/1-day/product/day-anytime-travelcard.html

You want the first option for Adult Zones 1 - 2.

You can use the Journey Planner to work out the best route here:

http://journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk/us...pSelection=on&command=nop&calculateDistance=1

Have a great time!
 
Ok. I'm a Londoner and this is how I would do it
Come out of Euston Station and walk (5 mins) to Russell Square
188 bus all the way to Greenwich about 1 hour, you can use your bus pass, see lots of London, around the strand and over Waterloo bridge, goes to the cutty sark and the museum
Done

H

Edit, just seen you don't want to use the bus... up to you, but it's the simple and cheap way
 
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Is it free parking around inner london on christmas day?
 
The only thing Free in London is the air you can barely breathe
 
It's the getting to them that's the expensive bit
 
Why not go for 2 days? If you use Agoda or Trivago you should be able to get a room for a sensible rate (we payed £100 for a room in May last year next to Tower Bridge)
 
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