East Croydon to Colindale

[GodAtum]

Hi all,

I'll be travelling this route during the morning and evening rush hours. I have found 3 choices:

1. East Croydon - Balham - Colindale
2. East Croydon - London Bridge - Camden Town - Colindale
3. East Croydon - Victoria - Euston - Colindale

Which is the most reliable and less crowded?

 

[EM2]

East Croydon - St Pancras - Colindale?

 

[GodAtum]

East Croydon - St Pancras - Colindale?

I cannot find that route on the TFL journey planner.

 

[yorkie]

St Pancras and London Bridge are the obvious choices. Unless you like being crammed into small tubes like a sardine, I would change at the last opportunity. So I recommend you change at St Pancras. If you enjoy enclosed crowded spaces and local stopping services and want to prolong the journey as much as possible, then change at Balham

Depending on where in Colindale you want to go, perhaps a bus from Mill Hill Broadway or Hendon may be an option?

Bus 303 goes direct from Mill Hill Broadway to Colindale

Interactive bus map here: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/gettingaround/maps/buses/

 

[MCR247]

Well EC - STP - Colindale is your best hope for not being overcrowded.
As;
A lot of commuters will get off at LBG, which will be a really busy station.
A lot will get on, so you are more likely to get a seat starting further back at St Pancras

 

[philjo]

I generally get my local FCC service into Kings Cross then use FCC from St Pancras to Mill Hill Broadway. The 303 bus from Mill Hill Broadway is usually a reliable service though the traffic can get busy when the schools come out in the afternoon.
I find this is often quicker than using the northern line from Kings Cross to Colindale - especially at peak times when it can take a while to get down to the northern platforms at KX. (It is probably easier now the northern ticket hall is open but I haven't doen this journey since this opened)
Hendon is an alternative station to use - you can also walk from there for some areas of Colindale (or get any bus going along the main road), depending on your exact destination.

 

[GodAtum]

Many thanks for the advice. I cannot find East Croydon - Hendon/Mill Hill Broadway - then the 186 on TFL?

 

[A60K]

Many thanks for the advice. I cannot find East Croydon - Hendon/Mill Hill Broadway - then the 186 on TFL?

You don't need to find any particular route on the journey planner - you just take whatever route you want.

The TfL journey planner will give you a number of options with which to influence your route, but comfort and crowding isn't one of them!

 

[yorkie]

Many thanks for the advice. I cannot find East Croydon - Hendon/Mill Hill Broadway - then the 186 on TFL?

not sure whyat you are asking, but if you want details of buses they are on TfL's website here http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/gettingaround/maps/buses/

Choose a location and it will list all bus routes nearby, click on a route and it highlights it on the map. It's a really good feature. If you still can't find it I will take a screenshot. As you have not told us where in Colindale you want to reach it is difficult for us to advise you. If you can give us a postcode or street we can give more accurate advice. Colindale covers an area of a few miles...

 

[GodAtum]

not sure whyat you are asking, but if you want details of buses they are on TfL's website here http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/gettingaround/maps/buses/

Choose a location and it will list all bus routes nearby, click on a route and it highlights it on the map. It's a really good feature. If you still can't find it I will take a screenshot. As you have not told us where in Colindale you want to reach it is difficult for us to advise you. If you can give us a postcode or street we can give more accurate advice. Colindale covers an area of a few miles...

Oh OK, I want to go to NW9 5JE. I had a look at the timetables on the FCC website and it looks like I will have to go from Bromley South to avoid changing at St Pancreas. Returning after 4pm there are no trains from Mill Hill.

 

[yorkie]

What's the problem with changing at St Pancras? It'll be a same platform interchange.

Bromley South is rather out of the way - are you wanting to go a long way round?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
The 186 goes very near your destination and also calls at Mill Hill Broadway. Changing at St Pancras and Mill Hill Broadway will ensure overcrowding and walking is kept to a minimum. It may also be quicker than tube to Colindale (+ walking at St Pancras and in Colindale). That's the route I would recommend.

 

[GodAtum]

What's the problem with changing at St Pancras? It'll be a same platform interchange.

Bromley South is rather out of the way - are you wanting to go a long way round?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
The 186 goes very near your destination and also calls at Mill Hill Broadway. Changing at St Pancras and Mill Hill Broadway will ensure overcrowding and walking is kept to a minimum. It may also be quicker than tube to Colindale (+ walking at St Pancras and in Colindale). That's the route I would recommend.

Ok, my worry is that the frequency of FCC trains is less then the tube? But I guess I can wait longer to keep crowding to a minimum. What are the likely plaforms the trains would be at St Pancreas?

Also for the 186, it stops at Heritage Avenue on the outbound timetable but I cannot find the stop on the timetable returning.

 

[yorkie]

Ok, my worry is that the frequency of FCC trains is less then the tube? But I guess I can wait longer to keep crowding to a minimum. What are the likely plaforms the trains would be at St Pancreas?.

Same platform at St 'Pancreas', guaranteed. Simply look at a departure screen. If there is no stopping service shown within the next 10 minutes or so, simply take the 'duct' from St 'Pancreas' to the tube station, this is a bit of a walk as it's nearer King's 'Stomach' mainline station than St 'Pancreas'. Then get a tube from there to 'Colon' dale.

 

[GodAtum]

Same platform at St 'Pancreas', guaranteed. Simply look at a departure screen. If there is no stopping service shown within the next 10 minutes or so, simply take the 'duct' from St 'Pancreas' to the tube station, this is a bit of a walk as it's nearer King's 'Stomach' mainline station than St 'Pancreas'. Then get a tube from there to 'Colon' dale.

How come the 186 timetable does not show Heritage Avenue stop retuning to Mill Hill Broadway?

 

[yorkie]

How come the 186 timetable does not show Heritage Avenue stop retuning to Mill Hill Broadway?

I'm hoping someone like philjo can answer the bus questions.

 

[GodAtum]

I'm hoping someone like philjo can answer the bus questions.

OK

A questiona about fares. I was looking up fares to Mill Hill Broadway and the options are a monthly from EC - Zones 2345 is £98.40 but a monthly from EC - Mill Hill Broadway is £122.90 :?

 

[yorkie]

OK

A questiona about fares. I was looking up fares to Mill Hill Broadway and the options are a monthly from EC - Zones 2345 is £98.40 but a monthly from EC - Mill Hill Broadway is £122.90 :?

How were you planning to bypass Zone 1? Bus? Doable, but you'd need to do something like Balham to Kentish Town on the bus... perhaps a bus expert can advise how long that would take at peak times?

A Zone 1-5 Travelcard costs:

Weekly £44.00
Monthly £169.00
Annual (Gold Card - 1/3 off most fares in the South East) £1760.00

If you work Monday-Friday and want to book 5 week chunks, the cost does vary depending on number of days in a week, but to cover the period from tomorrow (15 April) for 5 weeks (to Friday 16 April) would cost £180.40 (Saving £40 compared to weekly tickets). Choosing how long to renew for based on bank holidays, annual leave etc can get the cost down. Renewing a monthly on a Friday if you don't need to use it over the weekend isn't best value when you could have extended the previous monthly by a day for about a fiver.

 

[GodAtum]

How were you planning to bypass Zone 1? Bus? Doable, but you'd need to do something like Balham to Kentish Town on the bus... perhaps a bus expert can advise how long that would take at peak times?

I dont understand lol. If I put EC - Mill Hill Broadway why would the system come up with a ticket option EC - Zones 2345? perhaps I should not blindly follow what it says!

 

[yorkie]

Where did you enter that? You can use such a ticket for this journey but only if you avoid Zone 1, which is possible by train or by bus, but it would take a long time.

The cheapest ticket is not necessarily the fastest option.

You could change at Clapham Jn, Willesden Jn and West Hampstead, but it would take ages. The time saving is surely worth the extra money to go via Zone 1.

 

[GodAtum]

Where did you enter that? You can use such a ticket for this journey but only if you avoid Zone 1, which is possible by train or by bus, but it would take a long time.

The cheapest ticket is not necessarily the fastest option.

You could change at Clapham Jn, Willesden Jn and West Hampstead, but it would take ages. The time saving is surely worth the extra money to go via Zone 1.

Oh Ok, now it makes sense! I used FCC's website.

 

[t0ffeeman]

The Northern line platforms at Kings X are the nearest to St Pancras via the new ticket hall/walk. If catching FCC from Croydon i'd stay on till Hendon station which is West Hendon. walk to the Broadway (2 mins) and catch any of the buses that go up the Edgware Road. It'll all depend on whether Colindale station , which is a bit out of the way, is nearer to the place you want to visit. If its nearer Colindale ASDA or on the Edgware Road then change at Hendon which is in Zone 3, thus cheaper....

 

[philjo]

How come the 186 timetable does not show Heritage Avenue stop retuning to Mill Hill Broadway?

I suspect that the bus stops in the other diretiona re staggered - they generally take the name of the nearest side road.

This map for services calling at Mill Hill Broadway does not indicate that the services in the other direction takes a different route.

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/gettingaround/maps/buses/pdf/millhillbroadway-2173.pdf

the 186 service info on the TFl website shows an off-peak journey time of about 6-7 minutes.

 

[yorkie]

The Northern line platforms at Kings X are the nearest to St Pancras via the new ticket hall/walk. If catching FCC from Croydon i'd stay on till Hendon station which is West Hendon. walk to the Broadway (2 mins) and catch any of the buses that go up the Edgware Road. It'll all depend on whether Colindale station , which is a bit out of the way, is nearer to the place you want to visit. If its nearer Colindale ASDA or on the Edgware Road then change at Hendon which is in Zone 3, thus cheaper....

The place he is going to is NW9 5JE, which is not far from Colindale station but the 186 bus goes nearer. Staying within Zone 3 doesn't help with the price in this case as he is starting the other side of the Thames, in Zone 5, so he needs a Zones 1-5.

 

[GodAtum]

I suspect that the bus stops in the other diretiona re staggered - they generally take the name of the nearest side road.

This map for services calling at Mill Hill Broadway does not indicate that the services in the other direction takes a different route.

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/gettingaround/maps/buses/pdf/millhillbroadway-2173.pdf

the 186 service info on the TFl website shows an off-peak journey time of about 6-7 minutes.

The timetable for the 186 towards Mill Hill Broadway do not show Heritage Avenue which is different from what the map is showing! http://journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk/user/XSLT_SEL_STT_REQUEST?language=en&sessionID=JP03_3256224304&requestID=1&mode=line&lineSelIndex=1&itdLPxx_motCode=3

 

[yorkie]

That's a session URL, which is available to you only.

Perhaps not all stops are shown on timetables?

Transport Direct is also worth a try. http://www.transportdirect.info (it cost about £20m of our money or something daft like that!)

 

[Deerfold]

Bus 186 stops at stop BP5459, 59 metres east of Heritage Avenue.

In the opposite direction the nearest stops are 14770, 27 metres north of Colindeep Lane or 34608, 40 metres south of Cherry Close.

 

[GodAtum]

Many thanks for your advice

 

[Deerfold]

Many thanks for your advice

I suspect I may have access to slightly too much information about London Bus stops

 

[t0ffeeman]

The 186 stops at the other end of Mill Hill Broadway known as Mill Hill Circus which is the roundabout.

I'd advise the OP to get to Hendon Central and then bus by 113 or 186 to Aerodrome Rd. He'll soon work out if the not so regular bus / long walk from Colindale staton is an option. Never stick to one route in London, especially as another one will fly past you one day.

 

[GodAtum]

Will there be seats on the FCC from EC - St Pancras at 07:09?