(TRIVIA) Busy stations which hardly anybody walks to

[DelW]

"Orbital" is another commonly-used description I believe.

Yes, possibly more suitable, IIRC the M25 is officially titled London Orbital Motorway.

 

[Hadders]

Indeed! Many people walk over a mile from their London station of choice to get to their place of work, because it is usually quicker (and obviously cheaper) then using the tube or bus.

Quite! Loads of people walk from the station to their place of work in London.

Kings Cross from a percentage perspective has to be low surely?

A fair chunk of people on the local lines have direct trains on Thameslink, and to Finsbury Park and Moorgate which are closer the main job hubs.

Intercity traffic is more likely to just go straight down into the tube and/or straight into St Pancras next door (do these count?) since Kings Cross isn't exactly the tourist hot spot.

I've regularly walked from Kings Cross to Islington (nice walk along the canal), Camden, Holborn, Marylebone areas.

Just curious but why would you walk to Euston Square from Kings Cross? Seems a bit of a mission when you could just go from Kings Cross Underground direct.

It's less than a 15 minute walk if you know where you're going.

By the time you've got to the Underground platforms, waited a couple of minutes, minute or two running time, got out at the other end then walked to your final destination the time saving is marginal. And it's £3.10 each way on PAYG at peak times and £3.00 off peak.

 

[Snex]

I've regularly walked from Kings Cross to Islington (nice walk along the canal), Camden, Holborn, Marylebone areas.

It's less than a 15 minute walk if you know where you're going.

By the time you've got to the Underground platforms, waited a couple of minutes, minute or two running time, got out at the other end then walked to your final destination the time saving is marginal. And it's £3.10 each way on PAYG at peak times and £3.00 off peak.

Yeah learnt something today from KGX, generally thought it would've been like down the 10% levels for people going out of it but guess there is more.

Btw the second bit was me having a mishap, thought the poster walked to Euston Square from Kings Cross for the tube, rather than going to actual Euston. It's been a long day...

 

[bramling]

Quite! Loads of people walk from the station to their place of work in London.


I've regularly walked from Kings Cross to Islington (nice walk along the canal), Camden, Holborn, Marylebone areas.


It's less than a 15 minute walk if you know where you're going.

By the time you've got to the Underground platforms, waited a couple of minutes, minute or two running time, got out at the other end then walked to your final destination the time saving is marginal. And it's £3.10 each way on PAYG at peak times and £3.00 off peak.

Loads of people walk and cycle to/from the London termini. I’d imagine the only ones where this happens slightly less might be Paddington and perhaps Marylebone, given their locations.

It’s very common for people to head out of King’s Cross and head straight on foot or cycle for Judd Street, which forms the easiest route onwards. Plenty also walk across to Euston.

 

[Dr_Paul]

Only someone called the Northern could say this!

All London terminals have large numbers of commuters who walk to and from their place of work, especially those in the City or near to Whitehall and Westminster. Even the terminal stations on the north side of central London have lots of destinations that are within walking distance.

I agree. Lots of people walk to and from London termini: take a look at Westminster, Hungerford, Waterloo and London Bridges during the rush hour. I commuted to Waterloo or Vauxhall for all my working life, except for two years, and always walked to my workplaces, except in heavy rain when I'd take the bus. I spent seven years at university in Bloomsbury, and usually walked from Waterloo if the weather was reasonable, and it was usually quicker than going by bus.

 

[Hadders]

Yeah learnt something today from KGX, generally thought it would've been like down the 10% levels for people going out of it but guess there is more.

10% - god no!

Even though commuting isn't back at pre-covid levels being at a major London Terminal in the morning peak is a sight to behold. Don't under estimate just how much of a major logistics operation takes place every day.

 

[Falcon1200]

Just curious but why would you walk to Euston Square from Kings Cross?

Where did I mention walking to Euston Square from Kings Cross?!!

I have however often walked between Euston and St Pancras International, this being the simplest and quickest way.

 

[styles]

Just curious but why would you walk to Euston Square from Kings Cross? Seems a bit of a mission when you could just go from Kings Cross Underground direct.

A 15 minute walk is a mission?

Sometimes I walk or cycle between stations instead of taking the Tube because I just want some "fresh" air or a bit of exercise or to grab a bite from that falafel stand outside the college of GPs. There's also a reasonable level of walking involved in going from KX NR platforms to the Underground platforms.

 

[Bletchleyite]

A 15 minute walk is a mission?

Quite.

I don't think it's entirely improbable if arriving at the Thameslink/EMR/Southeastern end and taking the shortest route on foot (the cut through via the housing estate, though the official "Wellbeing Walk" is hardly further) that one might actually walk further doing it by Tube than just walking. It is certainly quicker to walk in my view once waiting time is taken into account.

For what it's worth, unless you use the lifts at both ends I think the same of using the Liverpool loop to get between Lime St and the Northern Line. It's absolutely quicker on foot (you can easily make a 10 minute connection between arriving at Lime St and departing Central and I've done that many times without running, though 8 would probably make it a bit tight), but I think there's a good chance you may actually walk further doing it by rail.

There is an odd mentality in London among tourists, though, of seeing it as a load of unconnected islands connected only by Tube - see people getting the Tube from Leicester Square to Covent Garden - those people might be surprised how easily walkable it is on the surface!

 

[The exile]

There is an odd mentality in London among tourists, though, of seeing it as a load of unconnected islands connected only by Tube - see people getting the Tube from Leicester Square to Covent Garden - those people might be surprised how easily walkable it is on the surface!

No longer possible but a way to give yourself some peace and quiet from annoying visitors: take your leave from them outside Temple station, having armed them with a tube map, and say you’ll meet them at Aldwych!

 

[styles]

There is an odd mentality in London among tourists, though, of seeing it as a load of unconnected islands connected only by Tube - see people getting the Tube from Leicester Square to Covent Garden - those people might be surprised how easily walkable it is on the surface!

I don't think this is restricted to London mind. I think most cities with a metro map have tourists taking metro journeys when walking could be quicker or around the same amount of time.

It doesn't help when even maps apps suggest public transport is quicker:


(image shows a Google Maps plan from King's Cross to Euston Square, which suggests the Tube would take 2 minutes [obviously not true] and walking would take 13 minutes. The bus/Tube options do not account for walking to the relevant platform or bus stop or the time spent waiting for the Tube or bus)

I will concede that during the day when trains are every couple of minutes, a Tube journey may be marginally quicker, but even when this is the case, there's really not much in it.

 

[Snex]

Where did I mention walking to Euston Square from Kings Cross?!!

I have however often walked between Euston and St Pancras International, this being the simplest and quickest way.

A 15 minute walk is a mission?

Sometimes I walk or cycle between stations instead of taking the Tube because I just want some "fresh" air or a bit of exercise or to grab a bite from that falafel stand outside the college of GPs. There's also a reasonable level of walking involved in going from KX NR platforms to the Underground platforms.

I misread the post, was a long day yesterday. Thought the post was Kings Cross to Euston Square (literally), which just seemed bizarre (as it is really).

Absolutely no arguments about Euston to St Pancras / KGX I'd do the same tbh.

 

[Skiddaw]

I have certainly walked from and to Euston many times, thanks to the location of Euston Square station....

I walk between Euston and Paddington (and vice versa). A nice walk and definitely preferable to the tube.

 

[Jimini]

I walk between Euston and Paddington (and vice versa). A nice walk and definitely preferable to the tube.

Horses for courses, I guess. All that traffic along the A501 isn't my cup of tea, but there you go!

 

[Skiddaw]

Horses for courses, I guess. All that traffic along the A501 isn't my cup of tea, but there you go!

Well... it ain't Cumbria that's for sure! It's interesting for the contrast (plus you can avoid the A501 for at least part of the way via side streets and Regents Park).

 

[Falcon1200]

I misread the post, was a long day yesterday.

No problem, thanks.

I walk between Euston and Paddington (and vice versa).

If not in a hurry I take the bus, still, even after TfL wrecked the one direct service (the 205).

 

[xotGD]

What we really want is busy stations with not many homes nearby.

 

[Bald Rick]

I walk between Euston and Paddington (and vice versa). A nice walk and definitely preferable to the tube.

Horses for courses, I guess. All that traffic along the A501 isn't my cup of tea, but there you go!

Well... it ain't Cumbria that's for sure! It's interesting for the contrast (plus you can avoid the A501 for at least part of the way via side streets and Regents Park).

The best way Esuton to Paddington is to go a block or two south of the Euston Rd. Lovely part of London and really quiet!

 

[Jimini]

The best way Esuton to Paddington is to go a block or two south of the Euston Rd. Lovely part of London and really quiet!

True. Some decent boozers as well!

 

[Sealink]

I would never use Sydenham Hill in London when it was dark.

A narrow path through a wood with lots of corners!

 

[Thebaz]

Mitcham Junction is an interesting one - there's not a lot around there. However, latest data says 408K entries and exits, but also lists interchanges as '0' so clearly doesn't take into account that most of the entries and exits are likely to be passengers changing from Tramlink to the rail network and vice versa.

 

[FenMan]

I once walked out of Ebbsfleet International, I don't remember there being many others.

Walking to/from Ebbsfleet International is common when Ebbsfleet United are at home.

 

[Sealink]

Don't know how busy it is but in Ireland, Manulla Junction was reopened only as a passenger transfer point.

 

[PGAT]

Mitcham Junction is an interesting one - there's not a lot around there. However, latest data says 408K entries and exits, but also lists interchanges as '0' so clearly doesn't take into account that most of the entries and exits are likely to be passengers changing from Tramlink to the rail network and vice versa.

More people than usual also access the station by bus