London Paddington to Kings Cross?

[highskies]

Hello,

I am pretty much completely new to the london undergrond and have only been on it once by myself and it was a pretty scary experience with everyone rushing around! I need to go on it tomorrow and I'm somewhat confused so any help would be very much appreciated! My journey is:

Bath Spa to London Paddington Rail Station
London Paddington to Kings Cross
Kings Cross to Newcastle

The journey I need help with is Paddington to Kings Cross. I understand that there are a variety of different routes I can take to get to Kings cross (or specifically St Pancras?) But I noticed rail work warnings for london paddington yesterday here http://www.tfl.gov.uk/ and on the national rail website saying that no interchange can take place at london paddington. I addmittedly don't understand what that means! If anyone could help explain that would be great.

Since my tickets are all advanced singles instead of an anytime, if I missed my train from london to newcastle I'll have to pay around £70 for a new one, so its particularly important that I get there on time.

So which route should I take and how long would the journey take? Or could someone point me in the direction as to where I can find this information? If it helps I arrive at Paddington at approx 18:38 and have to be on the train at kings cross to go to newcastle at 19:30 so I have around 50mins for the tube journey. Thank you.

 

[NSEFAN]

TFL journey planner recommends:

Bakerloo line to Baker Street
Metropolitan/Hammersmith & City/Circle to Kings Cross St Pancras

Taking about 15 minutes for this journey. Taking a direct train from Paddington to Kings Cross St Pancras actually takes around 10 minutes longer, so the via Baker Street route is the quickest option. Of course, if you'd rather avoid changing trains, then you can always take the direct train.

To get to the Bakerloo line at Paddington, you have to go down some steps at the main concourse at the front of the station, but the Circle/Hammersmith & City line trains are at the other end of the station (platforms 15 & 16). If your train from Bath arrives on platforms 1 - 9, you can head to the footbridge in the middle of the platform.

This map shows what I mean: 15 & 16 are shown as Hammersmith & City platforms, but the Circle line now uses these too. http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/sjp/PAD/plan.html


The only alternative I can think of is:

Bakerloo line to Oxford Circus
Victoria line to Kings Cross St Pancras

This takes 20 minutes, but I know Oxford Circus better than Baker Street (not so easy to get lost, I find!)

Kings Cross St Pancras is a well sign posted station, so if you follow the directions you should walk out and arrive right in front of King's Cross station.

Don't forget each above journey is just the train travel itself, so you should add another 5-10 minutes for getting in and out of the station, going down escalators, etc. The longest I'd expect this journey to take is 35 minutes, so you should have plenty of connection time with your train to Newcastle.

 

[jopsuk]

Um, the only sensible option (especially for someone that doesn't know the Tube- but also for anyone that does!) is to take the Hammersmith and City/Circle line from platforms 15/16 (part of the main station, and well signposted- follow the pink line on the floor!) at Paddington direct to Kings Cross St Pancras. No long escalators, no changing trains, just a simple straightforward journey. Just get the first train heading east. Easy. I can't see any issues flagged about interchange at Paddington today or this weekend- you haven't said when you'll be travelling.

 

[highskies]

Thanks for the help!

The only other thing I'm worried about is that when checking my journey on national rail it says:

Bakerloo Line

Buses replace trains between Queens Park and Elephant & Castle. Because of this engineering work there will be no interchange with the London Underground at the following stations:

* London Paddington
* London Marylebone
* London Charing Cross
* London Waterloo

Does this mean I can't take the bakerloo line but all the others like circle at still in service?


@jopsuk: Ok thanks for the advice, In my first post I said that I'd be travelling tomorrow and approximately at 18:38.

 

[Royston Vasey]

Um, the only sensible option (especially for someone that doesn't know the Tube- but also for anyone that does!) is to take the Hammersmith and City/Circle line from platforms 15/16 (part of the main station, and well signposted- follow the pink line on the floor!) at Paddington direct to Kings Cross St Pancras. No long escalators, no changing trains, just a simple straightforward journey. Just get the first train heading east. Easy. I can't see any issues flagged about interchange at Paddington today or this weekend- you haven't said when you'll be travelling.

I do this journey frequently and this is good advice. The 10-15 minutes quote is dubious using deep lines and changing at Baker Street. Also if the OP is travelling this weekend the Bakerloo line is closed through central London 28/29 November so this is not an option. I assume this is what you meant by "no interchange"

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/livetravelnews/realtime/track.aspx?offset=weekend

The H&C line is running this weekend, it is fine and the most convenient at both ends. It's worth mentioning that you need to head for the footbridge in the station, not the main underground station. One other thing, never get the Circle line from the deeper platforms between PAD and KGX as you'll have to change at Edgware Road - the Circle line is no longer a circle! The Circle from p15 and p16 is ok!

I am doing Didcot to Sunderland this afternoon so will be doing a similar journey! Hope it goes smoothly.

 

[highskies]

I do this journey frequently and this is good advice. The 10-15 minutes quote is dubious using deep lines and changing at Baker Street. Also if the OP is travelling this weekend the Bakerloo line is closed through central London 28/29 November so this is not an option. I assume this is what you meant by "no interchange"

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/livetravelnews/realtime/track.aspx?offset=weekend

The H&C line is fine and the most convenient at both ends. It's worth mentioning that you need to head for the footbridge in the station, not the main underground station. One other thing, never get the Circle line from the deeper platforms between PAD and KGX as you'll have to change at Edgware Road - the Circle line is no longer a circle! The Circle from p15 and p16 is ok!

I am doing Didcot to Sunderland this afternoon so will be doing a similar journey! Hope it goes smoothly.

Thanks for letting me know. One thing though when you say head for the footbridge in the station, do you mean platforms 15&16 in this diagram? http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/sjp/PAD/plan.html

And thank you!

 

[Royston Vasey]

Thanks for letting me know. One thing though when you say head for the footbridge in the station, do you mean platforms 15&16 in this diagram? http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/sjp/PAD/plan.html

And thank you!

That's the one! And if you're coming in on p1-8 then the steps are on every platform beside coach B/C of your HST

 

[tripleseis]

Why would the TfL journey planner suggest the Bakerloo then change at Baker Street? Bizarre. Regular users will know the best way to KX from Paddington is by the Hammersmith & City or Circle Line.

 

[jopsuk]

I think if you use "Paddington" it assumes the Underground Station on the District/Bakerloo lines as your starting point- appears as "Paddington Underground Station" in the journey details. There's also "Paddington (H&C Line)" and "Paddington National Rail Stn". Interestingly the latter results in using the H&C.

This, frankly, is barmy. The journey planner is surely most of use to non-locals, who'll enter "Paddington" as a start point having arrived by FGW, HEx or Connect. They should be getting sent, for this journey, to the H&C platforms- not down to the Bakerloo or onto the District/Circle to Edgeware Road. This is a weakness in the routing.

Are there any other entries that anyone can find for "Paddington"- there's a huge, bewildering, list for "King's Cross"

 

[jd]

I think if you use "Paddington" it assumes the Underground Station on the District/Bakerloo lines as your starting point- appears as "Paddington Underground Station" in the journey details. There's also "Paddington (H&C Line)" and "Paddington National Rail Stn". Interestingly the latter results in using the H&C.

This, frankly, is barmy. The journey planner is surely most of use to non-locals, who'll enter "Paddington" as a start point having arrived by FGW, HEx or Connect. They should be getting sent, for this journey, to the H&C platforms- not down to the Bakerloo or onto the District/Circle to Edgeware Road. This is a weakness in the routing.

Are there any other entries that anyone can find for "Paddington"- there's a huge, bewildering, list for "King's Cross"

I don't think the journey planner is stupid, I think it defaults to the quickest route between the two NR stations, and as NSEFan pointed out:

TFL journey planner recommends:

Bakerloo line to Baker Street
Metropolitan/Hammersmith & City/Circle to Kings Cross St Pancras

Taking about 15 minutes for this journey. Taking a direct train from Paddington to Kings Cross St Pancras actually takes around 10 minutes longer, so the via Baker Street route is the quickest option. Of course, if you'd rather avoid changing trains, then you can always take the direct train.

It would be better to just go via the H&C though, I agree. It's simpler for people who are unfamiliar with the Underground. I'm just saying I don't think there's some inherent fault with the journey plan, it's just programmed to find the quickest route it can.

 

[jopsuk]

I don't think the journey planner is stupid, I think it defaults to the quickest route between the two NR stations

But it doesn't- as if you put in "Paddington National Rail" it goes to the H&C route.

 

[NSEFAN]

It would be better to just go via the H&C though, I agree. It's simpler for people who are unfamiliar with the Underground. I'm just saying I don't think there's some inherent fault with the journey plan, it's just programmed to find the quickest route it can.

Do the deep level trains run faster than the cut and cover routes? It seems a lot of time gain for such a short distance.

 

[Greenback]

It does seem a bit of a farce. For most people, it's much easier to go via the H&C, particularly when coming up from the Wes ton an HST - you could be at Edgware Road before you'd get to the Bakerloo platforms!

 

[Whistlekiller]

It does seem a bit of a farce. For most people, it's much easier to go via the H&C, particularly when coming up from the Wes ton an HST - you could be at Edgware Road before you'd get to the Bakerloo platforms!

Avoid all deep level tubes where possible. They're hot and sweaty even in winter and usually require awkward access via long escalators in central areas. Any option you get take District, Circle, Hammersmith and City or Metropolitan lines. The tube map's easy to follow so use that.

 

[Greenback]

I completely agree. As Mrs G hates deep level tubes, and isn't too happy on the sub surface lines, we usually take the bus. However, she has agreed to the H&C when we next go up to Scotland from Kings Cross!

 

[jd]

Avoid all deep level tubes where possible. They're hot and sweaty even in winter and usually require awkward access via long escalators in central areas. Any option you get take District, Circle, Hammersmith and City or Metropolitan lines. The tube map's easy to follow so use that.

I guess it depends on the journey though - my regular one is Euston to/from Victoria - not really practical on an SSL. Having said that, I sometimes just walk it now...

Just a thought, is it possible that the route that said the Bakerloo via Baker St would be quicker was set with the Bakerloo line station as the starting point, and therefore the route via the H&C included some typically over-inflated walking time from the Bakerloo station to the H&C platforms before the actual travel time?

 

[Greenback]

That could well be the case. For those less able to walk, is there a bus between Euston and Victoria these days?

 

[jd]

That could well be the case. For those less able to walk, is there a bus between Euston and Victoria these days?

There's at least one... *looks it up* yes, the 73 runs Euston to Victoria via Gower Street, Oxford Street and Park Lane.

 

[jopsuk]

I guess it depends on the journey though - my regular one is Euston to/from Victoria - not really practical on an SSL. Having said that, I sometimes just walk it now...

Just a thought, is it possible that the route that said the Bakerloo via Baker St would be quicker was set with the Bakerloo line station as the starting point, and therefore the route via the H&C included some typically over-inflated walking time from the Bakerloo station to the H&C platforms before the actual travel time?

This is exactly what happened (and what my point was)- "Paddington" as a search term on the TfL journey planner defaults, without asking, to the Bakerloo/District Line station, and assumes you're inside it.