Paddington to King's Cross - quickest way?

[yorkie]

Does anyone know the quickest way to get from an arriving Heathrow Express train to King's Cross?

Two ideas spring to mind:

• Alight from the very front of the train, head to the Bakerloo Line, and change at Oxford Circus (edit: alight 3rd coach from rear) for the Victoria Line (exit at the very rear, for Euston Road exit)?

or

• Alight from further back (around coach 5 maybe?), head to the Hammersmith & City Line, alight from the very front at King's Cross.

If anyone can advise on which coach (& door) to make the quickest possible connection that would be greatly appreciated! I've had a go at guessing above, but any corrections or confirmation would be useful.

It may make a difference depending on time of day of course; this would also be useful to know (my next trip is mid afternoon on a weekday).

Many thanks in advance

 

[Kilopylae]

Is the H&C sufficiently infrequent that it might be best to look at live train times (do those exist for the Tube?) when arriving at Paddington and then make the decision on the spot?

 

[jfollows]

Is the H&C sufficiently infrequent that it might be best to look at live train times (do those exist for the Tube?) when arriving at Paddington and then make the decision on the spot?

H&C used to be every 5 minutes and takes 13 minutes, so 18 minutes if you just miss one.
EDIT Latest timetable at https://content.tfl.gov.uk/wtt-35-circle-and-hammersmith-and-city-21-may-2017.pdf

However, TFl shows a train every 10 minutes (attachment shows 14:10, 14:19, 14:29, 14:39, 14:49, 14:59 departures from Paddington, for example) (https://tfl.gov.uk/tube/timetable/hammersmith-city?FromId=940GZZLUPAH&fromText=Paddington+(H&C+Line)-Underground&toText=King's+Cross+St.+Pancras+Underground+Station&ToId=940GZZLUKSX&SelectedTime=14)

Heathrow Express arrives 02, 17, 32, 47 I think.

 

[mchunt]

H&C used to be every 5 minutes and takes 13 minutes, so 18 minutes if you just miss one.
EDIT Latest timetable at https://content.tfl.gov.uk/wtt-35-circle-and-hammersmith-and-city-21-may-2017.pdf

However, TFl shows a train every 10 minutes (attachment shows 14:10, 14:19, 14:29, 14:39, 14:49, 14:59 departures from Paddington, for example) (https://tfl.gov.uk/tube/timetable/hammersmith-city?FromId=940GZZLUPAH&fromText=Paddington+(H&C+Line)-Underground&toText=King's+Cross+St.+Pancras+Underground+Station&ToId=940GZZLUKSX&SelectedTime=14)

Heathrow Express arrives 02, 17, 32, 47 I think.

View attachment 101609

Paddington to Kings Cross is still every 5 minutes normally - train every 10 minutes on H&C and then every 10 minutes on the Circle line.

 

[jfollows]

Paddington to Kings Cross is still every 5 minutes normally - train every 10 minutes on H&C and then every 10 minutes on the Circle line.

Of course, thank you for correcting me. I'd always go this way because it involves much less walking throughout, because I can't run, so would be both quicker and easier for me. I suspect that'd be true in general also.

 

[DelW]

Paddington to Kings Cross is still every 5 minutes normally - train every 10 minutes on H&C and then every 10 minutes on the Circle line.

Deleted, thought it through again

 

[ainsworth74]

Doesn't the Circle line mean changing at Edgware Road as well? (unless going the long way round of course!)

Not if you pick it up from the Hammersmith & City platforms. It's only District line platforms where you'd have to change again at Edgeware Road.

 

[jfollows]

Deleted, thought it through again

I probably started out with exactly the same thought!

 

[jfollows]

So you end up with something like
Paddington arr. xx.02 - H&C platform d. xx.10 - King's Cross a. xx.22
xx.17-xx.24-xx.37
xx.32-xx.39-xx.52
xx.47-xx.54-xy.07

and a bit quicker if you're really lucky with the connection at Paddington.

 

[edwin_m]

Coming from Heathrow, is Hex plus the change at Paddington any quicker than the through journey on the Piccadilly?

 

[jfollows]

Coming from Heathrow, is Hex plus the change at Paddington any quicker than the through journey on the Piccadilly?

Assuming starting T3, Heathrow Express is 15 minutes plus 20 minutes (see above) so 35 minutes versus just under an hour on the Piccadilly. But you might have to wait longer for the first Heathrow Express train, so possibly 45 minutes, say, taking this into account.

EDIT If you note that the Piccadilly line is every 5 minutes and add 50% of the service interval as average wait time in both cases then you get a comparison of 43 minutes using Heathrow Express versus 59 minutes using the Piccadilly Line. Worst case 15 minute wait for Heathrow Express versus no wait for Piccadilly Line is still 50 minutes versus 56 minutes.

 

[DelW]

Not if you pick it up from the Hammersmith & City platforms. It's only District line platforms where you'd have to change again at Edgeware Road.

Yes, that occurred to me a bit late . I still haven't got used to the idea of catching Circle line trains from the H&C platforms rather than Praed Street, it doesn't seem right somehow!

 

[jfollows]

• Alight from further back (around coach 5 maybe?), head to the Hammersmith & City Line, alight from the very front at King's Cross.

If anyone can advise on which coach (& door) to make the quickest possible connection that would be greatly appreciated! I've had a go at guessing above, but any corrections or confirmation would be useful.

I can only guess the same as you - back of the train from Heathrow. Anyone else? (I only used the Heathrow Express once and that was because I had a Britrail pass which included it, and I used it to get to T4 (so that dates it to before when Terminal 5 was commissioned) from where I could walk to Bedfont Lakes!)

 

[yorkie]

Coming from Heathrow, is Hex plus the change at Paddington any quicker than the through journey on the Piccadilly?

I'm got to the platform at T5 1253; let's see what time I get to Kings Cross. This train departs 1257.

I suspect it may have taken me a little longer to get to the Piccadilly platforms at T5 but the earliest arrival into KGX would be around 1355.

Arrived PAD 1316, it was then a further 24 mins to KGX via Oxford Circus (17 min on the tube); I think going via H&C will generally be quicker if the service is good.

So an overall journey time of 43 minutes with quick walking and use of optimal exits.

 

[jfollows]

So hopefully 13:19 to King's Cross arrive 13:32 but if not 13:24 for 13:37 arrival
Are you trying to get a specific train from King's Cross or just the earliest one you can to your destination?

 

[yorkie]

So hopefully 13:19 to King's Cross arrive 13:32 but if not 13:24 for 13:37 arrival
Are you trying to get a specific train from King's Cross or just the earliest one you can to your destination?

I had plenty of time in the event, but I was concerned that if I was running late it may be tight.

Thanks to all who answered It could be useful for others in future, too.

 

[Ianno87]

Hammersmith & City line in my view.

10 years ago, I'd have said Oxford Circus.

 

[jfollows]

Hammersmith & City line in my view.

10 years ago, I'd have said Oxford Circus.

Presumably because the H&C service wasn't frequent enough until recently?

 

[Falcon1200]

• Alight from further back (around coach 5 maybe?), head to the Hammersmith & City Line, alight from the very front at King's Cross.

Something to bear in mind for that route, if luggage, prams or elderly people are involved, is that the exit from mid-platform at Paddington is only via steps; There are escalators and lifts but these are at the far north side of the main concourse, so an even longer walk is required !

 

[cactustwirly]

Paddington to Kings Cross is still every 5 minutes normally - train every 10 minutes on H&C and then every 10 minutes on the Circle line.

It's not always every 5 minutes, it can be 3/7 minute gaps.

When coming from Kings Cross I'd always get the first train regardless of being the Met line, or H&C and get the Bakerloo from Baker Street. This can be quicker than waiting 7 minutes for a direct train.

It really depends on what platform you arrive, if it's 14, 12-10 then it will be quicker to get the H&C line.

If you're 1-5 then I'd say Bakerloo to Baker Street and then Met to Kings X, the Victoria line is rarely quicker, unless you are really unlucky and hit a huge gap in the Met line service

 

[DanNCL]

Definitely platform dependent at Paddington. 1-9 I would normally take the Bakerloo to Baker Street then the Metropolitan. 10-14 I'd normally take Hammersmith & City/Circle straight through.

Normally I'd only consider the route via Oxford Circus if there was disruption on the sub surface lines. The cross platform interchange between the Bakerloo and Victoria at Oxford Circus is Northbound-Northbound and Southbound-Southbound so for Paddington-King's Cross going via Oxford Circus it wouldn't be a cross platform interchange.

Heading the opposite way, I'd take whichever westbound train arrives first at Kings Cross St Pancras, if that's a Metropolitan train changing at Baker Street for the Bakerloo.

 

[Chris Butler]

Does anyone know the quickest way to get from an arriving Heathrow Express train to King's Cross?

Two ideas spring to mind:

• Alight from the very front of the train, head to the Bakerloo Line, and change at Oxford Circus (edit: alight 3rd coach from rear) for the Victoria Line (exit at the very rear, for Euston Road exit)?

or

• Alight from further back (around coach 5 maybe?), head to the Hammersmith & City Line, alight from the very front at King's Cross.

If anyone can advise on which coach (& door) to make the quickest possible connection that would be greatly appreciated! I've had a go at guessing above, but any corrections or confirmation would be useful.

It may make a difference depending on time of day of course; this would also be useful to know (my next trip is mid afternoon on a weekday).

Many thanks in advance

As you arrive at Paddington you can see the H&C line from as far back as Westbourne Park. Sometimes you can see that you've just missed a H&C train. Depending on times etc. that sometimes swings the pendulum away from that route for me.

 

[Kite159]

This is where I miss the old direct entrance to the Bakerloo line as it avoided having to do the long walk towards the "District Line" gateline and come back along a narrow passageway (where if in a hurry you will no doubt get stuck behind a slow walker).

 

[Kilopylae]

I assume after COVID it will be re-opened?

 

[Hadders]

I'd normally say H&C Line is best if a good service is operating, ideally it's best to try and look at live departure boards online to try and see what's happening. Via Oxford Circus is a good back-up but it's not a cross platform interchange.

Also if getting the H&C travel at the front of the train for a speedy exit via the tube ticket hall at Kings Cross.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

As you arrive at Paddington you can see the H&C line from as far back as Westbourne Park. Sometimes you can see that you've just missed a H&C train. Depending on times etc. that sometimes swings the pendulum away from that route for me.

But surely if you see from your incoming train that you've just missed one, that would mean that by the time you've walked over to the H&C platforms you'd very likely be just in time to catch the following one?

 

[Falcon1200]

Probably doesn't apply now, but pre-Covid eastbound H&C trains could be extremely busy, so much so that I would occasionally take a westbound to Royal Oak and cross the platform there to be sure on getting on an eastbound !

 

[Ianno87]

I assume after COVID it will be re-opened?

Nothing to do with Covid, it's closed due to construction of the Paddington tower.

 

[Chris Butler]

But surely if you see from your incoming train that you've just missed one, that would mean that by the time you've walked over to the H&C platforms you'd very likely be just in time to catch the following one?

It depends on so many factors that are impossible (and of no value) to list. The point was that it's an extra piece of info that may (or may not) change the decision.

 

[Peter Sarf]

I would go for H&C platforms alongside Paddington unless I know there is disruption. Three reasons firstly it is a lot less walking than to the deep level platforms at both ends, secondly it is half the risk from disruption (going via Oxford circus relies on two separate lines to work correctly) and third it is a long walk for the change at Oxford Circus.