[LEL17] Travel Advice

[Ham]

My daughter lives in Stratford, on the Olympic park, and yesterday travelled there from Heathrow on the tube after arriving with me from JFK. It took an hour and a half, starting at 7:30 am. Admittedly she didn't have a bike, but she did have two suitcases. She would argue that Stratford is an excellent place to base your family for a week or so as transport connections are so good (and the park and Westfield are pretty good facilities to be next door to), but she's biased. I prefer Cape Town, but that's about as irrelevant as most of the answers here.

Then she almost certainly used the Picadilly line, doing it Heathrow Express stylee to Paddington would bring it to sub 1 hour.  (c 15 minutes heathrow express, 20 on the tube, unfortunately changing at Edgware road, it's easier than going to the circle/hammersmith & city platform @ Paddington since the buggers stopped it going in proper circles, 10 on the train to Stratford, the rest trudging and waiting)

[inappropriate_bike]

Then she almost certainly used the Picadilly line, doing it Heathrow Express stylee to Paddington would bring it to sub 1 hour.

I don't believe it is possible to get from Heathrow to Stratford in under an hour without being very fit, very lucky with connections, and very willing to trample other people.

Even the "15 minutes" from Heathrow to Paddington takes no account of:

 - It takes a minute to get to the HEX platforms
 - On average you'll wait 7.5 mins for the next train
 - Most people land at T4 or T5, so the train takes at least 19 minutes (not 15)
 - The walk to the tube station or taxi rank at Paddington takes 5 minutes

So that's more than 30 minutes elapsed before you even get on a tube. 1.5 hours for the whole journey is really very good.

[Martin]

I don't know if Canadian debit cards necessarily do contactless on Oyster touchpads.

UK contactless worked in Canada last week (most places)

[Ham]

Then she almost certainly used the Picadilly line, doing it Heathrow Express stylee to Paddington would bring it to sub 1 hour.

I don't believe it is possible to get from Heathrow to Stratford in under an hour without being very fit, very lucky with connections, and very willing to trample other people.

Even the "15 minutes" from Heathrow to Paddington takes no account of:

 - It takes a minute to get to the HEX platforms
 - On average you'll wait 7.5 mins for the next train
 - Most people land at T4 or T5, so the train takes at least 19 minutes (not 15)
 - The walk to the tube station or taxi rank at Paddington takes 5 minutes

So that's more than 30 minutes elapsed before you even get on a tube. 1.5 hours for the whole journey is really very good.

Depends when you count from (and to). I'd use when you step onto the platform as the start point (and stepping off at Stratford as the end) in which case you will make it without any fuss, truly. What many fail to appreciate is the the frequency and speed of the overground trains from Liverpool to Stratford (normal journey time 7 mins, lots and lots of trains), which is why I bothered to comment on it in the first place.

[Greenbank]

The TFL travel planner gives consistent journey times under 1h for Heathrow T1,2,3 to Stratford, and I find it gives enough walking/transfer time even for me with a recalcitrant child.

[Moleman76]

In the for-what-it's-worth department, my pre-LEL destination is (at present) the Lee Valley Hostel in Cheshunt.  Combinations of airport express trains, Underground, and Overground rail seem to work.

Flying from Seattle, Washington, on the upper left corner of the USA.

If I fly to Heathrow, I can take the Heathrow Express (really fast, costly) to Paddington, or Heathrow Connect, 1/2 to 1/3 as fast, and 1/2 the cost, also to Paddington.  Two different Underground lines, both bike-permitting (though my bike will be in a padded bag at the time, thus "luggage") go to Liverpool Street Station, where I can take the Overground to Cheshunt.

If I fly to Gatwick, I can take the Gatwick Express to Victoria station, and then either of the same two Underground lines around to Liverpool Street, and then the Overground, etc.

For flights from or to western North America, Heathrow and Gatwick seem to be the "only" airports -- at least for airlines which I can fly using frequent flyer miles, and which also have at most one stopover.

[TimC]

My daughter lives in Stratford, on the Olympic park, and yesterday travelled there from Heathrow on the tube after arriving with me from JFK. It took an hour and a half, starting at 7:30 am. Admittedly she didn't have a bike, but she did have two suitcases. She would argue that Stratford is an excellent place to base your family for a week or so as transport connections are so good (and the park and Westfield are pretty good facilities to be next door to), but she's biased. I prefer Cape Town, but that's about as irrelevant as most of the answers here.

Then she almost certainly used the Picadilly line, doing it Heathrow Express stylee to Paddington would bring it to sub 1 hour.  (c 15 minutes heathrow express, 20 on the tube, unfortunately changing at Edgware road, it's easier than going to the circle/hammersmith & city platform @ Paddington since the buggers stopped it going in proper circles, 10 on the train to Stratford, the rest trudging and waiting)

Piccadilly to Green Park, Jubilee to Stratford. One change, all doable on an Oyster Card (not valid on HREX).

[TimC]

In the for-what-it's-worth department, my pre-LEL destination is (at present) the Lee Valley Hostel in Cheshunt.  Combinations of airport express trains, Underground, and Overground rail seem to work.

Flying from Seattle, Washington, on the upper left corner of the USA.

If I fly to Heathrow, I can take the Heathrow Express (really fast, costly) to Paddington, or Heathrow Connect, 1/2 to 1/3 as fast, and 1/2 the cost, also to Paddington.  Two different Underground lines, both bike-permitting (though my bike will be in a padded bag at the time, thus "luggage") go to Liverpool Street Station, where I can take the Overground to Cheshunt.

If I fly to Gatwick, I can take the Gatwick Express to Victoria station, and then either of the same two Underground lines around to Liverpool Street, and then the Overground, etc.

For flights from or to western North America, Heathrow and Gatwick seem to be the "only" airports -- at least for airlines which I can fly using frequent flyer miles, and which also have at most one stopover.

Delta and Air France both fly to Paris from Seattle; Air France, FlyBe and Cityjet fly from there to London City. Similar connections can be had via Amsterdam or Frankfurt. Could work out cheaper and more convenient than Heathrow or Gatwick.

[yorkie]

My daughter lives in Stratford, on the Olympic park, and yesterday travelled there from Heathrow on the tube after arriving with me from JFK. It took an hour and a half, starting at 7:30 am. Admittedly she didn't have a bike, but she did have two suitcases. She would argue that Stratford is an excellent place to base your family for a week or so as transport connections are so good (and the park and Westfield are pretty good facilities to be next door to), but she's biased. I prefer Cape Town, but that's about as irrelevant as most of the answers here.

Then she almost certainly used the Picadilly line, doing it Heathrow Express stylee to Paddington would bring it to sub 1 hour.  (c 15 minutes heathrow express, 20 on the tube, unfortunately changing at Edgware road, it's easier than going to the circle/hammersmith & city platform @ Paddington since the buggers stopped it going in proper circles, 10 on the train to Stratford, the rest trudging and waiting)

Piccadilly to Green Park, Jubilee to Stratford. One change, all doable on an Oyster Card (not valid on HREX).

...or alternatively: Piccadilly to Hammersmith, cross platform change to the District to Mile End, cross platform change to the Central to Stratford. Granted it's 2 changes, but they're both straight across the platform and on to the next train - no steps, no long schleps along corridors, no escalators! Likewise doable on Oyster.

[Moleman76]

Delta and Air France both fly to Paris from Seattle; Air France, FlyBe and Cityjet fly from there to London City. Similar connections can be had via Amsterdam or Frankfurt. Could work out cheaper and more convenient than Heathrow or Gatwick.

It does come down, for me, to the frequent flyer network I can tap into (BA, direct to Heathrow; Icelandair, on-line transfer en-route, to LHR or LGW), and my destination at Lee Valley / Cheshunt.  Adding an hour or so of flight time to come back to London, more involved changes of planes / airlines, wondering if bike bag will be on the plane, and then getting over to an Overground line up to the hostel ... it just seems simpler the way I'm looking at.  But, for others, "YMMV"

[L.Lagopus]

In the for-what-it's-worth department, my pre-LEL destination is (at present) the Lee Valley Hostel in Cheshunt.  Combinations of airport express trains, Underground, and Overground rail seem to work.

Flying from Seattle, Washington, on the upper left corner of the USA.

If I fly to Heathrow, I can take the Heathrow Express (really fast, costly) to Paddington, or Heathrow Connect, 1/2 to 1/3 as fast, and 1/2 the cost, also to Paddington.  Two different Underground lines, both bike-permitting (though my bike will be in a padded bag at the time, thus "luggage") go to Liverpool Street Station, where I can take the Overground to Cheshunt.

If I fly to Gatwick, I can take the Gatwick Express to Victoria station, and then either of the same two Underground lines around to Liverpool Street, and then the Overground, etc.

For flights from or to western North America, Heathrow and Gatwick seem to be the "only" airports -- at least for airlines which I can fly using frequent flyer miles, and which also have at most one stopover.

As an Alaskan, I must register my objection to your statement that Seattle is on the upper left corner of the USA.

[jsabine]

Upper left of the contiguous USA any better?

[Moleman76]

Upper left of the contiguous USA any better?

It is hard to pin them down when Alaska is the most northerly, westerly, and easterly state in the USA, and if superimposed on a map of us lower-48-ians, stretches all the way across.

there's the upper left corner, and the upperest leftest corner - how's that?

[L.Lagopus]

Upper left of the contiguous USA any better?

It is hard to pin them down when Alaska is the most northerly, westerly, and easterly state in the USA, and if superimposed on a map of us lower-48-ians, stretches all the way across.

there's the upper left corner, and the upperest leftest corner - how's that?

Much better.
Anyway, for 2013 I stayed in central London and took a bus in from Heathrow (British Airways ran the bus, if I recall correctly, but I may not be recalling correctly). That was easy and not too expensive. For registration I found a group of folks riding out from Buckingham Palace and joined them. And for the day of the ride, I joined the prologue also from Buckingham palace. I am not sure how I would have gotten myself and bike out to the start otherwise.  For 2017 I will try to find a place to stay more convenient to the start, and less convenient to tourist attractions.

[canuckystan]

We (family of 4) were going to stay in Stratford but some helpful folks on here thought it wouldn't be a great place to leave the family while I ride LEL.  Is Woodford any better?  A few options there and it looks to be a short ride to Loughton and the start.

 

[hellymedic]

I have never stayed in Woodford but have visited.
It doesn't seem unpleasant, just BORING '30s suburban architecture, much like this end of London.

[canuckystan]

"Not unpleasant" is a lot better than the descriptions I received for Stratford...

[red marley]

It depends on what your family are after for their stay. Stratford has the Olympic park on its doorstep, nice walks along the river and canal, cinema, theatre, more shopping at Westfield than a mortal can bear and feels very 'London'. It also has excellent public transport connections to more central London. Woodford is much more of suburban edge of town settlement that feels more 'Essex' than 'London'. Quieter (comparatively) than Stratford and closer to more rural feeling Essex.

Personally I prefer the Stratford vibe to the Woodford one, but you may be after something different.

[Mr Larrington]

Woodford Green is almost village-y, Woodford Bridge is generic suburbia and South Woodford has a Waitrose (I think).

[Ham]

The best place to stay in the locality is probably the Travelodge in Snaresbrook. Best, because it's not overpriced, Wanstead High Street has some very good eateries and pubs, and Snaresbrook Station is 3 minutes away, to whisk you into town in 20 minutes. Lots of nice walking thereabouts, no real excitement to be had.  We're quite poorly served for hotels in this part of London.

Compared to Stratford it would be quieter, cheaper, more pleasant living (? Travelodge) and eating, 10 minutes longer travel.

[chrisbainbridge]

St Albans is not a million miles away and is within a short train ride of London but has lots of antique type stuff with a small British town feel?

[hellymedic]

Thameslink (or whaetver they call it) is VERY unreliable; great when it runs on weekdays and frequently shit at weekends, with long intervals timetabled and numerous cancellations.

NO, just NO! Sorry chrisbainbridge. Getting stranded for 90 minutes at a Thameslink station is not an experience I would recommend. I'm sure my partner would agree.

(We live 2 miles from Mill Hill Broadway station and partner has used this line a lot but it's been unhappy rather often. Erstwhile schoolmate lives in St Albans and is frequently disappointed.)

[Phil W]

It seems your choice is focused around a short distance to the start for you rather than what the other 3 of your family might want. I'm sure they'd prefer to be in the centre of London within easy reach of all the sites over the week they'll be here.   For the cost of a couple of mini bus taxi rides both you and your family could have a great start / end to your time here.  On the Saturday registration day there's no bike check required. No need to bring the bike down that day. So you could either take the train or jump in a taxi then. Then Sunday and your return just get a taxi mini bus or estate and chuck the bike in to get back to the hotel the family is at.

[Ham]

It seems your choice is focused around a short distance to the start for you rather than what the other 3 of your family might want. I'm sure they'd prefer to be in the centre of London within easy reach of all the sites over the week they'll be here.  For the cost of a couple of mini bus taxi rides both you and your family could have a great start / end to your time here.  On the Saturday registration day there's no bike check required. No need to bring the bike down that day. So you could either take the train or jump in a taxi then. Then Sunday and your return just get a taxi mini bus or estate and chuck the bike in to get back to the hotel the family is at.

Only it isn't that, at all. The balance is the cost of staying in a west end hotel, vs a suburban one, for a family of 4 that difference will likely be more than the mini cab cost. Then, you would have to know where  canuckystan and his family would rather stay. Any Londoner  knows that if you are near a tube station up to zone 4, you can be anywhere in next to no time for remarkably low cost, the key is location. We even have 24 hour tube these days.

Holiday Inn Stratford is ideal in many ways, you step out the hotel into the station. Likewise the Travelodge. I've heard the HI recommended, I've heard nothing about the TL. Both Stratford and Wanstead are quite vibrant areas which would be quite fun for a visitor to be in, without quite the expense of West London areas.

That  canuckystan is considering alternatives to central London suggests that he and  his family might have a preference for that, for whatever reason, uninformed opinion of the quality of the localities being considered probably doesn't assist too much.

[Frank9755]

I advised you against Stratford, but if Woodford is the alternative, I'd change my view - unless your family are yearning a few days in a quiet suburb...