Londoners: What's the best public transport option from Heathrow to Kings Cross?

[markemark]

I bet there are a few lime bikes dumped on the pavements round Heathrow. They get everywhere.

They’ve changed it now so they can only be left in designated areas. If anyone tries to leave it elsewhere the hire does not end and the cyclist is still paying.

 

[mjr]

I bet there are a few lime bikes dumped on the pavements round Heathrow. They get everywhere.

But would the app let you hire them?

And the main reason they get 'dumped' is the horrendous shortage of cycle parking, like most of the UK.

 

[mjr]

They’ve changed it now so they can only be left in designated areas. If anyone tries to leave it elsewhere the hire does not end and the cyclist is still paying.

Assuming it was hired and not forced.

 

[markemark]

Assuming it was hired and not forced.

Indeed. The click click click of unhired lime bikes is common.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Better than what, though? Most of England is a transport disaster zone, so simply still having a functioning network means the cities are better.

I've noticed that in cities, it takes a long time to get a short distance, much longer than you'd expect. Worse, as soon as you have to change the time required expands rapidly: I had to allow an hour to make the 15km to work in Stuttgart, and yet it takes me just over 35 min door to door from home to work here, even though ot's about 20 very rural km from my tiny village to my job in Tübingen. We have less trains, it's true, but they get you there quicker.

 

[Dogtrousers]

I've noticed that in cities, it takes a long time to get a short distance, much longer than you'd expect. Worse, as soon as you have to change the time required expands rapidly: I had to allow an hour to make the 15km to work in Stuttgart, and yet it takes me just over 35 min door to door from home to work here, even though ot's about 20 very rural km from my tiny village to my job in Tübingen. We have less trains, it's true, but they get you there quicker.

There's a meme or something that I've seen discussed that "It takes an hour to get to anywhere from anywhere in London". It's not a bad rule of thumb. 15 minutes faffing around getting to a tube or train. Half an hour's travel. 15 minutes faffing.

 

[Pblakeney]

There's a meme or something that I've seen discussed that "It takes an hour to get to anywhere from anywhere in London". It's not a bad rule of thumb. 15 minutes faffing around getting to a tube or train. Half an hour's travel. 15 minutes faffing.

I noticed that in Montreal. By the time you'd made your way down to the underground, waited, travelled, and made your way back up you'd have been quicker walking if less than 2 miles. Made much more sense in the winter though. 😉

 

[T4tomo]

There's a meme or something that I've seen discussed that "It takes an hour to get to anywhere from anywhere in London". It's not a bad rule of thumb. 15 minutes faffing around getting to a tube or train. Half an hour's travel. 15 minutes faffing.

its probably not bad rule of thumb in the suburbs.

I left a meeting in the city yesterday and 20 mins later (google timeline actually say 17) walked into a bar in the West End.
A triumph for the central line, not having to change tubes and both places being very near the tube stations.

I tend to reckon on add 1/2 an hour from when your train arrives at Euston to then get to where you're actually going in central london.

 

[markemark]

It's also likely true for central London if you religiously follow the tube maps which bear little relation to over ground distances. However if you are familiar with central London you can save a huge amount of time with short walks which can save (multiple) tube changes and unnecessary stops

 

[T4tomo]

It's also likely true for central London if you religiously follow the tube maps which bear little relation to over ground distances. However if you are familiar with central London you can save a huge amount of time with short walks which can save (multiple) tube changes and unnecessary stops

yes a non-change tube journey not necessarily from the nearest station(s) to start and finish point is often quicker than changing tubes. also remembering which lines are near each other when you change and which are a pain in the arse such as Picadil to Vic line at Green park for example

 

[markemark]

 

[mjr]

It's also likely true for central London if you religiously follow the tube maps which bear little relation to over ground distances. However if you are familiar with central London you can save a huge amount of time with short walks which can save (multiple) tube changes and unnecessary stops

Hire bike is often faster in central London, especially if you avoid the overloaded routes past Parliament.

 

[Paulus]

It's also likely true for central London if you religiously follow the tube maps which bear little relation to over ground distances. However if you are familiar with central London you can save a huge amount of time with short walks which can save (multiple) tube changes and unnecessary stops

The best example of this is i can think off is travelling from Bayswater to Queensway. Get on at Bayswater, change at Notting hill gate onto the central line, exit at Queensway, and you are about 100 metres down the road from where you started.

 

[T4tomo]

When I started work, one of the other new grads confessed to having taken the tube from Farringdon to Chancery Lane 🤣

 

[Reynard]

I'd go for Piccadilly line. It's just less faff all the way. Besides, Farringdon gets arsey busy, and I used to commute to uni via Kings Cross and Paddington (train to West Drayton) and it was fiddly. Do-able early in the morning or later in the evening, but forget it during the day.

The problem with landing at Stansted is that if you want to go North, it is often easier to go to London first. Otherwise you can find yourself zigzag zagging across the country at great expense.

No it's not. Stanstead Express to Ely, pop two stops over to Peterborough and from there, GNER northwards. There's far worse places to wait for a train than Ely station.