Transfer from Stansted
Oct 17th, 2005, 03:23 AM
#1
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Transfer from Stansted
Guys, I need help. I need to get from Stansted Airport to Paddington Station as fast as possible. A friend suggested that I could take a shuttle bus from the airport, get off at Baker Street or Marble Arch, and walk to the station. How far is it exactly? Can it be done with carry-on luggage? Or would it be better to take the non-stop bus to Victoria? Is there a direct transfer possibility from Victoria to Paddington?
Thank you!
Thank you!
Oct 17th, 2005, 04:08 AM
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I would have it thought it would be quicker to get the Stansted Express train to Liverpool Street mainline rail station (http://www.stanstedexpress.com/), then the Hammersmith & City line or Circle line tube to Paddington.
Oct 17th, 2005, 05:44 AM
#3
I tried posting this before but got one of those "internal server error" messages.
I agree w/ Caroline - the Stansted Express then the tube or a taxi would be best. But you ask for "as fast as possible". This sounds like you have a pretty small window. Just how long do you have for your transfer? Are you taking a specific train from Paddington?
(Sometimes people ask for the fastest way to do something, when they actually don't have enough time to do it at all)
I agree w/ Caroline - the Stansted Express then the tube or a taxi would be best. But you ask for "as fast as possible". This sounds like you have a pretty small window. Just how long do you have for your transfer? Are you taking a specific train from Paddington?
(Sometimes people ask for the fastest way to do something, when they actually don't have enough time to do it at all)
Oct 17th, 2005, 05:45 AM
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The quickest way is the Stansted Express to Tottenham Hale, Victoria Line southbound to Oxford Circus, then the Bakerloo Line northbound to Paddington (you need to look carefully at the platform for the Northbound signs: the cross-platform connection from the Bakerloo takes you to the southbound).
There's a real reliability problem with the alternatives. The bus is coming through congested streets most of the way (so there's a very high chance you take longer than the scheduled time), and it's a 15 min walk from the two stops suggested to Paddington (though hailling a taxi on hte street is pretty easy at Baker St or Marble Arch). Staying on the bus to Victoria adds even more congestion time.
The two tube connections Caroline suggests were, till last week, the most unreliable on the system (till the Northern Line achieved all-time records of sheer awfulness).
There's a real reliability problem with the alternatives. The bus is coming through congested streets most of the way (so there's a very high chance you take longer than the scheduled time), and it's a 15 min walk from the two stops suggested to Paddington (though hailling a taxi on hte street is pretty easy at Baker St or Marble Arch). Staying on the bus to Victoria adds even more congestion time.
The two tube connections Caroline suggests were, till last week, the most unreliable on the system (till the Northern Line achieved all-time records of sheer awfulness).
Oct 18th, 2005, 12:04 AM
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Thank you guys, ever so much! I guess it will be the train then. I presume I can get some kind of a train pass?? I'll be heading to Cardiff. I have to get back to the airport by the 1st of Nov. These train passes are good for several days, right? And I can break the journey? I want to visit some friends at Reading on the way back to London. I checked the train site, but honestly, I'm either retarded, or the explanation is way too complicated.
I haven't been to London since the early 80-s. I'm a bit concerned about getting lost, and missing trains, and such.
I'd appreciate any pointers y'all may have.
ThanX, Margold
I haven't been to London since the early 80-s. I'm a bit concerned about getting lost, and missing trains, and such.
I'd appreciate any pointers y'all may have.
ThanX, Margold
Oct 18th, 2005, 04:19 AM
#6
There is very likely no rail pass that will be cost effective for you. Just buy point to point tickets. Am I right - you are only taking the train to Cardiff, back to Reading and then back to Stansted? Passes work best for folks doing a lot of train trips.
You didn't say how long you have to get from Stansted to Paddington. Are you on a specific schedule -- or did you just want to get to Paddington as soon as possible? And what time of day?
You didn't say how long you have to get from Stansted to Paddington. Are you on a specific schedule -- or did you just want to get to Paddington as soon as possible? And what time of day?
Oct 18th, 2005, 05:17 AM
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It isn't quicker to get off the Stansted Express at Tottenham Hale. One Railway do try to encourage this, but I have no idea why. Maybe it's to ease congestion at Liverpool Street. Continue to Liverpool Street and tube it from there, takes about another 20 mins. If there are tube problems then get a taxi from the rank at Liverpool Street (it's by McDonalds).
Oct 18th, 2005, 05:58 AM
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Janis, Charley was disputing flanner's view that changing at Tottenham Hale & Oxford Circus is better. I have to say I agree with Charley & I would stick to just changing at Liverpool Street. Fewer changes are better as far as I'm concerned, especially when toting luggage, and flanner's way means quite a long walk at Oxford Circus (plus a good chance of getting it wrong).
Oct 18th, 2005, 09:55 AM
#10
oops - You're right Caroline. I read "It isn't . . ." as "Isn't it . . ." Must be latent dyslexia creeping in 
Anyway - I find going through Liverpool Street station(s) fairly congested/semi-frantic. But then again Oxford Circus can be even worse. There really isn't a stress-free way to make this connection.
Anyway - I find going through Liverpool Street station(s) fairly congested/semi-frantic. But then again Oxford Circus can be even worse. There really isn't a stress-free way to make this connection.
Oct 21st, 2005, 02:56 AM
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You're confusing a number of separate issues.
If all you want to do is travel from London to Cardiff, just go online (nationalrail.co.uk) and buy the cheapest fare you can that's compatible with the restrictions imposed by each fare and your requirements. We can't help you much on that: only you know the details of your trip that precisely. If you can't understand the conditions imposed by each fare, you won't be able to understand any explanation we give you. Just concentrate harder.
Forget about passes, unless you're using lots of trains over a concentrated period of time. A London-Cardiff journey can't, in theory, be broken if you're buying the cheapest fares. So on the way back, get off at Reading anyway. Coming back onto the train at Reading, you'll go through an automated ticket barrier, and the barrier will PROBABLY reject your ticket. If so, put on your best and stupidest foreign accent and the likelihood is the man at the manned barrier will just let you through. If he doesn't, go to the nearest ticket machine and buy a single to London.
To get from Stansted to Paddington and back again, we all agree that train+tube is fastest. You can't, sensibly, combine this train journey with your Cardiff journey on a package price, but you will find there's a saving by buying a return Stansted-London ticket.
You still haven't explained why "fastest" is so important. There's only one thing Mrs F and I (who both do this journey several times a week) agree on: if you get the Circle or H+C line between Paddington and East Central London, you'll be late for your meeting or miss your train. So you either take my messy route (fine when all Mrs F's carrying is her stylish Mulberry briefcase), or allow an extra half hour (as I do when I've got the luggage, the laptop and all that stuff Mrs F suggested I might pick up while I'm on my way) and take the Circle Line.
In your case, the least painful route is the train+Circle Line. Unless there's some very particular reason for saving every last second, just allow a bit of extra time. If your flight's due in at 0900, aim for a train at 1200.
But hiring a car or flying to a different airport will be a great deal quicker. Stansted's the last place in Britain I'd fly into if my destination was Cardiff.
If all you want to do is travel from London to Cardiff, just go online (nationalrail.co.uk) and buy the cheapest fare you can that's compatible with the restrictions imposed by each fare and your requirements. We can't help you much on that: only you know the details of your trip that precisely. If you can't understand the conditions imposed by each fare, you won't be able to understand any explanation we give you. Just concentrate harder.
Forget about passes, unless you're using lots of trains over a concentrated period of time. A London-Cardiff journey can't, in theory, be broken if you're buying the cheapest fares. So on the way back, get off at Reading anyway. Coming back onto the train at Reading, you'll go through an automated ticket barrier, and the barrier will PROBABLY reject your ticket. If so, put on your best and stupidest foreign accent and the likelihood is the man at the manned barrier will just let you through. If he doesn't, go to the nearest ticket machine and buy a single to London.
To get from Stansted to Paddington and back again, we all agree that train+tube is fastest. You can't, sensibly, combine this train journey with your Cardiff journey on a package price, but you will find there's a saving by buying a return Stansted-London ticket.
You still haven't explained why "fastest" is so important. There's only one thing Mrs F and I (who both do this journey several times a week) agree on: if you get the Circle or H+C line between Paddington and East Central London, you'll be late for your meeting or miss your train. So you either take my messy route (fine when all Mrs F's carrying is her stylish Mulberry briefcase), or allow an extra half hour (as I do when I've got the luggage, the laptop and all that stuff Mrs F suggested I might pick up while I'm on my way) and take the Circle Line.
In your case, the least painful route is the train+Circle Line. Unless there's some very particular reason for saving every last second, just allow a bit of extra time. If your flight's due in at 0900, aim for a train at 1200.
But hiring a car or flying to a different airport will be a great deal quicker. Stansted's the last place in Britain I'd fly into if my destination was Cardiff.
