Transport Advice - Heathrow to Kings Cross St/Clink78
 

In May, I will arriving at Heathrow airport at around 7pm and by the time I clear customs and such it will be around 8-9pm. Considering I will be a 20year old lone female, what would your opinion on taking the tube to Kings Cross Station and walking to Clink78? Do you think it would save me a lot of hassle and be much safer to just spend the 80pounds and take a cab/taxi?
Thank you!

Hi Steph, a taxi wil never cost 80 pounds. Have a look at car services such as Just Airports and book a car instead of taking a black cab at Heathrow. But it is not necessary to spend that much, taking the tube to King's Cross is easy and inexpensive; it's one direct line. That hostel is just a short walk from King's Cross, not a problem at all to walk that.
If you are out of Heathrow by 8 pm you'll be at King's Cross at 9 pm.

tube is very safe. Area will be very busy. I'd happily walk it.

Thanks, Tulips, for the quick reply!
The tube was originally my plan, but once I realised how late it would be, my main concern is the safety of being in the tube and walking from Kings Cross to Clink78 with all my luggage by myself. It's my first time in London so I just wanted to see how safe that would seem to someone who knows the area and such.
So, you'd say stick with the tube?

Okay, I guess I'll be going with the tube.

Thank you!

I don't think it will take you two hours to get through Heathrow. With hand luggage and within Europe it takes me half an hour. Probably a bit longer coming from the US.

And in May sunset is around 9 pm; it's not the middle of the night.

I would have no problem walking there in the evening.

at 9:00pm the area will be busy

The only argument against the tube would be if your luggage is too much to manhandle up stairs and escalators. I believe there are lifts from platform to station exit level at Kings Cross, but I can't say I've seen them signposted.

TfL claim there IS lift access from the Piccadilly Line platform to the street exit at KX. Like Patrick, I've never seen it signposted, but then I never look.

The area round the station will be (very) busy at 9-10 pm, which makes it safe but possibly a tad confusing. Follow signs for exits to Kings Cross (not St Pancras)station, and print off a map - from somewhere like Google Maps - of the walking route between the station and the hostel: inputting the hostel's full 9-character postcode will take you to the hostel itself.

Don't worry about stopping to look at the map en route, though try to do so somewhere you're not going to hold up the pedestrian or vehicular traffic. Those crowds are highly unlikely to contain potential pickpopckets - but there'll be lots of people anxious to catch a train who won't take kindly to unnecessary obstacles.

Absolutely take the tube . . . unless you take too much luggage (which you should't)

This worries me a bit >>with <B><u>all</B></u> my luggage by myself. <<

How much is 'all'? If you have a lot it will be a schlepp (and will be a problem at the hostel as well)

But if you do have a ton of stuff - then a pre-booked car service like justairports.com will cost about £35 - not nearly £80. But if you do have a lot of luggage justairports might insist on a larger vehicle and the fare could be as much as £45. This <u>must</u> be pre-booked.

If you take the tube, study this map. http://parkinginstevenage.files.word...grade-map1.gif
This shows the Picadilly line and the location of the lift which appears to take you right to the main floor of King's Cross station. A taxi from here would cost very little, or the 63 bus from right in front of the station will get you to the hostel.

If walking and not using the lift, it looks like then you should follow the signs for the Victoria line then straight past to the exit on Pentonville Rd. Then just 6 short blocks from that exit, just need to make an immediate Y to the right onto Kings Cross Rd.