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-   -   Which Exit from King's Cross Underground? (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/which-exit-from-kings-cross-underground-1039606/)

CubFanAlways Mar 8th, 2015 06:57 AM

Which Exit from King's Cross Underground?
 
Hello,
I'll be walking from the Kings Cross Underground to the DoubleTree hotel at 60 Pentonville Road, about a 15 minute walk. Google maps say to walk on the A501. That sounds and looks like a highway. I did put in the directions for walking.

My questions are:
1) Does anyone know which exit to take while in the underground to get to the A501? There are ten of them and one could easily end up on the wrong street and / or direction. Of course, the answer may be obvious from a sign once there, but I don't want to find out or not after a sleepless overnight journey.

2) Is the A501 something you can walk on? For example, in the USA a road such as I-80, (I = Interstate) by definition is NO. The Google maps said directions were in beta and maybe lacking a place to walk. I found the directions inconclusive.

Thanks in advance!

thursdaysd Mar 8th, 2015 07:03 AM

The hotel itself recommends staying with the tube to Angel, from which it's a two minute walk.

tom_mn Mar 8th, 2015 07:12 AM

Several A____ highways are signed through London but they are normal city streets. This is similar to US highways with the black letters on a white shield being signed through US cities on city streets (e.g. US 12 through Chicago). An interstate is like an M___ highway in the UK and those do not go very deep into London.

sofarsogood Mar 8th, 2015 07:27 AM

This is where the wonders of the internet and the all pervading power of Google is no match for a bit of common sense. The A501 is a busy inner London road running from Paddington station to Moorgate (isn't Wikipedia wonderful). A section of the A501 is also known as Pentonville Road and yes you can walk along it (there is a pavement).

Directly outside Kings Cross station is Euston Road (which is also part of the A501). From the station you want to turn left and walk east, this will bring you to Pentonville Road and your hotel.

Or, as stated by Thursdaysd, take the Tube to Angel.

CubFanAlways Mar 8th, 2015 07:35 AM

Thanks everyone, the replies are appreciated. I apologize that I neglected to mention that I was hoping to avoid the two minute tube ride from Kings X to Angel. By the time I traversed the connection in a large station and waited, heck I'd rather just walk.

"Directly outside Kings Cross station is Euston Road (which is also part of the A501). From the station you want to turn left and walk east, this will bring you to Pentonville Road and your hotel" Thank you Sofarsogood. Right you are about Google, etc. Helpful many times, but no match for good ole knowledge from others!

Cheers

anicecupoftea Mar 8th, 2015 08:30 AM

Do you not have access to Street View on Google maps? Whenever I am going somewhere new I "walk" it first so when I get there in person I'm confident about directions, landmarks to look out for, etc. Search for the hotel postcode on Google maps, track back to Kings Cross, switch to Street View, then you can clearly see the walking conditions between the two, which in this case is a wide pavement.

bilboburgler Mar 8th, 2015 08:37 AM

Kings Cross has been recently upgraded to a thing of beauty. In the past this street was the lair of pan handlers and the like. Not sure of the state now

eyes forward.

flanneruk Mar 8th, 2015 09:33 AM

I really wouldn't walk this.

Not because of Bilbo's gibberish about panhandlers: up till about 4-5 years ago, men of a certain age would regularly get murmurs about whether they were "doing business, love?" by exceptionally resistable ladies. About as threatening or disconcerting as the smell of burger joints or hucksters selling HOHO bus tickets. The hookers have now long left - but certain kinds of provincial maiden aunts still go intl a tizzy about them.

The problem is that the Doubletree's a lengthy uphill walk from KX. Absolutely fine if you want a spot of vigorous exercise and you're carrying only a briefcase with a few papers to sign. But burdened with anything more substantial - a real pain.

Added to which, the one thing you can be sure of about the weather is that it won't be the same when you exit the tube as it was when you entered. On a midsummer day, that walk can be seriously hot (heat in London can be surprising - and this is one of the most unshaded kilometre stretches in the city). Most of the rest of the year, it's perfectly likely to rain, whatever the forecast says.

Presumably you're arriving on the Piccadilly Line. It's just a couple of minutes to the southbound Northern Line platform for the Angel.

anicecupoftea Mar 8th, 2015 11:14 AM

Or hop on a bus outside King's Cross.

historytraveler Mar 8th, 2015 01:01 PM

For those who have never been to the immediate area around Kings Cross/ St. Pancras and Euston Station or who haven't visited the area in several years, rest assured that it is not only safe but pleasant enough.

BTW, a two minute tube ride is nothing compared to the uphill walk flanneruk mentioned.

PatrickLondon Mar 8th, 2015 01:15 PM

10-15 minutes walk up a fairly steep hill from Kings Cross vs. a minute or so's interchange to the Northern Line and 5 minutes level walk from Angel.

Or take the exit to Euston Road (north side), and get bus 30, 73 or 476 up the hill from bus stop E outside the main frontage of Kings Cross station.


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