Olympic Park - Who's been ?

[Cheib]

We're off to the Olympic Park this evening to watch the athletics. Ideally I'd like to get there three or four hours early take in the atmosphere and hopefully catch Hoy, Pendelton and Trott win gold's on a big screen. I've read the park is very,very busy..will we be able to watch anything on a big screen or is that a pipe dream ?

[XCP]

Cheib said:

We're off to the Olympic Park this evening to watch the athletics. Ideally I'd like to get there three or four hours early take in the atmosphere and hopefully catch Hoy, Pendelton and Trott win gold's on a big screen. I've read the park is very,very busy..will we be able to watch anything on a big screen or is that a pipe dream ?

I was there yesterday morning. Yes it's very very busy, but not intolerably so when we came out of the stadium at lunch time. You may have to queue to get to the big screen. There were lots of people heading that way when we left at about 3.00pm.
The atmosphere is great though, quite unlike any other crowd I've ever been in really. There are lots of police, service people and helpers everywhere, so it feels very safe.
The RAF and RN were doing security checks when we went in. I got frisked by a sailor!!!

[Burrow01]

We were there on Saturday, and did not see where the big screen was

There is a big map on the way in, but being a bloke I obviously ignored that

Can imagine it would be a good place to watch the action before you go into the stadium

There is a also a bar just outside the actual entrance with a large lawn in front of it, with a screen at one end.

When we went in, from the Stratford Gate entrance, we initially went off to the right to have a look around. The food / drink stalls here were much more crowded than the ones further around on the other side of the Stadium (we went in at Gate E)

[Cheib]

Thanks....some helpful advice there.

I think I'll be decidedly un bloke like and ask someone what's what when we get in!

Have been to the Rowing and Volleyball and have been massively impressed with the resources/logistics that have been thrown at it.

[egor110]

How long does it take from leaving stratford underground to getting in and picking up tickets?

Got tickets for basketball sat 5pm but not getting into paddington until 3.30, then tube to bank, check in, then tube up to olympic stadium and pick up tickets.

Think we'll be missing the first half of the game but got tickets to the gold medal game so that's ok. Do they let people into the venues once thesports started?

[Cheib]

Just get the tube to Kings Cross and get the Javelin train direct to Stratford. Much, much quicker.

You can probably do Paddington to Stratford in 30 or 40 mins that way.

[Burrow01]

Javelin train from St Pancras (next door to Kings Cross) is definitely the way to go - 6 or 7 minutes to Stratford

[XCP]

Burrow01 said:

Javelin train from St Pancras (next door to Kings Cross) is definitely the way to go - 6 or 7 minutes to Stratford

I'd go along with that . Did it yesterday. A doddle.

[egor110]

Our travelodge is by the bank tube station, would you still go from paddington to kings cross then catch the javelin to stratford and wait longer to get thru security as we'll have a small bag or go from paddington down to the bank, check in then catch the tube from bank straight up to stratford (with no bags)

Thanks for the advice.

[Cheib]

Just go straight there...the security is very,very well organised. We were through it in 5 mins. I had a lot of bulky camera equipment which if anyone would get stopped I would expect it to be me.

Have to say the way everything has been organised is absolutely superb...they've thought of pretty much everything. Having said that the Olympic Park is very busy, clearly more people are hanging around and soaking up the atmosphere than expected. The big live screen area has a queuing system to access it which you can see they weren't expecting from the way they have put some barriers up. A victim of Team GB 's success!

[Burrow01]

egor110 said:

Our travelodge is by the bank tube station, would you still go from paddington to kings cross then catch the javelin to stratford and wait longer to get thru security as we'll have a small bag or go from paddington down to the bank, check in then catch the tube from bank straight up to stratford (with no bags)

Thanks for the advice.

You still need to go through security whether you have a bag or not, so no time saving there

If you can go directly from Paddington to St Pancras, and catch the Javelin to Stratford, you would be mad to go to Bank on the underground, check into a hotel, then tube it to Stratford.

We had an aircraft hand luggage style suitcase with us when we arrived at Kings Cross and put it into the left luggage there - £8 for a day - if you don't want to carry the bag

[B Huey]

I'm regretting not trying to get some tickets.

We've spent some time up at Blackheath watching the big screen. It's been a great place to watch things from, and packed with people.

[egor110]

Thanks, javelin it is then.
The game finishes midnight, would you do the same journey in reverse or tube to bank?

Thanks for the advice, really looking forward to it.

[Burrow01]

egor110 said:

Thanks, javelin it is then.
The game finishes midnight, would you do the same journey in reverse or tube to bank?

Thanks for the advice, really looking forward to it.

Would probably get the Javelin back to St Pancras / Kings Cross, then get the Northern Line back to Bank, going to be less crowded than the Tube coming out of Stratford

[Cheib]

Well the Javelin service is very good and bloody quick...6 mins to Kings Cross. You can just jump on the Northern Line to Bank.

Even coming out of the athletics stadium with 80,000 other people we were on a train in 30 mins. It would take 15 mins to walk it anyway.

[egor110]

That was lucky, the basketball finals aren't in the olympic village there at north greenwich arena!

So from paddington do we go to our digs near the bank tube then onto north greenwich underground or go straight there from paddington?

[Slaav]

egor110 said:

That was lucky, the basketball finals aren't in the olympic village there at north greenwich arena!

So from paddington do we go to our digs near the bank tube then onto north greenwich underground or go straight there from paddington?

As a 'veteran' of the Olympics () I would say just get there and enjoy the atmosphere....

As long as your bag isn't a nightmare, get to the park/venue and soak it up!

My own experience is that the central line; probably with a short wait, is the way to go - but HOT!

No change, straight on and off at Bank. I have a piccy from yesterday morning on my phone at 09.10 at St. Pauls and there are empty seats on the train - incredible.... dont rush onto the train and miss action whatever you do - no queue is worth missing the action and atmosphere.

[egor110]

It's not at the olympic park they've moved basketball to the 02.