Travelling into London from Dorset

[RosscoPCole]

I am going to London soon from Dorset and for convenience I plan to drive part as far as I can in my car avoiding congestion/ULEZ charges then get the tube in. Where is the best place to drive to for parking and access to tube station, etc? Apologies for the obvious question for some from a country boy.

[Planet Claire]

You might find this thread useful, which was started the other day.
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

[Hub]

Assuming you mean before Ulez expansion - Richmond Athletic rugby club? Bookable parking on just park app, £8.50 a day, short walk to Richmond tube (assuming not a match day)

Edited by Hub on Saturday 11th February 17:14

[ecsrobin]

Hub said:

Assuming you mean before Ulez expansion - Richmond Athletic rugby club? Bookable parking on just park app, £8.50 a day, short walk to Richmond tube (assuming not a match day)

Edited by Hub on Saturday 11th February 17:14

Did this recently very convenient. Also the Amazon shop next to the station is good for grabbing good food to go and quite the novelty if you haven’t used one.

[RosscoPCole]

Planet Claire said:

You might find this thread useful, which was started the other day.
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

Thanks. Was looking for this.

Hub said:

Assuming you mean before Ulez expansion - Richmond Athletic rugby club? Bookable parking on just park app, £8.50 a day, short walk to Richmond tube (assuming not a match day)

Edited by Hub on Saturday 11th February 17:14

Looks good. An easy drive up the M3 and follow the signs to London.

[RichB]

RosscoPCole said:

I am going to London...

Where in London are you going? Waterloo is better for the city but Paddington is okay for the West End. Either way, I'd suggest M3 exit J4 to Farnborough Main station then it's 35 mins to Waterloo.

[sospan]

February 2019 we went to an exhibition in the Saatchi gallery. From West Wales.
Booked 2 nights in a new Ibis in Hounslow. Easy to get to, on bus routes and tube not far. Parking included on-site. Left the car and used bus/tube. Oyster card for transport. Back then no ULEZ charges plus no London traffic or anti car restrictions to deal with!
Hotel was ok. Used the bar for meals as couldn’t be arsed to travel to any eatery. None local enough anyway.
My guess is hotel cost will now be a good bit higher. Looking for a Cardiff hotel for late May and prices are up in general plus parking extra and not cheap. No big events on so looks like general price hikes.

Edited by sospan on Sunday 12th February 14:45

[ecsrobin]

sospan said:

February 2019 we went to an exhibition in the Saatchi gallery. From West Wales.
Booked 2 nights in a new Ibis in Hounslow. Easy to get to, on bus routes and tube not far. Parking included on-site. Left the car and used bus/tube. Oyster card for transport. Back then no ULEZ charges plus no London traffic or anti car restrictions to deal with!
Hotel was ok. Used the bar for meals as couldn’t be arsed to travel to any eatery. None local enough anyway.
My guess is hotel cost will now be a good bit higher. Looking for a Cardiff hotel for late May and prices are up in general plus parking extra and not cheap. No big events on so looks like general price hikes.

Edited by sospan on Sunday 12th February 14:45

Off topic but Cardiff with the station so central it’s easier getting the train in. There used to be a good car park nearby a few years ago but that’s been built on now.

[V1nce Fox]

Drive to hillingdon, get tube in.

[interstellar]

If we go into London we just catch the national express from ringwood.

Ifs often under £20 return and takes you to Victoria

[Vasco]

RichB said:

Where in London are you going? Waterloo is better for the city but Paddington is okay for the West End. Either way, I'd suggest M3 exit J4 to Farnborough Main station then it's 35 mins to Waterloo.

Train strikes ? - less likely on the tube it seems.

[RichB]

Vasco said:

RichB said:

Where in London are you going? Waterloo is better for the city but Paddington is okay for the West End. Either way, I'd suggest M3 exit J4 to Farnborough Main station then it's 35 mins to Waterloo.

Train strikes ? - less likely on the tube it seems.

That's true, the tube drivers (the deep tubes; Pic, Circle, Central, Northern, Jubilee etc.) are not on strike, it's the surface lines like the Circle, District and I assume the Met where there's action also the Lizzie Line is affected because it runs on lines where strikes action is happening.

[okgo]

RichB said:

Where in London are you going? Waterloo is better for the city but Paddington is okay for the West End. Either way, I'd suggest M3 exit J4 to Farnborough Main station then it's 35 mins to Waterloo.

Might as well just do Basingstoke tbh, difference in journey time would only be the difference if not more in time to drive past it to Farnborough.

I’d argue Waterloo is perfectly fine for almost anywhere in London, it’s a matter of a few mins to anywhere anyone is likely to ever go.

[RichB]

okgo said:

RichB said:

Where in London are you going? Waterloo is better for the city but Paddington is okay for the West End. Either way, I'd suggest M3 exit J4 to Farnborough Main station then it's 35 mins to Waterloo.

Might as well just do Basingstoke tbh, difference in journey time would only be the difference if not more in time to drive past it to Farnborough. I’d argue Waterloo is perfectly fine for almost anywhere in London, it’s a matter of a few mins to anywhere anyone is likely to ever go.

Yes, Waterloo is good for most places and being on the Bakerloo and Jubilee line makes it very convenient (I assume people don't want the drain unless they're working).

[Vasco]

RichB said:

okgo said:

RichB said:

Where in London are you going? Waterloo is better for the city but Paddington is okay for the West End. Either way, I'd suggest M3 exit J4 to Farnborough Main station then it's 35 mins to Waterloo.

Might as well just do Basingstoke tbh, difference in journey time would only be the difference if not more in time to drive past it to Farnborough. I’d argue Waterloo is perfectly fine for almost anywhere in London, it’s a matter of a few mins to anywhere anyone is likely to ever go.

Yes, Waterloo is good for most places and being on the Bakerloo and Jubilee line makes it very convenient (I assume people don't want the drain unless they're working).

....but still of potential concern if using the main train lines (from Farborough or Basingstoke) - more train strikes expected to be announced shortly.

[DT1975]

I do this all the time from Dorset but mainly weekends. I mix it up and either park at Fleet or Hook and train in, or if its a weekend parking is free around Kew / Richmond so straight in on M3. For most footie fans down here Richmond is the favourite.

Other easy options are Ealing common via M25/M4 if the Richmond route is chocca.