London rush hour on the Tube [Paddington - St Pancras] - or taxi?

Posted by blackcat fortunate on 08/27/23 05:39 PM

Theoretically, if one was trying to get from Paddington Station to St Pancras -- would trying to do this, with all luggage, at 9am be a big mistake? I would be getting into the city from about 2 hours away, and hope to be at St Pancras by 9:30 am.

This looks like a straight shot on the Yellow Circle line, but wondering about level of physical/logistical difficulty. Will the train be extremely crowded? Lots of stairways etc?

If I tried to get a cab, would 9am from Paddington to St Pancras be even more of a traffic snarl than tube? TIA

Posted by Claudia

Land of La

08/27/23 06:38 PM

8688 posts

When is this?
How much luggage?
How many people?
There’s a variety of transport options.

Posted by blackcat fortunate OP

08/27/23 08:28 PM

90 posts

Weekday early September. One person. One wheeled suitcase and a shopping bag/back pack.

Posted by Frank II

Freedonia

08/27/23 09:29 PM

15111 posts

I'd go for the tube over the taxi. Tube trains run every few minutes. If one is crowded, wait for the next one. It's only five stops.

London traffic can and is atrocious.

Besides the Circle Line, you can also take the Hammersmith & City line.

Posted by Marco

Oxford, United Kingdom

08/27/23 09:58 PM

5331 posts

You want to goto the Circle / Hammersmith & City platforms that are at the back of the main line station. The main line platforms themselves have access to the ticket hall via a connecting bridge but these generally involve a flight of stairs. There is a longer but more accessible route via the main concourse. There are also lifts from the ticket hall down to the platforms.

Posted by Nigel

Northamptonshire, England

08/28/23 07:40 AM

32825 posts

and Kings Cross St Pancras tube station has many lifts and escalators. The lifts there from the platforms go up to an intermediate platform where you need to find the one to the surface.

Don't worry if you wind up on the Kings Cross side, St Pancras is only a few feet across a small road.

With the few pieces of luggage you have you may be ok on the escalators. Just remember on escalators, stay right if you are standing still. The left side is for walkers, and most definitely don't stand in the middle. You will be surprised at the number of folks using the left lane, and they move fast. Who needs a gym.

Most folks coming on here for St Pancras are either going on Eurostar to Europe or to Canterbury, and there is specific advice for both.

Where will you be going?