London Underground

When planning a journey in London use the TFL Journey planner

https://tfl.gov.uk/plan-a-journey/

From Paddington to Euston:
Bakerloo line to Oxford Circus, then Victoria Line to Euston.

For Euston to Westminster:
Victoria Line to Green Park, then Jubilee line to Westminster.

When I was in London last year I found an app called Tube Map very helpful.

And don’t forget to obtain one of the small pocket size tube maps to carry with you. Usually found on the counters by the manned ticket windows.

Pocket-size tube maps are in every station in a small container mounted on the wall before you go thru the turnstiles.

Personally I'd also suggest using the app CityMapper for making your way around London.

Why does everybody want a route with changes?

Every time you make a change it will involve walking and stairs. There are a couple of exceptions to that in London, for example at Oxford Circus when continuing in the same direction, but generally change = time + effort.

Much simpler. Board an eastbound Circle or Hammersmith and City Underground train at Paddington and leave it 4 stops later at Euston Square. Go up the short flight of stairs to south side of Euston Road and walk 150 yards into Euston Station (watch out for the construction). Simples.

Can you be more specific about "Westminster area". Yes Embankment s in Westminster, so is Victoria and so is Westminster. Do you mean Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey or somewhere else?

What day of the week are we talking about?

It makes a difference - the weekend maintenance of the Underground usually makes hash of at least part of the Circle Line most weekends.

I was coming here to post something like this but Nigel beat me to it:

Much simpler. Board an eastbound Circle or Hammersmith and City
Underground train at Paddington and leave it 4 stops later at Euston
Square. Go up the short flight of stairs to south side of Euston Road
and walk 150 yards into Euston Station (watch out for the
construction). Simples.

Thanks so much for your input everyone. I appreciate each response. (Nigel, I always prefer to skip the stairs. :). ) I’m just getting familiar with the London Tube app but Emma, I downloaded the CityMapper and am in love with it. Such a great recommendation!

You might want to bring a small magnifying glass to read the Tube map offered at the stations. I found it almost impossible to read the station names with the naked eye.

CityMapper for the win!!! I use it here at home in Paris, where I find it extraordinarily reliable and always use it as well in London, where it's proved even more useful to me (since I have less "native" knowledge). A GREAT app.

The easiest way to navigate the tube is to get the tfl app for your smartphone!
You can plug in your route into the route planner (I look up the nearest tube station to my destination on google maps first) and it will give you both the fastest route and the route with fewest changes. There is also an identical app that is for the buses - you'll see more out the windows and it will be cheaper...probably not faster though.

Citymapper.

It will even give you notifications if there is trouble on the underground line you are interested in.

Can you use Citymaper wihout wifi? I was there last week and found I couldn't use it. I did not get a SIM card for a week, wifi hot spots are sketchy and the only download I could use was the tube map on my phone.

Prior to leaving, I had a basic understanding of which way the trains run. To get used to the tube, I spent a few minutes looking at the directions at each station . You will not be the only one taking the time to do this. Do not worry about making the train quickly, they run very frequently and when you see peaple running, they know where they are going. Take your time and after the first day you will be more confident understanding the directions. You cannot avoid stairs. I found it hard when I came out of the station to know where I was and what road I was on but I am also directionally challenged. :) By the time I left after 5 days, I too was saying the tube was so easy!

VERY surprised no one mentions Google Maps. In the US Google Maps is used by 80-90 % of people for all navigation and it works great for the tube. Use it or Citymapper or tfl but I can’t imagine looking at a tube map to figure a route. ANY smartphone app is better and faster than that.

I find referring to a tube map considerably faster than digging out my smartphone, waking it up, keying in my security code and opening an app. That assumes, of course, that I know which tube stations are nearest my destination.

I’m with Emma in that I’d get the bus....cheaper and easier. However, it’s only the 205 that goes to Euston Station (the 27 turns up Hampstead Road towards Camden just by Warren Street Station.) You can get on the 205 from bus stop H on Praed Street.

Large print Tube map for those of us over the age of 43 or those us who have vision issues....

http://content.tfl.gov.uk/large-print-tube-map.pdf