Bakerloo Line at Paddington

[whole diary]

[TaplowGreen]

TG hasn't said where he's travelling to (by Tube from PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains)), but the 6-7 minute walk to the Central Line at Lancaster Gate is a good way to avoid the Circle/H&C if going east (as I often am) to the likes of the City (Bank/St Pauls) or Canary Wharf (Bank, then DLR^▸ (Docklands Light Railway))?

I often find the Circle/H&C really slow, as Edgware Road and Baker Street seem to be bottlenecks, due to junctions with other lines.

I go to London Bridge so Bakerloo to Baker St then Jubilee to London Bridge is normal route - looking at getting off at Ealing Broadway & picking up the Central Line to Bank then walking over Southwark Bridge as an alternative (office on Southwark Street) but open to/grateful for suggestions as to any better alternatives?

[eightf48544]

Walk to Edgware Road Bakerloo line 10 mins or Bus 205 to Edgware Road (short walk to Bakerloo Line Station) Marylebone or Baker Street but may be slow in rush hour.

[Fourbee]

Never done it, but the walk to Edgware Road (Bakerloo line station, so it wont suffer from H&C/Circle bottlenecks, but may have other issues?) looks about the same as Lancaster Gate, then you can do your usual route.

Edit: eightf48544 beat me to it

[Fourbee]

As an aside, nice to see the current tube map has put the Edgware road stations the "correct" way round.

[IndustryInsider]

TG hasn't said where he's travelling to (by Tube from PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains)), but the 6-7 minute walk to the Central Line at Lancaster Gate is a good way to avoid the Circle/H&C if going east (as I often am) to the likes of the City (Bank/St Pauls) or Canary Wharf (Bank, then DLR^▸ (Docklands Light Railway))?

open to/grateful for suggestions as to any better alternatives?

As others have said...

If the walk to Lancaster Gate isn't any use then there are similar distance walks from Paddington to Edgware Road or Warwick Avenue which are the previous and subsequent stops on the Bakerloo Line and open for business as usual.  Which is nearest depends on whether you arrive at platforms 13/14 (Warwick Avenue via the north exit and Little Venice) or 1-12 (main exit then along Praed Street).  The walk to Warwick Avenue is quite a pleasant one (for central London!).

[DidcotPunter]

TG hasn't said where he's travelling to (by Tube from PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains)), but the 6-7 minute walk to the Central Line at Lancaster Gate is a good way to avoid the Circle/H&C if going east (as I often am) to the likes of the City (Bank/St Pauls) or Canary Wharf (Bank, then DLR^▸ (Docklands Light Railway))?

I often find the Circle/H&C really slow, as Edgware Road and Baker Street seem to be bottlenecks, due to junctions with other lines.

Agree with this - I often do the "Lancaster Gate Shuffle". The Central Line is far quicker than H&C/Circle for getting across to the City, though it's even more wedged in the peaks.

Another alternative is to walk to Edgware Road Bakerloo line station? I recently walked from the H&C/Circle line station to Paddington when the service collapsed and reckon that it was no more than 10-12 minutes. The Bakerloo line station is a little further away I believe.

[Tim]

TG hasn't said where he's travelling to (by Tube from PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains)), but the 6-7 minute walk to the Central Line at Lancaster Gate is a good way to avoid the Circle/H&C if going east (as I often am) to the likes of the City (Bank/St Pauls) or Canary Wharf (Bank, then DLR^▸ (Docklands Light Railway))?

I often find the Circle/H&C really slow, as Edgware Road and Baker Street seem to be bottlenecks, due to junctions with other lines.

Agree that Lancaster Gate may be a preferable alternative for many passengers.  One would hope that TfL^» (Transport for London - about) would include signs indicating the surface walking route in their mitigation strategy.

It should also be noted that for ticketing purposes as part of a cross London journey Lancaster gate already counts as a terminus (ie a Slough to Cambridge NR^» (Network Rail - home page) ticket will get you through the gates at Lancaster Gate and Liverpool Street but not at, say Oxford Circus which would not be a valid exit for a cross London journey.  

From a crowding perspective, Lancaster gate is not a large station.  It has no escalators and a rather small ticket hall which easily becomes crowded and blocked by tourists from the multiple hotels nearby who have a habit of blocking Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services)/Contactless users from the gates, by milling around the ticket machines.  Some Tensa barriers might mitigate that.    

[Ollie]

Appreciate the replies listed here...Bakerloo Line got back to me on Twitter a few moments ago advising it's the Crossrail work but they're also doing some escalator refurbishment work too.

Thanks ollie - did they say what arrangements they are going to make to help passengers make their onward journeys?

No, they said more info will be available nearer the time.

[TaplowGreen]

Many thanks for all your very helpful suggestions, walking to Edgware Road sounds a good bet, hopefully we're in for a sunny Spring!

[Fourbee]

It should also be noted that for ticketing purposes as part of a cross London journey Lancaster gate already counts as a terminus (ie a Slough to Cambridge NR^» (Network Rail - home page) ticket will get you through the gates at Lancaster Gate and Liverpool Street but not at, say Oxford Circus which would not be a valid exit for a cross London journey.  

AIUI^▸ (as I understand it) you could do that on a non-advance ticket, but would not be allowed back in (walk/Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services) required to continue the journey). IIRC^▸ (if I recall/remember/read correctly) the ticket probably wont operate the gates at (say) Oxford Circus.
http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/ticket_types/46587.aspx#travelling_connect

[ChrisB]

Definiteky won't let you out any any station on Oxford Street, and very probably others

[Electric train]

TG hasn't said where he's travelling to (by Tube from PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains)), but the 6-7 minute walk to the Central Line at Lancaster Gate is a good way to avoid the Circle/H&C if going east (as I often am) to the likes of the City (Bank/St Pauls) or Canary Wharf (Bank, then DLR^▸ (Docklands Light Railway))?

I often find the Circle/H&C really slow, as Edgware Road and Baker Street seem to be bottlenecks, due to junctions with other lines.

I go to London Bridge so Bakerloo to Baker St then Jubilee to London Bridge is normal route - looking at getting off at Ealing Broadway & picking up the Central Line to Bank then walking over Southwark Bridge as an alternative (office on Southwark Street) but open to/grateful for suggestions as to any better alternatives?

I work at London Bridge, more often than not in the morning i use the Circle from Padd via Victoria get off at Monument and walk across London Bridge journey is about 10 mins longer.

Has the advantage I always get a seat at Padd so can read my paper or book, look at the stunning view down stream towards Tower Bridge, avoids the crush on the Jubilee Line especially at W'loo and the melee that is the exit from London Bridge Tube

[Adelante_CCT]

Definiteky won't let you out any any station on Oxford Street, and very probably others

From the National Rail link posted below:

You can ^break your transfer journey' and leave the Underground at any intermediate station, e.g. if you are travelling between Victoria and Euston you can exit at Oxford Circus. However, if you subsequently wish to continue your journey by Underground you will have to purchase another ticket.

Therefore you can EXIT at any Underground station you wish whilst along your journey, but would not be allowed back in at most locations

Both Lancaster Gate and Edgware Road are on the allowed list for Paddington journeys, Warwick Avenue however is not.

Edit:

(Of course Warwick Avenue may be allowed whilst Paddington is closed, especially for those who head towards Harrow on arrival at Paddington)

[JayMac]

Definiteky won't let you out any any station on Oxford Street, and very probably others

If your National Rail ticket has a 'cross London' marker (e.g. ^^' ANY PERMITTED) then you can exit at any intermediate Underground station on routes between the National Rail London Terminals you'd be using on your journey. What you can't do is re-enter the Underground with the same ticket.

[Fourbee]

Definiteky won't let you out any any station on Oxford Street, and very probably others

If your National Rail ticket has a 'cross London' marker (e.g. ^^' ANY PERMITTED) then you can exit at any intermediate Underground station on routes between the National Rail London Terminals you'd be using on your journey. What you can't do is re-enter the Underground with the same ticket.

I could be wrong but I think ChrisB was picking up on my point about operation of the ticket barriers at these stations i.e. you'll probably need a member of (informed) staff to let you out as the gates will (erroneously) reject the ticket. I think there have been problems with TfL^» (Transport for London - about) staff not knowing these rules in the past.

Gateline staff, rules, aggro... as the line in one of the back to the futures went "this all seems very familiar"