On 25 Mar, 16:57, Roland Perry wrote:
In message
, at
09:06:04 on Wed, 25 Mar 2009, "John @ home"
remarked:

My own "extreme stepless" route would be Bakerloo Line from Paddington
to Piccadilly Circus, cross platform to northbound (I hope...), then
cross platform to Victoria Line at Oxford Circus, Victoria Line exit at
Euston.

I don't think southbound Bakerloo to northbound Bakerloo is step-free
at Piccadilly Circus. Perhaps Roland meant to write Charing Cross.

I was guessing that it was stepless at Piccadilly Circus, but now you
come to mention it, I think it's not an island platform because there's
a crossover. Is Charing Cross the closest island platform?
--
Roland Perry

Just thinking that you could do it with less mileage by changing to
the Victoria southbound, then doing a cross-platform at Green Park.

In message , at 19:50:57 on
Wed, 25 Mar 2009, Paul Corfield remarked:
Rather than taking the tube from Heathrow, what about using Heathrow
Connect? It's a relatively new service that's cheaper than Heathrow
Express (but runs the same route, more slowly), £6.90.

Jolly nice but remember he wishes to use a PAYG Oyster.

I doubt his airline takes Oyster, so why the problem paying for the
first part of his land trip using non-Oyster?

Yes, getting an Oyster for use later on the trip is a good idea, but he
can do that at Paddington.

If you're going to send our friend to Paddington then why bother dumping
him onto the subsurface network? You might as well direct him up the
former taxi exit road into Praed Street, turn left and along to the Post
Office and then on to the pretty frequent 205 bus which starts at
Paddington so nice and empty and which will drop him at the front door
of Euston Station. Only £1 using PAYG for the bus.

Sounds plausible. But I don't normally recommend buses for the
unfamiliar (in any big city), as it's often difficult for them to know
exactly where to get off.

My own "extreme stepless" route would be Bakerloo Line from Paddington
to Piccadilly Circus, cross platform to northbound (I hope...), then
cross platform to Victoria Line at Oxford Circus, Victoria Line exit at
Euston.

Err no - there are steps at Picc Circus down from the Bakerloo and then
down again to the Picc from the intermediate level subway.

Yes, I was only "hoping" that it was an island platform.

You could send the poor soul to Charing Cross to head north again but
what a waste of time and effort.

It's the fun of doing the route with no steps at all. Hence my "extreme
stepless" expression.
--
Roland Perry

"Paul Corfield" wrote in message
news
On Wed, 25 Mar 2009 22:32:46 +0000, Roland Perry
wrote:

In message , at 19:50:57 on
Wed, 25 Mar 2009, Paul Corfield remarked:
Rather than taking the tube from Heathrow, what about using Heathrow
Connect? It's a relatively new service that's cheaper than Heathrow
Express (but runs the same route, more slowly), £6.90.

Jolly nice but remember he wishes to use a PAYG Oyster.

I doubt his airline takes Oyster, so why the problem paying for the
first part of his land trip using non-Oyster?

Yes, getting an Oyster for use later on the trip is a good idea, but he
can do that at Paddington.

I was simply pointing out what the OP had stated about wishing to use
the tube and buying a PAYG Oyster. Nearly all the other responses have
offered alternatives outside of the remit the OP set.

If you're going to send our friend to Paddington then why bother dumping
him onto the subsurface network? You might as well direct him up the
former taxi exit road into Praed Street, turn left and along to the Post
Office and then on to the pretty frequent 205 bus which starts at
Paddington so nice and empty and which will drop him at the front door
of Euston Station. Only £1 using PAYG for the bus.

Sounds plausible. But I don't normally recommend buses for the
unfamiliar (in any big city), as it's often difficult for them to know
exactly where to get off.

I understand what you're saying but in some cases the use of a bus is
unavoidable. Anyway London buses have I-Bus installed which tells you
what stop is next and anyway it's virtually impossible to miss Euston
Station - especially on routes that pull in to serve the bus station as
the 205 does heading east. Visitors who avoid using buses miss a
fascinating perspective on a city although I accept it can be a big step
to actually start using them - took me a while to get used to using HK
and Singapore buses but I use them more than trains now when I visit.
--
Paul C

Enjoying all the comments, especially seeing that it's all being done in
such a very pleasant and courteous manner. Don't see that too often. After
reading all the comments----- The WINNER is:
Get a PAYG Oyster upon arrival at Heathrow, Piccadilly Line to King's Cross
St. Pancras. Walk down Euston to final Destination which is the Ibis Hotel
Euston (on Cardington St). This seems like the least complicated and the
walk looks very doable--just be adding a little mileage to the luggage
wheels. Modifications anyone??
I must add--coming from the Boston area, your tube system makes ours look
like a kindergarten toy set. However, the cost is much less--we use a
Charlie card (similar to the Oyster) and as a senior, pay $1.60 (about 0.7
pounds--70p?)
MLD

In message , at 22:43:38 on
Wed, 25 Mar 2009, Paul Corfield remarked:

Rather than taking the tube from Heathrow, what about using Heathrow
Connect? It's a relatively new service that's cheaper than Heathrow
Express (but runs the same route, more slowly), £6.90.

Jolly nice but remember he wishes to use a PAYG Oyster.

I doubt his airline takes Oyster, so why the problem paying for the
first part of his land trip using non-Oyster?

Yes, getting an Oyster for use later on the trip is a good idea, but he
can do that at Paddington.

I was simply pointing out what the OP had stated about wishing to use
the tube and buying a PAYG Oyster. Nearly all the other responses have
offered alternatives outside of the remit the OP set.

That's called "making him aware of possibilities he maybe hadn't
considered".

If you're going to send our friend to Paddington then why bother dumping
him onto the subsurface network? You might as well direct him up the
former taxi exit road into Praed Street, turn left and along to the Post
Office and then on to the pretty frequent 205 bus which starts at
Paddington so nice and empty and which will drop him at the front door
of Euston Station. Only £1 using PAYG for the bus.

Sounds plausible. But I don't normally recommend buses for the
unfamiliar (in any big city), as it's often difficult for them to know
exactly where to get off.

I understand what you're saying but in some cases the use of a bus is
unavoidable.

I've avoided using buses in London most of my life. In fact despite
periods when I've been travelling three days a week in the centre of
London I honestly can't remember when I last caught a bus. Maybe 30
years ago. A combination of tube and walking is fine.

Anyway London buses have I-Bus installed which tells you
what stop is next and anyway it's virtually impossible to miss Euston
Station - especially on routes that pull in to serve the bus station as
the 205 does heading east. Visitors who avoid using buses miss a
fascinating perspective on a city although I accept it can be a big step
to actually start using them - took me a while to get used to using HK
and Singapore buses but I use them more than trains now when I visit.

For me it's usually one step up the learning curve too far on an initial
visit. But once I'm happy, I use them all the time (not London,
obviously).
--
Roland Perry

On Wed, 25 Mar 2009 19:18:21 -0400, "MLD" wrote:

Modifications anyone??

If feeling lazy, bus from outside Kings Cross (far side of the road)
to Euston bus station. Either 59 or 4-hundred-and-something (the
latter says Euston on the destination blind, but I forget the number)
will get you into the very obvious bus station, or 205 onto the main
road next to it. gbp1 on your Oyster card.

Walking is perfectly viable, though.

Neil

--
Neil Williams
Put my first name before the at to reply.

In message , MLD
writes

I must add--coming from the Boston area, your tube system makes ours
look like a kindergarten toy set. However, the cost is much less--we
use a Charlie card (similar to the Oyster) and as a senior, pay $1.60
(about 0.7 pounds--70p?)

Seniors in London travel free - but I'm afraid you have to be resident
in London for that.

(good news for your trip: $1.60 is currently 1.09 pounds)

--
Paul Terry

On Mar 26, 6:42*am, (Neil Williams)
wrote:
On Wed, 25 Mar 2009 19:18:21 -0400, "MLD" wrote:
Modifications anyone??

If feeling lazy, bus from outside Kings Cross (far side of the road)
to Euston bus station. *Either 59 or 4-hundred-and-something (the
latter says Euston on the destination blind, but I forget the number)
will get you into the very obvious bus station, or 205 onto the main
road next to it. *gbp1 on your Oyster card.

476 is the number you're grappling for. The 10, 30, 73 and 390 also
run as the 205 does - i.e. opposite KX and then stopping opposite
Euston. A bus literally every minute or so.

Walking is perfectly viable, though.

Indeed.

--
Paul Corfield via google.

In message , at 19:18:21 on Wed, 25
Mar 2009, MLD remarked:
Walk down Euston to final Destination which is the Ibis Hotel Euston
(on Cardington St).

It would be useful to specify a precise destination when asking for
directions. I think there's a slight US-UK terminology issue here.

To the Brits "Euston" means "Euston Station".
To an American "Euston" can easily mean "Euston Road" (as we see above).

--
Roland Perry

"Roland Perry" wrote in message
...

I've avoided using buses in London most of my life. In fact despite
periods when I've been travelling three days a week in the centre of
London I honestly can't remember when I last caught a bus. Maybe 30 years
ago. A combination of tube and walking is fine.

Absolutely. I'd rather have needles stuck in my eyes than get a bus in
London. I'd tell you why but would rather not be branded a troll!

Oh, OK then, I'll take a chance - aggressive, snarling, charmless drivers;
foul-smelling chav passengers; no hint of a timetable; stuck in traffic for
hours at a time; sailing past stops ignoring furious bell-ringing...

I'd rather shell out for a cab, or walk.

Ian

On 26 Mar, 07:33, Paul Terry wrote:

In message , MLD
writes

I must add--coming from the Boston area, your tube system makes ours
look like a kindergarten toy set. *However, the cost is much less--we
use a Charlie card (similar to the Oyster) and as a senior, pay $1.60
(about 0.7 pounds--70p?)

70 pence indeed - thankfully we ditched the confusing non-decimal
money back in 1971!


Seniors in London travel free - but I'm afraid you have to be resident
in London for that. *

And seniors (60+) resident in England now have free off-peak travel on
local bus services across England - again unfortunately no good for
you!


(good news for your trip: $1.60 is currently 1.09 pounds)