Advances through London during the tube strike

[cactustwirly]

I've got an Advance ticket from Leeds to Twyford via London on Thursday. In the event of a tube strike will I be able to travel on the 205 bus from Kings X to Paddington?

 

[Nym]

I'd expect that ticket acceptance will be in place, weather you can actually get on the bus or not on the other hand...

 

[Hadders]

I've got an Advanced ticket from Leeds to Twyford via London on Thursday. In the event of a tube strike will I be able to travel on the 205 bus from Kings X to Paddington?

I don't know about ticket acceptance although I'd doubt it will be valid.

Bear in mind that it'll be practically impossible to board buses as they'll be packed. You might find it quicker to walk from Kings Cross to Paddington.

 

[extendedpaul]

Not a walk I'd like to do on a hot day. Must be about 3 miles and an hour's slog on foot. Bus or cab I'd say.

 

[TUC]

In other tube strike days recently it was noticeable that TfL did not make clear whether cross-London rail tickets (and ones with u1 rail travel etc.) were valid on buses, which really isn't acceptable. TfL seem to go to a lot of effort to address commuter needs, and forget about those travelling from further afield.

 

[Hadders]

Not a walk I'd like to do on a hot day. Must be about 3 miles and an hour's slog on foot. Bus or cab I'd say.

Have you any experience of getting a bus or a taxi on the day of a tube strike?

It'll be quicker to walk unless you're very, very lucky.

 

[cactustwirly]

Thanks for the advice, suppose I'll be walking then.
In the meantime I will hope that the strikes are called off

 

[nicobobinus]

The 205 is one of those routes that typically sees extra buses on strike days, primarily because it shadows a large section of the Circle/H&C Line. The majority of these extras are scraped together from any firms able to supply buses and drivers, i.e. often well out of town, and their drivers aren't briefed to worry about fares. Although not officially so, they are in effect free to use as no Oyster technology is carried on them to validate cards.

If you were to find your way to one of these buses on a strike day with a maltese cross ticket I don't think you'd have problems. They don't load outrageously either.

Timewise in your shoes I'd allow at least an hour outside of peaks, preferably longer - during peaks all bets are off.

 

[yorkie]

Thanks for the advice, suppose I'll be walking then.

Google suggests 2.7 miles and 55mins. You mightn't even miss your suggested service if you're lucky as that's not a lot more than the minimum interchange time.

 

[bb21]

The 205 is one of those routes that typically sees extra buses on strike days, primarily because it shadows a large section of the Circle/H&C Line. The majority of these extras are scraped together from any firms able to supply buses and drivers, i.e. often well out of town, and their drivers aren't briefed to worry about fares. Although not officially so, they are in effect free to use as no Oyster technology is carried on them to validate cards.

The 205 was one of the two routes that evolved from the old Station Link routes, connecting mainline terminals in the northern half of central London (the other being the now withdrawn 705 for the southern half). Its importance when there are strikes on LU being self-evident for that reason.

 

[Mojo]

The 205 was one of the two routes that evolved from the old Station Link routes, connecting mainline terminals in the northern half of central London (the other being the now withdrawn 705 for the southern half). Its importance when there are strikes on LU being self-evident for that reason.

Although despite what one might believe from reading this forum, customers making cross-London transfers between two National Rail stations are such a tiny percentage of people using the Underground system at any one time

 

[transmanche]

I've got an Advance ticket from Leeds to Twyford via London on Thursday. In the event of a tube strike will I be able to travel on the 205 bus from Kings X to Paddington?

Yes, TfL have confirmed this on their website:

National Rail tickets valid for cross-London travel will be accepted on buses on reasonable alternative routes.

 

[fandroid]

Don't forget that there is a strike on First Great Western too. However, their map shows that for services to Twyford 'most services will run'.

 

[AM9]

Have you any experience of getting a bus or a taxi on the day of a tube strike?

It'll be quicker to walk unless you're very, very lucky.

Just remember that pollution along the Marylebone Road is way above the EU limit and probably the highest in the UK.

 

[Hadders]

Just remember that pollution along the Marylebone Road is way above the EU limit and probably the highest in the UK.

You don't have to walk along the Marylebone Road! Other routes are available.

 

[fandroid]

I have explored the parallel routes several times - at least as far as Marylebone station. If you cross over and go through St Pancras and out of the side exits there, there are quiet streets going west. The biggest problem is getting over the railway lines coming out of Euston, as the first bridge is a fair distance out (if wanting to stay parallel to Euston Road). Once past that it's not far to Regents Park, which is a great way to walk and has paths going west. However, you have probably set off by now and any advice is no use! catch a bus!

 

[Haywain]

However, the route along Marylebone Road is the most direct. I walked that way last night and it took me 40 minutes, but I was walking fast. To no avail though - it needed to take 30 seconds less to have been worthwhile rushing!

 

[BurtonM]

Does the cycle hire scheme extend as far as Kings Cross?! I'm sure I've passed Paddington on a Boris bike before.

 

[Hadders]

Does the cycle hire scheme extend as far as Kings Cross?! I'm sure I've passed Paddington on a Boris bike before.

Yes it does, several docking station near to the station.

 

[PermitToTravel]

Getting one of those during a strike is about as easy as getting a bus or taxi

 

[cactustwirly]

Thanks for the advice, I walked in the end, it took around 45 minutes.

 

[telstarbox]

Getting one of those during a strike is about as easy as getting a bus or taxi

I found the opposite problem - getting one was easy, but getting rid of it at the other end was impossible!

 

[PermitToTravel]

Perhaps that explains the one abandoned at East Croydon

 

[TUC]

Have you any experience of getting a bus or a taxi on the day of a tube strike?

It'll be quicker to walk unless you're very, very lucky.

Just remember that pollution along the Marylebone Road is way above the EU limit and probably the highest in the UK.

Compared to the levels of pollution that Londoners had to cope with until the 1950s, somehow I think modt people have nothing to worry about.