Basingstoke to Marks Tey and return - minimising walking.

[Tarquin88]

Which is the best route to minimise the walking distance on this journey (and return)? Journey planners offer routes via Waterloo/Stratford or Waterloo/Liverpool Street but there are routes changing at Reading/Paddington/Liverpool Street and Clapham/Victoria/Whitechapel/Stratford. We are fairly flexible on timings but it would be off-peak in both directions. I would also welcome advice on best routes from mainline station to underground and vice versa (using lifts/escalators, if appropriate). Thanks.

 

[JonathanH]

Which is the best route to minimise the walking distance on this journey (and return)? Journey planners offer routes via Waterloo/Stratford or Waterloo/Liverpool Street but there are routes changing at Reading/Paddington/Liverpool Street and Clapham/Victoria/Whitechapel/Stratford. We are fairly flexible on timings but it would be off-peak in both directions. I would also welcome advice on best routes from mainline station to underground and vice versa (using lifts/escalators, if appropriate). Thanks.

If flexible on timings, the shortest possible walking distances are changing at Reading, Paddington and Shenfield, but you may want a quicker journey than that provides.

There isn't really any point doing the Elizabeth Line from Reading to central London, as the interchange at Paddington from mainline services to the Elizabeth Line is relatively straightforward on the Platform 1 side of the station. However, the interchange at Liverpool Street is a long walk with escalators and / or lifts from the mainline station. Stratford is a busy station. Shenfield is a fairly relaxed interchange at the end of the Elizabeth Line with lifts, but stairs if the lifts aren't used.

 

[306024]

If flexible on timings, the shortest possible walking distances are changing at Reading, Paddington and Shenfield, but you may want a quicker journey than that provides.

Fractionally shorter walk to change at Stratford rather than Shenfield (if the Liz line train goes in platform 6 at Shenfield) with the possibility of a slightly faster overall journey time.

 

[JonathanH]

Fractionally shorter walk to change at Stratford rather than Shenfield (if the Liz line train goes in platform 6 at Shenfield) with the possibility of a slightly faster overall journey time.

Yes, I agree totally, but Stratford is a busy station, and sometimes difficult to follow the routes between platforms. I agree it is quicker to change there and there are lifts at the western end of the platforms.

The dwell times of Greater Anglia services at Shenfield always seem to be fairly relaxed. Really depends on how much time the passenger has.

 

[306024]

Yes, I agree totally, but Stratford is a busy station, and sometimes difficult to follow the routes between platforms. I agree it is quicker to change there and there are lifts at the western end of the platforms.

The dwell times of Greater Anglia services at Shenfield always seem to be fairly relaxed. Really depends on how much time the passenger has.

Yes a bit 6 and 2x3, I was trying to avoid the tedium of all stations to Shenfield!

 

[Magdalia]

Which is the best route to minimise the walking distance on this journey (and return)? Journey planners offer routes via Waterloo/Stratford or Waterloo/Liverpool Street but there are routes changing at Reading/Paddington/Liverpool Street and Clapham/Victoria/Whitechapel/Stratford. We are fairly flexible on timings but it would be off-peak in both directions. I would also welcome advice on best routes from mainline station to underground and vice versa (using lifts/escalators, if appropriate). Thanks.

For minimising walking, Basingstoke-Weybridge-Richmond-Stratford-Marks Tey works quite well, though it would be very slow.

And it doesn't work quite so well on the way back!

 

[JonathanH]

For minimising walking, Basingstoke-Weybridge-Richmond-Stratford-Marks Tey works quite well, though it would be very slow.

And it doesn't work quite so well on the way back!

A same platform change at Staines would be needed as well.

Using the North London Line, the change for Stratford might as well be made at Clapham Junction in any case, rather than trying to get to Richmond. However, it would still be somewhat impractical.

 

[306024]

Where’s the Anglia Railways Crosslink service when you need it?

 

[Blindtraveler]

I would personally take the extra 25 minutes and do the Elizabeth line direct from reading changing at Whitechapel for shenfield and avoid messing about with horrendous Paddington altogether, someone who might potentially be walking slowly or be unsteady on their feet is going to feel less self assured in The madness that is Paddington even off peak especially if you're journey involves a weekend

 

[davews]

I am likely too be doing the similar Martins Heron to Marks Tey at Christmas and was wondering the same. Waterloo/Stratford seems the obvious but long walk to get to Jubilee at Waterloo. Or Waterloo&City/Central to Liverpool Street, long walk at Bank. Elizabeth via TCR and Shenfield?

 

[Magdalia]

A same platform change at Staines would be needed as well.

Yes, I should have remembered that those Weybridge starters go via Brentford.

I am likely too be doing the similar Martins Heron to Marks Tey at Christmas and was wondering the same.

In this example I doubt that going into Waterloo is going to be much quicker that using the North London Line, and considerably more hassle.

Where’s the Anglia Railways Crosslink service when you need it?

You wait 20 years for a Crosslink passenger and then two come at once!

 

[306024]

You wait 20 years for a Crosslink passenger and then two come at once!

Made me laugh!

 

[davews]

I am likely too be doing the similar Martins Heron to Marks Tey at Christmas and was wondering the same. Waterloo/Stratford seems the obvious but long walk to get to Jubilee at Waterloo. Or Waterloo&City/Central to Liverpool Street, long walk at Bank. Elizabeth via TCR and Shenfield?

Tarquinn88 never came back to say which options he chose but here is an update from me. On Christmas Eve I had a relatively straightforward trip from Martins Heron to Marks Tey, changing at Stratford, the trains were very quiet as also was Stratford. Being a Sunday the W&C was closed. Coming back on Wednesday things were much busier, made worse by the RRB from Witham to Billericay. I decided to again change at Stratford but that was probably the wrong choice as I went down a different exit from the platform and had a lengthy walk in the bowels of Stratford among the crowds with my luggage. Jubilee line train was jammed packed even before it left Stratford! I suspect it would have been easier to go to Liverpool St then Central and W&C. Whatever, despite the RRBs, A12 traffic jams, and jam packed trains I still arrived at Waterloo fifteen minutes earlier than planned.

 

[miklcct]

long walk to get to Jubilee at Waterloo

Isn't it a short walk between the suburban platforms at Waterloo and the Jubilee?

 

[Tarquin88]

Tarquinn88 never came back to say which options he chose but here is an update from me. On Christmas Eve I had a relatively straightforward trip from Martins Heron to Marks Tey, changing at Stratford, the trains were very quiet as also was Stratford. Being a Sunday the W&C was closed. Coming back on Wednesday things were much busier, made worse by the RRB from Witham to Billericay. I decided to again change at Stratford but that was probably the wrong choice as I went down a different exit from the platform and had a lengthy walk in the bowels of Stratford among the crowds with my luggage. Jubilee line train was jammed packed even before it left Stratford! I suspect it would have been easier to go to Liverpool St then Central and W&C. Whatever, despite the RRBs, A12 traffic jams, and jam packed trains I still arrived at Waterloo fifteen minutes earlier than planned.

Thanks to all who replied to my original post - certainly food for thought there. And to davews for the update on his recent experience. In the end, we made 3 trips from Basingstoke to near Marks Tey station this month - all by car. It's not a fun journey by car so still looking to do it by train in the future.

 

[[.n]]

Where’s the Anglia Railways Crosslink service when you need it?

I did use to use that - when it existed