London travel advice

[Hellsbells]

I need to travel to London from the Isle of man in a couple of weeks. I'll be flying to London city airport. Does anyone know if I need to allow extra time? Are they doing temperature checks or anything?

I also need to take the DLR & tube from london city to Liverpool Street around 6. 30pm on a weekday. What are London tubes like at the moment? I know you're meant to wear masks but does everyone? And are you meant to socially distance?

Sorry for what may seem like stupid questions but we've not had to worry about the coronavirus for several months here so I have no idea what to expect and am very anxious about the journey

 

[Badgers]

The airport should be a breeze. Very few checks taking place here

Try to use public transport off peak. It is generally a lot quieter and most folk are masking up now.

You will be fine

 

[Puddy_Tat]

where are you trying to end up? staying on dlr to tower gateway may be alternative? its mostly above ground and has windows that open a bit so may be less worse than underground...

 

[Hellsbells]

where are you trying to end up? staying on dlr to tower gateway may be alternative? its mostly above ground and has windows that open a bit so may be less worse than underground...

I need to get to Cambridge so train from Liverpool Street. Unless there's somewhere easier

 

[Winot]

My guess is that the journey you are doing at that time will be very quiet. Liverpool St is the right choice for Cambridge (there are also trains to Cambridge from Kings Cross but Liverpool St is closer to City Airport).

And yes, wear a mask - it's a legal requirement on public transport and most people are doing so.

You'll be fine.

 

[Hellsbells]

Thanks this is reassuring to know.

 

[neonwilderness]

I need to get to Cambridge so train from Liverpool Street. Unless there's somewhere easier

DLR to Stratford then Overground into Liverpool Street might be better if you want to avoid the underground?

 

[Teaboy]

I've not used it recently but from accounts I've seen a lot of London public transport is pretty quiet still, especially the closer you get to central London. Wear your face covering and if a carriage feels a bit crowded just get out and choose a different carriage or wait fro the next train. It'll only be a few minutes anyway.

 

[marty21]

Normally I could give London transport advice , but the last time I used it was March 19th.

 

[Hellsbells]

Any idea how long it'll take me to get out of London City Airport and onto the DLR?
When I've been to London City in the past (pre Coronavirus), I've got out of the airport really quickly.

 

[scifisam]

DLR to Stratford then Overground into Liverpool Street might be better if you want to avoid the underground?

Yeah. Or at least make sure to change for the tube at Stratford rather than Bank. Nothing to do with corona, just the usual advice about Bank being shit.

 

[Sue]

Yeah. Or at least make sure to change for the tube at Stratford rather than Bank. Nothing to do with corona, just the usual advice about Bank being shit.

Though I always seem to get lost at Stratford...

 

[Puddy_Tat]

there are trains from stratford to cambridge

not sure if it would be quicker to go via liverpool street, but will avoid underground

 

[maomao]

Though I always seem to get lost at Stratford...

It starts making sense after about 5 years of daily use. Not before that though.

 

[maomao]

there are trains from stratford to cambridge

Regular ones? Though now you say it, Stratford to Tottenham Hale then Tottenham Hale to Cambridge sounds like a good idea. And must be quicker than going to Liverpool Street. And avoids Zone 1 fare.

 

[Hellsbells]

Regular ones? Though now you say it, Stratford to Tottenham Hale then Tottenham Hale to Cambridge sounds like a good idea. And must be quicker than going to Liverpool Street. And avoids Zone 1 fare.

Thanks. That's a good idea. Will look into that. It'll be a slow train though I expect.

 

[maomao]

Thanks. That's a good idea. Will look into that. It'll be a slow train though I expect.

Stratford > Cambridge hour and forty minutes ish. Fast train from Liverpool St is an hour and twenty and it's 8 minutes back to Liverpool Street in the first place. You'd have to be very sure of making a particular train to beat it.

 

[Hellsbells]

Would it be pushing it if I booked a train that leaves Stratford at 19.00 when my flight lands at London City at 18.10?

I can't get the tube journey planner to work on my work computer so unsure how long the journey is from London city to Stratford. And obviously no idea how long it'll take to get out of the airport and onto the DLR.

 

[platinumsage]

You don’t need to book specific trains from London to Cambridge, there’s no advantage in it given the price of an off peak single and the stress it would cause if you are coming from a flight.

 

[Hellsbells]

You don’t need to book specific trains from London to Cambridge, there’s no advantage in it given the price of an off peak single and the stress it would cause if you are coming from a flight.

Don't you?
I've been looking at the trainline website and there are different prices for different train times & alot say there are limited tickets left. I need a return. The return journey doesn't matter so much as long as I arrive with 2 hours to spare at the airport.

 

[Hellsbells]

Although are trains even likely to be booked up at the moment?
Are many people still commuting between london & Cambridge?

 

[Mrs Miggins]

Would it be pushing it if I booked a train that leaves Stratford at 19.00 when my flight lands at London City at 18.10?

I can't get the tube journey planner to work on my work computer so unsure how long the journey is from London city to Stratford. And obviously no idea how long it'll take to get out of the airport and onto the DLR.

I'd say that would be pushing it yes.

But you can get through London City airport really quickly and easily and TFL journey planner says 20 minutes so technically, if all goes 100% on time and to plan, you might make it. Depends how brave you are!

 

[Mrs Miggins]

Although are trains even likely to be booked up at the moment?
Are many people still commuting between london & Cambridge?

My experience of all transport around London at the moment is it's more than half empty. It seems that the majority of people are still working from home.
Of course this changes weekly, even daily, but it's still a hell of a lot less busy than normal. Even when it's "busy".

 

[Hellsbells]

I'd say that would be pushing it yes.

But you can get through London City airport really quickly and easily and TFL journey planner says 20 minutes so technically, if all goes 100% on time and to plan, you might make it. Depends how brave you are!

Not remotely brave & certainly not able to deal with extra stress atm. Will probably just buy my ticket on the day then.

 

[clicker]

If you book it and miss it, could you just hop on the next train? If not I wouldn't bother booking it.

 

[Mrs Miggins]

Not remotely brave & certainly not able to deal with extra stress atm. Will probably just buy my ticket on the day then.

I would.
I know people who would chance that and I'll bet when you're standing at Stratford Station at 18:50 you will be cursing me but it's way too tight for my liking. Your plane only has to be 5 or 10 minutes late or some delay with disembarking and you miss the train. I'd give an hour from landing time as an absolute minimum.

 

[Winot]

You don’t need to book specific trains from London to Cambridge, there’s no advantage in it given the price of an off peak single and the stress it would cause if you are coming from a flight.

^ this is correct

 

[Puddy_Tat]

at the possible risk of stating the bloody obvious -

from City Airport, you want a DLR going to Stratford International, but get off at Stratford - not Stratford High Street and not Stratford International.

On the DLR, either buy a ticket from the ticket vending machine at City Airport station (these are usually before you start going up / down stairs to the platforms) or tap in (and remember to tap out when you get to Stratford) with an oyster card or contactless card. DLR generally just has card readers (something with a yellow circular pad) not barriers.

You will need to go to the national rail ticket office (or a national rail ticket vending machine) at Stratford to get your ticket to Cambridge, as the oyster / contactless thing only works in (and at a few stations just outside) London. You might save a few pence by doing this at Tottenham Hale not Stratford, but not sure it's worth the effort.

I haven't the foggiest where the ticket office is at Stratford - I haven't quite got the hang of Stratford station since they rebuilt it before the olympics.

Some longer distance trains strongly advise pre-booking, but it's not compulsory on more local trains like this. And the chances of the railways being able to restrict number of people getting on at intermediate stations like Stratford / Tottenham hale is unlikely.

Booking in advance might just save you a few pence (and time and effort in going to the ticket office at Stratford) but if you do, make sure it's not tied to a specific train, some advance tickets are valid on the next train if you happen to miss the one you were going for, some aren't.

This is Greater Anglia trains website - I've never tried buying tickets online from them so can't offer advice.

And you do need to wear a face covering of some sort (unless you are in one of the exempt categories) on the DLR and trains.



from TFL's journey planner (although not giving time to go and get ticket at Stratford) - I did have to reject a few offers of slightly faster but less convenient routes.)

 

[Maltin]

Use Trainline app or similar to buy train ticket. Ticket office for Stratford is a nuisance to get to from the DLR as need to leave the station and come back to where the trains are.

 

[scifisam]

Use Trainline app or similar to buy train ticket. Ticket office for Stratford is a nuisance to get to from the DLR as need to leave the station and come back to where the trains are.

Or buy it at Tottenham Hale. Definitely not Stratford - attempting to buy a ticket there is the easiest way to get lost and the queues are generally awful.