Navigating London Underground with suitcase and 7 year old plus evening travel

bluenose1

Dear all,
thanks to all your advise we enjoyed London so much last time we are going again in November.
I have just has a moment of dread as this time I will have to get a small suitcase and my 7 year old son on the Underground. Last time we stayed in Watford so didn't have to take suitcase on Underground.

We will be going from Euston underground to Hanger Lane via Oxford Circus as per tfl.gov.uk.
Are there loads of long escalotors / stairs doing this? is it feasible?

The good thing is I will be travelling off peak. Going there about 9 pm on a Friday and returning Sunday am 9am. I haven't booked hotel yet so could change plans if need be.

My husband is also worried about us geting the tube of a night and what the walk will be like at Hanger Lane to the hotel. He is in the Police so always worries about the worst case scenario.

He is working that weekend and not that fussed on the sights so I thought I would go solo, but now he has planted a seed of doubt as to whether I should go.

Any advise appreciated.

p00hsticks

Presumably you have a particular hotel in mind, even if you haven't booked it yet ?

I can't comment on the specifics, but in general the London underground isn't very suitcase friendly - I'd say to make sure that you pack so that you can comfortably carry your luggage up / down a flight of stairs.

dzug1

Hangar Lane is really really not a place to stay if you are visiting central London.

If you are travelling into Euston then there's a travelodge right next door and a premier inn a few minutes walk away - and loads of other possibly less budget places.

There will be escalators and probably some stairs as well - you have to go down to deep level at Euston, change levels at Oxford Circus (maybe only slightly). Hangar Lane is surface I think. Added to which it's a fair extra time to travel into the centre each day

shorelines

There's a Crown Plaza next to Hanger Lane station. If you do stay there, just make sure you know which exit you need to take, it's always a bit confusing for people. Hanger Lane has a staircase but it's quite short.

I've never had any trouble coming home late at night into Hanger Lane. It is on a branch so not all trains will go there but you can wait at Shepherd's Bush in the warm or at White City so you can get phone reception (and it's undercover so you won't get rained on )

The central line is pretty quick and only takes about 30 mins into Oxford Circus. But as p00hsticks said, the underground isn't very suitcase friendly so I would make sure you can comfortably carry your suitcase up and down stairs. HTH.

bluenose1

Thanks for all your comments, I was thinking of booking Crown Plaza in Ealing as had excellent reviews and right by Tube. Didn't even think about suitcases etc from Euston.
I haven't booked yet so still other options available.
Back to the drawing board. Prices in travelodge, Euston about £90 per night for that time of year, was hoping to pay less.

oramgepekoe

bluenose1 wrote: »

Going there about 9 pm on a Friday and returning Sunday am 9am. I haven't booked hotel yet so could change plans if need be.

What things are you planning to do Saturday daytime and evening. Are you catching the train home at 9am on Sunday or just leaving the hotel and spending some of the day in London before going home. If the latter then you'll need a left luggage office somewhere. This all may affect where it's best to stay.

dangers

My OHs boss stayed at the travelodge at Euston and won't stay there again. Apparently the walls are paper thin and people on buses can look in through your window!

dacouch

If you have a look on the TFL tube maps, they show the stations with step free access eg lifts with a disabled sign eg Euston has a lift.

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/standard-tube-map.pdf

Maintenance work is normally carried out at weekends on the tube, so make sure you check your route is not affected

bluenose1

oramgepekoe wrote: »

What things are you planning to do Saturday daytime and evening. Are you catching the train home at 9am on Sunday or just leaving the hotel and spending some of the day in London before going home. If the latter then you'll need a left luggage office somewhere. This all may affect where it's best to stay.

Provisionally
Friday pm
Bus ride
British Museum
Hamleys
Saturday
London Eye (fast track I think)
St Pauls Cathedral
Westminster Abbey

Sunday
Science and Natural History Museums
London Dungeon
Train home 5 pm

Last time for convenience I just put my suitcase in left luggage at euston and it was very quick despite it being marathon weekend.

I don't care where we stay I just refuse to share a double bed with my 7 year old again:eek: What with him kicking me and my other son talking in his sleep and knocking the phone over etc in the early hours it is an experience I don't want to repeat. Twin room would be fine.

dacouch

I'm not sure you could fit the Science and History Museums and also see the London Dungeon all on the same short day

Stompa

I don't know whether it will help, but the 'advanced' journey planner:

http://journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk/

allows you to specify that you are unable to use stairs, escalators or whatever.