London parking or long tube ride

tempsc

Hi.

We're going to Royal Albert hall next week for a show on Monday. As we live in nth Essex, if we need to go to London at all, we normally drive to Gants hill and take the district line into London. However, on checking the tube journey planner, I found that my journey from Gants hill to Kensington will take 1hr 25mins - not too bad going for the show but a bind after it! Does anyone have other suggestions on making this all a bit simpler (shorter journey), taking into account the central London congestion charge?

Tks for any advice in advance.

Paul:D

property.advert

You mean the central line ?

Change at Holborn and take the Piccadilly line to Knightsbridge and then walk a few minutes.

Journey time 45 minutes http://journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk/user/XSLT_TRIP_REQUEST2?language=en

tempsc

property.advert wrote: »

You mean the central line ?
http://journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk/user/XSLT_TRIP_REQUEST2?language=en

Yes, of course. Central line from Gants hill. Sorry - it's late!

Tks
Paul

property.advert

With that short a journey, I would not even consider taking the car.

rob_wiltshire

What time does your show start?

tempsc

Rob. Show starts at 7:30pm

akitabow

Doesn't the charge finish at 6ish? i'm not entirly sure but i agree london transport is fine on way to a show but a nightmare when its late and followed by a long car journey.

rob_wiltshire

tempsc wrote: »

Rob. Show starts at 7:30pm

Well, as akitabow says, the congestion charge ends at 6pm and the Albert Hall is outside the zone anyway so as long as you 'skirt' the zone (I appreciate this is a nuisance bearing in mind the direction you are coming from) perhaps Congestion Charging isn't too much of an issue.

After 6:30pm you will be able to park for free at a meter or on a single yellow line although there may be a lot of people looking for parking around the hall and quite a lot of the parking in the area is 'residents only'.

However, I wouldn't necessarily let concerns over parking availability put you off - as a very last resort there is 'always' spare parking in Belgrave Square (still outside the zone) which will be free of charge from 6:30pm. Admittedly it is a bit of a hike from the RAH but to allow more time to get to the show you could buy a pay and display ticket there for the last charging hour and, as regards the return walk, I have always felt that it's quite nice to walk through the Knightsbridge area at night (the beautiful Natural History Museum building is nicely illuminated).

So, in summary, I think you have to weigh up the hassle of getting through the traffic and finding parking on the way there, against the
benefit of being able to drive home on the way back - your call!

Enjoy your evening.

glider3560

If you are seeing a show in the evening, parking at Imperial College (about 1 minutes walk) is £8 per car, but needs to be booked in advance.

Flyboy152

rob_wiltshire wrote: »

Well, as akitabow says, the congestion charge ends at 6pm and the Albert Hall is outside the zone anyway so as long as you 'skirt' the zone (I appreciate this is a nuisance bearing in mind the direction you are coming from) perhaps Congestion Charging isn't too much of an issue.

After 6:30pm you will be able to park for free at a meter or on a single yellow line although there may be a lot of people looking for parking around the hall and quite a lot of the parking in the area is 'residents only'.

However, I wouldn't necessarily let concerns over parking availability put you off - as a very last resort there is 'always' spare parking in Belgrave Square (still outside the zone) which will be free of charge from 6:30pm. Admittedly it is a bit of a hike from the RAH but to allow more time to get to the show you could buy a pay and display ticket there for the last charging hour and, as regards the return walk, I have always felt that it's quite nice to walk through the Knightsbridge area at night (the beautiful Natural History Museum building is nicely illuminated).

So, in summary, I think you have to weigh up the hassle of getting through the traffic and finding parking on the way there, against the
benefit of being able to drive home on the way back - your call!

Enjoy your evening.

The car will also be relatively safer than anywhere else in London. A number of high ranking dignitaries and celebrities live in Belgravia. The police are milling around there constantly, giving a deterring presence to any would be thieves.

rob_wiltshire

Flyboy152 wrote: »

The car will also be relatively safer than anywhere else in London. A number of high ranking dignitaries and celebrities live in Belgravia. The police are milling around there constantly, giving a deterring presence to any would be thieves.

Good point! I am not sure if it is still the case but going back a few years there was almost always a policeman posted on the front steps of the Turkish Embassy - try to park on the NE side of the square if you can!