Easiest way to get from Kings Cross to Waterloo - advice please?

mamashaz

I am taking my children (4 and 7) and mum to Disneyland Paris next Monday and am staying the Sunday night in the Travelodge near Kings Cross.

We have to be at Waterloo by 9.00am on Monday (bank holiday) and would like some advice on the best way to get there. Although I am taking the barest minimum of luggage I would like to avoid lugging the suitcase up and down stairs and escalators as much as possible.

I did consider taking a taxi but it would be expensive and my children need car/booster seats which I assume taxis don't carry in their boots.

I have looked on the London Transport and they suggest a number of ways to make the journey but of course it doesn't tell you how difficult/easy the changes are.

Thanks

Mamashaz

morganb

Kings X to Green Park on Victoria
Green Park to Waterloo on Jubilee

There are lifts at Green Park and Waterloo - Kings Cross only has steps

(We recently did the reverse trip with two under-5s, a large suitcase and a pushchair. W were dreading it but ended up rather easy)

melancholly

go for the jubilee line wherever possible with kids/luggage - it's a lot more friendly for that and has many more stations accessible to wheelchairs. in your position i would avoid the northern line as the other route option and go with morganb's suggestion too!

martindow

How about going by bus? All London buses are low floor without steps and are not going to be busy when you are travelling.

BernadetteN

morganb wrote: »

Kings X to Green Park on Victoria
Green Park to Waterloo on Jubilee

There are lifts at Green Park and Waterloo - Kings Cross only has steps

(We recently did the reverse trip with two under-5s, a large suitcase and a pushchair. W were dreading it but ended up rather easy)

There is a lift at Kings Cross that takes you to the underground ticket hall (may go further down but not used it). The entrance is outside the station, not too far from the main entrance. IT cuts out using the first set of steps.

I really wouldn't get too stressed. I recently made it back from Heathrow by tube with just me and 4 kids aged 10,8,5 and 1, plus pushchair, a 28kg suitcase, 4 small backpacks and heavy winter coats. The general public were fantastic (especially since I had endured 2 lousy weeks with rude and unhelpful Musovites that never lift a finger to help anyone) and where I struggled, there was always someone. I only got really stuck trying to get everyone up and down the steps at London Bridge during evening rush hour, but even then, a lovely young man carried my suitcase.

AirlieBird

martindow wrote: »

How about going by bus? All London buses are low floor without steps and are not going to be busy when you are travelling.

If you did go by bus, it would be the 91 from the opposite side of the road to the mainline station (should have Trafalgar Sq on the front). Change at Euston Station where you can get a 59 or 68 from the same stop that will take you all the way to Waterloo.

Unfortunately, there is no through ticket so a day bus pass works out the cheapest (at £3.50) if you don't have an Oyster card. Otherwise, it'd be a £2 cash fare on each bus. You can purchase a day bus pass from Newsagents, or from the red ticket machines next to the bus stop. Children under 14 travel free on London buses.

Of course it will be slower than the tube so you'd have to allow more time for your journey, but with it being a bank holiday I should've thought the roads should be fairly clear. This pdf map shows the bus routes from Euston, showing you the bus route from Kings Cross and the bus route to Waterloo.

dzug

Given the price of cash tube fares in London a taxi is not going to be exhorbitant.

mcfisco

I travel down to Guildford from the NE quite a bit & have done the Kings X - Waterloo journey many times.
I wouldn't consider anything other than a cab - taking the bus/tube would leave me totally stressed out given the kids & luggaage you need to muster [the last thing you need to start your holiday], I guess it would be OK if you were used to the tubes etc. but I'm guessing you're not.

suffolkb

I`m not sure which travellodge you are staying at ( 3 within 1/2 mile of KX). The Farringdon one has a taxi place right outside. The cost of 2 adult and 1 child single tickets on the tube is ridiculous. Last year, i got a taxi from Farringdon to Liverpool st and it was well under £10. Worth it when you have luggage. Being a bank holiday, the traffic should be less as well.

mamashaz

Hi everyone
thanks for the replies. Some of you have mentioned taxis which I have considered but how are they affected by not having car seats? My son is still the size of a 2 year old and is just too small for an ordinary seat belt.

Advice welcome please!

Mamashaz

mcfisco

It's unlikely that any public transport is going to have the correct size child seat for you - unless you take your own.
Only you can evaluate the risks involved & what [if any] extra precautions you need to take.
You need to put it into some sort of perspective though.