Driving to Olympia exhibition centre? Easy?

Cornucopia

Coming in from the West/North West isn't too bad - just follow the A4 or A40 to the West Cross route, and then you're virtually there.

Given that Olympia is West, rather than Central London, not sure that getting to an outer London tube station is going to help that much, unless it's also on the West side.

lostinrates

BLUEBIE wrote: »

Hi

Yes I'm miles away, had a look at the trains and it would require 3 changes so I just wondered if it would be easier to drive there with little one in tow, its also a lot more expensive to get the train.

I have a sat nav, just wondered what the immediate area was like, if the car parking was easy to find etc.

I don't mind sitting in the car doing nothing, the aggresive drving might leave me a bag of nerves though. I'm sure it will be fine.

Just need to bad weather they are predicting now to really make it fun!

x

Drive to some where more direct so you and little one can interact together on the train? Its a long drive from Yorkshire and back in a day with a little one, but the train ride is pleasant (done it for weddings)

Also, the train might be quicker with going to the best station for your route.

Can you get an advance fare in time for your event?(its cheaper for me to drive too, so I have sympathy, but check parking charges before concluding this!) also check the effect of split ticketing, you might need to chat to a person to get the best result or spend some time on journey planner experimenting.

What ever you decide, have a great time!

Gigervamp

Don't forget you'll have to pay the congestion charge too. Not sure how you pay it as I left London before it was introduced.

I agree about the driving style in London being aggresive. My hubby's from a village in Wales. When he first drove in London, I warned him to wind his windows up and lock the doors. That scared him! Then, I had to tell him to stop leaving a car length gap between his car and the one in front. London's too busy for that kind of driving and the gap always got filled by someone cutting in front.

If I were you, I'd do as suggested earlier and take the car to an outlying town, then train and tube it into central London.

Errata

BLUEBIE wrote: »

See I'm never going to make it there! Its Olympia, apparantly they have car parking, thats what I need to get to.

Thanks

Just because there's parking doesn't mean you'll find a space when you get there - and what will you do then?

BLUEBIE

you can book the parking with the tickets, so that ok :-)

Kynthia

Gigervamp wrote: »

Don't forget you'll have to pay the congestion charge too. Not sure how you pay it as I left London before it was introduced.

Olympia is well outside the congestion charge zone so this shouldn't be a concern. Roughly where are you coming from as you'll get better advice if we know?

lostinrates

Kynthia wrote: »

Olympia is well outside the congestion charge zone so this shouldn't be a concern. Roughly where are you coming from as you'll get better advice if we know?

Op's location is given as Yorkshire.

pelirocco

Gigervamp wrote: »

Don't forget you'll have to pay the congestion charge too. Not sure how you pay it as I left London before it was introduced.

I agree about the driving style in London being aggresive. My hubby's from a village in Wales. When he first drove in London, I warned him to wind his windows up and lock the doors. That scared him! Then, I had to tell him to stop leaving a car length gap between his car and the one in front. London's too busy for that kind of driving and the gap always got filled by someone cutting in front.

If I were you, I'd do as suggested earlier and take the car to an outlying town, then train and tube it into central London.

Its no mor agressive then any other large town tbh , never worried about winding up windows and locking doors either .

We live about an hour away and for us its much easier to drive then to take a train , because if you go for the cheaper return you have to come back at a specified time . parking is pretty easy there are plenty of car parks

lostinrates

pelirocco wrote: »

Its no mor agressive then any other large town tbh , never worried about winding up windows and locking doors either .

We live about an hour away and for us its much easier to drive then to take a train , because if you go for the cheaper return you have to come back at a specified time . parking is pretty easy there are plenty of car parks

Its no more aggressive than driving in Milan or Paris, .:D Its more aggressive than driving in the cities here in the West Country or the large towns I know in the south east! IMO of course.

I agree, the chances of street crime are rather low and there is no point than being alarmist, but a dithery or unconfident driver not used to robust city driving can find themselves frazzled.

Counting_Pennies_2

Honestly if you are travelling from Yorkshire I would highly recommend the train.

If you dislike the idea of transferring across London on the Tube you can come above ground and do it on bus, or treat yourselves to a taxi to take the stress off.

Personally I would not be keen to do a long trip from Yorkshire and then negotiate the traffic on the streets of London at the end of it.