How much time needed to catch Eurostar?

littlesnuggy

I'm booked on a 10.58 departure from St P and need to travel from my home town into London. Should a train arriving into Paddington at 09.44 give me enough time? I think it is cutting it a bit fine, in case there are any delays either on the mainline or tube but if I go for an earlier train my ticket price is going to rocket by about £100 (and be a lot more than the price to get to Brusells, stupidly!). Any advice/experience? I'm travelling on a Tuesday at the end of January so wouldn't think it would be a peak time like school holidays...

peachyprice

It's a bit tight, latest check-in time is 30 mins before departure, it should only take a max of 20 mins to get to St. Pancras which you'll easily do with time to spare IF FGW get you into Paddington on time, but that's quite a big if!

k3lvc

You need to allow at least 30mins to check in/clear security at St Pancras so assuming an on time arrival you've 44 mins to get from your train at Paddington, onto tube and up to surface level again at St P

The link below say 18mins via foot/tube so should be do-able but all depends how prepared you are to gamble £100 higher ticket price for the cost of a whole new Eurostar ticket

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/plan-a-journey/results?IsAsync=true&JpType=publictransport&From=Paddington+Rail+Station&FromGeolocation=&ToGeolocation=&ViaGeolocation=&To=St+Pancras+International&TimeIs=departing&Date=20141125&Time=0945&Via=&NationalSearch=false&JourneyPreference=leasttime&Mode=tube&Mode=bus&Mode=dlr&Mode=river-bus&Mode=tram&Mode=cable-car&Mode=overground&Mode=national-rail&Mode=coach&AccessibilityPreference=norequirements&WalkingSpeed=average&MaxWalkingMinutes=40&CyclePreference=AllTheWay&SavePreferences=false&FromId=1001221&ToId=1001276

duchy

As you are far more likely to get weather delays in January (I recall two Januarys ago friends having major problems getting to the O2 -some didn't make it despite only been 20 miles from the arena) I'd take the hit - but instead of spending the money on an earlier timed rail ticket I'd go the night before and stay somewhere like http://www.kayak.co.uk/hotels/Hotel-Cavendish,Kings-Cross-St-Pancras,London,ENG,United-Kingdom-c28501-h167460-details/2015-01-26/2015-01-27/2guests/#reviews which would be around £75

InsideInsurance

Assuming the tube is running well and you know where you are going then you are talking ~25 minutes or so to get from Paddington to St Pancreas

Its certainly doable if things run smoothly but you have very little margin for delays/ getting lost etc. If the train into London goes up by £100, how much does the Eurostar ticket go up if you book flexible?

InsideInsurance

k3lvc wrote: »

The link below say 18mins via foot/tube

18 minutes is from you stepping onto the tube train at Paddington. You need to add on time to get off the train, across the station down to the tube station and the tube train to turn up

Grumpelstiltskin

Easy answer -no you are not allowing time for any number of possible delays.


Just think about your train from home being delayed 10 minutes for whatever reason you will be totally stressed from the minute you step off the train at Paddington.

Carfal

To me it's cutting it a bit fine. Any delay and I'd be worrying about not being there on time.

Are you buying a regular train ticket to London, the same as you would if that was your end destination, or a CIV ticket for continued international travel? The price difference may be less marked and make going on the earlier train more viable. Also, if the first train is delayed, you'd be put on the next Eurostar train.

Split ticketing on the earlier train might be an option as the price depends on departure times...

p00hsticks

duchy wrote: »

As you are far more likely to get weather delays in January (I recall two Januarys ago friends having major problems getting to the O2 -some didn't make it despite only been 20 miles from the arena) I'd take the hit - but instead of spending the money on an earlier timed rail ticket I'd go the night before and stay somewhere like http://www.kayak.co.uk/hotels/Hotel-Cavendish,Kings-Cross-St-Pancras,London,ENG,United-Kingdom-c28501-h167460-details/2015-01-26/2015-01-27/2guests/#reviews which would be around £75

I'd second the idea of spending the extra money on a hotel rather than an earlier train - but not sure I like the look of those hotel reviews. There are Premier inns at kings cross, St Pancras and Euston that you should be able to get for around £100

littlesnuggy

Interesting mix of 'yes do it' and 'nooooo don't risk it' here, thanks all! Special thanks to Carfal for suggesting split ticketing - I've just looked into this and can get the earlier train for about £20 more doing it this way rather than buying the whole (UK) journey so think this is a good compromise. I'll play safe and get the 1 hour earlier train rather than the 30mins earlier, too!

callum9999

littlesnuggy wrote: »

Interesting mix of 'yes do it' and 'nooooo don't risk it' here, thanks all! Special thanks to Carfal for suggesting split ticketing - I've just looked into this and can get the earlier train for about £20 more doing it this way rather than buying the whole (UK) journey so think this is a good compromise. I'll play safe and get the 1 hour earlier train rather than the 30mins earlier, too!

Good plan. I don't think a single person has said "yes do it", merely that it's theoretically possible if all goes to plan!