AdamR28 Posted February 5, 2014 Report Share Posted February 5, 2014 Looks like I'll be going to the London Cycle show at Excel next Friday. Now, I f**king hate London and quite frankly travelling around it scares me. What's gonna be the best way to get to Excel for ~10:30-11am? I guess I can rule out a car...I should be able to stay over in Northampton on Thursday evening, wondering if it's worth just getting the train straight from there? Looks like Canning Town is the closest but I don't know where I'd need to go into to make the change...Any help / info appreciated! Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamR28 Posted February 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2014 Google Maps for the win...!https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=northampton+train+station&daddr=51.514004,0.007682&hl=en&ll=51.522202,-0.058022&spn=0.178159,0.308647&sll=51.513871,0.01148&sspn=0.011137,0.01929&geocode=FcoUHQMdcSry_ykJq_pH5A53SDGPqKC5EXz4MA%3B&dirflg=r&ttype=dep&date=14%2F02%2F14&time=08:00&noexp=0&noal=0&sort=def&mra=dme&mrsp=1&sz=16&t=m&z=12&start=0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew62 Posted February 5, 2014 Report Share Posted February 5, 2014 (edited) Looks like I'll be going to the London Cycle show at Excel next Friday. Now, I f**king hate London and quite frankly travelling around it scares me. What's gonna be the best way to get to Excel for ~10:30-11am? I guess I can rule out a car... I should be able to stay over in Northampton on Thursday evening, wondering if it's worth just getting the train straight from there? Looks like Canning Town is the closest but I don't know where I'd need to go into to make the change... Any help / info appreciated! Cheers. The Excel is fairly far out from the madness so I would consider driving there. There's bound to be parking also. If you stay in Northampton you'd need to get the Midland Mainline to London Euston and get over to Zone 3 heading East which'll take a little while. I'd still possibly stay in Northampton on the Thursday but you're probably going to be quicker driving to the Excel from there, it'll be a lot cheaper that was as well. I can't remember off the top of my head what tube/DLR to get, but I've done it before so will check! Edit: Right, if you hate London then the train option will send you over the edge. If you got in to Euston from Northampton, you'd need to get on the Southbound Northern (London Bridge Line - easy to get the wrong one) to Bank. Then you need to change there to the DLR going east and get off at Custom House for ExCel. You'd need a Zones 1-3 travel card for this. As I mentioned, that's a bit shit, whereas if you drove you could just head to the bottom of the M1, switch on to the North Circular and bypass all of Central and get straight to the Excel. You wouldn't have to pay the congestion charge that way also. Edited February 5, 2014 by Matthew62 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forteh Posted February 5, 2014 Report Share Posted February 5, 2014 I can't claim to have local knowledge but I did spend 4 years driving to and from SE london, basically Welling/Sidcup/Eltham which is only a short drive from Woolwich. Driving in london really isn't that scary, even through central london at night time without a sat nav wasn't too bad. Keep your eyes peeled and expect people to cut you up, leave too much of a gap and people will push in, you need to be assertive yet not aggressive. I would stop just outside the M25 (or Northampton if you don't mind driving the extra 45-60 minutes) and go M25/M11/A406 down. In my experience after 8:30-9:00 the M25 is pretty free flowing and the M11 shouldn't be much different. The A406 (north circular) is multiple lane dual carriage way and whilst it can get congested is generally pretty good outside of peak times. If you allow 90 minutes to get from the bottom of the M1 (J6 where it joins the M25) to the Excel you should be ok at that time. Someone with more local knowledge might have better info but in my experience it really isn't too bad as long as you avoid central london at rush hour 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Papasnap Maher Posted February 5, 2014 Report Share Posted February 5, 2014 I would also drive, its preety straight forward... M25, M11, A406 ( North Circular ) A13 - Might hit abit of traffic as you join the north circ, but at that time, it should be decent.. Alternativly, you could go abit longer round the m25 and get on the a13 from there. If you want to train it..get into london..get on the DLR and Head for Custom House! P.s Drove to Excel a few months back..Easiest place to find ever..and parking is 'reasonable'.. Google maps sais quickest way is, down the m1, and straight on the north circ..I would highly recommend, NOT going that way. Top of North Circular is the WORST! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamR28 Posted February 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2014 Ah, sweet, that's great info, cheers gents. So car should be ok providing I steer clear of the centre... Guessing it's the same deal for getting away, make sure I'm clear of the M25 by about 4ish? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Papasnap Maher Posted February 5, 2014 Report Share Posted February 5, 2014 Me and Forteh just said the same thing! Haha, thats good enough reason to do that route Yep! As your going the other way from the bridge( dartford crossing) , there shouldnt be to much congestion. A13 turn off to m1 turn off..i dont think ive ever hit traffic ( at all times of the day ) Although there is 50mph roadworks for about 10 miles within that stretch! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Papasnap Maher Posted February 5, 2014 Report Share Posted February 5, 2014 £16 a ticket! Was going to make an appearance..maybe not haha 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forteh Posted February 5, 2014 Report Share Posted February 5, 2014 Even at rush hour (barring accidents) the M25 seems to flow, obviously road works can slow it down a bit but it's generally though 50mph average speed camera enforcement and it stays moving. Avoid the turning for heathrow like the plague! When I first started driving down that way I figured it would be simplest to jump on the A205 (south circular) at earliest convenience whilst avoiding the M25 as much as possible - hence I went M40/M25/M4/A205. That section of the M25 is a twat, the M4 is no better and the A205 is worse still! The north circular is a proper ringroad with junctions and dual carriageway, the south circular is just a road that goes from town to town within london and is constant stop start. Much faster to go M40/A40 into white city, through shepherds bush, kensington, chelsea and cross the river there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamR28 Posted February 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2014 £16 a ticket! Was going to make an appearance..maybe not hahaYeah, and £15 for parking... this is why I hate London Wicked, cheers for the extra info! Car it is methinks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Papasnap Maher Posted February 5, 2014 Report Share Posted February 5, 2014 Much faster to go M40/A40 into white city, through shepherds bush, kensington, chelsea and cross the river there a40...not had a pleasurable driving experience on that road...EVER! hAHA Ads - Royal Victoria Carpark...Just outside the MAIN Excel carpark..£10 for 6 hours.. Used it before..short 5 minute walk to the Excel itself! Worth a gander http://en.parkopedia.co.uk/parking/carpark/excel/e16/east_ham/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamR28 Posted February 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2014 Winner, cheers dude. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusevelt Posted February 5, 2014 Report Share Posted February 5, 2014 £16 a ticket! Was going to make an appearance..maybe not haha Yeah not worthy of a day trip even though Excel's huge facilities presents massive potential for a really impressive public show. The Cycle Show moved to Birmingham NEC for 2013, because Excel was way too expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark W Posted February 5, 2014 Report Share Posted February 5, 2014 In all honesty, driving in London isn't too bad especially if you're just hitting up the bigger roads. The only time it starts to feel dicey is if you start becoming indecisive - if you've got satnav that works and you just go with it, it's fine really. Just treat it like the first lap of a race off every set of lights and you'll be good to go 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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