Non-motoring > Getting to Stansted Airport on tube strike days Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Mike H Replies: 30
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 Wed 12 Aug 15 10:12 
 Getting to Stansted Airport on tube strike days - Mike H
We're travelling from Weston Super Mare to Stansted airport on 26th August, which coincides with a tube strike. Unfortunately I pre-booked the train tickets some weeks ago. I considered a hire car at the time but decided against it.

The train from WSM comes into Paddington, and we're booked from Liverpool Street to Stansted. Obviously we will be fighting with everyone else to get across London on that day, so I'm guessing that using the bus or taxi is probably a bad alternative. I was wondering whether anyone with local knowledge could suggest an alternative route, possibly avoiding central London completely? TIA.
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 Wed 12 Aug 15 10:20 
 Getting to Stansted Airport on tube strike days - Alanovich
Get off the train at Reading. Get the Heathrow Airport coach from Reading railway station to Heathrow. Change to the Stansted coach at Heathrow coach station.

Sorted.
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 Wed 12 Aug 15 10:58 
 Getting to Stansted Airport on tube strike days - No FM2R
Get off at Reading, go to Oxford and get the "737 Oxford, via Hemel Hempstead and High Wycombe to Stansted - operates regularly every two hours".

www.nationalexpress.com/airports/stansted-airport.aspx

727 Cambridge to Stansted - Operates regularly every two hours
727 Thetford and Norwich to Stansted - Operates regularly every two hours.
737 Oxford, via Hemel Hempstead and High Wycombe to Stansted - operates regularly every two hours.
349 / 350 Nottingham, Leicester and Liverpool to Stansted - Operates regularly every two hours.
777 Birmingham, via Luton, Milton Keynes and Coventry to Stansted - operates regularly every two hours.
727 Heathrow, Gatwick and Brighton to Stansted - Operates regularly every two hours.
250 Ipswich, Colchester and Heathrow to Stansted - Operates regularly every two hours.
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 Wed 12 Aug 15 10:59 
 Getting to Stansted Airport on tube strike days - Mike H
Thanks for that useful suggestion Alanovic, I'll research the costs. It wasn't something I'd thought of as it's not a journey I'm familiar with.

The journey is doable by London Overground from Clapham Junction but a bit convoluted with at least a couple of changes.

Unfortunately the train tickets we've bought are non-refundable but exchangeable for a fee (don't know how much), but as the train stops at Reading there's no exchange needed. I need to find out what the position is regarding the tube strike. If the cost of the extra buses are more than £45 for the two fo us I might as well cut my losses and hire a car on a one-way rental.

It is of course possible that the strike will be called off, so I'll wait a few days.

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 Wed 12 Aug 15 11:10 
 Getting to Stansted Airport on tube strike days - sherlock47
Depending on time of day, Boris Bikes may be a viable option for Pad - Lvpool St :)

tfl.gov.uk/modes/cycling/santander-cycles
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 Wed 12 Aug 15 11:35 
 Getting to Stansted Airport on tube strike days - rtj70
You're not serious about the bikes? Apart from the fact on the strike days they will be popular, what would Mike and his wife do with their luggage?
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 Wed 12 Aug 15 13:38 
 Getting to Stansted Airport on tube strike days - sherlock47
>> You're not serious about the bikes? Apart from the fact on the strike days they
>> will be popular, what would Mike and his wife do with their luggage?
>>

which bit of
" :) "
did you not understand?
Last edited by: sherlock47 on Wed 12 Aug 15 at 13:39
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 Wed 12 Aug 15 11:42 
 Getting to Stansted Airport on tube strike days - Mapmaker
Crossing London that day will be best done on foot. Google says 1h 31 minutes for walking (though if you follow the Oxford St route they suggest it might take longer still...) Buses are likely to be slower; cabs likewise, but for the price of a 90 minute cab ride you might as well hire that car.

I cannot imagine why anybody leaving from WSM would think that flying form Stansted was a good idea; the flights may well be cheap but STN is off the beaten track from central London, let alone WSM... How many hours are you allowing?

Likewise, the idea of catching a bus from Oxford to Stansted is sillier still - it's a four hour bus ride! And if it were me I'd be adding an extra couple of hours to allow for traffic.

I feel for you; a horrid, horrid journey at the best of times, made horrific by the tube strike.


So, if you can get an early enough train, if it were me, I'd do the London interchange on foot or bus. But allow three hours and then you won't have to panic.

Don't forget the knock-on impact on the M25 from the tube strike. As for going via Heathrow, Alanovic, seriously? That really means going round London!


In summary, I hate travelling by air as I hate making connections and am inclined to be there hours in advance *just in case*.
Last edited by: Mapmaker on Wed 12 Aug 15 at 11:46
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 Wed 12 Aug 15 11:49 
 Getting to Stansted Airport on tube strike days - Mike H
>> I cannot imagine why anybody leaving from WSM would think that flying form Stansted was
>> a good idea; the flights may well be cheap but STN is off the beaten
>> track from central London, let alone WSM... How many hours are you allowing?
>>
Nothing wrong with the trip - WSM to Paddington direct, Paddington to Liverpool Street direct, Liverpool Street to Stansted direct. Leaves WSM 7:25, arrives Stansted 11:27. Not what I would call a difficult journey under normal circumstances.

>> So, if you can get an early enough train, if it were me, I'd do
>> the London interchange on foot.
>>
Dragging a 20Kg suitcase plus other hand luggage? No way!
Last edited by: Mike H on Wed 12 Aug 15 at 11:50
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 Wed 12 Aug 15 12:27 
 Getting to Stansted Airport on tube strike days - ....
Change train tickets or hire a car 24 hrs earlier and arrive the evening before. If traveling by train you're then stuck with airport hotel or what you consider reasonable for a taxi. With the hire car you can find a pub or b&b within a short drive of the airport and arrive on travel day totally relaxed.
You're going to pay for 24hours car hire may aswell get the use of it.
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 Wed 12 Aug 15 11:59 
 Getting to Stansted Airport on tube strike days - Bromptonaut
>> I cannot imagine why anybody leaving from WSM would think that flying form Stansted was
>> a good idea

Depends where you're going. Some places are only available from one or two UK airports.

The lad flew back into Stansted from hols with us ; it's the only UK airport served from Clermont Ferrand.
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 Wed 12 Aug 15 12:09 
 Getting to Stansted Airport on tube strike days - Mike H
Works for us this time. When I'm travelling alone and need to get to Portsmouth, Easyjet to Gatwick works well. Stansted to Munich was the only viable option price and time-wise this time. I wouldn't ever choose to fly to/from Stansted (ref. Fascinating Aida "Cheap flights", check it out on Youtube) but needs must.
Last edited by: Mike H on Wed 12 Aug 15 at 12:09
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 Wed 12 Aug 15 13:09 
 Getting to Stansted Airport on tube strike days - Zero
WSM > BTM change BTM > BHM change BHM > SSD
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 Wed 12 Aug 15 13:16 
 Getting to Stansted Airport on tube strike days - Alanovich
WTF?

Translate that for non-Puffing Billies would you?
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 Wed 12 Aug 15 13:23 
 Getting to Stansted Airport on tube strike days - Gromit
Weston Super Mare

to

Bristol Temple Meads

to

Birmingham

to

Stansted Airport

Bearing in mind there are plenty train connections to miss/get delayed and three stations to lug your baggage around...
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 Wed 12 Aug 15 13:32 
 Getting to Stansted Airport on tube strike days - Zero

>> Bearing in mind there are plenty train connections to miss/get delayed and three stations to
>> lug your baggage around...

Even more on the originally planned Weston Super Mare (WSM)> Bristol Temple Meads (BTM) > London Paddington (PAD) > London Liverpool Street (LST) > Stanstead Airport (SSD)
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 Wed 12 Aug 15 13:32 
 Getting to Stansted Airport on tube strike days - commerdriver
>> Bearing in mind there are plenty train connections to miss/get delayed and three stations to
>> lug your baggage around...
>>
same number of trains as in the original plan

No easy solution
FWIW if it was I, I would be changing journey to day before (cheaper to change pre booked tickets than buy new ones?) and get a cheap hotel / B&B near Stansted.

Travelling across London in any form that day will not be pleasant
There is always Zero's scenic railway route if you have to travel that day but new tickets will probably be expensive.
Could you possibly claim the extra expense from the holiday insurance?
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 Wed 12 Aug 15 14:02 
 Getting to Stansted Airport on tube strike days - Mike H
>> FWIW if it was I, I would be changing journey to day before (cheaper to
>> change pre booked tickets than buy new ones?) and get a cheap hotel / B&B
>> near Stansted.

Not possible. We wanted to travel back on 26th because we are staying with our our son and his wife, and it's her birthday on the 25th. And we have to be back home in Austria for 27th. So no option!


>> Could you possibly claim the extra expense from the holiday insurance?
>>

We don't bother with travel insurance, this is a one-off. Normally we drive to the UK.

Hiring a car is looking good, but I'll take a look at Zero's plan.
Last edited by: Mike H on Wed 12 Aug 15 at 14:03
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 Wed 12 Aug 15 14:55 
 Getting to Stansted Airport on tube strike days - Zero


>> There is always Zero's scenic railway route

Its in situations like this, that you realise the fundamental mistake that Beeching made. He was overly "North South" route obsessed, had little thought for "east west" routing, and even less for strategic growth or alternate routing.

To be fair, he had to do a lot of pruning, and its inevitable the baby got thrown out with the bathwater.
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 Wed 12 Aug 15 15:22 
 Getting to Stansted Airport on tube strike days - No FM2R
>>you realise the fundamental mistake that Beeching made

Mistake singular?
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 Wed 12 Aug 15 13:21 
 Getting to Stansted Airport on tube strike days - Gromit
Thinking laterally, can you...

Change the date of your flight?
Change your route to leave, say, from Bristol? (Even, say, Bristol > Dublin > Munich?)
Get an internal flight from close by Weston Super Mare to Stansted?

Any of these is going to cost you money, but I can't see any way to avoid that if you want to escape hassle, pulling and dragging. The least costly option would be to go with the suggestion of catching the RailAir from Reading to Heathrow and National Express onward to Stansted, but its a surprisingly long journey between the two :-(
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 Wed 12 Aug 15 13:34 
 Getting to Stansted Airport on tube strike days - No FM2R
Life is too short. I think it comes down to dump the tickets and rent a car.
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 Wed 12 Aug 15 14:20 
 Getting to Stansted Airport on tube strike days - Old Navy
It is no longer "strike days". The media are reporting that a work to rule has started and is causing delays.

news.sky.com/story/1534400/work-to-rule-action-adds-to-tube-misery
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 Wed 12 Aug 15 14:44 
 Getting to Stansted Airport on tube strike days - Zero
>> It is no longer "strike days". The media are reporting that a work to rule
>> has started and is causing delays.
>>
>> news.sky.com/story/1534400/work-to-rule-action-adds-to-tube-misery

As usual - the press is way behind the times, the "work to rule" has been in force ever since TfL said they were going to bring in the night tube. The Railway Rule book is a two edged sword - As a driver - fail to abide by the rule book, have an incident and it will be used to crucify you, abide strictly by the rule book and the railway becomes almost un workable.

In truth the problem is half that of TfLs making, they brought in a set of new negotiators who have no history or railway experience, at a time when the union is in the middle of a power struggle from those anxious to show they are the next Bob Crowe.

Result at the negotiating table is a load of big dick swinging from both side and nothing will happen.
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 Wed 12 Aug 15 15:00 
 Getting to Stansted Airport on tube strike days - Old Navy
And another angle.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3195066/Tube-strike-starts-break-drivers-announce-not-join-two-new-walkouts.html

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 Wed 12 Aug 15 15:48 
 Getting to Stansted Airport on tube strike days - helicopter
Taxi fare Paddington to Liverpool St is around 26 quid according to the fare reckoner.I would consider that a
better alternative to heaving suitcases up and down escalators and onto crowded tube trains even if they are not on strike.
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 Thu 13 Aug 15 12:29 
 Getting to Stansted Airport on tube strike days - Mapmaker
>>Taxi fare Paddington to Liverpool St is around 26 quid according to the fare reckoner.

On a strike day, it could cost anything as it could take forever. As mentioned, I'd leave about 90 minutes for it.

>>Nothing wrong with the trip - WSM to Paddington direct, Paddington to Liverpool Street
>>direct, Liverpool Street to Stansted direct. Leaves WSM 7:25, arrives Stansted 11:27. Not
>>what I would call a difficult journey under normal circumstances.

Not difficult, but asking for trouble!

You've got a 56 minute change in London anyway; if you've got a spare hour somewhere in the system then just take a black cab? Or an Uber; but their drivers can be very ignorant of the best way to go; only following the satnav - it can mean they know about traffic jams, but equally it can mean they slavishly follow the route.
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 Thu 13 Aug 15 13:29 
 Getting to Stansted Airport on tube strike days - Mike H
>> Not difficult, but asking for trouble!
>>

Only when there is a strike on (which may not be now) - it's perfectly straightforward, what's troublesome about it?
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 Thu 13 Aug 15 13:38 
 Getting to Stansted Airport on tube strike days - Manatee
Every planned tube strike that has threatened to ruin my day in recent times has actually been cancelled shortly beforehand.

Stick with plan A, and keep plan B (whatever that is) up your sleeve.
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 Thu 13 Aug 15 15:52 
 Getting to Stansted Airport on tube strike days - commerdriver
>> >> Not difficult, but asking for trouble!
>>
not asking for trouble at all outside of the strike days, trains in general, outside of peak times, have a pretty good reliability record. at least as good as expectations of long distance car journeys being delay free.

You want a real challenge try our last holiday with 7 trains getting from Hillingdon Tube station to Wengen in Switzerland in one day with every connection made and no trains late and the return journey working nearly as well with one train 5 minutes late (Eurostar from Paris) which did not affect the last connection home

Last edited by: commerdriver on Thu 13 Aug 15 at 15:53
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 Thu 13 Aug 15 17:33 
 Getting to Stansted Airport on tube strike days - sherlock47
Are you sure that you really want to go via Liverpool Street.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHSLW2K8ZjM&feature=youtu.be


They are saying 1665, but could it really be from the last strike in the winter of discontent, 1979.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_of_Discontent#Public_sector_employees
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