Best way to get from Lordship Lane to Trafalgar Squar on public transport

[newbestfriend]

I've just moved to East Dulwich and am looking for advice on public transport into town. I work in Trafalgar Square and travel in rush hour. Should I get the train from Peckham Rye or East Dulwich. Is the number 12 bus any good or the 176? Any tips from those of you in the know?

[SeanMacGabhann]

If it was me, I would get the 176 to Waterloo bridge and walk the last bit along the strand - that can take forever on a rush-hour bus

Ditto a 12 to Westminster and walk up from there

Train from ED to London Bridge and a change to Charing X would do the job - but I hate changing more than most people

[Asset]

train from ED to London Bridge, quick hop to platform 6, train to Charing X. Easy peasy.

[computedshorty]

?

[sophiesofa]

Definitely Asset's route.

[Jeremy]

The 12 goes round a longer route than the 176, I would avoid it personally.

If you nevertheless have a bus fetish, use the 176.

The train would be my preferred option if you live near the station, the changeover is painless.

[sophiesofa]

Hello I have a similar question so i thought I might as well ask it in an existing thread.

How horrible do you think it would be to travel to and from Perival Station for work? It's in zone 4 west end of the central line. There's a job that I was thinking of applying for but the journey looks horrible. To me it seems I'd have to get the train from ED to LB, jubillee to bond street then cental out to perivale which including walking either end would probably be 1.45 ish if there aren't any problems. Is there a better route? TFL is not helping me with this one!

[matthew123]

sophiesofa Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Definitely Asset's route.

ditto

[Loz]

I worked in Trafalgar Sq for a while during the year and the 176 was, to me, the cheapest and best route and I live not far from ED station - in fact I use the bus stop at the station. The 12 is almost as good (especially now the Tamils have gone), but it does take a bit longer and it involved a change at E&C for me to get it.

Nothing wrong with the train route, it takes a similar time but it's more expensive and I like the idea of 50 mins to myself reading the paper/doing a bit of work, rather than train/change/train. You might stand to start with, but you always get a seat when the bus gets to Denmark Hill.

Sean's right - get off as soon as you pass the Savoy and walk - Bedford St stop IIRC. The last bit past Charing Cross is sloooow.

[louisiana]

If you're near the library, the 12 to stop before Parliament Square. It's a different route from the 176, but often faster. It's great getting onto an empty bus. However, the 12 may be very full on your evening return trip.

If you're anywhere along LL the 176 until Waterloo Bridge, then walk.

If you're near ED station (or any other station), take the train option and change at London Bridge, to go to Charing X. If you need to get a bus to get to the station, you might as well take the bus.

[matthew123]

The trains between Charing X and London Bridge depart just about every minute and is a 10 minute journey. It's 2 minutes across the London Bridge platforms to the East Dulwich train line - so you can easily take between 25 and 30 minutes from ED station to being in Trafalgar Square.

In that amount of time by Bus you'd be lucky to reach half way.

[Smiler]

Think Asset's route is best for Trafalgar Square, bus too unpredictable.

SophieSofa, that sounds like a nightmare! Getting anywhere in West London from ED is a nightmare.

[Dodo1]

176

[????]

100

[Loz]

The trains between Charing X and London Bridge depart just about every minute and is a 10 minute journey. It's 2 minutes across the London Bridge platforms to the East Dulwich train line - so you can easily take between 25 and 30 minutes from ED station to being in Trafalgar Square.

In that amount of time by Bus you'd be lucky to reach half way.

25 mins? Easily? I'd be willing to bet you you cannot get from ED to Trafalgar Square by that route in 25 minutes, especially in the morning rush hour. ED/LB trains in the morning take minimum 15 minutes, the LB/CC train 10 mins, leaving you zero time to get from platform 16 to platform 6, wait for a train (assuming you can squeeze onto the first one available) and walk from CC to Traf Sq. Forty minutes is a more realistic time for that journey.

My description is based on my known journey times, bus stop to work doorstep on the Mall side at Traf Sq. I did it two to three times a week and it took between 50 minutes to an hour. Yes, the bus sometimes takes longer due to traffic, but train holdups sitting outside London Bridge for no apparent reason are hardly a rarity. Nor are cancelled trains.

And you can get there and back for 2 quid on Oystercard prepay - that's ?10 a week. But hey, if you want to fork out ?25.80 a week to buy a travelcard for the privilege of getting to work 10 minutes earlier...

I used to be bus-phobic too until my other half started using them. Now I take them as a preference. Saves me a fortune.

[ayresc]

scooter

[sophiesofa]

I didn't think you need a travelcard for just train routes though Loz? There used to be able to get weekly train passes to london terminals which would definitely be cheaper than a travelcard but a bit more than a bus pass. I still vote train but if you live near a bus stop and not the train station then maybe bus is best for you newbestfriend.

[pepsi]

176 all the way but very unpredictable if the traffic's bad. Asset's right. Overground East Dulwich to London Bridge then to Charing Cross. No other way is faster, I've tried them all!

[matthew123]

Loz,

I was thinking I'd catch the 7.14 a.m. train that arrives at 7.25 a.m. - that gives me 3 minutes to make my way to Platform 6 for the 7.28 a.m. departure to Charing Cross that arrives 9 mins later at 7.37 a.m.

That leaves me 2 mins to win my bet... :))

[Jeremy]

Could be a bracing sprint through the walkway. Maybe you could run over peoples heads, crocodile dundee style?

[sophiesofa]

Oh wow I have the croc dundee running over heads background music in my head now and I really want to watch the film now too! Perhaps a race for Matthew versus Loz to see who gets to Trafalgar square fastest is in order?

[Loz]

Oh, Matt would win, Sophie - I don't deny that. But I would arrive relaxed and with morning paper fully read. And a quid or two in my pocket.

Sneaky, Matt - finding one of the few express trains of the morning. As Jeremy said, a big sprint through London Bridge and a even bigger sprint to get to the square in 2 mins might get you there.

But, I grudgingly admit it is theoretically possible.

[Dog]

Cycle.

30 mins, every time, guaranteed. For free...

[Jeremy]

Has anyone noticed that the published journey times to London Bridge have got longer in recent years? The fast trains used to be down as 9 minutes, the regular trains were 12 minutes. Now it's down as 11 and 14. (I don't think the train takes any longer, more that the old timetable was over-optimistic).

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

I think we need to set up a controlled test. Starting at the Constitutional Club in E Dulwich Grove. Sean gets to be Passepartout!