Can any Londoners help me navigate the tube?

[Namechangedfortubehelp]

Hi all, proper country pumpkin here in need of some help navigating the tube

I need to get to southfields tube station. From kings cross. I believe it's the district line. I've tried to google and one site says go via Victoria and another says via Earl's court. Can anyone also advise how long it might take? The sites I'm using vary from 30mins to 90mins

Also if anyone knows how I could get to southfields from Heathrow that would also be helpful

Huge thanks in advance

I found city mapper good when I visited

I’d take the Piccadilly (dark blue) line from Kings Cross to Earl’s Court, then take the District (green) line to Southfields. Be careful at Earl’s Court that you get on a train going to Wimbledon - it’s an interchange for lots of district line routes so you don’t want to get on the wrong one!

For Southfields to Heathrow, just get back on the district line to Earls Court and take the Piccadilly to Heathrow

If you’d like to use an app to help you navigate, Citymapper is very easy to use. Good luck!

There are apps that will help you but there are several ways. I'd take Hammersmith and City line to Edgeware Rd and switch to District line to Southfields which would take about half an hour. It depends on the time of day.

Sorry - you were asking Heathrow to Southfields so it’s the other way around, Piccadilly from Heathrow to Earls Court then District to Southfields.

Kings cross to Southfields will take about 40 mins but it may take a while to navigate Kings Cross, especially if it’s rush hour, so I’d allow an hour. Heathrow to Southfields will be just over an hour too.

This is the journey planner you need:

tfl.gov.uk/plan-a-journey/

From KC, take the Piccadilly line southbound to Earls Court. From there up the escalator and take the District line train towards Wimbledon. Should take 40 minutes or so.

And don't be afraid to ask. Contrary to popular perception, most Londoners are really quite helpful. Just don't make eye contact once you're actually on the train...

Another one saying you need the citymapper app. It’s so handy. Does other cities too not just London so handy for holidays too

Southfields from Kings Cross
take the Victoria line towards Brixton, change at Victoria station onto the District line towards Wimbledon. should take around 40 mins.

Heathrow to Southfields
Walk to Hatton Cross Tube station. take the Piccadilly towards Cockfosters. change at Earl's court station onto the District line towards Wimbledon. should take around 50 mins

hope this helps x

I think via Earl’s Court would be better than via Victoria as there are more district line trains to Wimbledon from Earl’s Court than from Victoria.

The good news/bad news is that in London there is often more than one way to get somewhere. And the routes can take different amounts of time.

I recommend the transport for London route finder as it gives you options and breaks down the timings for you.

In answer to your specific question - you could go via Victoria (taking the Victoria Line from Kings Cross) or via Earl's Court if you take the Piccadilly Line from Kings Cross. Generally the Victoria Line will be faster as it has fewer stops.

Coming back from Heathrow you can take the Piccadilly line and change at Earls Court. But you might find alternatives that are quicker/better changes.

That’s what I was thinking @camelfinger although it’s been a while since I commuted on the Wimbledon branch of the District!

Earl's Court is a good place to change for speed, because it has trains arriving from more than one place going to the same destination.
But this does make it a bit more confusing, as there isn't a set platform for each destination, you have to wait for them to appear on the board and then head for the right place.
I might be tempted to get off the Piccadilly line one stop earlier at South Kensington, and change there. It's less busy than Victoria or Earl's Court, and you just need to go up one flight of stairs to get to the District Line platforms

Download the city mapper app. It tells you when the tube is due, where to get on(southbound, northbound...) where to get off, what line changes you need. We used it and it was very easy.

Citymapper is excellent; I know London pretty well, and love the underground, but even so, I find it invaluable.

I think the phrase is country bumpkin not pumpkin!

If you're not used to the tube, you will fairly easily find the correct line. But look at the map first to be sure you go in the correct direction. It might say Eastbound/Westbound or it may say the destination station at the end of the line.

Circle Line is a particular problem in this regard.

you will probably see a big map as soon as you reach the platform.

Thank you all so much for replying so quickly. I'll definitely download the city mapper app. I wont lie I'm a bit terrified. Yorkshire girl here, been to london once 15 years ago

Haha my phone auto corrected bumpkin

Local here...

There are 2 basic routes from KX to Southfields

1. Victoria Line to Victoria, change to west-bound district line to Wimbledon (Southfields is 2 stops before Wimbledon). Pros: Victoria Line is fast. Cons: You might have to wait a few trains at Victoria before a Wimbledon one pulls in.

1. Piccadilly Line to Earls Court, change to West-bound district line to Wimbledon. Pros: all Wimbledon trains go thro Earls Court. Cons: Piccadilly Line is slow with a lot of stops.

(Ignore the Hammersmith & City suggestion - that looks OK but is in fact very very slow).

Heathrow to Southfields: Piccadilly Line to Earls Court, change as above.

Thank you

You don’t need to buy a paper ticket on the tube these days. Just tap your contactless debit or credit card on the green panels at the entrance and exit gates. Watch the Londoners and do as they do, it’s easy. You pay exactly the same fare as the locals with their Oyster cards, and daily fares are capped. It’s a very clever system, and it works well.

Enjoy your trip!

The tfl plan a journey website is also brilliant. I added it to the homescreen on my phone so that it's like having an app.

Will you have luggage? If so, then the easiest route from Kings Cross to Southfields will be changing at Earls Court, which now has lifts on every platform.

At Earls Court, you need to get on a train that says Wimbledon on the front and the displays in the windows.

Coming from Southfields to Earls Court is simple - it’s a small station and one platform takes you to Wimbledon, and the opposite platform takes you to everywhere else (including Earls Court).

At Earls Court, you need to choose a westbound Piccadilly line train which goes to the right Heathrow Terminal - it will say on the front and on the display board which terminals it goes to. And if the right one isn’t there immediately, you won’t wait more than five minutes or so, so worth waiting for the correct train otherwise you just add in another change, which is a pain.

Heathrow to Southfields: Walk to Hatton Cross Tube station.

Why?? There are tube stations at the different airport terminals.

I would change at Earls Court because a lot of the Wimbledon trains start at Edgeware Road or High Street Ken, and therefore don't go through Victoria or South Ken