London appointment on 3rd Jan - no trains. No way round it?

[MulledWineAndMingePies]

We have been waiting for this appointment for about 6 years.
It's a huge huge, life changing, potentially life saving appointment and I've just seen there is train strikes on that day.

Im trying to figure out coaches or buses but and I'm searching and Googling but getting no answers.

Can anyone help? It's Brighton to London waterloo, or specifically St Thomas hospital.

Are there coach replacements or is that not ok because that's usually provided by the rail isn't it?
I can't believe our bloody luck

National express to Victoria. Then Tubes are running. If it’s very important then I’d go the night before and stay

In your situation I would hire a car and allow ridiculous amounts of extra time.

I do wonder how some people manage day to day life without constant hand holding. Hire a car, book a coach or taxi. It’s really not difficult.
Not very helpful.

Op, here's your outbound and inbound journeys with correct search terms circled.

To those being a dick to op, we all have knowledge blindspots. Unless you are perfect at everything always have some fucking compassion.

Were you hoping that someone here would offer to drive you?

Hope you’re sorted, there are lots of options 🙂

Trains will be running on the Brighton mainline as its a priority route - possibly only to Gatwick, but do check as there may be some going all the way down the line

Just ring national express!

Then why didn't you say that and ask for help instead of insisting you were right. Seems you'd know that most likely you were using the website wrongly

I actually managed this but I do need a lot of support and hand holding day to day. You are very fortunate not to need it but also bloody ignorant or just down right nasty with this comment.

I would definitely go the day before, what if the coach/train is cancelled or severely delayed? You could stay 1 night then get a coach back after the appointment

Once you get to Victoria you've got the option of a bus or tube to St Thomes. Just remember Victoria train station, tube station, coach station and bus station are different places but all within walking distance of each other.

Drive to Lewisham, stay overnight at a Premier Inn or similar with parking. There is one around 15 minutes walk from the station. Take the DLR to Canary Wharf, change to Jubilee Line to London Bridge.
Then go back, take the car and drive back home.

Alternative, see if parking at the O2 is possible, that's also at the Jubilee Line. Or look at any other DLR stations.

my post may have been missed as there were a lot of others at the same time, but as you can drive, just hire a car for 2 days

Does it need to be an in person appointment or could it be virtual?

Thameslink trains haven't been involved in the strikes so far. Why not get their service from Brighton to st Pancras, and then tube to the hospital?

I'm on the Thameslink line and have been able to get into London on all the strike days so far

Do you? You can’t possibly imagine how people with learning difficulties or disabilities or depression or social anxiety, or a miriad of other things might sometimes find all manner of daily tasks difficult and require compassion, understanding and ‘hand holding’ as you put it? If I were you, I wouldn’t admit to that level of ignorance tbh.

Thameslink running half hourly services on the 3rd

Coaches are so unreliable at the moment and they have doubled all the prices since the strike. When I ordered a coach, one got cancelled the other took 2 hours longer than usual. I would take the suggestion of OP's and stay in a hotel. You might be a lot more comfortable.

Have you checked the appointment is still on OP? The staff may not be able to get in if there’s train strikes.

Actually, my national rail results use southern. So you can go direct to Victoria station.

I would have hired a car for the day.

It sounds like you're having a really stressful time OP. Ignore the responses that aren't helpful for you. I hope it all gets sorted out.

What time is your appointment at the hospital?

I would leave as early as possible and take lots of things to pass the time and snacks, water etc, whilst waiting.

Just in case the coaches are running late, or there's roadworks on the way etc.

I must be evil. This thread has really cheered me up. 💐all round.