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

@saraclara

That's amazing, it didn't cross my mind to check as I'm in Scotland and we get absolutely no service on strike days, although o do recall now the central belt may have reduced service rather then none.

OP if you are still reading, book a train and a coach just to be on the safe side.

This

Reading this thread is just like walking my parents in law through internet shopping.

Us; Do this.

Them; That doesn’t work.

over and over and over again……

Book a coach to go back. Services out of London won't be quite so busy, and presumably if it's not so time-critical you'll have a choice.

Possible alternative: can you get to Croydon? You could then get the tram from there to Wimbledon and change to the Underground.

This. What a horrible post when so many posters are trying to help and couldn’t possibly know the OP’s situation.

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b no

yup this is what I was going to say, long distance taxi to a convenient point on the edge of the tube. E.g. I can see an Heathrow taxi from Brighton for £120, I know it's expensive but it's clearly important

As long as you can get to Victoria then St Thomas' is about a 30 min walk (for my walking speed, I have appointments there myself). You can also catch buses from Victoria (148 or 211) to the hospital or to Parliament Square (24 and 11) which is the other side of Westminster Bridge to the hospital. You can also get the circle or district line two stops from Victoria to Westminster and then walk over the bridge. I wouldn't do that at rush hour though.

I would travel up the day before and stay overnight. Then go home by coach with less time pressure. It sounds like it's too important an appointment to risk missing.

If you're booking a coach, make it an early one in case it gets stuck in traffic.

OP we had to do a similar trip to St Thomas’ and it would be difficult for Dd to manage on her own because of her seizures. She is the most incredibly intelligent, wonderful person but has little sense of where she is as that part of her brain is damaged. I couldn’t find anywhere the night before in any Premier Inn but they are always releasing beds as people cancel so we held our nerve and got one a couple of days before. It wasn’t a strike day but Kings Cross to St Thomas in a taxi was £22. Will be more expensive no doubt because of traffic. Never been before but you have good views of Parliament from the back of the hospital and if you turn right (so the river on your left) and can manage stairs, there’s the London Eye and some nice stalls and eating places on the South Bank. We walked across a bridge and got a taxi on the north side back to the station and it was cheaper and quicker as the bridge was a ‘sticking point’ for us that day.

Don't know if the above helps but thought you may like a more friendly poster.

The only benefits Dd gets is some PIP and that trip was 7 weeks worth of her all her PIP money, even though the early appt, when the specialised scanners were available, was on the nhs. Those saying hire a car, book a hotel etc just don’t understand costs implications when you’re not earning either. Luckily we could afford it.

Hope it all goes well. The staff were lovely.

I'd be wary about trains on strike days - as DH found out the reduced timetable subject to change meant when he was in the station half the trains were cancelled often last minute.

I'd suggest taxi or night before and hotel and then coach or any running trains back when time isn't a factor and checking hospital appointments are expected to run as normal.

You could get a national express? They are showing journeys on the 4th from Victoria to Brighton. Victoria - Waterloo/St. Thomas isn't a long walk, assuming you are able to walk.

I'd not chance it on the day, though, if you've been waiting so long. I' go up day before and come back on the 5th.

Come on, OP - you get the same when booking a train and you were happy to do that!

If you can make it to anywhere in London then you can make the appointment, even if it's a station on the other side of the city, you're in the city! - just use the tube or get a cab.

Hire car?

You'll be very lucky to get a cab on rail strike day

I have reported a couple of posts. FFS give OP some....you know...basic human decency? She's stressed to hell trying to sort a major medical appointment, her opening post was crystal clear.

I get the feeling that OP won’t be back as she has fixed what she was doing wrong but if she is I’d recommend booking the coach much earlier then needed. Lots have recommended overnight, which is what I’d do but I guess you’re not for it. So many times going into London on coach it has looked like we’re making good time and it suddenly gets eaten up so quickly and the coach is really late.

Glad you sorted it, OP.
We had to deal with this moving jigsaw puzzle 10 days ago to get International flights.

Those saying hire a car, book a hotel etc just don’t understand costs implications when you’re not earning either. Luckily we could afford it.

That is perfectly true they are expensive options- but based on our experiences I wouldn't trust the trains on a strike day - there may be hotel deals in January even in London or an early coach as an option.

We've had to spend more or cancelled things because of the train strike though nothing as important or as long waited as OP hospital appointments.

I have reported a couple of posts. FFS give OP some....you know...basic human decency? She's stressed to hell trying to sort a major medical appointment, her opening post was crystal clear

Basic human decency like not being snippy towards people offering advice and solutions?

However stressed the OP is there is no need for their aggressive posts. Thank you is all that's needed.

Well, I don't understand how on MM, there is this subset of ignorant and intolerant people They seem unable to understand how some people may find things like this difficult. Perhaps due to a disability or other need or just because they find something a challenge.

Not everyone is you. Good for you that you can do it.

OP, hope you have sorted it and good luck at the appointment. If you haven't sorted it yet, have a look at Mega bus, there fares can be cheaper than NE.

Those saying hire a car, book a hotel etc just don’t understand costs implications when you’re not earning either. Luckily we could afford it

But again what alternatives are we expecting MN to conjure up? Options are...

1. Take the cost hit and chose one of the many options to get there that have already been offered

2. Call the hospital and reschedule the appointment accepting that it might be a while before they can offer an alternative

3. Just don't go to the appointment screwing over yourself and the NHS

Unless you're expecting MN to set up a gofundme account or someone to offer to taxi you there I can't figure out what else you expect anyone to do...

You could always hire a car.

Call National Express and book the tickets on the phone.
Get a move on, though. Tickets are selling fast.