London Transport Help Please! Tube or Cab??

[Canyoucheckonme]

I'm going to London next week for a work thing. I've only been to the capital a handful of times before, and always with people who knew what they were doing and where they were going.

Three of us need to get from Paddington Station to Cavendish Square at about 9.15am. Should we take the tube (hot, sweaty, lots of stairs/escalators? But cheaper?) or should we get a cab? (quicker, easier, but at the mercy of traffic?).

I've looked at Google maps and it's 1.5 miles. This site was helpful to find out roughly how much it will cost, but think it'll all depend on traffic really?

https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/taxis-and-minicabs/taxi-fares

Can anyone help please?!

Love this! Not a nest of vipers in sight 😉 I'm feeling more confident already thanks to these lovely posters.

I have the Trainline app but will download the TfL one now too.

Thanks for tip re same card to tap in and out.

If I am going to an important meeting I really don't like the additional worry of getting lost. The OP said timing is tight in the morning and they have plenty of opportunities to walk later.

Download Citymapper while you're at it. It's great for not just the best/ quickest option from a to b, bit also multiple options in case the second best might actually work better for you. So for your trip it shows the Bakerloo and Lizzy lines as quickest and most efficient, but also how long walking would take, cab journey time, bus options etc.

There’s no excuse for getting lost walking in London if you use Google maps - I use the voice prompts. It’s often quicker than the tube over modest distances, and less hassle than a cab. You see all sorts of interesting stuff as well, and you are less likely to pick up a cold or Covid than when crowded on the tube.

Look at the Londoners around you. The majority wear trainers or sensible walking shoes.

I would take the bakerloo to oxford circus (unless it is not running properly so have to get elizabeth line to bond st) Cavendish Square is very near oxford circus and easy to find. Walk along oxford street (west) until you get to John Lewis. Cavendish Square is behind it (so turn right up Holles Street). It would take 3-4 mins to reach it from oxford circus.

If you google "tfl status updates" on the morning of your journey, it should tell you which underground lines have delays (if any).

Just a quick one to say thank you all for your brilliant help! The TfL and CityMapper apps helped us get around smoothly - preferred the latter to Google Maps as seems clearer and like the countdown of the distance.

Enjoyed my 26hrs in London so much I want to do it more now (esp the posh Lizzie Line!).

So glad it went well. The big hidden secret about travel in London is that most of us only know certain districts or routes well. I was at a party in Kilburn at the weekend and everyone was commenting on how unfamiliar most of us were with the area.