what is it like driving in central London?

[Lightatwinter]

I would like to go to an event in London tomorrow. I will be travelling 3.5 hours to get there. Thing is, I have a commitment on sunday which means by the time I start travelling I will only have 3.5 hours till the event starts.

So its really tight timing.

I am also quite an anxious driver and not used at all to driving in big cities. I am also quite good at getting lost, even with a satnav. What is driving in London like? Is it confusing and terrifying?

I really want to go to this event but worried I will travel all that way and just end up missing it anyway.

You could park in Westfield White City and get the Central line and change to Bakerloo at Oxford Circus getting off at Charing Cross.
Or park along the Elizabeth Line which would probably be quicker. Reading, Slough, Langley, Iver, West Drayton.
@Lightatwinter is your car ULEZ compliant? If not you need to park outside London.

Avoid at all costs. Heavy traffic, nowhere to park and what there is is extortionately expensive.

I’m a Londoner and I don’t ever drive into central London.

Is there any reason you wouldn't just get the train from Cardiff Central to Paddington and then tube from Paddington?

Train Cardiff to Paddington 2hr, bakerloo tube to charingcross 10 mins. Which end of the Strand? Where is the event

Do not attempt to drive into central London. Take a train. That way you will have a nice time. If you drive, you will probably have trauma or in the worst case an accident because it is very very very demanding and goes on for hours. People will give you very little room for error. If you are in any way nervous you may find it a nasty experience.

Drive to Swindon and get the train from there? Or just get the train from Cardiff and forget driving.

Because I am at an event at the outskirts of Cardiff in the morning. By the time I could get to Cardiff Central, a train won't get me there in time.

I like driving in London but I am used to it and so know my way around

However I would not advise you to try it for the first time if you have a timed event to get to

Drive to somewhere like Maidenhead and catch a train in or like a PP suggests the Westfield shopping centre although don't know trains around there or car park details

Check TFL for closures on roads and trains and buses

Drive to Bristol Parkway and train into London? I haven't checked timetables but off the top of my head that seems best.
I'm ok driving in London. Used to live there and tho a bit rusty would tackle it again. But I honestly think you're asking for trouble, not least with parking.

Ok in that case I'd drive to Reading/Slough/West Drayton and pick up a mainline or Elizabeth line train from there to Paddington, then Bakerloo line down to Charing Cross.

It's pretty hectic but it's doable.

Be prepared for other drivers to be more aggressive in general in terms of making progress. Make sure you follow all signs to the letter. Don't get even one wheel in a bus lane, religiously keep off box junctions unless you're turning right etc. Check your ULEZ and the congestion charges. Be absolutely certain to keep to the speed limit everywhere. There are cameras everywhere!

Just double checked the trains after you said it was two hours, maybe because it is a Sunday but its much longer than two hours, its upwards of 3.5 hours with two and more changes.

I'd go for Beaconsfield or High Wycombe, get the Chiltern line into Marylebone and then the bakerloo.

Or Amersham, Chorleywood or Rickmansworth and the Met line/Chiltern (lots of parking at the station).

Driving will eat up too much time and a train from say Swindon or similar will be a lot quicker. Take it from me, you do not want to drive up the M4 into central London on a Sunday afternoon.

I’d park at Slough which is very easy to get to off the M4, train to Paddington, then Bakerloo tube to Charing Cross. It will cost you around £25 for parking and an off peak Travelcard that includes tube travel.

If you are an anxious driver, don't drive in.

If you are coming from Cardiff, shoot up the M4 to Reading and get the train in.

Reading to Paddington takes 30 minutes on the train, think you can park next to the station.

I would park in the Chiswick Clayton hotel, just off junction 2 of M4. Spitting distance to the tube Gunnersbury station which is on the district line (green). I may cost about £12 or so to park there. Underground carpark. Check it is ok to do so. We always stay at the hotel when we go to London as it is so accessible from Wales in M4.

Then, I'd drive to Westfield white city shopping centre then tube.

Yeah, you can prebooked parking there too which would take some of the stress out.

I actually don't mind it and I don't live in London so don't drive there regularly.

Yes it's slow and people are arsey but give me an hour in London traffic than the M1 any day. You've just got to be assertive and confident.

I used to drive from Cardiff to London and drive right through the middle of London eg Trafalgar Square and not bat an eyelid. However that was some time ago and I wouldn’t do it now with all the restrictions and you would be unlikely to park anyway. I would also prefer to have someone with me to check the different lanes/congestion charges etc. I imagine it’s quite hairy on your own if you don’t know where you are going.

I live and drive in London but for an event I take public transport because the stress is not worth it and also I want to be able to get to the event on time.

Reading and Swindon are significantly more expensive for off peak returns than Slough (£18) so do check fares.

100% agree

I accidentally ended up having to drive through central London at 8am on a Tuesday morning.

Far easier than any other city centre ive had to do