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.

That’s because Paddington is closed tomorrow so it is diverting you to arrive in Waterloo on the slow train I imagine

That's quite far in though. I drive to Westfield via the A40 and the traffic can be very slow from Hanger Lane onwards.

I don't find it scary just very slow - when traffic builds up it takes forever to get anywhere.

I don’t mind driving in London, but as you said you’re an anxious driver I’d avoid it.

Instead I’d drive to somewhere like Hounslow West Underground (park here) hop on the Piccadilly line to Leicester Square, then south northern line to Charing Cross or embankment and walk to the strand.

enjoy

I’d drive to South Ruislip then get central line to Holborn.

I'd go from Reading. You'll be on the M4 anyway.

It’s HORRENDOUS! Don’t do it!

I like driving in London but I'm a confident driver and I know a lot of London fairly well. If I were you I'd park at either reading or Westfield and then use the tube. If Westfield, you'll need to pay the ulez if your car isn't exempt. I like Westfield as there's toilets, it's well lit, and it's safe. Reading isn't very nice and the parking is expensive at the station but you will avoid traffic of getting to Westfield.

Either drive to Slough then get Elizabeth line to Bond Street then walk or further tube from there.

Or drive right into London and park outside regent's park, plenty of parking there, then it's 5 to 10 min walk to Baker street tube.

Both are good options, I think option 1 would be more reliable.

Paddington is closed tomorrow
But the train from Reading to Ealing Broadway is only about 20 mins and then you can use the tube.

If you can take the train, please do. It's not very considerate to those of us living here to pollute our homes by unnecessary driving.

Elizabeth Line from Ealing Broadway is much quicker than the tube

Drive to Hatton Cross Tube station which is not far from Heathrow. From there you can get the Picadilly line which pretty much tales you to the Strand.
Or drive to Reading and catch the lovely Elizabeth line.
Don't forget that as well finding parking, you would have to pay the London congestion charge and make sure your car is ULEZ compliant otherwise you have to pay for that too.

Hi Everyone,

Thanks so much for all of your suggestions. I have mapped out a few of them, driving to Reading or other places outside central London, and basically, due to when I can leave, even if the motorway was smooth and no hold ups, the best I could arrive at would be about 2pm, which is obviously too late.

I'm pretty gutted, really wish I didn't have this prior engagement but I can't back out without letting other people down so don't want to do that.

I’m not an anxious driver, born and raised in central London and drive here every day. Increasingly getting to my wits end with driving through London. I have a blue badge and still can never park. All around the Strand, Embankment, West End, Charing Cross this week have been endless roadworks with diversions and signals that make little sense, and cyclists and pedestrians weaving in and out like the cars are invisible. I wouldn’t bother, OP. The getting ‘in’ will take hours in itself, forget the 3.5hrs you’re being told Cardiff to London, that’ll be the outskirts I reckon. The no left turns, one way systems, no through routes and no parking will be a nightmare near the Strand!

Had to do this for the first time this year, drive straight through London…

it was not difficult or stressful , it was mainly SLOW

it took twice as long as Satnav estimated, it was all 20 MHP and gridlocked traffic

so if you have time, and have booked a place to park, it’s fine

but check in Waze (much more accurate than google maps) how long it would take, then add extra 30 mins

it’s not scary at all, just slow

Those train times don’t sound right at all. I get the train from Bristol Parkway to Paddington all the time, it takes 1 hour and 15 mins. Cardiff is the next stop from Bristol Parkway and takes 33 mins.

Driving from Parkway to Cardiff would take maybe 25 mins, especially on a Sunday morning. Personally I’d do that. I can do school run in the morning in Bristol, lunch meeting in central London and back for 3.30pm school pick-up. It should be doable. Cardiff is half hour up the road.

Paddington is closed tomorrow

I would drive to Reading and get the Elizabeth line. (I live in North London and I refuse to drive in. It is a million times worse than it was even 10 years ago).

You get used to it if you live there. The mix of manic drivers, traffic and unfamiliar routes are not ideal. Roads blocked unexpectedly. Fines and cameras, the bikes.

Good for you! Thank you for your support.

Many travelling from Stanmore / Edgware / Mill Hill areas where you will find good parking and transport into the city.

There is no real parking near The Strand.
Westfield is really easy to park and 5 mins to the central line, but Sunday traffic is bad, often worse then a week day.
I live in zone 1 and have just got rid of my car as it is never as time effective as the buses or tube.

Is it confusing and terrifying? Yes 😂

Unless you are used to it, driving in central London is difficult and not for the faint hearted. Lots of cameras, bus lanes and one way streets to get stuck in. The sat nav does not necessarily always help because eg. finding your exit on a roundabout can be confusing and people are not kind when you dither. Drivers used to driving in London are impatient and beep you a lot.

I also find there are a lot of road signs and markings that I haven’t seen since my driving theory (live semi rurally) so this can make it tricky to know all the rules.

I’ve done it a few times, never by choice.

Have you considered where you will park?

I learned to drive in central london, but I would advise not to drive there unless you are confident and can find your way even if your sat nav goes a little off. So no, I dont think it is a good idea.

Aylesbury is on the way and isn’t far from MK. Either get off at Aylesbury and take the slow train to Euston or park in MK and take the fast train. The Strand is then a short tube journey away.