What’s Victoria Coach station like? Can a reasonably savvy 14 year old manage a coach change there without getting overwhelmed/lost/abducted by aliens?

[TheBramley]

I’ve never been there so I don’t know what it’s like, but how difficult can it be to get off one coach and onto another? She’s a bright kid but nervous about ‘getting something wrong’ and hasn’t really had to navigate anything other than local buses thus far. I could do the first half if she insists, but it seems a bit daft.

OP Trainline works it all out for you, shows length of time between any changes,
platforms, station on the way, everything you need.

If it was my 14 year old daughter from leafy Kent I would do as suggested upthread with train to Waterloo or Victoria then the Southampton bound train, with food and drink, instructions to keep her phone in cross body bag, on vibrate, wear jacket over cbbag, keep her wits about her, she will be fine, what an adventure, London kids navigate PT daily without drama, so will she.
I wouldn’t however send a child from leafy Kent to Victoria Coach Station on her first trip, the noise, clamour, exhaust fumes, shouting, PA voice, an alien experience she doesn’t need to suffer.
If she stands about gawping she will be approached, the trick is as has been said already ^ is to look confident, stride out, be aware of surroundings and don’t verbally or eyeball engage with anyone unsavoury.

During the day it can be overwhelming but keep your wits about you and you'll be fine. I wouldn't visit after dark though.

It gets really busy, lines for one coach can run into another.
It's not always the easiest place to navigate despite the big list of buses and labeled doors.
I find it stressful and only use when I absolutely have to.

For context my two grew up in South London, were used to buses, trains, tubes. Travelled up to London, across London and out the other side quite happily as teens. Both found the coach station confusing, and got lost when they had to use it for uni.

As long as he asks someone - even on the coach - she will be alright. Its character building! And loads of folk to help

Coaches and buses are stressful for an adult.

London buses randomly have the wrong recording for the stops plus often a bus stop is just closed due to a utility company digging up the road.

Yes you can get on the wrong underground train or have to walk a distance through the tunnels but they are easier to navigate as it is harder to get off on the wrong stop.

Last few times we've been in central London we've been approached by beggars and/or homeless people asking for money.... would your DD know what to do if that happened to her?

As long as it's in day light. And make sure she knows to ask a uniformed member of staff, preferably a woman. I had to change onto an overnight bus there when I was a teenager and a 'very friendly ' man kept asking if I'd run away from home, as he and his (obviously non-existent) lovely wife would be happy to let me stay with them. I found it hard to shake him off with not many people around. That was years ago but low lifes and chancers still hang around there, especially at night.

@Theeyeballsinthesky this looks better. I’m using the train line app and it’s giving me 3 changes, and they’re not that 🤷‍♀️This looks far more doable for her.

You just reminded me that sometimes they come on the tube and go through carriages rattling a tin in front of you.

The last one got "caught" by a volunteer of a homeless charity do she had to stop begging as he engaged in a lengthy conversation with her.

What would be the least daunting way to get from East Kent to Southampton for an inexperienced traveller?

Train, don’t bother with coaches.

which is why its a good plan to find the next stop after the coach station, as
the coaches don’t just pull out of Victoria without stopping to pick up, be that
Park Lane, Fulham Broadway, Vauxhall Bridge Road, save yourselves stress

I'd feel much happier with my DD on a train rather than a coach.

If she was on a coach and a creepy man sat next to her, would she know what to do? Would she feel confident to be able to get up and call for help?

See, to me that sounds like a big old stress - having to find one of those stops, be sure I'm on the right side of the road, stand outside with all my luggage, etc. At least everyone knows where the coach station is, and there are staff, screens, coffee shops, etc.

Another Londoner saying I wouldn't !

National Express allow you to reserve a seat from the front couple of rows for a small extra fee. I think a teenager would feel safe there as you're so close to the driver. But Victoria coach station is something else. Shockingly badly designed. Horrifically overcrowded, especially when there are delays as there simply isn't the extra space to put people. I wouldn't send my teen yet and they're a Londoner who does a lot of solo travel. All that said, I found the staff really kind and helpful.

yes I see your hesitation - well you would look online to see the appropriate
coach stop, then Google map it and enter into your phone with your booking ticket. You would not be the only person waiting, with luggage. Also you would know which direction you were travelling in, there is a compass on your phone.
If you were going in the wrong direction it would be back to Victoria!
It can be daunting travelling but you only have to do it once to know next time.
I wouldn’t have a coffee before travelling on a coach but I understand what you mean.

Ok, so Waterloo East, Waterloo, Southampton by train seems to be the consensus.

Thank you everyone - I’m way out of practice on using public transport and the train line app was leading me on a merry dance of numerous unnecessary train changes, whereas the coach only had the one, which therefore looked like the less daunting option.

OP see how we are all invested in your daughter’s safe travels

I wouldn't let my 16 yr old dd navigate Victoria coach aration by herself at that age. It's busy but also a spotting point for drug dealers & dodgy people. She'd be spotted a mile away as a vulnerable by an overtly 'helpful' but dodgy person. I say this as a Londoner, show her the ropes first until she's confident enough to do it herself.

Out of interest, why do you think this is better on a train? I ask because I travel by both (although mainly train these days) and it is way easier to find staff (i.e., the driver!) on a coach than on a train if you do need help!!

I would get the train every time. Even changing 3 times.

Yes that is true.....I'm just trying to imagine the configuration of seats...I always assume train seats are more open and visible to other people . But I could be wrong...

The thing is even if with either option there's a member of staff available, does the ops DD have the confidence to know when someone is behaving inappropriately and to ask for help. It's one thing to know what to do in theory but in the moment, many people freeze with fear...

@TheBramley Waterloo East and Waterloo are pretty much the same station. There's a covered walkway between the two.

I am a lifelong Londoner and was no slouch on public transport as a teen. My worst ever experience when about 20 yo was missing a coach from Victoria - it was 6am and I was going to Luton. I couldn’t work out where to catch it from (it turns out it goes from the street…).

TRAIN EVERY TIME.