Questions for Londoners please help.

[Puddlewoman]

Also anyone that travels through London and knows their way around.
I am planning a journey I will have with me my two very nervous autistic children so I need to know where I'm going beforehand. I am arriving in paddington and need to get to st pancras. So I'm thinking tube they look to be running regularly im thinking it would be the circle or hammersmith line which one would be best. If it makes a difference we would be there about 11ish on a weekday.
Does anyone know of a website where i can find out how to get from the platforms where we get off at to the tube station part and the same at st pancras end. I don't want to be trying to work out where have to go on the day.
Also and this might sound daft but are these safe routes? Last time I went on the tube was 2004 i think and i remember it stopped and all the lights went out do they still have these issues?
Would it be better to walk? I know it's quite a distance but we walk loads and it would be a break in the journey tbh

Walk outside and get the 205 bus, it's a million times easier than navigating your way through the underground. It will also almost certainly be faster. No gates etc to get through.

Yes but the OP said one of her children gets sick on buses.

it's quite straightforward and there are no changes.
at st pancras it's also super easy to get to the Eurostar - in fact easier than if you were on any of the other lines.

Big time even with travel sickness meds and other remedies

Here is a map of ground floor of St Pancras. The Eurostar Departures is right by a Marks and Spencer’s.

It’s possible to get to Eurostar Departures without going through the busy-shop lined station, and instead walking around the outside outside of the station. But it’s probably a more complicated option if you don’t know the station.

Yes but the OP said one of her children gets sick on buses.

Sorry, I didn't see that.

Aside from the OP not wanting a bus, it will definitely take longer and be much harder given how easy the connection from the train platforms to the Circle/H&C line is.

There are loads of families with children and back packs so you won’t be alone! Also, a lot of staff at St Pancras.

Very small addition to others’ comments, but Google Maps also contains real time travel information including tube platforms - I find it easier to use in real time than the TfL website.

People in London are going to huff! So don’t worry about that - it’s not personal 😀

And especially at St Pancras, 50% of people are tourists so you’ll fit right in.

Just make sure you stand on the right when on escalators! When going through ticket gates, there is always one wide gate which is manned by staff and for people with luggage, buggies, groups of people. Aim for that option as people expect you to be slow and complicated.

London is v v safe, especially the Tube.
Please ask for help if you need it and for the priority seats on the Tube. A middle aged woman like me is a good person to ask!
A lanyard would be good.

Yep, this is vital. You want the Hammersmith and City line at Paddington which is on the same level as the taxi rank. There are lifts near platform 12. Go up, go right past the taxi rank and the entrance to the H&C is beyond that by about 50m.

This ^. You need the Circle/Hammersmith & City platform, not the Circle/District line platform.

If you did get on the wrong line, don’t panic! The Circle/District line trains terminate at the next station, Edgware Road. You just swap onto a Circle/Hammersmith & City line train there. It should be platform 1 at Edgware Road for Kings Cross. It is a small above ground station with 4 platforms that are all visible from each other, no tunnels linking platforms. Everything is clearly signposted. There are only steps though, which might be a pain if you have luggage.

If your DC have anxiety, you can book assisted travel to escort you. I think you may need to book the National Rail travel assistance separately from the TFL (tube) travel assistance.

Contactless PAYG is the easiest and cheapest way to travel on the tube. How old are your DC? If they are under 11, they travel free on the tube. Go to the wide wheelchair/buggy/luggage ticket barrier, use a contactless card/Apple/Google Pay to pay for your journey (just hold it up to the reader) and all walk through the barrier. Do the same (make sure you use the same payment method) at the end of your journey. If they are over 11, they will need to pay. You will need to use a separate contactless payment method for each person who is travelling.

Don't buy tickets, just tap your contactless card on the barrier for the underground.

All the signs have been carefully orchestrated for tourist travel so you'll always see the one you need when you need one, you just need to know what stop you're getting off at and look at the simple route maps on the walls to go in the right direction.

I wouldn't rely on an app underground itself because the signal is rubbish, so take screenshots beforehand if you need.

Yes! Google maps is so good for live transport info. So much better than TFL or city mapper

You can use your contactless card to touch in and out at the tube ticket barriers; children under 15 travel free on all TFL services. Just head to the wide gates and touch your card on the yellow reader. You can get kids oyster cards or buy a paper ticket from the machines at the tube station, but to be honest if they're little, just all use the wide gates together, and if they're teens, they can use contactless.

Yes just use contactless card..much easier.

Oh stand on the right on all elevators and moving walkways so that people can hurtle past you.

Here's an annotated map of the route from H&C/Circle line platform out to St Pancras station.

Your tube from Paddington will be arriving from the west (green arrows). There are three platform exits leading to a central exit corridor (you don't really want the one at the front, so don't get on at the very front of the train). Follow the pink arrows. TB is ticket barriers. After you've gone through the barriers, turn left and walk along a bit, then turn right and up some steps to St Pancras station (this will all be well signposted). This is all inside, you won't go outside. You'll think you've walked into a posh shopping centre. And I doubt it will be as busy as some posters have warned.

The Eurostar entrance isn't far, look out for M&S Food on the corner (and of course, all the signs). The other St Pancras train lines and platforms are much further along, but you don't need to go that far, unless you want to explore and browse more shops.

The area near M&S Food can sometimes get busy with Eurostar passengers (they'll be the people with suitcases) if there are several services due to depart close together. But it's not always crowded.

I'll see if I can find a similar map for Paddington.

11-15 year olds travel free on buses, not the tube. It will cost more to get the 11-15 zip card to get the discounted fare than paying the adult fare for a one off trip. It isn’t worth the hassle unless OP is planning future trips to London.

Where possible book passenger assistance. Staff escort you to the right train and help you with luggage

Didn't realise that about teens - mine are still little! Agree if they're over 11, just give them a contactless card to use on the regular gates, the regular adult fare is under £3 anyway.

I think, but somebody else will no doubt be able to confirm, that you need a different contactless card for each person. I seem to remember from a few years back when I had an Oyster card that it would only work once. You couldn't use it again to pay for somebody else.

I can't find a similar map for Paddington station. However, as PPs have pointed out, you need to be careful to follow the right signs. According to Wikipedia, Paddington Underground station is actually two separate stations and the two stations are not directly linked and interchange between them is via the concourse of the mainline station.

I've found this site which has lots of photos inside Paddington (not all of which will be applicable to you).

https://showmethejourney.com/train-travel-info/countries/great-britain/cities/london/rail-stations/london-paddington/

It has a useful photo showing the signage - make sure you head for "Hammersmith & City line; Circle line via King's Cross". Via King's Cross is the important bit, as that's the Underground station for both King's Cross and St Pancras. (Can't insert image but here's the link)
https://images.showmethejourney.com/f_webp,q_90,w_840,h_409,c_fit/v1677493283/20190309_150246_use_300aad56f5

That site has equivalent pages for St Pancras station but it has a lot of external shots, which you don't need. I don't rate their written directions very highly - stick to the route map I posted earlier.

https://showmethejourney.com/train-travel-info/countries/great-britain/cities/london/rail-stations/london-st-pancras-international/

Yes, you are correct, you need different contactless cards for each person (I came acropper with this when travelling with my 12yo)