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

@Plumpciousness not without an adult but maybe in groups larger than 5, school trips, travelling with older teenage siblings… I suspect the rule is to stop fare dodging by older DC. Otherwise every unaccompanied 11/12 year old would be claiming to be 10. If they are fare dodging with an adult, TFL can fine the adult.

Regarding the tickets - surely the simplest thing is that OP’s original rail ticket from her starting destination goes to St Pancras? Then she can just use that.

Have you bought your tickets to Paddington yet? If not, you should be able to buy tickets right through to St Pancras so you wouldn't have to buy tube tickets at the station. But you can also use your debit card for the tube journey. Under 10s go free.

If you're not in a mad rush try the 205 bus. Plenty of time and no changes. Sit upstairs if not loads of luggage and do some cheap sightseeing!!

Train tickets to London always just say London Terminals. You can't name the station specifically.
As Paddington is the station the OP will be coming into that's her "Terminal".

That won't work unfortunately.

I would walk to be honest. While it isn't the most inspiring walk, you pass Madame Tussauds, Baker Street (Sherlock Holmes), Regent's Park and Park Crescent (where parts of Oliver were filmed) to name but a few.

I can do it in 45 minutes, but I'd allow 60 to 90 minutes to do a comfortable stroll. It's only 2.5 miles.

Don't leave Paddington out to street level or even get a taxi as that will be much more disrupting and harder and uncertain. At Paddington all you need to do is get on the Hammersmith and City and Circle lines (pink and yellow) which are joined and run along the same track and take you straight to King's Cross St Pancras.

If you are getting eurostar at St Pancras (or a railway train from there) follow the signs inside King's Cross tube when you arrive for St Pancras - it is right by the tube once you come out - a very few steps outside if you end up coming out before going to St Pancras. That part should be very easy indeed.

For the first part at Paddington is slightly more complicated as there are different lines all from that station and you need to get on the right one - there will be a slight walk but very well sign posted within Paddington station to get to the right tube line. Check what it says on the describer board on the tube platform to make sure you are on the right side and not going in the wrong direction - circle line goes in a circle and you want to go the right way round. you do not want any tube with Hammersmith as the destination as that is the wrong way. You want one saying something like Aldgate

It is walkable, I've done it but it'll be approx an hour with kids. I can't say I'd recommend it with two kids who may be anxious plus any luggage, not knowing the route etc.

honestly, I think the 205 is your best bet. One bus, no messing. You can look on Maps for the stop but someone at the station will guide you easily as it's just outside (in fact there are two stops). Then the stops are announced automatically on the bus. Get off at st pancras or kings cross. I would hazard saying you can't go wrong.

Dear OP,

I haven’t read the full thread so forgive me if someone has already suggested this. TfL have a great accessibility service and can support people to access the system. They have staff who can escort you through the service from platform to train. I would suggest contacting the train company who are taking you to Paddington. They can arrange for someone to take you from your train to the underground train. Then contact TfL and they can arrange for someone to take you from the underground platform to the Eurostar check in. The journey you are making is theoretically very easy but you want to make it as stress free as possible. Sometimes people think of the escort service being only for those with physical disabilities but they are there to help everyone to be able to use the transport service.
TfL accessibility team contact details: https://tfl.gov.uk/transport-accessibility/contact-us-about-accessibility

I think you can https://www.gwr.com/travel-information/travel-connections/london-transport-connections

I often travel to Waterloo, then to Euston, then to Glasgow. I am able to buy the tube ticket with all the other tickets on trainline

Once you are on Eurostar, it’s great! Prepare your children for 25 mins or so in the tunnel.

Where are you going (sorry, nosey 😁) ?

That's works because you are doing a change and your ticket will presumably say Your Station - Glasgow not Your Station - London Terminals (which for you would be Waterloo).
If it's all one ticket it will include the connection across London.
The OP is just coming into London so her ticket will say London Terminal and her journey will finish at Paddington.

You can buy a connecting ticket if you book 2 trains together at the same time that arrive at 1 London station and depart from another, @Arran2024. You can also book at ticket with a travel card for London but OP is only making 1 journey, so that would be more expensive. I don’t think you can buy a ticket with a single tube fare.

I posted a link to the GWR site which says you can add a London zone 1 ticket onto your ticket. I have confused matters by describing my Waterloo to Euston journey. But the fact is you can organise everything online from home. You don't have to buy a ticket for the tube when you get to London.

The GNR website says you can add a zone 1 tube ticket onto your ticket

@Puddlewoman you haven't said whether your children are under 11? Because if yes you just need to use one contactless card for all 3 of you for the tube journey (only you will be paying).

You can book passenger assistance via Transport for London - this should give you help on arrival in Paddington in getting to the correct platform for the tube. https://tfl.gov.uk/transport-accessibility/passenger-assist when you arrive at Paddington with your 2 DC you just go to either the passenger assistance lounge on Platform 1 or the help kiosk in the station concourse and they will let you assistance person know you are there.

Eurostar offer assistance for passengers with autism which can be pre booked https://www.eurostar.com/uk-en/travel-info/travel-planning/accessibility

I just wanted to come back on and say thank you so much for all the help. We have now completed our journey and did the tube no bother both ways. It was so much easier than I had expected I did get cards for each of the children so it was just tap on and tap off each time. I am now planning a trip to London and feel much more confident getting around.

It is good to hear the feedback.

Excellent 😃

If you can afford. Cab and if you’re not going in the rush hour (which I do hope you’re not however you’re travelling!) I’d get a cab.

A cab will probably be around 20quid….

@CurlewKate she's done the journey now.
It was fine.

Glad it went well.