Best way back from the O2 to Waterloo or Paddington during tube strike

[HelloDaisy]

Going to the O2 tomorrow night and have just seen there is a tube strike!
Does anyone know the best way to get back to either Waterloo or Paddington so we don’t miss the last train home?

Thank you

There isn't! Can you drive to the 02? My daughter has been to the 02 twice when there has been a fault and the tube has stopped running and everyone is stuck, with thousands of people trying to get on buses. Last time my husband had to drive there and pick her up. I wrote to my MP about the utter lack of planning for disruption. Last time it happened it was at a JLS concert and there were hysterical girls everywhere and they were just stranded. Groups of youths were harassing them, there were no police, the 02 closed, local hotels wouldn't let them in, ubers were quoting hundreds of pounds but not turning up....seriously this could be a nightmare. Drive!

Have you left it too late to book the Uber boat? That would get you to Waterloo.

Most other forms of transport are going to be too slow / too busy, I think.

You could try and book a private hire car but it’s quite expensive, I’ve just looked at Addison Lee for tomorrow and they seem to be charging from £49 from the O2 to Waterloo.

Book an Addison Lee cab via their App.

What time will it finish and when is your last train? Bus 188 goes to Waterloo but takes at least an hour. Difficult to know if the tube strike will make it quicker or slower.

I’m not sure whether the Jubilee Line is affected - if not you will be fine straight back to Waterloo. Check it specifically

Bus to custom house, I think it's the 129, then Lizzy line to Paddington? Not sure if that's on strike too though.

This might be too slow, there is SL11 or 180 bus from North Greenwich to Woolwich and then Elizabeth line to Paddington, or 129 or 108 bus to Lewisham station and train to Waterloo East. I have never been to a concert at O2 so have no idea how busy buses could be and if this is at all realistic.

129 doesn't go to Custom House, think it's really faffy to get from 129 route to Custom House.
On TfL journey planner North Greenwich to Custom House is complicated which is very frustrating!

Ah right, in which case the Woolwich idea or your Lewisham one sound the best.

Nightmare for the OP though the buses will be crazy.

Catch a riverboat east to Woolwich, then pick up the Elizabeth line west to Paddington (it's not on strike).

I'm going no further than the corner shop tomorrow due to the strike...

Much easier to get the bus to Woolwich (will take about 15/20 minutes) and then the Elizabeth Line. Not all tube lines are affected so check whether the Jubilee line is. Elizabeth Line is running as normal.

It’s a Tube line so will be affected. It’s not one of the ones mentioned as having no service, so there might be a reduced service (not clear how reduced), but will finish early.

Definitely can’t rely on it to get back after an event at the O2 on a strike day.

I read that even on lines that are working, journeys should be completed by 8 on Tuesday because they will stop early. But check that on the tfl website.

OP, I would take a 486 from the bus station near the O2. Get off in Charlton village and take a 53 or 54 to Woolwich to get an Elizabeth line train to Tottenham Court Rd, and then either walk or take a bus from there to Waterloo.

When you get off the 486 at the Charlton village stop, the 53 and 51 go from that same stop.

Once she’s on the Elizabeth line she’d be better to stay on to Paddington rather than go to Waterloo.

I’d be worried about making the last train with multiple bus changes (also I have never used late night buses in London - do you know how late those run?)

Get on the Elizabeth line

They definitely run later than midnight, and the 53 has a night version too. But it will depend on what time OP gets out of the O2. If she can get on a 486 by 11 she'd be in time for the Elizabeth line on a normal day, so I guess it depends on whether or not that line closes early because of pressure on the service caused by the tube strike.

Oops - meant to quote you @AlcoholicAntibiotic !

It’s not a binary tube / nit tube question. Different unions do different lines - I’m just not sure if the Jubilee Line is an RMU line.

uber boat

When my daughter got stuck at the JLS concert, thousands of people were trying to get on the buses all at once. The advice from people on here to catch this bus or that bus is utterly unworkable. In fact, there was so much trouble from people at the bus stops that many of the buses just drove off and subsequent buses didn't even show up.

Not sure whether it is or not, but TFL are saying all lines will be affected so I wouldn’t go against their travel advice.

https://tfl.gov.uk/campaign/strikes

EDIT: At least part of the Jubilee line (Westminster to Stratford) seems to be connected with RMT staff, so definitely wouldn’t rely on that.

Thank you for all the suggestions so far. All seems very complicated and stressful. The Uber boat seems the easiest solution if still running at that time of night.

Dd is saying to get the cable car over the Thames and then Elizabeth line…

I just about to say about the cable car- but i don't know how late it runs!

Whichever route you pick is going to be utterly heaving. Last time I went into Central London on a tube strike day I ended up walking most of the 8 miles home because the buses were unusable.

If you left half an hour before the end you might have more chance. Or if you order the taxi now so it can be waiting for you.