Has anyone driven to great ormond street hospital?

[bobdiddly]

We're travelling from the midlands and are taking a fair bit of stuff for a few weeks stay so would prefer to drive than get the train. Is there any reasonable parking nearby or does anyone have any other handy hints?

Personally I'd drive to outer london and get the tube in (jubilee line)? Or even get a cab in from the same area if you have lots and lots of things with you. Parking on the street is possible around Cockfosters, Oakwood and Southgate stations I believe.

[http://www.gosh.nhs.uk/gosh_families/coming_to_gosh/get_here.html]
Hope that link is useful (if you haven't seen it already...), please note that GOSH is in the congestion charge zone if you do want to drive.

Where will you be parking the car during your stay?

Oops needed double brackets www.gosh.nhs.uk/gosh_families/coming_to_gosh/get_here.html

I always drive, from Essex. You can park directly outside and get a permit from the hospital, in theory, I have never managed to get a space.

There is a multi storey car park which has a lot of spaces and has never been very busy at the Brunswich shopping centre WC1. This is only a couple of minutes walk away. It is quite expensive usually around £7 for half a day.

If you are likely to be in for a few weeks, I would see if you could get someone to drive you down and drop you off, as parking around GOSH is fairly limited and if you are going to be there for a while will be quite expensive.

I'm afraid I don't really know about car parks or anything around GOSH, as we either get the tube or a cab there since we live in London. I would however definitely bring your DC's buggy if they are small enough to have one, as it will mean you might be able to take them outside sooner than if they had to walk (presuming you are coming for an op), and they seem to be comfier and more maneuverable than a hospital wheelchair.

Otherwise I would make sure you bring lots of books and magazines to keep yourself occupied, and wrap and stagger any new toys you've got so you can produce a new present at the ideal moment! If you want any ideas on things to do around the hospital if you are able to pop out, either with or without DC just ask on here, I used to work nearby, and as I said live in London so know the area well. :)

Hope everything goes well, GOSH is fab.

There is parking near the Brunswick centre right next door to Holiday Inn. The parking here is reasonably priced at £2 an hour. Just dont park in the Brunswick as it is a rip off. The parking by Holiday Inn is about 10 minutes walk from Great Ormond Street

Hope everything is okay with ds???!

My friend always took the train in even though her dd has SN and was really quite unwell - she even used to have to take her minded children with her to a couple of appointments

DD1 is much happier these days and seems committed to staying at CH - it's been a horrendous 18 months but we seem to have turned a corner.

Sorry I have just realised that you are a different poster to bodiddly

Hi and thanks to everyone that posted here. Ironically we ended up down at GOSH on tues 5th - a wk earlier than planned so we jumped on the train instead. My dh was working so the in laws came with me. We should be going for ds's op in may when we will most likely drive so yr advice has been great. Think we'll try and park further out and travel in. we found a website where u can park on peoples drives so may look into that. I did feel like a country bumpkin going there tho!
:)

We've parked there while DS has had surgery at GOSH and they gave us a pass. Just remember though that if you move the car on any given day, you'll have to pay congestion charge.

I've just been fined because I didn't complete the payment properly online when we last visited - idiot that I am. So tomorrow we're getting the train down!

Hope your DS is ok.