buggy access on London tube - is there any?

[luche]

Hi there,
Am going to London tomorrow with baby plus enormous 3-wheeler. Great for Norfolk beaches but not so good for the tube. Does anyone know if you can get from Liverpool St to Knightsbridge by tube with a buggy (ie are there lifts at the stations?). Spent a decade in London but as a singleton so never even noticed or thought about babies on the tube.

Link to thetube.com which has maps showing accessible stations

Usually there aren't lifts at stations. Good luck...

You can get on the tube platforms at liverpool st Ok enough - though if you choose the central line, it will be via an escalator.

normally I would say central line and change at holborn but definitely do not do this with a buggy as there are lots of steps at holborn.

other option would be go on the circle line for an age to somewhere nr sloane street, gloucester road (??) and go on overland from there.

there is a bus station at liverpool street but i am not a frequent visitor to knightsbridge so cant help on best bus routes.

Try the journey planner it sholud show access and will also give different types of transport.

I travel around London on buses as its easier for access and cooler in this weather. I used to work in Knightsbridge it doesn't have a lift but South Kensington does its not that far to walk.

Don't rely on lifts working. I did london bridge to liverpool st recently, and worked it all out nicely. I was still up and down stairs and escelators with a powertwin (tandem 3 wheeler twin buggy) and a 3yo and a 5yo. It is possible to do a buggy on escelators - jsut takes practice. And three wheelers are great for bouncign up and down stairs.

thanks so much everyone. I think I'll try to go by bus. Unfortunately the journey planner on the London Transport website isn't working at the moment but I'll try again later.

some buses don't have pram access either

Central line also not working at the moment - hasn't all day.

I've often done the Liverpool Street to Knightsbridge route, only occasionally with a buggy. I did it once with a three wheeler: I had a friend helping me and it was still a nightmare. Can you borrow a stroller?
The route I take is the most straightforward, central to Holborn or Kings Cross then Piccadilly to K. There are tall escalators at both ends which is why I recommend the stroller! Changing at Holborn is a bit awkward as well, lots of stairs up and down. Can't remember KC too well.
How old is baby? Can you take him/her in a sling?

there is a lift at covent garden, but also at least 10 steps too. best stations to change at are on jubilee line

I did a week in london recently and travelled everywhere on tube, toddler and buggy. Would be harder with a three wheeler though and a baby who you can't hang onto by the reins while you fold up sadi buggy. You could do stairs if people help, but it does depend on who is around and who feels like being nice. i found everyone was fab and had lots of offers of help, to my surprise.

IIRC jubliee line is good fo access, waterloo had lifts and so did another on taht line. Also russell Square has lifts. If you look at a tube map there are things with disabled symbols saying where there is disabled access to street, but others also have lifts just for changing.

journeyplanner for london transport- you can tick boxes that say whether you can use stairs/escalators etc.

Have got a stroller but the problem is that he won't sleep in it. And if he doesn't sleep all day it will be a total nightmare! So the 3 wheeler it is.

Have to say, people are generally very helpful up and down the stairs. I have been impressed. If not I have managed, usually with offers of help halfway down!

Had a look on the TFL site for you, and it says to get the bus - lots of suggestions on the site, most requiring one change but all different buses and places to change so best to look yourself! I'll just confuse you here.

not much really but you can always ask for a lift from someone if no one offers (they're not gonna say no, they'd look bad). I find the horrors of the tube pale in comparison to the trauma of being trapped on a gridlocked bus with a 1 and 3 year old "entertaining" the other passengers.

I go everywhere by tube and have never had anyone refuse to help with stairs
Some people offer but otherwise the first person to make eye contact gets asked

Made it in one piece! Got a cab to start with - lovely cabbie who only charged £12 (I asked him roughly how much he thought the fare would be) even though the meter said £20, such was the traffic. On my return however I got the tube - from Sloane Sq to Liv St station. Asked a London Underground staff member to help me down the stairs (as suggested by the cabbie who used to work for LU) and he said no (despite just chatting to his mate) ..... however, 2 guys overheard and helped me down the numerous steps. At Liverpool Street I asked various people all of whom were really helpful. So top marks to general public, nil to London Underground Sloane Square staff. Next time will definitely go by tube. Thanks to all of you for your help.

Glad it went well!

I used to travel daily into London with dd for work, and was told that they (the LU and mainline staff) are not allowed to help carry a buggy/pram if a child is in it - in case of accidents so I had to always take dd out and carry her. Also, under health and safety, if they feel it is too heavy for them to carry they can decline - but it would be nice for them to tell people. I only found things out because of travelling every day got to know staff and chatted to them.