Does anyone know how busy Thameslink is on Saturdays, St Pancs to London Bridge please?

[Pommelhorse]

Pre Christmas family meet up beginning Dec, I know the Northern Line would be quicker, but possibly travelling with elderly family member who doesnt want to use the tube atm.

How crowded will the Thameslink be on Saturday 4th December do you reckon? Are there likely to be lots of delays? Can you book seats in advance? Maybe disabled assistance?

We are weighing up the pros and cons of elderly aunt coming with us or not. She isnt hugely mobile and she is doubly vacced but worried about catching Covid. She wants to attend though!

Sorry for lack of apostrophes, using strange keyboard!

It's a 15 minute journey but most of the time would be spent walking through the large stations. I wouldn't even know how to begin booking a seat but doubt she would need to stand. No one can predict delays I'm afraid.
Personally I would black cab it.

There are no seat reservations on Thameslink. To me, the trains do feel more spacious and airy than the tube so should be a lower Covid risk, but as Small said, there is a lot of walking across stations to get to the platforms.
There is lift/escalator access and the trains are modern and have level access with the platform, so could be a lot worse.

Thank you both / really appreciate your advice!

I must admit I thought the journey was a lot longer than 15 mins. How much roughly would a black cab cost nowadays to go that distance?

It is fine, accessible and a very straightforward journey. No reservations though.

It'll take double that time in a cab and cost about 6 times more.

Should be fairly empty on a Saturday, I get it a fair bit and it's always spacious and empty at weekends. Definitely feels safer than the tube due to open windows and sometimes being above ground etc.

Wear a mask (and gloves if she's nervous) and wash hands when you get in.

You should get a set of four seats to yourself if not a whole carriage.

You can't book seats but you can book assistance getting on and off the train if needed.
London Bridge staff were always fantastic with my elderly In-Laws. If you haven't been to London Bridge for a few years it's all shiny and new now but a bit of a maze if you don't know it.

According to this site a black cab would cost you around £14.

They are big trains (often 12 coaches), so there should be plenty of room at either end, especially as a number of people will have alighted at ST Pancras (the trains will be on their way down from Bedford or Cambridge). Both stations are pretty much step-free access.

It's about a twenty five minute cab ride - maybe twenty or thirty quid depending on traffic (train ticket is about 2.50 a head). In your situation I'd shell out.

thameslink are big modern trains and likely to be empty at weekends. the stations mostly have lifts too. Much nicer than northern line.

but beware that thameslink do often do engineering at weekends so parts of the route can be closed or have less frequent trains.

They usually only have 2 trains per hour so there might be some waiting around. Shouldn't be too busy outside of rush hour though as the Northern line route is generally quicker and most people will choose that.

@nordica

They usually only have 2 trains per hour so there might be some waiting around. Shouldn't be too busy outside of rush hour though as the Northern line route is generally quicker and most people will choose that.

Within London they are usually more frequent than twice an hour even at weekends.

Wow! Thank you so much everyone for all of these replies! Really appreciate you taking the trouble to post!

Given all the info provided, I think my aunt will definitely be joining us and we will decide in advance whether to get a black cab or Thameslink. Sounds as though train would be fine, I am just concerned about the long walk between stations and getting lost as we are unfamiliar with the route.

Thank you again everyone. Mumsnet at its best!

Mumsnet is fantastic for this sort of thing!

Where are you coming into?

The Thameslink platforms at St P are very close to the taxi rank on Midland Road opposite the Francis Crick Institute. The trains are level with the platforms and there is a lift down.

@LIZS

Where are you coming into?

I will be coming in to the Eurostar terminus

@Clymene

The Thameslink platforms at St P are very close to the taxi rank on Midland Road opposite the Francis Crick Institute. The trains are level with the platforms and there is a lift down.

This is priceless info! Thank you so much!

Short walk from Eurostar to Thameslink platforms.

You're welcome

The Eurostar platform are basically directly above the thameslink ones so you need to get down to the ground floor in the first lift and turn back towards where you got off the train to board the thameslink.

Thanks again to everyone!