Going to London. Really scared. No clue.

[london101asap]

Hi so we are staying near London Excel.

I'm so scared of getting the tube.

I see there is a cable car we can walk (25 min)

Once off the other end though the nearest bus stop to a 48 hop on bus (London Bridge) is a 3 hour walk.

How do we get to from the cable car to the bus?

Dh is used to travelling all over the world and the uk but not around London only the outskirts.

Tween daughters want you to see the sights. Do you get off at every sight then wait for another bus?

I'm so scared as we are relying on dh who has adhd and I have severe anxiety but our 12 and 13 year olds really want to go.

Any advice please?

use the tube.

What is it you are 'scared of' ? Do you never go anywhere ?

The tube is really easy to navigate. Just travel around by tube. Central London most of the main sights are walkable

I really can't use the tube.

Just get the tube. It’s easy.

where do you want to go?

I recommend downloading the city mapper app to your phone- it will tell you how to get any where on public transport. It's really helpful

What is it that scares you about the tube? We can talk you through it it’s just unfamiliarity.

If you don’t like the idea of going underground, the excel is on the Docklands Light Railway, which is overground. It runs to tower gateway, so you can see the Tower of London and tower bridge, and from there you can walk all along the south bank and there’s lots of sights accessible from there.

Or if you do get the cable car you end up at the O2 and there’s a river bus that runs from there all the way up the Thames. Lots of thinks are walkable from the river, but if you wanted to go somewhere like Camden Market you’d have to try and find a bus.

I hope that helps. London is a fabulous city!

You’ll have to. It’s that or taxi

If you can't use the tube there are a number of other options.

Black cab (need to hail)
Uber (can specify wheelchair/large car etc)
Buses (if you can't use the tube due to people related problems this might not help)
Own car
Hire car.

if you don't like the tube there are buses that go wherever you need - you can get off any time and will not be trapped underground.

Download the Citymapper App.

Sorry, I’m a life long Londoner and I don’t know what the hop on bus is. Is that a tourist bus?

There’ll be a TFL red bus…. Which you can use contactless on. Or the tube. Or if very afraid, an Uber?

Explain to us why you can’t use the tube? I’m asking because it will have an impact on what we suggest.

If you’re worried about crowds then a rush hour bus won’t be any good. If you’re claustrophobic then the DLR might be ok even though it’s a bit like a tube, because it’s so open.

The cable car is pretty pointless. It goes from the Dome to nowhere. Literally there is nothing at the other end 😂
Where exactly are you trying to get from and going too?
There 100s of bus routes, the Docklands Light Railway (DLR), Overground Trains and regular trains to choose from if you don't want to use the tube.
I might be able to suggest a route for you.

Could you use an overground train? Or normal buses?

If you use Google Maps and put in where you want to go eg Tower of London you can change settings so that it will only tell you bus routes.

Pretty sure the buses use a tap in / out system with contactless cards so you can just use them rather than an actual sight seeing bus.

Excel is really far out East of London. There's quite a bit to see around Greenwich and Canary Wharf though.

I would suggest you make a list of what you want to see and then use Google Maps to save each place. You can then see which bits are close together and make a logical route.

Reasons:
Too busy
Might lose my husband or kids
Bomb threats (low but still)
Might miss my stop
I'm scared of being pushed near the track
I don't know how to pay

Can you change your hotel to something more walkable to the sights? We tend to stay around the south bank and just walk miles rather than use the tube. However this is just because we are walkers, the tube is safe and easy once you know how or use the DLR which doesn't go underground. There are Uber boats down the river too.

You’ve said you’re ’so scared’ of the tube and then that you ‘can’t use’ the tube. They’re not the same thing. Which is it?

A good way to ‘see the sights’ is to go on one of the open top tour buses. Usually you can get off and back on when and where you want to on the circular tour, and it gives you a good idea where things are in relation to other places.
This is a link to one of the buses tour companies (quick google): https://www.tootbus.com/en/london/tours?gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAABUUcjpkvUuTeio5K9WUHXisEn4PV&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIoaStja3ohwMVeqJQBh3JNSyNEAAYASAAEgKVKPD_BwE

Or there are walking tours: https://freewalkingtour.com/london/?campaignid=21424966268&adgroupid=164512992856&creative_id=704644897587&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAACtAxvp9jxA2YoJvx0CvVx3W6vtWC&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIzem_z63ohwMVvZpQBh0BjShbEAAYAiAAEgIVyfD_BwE
Some good suggestions also on TripAdvisor
Have a great time!

Tube is safer & easier than buses IMO !!

What is it about the tube the bothers you?

If you're staying by the excel you can use the dlr (like the tube but above ground) to get some places - the line you're on takes you to tower gateway for the Tower of London and you can walk to London Bridge from there. You could also get the Thames clipper from there (or North Greenwich) into Westminster.

I booked there because my daughters are seeing something at the Excel. I naively didn't think we would be going into the centre otherwise I wouldn't have booked.

Use the Transport for London website, and you will be able to find out all the bus routes on there. London is stuffed full of buses, they go everywhere, and you won't have a problem at all.

Why not?

The buses are often as busy as the tube. You use your debit/credit card or apple pay the same as the bus.
You can walk a lot of the sights depending on what you want to see.