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?

Not at all. If OP’s anxiety is that crippling then she must practically never leave the house. If it helps:

• DH suffers with anxiety, uses various techniques and sometimes medication to support.
• MIL does (undiagnosed but that’s because she refuses to acknowledge it)
• Two of my closest friends, one more than the other, also suffer.

In summary…fuck off with your judgemental bullshit.

Get a grip. The chances of these are extremely low.

Don't spoil it for your kids.

Can I ask a question please.
If I use my contactless card in shops after a few transactions the machine "tells" me to insert my card and insert my pin. Does that not happen on buses, tubes etc?
I have always wondered about this.

If you are this unable to function, perhaps visiting London is too difficult for you.

I don’t think your worries about the tube are realistic or any more an issue there than anywhere else. But it will feel unfamiliar and if it’s going to stress you out it’s not worth it. You can work on it for future trips.

If you are staying the Excel you can get the cable car to North Greenwich. From there you can get the river boat into the centre which is by far the best way to travel as a tourist anyway. You can then hop on an open top bus tour if you want. I think actually better to get the bus into the centre of Greenwich and enjoy the park etc then get the boat from Cutty Sark. Or you can use the Docklands Light Railway to get to Tower of London and join a bus or boat there.

Are there any particular sights or interests that you want to include?

Remember, it is ok to feel like you don’t really know what you’re doing. London is full of people who don’t really know what they’re doing, both tourists and residents! Citymapper will help. Of course you won’t automatically know where to go or how to use transport etc but that’s how it is for everyone, you just have to find the information.

Also, remember that many things that you worry about unexpectedly happening are things that you could cope with. For example, if you were to go to a crowded place and worry about losing track of one of your party, you would probably feel that it was likely to happen, and if it does it’s a disaster. But that is just an emotion, the reality is that it isn’t at all likely to happen but if it did it would probably just be a matter of making a phone call or waiting at an agreed place and then all sorted. Your daughters are old enough to deal with it.

Please pm me any questions if you want.

No, this never happens. The money isn’t taken from your account when you tap so you’re not spending anything. It’s ‘held’ until the end of the day when your total journeys within the time period that counts as a day on public transport can be calculated and then you’ll be charged the total amount for your journeys that day up to the cap. I always get charged the following morning - I have a monzo account so it alerts me at about 6am that I’ve spent however much on TfL the day before.

No it doesn’t, but it doesn’t happen to me in shops either.

None of these things is going to happen if you plan and think it through.

Nope travel payments are exempt and it never asks you for a pin.

Get the citymapper app. It tells you which tube, when and which direction. It’s invaluable to the clueless like me.

Thankyou. Now I know.
Apologies OP for hopping on your thread.

OP- very simple what you should do and will be able to see loads of great sights without tubes or busses.
Walk to cable car from excel. (Around 10 mins)
get cable car across to other side.
walk to Uber boat from where you get off cable car (5 mins walk)
Get Uber boat from there (O2) to Westminster- get off when you see the London eye.
From there you can walk to Buckingham palace, down the mall, Big Ben, Houses of Parliament, Hyde park and all the sights in that area.
Get Uber boat home.
Leave fairly early in the morning and it won’t be too busy.
Will be busy coming home but once on boat you can all get a seat.
I hope that helps and you have a lovely day!

Also, you can buy cable car and river roamer tickets all online for the cable car and boat. If you don’t know anything or get confused there are staff there at both places who will help you and answer any questions. Loads of people are there for the first time and clueless!

Haven't RTFT but OP, here's some info that sets out some useful info:
https://tfl.gov.uk/travel-information/visiting-london/getting-around-london/top-travel-tips?intcmp=27765

https://tfl.gov.uk/travel-information/visiting-london/

https://tfl.gov.uk/status-updates/busiest-times-to-travel?intcmp=49504

https://tfl.gov.uk/campaign/station-wifi

https://www.bigbustours.com/en/london/london-bus-tours?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw_Na1BhAlEiwAM-dm7LK0gc7mtpsfb5LZfOCrnlqSC76AOlllPGG-g-DdJLc1hd3UhmlfAxoC46QQAvD_BwE

It can be easy to think you have to rush about in the city but you can take everything at your own pace. It really doesn't matter if you miss a bus or a tube or you go the wrong way. It's all part of the adventure for your kids (even if they moan about it at the time!). If you get them involved in a bit of a plan, printing out a map or two beforehand, at least you know they'll not be 100% reliant on you for answers.

If it gets a bit much, just try to stand to the side (out of people's way if you can) and get your bearings. Remember that there are plenty of tourists in London so if you get a bit turned around, I'm sure you won't be the only one.
All the popular tube stations in central London will have staff that are there to help - and I'm sure they've heard every question possible!

Have a wonderful trip!

Citymapper app is a gamechanger! I was terrified on a work trip recently but this made it super easy. I managed it all with a huge suitcase, didn’t get lost once and found everywhere I needed to be

Take the Elizabeth line. Custom house is next to the excel. A lot of sights are walking distance to an Elizabeth line station.

an example day out.

custom house to Tottenham court road (14mins).

get out Tottenham court road exit.

walk down Charing cross road for 15mins. (this is south, north is Tottenham court road, east /west new Oxford st)

until you see traflagar square. Options: national or national portrait gallery.

cross at roundabout to large portico. This is the mall. Walk along mall & see Buckingham palace, changing of guard, st James’ park pelicans. bottom of st James’ go walk along birdcage walk to see Big Ben, river, Cathedral.

go to river / bridge.

follow signs to Westminster pier. Take boat to north Greenwich & cable car.

(don’t do all things but c 2-3 that interest).

advantages of Elizabeth line:

1. barriers at all stations between the platform the track so no chance of getting near the edge. It’s like a walk between you and the train.
2. through trains means that you be able to see kids and husband more easily.
3. large stations that aren’t at capacity yet.
4. air con
5. you’ll only be on it for 15 mins as it’s so fast.
6. fancy little electronic signs that show you where on the line you and the upcoming stops on the train.

it’s far more like getting a mainline train.

if an app says change and go 1-2 stops check how far it is to walk. You may enjoy this more. However, walking in say Leicester square is worst than most tubes.

District, circle, DLR are more pleasant than central / jubilee /northern.

You don't want to use the tube anyway, you can't see anything when you're Underground! Buses and the DLR on the way to go

The tube is by far the easiest way to get around, but if you really can't face it then you could use buses (not just the tourist buses, but ordinary buses). Download the app citymapper, you can put it your start location and your destination and it will show you all the possible routes. You can then choose one that you're comfortable with, and it will navigate you to the bus stop. You pay for London buses with a contactless card (or an oyster card if you have one, but just use your bank card, it's easier than topping up oyster). You need a different bank card for each person. On the bus you only tap when you get on, not when you get off - it's a flat fare.

I saw that you also didn't know how to pay on the tube - if you do decide to use the tube, you tap your card on the yellow symbol on the gate as you go into the station and as you leave your final station. If you use the DLR this doesn't have gates so you just tap the yellow symbol on the machine on the platform before you get on, and after you get off at your final stop. If you change from the DLR to the tube at Bank or Canary Wharf then you don't tap out until you leave your final station. Hope this helps and honestly the tube really is fine, think of it as just a big bunch of trains!

Let your husband take your children? Sounds like you're very anxious about it, so won't enjoy it. You might even reduce your families enjoyment if you're that highly strung on the day. Then you could do something together that you'll all enjoy at another time? No reason for all four of you to go...

I understand and share your fears. I’ve struggled with agoraphobia and anxiety for decades. There was a time when I could not even get to town, and it’s less than a mile from home to the centre of my rural south western town. So I understand. However, my husband died just as our son moved to central London. My son worked long hours. If I wanted to see him, I had to go to London alone. Like you, I could not face the underground. However the bus is easy because there are so so many buses, one after the other. You can hop on and off anywhere.

Also there are two types of underground. The old ones, the original ones, were designed for steam trains. The trains are full sized, The lines are not very deep, in fact they are known as sub surface lines as they were built by building a cutting, then just covering it over, so they are only just below the surface, and there are frequent gaps that used to let the steam out from the engine. Even the platforms are wider. The Circle, District, Metropolitan, and Hammersmith and City lines are all sub surface lines. I can now use them quite happily.

There are also some deep ones, where the trains are smaller, and you go way down to the platform. The Bakerloo line from Paddington is like that. But the main lines - which you would get from Tower Hill for example into the centre was designed to take the old standard steam trains as above and they are much better.

Also you can add some location finding on your phones to track family members. You can do that so you can always track your family members too.

Remember you are stronger than you know. I’m sure once you are actually there you will find it all surprisingly easy - it’s a lovely city to get round and folk are lovely too. Have a wonderful visit.

As other people have said the tube is easy to use now you can use a debit card to pay. I don't live in London any more and I was dubious about this but it's great, so simple. The tube is fab, just try and avoid 8-9.30 and 17-18.30 when it's really busy. You can also use the bus for shorter journeys and London is a very walkable city too. Enjoy!

Hope you manage to enjoy your break, it’s the anxiety doing this to you.

I’ve travelled around london tube etc in the past by myself and with children all fine but I now have a MH anxiety based illness and can’t even get on a bus in my town that stops outside my house. It’s the what ifs, the panic attacks and the being trapped that stops me.

let your DH lead the way and take the pressure off of you a bit .

OP you have got this. Break it down into researching routes depending on where you need to get to, how to pay, downloading the Uber app etc. One step at a time

There are loads of good recommendations on here but consider getting a bus app and have a play with it before you go. Look up the overground network (though it does go through tunnels and under the Thames in places. Finally, if you have time, consider some CBT to reduce your anxiety (said as a fellow anxiety sufferer). Good luck x

Take Uber boat by Thames Clippers from Royal Wharf Pier (or O2 pier) to Westminster. Walk in central London to see the sites. Take Uber boat back to Royal Wharf.

The boat trip is so relaxing and it’s so beautiful to see London from the river view. You can pay by tapping in and out, it’s pricier than the tube but so worth the experience.