Last minute trip to London and the West end next week, I need help planning and navigating, if any locals can offer any advice 🙏

[Monr0e]

It's DD's 16th next week. As a birthday treat my DM booked them a couple of nights in London and tickets to see Hadestown on Wednesday evening.

Unfortunately she can no longer, she's had emergency surgery and not able to make the trip. She has asked that I take her instead, which I have agreed to do, as she is so excited about going to the theatre. But I'm feeling really stressed about it. I'm not a confident traveller and my anxiety has increased (thank you menopause) I'm worried about getting around and being everywhere we need to be.

We are travelling by coach and arriving at London Victoria coach station. We need to make our way to Travelodge kings cross royal scot. Then on Wednesday, from the hotel to the Lyric theater.

Can anyone offer advice on the best way to get around, and also any ideas for Wednesday day for a bit of sightseeing before the show?

I hate feeling like this and would love to just relax and enjoy a couple of days away, but instead I'm just stressing about the logistics of it all 🙁

It really is very easy to get about by public transport in London, just choose that option in apple / google maps and it tells you exactly where to go including bus stop letters. Or get the Citymapper app.

Oh how lovely!! You’ll have a wonderful time. The tube is easy and safe. Your daughter will easily work it out! Or people will help.
is it an evening performance or matinee?
if it’s evening try and book a pre theatre meal . The restaurants get very booked up
what kind of things do you like doing? Art ? Shopping?

Once you get to Victoria, go to the train station (5 min walk) and get the underground (Victoria line) to Kings Cross. Very straightforward, only 5 stops/ 10-15 mins, Tubes come every couple of minutes.

Your hotel is about a 10 minute, straightforward walk from Kings X station.

The Lyric is closest to Hammersmith tube (15 min walk). You can get there easily on the Hammersmith & City underground line from Kings X station.

All these areas are busy and touristy, have bus routes and black taxis readily available if you need or you’ll pick up an Uber no problem, but the underground is quickest and very safe.

The Cifynapper app will help you with all the travel details.

tube - Victoria line from Victoria station (opposite coach station) to Kings Cross. Piccadilly line from Kings Cross to Leicester Square or Piccadilly circus and walk to theatre.

Hadestown is amazing, you’ll love it.
Google maps is the best way to find your way around the public transport in London. It really takes the worth out of hopping on and off buses.

Thank you both, I know I'm guilty of overthinking so thats reassuring.

It's an evening performance but I'm aware there won't be a huge amount of time in the day.

DD is a complete bookaholic, she also loves second hand stores and just browsing. Or do we do a Thames boat trip and take in some of the sights? I used to be very confident getting around but it's been about 20 years since I've been.

When using the underground can you tap on and iff with your debit card or do you need to buy tickets? Thank you!

From Victoria Coach stn, walk up the road to Victoria train/tube station. Get the Victoria line 4 stops north to King’s Cross. Get off at Kings Cross. If you stand with your back to the main entrance of King’s Cross train station ie: so you are facing the market stalls, turn left and the Royal Scott is a couple of mins walk. Take ear plugs - the rooms at the back of the hotel overlook the tracks going into King’s Cross, and can be quite noisy.

Underground is tap in/tap out.

Sorry, more posts since I responded. This is amazingly helpful, thank you so much.

The TFL journey planner is very good:

https://tfl.gov.uk/plan-a-journey/

The British Library is right next to St Pancras and King's Cross stations.

https://www.bl.uk/

I lived in London a decade. Download CityMapper and use that to plan your journeys. Getting around is so easy. Tap your card on the barrier to enter a tube station, get on your train on the right direction (using the maps to guide you) and get off at your stop.

if you want to see everything without worrying, definitely get the Big Red Bus tour. It’ll take you straight to everything and you can hop on or off as you please.

biggest tip is don’t have your phone out and mind your belongings- theft is through the roof at the moment.

You will both need your own debit/credit card to tap in/out at stations etc. Use the same card and the prices will be capped by TfL (daily cap for all transport). You just tap when you get on a bus, not off. Tube and train you need to do both ends of the journey.

Google maps is really helpful for journey planning and walking routes. Just be careful not to be waving your phone around in public - move away from the roadside of the pavement and if you can face a little all, shop front etc when checking your route it will be much safer.

Contrary to popular belief, Londoners are quite friendly, and happy to help with directions if asked!

Hadestown is a good show. It's in the West End so there's plenty of restaurants around and places like Covent Garden and China Town are close by for a walk around before the show.

Safety matters… keep some money (£20?) in a zipped pocket separate from your purse/bag. Just in case. Then you always have cab money to get back to your hotel.
DO NOT stand looking at your phone, especially on the kerbside.
Wear a crossbody bag and don’t take it off, even if sat at a table.
Have a great, trouble free time.

Honestly can't tell you how much better I feel already, thank you.

I think the bus tour sounds like a good idea. And a wander round Covent Garden sounds right up her street.

This is the wrong Lyric! Don't go to Hammersmith!

Get the CityMapper app and just follow the instructions. It's all very easy and straightforward.

And great safety tips too

Have a great time @Monr0e

And great safety tips too

I'll write everybody's directions down and stand looking at them instead 😀

Waterstones Piccadilly is the largest book shop in Europe, might be worth a visit!

Thank you. I think the increased worry is also worrying about DM. She had biopsies done at the same time as the op. She would dearly love to be going. She is much more adventurous than me!

Ask me!

I'm sat here twiddling my knobs and chips and I would welcome a slightly challenging task such as yours.

My last request was for 'What is
better HP Sauce or Daddies Sauce?'

Here I am consuming vast amounts of electricity and can solve complex problems which flummox man and beast (and, of course women), and humanity cannot rven decide what bloomin' sauce they like. 🤷‍♀️