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 🙁

Central London definitely check out bus and walking routes. Covent Garden not far from Bloomsbury. I actually don’t think CG tube station is that bad, sure it’s a drag waiting for the lifts and yes it’s crowded but as long as you don’t take the stairs you’re fine. Moving statue mime artists are in CG. I just thought the DD could have a mocktail so you may get 241 with a cocktail. And seriously places like Covent garden Leicester Square Charing Cross Road definitely walk between them. It’s pointless getting the tube.

Neal Street is in Covent garden. Neals yard is story of hippie yard, there’s a cheese shop there, there used to be Slam City Skates there but think it’s moved.

For me going up and down tube station stairs or using lifts there especially Covent garden Leicester Square Picc circus, I find it much quicker to walk or get a bus, but you can’t get a bus that way as I recall! Backstreets!

Southbank could be a good shout, they have second hand book stalls on river embankment plus skate boarders.

DO NOT use the stairs at Covent Garden station - it has 193 steps, the equivalent of 15 flights of stairs.

I was coming to say that so I’m glad someone’s already said it!

I walked past the correct Lyric the other night, it’s a very easy walk from Piccadilly Circus tube.

Waterstones has a restaurant on its top floor with decent food & good views.

I believe it's Hampstead with its 320 steps that's equivalent to a 15 storey building.

Apologies, interestingly the signs at Hampstead and CG both say it's equivalent to a 15 storey building even though one has 193 steps and one has 320.

You tap on when catching a bus but don’t tap off. Once you’ve tapped on, all bus journeys in the next hour are free.

You'll each need a separate contactless card, and make sure you use that one for all journeys because of the fare caps. https://tfl.gov.uk/fares/find-fares/capping

Also make sure you both stand on the right when on escalators so people can pass you on the left! Unless you’re walking down on the left of course.

@decorationday - I got the number of storeys off the internet as I couldn't remember what the sign says. I've just counted the number of steps on my staircase at home: 15. So Covent Garden would be nearly 13 times walking up my stairs.

And also don’t be fooled (like me, a Londoner) and think you can use eg your physical card to tap in and then, say, that card on your iPhone and it be counted as the same payment method. You’ll be charged as if you had used two different cards entirely.

That’s a valid point and one I didn’t realise for a while.

If you have Apple Pay take another debit/credit card as if you reach your tap limit you can’t use it again. Or maybe with chip and pin only. Don’t get an Oyster card, really no need. There’s a huge Primark on Tottenham Court Road end Oxford street and Marble Arch end. Plus Stradivarius, Weekday, Pull and Bear, Bershka and Carnaby Street also good. If your teen prefers vintage east London prob best bet for that. But can research.

Oh, another thing. If you have a My Waitrose card, hot drinks are free with a purchase eg sweets at Waitrose, there’s one in Brunswick Square and the Little Waitrose do them too. Just bring a reusable cup. McD’s and Greggs cheapest at just over £1ish for hot drinks well tea anyway, cheaper than Costa/Starbucks etc though.

Lidl and Aldi good for basics and cheap supermarket type water/sandwiches, pastries. There’s an Aldi or Lidl at bottom of Tottenham Court Road, near Warren Street.

The Lyric theatre is literally around the corner from Bocca Di Lupo, which is an Italian restaurant with a very good pre-theatre menu. Definitely make a reservation though, it gets busy.

It's a short stroll from Seven Dials and Covent Garden, which it great for teens to browse. There's also a Forbidden Planet on Shaftesbury Avenue near Seven Dials if her book tastes include fantasy, science fiction or graphic novels. The books are downstairs.

I also endorse the suggestion of visiting Hatchard's. It's a beautiful shop dating from 1797, although owned by Waterstones now.
(Random trivia - the RHS was founded there, when 7 men got together to discuss creating an organisation to promote the study of horticulture.)

@Monr0e - while wandering between Seven Dials and the theatre, you can go via Cecil Court, often claimed to be an inspiration for Diagon Alley. It's famous for its second hand bookshops. I found a first edition of my favourite childhood book there - it's a magical place to browse.

Use Citymapper to get around - it’s great reliable without data/wifi and tells you when to get off bus/tube etc. Market Halls at Victoria is nice - or try Chinatown for pre theatre dinner. If your DD like books - tons of book shops on Charing Cross Rd

Oh if heading to Covent Garden then go to the rooftop bar on the plaza at the royal opera house! Great views

My only advice re tap in out on tube and busses.

i was in London to see my son last weekend. First time in ages. Anxious menopausal like you

I found at time my card wouldn’t always work at gates. But it’s important to use SAME card for full day taping in and out each time, as otherwise you won’t qualify for the cap level.

So, I had a few times when my debit card just wouldn’t play ball and the barrier wouldn’t go green and open. I did switch to Apple Pay on my phone on one day, but frankly I found that wasn’t always reading either. Maybe Becuase it has a silicone cover on back? I did have a bit of panic at first, but then just expected it. I’d take a step away to allow queue behind me to go through, and then try again. Eventually it would work. But sometimes it took 6 or so attempts at various gates.

it wasn’t my debit card at issue, as I then bought something in a shop and it didn’t ask for me to insert card, and paid fine by contactless the first time. So I really don’t get why!

maybe a few Londoners can explain why I was having difficulty? Would help me in future as well!

also, does your daughter have her own card? If not can some Londoners explain how you tap in and out for a child with you?

Also, my son said to avoid using google maps, especially if going longer routes. City maps etc work better. I had to switch between tube and overground train (as he lives south of river where no tubes) , and google was pants in showing easiest route- it showed you very complex journeys. Son says that becuase there are so many options to get from a to b on public transport it will show you ALL options over next 10 mins from time you want to leave based on quickest first, , but fail to show the obvious direct route that doesn’t start until 20 mins time that would actually be quicker in end. When I looked this was true.

also, does your daughter have her own card? If not can some Londoners explain how you tap in and out for a child with you?

A 16-year-old will need her own card. Or one of her mum’s cards.

For a child young enough not to have to pay, there are extra-wide gates with space for people to take kids or luggage through with them.

Tube can get you everywhere, just tap your card on the gate into the station.
Download a tube map on your phone and you can put the journey in there . Or just use Google Maps to get around

I had a lovely meal at the Duck and Rice in Soho recently, Yuatcha is nearby too.

Hadestown is amazing! The national portrait gallery is very interesting for an activity

No keep using the same payment method! The cap is for the cost, so subsequent journeys will be free. If you start using another card you’ll be charged from scratch again. That’s the point of the cap.

How exciting. There’s a lovely independent stationery shop called Choosing Keeping if you end up in Covent Garden https://share.google/IgzIGDqGq9BONrDf6

my book loving daughter loves it

I have lived in London my whole life and always use Google maps! You can adjust the settings for departure arrival and whether you want quickest/less walking/fewer changes etc

Bocca di Lupo is amazing food. But if you want something less fancy, I always think it’s fun to just wander round china town and then eat at one of the many restaurants. The supermarkets are really interesting as well! We are Londoners but still enjoy a trip to Chinatown now and again.

Also kingley court is cool. Loads of different restaurants - have a google. And just off carnaby street and fouberts place which are great shopping streets for teens.