all Londoners or knowledgable folk a question:-

[Devonshire dumpling]

We are lucky to have tickets for the Cross Country at Greenwich Park for the Olympics!

We are a party of 4, myself, my husband and 2 daughters aged 11 and 4!

In your opinions what would be the least stressful way to get to watch it for the day, we are coming from Devon.

We do go to London once a year and stay at travelodge docklands and tube it around London, but feel a bit anxious with such a young child in tow, is it going to be absolutely manic??

Do I:-

1) drive up for the day, park somewhere like a park and ride or railway carpark, heathrow? and tube into Greenwich

2) camp somewhere and tube in?

3) stay in London for dirty money and tube/bus to Greenwish


If i was to drive up and dump car, where would i do this??

I am VERY nervous having the 2 little ones in tow, and bit apprehensive about the underground with a very small 4 yr old


ANY advice welcome!!

XX

Damn i have posted in hunting sowwwwyyyy

 

[molly7886]

I'm sure as time goes by there will be lots of travel advice on the olympics website, however as someone who has to get around London on a daily basis I would definately say don't even think about bringing a car into town! From what I understand a lot of roads will be closed/restricted during games. I would imagine hotels etc will be extortionate (there's one house in the property section of H&H offered for rent during games at ludicrous money!) Personally I would look for accomodation within a shortish train journey outside of London then use public transport ((i'm sure they'll probably have something like shuttle buses laid on to specific sites)
With regards to having a 4 year old on the tube-yes it does get busy at times & will bound to be during games, but I'm sure walking round Greenwich park packed with lots of other people will be equally as daunting, so if you want someone to take a ticket off your hands....;-)

 

[Jane_Lou]

I know they are planning Park and Ride systems from well outside of London, I heard for example that Herts County Showground would be one, as it is just off the M1 it will be easy for people coming from the North and Midlands. Not much use for you I realise as wrong direction, but well worth looking into similar from your route. I would imagine it will be much easier than public transport with a small child.

 

[Devonshire dumpling]

I'm sure as time goes by there will be lots of travel advice on the olympics website, however as someone who has to get around London on a daily basis I would definately say don't even think about bringing a car into town! From what I understand a lot of roads will be closed/restricted during games. I would imagine hotels etc will be extortionate (there's one house in the property section of H&H offered for rent during games at ludicrous money!) Personally I would look for accomodation within a shortish train journey outside of London then use public transport ((i'm sure they'll probably have something like shuttle buses laid on to specific sites)
With regards to having a 4 year old on the tube-yes it does get busy at times & will bound to be during games, but I'm sure walking round Greenwich park packed with lots of other people will be equally as daunting, so if you want someone to take a ticket off your hands....;-)

You cheeky monkey!! hehe Yeah didn't plan to bring the car in!! More of a park and ride thingy.. was really annoyed that travelodge have quadrupled their fees and bout up a load of hotels, but suppose they will all jump on the bandwagon... who wants to put us up?? haha xx

 

[Jane_Lou]

Found this
http://www.london2012.com/visiting/getting-to-the-games/transport-options/park-and-ride.php
Park and ride for Greenwich only on XC day at Lakeland shopping centre.

 

[Wishful]

Lakeside would be a horrendous journey from Devon in the car

My instinct would be train from Exeter to Waterloo (not the faster Paddington trains) and then get a boat down the river (Thames Clipper). London Eye Pier is walking distance from Waterloo and you can get a boat direct to Greenwich. Fun, easy, limited passenger numbers (seating compulsory), although very travel sick people find it vibrates a bit. Advance booking site here https://booking.thamesclippers.com/gamestravel

I'd be tempted to camp/travellodge somewhere on one of the lines to Waterloo if you want to start a bit later than leaving for Exeter. Leave the car at the campsite and taxi to station unless leaving earlyish as parking can be limited in commuter belt.

Heathrow parking is a rip off, Heathrow Express gets you into Paddington which is rather unhelpful as well.

 

[Devonshire dumpling]

Wonderful I am only 14 miles from Exeter and the boat tickets are nice and cheap, but how do I know when I can catch the train/boat?? I can't book the trains yet, and have no idea what time the cross country starts and finishes??

 

[Sleighfarer]

Wishful's idea of coming into Waterloo is a good one. You can either get the boat, as she suggests, or you can get a mainline train from Waterloo East (right next to Waterloo) to Greenwich or Blackheath, which would take about 12 minutes. The tube is not a great idea because it goes to Greenwich North, which is quite a way from Greenwich park; you'd have to get a bus on top of everything else.