Getting to Reading (from East Dulwich)

[Fuschia]

On a weekday morning for 9.30am - am i better to use public transport or to drive?

Would traffic be terrible? If I decide to go via train from Paddington, what's the best way to get to Paddington? I can't really nadle crowed tubes or anywhere I need to stand up for long as I have low blood pressure and have a tendency to faint (hence why I would prefer to drive)

[Amelie]

Fuschia

You have a choice of either taking a train to London Bridge/Charing Cross/Waterloo or Cannon Street and then the tube; or taking the bus to Camberwell and another bus to Paddington, or a bus to Waterloo and catch the stopping service to Reading. If you can drive I would.

[nunhead_man]

If you do want to go to Paddington, best to get to Victoria (185 bus or train from Peckham Rye) - then Circle / District to Paddington - but do check it is all working - I do this once a month or so to get to Swindon at present - driving not an option I would consider - I like to arrive calm and having read my in-tray!

I've tried the stopping train that Amelie mentions and changing at Reading but it takes longer for me - but YMMV (your mileage may vary)

see www.tfl.gov.uk for London guidance, www.nationalrail.co.uk for trians

[James]

I would advise starting with something easy like a Mr Man book, then progressing to something without pictures...

Hold on, do you mean 'Reading' the place? Sorry.

[nunhead29]

Hi there,

I used to do this journey quite a bit by car...if you're leaving around 7 or half 7 you should have a pretty easy drive until you hit embankment, it will probably take you around 1.5 hours, but can be pretty variable unfortunately.

An alternative is to get to waterloo , clapham junction or vauxhall and take the (slow) train from there...it's a bit less hassle than paddington (and cheaper) if you're prepared to spend an extra 30 mins on the train.

[ruffers]

I used to do this reasonably frequently from Forest Hill. Train to London Bridge, Jubilee to Baker Street, very easy change to Bakerloo, three stops to Paddington. Then fast from Paddington takes twenty odd minutes iirc.

[boswell]

It takes me 50 minutes to get to Paddington station in morning rush hour time (Train to LB, Jubilee to Baker St, Bakerloo to Paddington.). Whether you get a seat or not will vary though - I relatively often get a seat, I almost always get one at green park for the last two stops! Sometimes though it's just busier than others and then you'll have to stand for around 20 minutes on the tube.

Make sure if you get the tube not to change to the bakerloo at waterloo as it takes forever to walk through the station between the lines.

[ClareC]

Hiya,

I used to work in Paddington and travel out to Newbury (via Reading) once a week.

If your leaving early, driving is OK, you really do need to leave 6 - 6.30 though. Public transport wise the fastest route is the one mentioned above, train to LB, Jubilee and then Bakerloo - this is busy at rush hour though.

To avoid feeling claustraphobic, the route to take would be bus to Elephant and then Bakerloo to Paddington - its not that busy and even if it is you will always have a seat as you are starting end of line! I used to opt to do this route rather than LB as although LB easy and convenient it does get over crowded at rush hour.

BTW the 8.18 from Paddington (platform 1) is THE train to catch - its a nice new train and makes for a very pleasant journey, if you catch this train then the LB route is fine at the time of morning you will be making teh journey!!

[prdarling]

Mr Darling leaves at 7.30am and drives to J4 of the M4 getting there 8.45 if he's lucky, but usually 9am. Add another 30 mins on for Reading. If you leave any time around 7 you should be fine as yu'll miss the school traffic. Yo9u won't need to pay the congestion to get to the M4 either. Persoanlly I would drive as for me it works out cheaper than public transport

[ruffers]

ClareC Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Hiya,

>

>

>

> BTW the 8.18 from Paddington (platform 1) is THE

> train to catch - its a nice new train and makes

> for a very pleasant journey, if you catch this

> train then the LB route is fine at the time of

> morning you will be making teh journey!!

Bit early for a 9.30 arrival possibly...

The thing to make sure you do is never ever ever get the slow train, even if it's accidental :'(. Rubbish ones like go through East Dulwich. Get the Bristol trains, the fast inter city ones.

[sazzle]

You can also get trains to reading from clapham junction to reading, they take about 1 hour.

[Sue]

Bus to Elephant, Elephant to Paddington via Bakerloo, Paddington to Reading is what I'd do.

Bakerloo line from Elephant is fine in the rush hour, as it starts from there.

But book overline train beforehand so you don't have to queue at Paddington, and leave plenty of time to get to Elephant on the bus.

Personally I wouldn't drive unless you've done it before around the time you're going, are familiar with the route and know what the traffic is likely to be like.

Good luck :)

[James Barber]

I follow Sue's route or cycle to Paddington.

The cycle to Paddington is particularly nice through Hyde Park and takes 50minutes slowly or 40minutes if cycling fast.

[Fuschia]

I am doing this trip 7 times this year (for a course) and will probably try all the options! Tomorrow I am going to try driving, leaving at 7.

[Tipperary]

How did the driving option go, will be doing this route myself soon too

[Smiler]

The 436 bus goes all the way from Camberwell Green to Paddington station, takes a long time though.

[dbboy]

You could go to Waterloo and take the train direct to Reading, what you loose in time on the journey from Waterloo roughly equates to the length of ot time it takes getting to Paddington. Have had to do this journey several times in 2009 and will need to repeat it a number of more times throughout 2010.

[Fuschia]

Tipperary Wrote:

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> How did the driving option go, will be doing this

> route myself soon too

Was fine, left at 715, was there by 930.

[Fuschia]

dbboy Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> You could go to Waterloo and take the train direct

> to Reading, what you loose in time on the journey

> from Waterloo roughly equates to the length of ot

> time it takes getting to Paddington. Have had to

> do this journey several times in 2009 and will

> need to repeat it a number of more times

> throughout 2010.

I might try that next time

[Sue]

Fuschia Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> >

> Was fine, left at 715, was there by 930

xxxx

Long day :(