Paddington to Euston

maryinoxford

Can anyone suggest a good route between Paddington and Euston main-line stations? I'll be doing it with a Brompton and trailer (so I'd rather ride than use a Tube link). Don't mind going slow or walking across junctions. I'd prefer not to be in mainstream traffic.

Thanks,
Mary


The older I get, the better I used to be.

zimzum42

Seriously, there is no way you can ride this route without being in traffic, even the side streets are busy, and you're likely to get messed around more in the narrow side streets.

I would recommend this route below, bear in mind that it is almost all bus lane, and said bus lane is 24hour, so only buses and taxis in it, and they are quite experienced at passing safely, never had a problem on this route myself.


Come out of Paddington and turn left into Praed Street. All the way to the end, cross over Edgware Road, down to the end of the street with the pub on the right on the corner, traffic lights give you the choice of left and right. Turn left, then right at the next set of lights, onto Marylebone Road (This is the dodgiest bit, you might want to use the ped crossings).

Then straight along Marylebone Road to Euston. The road might be big and seem scary, but I can assure you it is safer than taking the back streets, and much safer than the cycle route through Fitzrovia.



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zimzum42

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=979697




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maryinoxford

Thanks, Zimzum. Advice from someone who knows the area is great. I can live with bus lanes - I use them in Oxford. And you tend to get given more space with a trailer. Mine can't take an upright flag, but I'll plaster it with hi-vis.

Regards,
Mary

The older I get, the better I used to be.

zimzum42

When you get to Warren Street, it's proabably best to head to left of the underpass and go straight over the lights at the top.

You'll see it, and since to go down it you'd have to switch to the outside lanes, I doubt you'll need or want to go down there. Is good fun riding this underpass, but i think not with a trailer.......



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el_presidente

you can get "left hooked" by people turning across the bus lane without looking first. This is obviously a hazard anywhere but it seems to be a bit more common on the Euston Rd due to the 24h bus lane all the way along.

Not a big deal but just keep your wits about you

If you want a really quiet route go along the canal towpath and round Regents Park. This is probably about 3 times as far though.

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=979723

jonnywilkinson

i would have to second ZimZums route - the road can look a bit daunting cos of the high volume and occasional fast speeds of the traffic - but you can really roll along quite safely in the bus lane. good luck

Jonny
FGG #2545 & #2983

maryinoxford

This is planning a holiday in June when I'll be catching a sleeper train from Euston about 9 pm. Reading the other thread about bomb/gas scares, diversions and congestion, I'd better allow plenty of time for the London leg of the trip. At least with a Brompton and a Cyclone trailer, I can be a cyclist or a pedestrian, whichever works best in the circumstances.


The older I get, the better I used to be.

srw647

At 9pm you *might* be OK with that route, but given what you've said about wanting a quiet route, riding a Brommie and towing a trailer I'd avoid it like the plague. On that road you'll be spending all your time sitting behind a bus, trying to edge past a bus or being harrassed by a bus. The back streets will be quiet.

http://www.mapmyrun.com/ride/united-kin ... /211436780

That route goes from Marylebone, but the bit from Paddington to join up is obvious.

zimzum42

In back streets, especially round that area, you are likely to get large vehicles (Range Rovers, BMW 7series, etc) going quite fast, turning out of sidestreets without looking, and so on. Especially at 9pm. Add to that being unable to read Saudi plates to get back at someone at hits you......

Have never been hassled by any bus on the main route, they tend to pull right out of the bus lane to pass you. And if you come up behind one at a stop, you can just wait behind it, you don't need to edge past......



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srw647

OK -- I've rarely done 9pm; I usually do 8am and 5 or 6pm. When I have done later in the evening it's been as quiet as a very very quiet thing. The number of Saudi plates you see beyond the Edgeware road can be counted on the fingers of no hands.

For an Oxford cyclist, the back streets will be a positive pleasure. They are all wide enough to be passed comfortably but not wide enough for two lanes of traffic. The main road will be rather reminiscent of the Plain on a wet Thursday in September.

As you can tell, opinions vary. When I cross the M'bone Road I look at the cyclists pelting past me and think they look unbelievably harrassed, and interact with the other traffic in a way which scares me. On the back streets, I pass everything at the traffic lights and get passed in my turn between them.

hevipedal

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by srw647</i>

At 9pm you *might* be OK with that route, but given what you've said about wanting a quiet route, riding a Brommie and towing a trailer I'd avoid it like the plague. On that road you'll be spending all your time sitting behind a bus, trying to edge past a bus or being harrassed by a bus. The back streets will be quiet.

http://www.mapmyrun.com/ride/united-kin ... /211436780

That route goes from Marylebone, but the bit from Paddington to join up is obvious.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

at 9pm? rather the main road than the back streets. It's a direct route on the main road and hard to get lost. The back streets has all the problems of night time traffic and narrow roads and it twists and turns. Go with zimzum it's a good route and easy.

<b><font color="red"> Hevipedal </font id="red"></b>
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Things to make it look good.
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ciuffolotto

Mary, I do the run back and forwards between Paddington and Kings Cross(just down the road from Euston) on a Brompton every week, and take an enjoyable route parallel to the Marylebone road. But it does have a lot of junctions and tricky bits but very enjoyable on a balmy evening.

Out of Paddington, cross Praed St onto London St. Cross again onto Sussex Place, then to Hyde Park Sq and on to Connaught St. Straight over Edgware Rd onto Upr Berkely St to Portman Sq, then right and then left onto Wigmore St. Carry straight on and this takes you all the way to Tottenham Ct Rd. Cross over to Chenies St, left into Ridgmont Gdns then right on Torrington Pl. Straight over to Gordon Sq - a left here will take you to the Euston Rd and the station.

zimzum42

That's a proper long way around, nice route though.



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Capo

If you're getting the sleeper up to Scotland from Euston then an alternative might be to get the Virgin cross-country from Oxford to Crewe then pick up the sleeper there?


Can't drive, won't drive

rdaviesb

Ergh. Crewe station at 2am (which is about when the sleeper arrives there......) Yuck. Believe me, I've been stuck there too many times!