How to get to the Olympic road race

Bigal76

Chaps,
Trying to work out how best to get from central London to box hill next sat.
We have tickets for the stands, and wanna ride down there....but it seems most roads will be closed from 4am....box hill from 10am.
So, my question to you all.......
Anyone else in this situation, And whats the best way to get there on bike?
Thanks,
A

Gazzaputt

Train.

Bigal76

THanks - but there seems something strange about getting a train to watch a bike race....

Dorset_Boy

Road closed, but is that closed to all traffic, or just the motorized version?

Surely there are plenty of routes from central London out to Leatherhead.

cogidubnus

Can anyone link to the route of the race?

I'm thinking of zipping down from Sheffield in the early hours of Saturday morning. Though don't know the area well. The lap of box hill area isnt all ticketed is it?

Le Commentateur

http://www.gosurrey.info/assets/documen ... with-dates

You can probably find a side street in Dorking to dump the car, then it's a mile or two's walk to the hill. Drive all night, mate, it only happens once.

cogidubnus

Cheers

That's what I thought. I def want to try and get on a part where they are going round afew times rather than just seeing them fly past once

Monty Dog

Course will be locked down to all traffic from early morning - including bikes - and will only be open to pedestrians. With the noises being made by the anti-capitalists about disrupting the Games, few chances will be given. There's a cycling festival at Denbies which is on the A24, just outside Dorking and they have bike parking but trying to get onto the course with a bike would be pretty silly IMO - I expect there'll be a million people on the course like when LeTour came to London.

rick_chasey

Sod that, I need my tickets first.

Haven't heard anything or received anything.

Called the olympic hotline, hit the customer services options and got some woman telling me that I should only call if my ticket hasn't arrived and it is less than 7 days till the event. She then gives more information and then says "this call will no disconnect".

So I don't actually get to speak to anyone!

WTF?

Gazzaputt

Bigal76 wrote:

THanks - but there seems something strange about getting a train to watch a bike race....

I had every intention of cycling but it's going to be rammed and with the road closures it'll be a pain in the arse.

TheStone

I've got tickets for Box Hill and was assuming I could just ride there? No?

rick_chasey

TheStone wrote:

I've got tickets for Box Hill and was assuming I could just ride there? No?

Not anywhere on the route.

Dorset_Boy

Yet under the bits about how to get there they clearly state by bike!

MrTapir

If you are trying to get there by bike I would recommend you do not use the train. On the Nationalrail.co.uk website it says that only folding bikes will be allowed on trains going to leatherhead/dorking etc. I dont know what to suggest for you guys wanting to ride, apart from dont bother.

Me and my girlfriend are getting the train to leatherhead, and then walking south to the A24 roundabout with the A246. This gets you onto the loop and then you could make your way east or south. The festival at Denbies wine estate is south but its a bit of a trek from there. I believe the loop is expected to take about 20mins so 9 times is 3 hours.

cogidubnus

Ive not got a ticket for the seating but going to try to get to the area. Assuming I get to Dorking about 6-7am do you think I will miss the road closures coming from the M25? From there I don't mind walking a few miles to get a vantage point for the race.

Dorset_Boy

I don't know if the Zico Box Hill Festival of cycling still has tickets - its at Dell Close just where they turn off the A24 to go to the bottom of the climb. Tickets are free (if available) and they will have a big screen I believe as well as refreshments etc.

http://ebdons.com/box-hill-festival-of-cycling

Dorset_Boy

Mole Valley District Council have some info on bike routes to the course:
http://www.molevalley.gov.uk/media/pdf/k/1/Cycle_Routes.pdf

Looks like you may be able to ride on parts of the course to get to your destination...

Lord Jimmy 7th

You say all roads are closed? Is that for the entire course? I wanted to train into London Liverpool street and then cycle down to Richmond park, is this now not possible?

northstar

You will be able to get richmond park from central london, just don't expect to ride on parts of the course and the other parallel roads might/will be busy.

PuttyKnees

Thinking for going to Betchworth instead of Boxhill Station. Anyone know what the walk from Betchworth station to the junction of Boxhill Rd and Headley Common Rd is like?

CEscorcio

Is it even impossible to walk into the course with our bikes on the side ? Not riding it. What time does the road open? How many hours after the event?

I was thinking see in Weybridge and then cycle to Esher by Queen Road.

sconnellan

thinking about parking at epsom downs, and cycling from there, Epsom easy to get to off M25 via Reigate, and only about 5 miles from back of the route at headley.

TheStone

I've sent them a message about getting there by bike and bike parking.
I really would've expected more info on this to be available. (I think I've read everything).

For Saturday, access will be limited from 10:30, so need to be there by then.

freezing77

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/denbies-track-1

Route from Richmond park to Denbies, the route crosses the return leg of the road race in Richmond park, It goes under the route at Kingston bridge and crosses the return leg again at Weston Green.
There is a wide cycle path alongside the a24 from Leatherhead to Denbies

step-hent

That's really helpful - thanks Freezing77!

Le Commentateur

I reckon trains on the day will be a nightmare. There's some massive camping space nearby, if I were going I would treat it like a MTB enduro or music festival and camp the night before then just stroll over.

northstar

PuttyKnees wrote:

Thinking for going to Betchworth instead of Boxhill Station. Anyone know what the walk from Betchworth station to the junction of Boxhill Rd and Headley Common Rd is like?

It's about 1.5 or 2 miles walk from the station along the B road, not sure if there is a pavement but I'm pretty sure there is a wide grass area.

The_Special_One

Will be arriving into London St Pancras Station to spend the day watching the TT, upon arrival at St Pancras which rail station would I be best off catching my next train too to get good access to the TT course.

My first instinct says I should catch a train to Hampton Court Railway Station.

Dorset_Boy

Esher might be an alternative, depends whether you have tickets for the start / finish area, or want to see the riders out on the course.

deejay

Dorset Boy wrote:

Esher might be an alternative, depends whether you have tickets for the start / finish area, or want to see the riders out on the course.

For this you need to get to Waterloo Station and South West Trains.
(Pity Eurostar doesn't terminate at Waterloo anymore)

Myself, I would try Surbiton, Kingston or Teddington Rail Stations. (if I could go that is)

hstiles

A few options

Surbiton - you'd have a 20 min walk/10 min ride down to the Portsmouth Road to see the riders on the long straight section from Esher to Kingston. Not likely to be very interesting

Kingston - 10 - 15 minute walk over to the market place to see the riders enter the high street en route to Kingston bridge. Part of the market square is cobbled and it's picturesque, so good photo opportunities

Hampton Wick - You're 2-3 minutes from Kingston Bridge to see riders crossing over Bridge and heading along high street towards Teddington. There's a pub on the roundabout too.

Hampton Court - you're minutes from the start and finish and if you stand by the station, you'll see riders heading out towards Walton at the start and back a few minutes later before they head out towards Esher. If you head 10 - 15 minutes along the Hampton Court road, there are supposed to be festivities on the Cricket Green by Weston Green Road.