Traveling to London. Anyone tried the drive INTO london ?

[Gary_UK 17]

I have been looking through these forums for a few months and I know that a lot of people talk about the journey to the US Embassy in London where one of two choices seem to be popular...

1) Travel to London the evening before and stay in a hotel as listed on the VJ Web site...

2) Travel to the edge of the tube system and catch a train into London..

Sitting at work today I was talking with a colleague about what an ####### it is going to be, getting into London for my interview.

Finding that hotels are quite expensive and I'm not keen on riding trains but the congestion charges makes it a no no driving

into the city, But with the likes of the tube drivers causing industrial action chaos I might have to risk it... he said...

" why don't you drive down to park lane and use the car park " !!!

After doing some research there's a blummin great big car park under Hyde park on the east side of the park itself. whats best of all is that its a 5 min walk to the embassy from the entrance to the place AND parking charges seem to be quite good considering where it is.

Icing on the cake is that there is a "congestion free corridor " which if your know where you are going you can pop into the city. do your interview and head out without coughing up silly money to "uncle ken's "legacy!

I have put a link to the map I was looking at

Here...

Seems too good to be true.?

Of course I am thinking of being there somewhere near 6-7am so I don't think that getting in there will be a problem.

What do you think ?

[Brit Abroad 166]

Not sure I'd want to risk having to pull over and consult an A-Z if I missed a road or got squeezed into the wrong lane, but if you're a fearless navigator it shouldn't be that difficult. People do it every day, after all.

I think driving to a Zone 5/6 tube station and getting a daily travel card is probably the easiest option. Provided you leave enough parking time on your car park ticket, it's a nice cheap way of going shopping in town.

Edited June 10, 2009 by Brit Abroad

[English Muffin 59]

Where are you travelling from?

[Gary_UK 17]

Where are you travelling from?

Birmingham. so straight down the M40 / A40. on the map it looks like a breeze.

Doing the math a hotel room is going to cost £70+

I'm still going to have to pay for tube fare £7.50 + £3.50 parking at least

so working on the basis I'm going to be er... rather awake the night before I was considering capitalizing on that and drive into London in the early hours.

miss a lot of the traffic and have a place to chill and calm my nerves before my 9am interview time. Id like to be in the queue to get into the embassy

for 7:30 or close to it.

so I'm weighing up the pro's and con's

worse case scenario its going to be about 15-18 pounds parking fee and that's it.. (plus the fuel I use) but its an old diesel so its good on gas (55 mpg)

[Gary_UK 17]

And there's no way in hell I will be squeezed out of a lane.. the car is 15 years old is worth less than a respray of a shiny new beemers front bumper. So if they squeeze I push back and usually win !. I love driving old cars in situations like that. I'm no psychopath but its handy not being paranoid where i park. ( or should that be abandon ) ? or be worried if some member of the unwashed decided to do some petty damage to it. Its also going to be handy for when i leave as i can either sell it for a pittance or just hand it into the local scrap dealer

[English Muffin 59]

It's easy enough to drive from Birmingham, so it's all down to your personal preference really.

Oh, and they won't let you get in the queue that early they'll turn you away and make you come back. For a 9am appointment I'd get there about 8.30am at the earliest.

[Gary_UK 17]

It's easy enough to drive from Birmingham, so it's all down to your personal preference really.

Oh, and they won't let you get in the queue that early they'll turn you away and make you come back. For a 9am appointment I'd get there about 8.30am at the earliest.

oh ! i didn't know this. so even if i join the ( what im expecting to be a lengthy queue ) thinking that if i join at 7:30 get in side the building for 8:30 isn't the case then ?

[English Muffin 59]

The queue is behind a fence that's manned by security guards and a police officer (at least it was in January 2008). They will look at your letter and based on what time your appointment is they will direct you to another queue. They won't even let you beyond the fence if you get there too early.

At least it was like this 18 months ago, someone can correct me if things have changed recently.

[imaisha 0]

The queue is behind a fence that's manned by security guards and a police officer (at least it was in January 2008). They will look at your letter and based on what time your appointment is they will direct you to another queue. They won't even let you beyond the fence if you get there too early.

At least it was like this 18 months ago, someone can correct me if things have changed recently.

most of the recent reviews seem to say everyone got there round about 7:30 regardless of interview time. i'm sure someone else will chime in but i wouldn't worry about getting there too early.

[Damian P 92]

Where are you travelling from?

Birmingham. so straight down the M40 / A40. on the map it looks like a breeze.

Gary mate, I drove down from Birmingham too - here's what you do:

M40/A40 (you got that bit, right?) then turn left off the A40 onto the A312 towards Northolt. When you reach Northolt village (which is less than a mile from the A312 turn off) turn right onto Eastcote Lane. It runs left and right, but you take the RIGHT turn (as opposed to the main Eastcote Lane which will be on your left - don't take that). It's a little one way side street, a stonesthrow away from Northolt tube, and it'll cost you nothing to park there. The added bonus is that Northolt is on the Central Line, which takes you straight to Marble Arch. The embassy is less than 10 minutes walk.

It's absolutely the perfect way to do it, Gary. Save yourself a whole load of grief, and don't drive into Central London!!!

[Nich-Nick 3,353]

We've driven in London several times so sounds fine to me, but I'm from Texas and we drive everywhere, so what do I know. I know just where the Park Lane parking place is. Do you have a GPS? The car park place--Westminster City? runs it--- has GPS instructions to get there and some detailed instructions on how to get in and out in the free corridor.

We had read all the reviews about the different queue lines by appointment time. However last July it was first come first served no matter when the appointment was. I haven't heard mention of the time queues since.

[MARM 7]

Just join in the queue at 7:30 AM, even if your interview appointment is at 9:00 AM...no one posted difficulties with this issue so far this year.

[English Muffin 59]

Sounds like the queuing system has changed since my interview so I apologize for misleading you Gary. Good luck with the interview.

[Gary_UK 17]

Sounds like the queuing system has changed since my interview so I apologize for misleading you Gary. Good luck with the interview.

Nah no worries. Its intresting to see how even the most simple of issues regarding the visa program changes over time and its also credit to the whole VJ community as to how well we are all kept up to date about those changes.

Its what we are all here for isnt it? I for one would have "come a cropper" a few times already with changes in forms and paperwork, and thanks to others who have reported those changes have saved mine and im sure many others worry and sleepless nights.

Damian P - I am thankful for your input on this. I will have a play with google maps and google earth when i get back from the office this evening. I am hardly a regular visitor to the "Big Smoke".

[Damian P 92]

Damian P - I am thankful for your input on this. I will have a play with google maps and google earth when i get back from the office this evening. I am hardly a regular visitor to the "Big Smoke".

Gary, just type "Northolt, UK" into google maps. Enlarge it a few times, and you'll see exactly where you need to be. I tried to embed it into my post, but I ###### it up - sorry!