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My turn to ask difficult questions...! ;)

I need to get from Paddington to the American Embassy in Grosvenor Square (and back again!) next month. Looks like Marble Arch is the nearest underground station.

Now, I don't know London above ground at all well, but I can follow a map and it looks to me like it should be a fairly easy walk of 20 minutes or so - have I got this right?

Assuming I have and the weather's decent I was planning on walking there and back, but if it's horsing it down then I could do with a plan B. Underground to Marble Arch and back is an option, but I don't have an Oyster card and don't really want to fork out ^8.00 for the return journey. Looks like there are plenty of buses which will be cheaper - can anyone help me out with the relative merits of bus vs underground on this one?! TfL journey planner reckoned about 25 minutes by tube, 15 or so by bus but I don't know how realistic those estimates are.

Thanks!

There are lots of buses from just outside Paddington that take you to Marble Arch - you won't have to wait more than a couple of minutes. It's probably faster than by tube, and costs much less.

Can't remember the numbers but turn left out of Padd and the stops are about 50 yds down Praed St. There will be enough info for you to work out which ones to get.

Bus is my preferred choice when staying at hotels in the Marble Arch area, so would recommend it.

 

Most buses in london if you don't have oyster have a set fee per journey - I think it ^2 but it may be ^1 not sure....

I know from experience you can walk  it quicker than the tube!

Circle to somewhere then change onto central........night mare

Use the TfL journey planner at http://www.tfl.gov.uk/ (http://www.tfl.gov.uk/). It's the best of the journey planners. You can print off mind-bogglingly-detailed maps of walks from bus stops to destinations. And it warns you about rail engineering work and roadworks. I tried "USA Embassy" as a 'place of interest' and it offered me a long list of embassies to choose from.

Meanwhile, an Oyster is very worthwhile. Each cash ticket will cost you ^2, against ^1.20 on Oyster.

This has links to all the buses routes.
Bond St is nearest tube.

http://www.londondrum.com/transport/bus-route.php?near=grosvenorsquare

Probably a 36 or 436 to half way down Park Lane. Then across Mayfair.

If you want tube possibly Oxford Circus direct on Bakerloo then walk.

Oyster PAYG definitely worth it if you can't get a day travelcard.

The 15 and 23 go from Praed Street direct to Oxford Street and pass Bond Street tube. 

Leave the station by the slope next to WH Smith, turn left and cross over.  The stop is just along there, in front of the closed post office.  2 mins.

Hang on...... you castigated someone elsewhere by saying we weren't an enquiry bureau.....

Thanks for the advice everyone!


Well, I might admit to slight hypocrisy here but in my defence...

1. I had already done the ground work to figure out what the options were, was just asking for a comparison between them from anyone who might have first-hand experience. It wasn't a "I need to leave X at 0900 heading to Y, returning form there at 1300" query that could have been easily answered with a journey planner!

2. I didn't post a follow-up being directly rude to one of the members who had helped me out.

and

3. I'm a moderator so I'm allowed to be hypocritical*  :P ;)

_{*just in case it's not already very obvious, this is a joke, don't get upset anyone!}

The bus is definitely faster than the tube as you can get closer.. Any bus from Praed st (apart from 332, 27 or 205) will take you as far as the bottom of Edgeware road/Marble arch.

If you're on 36 or 436 then stay on till the first or second stop down Park lane as it's not far from there either of those (first stop probably slightly closer but either is fairly walkable).

If you're on any other bus than 36 or 436 then change at the bottom of Edgeware road to either 36, 436, 16 or 414 all of which go down Park Lane.. Again the first or second stop are your best bets..

Thanks Jo!

I tried feeding the journey back into the TfL journey planner earlier on and was able to make a bit more sense of the mass of options this time thanks to everyone's help. In fact it even gave me walking directions and a superb detailed map, taking the scenic route through Hyde Park! Let's hope it's a sunny day...

I'm not a bus number spotter honest.. I just get the bus down park lane from Paddington every day  ::)

And yes, if it's a nice day, walking is so much better.. It takes me about 15 minutes (walking fast) from Marble arch to Paddington, 20 minutes if I'm not hurrying so definitely walkable.. Now you just need to hope the sun stays out for the next few days

Thanks for the advice folks, the 436 was just the ticket last week - would have walked it but I've managed to hurt a foot running! There was a false start when I waited on the wrong side of Praed Street but that was quickly remedied. Even better, only had to wait 40 minutes in the embassy (compared to six hours on my last visit!).

Oops.. Getting the bus in the right direction always helps :-).. Mind you the 436 terminates at Paddington (just round the corner from Praed Street) so I'm sure the driver would have told you (or maybe even let you stay on whilst he turned the bus round to go back)..

6 hours though.. What an earth for? I've only been in the embassy once (my youngest managed to be born in America and is therefore entitled to an American passport) and renewing that was relatively quick.. definitely no more than 40 minutes...but that might be because he's an American Citizen and so gets preferential (or faster) treatment?  :)

Think my mind was a bit befuddled, seeing as it was only 0700 and I'd been up at 0500 having taken a longhaul flight the day before... Although I did notice quite fast that all the 436 buses on the side of the road I was waiting on had "Paddington" on the blinds and were emptying out...a quick conversation with a bus driver confirmed my suspicions!

The first time I went to the embassy for a visa I had a late morning appointment, which I suspect put me well down the queue. I also had to submit all my information on paper, so before any screening or interview could even happen someone in a back office had to input everything manually - hence the 6 hour wait after I handed in my documents before I was actually interviewed by one of the consular officers! The system has changed now, so it's an electronic application that goes straight through to Uncle Sam's computers, and my renewal appointment was also at 0800 which probably helped...

I do think having an American Citizen with you helps then.. We had been told in advance (as I'm sure you know) that we weren't allowed to take mobile phones with us at all, not even turned off.. yet when we got there.. having abandoned my other two children in the cinema at marble arch with no way of contacting me (they had my phone!), we were told when we got there, that since we had an "american citizen" with us.. we could have used one of their lockers in the security check in bit, for any things like mobile phones.. Oh well.. I'll know next time.. ;D

Anyone suggest cycling?  Paddington to Whitehall by bike is under 20 min and you can ride through the Royal Parks - Grosvenor Sq is even closer - say less than 10 min as my PB for Paddington-Euston is 10 min and 15 is ample time at any time of day.  Looks nicest to cut down to Hyde Park via London Street (cab ramp) and Sussex Place and then round to Brook Gate/Upper Brook Street (crossing of Park Lane/lights).

I have to admit that from my own extensive experience as a pedestrian in London, cycling looks as if it might by far be the best option. There's apparently no need at all to even slow down for zebra crossings; certainly no need to stop at red lights - and so long as you ring your bell cheerily, cyclists can even mount the pavement if the traffic happens to be stopped or crawling too close to the kerb for your liking.

Please do not slander all cyclists with your comments

I'm not! I cycle a lot myself! Only bought a shiny new bike last month actually, having finally worn the old one out. It does seem though that totally different rules apply out here in the sticks than in central London (you'll note I particularly mentioned that it was my own personal experience, and that I only mentioned London, since I don't have enough experience of other cities to comment). Maybe though it's just a case of my being a daft yokel who needs to keep an eye open for anything moving faster than a tractor  ;D

I saw a cyclist stop at a junction the other day, check it was clear, then proceed to cross a 4 way junction.

Few years back in Greenwich...... dislocated shoulder, 6 stiches in my forehead, concussion and numerous bruises, cuts and grazes all courtesy of a damn cyclist who decided zebra crossing rules didn't apply to him. Failed to show in court so no recompense for me save for the damage my head did to his bike. Apparently he said to my girlfriend that I should've looked where I was going!

I have to admit the only light I've ever jumped in London - its somewhere around notting hill/baywater after you cycle through southall

If your turn left in the opposite direction you get to kensington

Anyway - you go up the hill and come to a T junctions where you are on the T- its easy to cycle on the left through the red light and avoid the traffic coming off the stem and turning right.

Thats the only time i've ever jumped a light on a bike!  and usually when I need to get to Pad to get the train!

Whenever I drive in London I always spot cyclists with the whole "rules of the road don't apply" hat on :P

Just as bad are the drivers of all vehicle types on the roads who think that it's okay to pass a red light because it's only just changed to red.

Hi there this is my first post - but I have to tell you how difficult it was for me..

I left from Paddington on time for my Appointment at the Amercian Embassy... I decided to take the BUS! I took the 36 (or I could have taken the 436) from paddington station just by London street to Marble arch station / Park lane which was about 5 stops... This took about 10 minutes.... From there I walked to American Embassy Grosvenor square which was about 10 minutes so 20 minutes altogether using my Phones GPS. Nice walk through the park etc.

But then when I finally reached my appointment, guess what? My passport photos failed as they were UK passport photos which I took from Paddington station photo kiosk!!!! Was soooo upset.

So i had to reschedule, but on way back I took tube from Bond street to baker street (jubilee line) and then baker street to Paddington... I think it was easier by tube...

I rescheduled my appointment, but I needed to find somewhere that could take a US passport photo - it was a nightmare.. eventually I came across this store opposite Paddington Station called Reload Internet Passport photos, and they took the photo for quite a good price. The Photos passed in the embassy...

I think the UK passport size does not work with the US, and there are other rules in the photo, not sure why my original passport photo failed. Here is a link in case any one else needs it, as it took me quite a while to find them https://www.reloadinternet.com/us-passport-photo and they even do green card lottery photos... Not that I need one ;)

Welcome to the forum, Richard.

We don't make it all that easy for travellers making a journey for the first time in the UK ... but then that applies the world over; I can tell you of similar experiences elsewhere in Europe and in the USA, with things differing.   I'm reminded of buying (and struggling) to get travel cards at Newark for the PATH, and being amazed to learn that my wife and I could swipe one of us through then pass the card back for the other person to swipe through too - hugely not allowed with an Oyster card, and a reminder that our countries are divided by a common language.   With passport pictures, sure, different jurisdictions and different rules.

Paddington to Grosvenor Square - I hate to suggest it - walk all the way if you're fit.   30 minutes, and by the time you wait for a bus (add that to your journey and walk at the end) or wait for 2 tubes, not much slower if at all.  And TfL don't charge you for walking yet.