There's a lift also from platform 1 up to the overbridge at the open end of the station too, rather than the schlep around past platform 12....

 
If you book a through ticket to St Pancras, it's only £4 extra above the ticket for Paddington from Melksham (open return, departing after 10am, with Senior railcard, done through GWR). If you come in on platforms 7 or 8, there's ramp access to "first floor" level which gets you to gate-line access to the Hammersmith & City/Circle line, after which there are lifts to the platforms.

If you arrive at any other platform it's a longer schlep around the concourse, but you get to lifts to said "first floor level" on the concourse side of the platform 13-4 gate-line, thereafter to Hammersmith & City as above.

At St Pancras, if I recall correctly, two lifts give you step-free access from tube platform to International Departures, with helpful signs directing you to the correct lifts (I think E & F) to do so.

At Paddington, whichever route you take/have to take if you do not arrive on platforms 7 or 8, I'd guess it's quite a bit further than getting to the bus stop on Praed Street, but at St Pancras it must be much easier than getting off a bus in Euston Road.

Was this mentioned in the consultation, or TfL's response to it? More to the point, have any forum members seen this route recommended or  explained on any journeys they have taken via Paddington to St Pancras International? I only found out about the availability of "Euro High Saver returns" (Open returns valid for two months from nominated date for outward journey) from helpful Goring station staff, and worked the route out myself based on experience finding the new Hammersmith & City gate-lines after they were installed back in my working days when I had to travel up to London for meetings at venues best approached via that line.

Although I've done this route (using the tube) when travelling with my wife, who has some mobility problems not requiring any aids, I am not in a position to comment on how much worse overall it is than using a 205 bus. The fact it has not been mentioned so far in this thread implies that TfL did not mention it, nor investigate its suitability as a recommended alternative, which (if true) I find unimpressive for an integrated transport authority.

Of course, none of the above helps those seeking access between other London termini without the facilities at Paddington and St Pancras. TfL's emphasis on how much they sent communications to those resident along the route indicates an assumption that their buses are only used by locals, and that it did not occur to them that this service was also an important part of the cross-London connections for rail travellers on the national rail system. (On a route linking a number of termini stations, who'd have guessed? . Perhaps us poor yokels outside the M25 don't count.   

 
Yes....and you can board any number of buses within an hour for one bus fare too.

 

That is so useful, Richard, that I quote in critical review ...


I sat on the 205 yesterday watching people struggle to get on around Paddington, and struggle to get off in the Euston / British Library / King's Cross area and know they can look forward to struggling off and on additionally along the Marylebone Road in the future.   And I watched substantial flows leaving Eurostar arrivals with very much more in chattels, aids and dependents with them and heading for the front of the station ... for a proportion I'm sure the 205 to Paddington would have been useful should they know about it.

Is an underground fare more than a bus fare?  How much does it cost TfL for each person they carry in each way between Paddington and Kings Cross / St Pancras?   Are they looking at a raising of extra revenue from the transfer market of none-residents between the termini, and prioritising that over the convenience and care of those people?

 
Roger French has written a very good blog about the Consultation on the 205 here https://busandtrainuser.com/2025/06/07/whats-the-point-of-consulting/

 

Big improvement in Spending Review.  https://www.newcivilengineer.com/latest/spending-review-transport-for-london-grateful-for-2-2bn-settlement-and-dlr-boost-11-06-2025/

 
TfL is having it's budget held back too by the Government - it's not TfL's fault, per se

 
I just caught the 205 from Paddington - a lovely new stop above the Elizabeth Line platforms, though it does lack Real Time Information.  It was around 14:35.   Amongst the people who got on there and at the following 2 stop were
* A gent helped with a stick
* A lady with a pram and a baby in it
* Two people wearing facemarks
* Three groups with heavy luggage
* A lady with a wheelie cart an a limp
* A lady with a big pack and what looked like two guitars in cases
I asked the driver about a direct but to Kings Cross next week and he confirmed what I had understood - that there won't be one and I should take the 27 and change after Baker Street.

I sat where I could watch where people were going. Of the 8 people / groups, just two got off before the 27 and 205 routes diverge at the top of Tottenham Court Road.  So that was six through groups whom I would classify as in need of an extra help.  Not all disabilities are visible.  I note another old boy getting off at Kings' Cross and really struggling; in hindsight I'm pretty sure he joined at Paddington.

Now I was also struck by a very large flow on and off the bus of fit local traffic, much of which seemed to be for incredibly short journeys.

Probably too late to do anything that may influence the future of the service.  The first and last bus time sheet has already gone for the 205 at the Paddington stop with a poster describing the changes in as positive light as they can.

 

Reading the consultation report (110 pages) some things strike me.  The very high proportion of people against the changes, and giving logical reasons. The postcode data of respondents and the mapping of them which does not go beyond a rather limited part of London (and no pointers off the map to any inputs from further afield).  The accessibility issue - as I read it TfL answers "yes, it will inconvenience those who are less mobile or nervous - but it will also inconvenience those who do not have mobility restrictions and are confident, and that makes it OK".

You don't make an omelette without breaking eggs.  Problem is, these eggs are fertile ground to build a proper integrated national and international service that's environmental and set for the future, whereas the omelette has bits of shell in it - edible for sure, but never less difficult and awkward to eat, and will put many off.

In my mind, I compare this to the breaking of connectional opportunities at Fishguard and Rosslare, rendering the route from the UK to Ireland a shadow of its former self at a time we should be encouraging international public transport.



The GWR input is notable in that it echos many of our thoughts for the passengers.  Thank you GWR. I note GWR are classified as an "other" type responder rather than being placed in a more solicited category such as "providers of connecting services".  The 205 is / was a London Rail Terminal connection bus. Why didn't TfL consult as a planned category with train operators who's customers are affected by this?

 

There is a very long list of "stakeholders consulted with" - over 500 of them - which I presume were actively contacted. It does not include the operators of any of the railway services relevant here, nor Network Rail (station owners and managers). (Abellio is named but that will be for buses.) ASLEF and RMT are, however in the list, as is National Grid. It's enough to start people muttering about judicial reviews!

 
That is probably because Eurostar didn't want to respond. They would have seen the consultation

 
Thanks for that - I have mirrored the full report at https://www.passenger.chat/mirror/end_205_report.pdf . I searched the document for "Eurostar" and didn't find any mention or response. 

 

Full details are in the consultation report - from the consultation's page. Both GWR and Chiltern did provide inputs; GWR's was this (not verbatim):

 

Not sure I recall the consultation from the Coffee Shop (or anywhere else) but certainly the press commented about it being consulted in London (or perhaps London and the South East) which perhaps wouldn't pick up the concerns of the long distance flows.   

I wonder if GWR or Eurostar responded to TfL's consultation - whether they were invited and their opinions on this. 

Press did comment that there was substantial negative response in the consultation but it's going ahead anyway.

 
TfL did put out a consultation - and I thought it got a mention somewhere in these pages about a year ago? Anyway, if didn't, I did hear about it & responded negatively, so the word was got out.

 

No - the 30 won't run west of Euston. The Paddington-Euston (and Kings Cross too) route will be covered by 27 and 205, each part-way and overlapping.

 

Many ideas - and thanks for that one.  I understand the 30 is changing too and will provide a route as far as Euston from the current 205 stops too.

I have dropped TfL a note asking for official advice ... let's see how / if they respond.

 
Appears 205 is being diverted from Baker Street to go to Marble Arch, as a replacement for 30 (withdrawn Euston-Marble Arch).

Clearly TfL money saving idea

 
Your best bet in probably getting an 18 from bus stop R at "Bishops Bridge Road/Little Venice" (really between the two) which goes to Euston station itself. That's pretty close to Paddington - the traipse from Euston to St Pancras is longer, though still quicker in many cases than another bus. 

 

Indeed, Chris.  Another change, another 10 minutes, another messing about with luggage and any mobilty aids, another change for people unfamiliar with the transfer to get confused/lost and an opportunity to get cold and perhaps wet.

Oh - and another chance to take a "where is this" quiz picture.

 
27 to any stop between Baker Street & Warren Street & change at same stop for the 205

 

Follow up posted to the International Group I'm in ... hence the bias here:



As from 21st June 2025, Paddington Station will NO LONGER be served by bus route 205 to Euston, St Pancras International, Kings Cross and Liverpool Street.   This bus route has been my personal recommendation for passengers arriving in London from the West Country, Bristol, South Wales and the Cotswolds carrying on to Eurostar services to France, Belgium and The Netherlands.

There is no suggested bus alternative. Bus route 46 does run from Paddington to St Pancras, but takes you a very long route through North London and takes nearly an hour for the journey. The London Underground Circle line, and Hammersmith and Ciry lines, both run from Paddington (Platform 16) taking between 12 and 15 minutes to Kings Cross St Pancras.  None of these direct journeys are included on the Interrail / Eurail pass.

You can use your Interrrail / Eurail Pass from Paddington (platform A - entrance from near platform 1) to Farringdon on the Elizabeth line, and change there onto a northbound Thameslink train from platform 4 to St Pancras.

The 205 was a very useful way for those with heavy luggage and in wheelchairs / with limited mobilty to get from trains from the West of London to International services from St Pancras and services for North East of London.
 
An article in The Standard alerted me to news of the change and told of consultations with local residents.  It acknoeldged that the change is an unpopular one, but told us that the change has been made for cost and efficiency reasons, promising a better service on the remains of the route which - however - does not serve Paddington. No mention is made in the article of consultation with long distance / limited mobility customers for whom this was the best cross-London option

 

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/transport/london-bus-route-cuts-tfl-30-205-euston-paddington-marble-arch-b1229839.html

More to follow on this ... but I am in conference today

 
Ouch

 
As an occasional user of this service I was disappointed to learn that Paddington will no longer be served from 21 June, with buses being diverted from Baker Street to Marble Arch, replacing service 30. the 205 was a useful link from Paddington to Euston, St Pancras, Kings Cross and Liverpool Street stations, those journeys now requiring a change en-route. The only mainline terminal station served by a direct bus from Paddington is Victoria