Is it possible to get to Tussaud's by 10:00 from Victoria Station?

[TZMOM]

We'll be staying right near Buckingham Palace and wanted to visit Madame Tussaud's (thanks to everyone's help, we'll be avoiding the Chamber Live.) I checked te website for the day I wanted to go (buying advanced, timed tickets) and my options are 10:00 then not again till 1:30 p.m. or so.

I'd like to get moving as soon as we can in the morning, but since our tube tix only allow travel after 9:30 a.m., I wasn't sure whether that would leave enough time.

Do you think we should get our timed tix for later in the afternoon and do something else in the morning?

Thanks for your help AGAIN!!!

Jane

 

[Miffy2003]

Hi Jane

Well, you might be all right but I think it may be a close call. If you are getting on the train at Victoria as soon as your 9.30 ticket allows, the journey should (should!!) only take 18 minutes to get you to Baker Street station and Mme Tussauds is just outside. Have a look at http://tube.tfl.gov.uk/cgi-bin/tpquery3.exe which allows you to plan journeys, gives approximate times and so on. You need to change at Oxford Circus according to that.

You are travelling at quite a busy time which will be pretty hectic but fingers crossed you may be OK!

HTH, and hope you have a lovely time!
Karen

 

[florry]

your tickets may be for 10am but allow for the queues !

Also try getting the underground earlier.. we do it all the time and they always let us on.

 

[florry]

your tickets may be for 10am but allow for the queues !

Also try getting the underground earlier.. we do it all the time and they always let us on.

 

[TZMOM]

Thanks for the help!! Think I'll just go with the later time rather than be one of those "always late Yanks."

Do you mean there are always lines even if you have a timed ticket? I imagine that I'll have to get in a line to physically pick up the ticket (I can't remember if this is one of the places that you can download tix of not), but even if your ticket is for 1:30 p.m. does that mean you still have to wait to get in?

Also about transferring lines on the Tube - is that hard or is it easy to do? I'm just not sure about the direction/street thing. I'll be printing off from/to Tube directions prior to getting there, but know I'll get lost!!!

Thank you again!!
Jane

 

[Miffy2003]

Hi Jane,

I can't help with the Madame Tussauds question, but regarding the tubes, yes it is pretty easy.Basically you can see on the maps that are everywhere where you are, then you have to work out where you want to go and whether you need to change lines. If you need to change lines, when you get off the tube at the station you have identified you need to change at (on the map), just follow the signs to the "new" line you want, and then when you get there, just make sure you are getting on at the right direction - ie go west / east depending on which way up the line you are going. (There is always a large poster on each "east" or "west" bound platform saying which stations the tube will stop at, so you can double check on there, as long as you know your final destination (which you will, as you will have identified it on the map at the start of your journey).

The great thing about the tube is, if you do go wrong, no problem - you can see maps on the inside of each carriage of the line you are on and then work out where else you could change to get to your final destination. Failing all else, if you get on a westbound train when you meant to go east you can simply get off at the next stop (every few minutes) and get back on the eastbound tube which is never far away.

The above has made it sound quite complicated but it really is easy peasy when you come to do it. I would recommend making sure you have a copy of the tube map though (I think they are in pretty much every guidebook to London you can buy).

Hope that helps!!

Karen

PS If you have any more questions feel free to PM me and I will do my best to help!
PPS Where I have talked about east and westbound above, some lines are north and southbound but exactly the same principles apply.

 

[TZMOM]

Thanks so much Karen - I think we'll be OK if everyone is as helpful as you all have been. I'm sure by the time I get the "hang" of it - it'll be time to go home. I just can't wait to get there - it's our very first trip overseas - I've been waiting for this since I was in high school (just to show you how long that's been - my son is now getting ready to enter his 1st year in high school!!!)

Thanks so much everybody!!

 

[profdsny]

As far as the tubes, our 11yo was very able to direct her mother around last December when we were there. She was the calming influence. It real is that easy.(Though Emily is an exceptional kid anyhow!)