Travel to the Barbican .

[teamsaint]

I am looking for some advice about travel to the Barbican from the north and east of London,

I am contemplating a concert there in March, ( the Tilson Thomas DSCH/ Gershwin one,) but I will be on my way back south from Norwich, and possibly not overdone for time.

Is driving in on the M11 and trying to park at the Barbican an act of madness?
anybody know of any quick and easy places to park cheaply and nip in from the north/east of london on the tube or train?

I could use my usual routes in from Kew/Richmond, but might need a plan B in case of M25 slowdowns.
all thoughts welcome.

Thanks.

[Tony Halstead]

I think your choice of where to park might well be influenced by where you will be going ( home?) after the concert.
Of course, there is ( or was, a few years ago last time I was at the Barbican) a car park on site underneath the Barbican hall, but it may be prohibitively expensive by now...

[MrGongGong]

Erm

Kew and Richmond ?
You would be hard pressed to find somewhere cheap to park near the Barbican
I would look at getting a tube from somewhere like Loughton (on the Central line) or even Wansted (a bit closer but easy for the end of the M11) to Liverpool street and walking.
If you are going to the concert hall its almost as quick to walk from St Pauls as it is from Barbican station or even Old street is close.
Lots of options

I hear that some folks live in West London because they were trying to drive out and got stuck.

[teamsaint]

M

Erm

Kew and Richmond ?
You would be hard pressed to find somewhere cheap to park near the Barbican
I would look at getting a tube from somewhere like Loughton (on the Central line) or even Wansted (a bit closer but easy for the end of the M11) to Liverpool street and walking.
If you are going to the concert hall its almost as quick to walk from St Pauls as it is from Barbican station or even Old street is close.
Lots of options

I hear that some folks live in West London because they were trying to drive out and got stuck.

Kew and richmond make sense for me, because they are close to my route home from Norwich,and very easy for parking.
My problem is I might not have time to get round that far and leave enough time to get to the Barbican.

parking at the Barbican is £8 which isnt too bad compared to a tube each way from, say, Loughton, but I wonder what the drive is like into that part of town at about 6/7 pm ?

I'll have a look at Wansted/ Loughton, as they sound sensible options.

[MrGongGong]

aaah that makes sense

I would think that trying to drive to Kew/Richmond at that time of day would be a bit iffy and much easier after a concert

[teamsaint]

aaah that makes sense

I would think that trying to drive to Kew/Richmond at that time of day would be a bit iffy and much easier after a concert

Yup, to park at Kew I have to do half a complete circuit of the M25 in the rush hour, hence the need for plan B.
Wanstead looks a good bet. Just have to drive through London back to the M3, afterwards, which I haven't done for years !!

[visualnickmos]

M

Kew and richmond make sense for me, because they are close to my route home from Norwich,and very easy for parking.
My problem is I might not have time to get round that far and leave enough time to get to the Barbican.

parking at the Barbican is £8 which isnt too bad compared to a tube each way from, say, Loughton, but I wonder what the drive is like into that part of town at about 6/7 pm ?

I'll have a look at Wansted/ Loughton, as they sound sensible options.

I wouldn't even consider it an option, personally - far too much potential for traffic nightmare

[gurnemanz]

We go to Barbican several times a year and nearly always drive. We have never had any problem parking, since the City is pretty empty in the evening and at the weekend when concerts tend to take place. Street parking nearby is free after 18.30 Mon - Fri and 13.30 Saturday. We usually end up in Dufferin Streeet- five minutes walk from the Concert Hall and very handy for a swift half afterwards at the Artillery Arms, a nice corner pub selling excellent Fullers - right opposite the Bunhill Fields graveyard where William Blake is buried.

[muzzer]

Yes agreed re the weekends. Best get there early though.

[Nick Armstrong]

Yup, to park at Kew I have to do half a complete circuit of the M25 in the rush hour, hence the need for plan B

I would go with Plan B at that time ANY day. From the M25 turn off on the M11, I reckon it'll be FAR far quicker heading for the Barbican car park, than navigating 50% of the M25, parking, then public transporting to the Barbican. I think there's no comparison. Coming into the City you will be going against the traffic.

If you do have more time than you expect, you should still do it, and unwind with a pint or two! .... and if you only want one, I'll have the other!

[Beef Oven!]

My view is to drive straight into the Barbican and park in the car park, underneath. The fee, now £8 is a rip-off but no worse than anywhere else in London. You can park for free in streets, 15 minutes walk away but it's not worth the hassle if you're not familiar with the area.

Although it's rush hour, a lot of the journey from the M11 to the Barbican is against the main flow of traffic. I have driven that journey plenty of times starting at about 5.00pm from Leytonstone/Leyton/Walthamstow and never had a problem with traffic.

After the concert, your journey south should be traffic-free too.

Edit: Just read Caliban's post, so my advice is superfluous!

[teamsaint]

My view is to drive straight into the Barbican and park in the car park, underneath. The fee, now £8 is a rip-off but no worse than anywhere else in London. You can park for free in streets, 15 minutes walk away but it's not worth the hassle if you're not familiar with the area.

Although it's rush hour, a lot of the journey from the M11 to the Barbican is against the main flow of traffic. I have driven that journey plenty of times starting at about 5.00pm from Leytonstone/Leyton/Walthamstow and never had a problem with traffic.

After the concert, your journey south should be traffic-free too.

Edit: Just read Caliban's post, so my advice is superfluous!

Never !!!!

I think I may well take the general advice to drive in ( after 6 to avoid congestion charge?), Try to find Gurney's free parking spot, and spend the £8 on a Barbican pint. !

Many thanks for ALL the advice, much appreciated.

Anybody else going?

[Beef Oven!]

We go to Barbican several times a year and nearly always drive. We have never had any problem parking, since the City is pretty empty in the evening and at the weekend when concerts tend to take place. Street parking nearby is free after 18.30 Mon - Fri and 13.30 Saturday. We usually end up in Dufferin Streeet- five minutes walk from the Concert Hall and very handy for a swift half afterwards at the Artillery Arms, a nice corner pub selling excellent Fullers - right opposite the Bunhill Fields graveyard where William Blake is buried.

[Nick Armstrong]

( after 6 to avoid congestion charge?)

YES! Dufferin Street (gurney's parking preference) is only a few hundred metres inside the Congestion Charge Zone so you'll have oodles of time...

a Barbican pint

Tight!

[teamsaint]

YES! Dufferin Street (gurney's parking preference) is only a few hundred metres inside the Congestion Charge Zone so you'll have oodles of time...


Tight!

I was thinking London concert hall prices.