Commuting Maidenhead to Canary Wharf?

So I’ve taken a new job where I have to go to Canary Wharf once (or maybe twice) a month. I live in Bristol.

Ideally I’d just hop on the train from Bristol Parkway to Paddington and then the Elizabeth line – but peak times that’s ludicrously expensive.

So I’m thinking drive to Maidenhead, park then get the Elizabeth Line direct to CW.

Should be a lot cheaper if a bit more time intensive.  Like £260 for option 1 vs  £75+ cost of parking on option 2.

Does anyone do something similar – if so which car park in Maidenhead within walking distance of the station is the best one? Preferably one open 24 hours and where there will be spaces free still at 8am.

Got a mate who used to  bike from Paddington to Canary wharf. And he’s not really a cyclist. He’s moved so I hear and now cycles from Euston.

If you can travel by train starting after 9am the fares normally half. Having said that, the trains I use from Southampton are fairly unreliable, so I end up allowing 2 hours instead of 1:30 for the trip. I guess from Bristol that would mean arriving at lunch time.

Do you get the option to stay over?

Travel up the night before and go to a gig/show/specialist club and then travel back the following morning. Okay, you have to factor in the hotel cost, unless you get lucky at the gig/show/specialist club, but it can turn that once a month chore into a once a month treat but with work the next day.

Why Maidenhead when the fleshpits of Slough are so close? Probably easier to get parked there as well.

Slough, like Basingstoke but without the charisma

Every option sounds grim. Congratulations on new job though!

Not for me, thanks.

Best of luck with the new job though.

Got a mate who used to  bike from Paddington to Canary wharf. And he’s not really a cyclist. He’s moved so I hear and now cycles from Euston.

I’ve not done quite that far but would 2nd the idea. Central London isn’t as big as it looks on the tube map.

It’s once a month, how about driving all the way in?

Use to often drive into Regent Street/Park Lane years ago, easy enough early on – just accept that it’ll be expensive to park.

Could you not either drive all the way in, or drive to Hayes & Harlington or Southall station & get the Elizabeth line in from there?

I think that would only be something like a tenner on the train, plus you’d need to find somewhere to park.

• Train to reading then Elizabeth line.
• consider staying overnight at any point suitable.
• Late start, overnight, early finish and advance train

you need to work out a way to make this fun and enjoy your monthly London trip and accept a few quid extra is worth it. The alternative is shit.

I regularly get the first off peak train to Paddington, then cycle to east London for 11am. Generally stay 1 night, then get last offpeak train the following day, 1615. Works a treat. Hotel options can be challegning, but I do have a pal i stay with sometimes.

Actually the bike bit is great – Paddington, Hyde Park, Buckingham Palace, Parliament Sq, Embankment, East London. #scenic.

you’re welcome to my train strike hack:

– book parking at Asda in Hayes & Harlingdon via the your parking space app. Loads of spaces any time of day. £5ish to park all day

– 3 mins walk to Elizabeth line

– £10 ish return: much cheaper than catching the train from outside the m25

– try not to buy and eat a bag of donuts when you get back to Asda. I’m still working on this one myself

Very disappointed no one has suggested jet ski or paddle board!

Fly from bristol to London city? May need to go via Amsterdam or Paris though… at least you’d get a good pastry / stoopwafle for your onwards journey.

Very disappointed no one has suggested jet ski or paddle board!

Thought that’s what they meant by “specialist club”?

Sigh. My plan normally will be get a hotel somewhere on the Elizabeth line and do a couple of days back to back in London. Did look at Slough as an option but the traffic there and at Reading getting anywhere near the train station is likely to be a nightmare. Maidenhead looks like you just get off the motorway and it’s a short run to park and then walk to the station. Just where to park.

I need to be in earlier than off peak trains will allow me tomorrow. The main train to Paddington is a more expensive option even if I do peak one way / off peak the other.

Come park in the western Thames valley. Goring or Pangbourne. Close to M4, park on a free back street, split ticket to paddington (cheapest with the split in Maidenhead), and then Lizzie line across town.

Loads do it (well, not the driving from Brizzel bit obviously)

but peak times that’s ludicrously expensive.

Can you not work out something with your new employer – congrats, to either avoid travelling during peak, or expense it, or help with overnight accommodation?

I took the job in the knowledge I’d have to go to London once or twice a month. Got a chunky payrise that more than covers it after tax and stuff. Then paying travel wasn’t a goer for the part of my employer I’m working in (the other part may cover it but the job stress would probably be much worse there).

Given it a go today – got to Maidenhead in decent time but first 2 car parks were full. Found a multi story near the station that wasn’t coming up on Google / Apple Maps that’s £7.20 for 24 hours. Result. On the Elizabeth line now – see how that goes

<sarky mode>

Commiserations for your struggle on by-far Britain’s most modern and integrated public transport network

</sarky mode>

😙

Being local, and relocating into central London soon, getting a space in Maidenhead station car park has been roundly laughed at in my company. Other less popular options are Langley (again hard to park – I cycle there from Windsor), and Iver*. I f you have a folding bike in the car, then parking a mile or so from the Elizabeth Line is straightforward. If you want overnight hotels, then there is always Hayes and Harlington and West Drayton. Another option might be near LHR T5, two trains an hour and plenty of hotels that might come with parking. I also cycle there for direct train to Stratford for the velodrome. Travel from INSIDE Zone 6 (last two options) is wholly TFL and hence subsidised.

See what you make of today first. Elizabeth Line is truly excellent. By contrast I travelled on the Overground a week ago and it is showing its age by comparison.

*check Wellesley Road and Syke Ings  in Ritchings Park and surrounding roads for resident restrictions. Anything more than 200m from the station is likely to be unrestricted parking as people are lazy!

Why Maidenhead when the fleshpits of Slough are so close? Probably easier to get parked there as well.

I think I tried this once and spent longer in a traffic jam in Slough than the rest of the journey took. 😀

So overall it’s been pretty bloody good. Elizabeth line went very smoothly all the way to Canary Wharf. It was delayed into Maidenhead by a GWR train but still got to CW on time. Just on the way back out now.

Found a multi storey tucked amongst some office buildings literally a 2 min walk from the station so I think that’s my target car park from now on.

For hotels I’m weighing up the premier inn in Maidenhead vs a cheap hotel in London that costs the same + the train fare I’d save. The ibis in canary wharf sometimes seems to be a reasonable price – albeit my memories of staying there last time were of some weird bathroom pod thing.

Benefit of Hayes & Harlington is it’s after the Heathrow spur so loads of Lizzy trains

Wouldn’t it just be easier to commute from Bristol, national rail site says it’s 2.5 hours. That’s doable once a month. £93 if leave at 5am and catch the return after 6pm.

Also a Premier Inn behind the Asda at Hayes and Harlington. As mentioned above always space in the Asda and it’s under the store so dry. Stayed there a couple of weeks ago and used the Elizabeth line to get in and out of London including to Canary Wharf easily. Plus donuts and if you need them toilets in the Asda.

@caher – getting on the train for 5am would be a monumentally early wake up – I walk the dog every morning so would need to get out of bed about 2.45-3am which is mental.

I think I’m going to stick with the Maidenhead route – I don’t want to extend my drive further – if anything I’d prefer it to be shorter. But Reading is carnage to drive in and out of so that’s a no go.

The Pangborne option is probably worth investigating a bit I think.

Thanks for all the suggestions!