Blumie

A friend arrives LGW at 10:00am on 6 June and will be meeting me at the London Edition Hotel (Berners St, a block off of Oxford St.). She is a first time visitor to London, but I am confident she can negotiate public transit (I'll buy her a train ticket in advance, and if I remember when I see her before the trip, she'll have a pre-loaded oyster card as well). Does anyone disagree that LGW Express to the Victoria Line to Oxford Circus is the way to go compared to taxi or any other forms of transportation? She will be traveling light.

Edited to add: it may make sense for me to meet her at Victoria Station, as emerging from the tube at Oxford Circus and getting oriented is, I imagine, the most confusing part of the journey. Can someone recommend a good place to meet at Victoria between the LGW Express and the Victoria Line?

stut

FWIW, if she's got a pre-loaded Oyster card, there's no need to buy a train ticket in advance - you can use an Oyster card on the trains from Gatwick. Unless it's peak time, there's little advantage to using the Gatwick Express over the regular Southern train service to Victoria (which only takes a few minutes more).

Your route is probably the best - the downside is that both Victoria and Oxford Circus are horrendously busy, and quite complex stations to negotiate as a first-timer to London. I'd personally go and meet her. Alternative routes (Thameslink etc) are pretty convoluted, so it does make sense. One alternative is to take the bus from Victoria - the 24 and 390 pass nearby. They'll take longer, but offer a good view of London on the way in...

Blumie

I saw that after I already purchased a train ticket. Can the Gatwick Express ticket I purchased for her be used on the Southern train if that's what comes first?

You may have seen that I edited my original post to indicate that I plan to meet her at Victoria Station. Any recommendation as to where to meet there? I'm thinking maybe Cafe Ritazza, which appears to be between the tracks where the Gatwick Express train likely is to arrive and the entrance to the tube.

stut

Yes, although if you've bought the Express ticket, she may as well take full advantage of it! In particular, most Express trains start at Gatwick, so you only have to wait in the train, rather than on the platform.

The Express trains arrive at platforms 13 or 14; the Southern trains tend to arrive at the slightly further away platforms 15-19. I must confess, I've never gone to Cafe Ritazza, mostly because it's usually fully occupied (it's a rather frantic bit of the station). If I meet anyone at Victoria (and it's been a number of years since I have), I tend to meet at the Costa in the area in front of platform 8, as this area tends to be much calmer (mediocre as Costa's coffee is). However, it's slightly out of sight from platforms 13-14 (and you need to make a hard right turn on exit) so there is a disadvantage.

UKtravelbear

Sometimes the GEX do pull into the 15-19 section of the station - mainly (when I've been on them) the ones that start in Brighton - most confusing!

If you know which one she is on departing Gatwick - then simply meet her near the ticket barriers because there is a list of arrival platforms on the main board.

If she lands at LGW at 10 then it will be closer to noon when she arrives so Victoria should be a bit quieter than during rush hour. I'd meet her closer to the ticket barriers than the tube station. IIRC there is an 'information point' very close to the usual GEX platforms and in front of the Burger King so that would be as good a place as any to meet.


As to using a GEX ticket for a Southern service it shouldn't matter - they only tend to be bothered by people using a Southern Only or Thameslink Only on the GEX than the other way around (you wouldn't know it but all three services are provided by the same company ...)

Blumie

Mizter T

It's totally legitimate - a Gatwick Express ticket is actually an "any permitted route" ticket, which allows travel on all the trains between Gatwick and London (including Southern to Victoria and Thameslink to London Bridge).

Gatwick Express trains do have 'free' wifi (or given the premium fare, inclusive wifi might be a better way of describing it) - Southern and Thameslink trains do not. Victoria station only has paid-for wifi (BT Wi-fi, what used to be called BT Openzone).

For what it's worth. Google Streetview has some coverage within Victoria station itself - potentially useful for getting one's bearings or working out a meeting place. Stut's spot next to platform 8 is good, but like he says it's a little bit hidden (which is what makes it good!).

During the middle of the day on a weekday, sitting with a coffee on the mezzanine exterior of the Wetherspoon's pub with a view over the western concourse might work.

stut

Just a point of reference (not useful for this discussion, but Mizter T may find it useful...) - Thameslink trains do now have free wifi.

Ldnn1

You can also see the arrival platforms on the National Rail app/website. Example below:

Mizter T

Thanks, of course, my mind is stuck in the past.

No power sockets on the class 700s though ... well actually there are a few but they are clearly labelled 'not for passenger use' or somesuch as they are for the cleaning team's hoovers. They do work, though the voltage output might be a bit spiky so only make use of them at your own risk!