Help with Parking in London

I have to come in on May 5th to my visa interview and just trying to figure out where to park or catch a tube, is there anywhere near the Embassy to park thats easy??

How do we deal with the congestion charge situation driving in from outside London- havent  got a clue!  Would my Dad be able to drop us off at Hyde Park Corner and avoid the charge and we walk to the Embassy?

Thanks
S

Take the tube.  It'll be much easier and less stressful.

Rosie

Thanks Wildrose, but which one and where should he drop us ? His suggestion is to drop us off at the corner of hyde park and then we can walk to the Embassy and he will go off and wait somewhere outside the zone til we're done!

I feel like a hick comin to town, haven't been for a while LOL!

http://www.usembassy.org.uk/ukembmap.html

This should help you.  Marble Arch tube station is the easiest to access the embassy.  It's on the Central Line.

You can pay the congestion charge online.  http://www.cclondon.com/howtopay.shtml  You will not have to pay to get to the embassy but one wrong turn and you can be right in the middle of the zone.  It's better to pay it than worry about it.  It's only a fiver.  I don't know where there would be for your dad to wait.   

OR ... get the train into Victoria, and the bus up.  (That's assuming that your profile has the right location for you  )   Much easier than you or anyone driving to anywhere NEAR London

Kristi thats great- thank you so much.  I am going to do as you say, just pay it and have done with it, no excuse not to really, then he can drop me off at the door and go off and wait somewhere, maybe get himself some breakfast

Thank you!

Sheril

OR ... get the train into Victoria, and the bus up.  (That's assuming that your profile has the right location for you  )   Much easier than you or anyone driving to anywhere NEAR London

West Sussex, profile (should be right) But my appointment is at 10 am and I just daren't risk the trains and any problems, everywhere I have tried to get to locally has been cancelled and delayed, I cannot risk my appointment after a year of planning and worrying

My Dad is "Mr Calm" and if I can just relax and be prepared for my interview, I will feel so much more organized- I had no idea I would be nervous but I am beginning to get that way 

Thanks for all your help everyone!
S

Glad to be of service!     I wouldn't recommend driving if you are really worried about being on time.  The tube, even with all of it's problems, etc. is still easier to predict and manuever around than a jam up on the M25. I know it's easy to get really stressed out about coming into the city but public transit is less stress than driving. 

Could you afford to come up the night before?  Then there wouldn't be any stress about getting into the city by 10am. 

Thats a good idea if you can afford it... come up the night before, stay in a hotel, and have a leisurely stroll to the embassy in the morning!

I second the staying overnight idea. There is a Marriott  just across from the embassy as well.

If not, I suggest taking the train or tube for as much as the journey as you can. It's much easier.  We usually take the train from home into Kings Cross, but if we are trying to save money and want to drive we will park at the outskirts and tube it in (cockfosters, Epping or RedBridge are the stations we use)

Rosie

We drove in from North East London for a 10 am appointment - didn't fancy exposing the babies to rush hour on the tube!!

There is a huge underground car park at nearby Hyde Park Corner, which will keep you out of the congestion zone.  Access is off Park Lane (northbound).  It's a pleasant walk from there to the Embassy.  We parked there.

Otherwise, if you drive into the congestion zone, it's not such a big deal - all you (or your Dad) have to do is buy a £5 ticket by midnight that day (by phone, online or at a newsagent) and that's it.  Easy!  There's on street meter parking around the Embassy.

Chris

Guys, all worked well today with the driving/parking, paid the congestion charge online the other day and we found a car park nr a hotel right at the corner of the Embassy (next to a lovely coffeeshop/restaurant) Took us two hours from Sussex.

and by the by,I got my visa approved today

Thank you again for all your valuable help & advice
Sheril

Glad it all worked!  Congrats on your visa..

Congrats it all worked out!

guys I am so sorry, I only just saw these replies and wanted to say thank you for your congratulations (very much)