IMPORTANT
Please print these instructions now and put them in your pocket on the day of your flight so you will have this information immediately accessible on arrival at the airport in London. You are going to Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4BL. Make a note of this address, as you will be staying there. Your tube (subway) stop is Mile End. You can pick up your keys in the reception area of France House, a large green building on Westfield Way. The reception staff will then give you directions to your actual residence hall. The desk phone number at France House is 020 7882 2610.
Your professor’s London cellphone number is 07516 715 725. Make a note of it. Your professor's British cellphone will be operative from about 9:00 a.m. on Sunday, 20 June 2010.
ON ARRIVAL
Clear Immigration, reclaim luggage, then clear Her Majesty’s Customs. If you do not have a small amount of British currency, now would be an excellent time to obtain some. Just remember that the change kiosks in airports give a less favorable exchange rate on the U.S. Dollar than most banks. Barclays Bank gives good exchange rates.
IF ARRIVING AT GATWICK AIRPORT
BUYING THE TICKETS:
The tube (Underground) does not directly serve Gatwick. It will be necessary to take the railway to get to the tube to get to your final destination.
Go to the ticket booth for Southern Rail . Do not let anyone sell you a ticket on the much more expensive “Gatwick Express,” which will cost you twice the money. Unless you have money to burn, forget any idea of a taxi. A taxi will cost you up to $200.
You are trying to get to the Mile End tube station. Your best bet on how to ticket this trip may depend on whether you plan on doing some sightseeing today (Sunday) or not. It is suggested you go to the Southern Rail ticket window right at the airport. Do not use the vending machines until you are familiar with the system.
If you are awake enough to want to do sightseeing today (Sunday), you will want two items from the ticket clerk:
(1) A rail ticket to the Zone 6 boundary; and,
(2) An off-peak one-day Travelcard for Zones 1 through 6.
The Travelcard will be good all day on tube (Underground), as well as on rail and bus within Zones 1 through 6. Hence you need a rail ticket only to the Zone 6 boundary. (On weekdays, off-peak Travelcards are good only after 9:30 a.m., but since it is Sunday an off-peak Travelcard is good at all hours. On weekdays you can opt between the slightly more expensive all-day Travelcard or the cheaper off-peak Travelcard.)
If you will not be doing sightseeing today, you can buy a ticket directly to the Mile End. It is also possible to buy a train ticket to Victoria Station, and on arrival at Victoria Station leave the rail station, enter the tube station, and buy a local ticket to Mile End.
[From Monday until your departure you will probably not need zones 3, 4, 5, or 6 except to visit Hampton Court palace, so a cheaper Zones 1 and 2 ticket will usually suffice. On weekdays you can opt between the slightly more expensive all-day Travelcard or the cheaper off-peak Travelcard. While Travelcards are good on tube and rail and bus, a cheaper bus-only pass is also available. For more information on use of Travelcards during your stay in London, see the Using London Transport heading on the Tips for London web page.]
MAKING THE TRIP:
Make sure you do not board a “Gatwick Express” train. Instead, board a northbound local "Southern" train to Victoria Station. This leg of the trip will take about 35 minutes. Exit the train at Victoria Station.
Next, enter the tube station at Victoria Station (buying a tube ticket there if you do not already have a ticket to Mile End or an all-day Travelcard). If you have luggage, it is not necessary to go through the turnstile–an attendant will gladly open the gate for you and manually verify your ticket.
Find the eastbound platform for the District Line. Take an "Upminster" or "Barking" train. Exit the train at Mile End. This leg of the trip will take about 20 minutes. Tube and train doors open and close with considerable force. Please be nimble, quick and careful.
Now skip the instructions shown below for arriving at Heathrow, and proceed to the “On Arrival at Mile End” heading below.
IF ARRIVING AT HEATHROW AIRPORT
BUYING THE TICKETS:
The tube (Underground) serves Heathrow Airport. Unless you have money to burn, forget any idea of a taxi.
Walk via walkway to the ticket booth for the Underground. You are trying to get to the Mile End tube station. Your best bet on how to ticket this trip depends on whether you plan on doing some sightseeing today (Sunday) or not. It is suggested you go to the ticket window and not use the vending machines until you are more familiar with the system.
If you are not too sleepy to want to do sightseeing today (Sunday), you want an off-peak one-day Travelcard for Zones 1 through 6. The Travelcard will be good all day Sunday on tube (Underground), rail and bus within Zones 1 through 6. Heathrow is in Zone 6.
If you will not be doing sightseeing today, compare the price of a Travelcard with the price of a one-way ticket to Mile End.
[From Monday until your departure you will probably not need zones 3, 4, 5, or 6 except to visit Hampton Court palace, so a cheaper Zones 1 and 2 ticket will usually suffice. On weekdays you can opt between the slightly more expensive all-day Travelcard or the cheaper off-peak Travelcard. While Travelcards are good on tube and rail and bus, a cheaper bus-only pass is also available. For more information on use of Travelcards and Oyster Cards during your stay in London, see the Using London Transport heading on the Tips for London web page.]
MAKING THE TRIP:
Take any tube available at Heathrow. Since Heathrow is the last stop at the westernmost end of the Piccadilly line, all trains leaving Heathrow will be heading eastbound on the Piccadilly line. If you have luggage, it is not necessary to go through the turnstile–an attendant will gladly open the gate for you and manually verify your ticket.
Take a Piccadilly line train to Holborn. Exit the train. This leg of the trip will take about 54 minutes. Tube doors open and close with considerable force. Please be nimble, quick and careful.
Without leaving the station, now find the eastbound platform for the Central Line. Take a "Hainault" or "Leytonstone" or "Epping" train. Exit the train at Mile End. This leg of the trip will take about 13 minutes.
ON ARRIVAL AT MILE END TUBE STATION
You are trying to go first to France House, a large green building. In the reception area you can pick up your keys. Turn left upon leaving Mile End tube station. You will pass a Roasters coffee shop and Budgens Supermarket. Cross over to that side of the road. When you arrive at Queen Mary University of London, you will see the East gate of the college and large blue gates. Enter the campus here and walk down Westfield Way until you come to France House, a large green building. You can pick up your keys in the reception area of France House.
The reception staff will then give you directions to your actual residence hall. The following link has a campus map and details of how to get to the college: http://www.qmul.ac.uk/about/campus/mileend/index.html. Walk under the bridge and continue for about five minutes. You should be headed west on Mile End Road. The residence hall offices are on Westfield Way, only a few hundred feet away.
You may find that future trips directly to your residence hall (when you already have your keys and no longer need to stop at France House on the way to your residence hall) can be made every bit as easily via Stepney Green tube station on the District and Metropolitan lines.
The residence hall’s desk phone number is stated above. Your professor’s London cellphone number is likewise at the top of this page. Your professor's British cellphone will be operative from about 9:00 a.m. on Sunday, 20 June 2010.
Lastly, please remember to phone home today. They love you and are waiting for your call.
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