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 Schafer House of University College London, 168 Drummond Street, London NW1 3HZ. Make a note of this address, as you will be staying there. Your tube (subway) stop is Warren Street. The desk phone number at Schafer House is 020 7387 1286.
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, 24 June 2012.
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 British 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 Warren Street 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 British 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 Warren Street tube station. 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 then buy a local ticket to Warren Street.
[From Monday until your departure you will probably not need zones 3, 4, 5, or 6 except to visit Hampton Court palace or Wimbledon, 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 38 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 Warren Street 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 northbound platform for the Victoria Line. Take a "Finsbury" or "Walthamstow" or "Seven Sisters" train. Exit the train at Warren Street. This leg of the trip will take about 7 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 Warren Street Tube Station” 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 Warren Street 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 Warren Street.
[From Monday until your departure you will probably not need zones 3, 4, 5, or 6 except to visit Hampton Court palace or Wimbledon, 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 Green Park. Exit the train. This leg of the trip will take about 46 minutes. Tube doors open and close with considerable force. Please be nimble, quick and careful.
Without leaving the station, now find the northbound platform for the Victoria Line. Take a "Finsbury" or "Walthamstow" or "Seven Sisters" train. Exit the train at Warren Street. This leg of the trip will take about 4 minutes.
ON ARRIVAL AT WARREN STREET TUBE STATION
You are trying to go first to Schafer House, a large yellow brick building. Turn left (northbound) onto Tottenham Court Road upon leaving the Warren Street tube station. At the traffic light you will cross Euston Road. Continue northbound on Tottenham Court Road, which has now become Hampstead Road. Walk about one block and turn left onto Drummond Street. Schafer House is at 168 Drummond Street, which will be on the right side of Drummond Street. Note that numbering on Drummond Street is confusing because the house numbers on the left side of the street bear no relationship to the ones on the right. You will pick up your keys in the reception area of Schafer House.
The reception staff will then give you directions to your room. The following link has a campus map and details of how to get to the UCL's Schafer House: http://maps.google.co.uk.
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, 24 June 2012.
Lastly, please remember to phone home today. They love you and are waiting for your call.
View map showing Warren Street station and Schafer House residence hall
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