How to get to London Paddington (PAD) Train Station

Travel to Paddington Station from London city center 

Opened originally in 1838 on a temporary site, the train station London Paddington is one of London's oldest major stations. Along with London Kings Cross St Pancras, London Victoria, London Bridge, London Charing Cross, London Liverpool Street, London Waterloo and London Euston, Paddington is a major station for passengers coming into and leaving the city. Paddington lies to the west of the city center, although like all of London's major stations, it remains relatively central, and is accessible by bus and the London Underground. The station is the terminus for the Great Western main line, which serves the west and southwest of England as well as Wales.

What is the best way to get to the train station from the city center 

The train station London Paddington is on four London Underground lines - the Bakerloo, Circle, District and Hammersmith & City. The Bakerloo line serves city highlights like Baker Street, Oxford Circus, the South Bank and Covent Garden, and is the best way to get to Paddington from any of these destinations. The Hammersmith & City line runs east-west through the northern part of London city center, offering access to Paddington from as far west as Hammersmith and as far east as Barking, as well as central stops like Kings Cross.

The Circle and District lines provide access to Paddington from the east of the city center around the City of London, as well as from the government district of Westminster. Paddington is well served by bus services, with the numbers 7, 23, 27, 36, 46, 205 and 332 all serving the station. These run both through the north of the city, such as the 205, and into the south, such as the 36. There are, however, no direct buses from the official city center around Charing Cross to Paddington Station, so passengers will need to change. 

How far is it from the city center to the train station? 

Paddington Station is around 2.5 miles as the crow flies from the official city center of London, Charing Cross. From there, the Bakerloo line departing from Charing Cross Station takes just 20 minutes to get to London Paddington, and runs every one to two minutes throughout the day (and all night at weekends). There is no direct bus to Paddington Station from Charing Cross, but several buses go near to the station (c.10 minutes walk) from there, including the 94, 453 and 6.

Taking one of these buses will take between 40 and 50 minutes, depending on traffic. Traveling to Paddington from the east of the city center, such as from the City of London, the best option is to take the circle line from somewhere like Cannon Street. This will take around half an hour to Paddington. To get from here to Paddington with the bus will require boarding at least two buses, and take substantially longer.

How accessible is the train station for those with limited mobility

The London Underground is as yet not very accessible for those with limited mobility, although the Hammersmith & City line platforms at the train station London Paddington are fully accessible, as are those for the same line at major stations like King's Cross, Farringdon and Hammersmith, so this is a good option if staying near one of these stations. All London buses are accessible, with wheelchair access ramps and spaces inside the bus for mobility aids. Paddington railway station is accessible, with access from street level to the platform all on the same level. Most trains are also boarded at platform level, so should not present a problem for those using mobility aids. If there is a gap between the train and the platform, station staff can provide ramps.  

Local tips: Paddington's points of interest

If traveling with heavy luggage to the train station London Paddington, then either the bus (even if it takes longer) or the Hammersmith & City line, if passengers are staying near a station on the line, are the easiest ways to get to the station. It is actually worth setting aside a little time to explore Paddington station. Isambard Kingdom Brunel, one of the most important civil engineers in history, designed the station and there is a statue of him in the concourse. And, Paddington is where the famous children's character Paddington Bear takes his name from, the Bear having been found in the story at Paddington Station. There is also a statue of the bear on the concourse. If passengers want something to eat before boarding their train from Paddington, the station is well stocked with shops and cafes. The station has fast-food chain outlets like Burger King and McDonald's, as well as a small supermarket outlet and two pubs, the Beer House and Mad Bishop & Bear.