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I'm from Belgium and I'm planning a trip to Liverpool. It is pretty much my first trip alone and I'm planning the trip by myself.

I'm therefore not accustomed to how trains work in England/United Kingdom.

I'm looking to taking this route from London to Liverpool.

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The arrival time of the tube and the departure time of the train are identical.

Will I be able to catch the train? Should I catch the next train? What is the recommended way to travel to Liverpool from London St Pancras International (I'll be arriving there with the Eurostar).

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    See What's the quickest way from London Kings Cross to Euston, by foot or tube? (St. Pancras is across the street from King's Cross, in the direction of Euston). If you're only arriving into St. Pancras 25 minutes before your train leaves from Euston you will be rather vulnerable to delays incoming, but as long as everything is on time, and you're not a particularly slow walker, 25 minutes will be plenty to walk.
    – hmakholm left over Monica
    Aug 21, 2016 at 19:43
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    (As for the tube: 25 minutes is not the time you will spend on a tube train. In fact there will be at most 5 minutes from you show up at the right platform at Kings Cross St Pancras until you can walk out of a train at Euston, including the worst-case wait for the next train -- so most of the 25 minutes your travel planner shows must be allocated to navigating the corridor maze to and from the platforms.)
    – hmakholm left over Monica
    Aug 21, 2016 at 20:03
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    Do you need to commit to a particular train? There is a fast, direct train from Euston to Liverpool every hour during the day on weekdays. Can't you just get to Euston, look at the time, and hang around for at most an hour if you just miss a train?
    – Patricia Shanahan
    Aug 21, 2016 at 20:12
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    @HenningMakholm: not very time-consuming, but the "walking straight out" passes customs. You walk through, but it is a bit narrow so they can take a look at everyone. You always get stuck behind people with lots of luggage on those descending moving walkways. Count with a bit of delay for the Eurostar and those 25 minutes are quickly gone. If the OP wants to buy an Advance ticket, my advise would be to buy it for the next train.
    – Some wandering yeti
    Aug 21, 2016 at 20:16
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    Thank your for all the useful information. As @PatriciaShanahan said, I will purchase an Off Peak ticket (I travel on a Sunday and all trains have the Off Peak ticket available), take it easy and take whatever train I can.
    – Auberon
    Aug 21, 2016 at 21:25

7 Answers 7

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Short answer: it's 8 minutes walking, or, 1 minute on the tube but then this also includes not much less than 8 minutes walking between underground platforms, including navigating the warren that is King's Cross underground station.

Arrive at the station at least 5 minutes early, and based on Gagravarr's comment, if you're arriving on Eurostar allow another 10 minutes at least whichever option you choose just for getting out of the arrivals area, if you're unlucky! 25 minutes is actually a bit tight, especially if you're arrival is delayed.

It's probably easier to just walk between the two - less stressful, cheaper and barely any slower. If you've got time to dawdle, you'll pass the British Library which is one of London's (many) very good free attractions.

I'm not sure which journey planning site you used to get that from, but you can get lots of detail from the London-specific ones. There are two I'd recommend, both use slightly different approaches:

  • TFL (Transport For London) is the official one. It estimates 8 minutes by walking, or 5 minutes by public transport for that journey, based on:

    • 4 minutes to get from St Pancras to the King's Cross Underground
    • 1 minute on the tube (Victoria Line)

  • Citymapper is a very popular alternative that also has a really good app and covers several other major cities in addition to London. It also estimates 8 minutes walking (and shows a handy map of different routes plus other route options). It estimates around 3 minutes by tube based on:

    • Up to 2 minutes wait for a Victoria line train
    • 1 minute on the tube
    • 2 minutes walk from Euston underground station to the national rail station

So, put those together and if you've got a train to catch, you should allow at least 10 minutes (plus any extra train arrivals time) based on:

  • ~4 minutes to get from St Pancras train to King's Cross victoria line underground platform. King's Cross underground is a bit of a warren so I might say allow 5 minutes for a first-timer in case you go the wrong way
  • Up to 2 minutes waiting for the Victoria line (which generally has a reputation for being fast and reliable)
  • 1 minute on the Victoria line
  • 2 minutes to get from Euston underground station to the platform (Euston station is a dismal place, but it's underground is less of a maze than King's Cross)

Then there's the matter of paying to get onto the tube, which will add some time if you don't already have an oyster card, travel card or contactless credit/debit card you can use in the UK.

To be honest, I'd just walk it. Very easy walk with a nice view of the St Pancras exterior.

I just noticed your comment about taking your time: you'll also be walking past the British Library which has many interesting exhibitions (usually free) and the "Treasures gallery" displaying famous and historically interesting books and texts ranging from Leonardo da Vinci's notebook and the Magna Carta to original handwritten Beatles lyrics. There's also a rather nice informal Japanese restaurant between the two stations on Chalton St.

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    If you're at the very back of the eurostar, one of the last people off the carriage, and then likely get stuck behind lots of slow people, it can easily take 10-12 minutes to get out of the Eurostar arrivals area! If you're in a front coach, one of the first few off and know where you're going, you can get out in under 90 seconds
    – Gagravarr
    Aug 22, 2016 at 9:10
  • Not sure walking is such a good idea: just orienting yourself, finding the right exit and knowing which street to take can take some time in an unknown city. The tube will have clear signs all the way.
    – Relaxed
    Sep 27, 2016 at 7:50
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    Normally that's true, but Kings Cross / St Pancras Underground is quite a maze and very easy to get lost then need to walk a long long way, up and down many escalators, to reach the right platform (I did this many times even when it was part of my commute!); whereas it's very easy to exit the rail station (one escalator) and very easy to find the main road from any of the exits. Euston underground is less confusing, but a first timer might accidentally end up the wrong side of the main road out at Euston Square.
    – user56reinstatemonica8
    Sep 27, 2016 at 13:50
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Walking takes about the same time as the tube, bus or taxi.

The most obvious route, and the one you're least likely to get lost using, is to walk along Euston Road. This is a busy main road with a narrow (but adequate) pavement (sidewalk). Depending which part of St Pancras station you want, it's usually the longer route.

A more pleasant route is to walk along Brill Place and Phoenix Road between the two stations - you will often see this offered as an alternative on mapping apps. This route involves a substantial set of steps at the entrance to Euston station, so is not an option for anyone using a wheelchair, pram, pushchair, etc. This route is about the same distance as the Euston Road route and involves much less choking on traffic fumes.

Finally, there is a true shortcut between the two stations along Dangoor Walk, but it isn't really an advertised route because it involves a number of back-alleys. This cuts about 100m off the Euston Road route between Euston and the Eurostar gates at St Pancras.

I've manipulated Google Maps into showing it here. I'd strongly suggest that anyone trying this route checks it out on Street View before walking it, because you'll be going "do you really mean to walk through this open gate into back garden of these flats?" at a couple of points (to which the answer is "yes", but you'd really want to make sure you're going through the right back garden):

map of best walking route between Euston and St Pancras

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Trains to Liverpool from London operate out of Euston station. For any mainline train in the UK my general rule of thumb is to be at the station no later than 15 minutes before departure for three reasons:

  1. Many of the larger stations in the UK are large in size and you can find yourself on a platform a good few minutes walk from the main lobby/concourse.
  2. Trains can change platforms last minute — they do not always depart from the same platform if you are a regular.
  3. Trains doors can close up to 5 minutes before departure.

With a connection I would leave at least 30 minutes leeway for any potential delays on the Eurostar.

Regarding your situation. You won't make this connection. I would get an earlier tube to Euston station to make this connection or get a later train to Liverpool. The advertised tube times are the times they will stop at the platform. The tube network is vast and from Euston will take you several minutes to get to street level. St Pancras - Euston is however very walkable (about 10 minutes down a straight road) Turn right out of St Pancras main entrance and head down Euston Road past the Unison HQ. Euston station will be on the right hand side behind Euston Square Gardens. You can't miss it.

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    "The advertised tube times are the times they will stop at the platform." - this is not true, the 11:40-12:05 is not a particular train, it is merely a generous estimate of the overall transfer time. Also no platforms at Euston are "good few minutes walk" from the concourse. And train doors might close up to 90 seconds before departure, but never "5 minutes".
    – Mark Perryman
    Jul 12, 2018 at 10:34
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If you follow the research the above users provided then you should be fine. However, if you know you get turned around easily or are a stressful traveler, it's best to allow for more time. Assume that any time you're going somewhere new as a tourist that it will take twice the time. This will allow for time to ask for directions or clarifications if you're nervous.

I traveled alone in the UK last February and I should have left a bigger time buffer. Plus, you'll be at King's Cross. If you like Harry Potter, they have a shop and photo station. The line up can be massive though.

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  • +1, good point about tourists new to an area needing more time. Even after traveling a lot in Europe, I still underestimate the time needed to get my bearings in a (new to me) big train station.
    – Willeke ♦
    Jan 13, 2018 at 12:04
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The walking route between these two stations has now been designated the "Wellbeing Walk" and has signage so it is probably not necessary to even have a map with you. Nonetheless the web site for Urban Partners about the walk does have a map.

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Many of the other answers are assuming you arrive at St Pancras International by Eurostar, and advise you to allow more time. If that is not the case (e.g.: because you are arriving on a Southeastern High Speed service or an East Midlands Trains service), I would say even 20 minutes should be more than enough to walk, with luggage, (I would not advise getting the Underground for that journey, because getting to the Underground platforms entails a long walk and escalators) from St Pancras International to Euston and find the correct platform at Euston (NB: for Virgin Trains services, the platform gates close two minutes before departure). Of course, if your previous train is delayed, that might become a problem (check https://www.recenttraintimes.co.uk/ to see historical performance)...

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Any of the walking routes mentioned in other answers will be slower if you are dragging a bag behind you. However, the same is true of using the tube. Many train tickets when booked in advance are for a specific train at leaving a specific time, and if you miss it your ticket might not be valid on the next train.

Best advice: leave yourself longer than a very tight 25 mins. You can always dawdle a bit to get your bearings, visit a nearby attraction, or get something to eat or drink.

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