earl's Colurt Tube station-Is there an elevator or stairs?I have an escalator phobia

[stipmom]

so I need stairs and/or an elevator.Thanks

[MATHA531]

Interesting question and the answer is.........it depends.

Earls Court staton has two levels. The Picadily line trans are deep downstairs and I'm not sure if there is a lift (the proper term in London for an elevator).....when I have gone through the station before I got smarter coming in from Heathrow and made my change from the Picadily line to the District line, there is a stairway from the Picadily line station then an escalator then a stairway (neither stairway is very long) to the District line platforms. The District line platforms are just below street level and a quick stairway.

However I learned my lesson and now make the change from the Picadily line to the District line at the Hammersmith station where I simply walk across the platform from Picadily to District line and if this is a real big problem, you can make the same change if coming in from the west or if coming from the east, you can change from the district (or the circle line which doesn't stop at Earls Court) at the stop before at Glouester Road where I know there is a lift between the District line tracks and the deeper Picadily line tracks. Somebody more familiar with the Earls Court station might know if there is a lift on the other side of the station...I don't think so but I'm not sure.

[Cotswold Eagle]

There are two lifts from the ticket hall level to the Picadilly line platform level at Earls Court (they were out of action for several months being refurbished for the Olympics, but back in operation now).

There are also lifts to the District Line platforms, but these are primarily for mobility impaired passengers - if you can manage stairs it is quicker to walk down the short flight to the platforms.

[Stelladoro]

We stayed at a hotel near Earls Court and were happy to know there's an elevator to access the street level. It was easy to travel from Heathrow on the Picadilly Line with our luggage and walk out of Earls Court to our hotel.

[stipmom]

I can do stairs. I just can't bring myself to stick my foot on an escalator.Last time in London we stayed in Belgravia and had no need to use the tube as we just walked everywhere

[Cotswold Eagle]

Originally Posted by stipmom

I can do stairs. I just can't bring myself to stick my foot on an escalator.Last time in London we stayed in Belgravia and had no need to use the tube as we just walked everywhere

That can be a problem for people in London, I know - it's not uncommon to see people really struggling to make that first step on, and almost getting knocked over by the rush of other folk.

This page may be useful for you - it has a list of those Tube stations that only have escalators, no steps, which would be ones you would obviously want to avoid

http://www.geofftech.co.uk/tube/facts.html

In any case, walking (or using the bus) gives you a much better idea of how London is laid out and you get to see more than those travelling underground!

[MATHA531]

Originally Posted by stipmom

I can do stairs. I just can't bring myself to stick my foot on an escalator.Last time in London we stayed in Belgravia and had no need to use the tube as we just walked everywhere

Don't use Picadilly Circus or Leicester Square underground stations or even Marble Arch. Boy oh boy, the first time I ever visited London way back in the 1970's, I couldn't believe the length of some of these escalators (and I'm not sure whether these stations have lifts; they might).....

But I do agree. The buses are more fun and when you get to know the routes they will get you most anywhere. At night with less traffic they can be almost as fast as the tube when you factor in going up and down stairs and making transfers but during the day, especially during rush hours, I have been on buses which take a half hour to travel 3 or 4 blocks.

[Cotswold Eagle]

Originally Posted by MATHA531

Don't use Picadilly Circus or Leicester Square underground stations or even Marble Arch. Boy oh boy, the first time I ever visited London way back in the 1970's, I couldn't believe the length of some of these escalators (and I'm not sure whether these stations have lifts; they might).....

But I do agree. The buses are more fun and when you get to know the routes they will get you most anywhere. At night with less traffic they can be almost as fast as the tube when you factor in going up and down stairs and making transfers but during the day, especially during rush hours, I have been on buses which take a half hour to travel 3 or 4 blocks.

None of the three stations you mention have lifts.

Ever been to Angel? That has the longest escalator, about 200 feet and pretty steep. There's a YouTube video of someone skiing down it

[stipmom]

Cotswold Eagle, Thank you so much for that link. It has everything I need to know. I do plan to walk as much as possible but in case we are going somewhere too far to walk I'll know if I can get out at that station

[Cotswold Eagle]

Glad to be of help. You can also look up individual stations on the Transport for London website (they run the tube) and it will tell you if they have a lift or escalators, and other access information - use the Find a Station link on this page http://www.tfl.gov.uk/modalpages/2625.aspx .

And I have just realised their 'Avoiding Stairs' map will be useful too, because although it is kind of opposite to what you want, it highlights the stations that have lifts, which would be good for you on the deep lines, and also those where you need to use lifts AND escalators, which you would want to avoid - http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloa...airs-guide.pdf

[Post Captain]

Originally Posted by Cotswold Eagle

Ever been to Angel? That has the longest escalator, about 200 feet and pretty steep. There's a YouTube video of someone skiing down it

Ah, Angel... My old stomping grounds. I can't count the number of times I've been up & down those escalators--and all the while I was blissfully unaware of their record length!

(Hmmm... Skiing down... Now there's something I never thought of.)

FWIW, Holborn (another of my "regular" stations in a previous life) is pretty deep as well:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BO82ALIgPl8

[Globaliser]

Originally Posted by Cotswold Eagle

Ever been to Angel? That has the longest escalator, about 200 feet and pretty steep. There's a YouTube video of someone skiing down it

Originally Posted by Post Captain

[font=Book Antiqua](Hmmm... Skiing down... Now there's something I never thought of.)

Here you go: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFqQOlYE4EE