How To Tour London In One Hour

During my recent ride on the Eurostar to London and back, I had planned to have about 3 hours to take the Underground downtown and retrace the steps I took years ago on a family trip. Unfortunately, I didn't count on 30 minutes in line through customs in St. Pancras Station, 45 minutes in immigration and security lines for the Channel Tunnel trains, plus the time I spent in queue trying to buy tube tickets, since the machines don't accept non-chip US credit cards. That left me about 1.5 hours to get back and make my return train. I decided to go for it.

Welcome to London St. Pancras International Train Station

Shopping in St. Pancras

I got a single day round trip from St. Pancras to Westminster station. That put me on Bridge Street right next to Parliament, Big Ben, and the London Eye. After walking across the bridge and back taking pictures, I headed toward St. James Park where they were setting up various Olympic structures, then to Buckingham Palace. 

Jubilee Line to Westminster

So, drive on the left, but ride the escalator on the right?

Bridge Street at Westminster Station

I recommend looking both ways, lots of Americans hire cars...

London Eye

Some big clock everyone was looking at

Olympic Preparation in St. James Park

More Olympic buildings

There appeared to be a well organized climate protest going on, men were climbing on the Palace gates and holding up signs. There were police everywhere and the whole area was well partitioned off. I grabbed a few pictures of this as well, then headed for Green Park. I was hoping to get to Hyde Park as well, but I was pushing my time budget by then and decided not to risk it.  

Keeping us well away from the "action"

Old palace yard gates

From the Palace, I cut directly across Green Park with all its tents, green chairs, and hopeful up-and-coming park bench singers, and took the Victoria line back to St. Pancras station. Total time from the station to downtown London and back, about 1 hour 15 minutes!

You may recognize this from EVERY MOVIE EVER FILMED about London.

Have you ever Speed-Visited a city? Tell me about it!

 
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