WRP Tours: The best choice for 2010 Virgin London Marathon tour packages
.... and it's our 21st birthday this year!

The weekend programme: Friday - Going to Race Registration – 2 choices

1. Going Friday afternoon…escorted by WRP

The walking tour will finish, back in Greenwich, about 16.30 at which point guests have a choice:

Quite easy for those who know where to get the train – and where to change lines – but not so easy if this is your first time in London.
For this reason, using the Docklands Light Railway (DLR), as many WRP staff as are necessary will take guide those who wish to go from Greenwich across to Custom House – the station adjacent to the  ExCeL Centre – it takes about 30 minutes.
They will take you to the entrance to Race Registration, make sure that everyone knows how to return to their hotel, and then leave you at ExCeL to spend as much time there as you wish.

ExCeL

Completing race registration at this time is very easy and relaxed – very different than on Saturday when, inevitably, it is very, very crowded. If you are running for a charity this is an ideal time to meet up with them at their stand and sort out any detailed arrangements they may have for both cheer-points and post-race activities.

For those who have booked with WRP Tours, there is a mini photo-guide to Race Registration. To access “Race Registration – a pictorial guide” click here and use the User ID and Password supplied with your booking.

2. Going independently  – some directions for you.

Marathon Registration and Expo will be at the ExCeL Centre – the superb conference and exhibition Centre which is located in Docklands. Access is via the Docklands Light Railway (always abbreviated to “DLR”).

There are two termini on this system called Bank and Tower Gateway, which is near the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, the marathon course… and WRP’s base at Novotel Tower Bridge.

From Tower Gateway trains go to Becton………… ideal as this goes straight to Custom House/ ExCeL for both Marathon Registration & Expo and the WRP Novotel ExCeL hotel.   Typical journey time = 15 minutes.

From Bank trains go to Lewisham via Cutty Sark and Greenwich.
You can still get to ExCeL via this route but it does involve a change of trains between the Lewisham and Becton lines. This is quite simple because, after starting separately, the two lines briefly converge between Shadwell and Westferry stations.
Think of Westferry, the third station on each route, as your transfer point.

Trains from Bank and Tower Gateway arrive alternately. This means that from Tower Gateway one can get to both ExCeL and Greenwich … simply by switching trains at Westferry.
WRP strongly recommend that you use the Tower Gateway terminus at all times.

A useful tip……all stations on the DLR are unmanned –  so if you want to get a ticket you have to use their automated, dial-a-ticket system which is found at the entrance to each station. It does work fine but is not the easiest thing to use if you are meeting the system for the first time. Also, you do need the correct money!

One easy solution…You will almost certainly use the Underground during each day.

….either, buy a single or return ticket from any Underground station to Custom House (the stop for ExCeL) – the one ticket does both systems.

…or, even better still   - buy a One day travel card for travel for Zones 1-4

This covers you for as many journeys as you like, on both systems, throughout the day. One purchase and that’s it for the day!
It’s also far cheaper than keep buying single tickets.

Note: On a weekday avoid purchase (and travel) before 09.30hrs when the price goes down after the rush-hour.

Saturday arrivals by rail or air …. and concerned about getting to Marathon Registration?

Marathon Registration and Expo will be at the ExCeL Centre -  for many, not in an ideal location.
As race registration closes on Saturday at 17.00 hrs, going to collect three key items: your race number, your timing chip and your kit bag just has to be your top priority on Saturday.
Remember: NO number = NO run!!

Got bags to carry?
The thought of having to haul your luggage all the way out to ExCeL, then around Registration and the Exhibition….before carrying them back, is not funny…. Especially if you have got children tired from an early start and bored with travelling.
Neither they, nor you, really want this added journey out and back to Registration.

WRP would like to offer you a couple of ideas that might make your situation a lot easier.

1. Virtually everyone will use the London Underground and naturally target Tower Hill station.
2. As you come out at ground level, just 100m away, you can see Novotel Tower Bridge – one of the hotels used by WRP Tours and which has a number of our staff team based there.
3. Before you walk across to Tower Gateway station – the terminus of the DLR, why not walk those 100m across to Novotel Tower Bridge, follow the WRP signs and meet our staff.

Novotel Tower Bridge

Why? 

Fortified, rested and free of that baggage you can now nip on out to ExCeL and complete race registration.

Kids and or Granny not interested?  Why don’t you go to registration and leave the others at Tower Bridge. They could spend the next hour exploring Tower Bridge, the Tower of London and Katherine’s Dock – a really pretty area.
Remember also that the race passes close to the hotel twice tomorrow so maybe explore and consider watching from here. (Remember that although not a resident at Novotel Tower Bridge, as a WRP guest you can make use of the facilities there again tomorrow – and their flat-screen TV’s will be showing the BBC coverage of the race.)

Use a mobile to agree a time to meet back at the hotel, collect that luggage and head-off to your own hotel.

>>> Circle or District Underground Lines to Tower Hill
>>> Walk 200m to Tower Gateway Station at start of the DLR
>>> DLR out to ExCeL (Custom House)