THE DOCKLANDS WALK - London 2015 - page 594

When to Go: As it's now a financial district, the Docklands bustles only on weekdays.
(On weekends, it can either be laid-back and festive if it's sunny, or empty and dead if
rainy.)
Ideally time your visit here for late afternoon on a weekday, when the area is en-
livened by business workers headed for happy hour. But don't wait too long—the fine
museum at the end of this walk closes at 18:00. To catch the après -work bustle, and
still make it to the museum before last-entry time at 17:30, I'd aim to begin this walk
by 16:00. (If the museum interests you most, you could either start the walk earlier or
make a beeline to the museum.)
Getting There: This walk starts at the Canary Wharf Tube station. You can get there via
the Tube, Docklands Light Railway (DLR), or boat.
By Tube: Take the Jubilee Line to the Canary Wharf station (15 minutes from West-
minster, frequent departures).
By Docklands Light Railway (DLR): If you're returning from Greenwich, the
DLR's the way to go (described later). If you're coming from central London, though,
it's usually easier to take the Tube, unless you're already near a DLR stop (the Bank/
Monument stops are the most central).
By Boat: Catch the Thames Clippers boat from central London ( £ 6.50 one-way,
£ 15 all-day pass, discounts with Travelcard or Oyster Card; boats leave every 20-30
minutes from major London docks; 10-30-minute trip). You arrive at Canary Wharf
Pier, a 10-minute walk straight ahead on West India Avenue to the heart of the Dock-
lands.
Combining the Docklands with Greenwich or Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park: All
three places lie along the north-south DLR train line, a few minutes apart. You could
sightsee Greenwich in the morning and early afternoon, then make a brief stop at the
Docklands on your way back to central London. Or, to reach Greenwich from the
Docklands, hop a DLR train bound for Greenwich or Lewisham, then get off at the
Cutty Sark station (for Greenwich coverage, see the previous chapter).
To reach Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park (described on here ) , catch a DLR train
heading north toward Stratford and get off at the Pudding Mill Lane DLR stop (about
10 minutes).
Shopping and Eating: Three different subterranean shopping malls all flow into each
other via underground corridors. There's Cabot Place shopping mall (enter at Cabot
Square), the mall beneath Canary Wharf Tower, and Jubilee Place (enter from Jubilee
Place Park).