English: Southeastern Class 395 “Javelin” High Speed EMU 395006 departs Stratford International station with a service to St Pancras. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Unlike the song “Get on Board Little Children!” that train won’t take you to Zion, but it sure will take you to Stratford!

Contrary to information you may have been given in the past, including like myself from South Eastern Railways directly, HS1, the high speed train that leaves from St. Pancras to Stratford and continues to the South East is stopping at Stratford International.

This means that Kings Cross residents and Londoners continue to have a fast way to reach the former Olympic and Paralympic Park (now renamed Queen Elizabeth Park) including all its facilities, Westfield Shopping Mall, and Stratford in general.

According to information I had just verified from HS1, trains depart about every 10 minutes and take only seven minutes to Stratford International.

Whilst it is the fastest and most convenient way to Stratford it is however not the cheapest. The price for a single ticket is currently £5.70, a return journey would cost you double.

Some South Eastern Railway staff have been given out false information after the Olympics, namely that the service to Stratford International  had been discontinued, when all that had actually ceased was a special train-service that shuttled only between the two stations.

Special thanks to KXE reader Tom Cole for mentioning it first.