akslc

I'm not sure what the best way of getting to Telford from London is.

Any suggestions anyone? Thanks!

rex

Do you have to travel via Heathrow? There are nonstop flights from other countries, including the US, right into Manchester or Birmingham.

Best wishes,

Rex

flanneruk

It's not altogether clear what you want suggestions about. But:

1. There are no low cost (ie point-to-point only, Europe-only, no-frills)airlines at Heathrow. But the conventional airlines like BA and bmi often offer lower fares (and worse punctuality and surlier service)than Ryanair or Easyjet
2. Telford has decent train and bus connections to Birmingham: whence buses direct to all the London airports - and trains to almost everywhere, though circuitously to Stansted and Gatwick, and it makes little sense to get a train to Heathrow or Luton from Bham.
3. There are low-costs to most of Europe from Birmingham Airport(which is connected by train to Telford, usually changing relatively painlessly at Bham New Street, and which often offers great deals to Europe by conventional airlines) and Coventry (which needs a cab from Coventry station, though you can get to Coventry station from Telford).
4. There are practically no low costs from Manchester, and deals on conventional airlines aren't often very good. Liverpool is the low cost centre for that part of the world - but getting to John Lennon International from Telford is only really practical by car.
5. There are some direct flights outside Europe from Birmingham, which is really Telford's airport. I've always found prices to the US high (though there have been terrific deals to South Asia), and that it's always worked out cheaper to go to Heathrow. But this obviously can change from time to time. Worth investigating.
6. It's surely unlikely you're going to Telford on spec (unless you're an industrial archaeology addict, in which case you're going to the right place). Whoever or whatever you're visiting should be able to give you better advice

ealing_calling

I like BMI, check their fares at

http://www.flybmi.com/bmi/en-gb/index.aspx

HTH, enjoy Telford too!!

UKUKUK

The best way to get to Telford from London is by train. There are occasionally direct trains but you noremally have to change at Birmingham or Wolverhampton. Buy in adavance online and you will get like a 90% saving. Unless it is snowing or very cold it is preferable to change at Wolverhampton. Otherwise you can fly in to B'ham and get the train. But don't fly from London to B'ham and then get the train. A taxi from London to Telford should only be about GBP200 although it is a few years since I have done that trip.

Kate

If you're flying into Heathrow from the US and want to get straight to Telford, then get a BA or BMI flight to Birmingham International, and then pick up a train.

If you are already in London (central) then don't bother flying ? get a train. You will have to change once or twice. Check out journey times and connections on www.nationalrail.co.uk

flanneruk

There's an excellent reason for not flying to Birmingham from Heathrow.

There aren't any flights (nor are there from any of the other London airports). Unless you're a real masochist and want to travel via Manchester, Glasgow or Dublin.

Bus, changing at Birmingham or bus to Watford Junction, then train.

Kate

Damn it, I hate it when someone proves me wrong.

I guess as a Brummy who resides in London, I should've known that, eh Flanner?

Flanner's right, get the train.

akslc

Thanks everyone! This is extremely valuable information to me. I guess I should've been a little more clear on our itinerary. We're flying into LHR, going to Telford, back to London for a few days, then flying to Paris for a few days, and back to the USA.

I am trying to figure out the best way of getting to Telford from LHR, and preferably not coming back to LHR but rather to central London.

This is what I was able to find based on your suggestions:

Bus: Heathrow - Birmingham $51 one-way, $65 round trip (www.britbus.com)

Trains to Birmingham:
From Marylebone $46.50 round trip
From Watford $35 round trip
From Euston $35 round trip
(www.nationalrail.co.uk)

I'm guessing our Birmingham to Telford options should be fairly easy to figure out once we get to Birmingham.

The bus looks like a good option because of the direct service from LHR, but it will end up being $120-200 for the round trip for the two of us, depending on which option we go with.

One thing I'm unsure of with the trains is how long it would take us to get from LHR to one of these stations (I'm guessing under an hour), approximately how much it would cost, and if it would be worth the hassle considering there's that direct bus from LHR.

Would we be saving time and/or money with the bus, or the train? Thanks!

flanneruk

Kate: Sorry. I was a bit blunt. Ishouldn't have been

aksic:
I'm shocked at the price of the bus: and actually if you go to the UK site (www.nationalexpress.com) it seems to be even pricier. Plus you've got the problem of not wanting to come back to LHR.

So the cheapest solution would be to get a round-trip from Euston to Telford (which means changing at Birmingham or W'hampton). All trains from Euston to B'ham stop at Watford, so you get the bus from LHR to Watford (every half hour: allegedly 40 mins from T1-3; 65 mins from T4, but allow time for traffic delays). £4 each. You then get on the Bham train, using your ticket from Euston.

To get the best price for this train, play around with www.qjump.com.

That's probably the most hassle-free way, bearing in mind that the train change at Bham or Wolverhampton (and UKUKUK is right: all things being equal, Whampton's a better place to change) is likely to be less painful than the bus change.

Good luck.

akslc

Thanks flanneruk! Just wanted to get your opinion on one more thing. This is the train route I'm looking at booking:

Outward Journey: Friday 20 February

Station Arr Dep Travel by Operator
LONDON EUSTON 10:45 VIRGIN T.
WOLVERHAMPTON 12:47 12:54 ARRIVAWALES
TELFORD CENTRAL 13:11
DURATION: 2:26

Return Journey: Thursday 26 February

Station Arr Dep Travel by Operator
TELFORD CENTRAL 10:46 ARRIVA WALES
WOLVERHAMPTON 11:03 11:19 VIRGIN T.
LONDON EUSTON 13:27
DURATION: 2:41

The price is 22GBP per person, which seems reasonable. Our flight gets in at 6:50 a.m. Do you think that the 10:45 departure from Euston will give us enough time to catch the train at the Watford Junction....And you are positive that this train will go through the Watford Junction, right???

Thank you!!!

flanneruk

Never trust a local.

Every train going north from Euston that I've ever taken stopped at Watford J. Yours doesn't. I'm gobsmacked (a quaint term we use in NW England to mean "aware I've made completely screwed up. Please excuse me while I go out and disembowell myself&quot

The 1015 from Euston stops at WJ at 1031, arriving Bham 1157. So does the 1115 (arr 1131 and 1257) The Arriva connection works at Bham as well.

Assuming your flight gets to the gate only 30 mins late, you get through Immigration in 45mins, your bags only a bit later, and that, because it's a longer journey, you're on BA at T4, you'll get to the T4 bus stop at 8.15, in time to catch the 8.30 bus, that's scheduled to get to WJ at 9.35.

It's may be delayed (London rush hours start early and finish late). But you're very, very unlikely to miss the 1031.

But, 99.999 times out of 100, if you do miss the train and just take the next one, even the most officious ticket checker won't bother. Just put on your heaviest American accent, tell them BA delayed you (whichever airline it was, Virgin staff love to believe BA was in the wrong) and they might even be helpful.

Seat reservations are close to meaningless, and I've rarely heard of a tourist with a credible sob story being penalised under these circumstances.

akslc

I am VERY glad I decided to post again and confirm.

Is this the train you're talking about? I don't see Watford anywhere, so I have to make sure. Thanks!

Station Arr Dep Travel by Operator
LONDON EUSTON 10:15 Train VIRGIN
BIRMINGHAM NEW STREET 11:57
DURATION: 1:42


Return Journey: Thursday 26 February 2004

Station Arr Dep Travel by Operator
BIRMINGHAM NEW STREET 10:45 VIRGIN
LONDON EUSTON 12:28
DURATION: 1:43

flanneruk

Yes. But you should have learned not to trust me.

So go to your friendly neighbourhood train site, and check for trains that day from Watford Junction to Bham. You'll find (I pray) that the relevant train arrives there at just that time.

Oh, and do enjoy your stay with us. Make sure you go to Ironbridge.