Sandramiani

Does anyone know if there is a locker, or cloackroom, or any kind of storage in either Gatwick or Victoria station?

We have about 8 hours between planes and would like to go to the British Museum for a few hours and would prefer not to carry our suitcases (they are only carry-ons).

Cathinjoetown

Victoria is cheaper. Factor extra time to check and retrieve.

http://www.airwise.com/airports/uk/gatwick/luggage.html

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/gettingaround/1216.aspx

janisj

I wouldn't bother w/ Victoria. I'd take the train straight to Kings Cross and leave my bags there. then either walk or take the tube one stop to Russell Sq/the Museum. (There are other trains besides tho one to Victoria)

flanneruk

What janisj meant to write was:

"take the First Capital Connect train from Gatwick to St Pancras. Leave bags in station, then walk or take the tube to Russel Sq....."

But this would make no sense if you were catching a flight from Gatwick. In that case, leave your bags at Gatwick, get the FCC train to St Pancras, visit the museum, then get your train back.

For self-evident reasons, there are no lockers at any British transport facility. All larger London stations, and intercontinental airports, have left luggage facilities and, again self-evidently, all bags deposited get scanned. Make sure you allow enough time returning for the possibility retrieving your bag will be delayed by staff scanning other people's bags as they are deposited.

Sandramiani

Thank you so very much for your suggestions. I will leave the luggage at Victoria, it's cheaper.

janisj

Once again -- Victoria doesn't really make a lot of sense if you are going to the British museum. Take the train from LGW to King's Cross/St Pancras, not to Victoria.

sofarsogood

<<I will leave the luggage at Victoria, it's cheaper.>>

The link posted by Cathinjoetown refers to Victoria coach station.

You'll be arriving at Victoria train station where it's £9 per 24 hours.
www.left-baggage.co.uk/locations.php

So you may wish to re-think your options.

jamikins

But as janisj says Victoria doesn't make sense if you are going to the British Museum...leave your bags at kings cross

kawh

do you absolutely want to carry on?? at about $16 per bag, you could probably check them and send them through for $20 or $25. or, you could bring a really big bag or extra soft suitcase (we always bring one for souvenirs) and put them both into one big checked bag. just a thought.

Cathinjoetown

Absolutely correct about St Pancras, should have caught this myself as we've gone in to St Pancras to get to Camden where our son lives. We did get caught on a roadworks Sunday schedule once but that can happen on any line.

Also sorry I gave bus station left luggage info, clearly not my day!

Sandramiani

ok, I got it. So I'm arriving at Heathrow, I take the tube to Kings Cross, leave bags, walk to Museum (how far?), then get bags and take tube/train to Gatwick. Right?

janisj

>>and take <strike>tube/ </strike>train to Gatwick<<

No need for the tube. There is a <u>train</u> that connects St Pancras and LGW.

However, this was the first time you mentioned LHR - the initial answers would have been different but we assumed you were arriving at LGW. Asking about left luggage at LGW would apply at all. There is a direct tube connection all the way from LHR to Kings Cross/St Pancras

8 hours is not really very long for this excursion. Immigration/luggage/tube - count on 3+ hours from touch down to Kings cross. Queue at left luggage. Then it is a short tube ride or 15-20 minute walk to the Museum. A 15-20 min walk back to the station. retrieving your bags. Then a train to LGW where you'll want to arrive 2.5-3 hours ahead. You will have less than one hour free at the museum.

janisj

OOPS . . That should have read >>Asking about left luggage at LGW would <B>not</B> apply at all<<

Sandramiani

Oh dear, well, we have only carry on luggage, so we don't have to wait for the luggage. Our plane arrives at 7:55 am, and at that time we just get on the train to Kings Cross, by this time it should be about 9'ish. The museum doesn't open till 10. So hopefully we'll be there when it opens. So we were thinking 2-3 hrs. at museum, leave at 1 pm, get to Kings Cross to get luggage, so that will be 2 by then. At that time get on the train to LGW, get there at 3 pm. We already have boarding passes for plane, so we go directly to the gate, and they said to arrive 30 minutes before plane leaves. Our plane leaves at 16:10 for Dubrovnik. Is this doable or am I in a bubble?

Sandramiani

If my museum advanture is not realistic, would anyone have a suggestion as to what to do during those hours? I really don't want to sit in an airport .... Thanks !

Cathinjoetown

I would start back by noon. I'm conservative but with your current plan you are only giving yourself 40 minutes to walk from the Gatwick train station to your gate. Granted it's connected but still a walk, plus you must get through the security queue plus on to your gate once through security.

BTW, the train station comes into the south terminal but there's a quick shuttle to the north terminal. Just be sure you know which terminal your flight departs from.

janisj

>>Our plane arrives at 7:55 am, and at that time we just get on the train to Kings Cross, by this time it should be about 9'ish. The museum doesn't open till 10. So hopefully we'll be there when it opens. <<

If you land at LHR there is no 'train' to Kings Cross. There is the tube (Underground) which will take appox one hour to get to Kings Cross/St Pancras. The only 'trains' from LHR go to Paddington station, are expensive and w/ the either expensive cab or inexpensive tube from Paddington to Kings X it will still take almost an hour.

W/ a 0755 arrival you <i>might</i> get out of LHR by 9AM. But count on longer. a lot of long haul flight land in the early AM and immigration queues can be very VERY long sometimes.

Assume 0930 or thereabouts. 1030-ish to Kings Cross. 10 mins to leave the bags. 20 minute walk to the museum (or short tube ride and 5 minute walk - still 15 to 20 mins). So arriving at the museum around 11. Then another 30-ish mins to get back to Kings Cross/St Pancras and retrieve the bags. Then train to LGW by 1230-ish.

Unfortunately I see VERY time for the museum.

LHR is almost 20 miles west of London and LGW is 30 miles south of London. And you want to cross all of it twice.

If it was me . . . and it would be hard but the times are not in your favor . . . I'd just take the express coach from LHR to LGW - plan on arriving at LGW around 11-ish. have a nice meal/shop/fly out

janisj

A couple of 'doable' things you might consider: Tube to Victoria, leave the bags, walk to Buckingham Palace/St James's Park just to stretch your legs, walk back, collect your luggage and take the train to LGW. You'd have a little less than an hour to walk around.

Or - assuming your carry-ons are wheeled/manageable - tube to Westminster station, look up at Big Ben as you leave the station, walk across Westiminster Bridge for the views, walk back to the station, tube to Victoria and train to LGW. again - a little less than an hour free time.

janisj

geeze - I need to preview more.

That should say >>Unfortunately I see VERY <u>little</u> time for the museum.<<

flanneruk

I'd get the tube to KX, dump bags, view the world's greatest collection of historic books at the British Library 100 yds west, then get the train to LGW from St Pancras (midway between KX and the British Library) after retrieving my bags.