Leaving today for London: Heathrow-London-Gatwick
Jun 13th, 2008, 08:02 AM
#1
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Leaving today for London: Heathrow-London-Gatwick
Arriving at Heathrow terminal 3 Saturday AM (from US) and have an eight hour layover. Fly out of Gatwick and want to spend a few hours sightseeing in London. Suggestions on what to see for 26 yr old woman. Also - more important actually - directions on how to get from Heathrow to London and from London to Gatwick. I am a graduate student (Bergen) so cost is a consideration. Will have one large bag to store at Left Luggage. Please advise on which London station is most convenient to leave luggage and also connect with transport to Gatwick. Is Victoria station a good choice? I read that the station was closed this weekend. Is this correct? Thank you.
Jun 13th, 2008, 08:14 AM
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With 8 hours between your 2 flights, you may not have much time for sightseeing.
Your safest option is to take the National Express bus which connects between Heathrow and Gatwick; completely skipping sightseeing in London.
Where are you flying from Gatwick to? On the same airline or different airline? Is it on the same booking or different booking? The reason I asked is if they're on separate bookings, you'll need to get to Gatwick earlier for check-in.
Heathrow tends to be very busy in mornings. It may take you 30 minutes to get thru immigration; or it may take 90 minutes.
Anyway, if your flight gets in on time and you're thru Heathrow immigration quickly, you can go into London. Your option would be the expensive Heathrow Express to Paddington, which is much faster; or the tube which is much slower but much cheaper.
There should be left luggage facilites at Victoria (~£6 per piece); then you can go to Westminster and walk around Parliament, Big Ben, London Eye, Westminster Abbey.
From Victoria to Gatwick you can take the cheaper Southern train which takes 35 minutes to get there.
Your safest option is to take the National Express bus which connects between Heathrow and Gatwick; completely skipping sightseeing in London.
Where are you flying from Gatwick to? On the same airline or different airline? Is it on the same booking or different booking? The reason I asked is if they're on separate bookings, you'll need to get to Gatwick earlier for check-in.
Heathrow tends to be very busy in mornings. It may take you 30 minutes to get thru immigration; or it may take 90 minutes.
Anyway, if your flight gets in on time and you're thru Heathrow immigration quickly, you can go into London. Your option would be the expensive Heathrow Express to Paddington, which is much faster; or the tube which is much slower but much cheaper.
There should be left luggage facilites at Victoria (~£6 per piece); then you can go to Westminster and walk around Parliament, Big Ben, London Eye, Westminster Abbey.
From Victoria to Gatwick you can take the cheaper Southern train which takes 35 minutes to get there.
Jun 13th, 2008, 11:35 AM
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If OP goes to Victoria then they may as well take the Tube from Heathrow, changing at Hammersmith (literally a few yards walk) as that will be almost as quick - and substantially cheaper than the HEX to Paddington.
From Victoria it's an easy walk up to Buckingham Palace and from there you can walk up The Mall, through Admiralty Arch into Trafalgar Square. Turning right there to go down Whitehall means you pass the mounted Horseguards, the Cenotaph and have a chance to boo through the gates at Gordon's little house.
Turning left at the bottom of Whitehall means you see the Houses of Parliament with Big Ben and a few yards later you'll reach the Thames and the London Eye
From Victoria it's an easy walk up to Buckingham Palace and from there you can walk up The Mall, through Admiralty Arch into Trafalgar Square. Turning right there to go down Whitehall means you pass the mounted Horseguards, the Cenotaph and have a chance to boo through the gates at Gordon's little house.
Turning left at the bottom of Whitehall means you see the Houses of Parliament with Big Ben and a few yards later you'll reach the Thames and the London Eye
Jun 13th, 2008, 11:44 AM
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Check your luggage at Victoria, then return there to catch Southern Trains to Gatwick.
If you don't take too long getting out of Heathrow, you might want to buy a one-day, six-zone Travelcard to pay your Tube fare into the city, then ride the Tube and buses all over.
The sightseeing map is here: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloa...al_bus_map.pdf
If you don't take too long getting out of Heathrow, you might want to buy a one-day, six-zone Travelcard to pay your Tube fare into the city, then ride the Tube and buses all over.
The sightseeing map is here: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloa...al_bus_map.pdf
Jun 13th, 2008, 12:23 PM
#5
DO NOT make any plans based on your ETA at Heathrow this weekend.
Arrivals are expected to be affected w/ some serious delays. I would juts plan on getting to LGW on the airport coach. IF you are lucky and your flight lands on time, you can go into London on the tube but the disruptions could be significant.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...ow-misery.html
Arrivals are expected to be affected w/ some serious delays. I would juts plan on getting to LGW on the airport coach. IF you are lucky and your flight lands on time, you can go into London on the tube but the disruptions could be significant.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...ow-misery.html
Jun 17th, 2008, 06:11 PM
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Update:
Thanks everyone for your suggestions and advice. My flight was delayed only (?) 1.5hrs - 1 hr leaving JFK and 1/2hr sitting on the tarmac at LHR. Immigration went quickly, so I was able to do some sightseeing and shopping in London. Took the tube from LHR to Victoria station and left luggage there while I shopped. Saved £6 by stuffing my backpack into my duffle before checking it with Left Luggage - one bag instead of two. Took Southern Trains to Gatwick. Appreciated the warning about delays at LHR because of Bush. Fortunately, my flight was not really affected. Thanks, again, for your help. I'm in Bergen now.
Thanks everyone for your suggestions and advice. My flight was delayed only (?) 1.5hrs - 1 hr leaving JFK and 1/2hr sitting on the tarmac at LHR. Immigration went quickly, so I was able to do some sightseeing and shopping in London. Took the tube from LHR to Victoria station and left luggage there while I shopped. Saved £6 by stuffing my backpack into my duffle before checking it with Left Luggage - one bag instead of two. Took Southern Trains to Gatwick. Appreciated the warning about delays at LHR because of Bush. Fortunately, my flight was not really affected. Thanks, again, for your help. I'm in Bergen now.
Jun 18th, 2008, 04:02 AM
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>>Appreciated the warning about delays at LHR because of Bush. Fortunately, my flight was not really affected. <<
You were lucky then. Several business colleagues of mine were delayed for 3 hours at LHR on Monday afternoon due to Dubya's flight closing down the runways. Apparently our supine government in the UK suggested he fly in and out of an airforce base (which would have prevented unnecessary disruption for thousands of travellers), but the great man refused to do this... Words fail me.
You were lucky then. Several business colleagues of mine were delayed for 3 hours at LHR on Monday afternoon due to Dubya's flight closing down the runways. Apparently our supine government in the UK suggested he fly in and out of an airforce base (which would have prevented unnecessary disruption for thousands of travellers), but the great man refused to do this... Words fail me.
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