jamesandi

We land in Stansted at 12 11:30 am, next flight leaves at 6:00 pm (also from Stansted). Any ideas of places we can go to kill time? Any shopping/attractions in close proximity to Stansted?
We are flying Easyjet - anywhere to store lugguages until next flight?
All ideas apprecaited! Thanks!
BZ

kenderina

If you are flying Easyjet , you will have to be at the check in well before the flight , so you don't have 5 hours...at the most you have 4 1/2 hours. Frankly, the airport is a good shopping place You just have time for a quiet lunch and a bit of shopping.

TimS

Yes, there are left-luggage facilities at Stansted. The cost is 4 GBP/item for the time you'll be using them. Allowing time to retrieve your luggage from your first flight, store it, get it back, and meet easyJet's check-in deadline for your next flight, you'll be down to three hours or so of free time.

kenderina

Sorry, I meant 3 1/2 at the most !!

Gardyloo

If you store your bags, you can hop a taxi to Bishop's Stortford, a pleasant market town around 10-15 min. from the airport. Several nice pubs and cafes, and if you're there on a market day some decent vendors in street stalls.

JeffreyJ

Thanks to a flight reschedule by Ryanair, I have an eight hour layover in London. In this time my family and I must transfer from Heathrow to Stansted in order to catch our flight to Bergerac. The suggestion of Bishop's Stortford is an interesting one....we should have four or five hours to kill. Anyone know what's the best place for British pub food in that town?

TimS

Jeffry J - You won't have as much time to kill as you might think. The general rule of thumb is to allow a minimum of five hours between your scheduled arrival at one London airport and your scheduled departure from another. And since Stansted is the farthest from London, even longer is safer. All it takes is a late arrival at Heathrow plus heavy traffic on the way to Stansted to use up your margin in a hurry. And if you don't meet Ryanair's check-in deadline (having your boarding pass in hand, not just standing in line), your ticket is worthless and you'll have to buy a new one for a later flight at what will probably be a very high price. The fastest way to get from Heathrow to Stansted is to take a National Express coach (www.nationalexpress.com) directly between the airports.

janisj

JefferyJ: Definitely listen to what TimS says. 8 hours may seem like just a ton of time - but in fact you will likely have less than 2.5 hours to kill at Stansted.

You need to clear immigration at LHR and retrieve your bags, wait for the next airport coach, drive all the way around greater London mostly on one of the most congested motorways in Europe, and be checked in w/ Ryan Air in time to meet their check in requirements.

So IF you are lucky and things go smoothly and everything clicks, you <i>might</i> have time for a quick jaunt over to Bishop Stortford. But it definitely isn't a given.

WillTravel

But the OP is landing at Stansted, and then waiting around. I agree with Kendarina, though, that they'll only have 3.5 hours total at best if they decide to go somewhere. This would be doable if you have someone to pick you up and bring you back - or maybe there's some other solution, but that sounds the least anxiety-producing if you have to leave the airport.

Michael

TimS,

Should I book a bus before arriving in England? I am scheduled to arrive at Heathrow at 10:50. I need to be in Stansted for a 18:30 flight. For what time should I book the bus? Thanks.

WillTravel

You should have plenty of time to get to Stansted, barring a very late arrival. I wouldn't prebook a bus, because you can't know which time will be right for you, because delays at Heathrow are so common.

TimS

Michael - Here's what National Express recommends regarding booking at airports. I quote from their Web site.

&quot;Our conditions of carriage state that if you miss the coach you are booked on, through no fault of National Express or Eurolines, and you do not cancel your seat before the time of departure (longer on Eurolines services) then the ticket is no longer valid and is not eligible for a refund or amendment.

&quot;However, at airports we do try to help as much as we can. Under normal circumstances we will try to accommodate you on a later departure, subject to seats being available. But we are under no obligation to do this.

&quot;Our advice when booking is always to book on a service slightly later. Then, if your plane arrives on time or early, and you are in time to catch an earlier coach, we will be happy for you to travel on an earlier departure - subject, always, to seats being available.&quot;

As WillTravel says, you probably don't need to book in advance. However, if you choose to do so, I'd make it at least two hours after your scheduled arrival time to allow for a late arrival and time to clear Immigration and claim your luggage.