transportation from gatwick
Mar 5th, 2013, 07:40 AM
#1
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transportation from gatwick
Hi.
We will be arriving on the 24th of April at Gatwick Airport, at 22.45 p.m.
What would be the best/shortest/easiest way for us (2 adults/2 children 15 and 12) to get to our hotel near Trafalgar Square, at that time of night ?
I see that there are trains to Victoria Station, where we could take a taxi. Would it be easy finding a taxi and getting around late at night ?
Apparently a bus would be more expensive and take longer.
Or is it worth taking a taxi straight from the airport ?
And how much time would it take, after getting off the plane, to get out off the airport (no luggage) ?
thank you for any answer you can give me.
Maria.
We will be arriving on the 24th of April at Gatwick Airport, at 22.45 p.m.
What would be the best/shortest/easiest way for us (2 adults/2 children 15 and 12) to get to our hotel near Trafalgar Square, at that time of night ?
I see that there are trains to Victoria Station, where we could take a taxi. Would it be easy finding a taxi and getting around late at night ?
Apparently a bus would be more expensive and take longer.
Or is it worth taking a taxi straight from the airport ?
And how much time would it take, after getting off the plane, to get out off the airport (no luggage) ?
thank you for any answer you can give me.
Maria.
Mar 5th, 2013, 07:59 AM
#2
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The usual advice is to get a Southern train to Victoria then a taxi. Around midnight, taxis are as easy to get as any other time of day.
But with four of you, it's unlikely that a prebooked car would be significantly costlier one way and at that time it won't be much slower than the train/taxi option: only you can judge how much less of a hassle a car would be for you. Under no circumstances get a taxi off the rank - but any airport specialist (the usual recommendation here is Just Airports, but its competitors are much the same) will be about £50 for a prebooked car. However, if you're returning via Gatwick, it'll almost certainly be a dreadful idea to go by car, and a return ticket on the train is only trivially more expensive than a single. So if you're going to use Gatwick again, it'll make better financial sense to do the train/taxi thing
You then shouldn't have to worry about planes being late.
But with four of you, it's unlikely that a prebooked car would be significantly costlier one way and at that time it won't be much slower than the train/taxi option: only you can judge how much less of a hassle a car would be for you. Under no circumstances get a taxi off the rank - but any airport specialist (the usual recommendation here is Just Airports, but its competitors are much the same) will be about £50 for a prebooked car. However, if you're returning via Gatwick, it'll almost certainly be a dreadful idea to go by car, and a return ticket on the train is only trivially more expensive than a single. So if you're going to use Gatwick again, it'll make better financial sense to do the train/taxi thing
You then shouldn't have to worry about planes being late.
Mar 5th, 2013, 08:16 AM
#3
when flanner says under no circumstances get a taxi off the rank, he means a taxi off the rank at Gatwick.
if you decide on the train/taxi option, you'll find plenty of taxis on the rank at Victoria to take you to your hotel in Trafalgar Square.
here is the timetable for trains from Gatwick for the evening of your arrival:
http://www.thetrainline.com/train-ti...-Apr-2013/2300
you'll see they are numerous until 23.53 when they stop. if you missed the last one [not impossible if there are long queues to get through immigration] you could be in the soup.
given that there are 4 of you including 2 children, i think that I would either arrange a car service as suggested by flanner or stay overnight at an airport hotel and then get the train in the following morning.
if you decide on the train/taxi option, you'll find plenty of taxis on the rank at Victoria to take you to your hotel in Trafalgar Square.
here is the timetable for trains from Gatwick for the evening of your arrival:
http://www.thetrainline.com/train-ti...-Apr-2013/2300
you'll see they are numerous until 23.53 when they stop. if you missed the last one [not impossible if there are long queues to get through immigration] you could be in the soup.
given that there are 4 of you including 2 children, i think that I would either arrange a car service as suggested by flanner or stay overnight at an airport hotel and then get the train in the following morning.
Mar 5th, 2013, 09:46 AM
#4
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The walkup fare is £29 for two adults & two children taking the train & Tube from Gatwick to Charing Cross via Victoria which is close to Trafalgar Square.
http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/servic...today/2327/dep
http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/servic...today/2327/dep
Mar 5th, 2013, 09:51 AM
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<i>you'll see they are numerous until 23.53 when they stop.</i>
Em, no, it means that you aren't looking at services early in the morning of the 25th which along with numerous Gatwick Express services also includes the occasional Southern Trains service (eg 00:15) throughout the night
Em, no, it means that you aren't looking at services early in the morning of the 25th which along with numerous Gatwick Express services also includes the occasional Southern Trains service (eg 00:15) throughout the night
