travelike

Is anyone going with NCL Jewel to the Baltic on June 27?
I'm looking to share transportation to Dover on that same day.
The total price for a private car shared by 4 or 5 people is about the same as the public transp. but without the hastle (pick up at airport and drop off at the ship) and the assurance of arriving on time.
We arrive in Heathrow June 27 at 8:45AM. We are departing from Dover with NCL Jewel at 4:00PM.
There is only one day left to make arrangements. Please let me know.

Palenque

The total price for a private car shared by 4 or 5 people is about the same as the public transp. but without the hastle (pick up at airport and drop off at the ship) and the assurance of arriving on time.>

Have you looked at www.nationalrail.co.uk to see how untrue this statement can be? Look at the various discounted fares for example for London to Dover.

I do not know how much a private car with driver would cost but i'd wager a fried Mars bar or two that it will be a whole lot more dear than the train.

flanneruk

If they're not returning to London, they'll be spending about £30-35 each on train/tube and it'll take nearly 3 hrs. By bus, about 4 hrs and cost about £18 each.

The likelihood is that a car with driver and room for 5 people's luggage will cost about £150-£180. Roughly the same as the train

The train requires getting the tube, changing at Hammersmith, changing to the railway at Charing Cross and a few stairs. Not something most people would want to do with a cruiseworth of luggage. The bus requires a simple change at Victoria Coach Station.

The painless, affordable, solution in the highly likely eventuality the poster can't find a partner is to get the bus.
www.nationalexpress.com

Reliability is no greater with a car than with public transport.

Palenque

well train fare London to Dover is 25 pounds - normal fare - no cheaper options on nationalrail.co.uk - that's 100 pounds for 4 (will a car accommodate more than 4 with bags?)

but if a car only costs 150 pounds - then it's only $80 or so more expensive than the train so not as bad as i thought. (Must add on a sizeable tip for the driver, of course as well)

but the incongruities of everyone meeting up for the car, etc. makes public transit more advantegeous - like you say they would all have to take the Tube to a rendez-vous at the car place, etc.

travelike

Thanks for your comments. I don't mind paying a little more if we get picked up and dropped of on lacations + the assurance of been on time. Dealing with the luggage I heard is a lot of hastle and we are not young.

Cholmondley_Warner

Dover by train is a bit of a faff. The trains ain't that quick. (And don't they go from Victoria?).

The Bus (also from Victoria) is much cheaper and doesn't take much longer.

GeoffHamer

There are trains to Dover from both London Victoria (via Chatham and Canterbury) and from London Charing cross (via Ashford).

Palenque

http://www.tstcars.co.uk/Seaport_Cha...s_service.html

Here's one car with driver service that does 'Seaports from London'

Cholmondley_Warner

I should clarify that I was referring to the Victoria train service. I've never been on the other one.

Palenque

I guess the main problem for them is luggage and Dover Priory station is about a mile from the boat docks - yeh take a cab but they have to get their luggage from the train to the cab. There are of course luggage trolleys to use or should be - but i think no porters (though these possibly could be arranged ahead of time???) - so perhaps for them getting to the cab ranks would be a real travail.

iamles

We're (2 persons) arriving Heathrow September 15th around 7:30am. We'll go straught on to Dover. If anyone has the same plan, we'd like to share a limo.

Les

iamles

ttt