24 hours in London..what to do
Oct 3rd, 2005, 10:27 AM
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24 hours in London..what to do
I am arriving at Heathrow...
probably will take the train toward the city. Is there any sweet village to visit that is close to Heathrow.
Or...what about Marlowe? Windsor? Any hints or good places to see...not too historical..just pleasant outdoor cafes, etc...
probably will take the train toward the city. Is there any sweet village to visit that is close to Heathrow.
Or...what about Marlowe? Windsor? Any hints or good places to see...not too historical..just pleasant outdoor cafes, etc...
Oct 3rd, 2005, 02:00 PM
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I haven't done these but have compiled information, check schedules and such.
I can't tell if you're planning on staying overnight, or just want a daytrip.
Strategy about luggage and checking in to your next flights, from Fodor’s forum:
“Assuming your incoming airline can't give you a through boarding pass <which would be ideal>, check with the ongoing airline about MAXIMUM check-in times… On landing, follow signs for the Flight Connection Centre, which is pretty much inside T2, before Immigration. Check in for your outgoing flight. Now, without going through Immigration, take the airside bus to T4 if you want to leave your hand baggage at the airport. When you arrive at T4, follow Arrivals, go through Immigration and check your hand baggage. I strongly suggest you don't check your hand bags at T2 because of two quirks in the transport system: the Heathrow Express is the only real option landside from T2 to T4, and the tube from the centre to T2 takes longer than the tube to T4. So going back to T2, then on to T4 at the end of the day will eat into your time a lot.
For full details of terminal facilities, including left luggage, go to www.baa.com and follow Heathrow. The reference above to the Excess Baggage site is to a different company that operates some, but not all baggage facilities at LHR. There is left luggage at all four terminals.
If you don't need to check any hand luggage, go through Immigration now and go <on to your destination.> You could now take the Heathrow Express or Tube into London.
The following are about 30-45 minutes from Heathrow and accessible by public transportation. Signs for the Underground at Heathrow are posted. If you travel after 9:30 am, the most economical option for getting to Richmond or Kew Gardens would be to buy a one-day unlimited London Travel Card.
Royal Botanic Gardens, a few minutes walk from Kew Gardens tube station, on the District line.
Greenhouses, a museum, galleries, follies, gardens.
Open at 9:30 am, closing time varies from 3:30 to 6:30 depending on the season.
www.rbgkew.org.uk/
Richmond-upon-Thames, also a tube stop on the District line, one stop past Kew Gardens.
Pretty suburb to explore for architecture buffs, many 17th and 18th century buildings.
Windsor Castle:. For access from Heathrow, see bus service at www.firstbeeline.co.uk/images/i.pdf
and also info at www.royal-windsor.com/buses.htm
Heathrow directly to Oxford: from fodors.com--Coach (bus) service. If you arrive at terminal T1-3, go straight to central bus terminal, if you arrive at T4, the bus terminal is just a level below. It is X70 service and delivers you to Oxford city center, ask for a period return, otherwise you will get 24hr return ticket. It serves every half an hour, at Bay 10 of central bus terminal (T1-3) and also from T4. For train service, take Heathrow express to Paddington Station, then train to Oxford.
Advice from fodors: “…At peak times (0630-0800 on weekdays, especially Mondays) the Oxford to Heathrow bus can fill up at its first stop, stranding passengers at the later stops out of Oxford... It's wise to plan your return journey so as to leave some leeway in case this happens or by trekking down to Gloucester Green <in Oxford> to get on the bus before it fills.”
Heathrow to Hampton Court:
London Coaches Express link service #726 goes to Bromley, with a stop at Hampton Court.
I can't tell if you're planning on staying overnight, or just want a daytrip.
Strategy about luggage and checking in to your next flights, from Fodor’s forum:
“Assuming your incoming airline can't give you a through boarding pass <which would be ideal>, check with the ongoing airline about MAXIMUM check-in times… On landing, follow signs for the Flight Connection Centre, which is pretty much inside T2, before Immigration. Check in for your outgoing flight. Now, without going through Immigration, take the airside bus to T4 if you want to leave your hand baggage at the airport. When you arrive at T4, follow Arrivals, go through Immigration and check your hand baggage. I strongly suggest you don't check your hand bags at T2 because of two quirks in the transport system: the Heathrow Express is the only real option landside from T2 to T4, and the tube from the centre to T2 takes longer than the tube to T4. So going back to T2, then on to T4 at the end of the day will eat into your time a lot.
For full details of terminal facilities, including left luggage, go to www.baa.com and follow Heathrow. The reference above to the Excess Baggage site is to a different company that operates some, but not all baggage facilities at LHR. There is left luggage at all four terminals.
If you don't need to check any hand luggage, go through Immigration now and go <on to your destination.> You could now take the Heathrow Express or Tube into London.
The following are about 30-45 minutes from Heathrow and accessible by public transportation. Signs for the Underground at Heathrow are posted. If you travel after 9:30 am, the most economical option for getting to Richmond or Kew Gardens would be to buy a one-day unlimited London Travel Card.
Royal Botanic Gardens, a few minutes walk from Kew Gardens tube station, on the District line.
Greenhouses, a museum, galleries, follies, gardens.
Open at 9:30 am, closing time varies from 3:30 to 6:30 depending on the season.
www.rbgkew.org.uk/
Richmond-upon-Thames, also a tube stop on the District line, one stop past Kew Gardens.
Pretty suburb to explore for architecture buffs, many 17th and 18th century buildings.
Windsor Castle:. For access from Heathrow, see bus service at www.firstbeeline.co.uk/images/i.pdf
and also info at www.royal-windsor.com/buses.htm
Heathrow directly to Oxford: from fodors.com--Coach (bus) service. If you arrive at terminal T1-3, go straight to central bus terminal, if you arrive at T4, the bus terminal is just a level below. It is X70 service and delivers you to Oxford city center, ask for a period return, otherwise you will get 24hr return ticket. It serves every half an hour, at Bay 10 of central bus terminal (T1-3) and also from T4. For train service, take Heathrow express to Paddington Station, then train to Oxford.
Advice from fodors: “…At peak times (0630-0800 on weekdays, especially Mondays) the Oxford to Heathrow bus can fill up at its first stop, stranding passengers at the later stops out of Oxford... It's wise to plan your return journey so as to leave some leeway in case this happens or by trekking down to Gloucester Green <in Oxford> to get on the bus before it fills.”
Heathrow to Hampton Court:
London Coaches Express link service #726 goes to Bromley, with a stop at Hampton Court.
Oct 4th, 2005, 02:43 AM
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Elaine has given you a wonderful long response to your question but I would summarise it by saying that Windsor would probably be the best place to satisfy the criteria of a "sweet village" even though it is a proper town
Obviously Windsor Castle is the major sight but also Eton college where Prince William and Harry went to school. There are also lots of interesting shops and restaurants and Windsor Great Park is a good place to have a walk.
If you're looking for a place to stay I've seen people on this site recommend Sir Christopher House (or something similar to that name)
Obviously Windsor Castle is the major sight but also Eton college where Prince William and Harry went to school. There are also lots of interesting shops and restaurants and Windsor Great Park is a good place to have a walk.
If you're looking for a place to stay I've seen people on this site recommend Sir Christopher House (or something similar to that name)
Oct 4th, 2005, 10:46 AM
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If you only have the day, you're best off just checking out London. The Heathrow Express gets you in to city center in about 45mins and then (depending on what you like) you can hit a few tourist sites (the standard ones) or go for high tea at the Ritz, or visit a park, or squeeze in some shopping on King's Road (with lunch at a local pub).
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