Help! I just noticed I will be on a 7 hour layover in London. Any advice on what to do? Anything. Or just stay put?

If you haven't done the touristy things in London or want to do some again, you might get a quick train to Tafalager Square and take an open bus tour where you can get on and off as time allows. Or you could just wander around the National Gallery. Also the one hour guided tours there can be very excellent. Enjoy.

Which airport, what time of day, etc.. this makes a HUGE difference what you can or should attempt.<BR><BR>Do a search on the board because this topic has bee discussed many times.<BR><BR>LHR is closer to London but is much larger than LGW, takes a lot longer to get from the gate through immigration, and has longer check-in requirements. If you are there during the middle of the day, you could catch a cab over to Windsor (about 15 minutes), visit the Castle, look around the town, walk across the river to Eton and catch a cab back to LHR. You would end up with about 3.5 hours in Windsor. If you tried to go into London you would only have about 2+ hours in the city and a much larger risk of missing your flight.<BR><BR>LGW is smaller and more "people friendly" but is farther from London and it takes longer to get anywhere. 35 minutes each way on the train plus 2+ hour check-in plus 30 minutes to clear immigration would leave you a maximum of 3 hours in London.

If your 7 hour layover in London is following a trans-Atlantic flight from the US, consider the option of simply staying at an airport hotel (they offer 1/2 day rates) and getting in a good nap. This will go a long way to resolving your jet lag.

dru - second the suggestion about the big bus tour. you can ride multiple routes w/ live narrations, jump on/off as you desire for about 20#, and get a good intro to the city. busses stop at dozens of marked corners. ticket sellers take credit cards, too.

I'd suggest hiring a car and driving round the M25. It's fantastic and you'd get to see alot of London and it's inhabitants in the time (unless you land around 7.00am)

Dru, let us know where you are flying to? The bus ride would probably be a good idea, bit of a whistlestop tour.

Thanks for your responses, the airport is Heathrow. Thanks.