I will arrive in London Gatwick Nov 28 - one of the days a post said the Express drivers will be on strike. What are alternate ways to get to Central London? How much would a taxi cost? is there a bus or shuttle service? Any suggestions? Thanks

For a car service to pick you up go to

swisscottagecars.com

or london-transfers.com

Vicky, you can try these two websites. The first is the official site for Gatwick and the second is a shared minibus shuttle service whose current rate is 22 pounds from Gatwick to your hotel.

http://www.baa.co.uk/main/airports/g...ere_frame.html

https://secure.fast.net.uk/hotelink/gatwick.html

As I interpret this post, the strike only affects the Gatwick Express--the non-stop trains between Gatwick and Victoria Station. Presumably the slower trains from Gatwick into London will still be running.

The Thameslink and South Central trains will be running.
Don't even think of getting a bus.

Is the website mclaurie gave above for Swiss Cottage Cars the same car hire that Patrick and others recommended? I thought they didn't have a website?

I was curious, so I tried the URL given for Swiss Cottage Cars. It's new--and it works.

Just get the regular South Central trains into London Victoria.The Gatwick Express is nothing more than a semi high speed/non stopping rip off (when its running of course !).

WWW.thetrainline.com
WWW.networkrail.co.uk

Thanks for the suggestions. Are the regular trains in the same area as the Gatwick Express? Where do you buy the tickets?

All trains leave from the Gatwick rail station at the South Terminal. There are ticket windows at the station. I always inquire as to the correct platform number when I buy the tickets.

As others have said, use the Connex or Thameslink trains to central London. They both leave from the small stations as the Gatwick Express. Thameslink goes to London Bridge, where you can transfer. The Gatwick Express is slightly quicker but twice as expensive. A bus would take forever and a taxi would cost a small fortune.

Easy peasy, trains all leave from the same station,the express costs more and is slightly quicker.Buy tickets at the ticket office in the station.

The Gatwick Express wasn't twice as much when I took it a few months ago. It also has more room for luggage. I think it cost about $5 more each way.

Yes, that is the same Swiss Cottage Cars that I have recommended for years. It seems they now have a website and as a result have done huge increases in cost, so they are about the same now as Ray Skinner and others. Oddly enough though, the other day I was talking with someone who said they just used them two weeks ago, called them and paid only 27 pounds from Heathrow to central London. That's only a bit more than the 25 pounds I've been paying, but a lot less than what their website says. I'm not so sure that if you call you might not get a better rate. That's what I'm going to try my next trip. I know that Swiss Cottage Cars is only one name of a huge car service company. I suspect that maybe their website is charging more for "tourists" using the website, but I can't believe they've raised their regular prices that much for all the locals who use them.

I think Patrick is correct about cheaper prices if you call Swiss Cottage vs. booking via the internet.

We used them for our trip to and from Heathrow to pick up our rental car on Nov. 22 and Nov. 28. There were 4 people with 4 suitcases. I called for both reservations.

From central London to Heathrow - 28 pounds. From Heathrow back to central London, I was told 23 pounds over the phone (from the rental car return area, not a terminal). However, our driver explained that the person on the phone had not included the 5 lb "estate car" extra. I wasn't paying more than I did the first time and it was the same locations so I didn't argue.

We had no problems with our drivers. Both we on time (actually one was 20 minutes early and so were we so it worked out great). I'd use them again.

My advice - call instead on book via the internet. Trip report coming soon!