Thanks everyone! M_k --me grow up? Sorry not going to even go there.

Sounds like the National express is probably the *best* but not only option. Garfield, I'm going to check this fare out, I think I missed this price. It seems cheaper than what I found. Thanks again!

Patricia

Dear Patricia,
I guess I kind of agree with m_k... why would a person want to spend upwards of 3 hours and have to haul luggage from one connection to the other, all to save what would only in the end be a few £? Wouldn't you rather have a bit more time to spend on nice holiday-type things as opposed to long convoluted airport transfers?

I'm certainly more cost-concious than m_k, but I accept that some things are just gonna have a price - no way around it. Spending a few £ on an easy airport transfer seems such a minor thing.
Looking at your other posts I see you're a student. I'm sure, then, that you have developed some research skills. If you don't like the answers here then do some work and use your skills to get answers from another source or two. I agree with something you wrote, that you have the right to investigate further... you absolutely do have that right, so do some research (of course you know that the internet has lots of other resources besides Fodor's).
People are frustrated that you keep asking about this and then don't seem to want to listen to their advice.

If you're worrying about the few pounds the National Express costs over a tube and public bus combo, then you'd experience some serious sticker shock in London. You previously posted about moving to the UK... the cost of living would send you into heart failure.

All that said, I hope your trip goes well and you enjoy yourself, regardless of how you get from airport to airport.

Surely this is a Troll - nothing more nothing less!

taggie,

I do see some of your points. And you're right, I should research on my own- which I have tried to do (in my spare time) and when I did this I came up with a fare that was different than Garfields. Now that I know that rate (which isn't that high) I will probably aim for that route.

I do disagree that it might take too long or be too circuitous. I have a limited budget for this trip, and this is why I'm trying to come up with cheapest fare. It looks like renting a car may even be a cheaper option. Is it a 3 hour trip?

Thanks!
Patricia

"I do disagree that it might take too long or be too circuitous"

You don't live in London, you've never been here before yet you seem to know better than many other posters who either live in the city itself or have expert experience of such transfers. As for renting a car, rental firms will not hire to under 25s - these will cost around 60-70GBP after you've costed in insurance and different drop off points - I do hope you were suggesting this in jest.

It seems that you really do want the cheapest options - so my suggestions are:

Walk

Rent a bike (hope you don;t have much luggage)

Hitch

Other than those the previous posters seem to have everything covered. If you're looking for a way to do this for $2 - there isn;t one. And am concerned about what type of budget you have for the entire trip if a few dollars is throwing you into this type of tizzy.

You seem to be reluctant to believe anyone - so go ahead and rent a car. That will teach you. Just kidding - but that is about your worst possible choice. First of all you may not be able to rent one because of your age. Then it takes quite a while to transfer to the rental firms and complete the paperwork-- there are no cars actually on LHR and you have to take a bus to get to most rental agencies. And finally - LHR to STN is over some of the most congested roads in Europe - just last week it took me almost 60 minutes to go a little over 10 miles on the M-25 due to construction and traffic. Not a good place to learn how to drive on the "wrong" side of the road.

I don't know how many more ways there are to say this -- take the National Express.

Not to dispute the recommendation for using National Express (since I certainly do agree with it) - - but I do still rail against the myth that car rental is not possible for those under age 25. The website www.its-cars-hotels.com shows threemodels of cars available for rent to drivers over age twenty-ONE. I can't help but think that there are others as well. In fact, it seems that there must be companies like Enterprise in the UK - - that recognize that there ARE 18-21 year olds who have jobs, families, own cars - - and occasionally need (at least local) car rental, for example when their own cars are in the shop.

Rex - I'm sure you noticed the £15 (almost $30) PER DAY surcharge for the few models they will consider renting to under-25's.

It is a pretty difficult and expensive proposition - renting a car if one is under 25.

Fair enough, janis - - but there is a world of difference between "not permitted" and "overpriced".

And in other countries there may be no (or less) surcharge. I don't recall paying any in Italy in 1998, when our group of 13 - - 2 "adults" (over 25), two 22 year olds and nine other teenagers really depende on the possibility. The ability to travel in three sedans (small-to-midsize station wagons, actually) made a big difference in the affordability and the enjoyment of the trip.

I'm sorry if you thought I didn't buy your answers, that's really not the case. I really thought there might be some other options besides the ones that were posted, after all no one said that national express was the only option (and I guess we did get a few different ideas too).
By the way, what about rental cars for over 25's (since that is my age). Actually don't really want to disclose my age, but late 20's.

Thanks all!
Patricia

Since you started by asking for the cheapest option, I don't know why you want to know about cars, but:

I don't think a car would be a bad option IF you have plenty of time (maybe overnight?), AND more than one person to share the expense, AND you don't require automatic transmission, AND you have a credit card that covers CDW. You can get a car from Hertz for 32.54 pounds, plus there's the gas. An automatic would be about 12 pounds more.

FYI

Petrol in the UK is about GBP0.80 per litre, which I make out to be (I think!) about USD5.50 per US gallon.

And doesn't a rental car have to take the same road as the National Express bus? Add the time to get the rental and return it, how's that going to make it more convenient? This thread is getting more and more ridiculous.

this thread is about cheapest way to get there, not most convenient... (this doesn't mean that taking a car would be most cheap...I don't know that's why I asked).

Thanks!
Patricia

Well, Patricia, you've had the correct answer for about 3 weeks now, but I see in one of your earlier postings, you aked for creative solutions.

How about flying? You could fly BMI from LHR to GLA or EDI for as low as £27 and Easyjet from either of those two places for £6.49. Not as cheap as National Express or tube/Stansted Express, but cheaper than taxi, minicab, rental car, helicopter charter.

Ron,

Thanks. This option sounds intriguing. What is Bmi (sorry not expert at travel in Europe)? I will investigate online as well.

Thanks for your time, it is truly appreciated!
Regards,
Patricia

There's a thin line between cheap and cheapest. The National Express will be cheap, my dear just grow up and take someone's advice or don't travel - do you stay at the cheapest hotel, eat the cheapest food, buy airline tickets when they're the cheapest?

Evidently you don't have to make this decision soon enough, perhaps your time is the cheapest too?

m_k,

This is ridiculous! I'm just sorry you don't have anything better to do with your time than to go around on this board and put down the posters you come across w/o knowing a thing about them!

Patricia

I will try to offer sensible advice to posters here, and in fact many have appreciated my suggestions...

You've been given every conceivable option that is feasible - if you want the cheapest option just walk, there's only so much blood you can get out of a stone.