northie

Interested in best way to get to London from airport! Have looked at airport site, have used taxi previously but would like lower cost.Is it better to prebook if using Gatwick Express? 2 persons with 20 kg luggage each.

janisj

Where in London? - that makes a huge difference. A taxi is a crazy idea, and a car service isn't much better. There are several different trains you can take, but it matters where you want to end up.

No reason to pre-book trains from Gatwick.

What day of the week/time do you arrive?

smacknmo

I haven't used the GE in awhile but we just got our tickets there.
The downside could be if there is a line for tickets. I didn't find it to be a problem the two times I did it. You have a couple of options from the airport. You could take the GE, which is about 20-25 minutes. You could take the regular Southern Service train from Gatwick to London Victoria which takes about 45 minutes and costs about half as much, depending on the time you travel. It is more during rush hour. I have also used justairports.com and found that to be cheaper when there were more than two in our party.

janisj

some clarifications:

The Gatwick Express takes approx 30 minutes
The Southern Trains take 35 mins or a bit more.

Both are good - but pretty much a hassle if your ultimate destination is not convenient to Victoria Station. That is why it is important to know <u>where</u> you are going

There is absolutely NO reason to queue for tickets for the Express - you can buy tickets from your seat while riding the train into London. A conductor comes around and even tales credit cards. (You cannot buy tix for the Southern train on board - but have to get them at the airport station)

Justairports is GREAT from LHR -- but LGW is more than 30 miles south of London and driving takes forever unless you happen to arrive early on a Sunday morning.

yk

I can't imagine using public transport when dragging a 20kg suitcase. You'd be better off using a car service that will drop you off right at your hotel (or whatever place you'll be staying).

smacknmo

The Gatwick Express is easy but to go back to JanisJ's question &quot;where in London&quot;. You need to get from Victoria to your hotel/apt.

janisj

There are several other trains - besides the ones to Victoria. To London Bridge, to Kings Cross, to other stations.

And while 88 lbs of luggage is an awful lot - if they are on wheels you can easily get that much on the Express and off at the other end. Some of the other trains would be more difficult IF you are traveling during the morning rush hours since they are all commuter lines.

MademoiselleFifi

My mom used Dot2dot
http://www.dot2.com/
It only cost a tiny bit more than the Gatwick Express. It included roundtrip Gatwick Express tickets, plus they carried all her luggage, met and accompanied her to and from the train, and then drove her to our apt.

I don't know all the details because I arrived separately, but take a look at the website.

northie

we arrive Monday at 9am-have had experience of tube from Heathrow as we usually arrive from Australia. Arriving at gatwick from mainland Europe is a different experience for us.Our apartment is near Tottenham Court Road tube so coming into Victoria would mean 2 trains.

Robespierre

If you ride Southern to Farringdon, you're a few blocks closer to Tottenham Court Road than from Victoria.

Southern offers a pass called DaySave, which affords unlimited off-peak travel on their entire network for &pound;10 per adult, or 4 for &pound;20.

PatrickLondon

First Capital Connect (trains to St Pancras and Luton) rather than Southern for Farringdon, to be precise - and you'd have to get a taxi from there to TCR, it would be quite a faff to get to the right bus stop (and there's only one route).

City Thameslink (the stop before) might be easier, since the bus (routes 8, 25, 242) stop's right outside the High Holborn exit (don't take the Ludgate Hill exit). I suspect taxis may be a bit easier to pick up there too.

http://tinyurl.com/6nang6

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/gettingaro...ylane-2130.pdf

If northie's flight lands at 9am, there's unlikely to be a problem with commuters loading up the train, but it might be worth bearing that in mind and taking your time to pick the train up.

northie

thanks for all the help-I'll do the First Capital Connect and then a London taxifrom St Pancras.

mikej48

If I am leaving from Kennington (close to Waterloo)on a Monday Morning. What do you recommend? The train or the car?

janisj

mikej48: "<i>If I am leaving from Kennington . . . . </i>" - Leaving for where????

You might want to start your own new topic instead of topping a year old thread about traveling from LGW to TCR - neither of which apply to your situation . . . . . .

alanRow

Getting a car is a very bad idea - it will take twice as long and cost several times as much as the train.

Get a taxi to Victoria or London Bridge, then train