I've gotten so much good info already by searching, but hoping for a little more advice on my specific situation.

We'll be arriving at Gatwick at 7 a.m. on a Sunday with a three year old and her 64 year old grandmother. We'll certainly have a bag each, and a stroller for the 3 year old. What's the best way for us to get into the Knightsbridge area (near Harrods)?

I've heard that driving can take a LONG time - would this be the case early on a Sunday morning?

Even if the traffic isn't bad, I hate the idea of a long bumpy car ride after being stuck in a plane for so long. Is the Gatwick Express doable in our situation? Would we need a ticket for the 3 year old?

Is there any reason to use Hotelink? Or should we just find our own cab at Victoria? Is there any way we could walk from Victoria to the Harrods area? Or is that ridiculous?

Finally, if we do take a car, what are the child seat rules in England? We will not be bringing one with us on the plane. I wouldn't be opposed to going without if that's legal.

Thank you!

The traffic won't be bad - but it will still be a long and <u>expensive</u> drive. And Hotel Link doesn't work for LGW since it is just the train and then you get on a bus at Victoria.

The Gatwick Express is by far the fastest/easiest. You get on the train, sit at tables on board, pay the agent when he walks through the car, get off at Victoria and out to the Taxi rank for the short cab ride to your hotel.

Private hire vehicles are excluded from the child seat legislation so you can legally take your 3 year old in a transfer service/taxi without one. Driving won't be too bad on a Sunday morning.

A 3 year old won't need a ticket on trains/Gatwick Express.(southern trains are cheaper and not much slower).

I don't think you'd want to walk from Victoria. You could get a cab or a bus.

Which is better? Only you can decide that?

Hi

Sunday morning traffic is not bad, but Gatwick is almost 30 miles south of central London, so driving does take a while.

I'd pick the train--either the Gatwick Express or a non-express Southern train (a few minutes longer; a few pounds less)--to London Victoria station. At Gatwick, you can use a luggage trolley/cart almost all the way to the train platform.

A taxi from Victoria to your hotel seems reasonable. Some newer London cabs have a built-in child seat in them--so you can have an appropriately safe seat for your 3 year old.

Speaking of child seats...you indicate that you are not bringing one on the plane, which I understand. Are you aware of the new child safety harnesses that are available for young kids on planes? Here's a link (not an advertisement or endorsement of this brand though):

http://www.kidsflysafe.com/faq.php

have a good trip.

Dave
http://www.kidstolondon.com

This 64-year-old grandmother would recommend the Gatwick Express.

Thanks eveyrone!

The Hotelink service for Gatwick includes help to the train in Gatwick, an escort from the train to a minibus at Victoria, then a minibus to your hotel. Doesn't seem worth it, expecially if your minibus has a lot of stops, but wondered if Gatwick and Victoria are so complex that the escort might actually help.

FYI - this is our 3rd visit to London, although the first with a toddler!

&quot;<i>The Hotelink service for Gatwick includes help to the train in Gatwick, an escort from the train to a minibus at Victoria, then a minibus to your hotel. Doesn't seem worth it, expecially if your minibus has a lot of stops, but wondered if Gatwick and Victoria are so complex that the escort might actually help.</i>'

Uh - no. I don't see what use an escort would be at LGW since they can't meet you untill you are already out in the main terminal - and by then you are practically AT the train. Just follow the signs. The platforms are right at the terminal.

And at Victoria - you presumeably need to walk down the platform to meet w/ your escort. By the time you did that you'd be half way to the taxi rank. Well not 1/2 way really - but to the main concourse and then just follow the picture signs w/ the taxi's on them. Even w/ the escort - you'd still have to walk out to the street - don't see any savings in time or stress at all.

Talk about inventing a totally unnecessary service . . . .

I don't know how many adults you will have in total, but Gatwick Express has a 4 for 2 (can use as 3 for 2) fare where 4 adults traveling together get 4 tickets (or 3) for the price of 2. You have to buy it at the ticket window at Gatwick, but should save you some money.

Tsk, no-one has mentioned the current GEX discount code - WP5169 (I think) - to get 50% off single tickets

Thanks for posting the newest code--I just bought 4 one way tickets for a total of 29.80 pounds, instead of paying 26.80 x 2 (53.60) for 2 return tickets without the promo code! That's a savings of 23.80 pounds, which should pay the cab fare from Victoria-Waterloo and back. It pays to be a Fodorite! Thanks for the people who participate.