I'd like to pass along some advice to a former student/my own kids' good friend who will be traveling to a month of study in Rome, going through London, in early June. She will be arriving at Gatwick early on a Saturday and then leaving for Rome from Luton early the next morning. On the way back to the states a month later, she flies from Rome to Luton, arriving late morning, and spends 2 nights, then leaves from Gatwick.

She has her tickets but no hotel accomodations.

I'd like to pass on advice;
1. Is the best way to get from Gatwick to Luton on the First Capitol Connect or something else?
2. She'll have luggage and will need to be at Luton airport very very early, like 6 am or so, the next morning, so she figures she'd better stay at or near the Luton airport. Is this advisable, and if so, where?
3. How's the best way to get from train station in Luton to hotel--taxi?
4. Is there anything she could possibly do in, from, or around Luton (besides shower and un-jet-lag herself) for a few hours? She wanted to go to Oxford for a few hours, but the connections look impossible and long.
5. Upon return she wants to go from Luton via the train to ??St Pancras or other station, then tube to some nearby hostel to stay 2 nights. Any suggestions?
6. Then she will leave wherever she is in central London via tube and then Gatwick Express early to catch 9:30 flight home.

What are we missing in her plans? And especially any suggestions for youth hostels in central London?

www.yha.org.uk has several hostels in London. One is very close to St. Pancras.

Lee Ann

This isn't answering your question.

But why is she doing this? To get to Luton for 0600 she has either to get up in central London at 0300 or find somewhere to stay near Luton airport (God help her) and - what's even worse - find something to occupy her time in Luton (God help her) throughout the Saturday. She'll be nackered all Saturday from the overnight flight - which at least means she won't be able to appreciate the spectacular visual glories of Luton (God help her). And, after getting up on Sunday morning about the time most sensible young people are thinking about leaving he pub and going home, she'll be even nackereder all day Sunday

Why doesn't she just get an Easyjet flight from Gatwick and give herself an extra day in Rome? Even if she's bought the Luton tickets, buying a flight from Gatwick now will be cheaper than trekking to Luton and finding somewhere to stay the night.

Most people's strategy for early Luton flights is not to go to bed at all, and either sleep on an airport bench or just catch up on the flight. These really aren't serious options after spending Friday night on a plane.

I'll pass these along. She made the reservations already--I don't know if per input from U of Texas professor or on her own. She is traveling alone from South Texas, through Houston. The Luton thing does look difficult, at least on the way over when she just has like 20 hours on the ground, from Gatwick arrival to Luton departure.

Still interested in other feedback, thanks

For info on cheap places to stay in London see www.hostels.com and eurocheapo.com/london. For info on cheap places to stay near Luton airport google Luton airport B&B.

For info on Luton airport and how to get there see www.london-luton.co.uk/en or www.luton-airport-guide.co.uk. Seems there's a bus to get to the airport from the train station. You can also get buses to Oxford. I agree that flying out of Gatwick would be infinitely preferable.

I totally agree w/ flanner. Travel to Luton and a hotel will cost more (and be a HORRIBKLE slog) than just flying straight on to Rome from LGW. So "eating" the Luton flight is not an extravagance.

However if she has booked R-T Luton/Rome/Luton - then eating the first leg will cancel the 2nd leg. So she does need to consider that. But it makes NO sense the way it is booked now.

If she decides to leave the flights as they are -- then she should go into London, leave her baggage at the train station in left luggage, tour around for the day (if she can manage and isn't exhausted from the flight), then retrieve her bags at the station and head up to Luton to get a few hours sleep near the airport.

make that "HORRIBLE" . . . . .

What if she just doesn't show for the Luton/Rome flight? Would that cancel her return leg? (The return "legs" are better because she had time to go Luton/London for 2 nights and then a decent Gatwick flight to USA).

"What if she just doesn't show for the Luton/Rome flight? Would that cancel her return leg?"

Almost certainly not. You don't buy return tickets with most European low-costs: just two singles. But she should check. She MIGHT find it more sensible, if it IS a problem, to just buy a new £30 or so flight back to London

If the idiot professor has booked her on some hokey charter, it shouldn't be a problem either. But again: check

Luton has an Ibis Hotel, it was about 70gbp per room when we ended up having to stay there one night last year. Perfecly fine place to stay, but listen to flanneruk and janisj. She should pobably just buy herself a new ticket from Gatwick to Rome and eat the cost of the ticket from Luton.

"What if she just doesn't show for the Luton/Rome flight? Would that cancel her return leg?"

If it's an actual return ticket, yes. If it's two singles, no.

Question 6:

To save herself few $ tell her to ride the Southern train to Gatwick. Gatwick Express is about 5 minutes quicker but it's also about $10US more.

Gatwick Express - 30 minutes - no stops

Southern train - 35 minutes - couple of quick stops

both leave from the same station - Victoria, different tracks
both arrive at the same station at Gatwick

While this is not part of your question, I assume your friend is flying a budget airline from Luton. Is she fully aware of the luggage restrictions and fees for baggage check, extra bags, extra weight, etc. on a budget carrier?

Unless she manages to adhere to the weight restrictions, her flight will not be a bargain after she pays the add-ons at the airport.