Help with luggage
 

Does anyone know if there is a locker, or cloackroom, or any kind of storage in either Gatwick or Victoria station?

We have about 8 hours between planes and would like to go to the British Museum for a few hours and would prefer not to carry our suitcases (they are only carry-ons).

Victoria is cheaper. Factor extra time to check and retrieve.

http://www.airwise.com/airports/uk/gatwick/luggage.html

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/gettingaround/1216.aspx

I wouldn't bother w/ Victoria. I'd take the train straight to Kings Cross and leave my bags there. then either walk or take the tube one stop to Russell Sq/the Museum. (There are other trains besides tho one to Victoria)

What janisj meant to write was:

"take the First Capital Connect train from Gatwick to St Pancras. Leave bags in station, then walk or take the tube to Russel Sq....."

But this would make no sense if you were catching a flight from Gatwick. In that case, leave your bags at Gatwick, get the FCC train to St Pancras, visit the museum, then get your train back.

For self-evident reasons, there are no lockers at any British transport facility. All larger London stations, and intercontinental airports, have left luggage facilities and, again self-evidently, all bags deposited get scanned. Make sure you allow enough time returning for the possibility retrieving your bag will be delayed by staff scanning other people's bags as they are deposited.

Thank you so very much for your suggestions. I will leave the luggage at Victoria, it's cheaper.

Once again -- Victoria doesn't really make a lot of sense if you are going to the British museum. Take the train from LGW to King's Cross/St Pancras, not to Victoria.

<<I will leave the luggage at Victoria, it's cheaper.>>

The link posted by Cathinjoetown refers to Victoria coach station.

You'll be arriving at Victoria train station where it's £9 per 24 hours.
www.left-baggage.co.uk/locations.php

So you may wish to re-think your options.

But as janisj says Victoria doesn't make sense if you are going to the British Museum...leave your bags at kings cross

do you absolutely want to carry on?? at about $16 per bag, you could probably check them and send them through for $20 or $25. or, you could bring a really big bag or extra soft suitcase (we always bring one for souvenirs) and put them both into one big checked bag. just a thought.

Absolutely correct about St Pancras, should have caught this myself as we've gone in to St Pancras to get to Camden where our son lives. We did get caught on a roadworks Sunday schedule once but that can happen on any line.

Also sorry I gave bus station left luggage info, clearly not my day!

ok, I got it. So I'm arriving at Heathrow, I take the tube to Kings Cross, leave bags, walk to Museum (how far?), then get bags and take tube/train to Gatwick. Right?

>>and take <strike>tube/ </strike>train to Gatwick<<

No need for the tube. There is a <u>train</u> that connects St Pancras and LGW.

However, this was the first time you mentioned LHR - the initial answers would have been different but we assumed you were arriving at LGW. Asking about left luggage at LGW would apply at all. There is a direct tube connection all the way from LHR to Kings Cross/St Pancras

8 hours is not really very long for this excursion. Immigration/luggage/tube - count on 3+ hours from touch down to Kings cross. Queue at left luggage. Then it is a short tube ride or 15-20 minute walk to the Museum. A 15-20 min walk back to the station. retrieving your bags. Then a train to LGW where you'll want to arrive 2.5-3 hours ahead. You will have less than one hour free at the museum.

OOPS . . That should have read >>Asking about left luggage at LGW would <B>not</B> apply at all<<

Oh dear, well, we have only carry on luggage, so we don't have to wait for the luggage. Our plane arrives at 7:55 am, and at that time we just get on the train to Kings Cross, by this time it should be about 9'ish. The museum doesn't open till 10. So hopefully we'll be there when it opens. So we were thinking 2-3 hrs. at museum, leave at 1 pm, get to Kings Cross to get luggage, so that will be 2 by then. At that time get on the train to LGW, get there at 3 pm. We already have boarding passes for plane, so we go directly to the gate, and they said to arrive 30 minutes before plane leaves. Our plane leaves at 16:10 for Dubrovnik. Is this doable or am I in a bubble?

If my museum advanture is not realistic, would anyone have a suggestion as to what to do during those hours? I really don't want to sit in an airport .... Thanks !

I would start back by noon. I'm conservative but with your current plan you are only giving yourself 40 minutes to walk from the Gatwick train station to your gate. Granted it's connected but still a walk, plus you must get through the security queue plus on to your gate once through security.

BTW, the train station comes into the south terminal but there's a quick shuttle to the north terminal. Just be sure you know which terminal your flight departs from.

>>Our plane arrives at 7:55 am, and at that time we just get on the train to Kings Cross, by this time it should be about 9'ish. The museum doesn't open till 10. So hopefully we'll be there when it opens. <<

If you land at LHR there is no 'train' to Kings Cross. There is the tube (Underground) which will take appox one hour to get to Kings Cross/St Pancras. The only 'trains' from LHR go to Paddington station, are expensive and w/ the either expensive cab or inexpensive tube from Paddington to Kings X it will still take almost an hour.

W/ a 0755 arrival you <i>might</i> get out of LHR by 9AM. But count on longer. a lot of long haul flight land in the early AM and immigration queues can be very VERY long sometimes.

Assume 0930 or thereabouts. 1030-ish to Kings Cross. 10 mins to leave the bags. 20 minute walk to the museum (or short tube ride and 5 minute walk - still 15 to 20 mins). So arriving at the museum around 11. Then another 30-ish mins to get back to Kings Cross/St Pancras and retrieve the bags. Then train to LGW by 1230-ish.

Unfortunately I see VERY time for the museum.

LHR is almost 20 miles west of London and LGW is 30 miles south of London. And you want to cross all of it twice.

If it was me . . . and it would be hard but the times are not in your favor . . . I'd just take the express coach from LHR to LGW - plan on arriving at LGW around 11-ish. have a nice meal/shop/fly out

A couple of 'doable' things you might consider: Tube to Victoria, leave the bags, walk to Buckingham Palace/St James's Park just to stretch your legs, walk back, collect your luggage and take the train to LGW. You'd have a little less than an hour to walk around.

Or - assuming your carry-ons are wheeled/manageable - tube to Westminster station, look up at Big Ben as you leave the station, walk across Westiminster Bridge for the views, walk back to the station, tube to Victoria and train to LGW. again - a little less than an hour free time.

geeze - I need to preview more. :)

That should say >>Unfortunately I see VERY <u>little</u> time for the museum.<<

I'd get the tube to KX, dump bags, view the world's greatest collection of historic books at the British Library 100 yds west, then get the train to LGW from St Pancras (midway between KX and the British Library) after retrieving my bags.

flanner's idea is definitely doable, since the Library is only a few steps from the station. It would still be rushed but you could have 45 mins or so at the British Library - depending on whether 'stuff' happens or not. If you are delayed at all at LHR you can just take the National Express coach straight to LGW. If you land early or don't face long lines at LHR you can squeeze in some time at the Library.

Alternatively just go as far as South Kensington - 3 major museums within 5 minutes walk and only 40 minutes from Heathrow by Tube.

Alan,

That's an excellent idea. Here's the Victoria and Albert policy on checking bags, as you have carry-ons they will let you check them:

http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/visit-us/facilities/

Victoria Station is just two stops on the District Line from South Kensington or a short taxi ride.

Good idea -- still only 45 mins to an hour 'top side'.

I've checked shopping bags as large as a carry on at the V&A

Depending on how light you are travelling, at the British Musem cloakroom:

"The main cloakroom is to the west of the Main entrance. £1.50 per item, 50 pence for umbrellas, fold-up pushchairs free.

Maximum size: 40x40x50cm
Maximum weight: 8kg

Thank you for the great suggestions. We are travelling light, so leaving the luggage at the Museum would not be a problem. Since we don't have to wait for luggage I'm hoping that we can get to KX and then take a taxi to the British Museum by 10 am. If there are long lines at Immigration and we see that the future is kind of bleak we'll either take the tube to South Kensington, or just make our way to Gatwick. We'll just have to play this by ear. Thank you so much for your help these are great suggestions, I hadn't thought of the Victoria & Albert museum.

I thought I should let you all know what I finally did upon arrival in Heathrow. We were fortunate to get out of the airport by 9 am, and we took the tube to KX, we walked to the Museum, and got there by 10:20'ish, we were able to leave the luggage in their cloak room, but we had to take stuff out of our suitcases because they have a scale on their desk and if it weighs anymore than 8 kg. you have to put the stuff in baskets and check in the baskets. All in all it cost us 5.50 to check in the luggage. I was interested in seeing the Rosetta stone, and we couldn't even get close as there were people all around about 6 or 7 deep, we saw a couple of more things but we were ready to leave by 12 noon. We went to the Tavern accross the street and had a lovely lunch then we took a taxi to take us to the train to take us to Gatwick and got there in plenty of time since we had boarding passes. All your input was very helpful. Thank you so much. It was much better than staying for 8 hours at the airport.

I am glad it worked out so well for you!