Three of us arriving at Gatwick on summer Sunday at the crack of dawn. Please advise best way to get to Bloomsbury hotel. Will do Big Bus Tour first day, and then hope to purchase tube pass for following 2 full days. Must sees are the Tower, Churchill War Rooms, The Globe, Westminster Abbey, British Lib and Museum (and more if possible!). Advice anyone?

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35128355

and

http://tinyurl.com/2hgc9e

For Bloomsbury, it will probably be easiest to take the First Capital Connect train going to Bedford, and get off at St Pancras.

Depending on exactly where in Bloomsbury you're staying, you will probably be best advised to take a taxi from St Pancras.

Victoria is quite a bit further away to the south west.

But you'd better check the exact address of your hotel on www.streetmap.co.uk.

Train timetable (in PDF): http://tinyurl.com/5bnmmt

Local bus maps:
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/gettingaround/1106.aspx

This post on the Fodors thread link given by AAFrequentFlyer describes what I would recommend doing:

"A one-day off-peak Travelcard from Gatwick is £11.40. This covers the journey from Gatwick by Southern or First Capital Connect trains (not Gatwick Express), and all tubes, trains and buses for the day in Greater London (zones 1 to 6)."

Thanks to you all for your info. We are staying at the Jenkins Hotel in Bloomsbury. Wasn't sure if a taxi for 3 is less expensive (I assume not or you would have mentioned it).

click on the second link I provided in my earlier post, then click on Taxi and you'll know exactly +/- few BPs how much it will run.

Nice location. It's about three-quarters of a mile from St Pancras: http://tinyurl.com/5nho5u

Buses are irrelevant, since the nearest stop is probably almost as close as the bus gets to your hotel.

If walking would be an issue (with luggage and after an overnight flight), then a taxi from St Pancras would cost between £5 and £8:
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/gettingaround/...axis/1140.aspx

Don't forget Gatwick is 30 miles from London. Driving all the way in would take longer than the train, even at that relatively traffic-free time of day. Don't think of just picking up a taxi at Gatwick - it would cost the earth. Someone with more experience of pre-booked car services might know how the cost would compare, but I find it hard to believe it would be cheaper than train + London taxi.

Go to www.justairports.com/prices.htm to see the prices for a typical pre-booked car company.

I used to live reasonably near the location you mention. To be honest, at weekends if I was flying Business from Gatwick and there was a car service thrown in, I always took it rather than mess with the train. It took about the same time door to door and avoided the discomfort of taxi queues etc in London. You need to do thge sums for whether a car's a better bet for you financially.

The absolute rule of never going by road to Gatwick during the week, unless travelling between midnight and 0600, doesn't apply quite as forcefully at weekends.

First Capital Connect participates in the London 2 for 1 program:

http://www.firstcapitalconnect.co.uk...iCmsPageId=167

You can print out coupons before you leave the US and get into a lot of great (and normally expensive) sights 2 for 1 just by showing your train ticket stub (and the coupons of course).

I've taken Southern Railway (another participant) from Gatwick to Victoria twice now and have saved nearly $300 using these coupons.

Steve

There is a free concert at Westminster
at 5:30 on Sunday.........
The National Express Bus to London
would be cost effective and runs often.

>>The National Express Bus to London
would be cost effective and runs often.<<

But not to get to Bloomsbury.

Summertravlr:

>>> staying at the Jenkins Hotel <<<

Just returned two weeks ago, stayed on Cartwright Gardens crescent, nearly next door to The Jenkins (Hotel George), across from the park. Very nice location..a real neighborhood feel. Walking toward the Russell Square tube along Marchmont Street, there are cafes, very good pubs (Lord Balfour, Lord Cornwallis, etc.) Indian, Chinese, a very clean launderette..and a new shopping mall (Brunswick) across the street from the tube station.
You'll like the area, I'm sure.
Wanna "beat" the $ vs. £...try the GBM (Gourmet Burger Market) in the aforesaid mall. The excellent enormous burgers can feed two...at £8. Also a sushi bar and other possibiities in that outdoor mall.

One block west of the tube, there is a convenient bus stop (#7 will take yo to Mayfair along Oxford Street, Marble Arch and Hyde Park.

I have my London pix but they're not edited yet..if you wish, I'll post them (they include Cartwright Garden area).

Stu T.

Thank you all for your excellent, detailed advice! Yes, will do the 2x1 coupons. Will be looking for inexpensive restaurants/pubs such as those mentioned. Getting very excited.

Stu T,
Would love to see the photos.

summertravlr:


here are our London and Cotswold pix...(tell me if the tiny url works)..you will see the Churchill War Rooms, the Tower (where we've been several times so actually skipped it this time..same for the Abbey and British Library, etc.)

stu t.

http://tiny.cc/YpTVT

Stu t,
Enjoyed your photos...thanks to you and your significant travel companion!

summer:

>>.thanks to you and your significant travel companion!<<<

I suppose you're refering to my lovely wife, Roz...yes, she is sure significant ...especially as a co-pilot/navigator and co-driver....and as a constant calming influence!

stu t.

Enjoyed your pictures, Stu.

so, there you, TG2...hope everything goes well with you and family..latest travels?? We just visited Portugal, London and The Cotswolds...great trip once we recovered from severe "sticker shock" in London.

Your boys must be mid-teens by now...bless them!

Stu T.