We land at Stansted in the morning around 11am on a Sunday and have a flight out of Heathrow at 6pm. How do you recommend to get from one to the other? Is there anywhere to stop on the way since it seems like we have a tiny bit of time before we have to make our way to Heathrow (International flight so I am assuming we need to be there 2 hours in advance? or do I need more time?)

Looks like it would take around 2 hours by public transport. If you get the train you can stop in London but you'll have very little time to spare. By the time you land, get your luggage, make your way to your transport etc. Plus I'd want to be at Heathrow 3 hours before an international flight.

Stansted Airport probably has similar details but you can use this to get an idea. Key in Stansted Airport and Heathrow Airport -
https://www.heathrow.com/transport-a...ourney-planner

Also looks like there might be a direct bus with National Express.

Kay

This is from the Stansted end, there is a direct coach.

https://www.stanstedairport.com/gett...ween-airports/

Just take the express coach -- you'll have a less time than you may think. Other than the airport to airport coach, the only reasonable option is a train into Liverpool Street station in central London which takes almost an hour, then taking the tube (which is nasty with luggage) to either Kings Cross or Holborn and then transferring and out to LHR which would take another hour +. I certainly would not want to wander around central London with luggage and storing it at a train station will cost £12.50 per piece - more if they are large bags.

we were all posting at the same time. Don't futz around with trying to do anything in London.

We are flying United to New York from Heathrow. Not sure what terminal that is.

Thanks all. Sounds like we are better off just going straight to Heathrow. We are actually landing at 1:00 am at Stansted. I figured we'd go to an airport hotel to sleep for a few hours (traveling with two 11 year olds), then after we need to check out (which I figured around 11:00am) start to make our way to Heathrow. Any recommendations for an airport hotel close to Stansted to check into for a few hours? Or does it not really matter since we're barely there. Knowing that - does that change any of your recommendations on ways to to get to Heathrow? I figured we'd just go back to the airport from a hotel close by.

That is a truly horrible schedule....

Sleeping at Stansted: https://www.sleepinginairports.net/g...port-guide.htm

It might be tempting to go into London for the night, and the National Express coach, but not the train, will be running through the night, but it would be likely 4:00 am before you go to bed. I wouldn't do it even without the kids. You might squeeze in a visit to Windsor once you get to LHR. I suppose you could leave your luggage at a London station and get four hours or so there, but I think I'd opt for Windsor in preference. (Edited to add that those suggestions assume getting up early. If you're not leaving the hotel until 11:00, just go to LHR.)

I think we're better off getting a few hours of sleep in and then just make our way to Heathrow. We are traveling for a family occasion and coming through London was our only reasonable way for our family of 4 to get there and be able to celebrate with our family - so we figure a hellish day of travel was worth it!

If they're really lucky (they'll have to clear immigration) they will catch the 1:40, getting to LHR T2/T3 at 3:10. If not they'll have to wait an hour for the next coach and don't get to LHR until 4:00. With two young kids in tow that is a lousy idea. (https://book.nationalexpress.com/coach/#/choose-journey )

Who planned this itinerary?? If it was a TA - fire her a$$ If it was you, well sometimes we gotta do what we gotta do, and besides, we can't fire ourselves.

But the only reasonable option is to sleep at STN - what is your budget? The Hampton Inn and Radisson Blu are the only hotels walking distance. Rates at both are very date specific but should be had for around £100-ish for family room. The rest all require shuttles or a 10 to 15 minute taxi ride.

. . . Oh - and most UA flights use T-2 at LHR

It was me Our actual destiantion is somewhere else in Europe and it's a family occasion that we didn't think would be doable for our family of 4 to take part in, but we are spending 2 days in London on the front end, then flying out to meet our family, then through London to get back to NY so although it is a crazy return schedule it is worth it to us since it was the only way we would be able to go. Our kids are good travelers and will hopefully just power through the crazy night and day!

I can’t seem to start a new thread from my phone so hopefully someone will see this and be able to offer timely help!
We landed at Stansted and checked into the Hampton inn. After sleeping on the plane and sleeping a few hours here everyone seems well rested and up for an activity. We don’t need to be at Heathrow until 15:00 or so to head home so was thinking to take a tour of a football stadium with our new free time. Flexible on any “name” stadium (my American son loosely follows football so knows big names like arsenal, Tottenham, etc) that would have tours today (Sunday)
I just want to end up on the tube line to heathrow around 14:00 to give us time.
Any suggestions and ways to get there? Also about how long are the tours?
open to other “one stop” places to pay a visit that would last about 1-2 hours that won’t take us incredibly out of our way. Was thinking to avoid central London since we toured a lot of it.

The closest to central London is WembleyA problem is what will you do with the luggage?

https://bookings.wembleytours.com/st...26%2F01%2F2020

You'd take the tube to Wembley Park -- then for the return take the Jubilee line from Wembley Park to Green Park and change to the Piccadilly Line westbound to LHR

i figured my husband would go with the kids and I’d sit and wait for them with the luggage and read my book!

I don't know what time it is in the UK so you might have already decided but you could try visiting Windsor Castle. You could drop your luggage at Heathrow then get a bus or train (sorry have never travelled from the airport to Windsor) hopefully someone else might know if this would work. Windsor Castle is a great place to visit, the town is right next door for food and shopping and you can easily walk to Eton if you had time.

Kay

Journey planner is a good tool, unfortunately it says that Jubilee Line to Wembley Park is partially suspended due to a fire at Westminster. You could go to London Liverpool Street then take the underground to WP or take the Stansted Express to Tottenhale Hale and then the underground from there on (via Kings Cross and change to Metropolitan line or to Bond Street then Jubliee line) but you could encounter delays.

https://tfl.gov.uk/plan-a-journey/re...n&ToId=1000257

I don't know if Wembley Tours can be taken at such short notice, without booking.

WIndsor could have been another place to go but being out at Stansted makes getting places a pain IME, I always try to a) avoid it b) if thats not poss, get in and out of the area asap. Everytime I go there there is an issue, a) trains delayed b) fire alarm in the terminal c) crushing crowds etc etc. Luggage could have been left at a LHR hotel.

If you are stuck at LHR with couple of hours to kill, the kids might enjoy the local urban farm, a walk from Hatton Cross tube station

https://hounslowurbanfarm.co.uk/

If all else fails, a lunch at the Pheasant pub close to the Marriott on the Bath Road is quite good, but always busy