Last year i arrived at londons gatwick airport, and got a taxi into town, this cost me 125 pounds (185 u$). <BR>I know it was expensive, howver this year I am going to use a specialist transfer service http://www.airport-transfers-uk.com And they are under half that price, however the taxi driver last year warned me about not using a licenced airport taxi...but i think he was trying to just protect his market, anyone have any experience with transf services?

Hi, <BR> <BR>I used these people last year, nice cars, clean polite drivers, and a reasonable price, like you i got caught out at gatwick, one of the guides online said the cost was about 35 pounds to london, only when i got in the cab did they tell me it was 4 years out of date, my fare was 90 pounds, not as high as yours, but still excessive. <BR>I use the company you mention all the time very impressed indeed

Alan and John 1st off if i'm wrong I apologize. But this company constantly spams rec.travel.europe and even defends their spamming. And quite a few months ago put a post similar to this one appeared on the Lonely Planet Thorntree. And like Alan's received a positive response just *minutes* after he posted. The Thorntree is mostly budget backpackers but that post received many responses praising this company in a *very* short time . The original post had the owners 1st name Steve (Woodward) and 1 of the responses was from a Woody, his nickname. And all of them IIRC posted with a fake addy but used the same ISP in it. I always thought that 1 day they would find this site and spam it. <BR> Alan and John it just seems strange but not impossible that in just 8 minutes, John found this post and posted positively about this company. Now I'm curious have either of you 2 gentleman ever posted on this Forum before today? I'm sorry to call you on this but I have read Steve/Woody/Hot Donna's posts in r.t.e and "deja" and they have had a poster's account pulled on him because he questioned their spamming and also threated to mail bomb others (on an alt.sex/swinger type NG by HotDonna) and this is why I am not using my name and e-mail address. I would not use them because of their unprofessional spamming and attitude (we are going to spam this NG reguardless if you like it or not) they have on r.t.e <BR>Again apologizes to Alan and John if I'm wrong. <BR>

You might try the train. 125 pounds is high, on our last trip I paid 45 pounds plus tip from Gatwick to city center.

Well posted whoever, will watch. <BR>Spammers (if they are, not proven yet) should remember that some boards have very protective memberships....

The train is really the best way to go. It's cheaper and probably faster. The Victoria Express runs constantly from Gatwick non-stop to London Victoria. About 45 minutes if I remember correctly .

Train (Gatwick Express to Victoria) is definitely fastest (30 mins)and cheapest. You can take your trolley to the ticketing area (well signposted, or follow the crowd), and, (if you use lift), trolley can go down onto platform. There's also an escalator. Trains run every 15 mins unless you arrive incredibly early in the morning when you may have to wait a bit longer. There's masses of luggage space on train. Cost is around 12/14 pounds (one way) and you can pay on train with credit card or cash. When you get off train look up platform (towards station) and there's the escalator that takes you to road level (if you have masses of luggage look in direction opposite to side of train (right or left depending which platform you come in at) and, in a space you find British Rail's best kept secret - the lift!) When you get off escalator, (or out of lift), the taxis are right there. Assuming you're staying somewhere in central London and there's two of you, you'll pay for train and taxi, about 40 pounds sterling and arrive much faster than by taxi from airport. Admittedly if you have young children, masses of luggage or arrive at the crack of dawn on a Sunday morning when the roads are clear you may want a taxi, otherwise train is best.

Just got back a week ago... <BR>We used only "airport cars" to be driven to and from airports. This service is VERY COMMON, not only for airports, but for any long-distance traveling in or around London, being MUCH CHEAPER than the "Black Taxi" as they call their regular taxi service. <BR>Here is the company we used, very dependable and reasonable: <BR>On Time Airports Chauffeur <BR>Phone: (020) 8838 3299 <BR>FAX: (020) 8838 3225 <BR>Call them a day ahead, give them all your flight info, tell them number of passengers, number of suitcases, and they'll give you the price. <BR>Amik

Not sure when you are travelling to London again, but we just returned from there and used a company called Solar Cars. They do not have website or emial, just phone and fax. They were very reasonable from Heathrow and we were very happy with their service. If you need the numbers, email me and I will forward them to you.