Joanne

Arriving at Gatwick at 10 AM. There are 4 people in party. We will be staying in flat on Balcombe (near Baker Street - Marlybone area I believe). Would best transportation be via Gatwick Express to Victoria Station and then cab to flat? Or would anyone have other suggestions. Thanks for any & all advice.

Elizabeth

Joanne, <BR>Your plan sounds like the best idea. The Gatwick Express is fast and relatively cheap. And once you get to Victoria Station the last thing you want to do is get on the tube with all your luggage and then walk to your flat. With four people the cab ride will be fairly cheap. Just my opinion.

Judy

Hello Joanne and All, I am also interested in the cab ride from Victoria Station to Bloomsbury? We will be taking the Gatwick Express to Victoria and then a cab ride....cost? and ease of getting a cab there? I just know we will be wiped and I don't want to take the tube with my luggage. Last time we stayed in London, we were near Victoria and walked to our hotel. Not so to Bloomsbury....we will be arriving around 9:00am at Victoria... <BR>Thanks for any feedback! Judy

Tina

Joanne: <BR> <BR>You got the plan --- Gatwick Express is easy to use and takes you in comfort directly to Victoria Station. As Victoria Station is one of those critical lynchpins in London's transport system, there's plenty of cabs to take you from that point on to your hotel or flat. I'd venture a guess the cabbies who work Victoria Station know the airplane schedules better than the air traffic controllers & line up to catch that tourist traffic arriving each morning. <BR> <BR>ONE SUGGESTION --- write down or print out the name & complete address of where you'll be staying. Although we do share a common language, I found that cabdrivers sometimes had a difficult time understanding my American accent. So I always carried the name - address of my hotel with me to alleviate any misunderstanding.

Linford

<BR>The Gatwick Express is about 10 pounds each (one way / slightly more if you pay on the train). There will likely be a line of people in front of the station waiting for a taxi; one shows up about every minute. It probably won't be more than 10 or 12 pounds for the taxi, plus a little extra for each bag that goes up front with the driver.

elvira

Consider having a car/driver meet you at the airport. The cost for 4 people is about the same as 4 tickets on the Gatwick Express plus a taxi from Victoria to your hotel. We used <BR>www.chauffeur.co.uk Patrick (another poster) has used Swiss Cottage Cars. <BR> <BR>You have no idea how wonderful it is to see a chauffeur, holding a sign with your name on it, outside Immigration.

pat

At first, i supported your ideas, but when i reconsider Elvira's idea of taxi direct from LGW, it appears to be more convenient. So, i vote for taxi as well.

Ben Haines

Fodors <BR> <BR>A private hire car may well be the bst idea for four people. By rail you can speed up the trip if you use Thameslink. At Gatwick buy tickets to Kings Cross Thameslink. Take any Thameslink train: these run every 15 minutes. At Kings Cross Thameslink step on to the platform, ignore the "Way out" signs, look for the stairs down marked as "Underground", drop a flight, walk under the lines and to the newsstand, and there you'll find an escalator right up to street level. Give up your tickets, and beyond the glass door is a bus stop. Have money ready, and take bus number 30 to Baker Street, and from there a taxi or taxis the last quarter mile to Balcombe Street (Londoners don't say Balcombe, but Balcombe Street). <BR> <BR>For Bloomsbury, at Kings Cross Thameslink take bus 30 or 73 to just beyond St Pancras station (one or two stops only), and then a 91 along Woburn Place and Russell Square. Or, since the distance is short, a cab the whole way. <BR> <BR>Please write if I can help further. Welcome to London. <BR> <BR>Ben Haines <BR> <BR>

Lori

Joanne, <BR>If you are staying on Balcombe St. I imagine you are renting from Nick Price (we have a number of times). He can make arrangements for you to be picked up at Gatwick (costs about 50 pounds (plus tip) very well worth the door to door service and with 4 of you the Gatwick Express and then a taxi would cost more). We've flown into Heathrow and he always had us picked up and I have a friend renting from him in June and they are picking them up at Gatwick. Balcombe St. is a great area by the way, lots of tube and bus connections at Baker St. and the Tube at Marylebone as well. (you can also take a day trip to Warwick Castle straight from Marylebone too). There is a small grocery store on Melcombe St. (on the way to Baker ST.) and another larger one over on Baker a couple blocks south of the Tube stop. Several banks (ATMS) near Baker as well as well as Boots (pharmacy) and several fast food places. There is a nice little square (Dorset Sq.) at the end of the block (it's private for the people that live in the flats adjacent to it) and you will be a short walk from Regent's Park, one of the lovliest in London. This is probably a lot more info then you wanted (since you asked about Gatwick) but I hope it helps - enjoy your visit!!! I would not attempt public transportation when luggage (and jet lag). Post if you have any other questions.

Joanne

Thanks to all for your advice/suggestions. <BR> <BR>Lori, a special thanks to you. Yes, we are staying at one of Nick Price's apartments & I have contacted him regarding a ride. However, the fact there will be 4 people along with luggage seems to present a problem but I have not ruled this out. Thanks for all the other wonderful info you sent. You can never have enough.

Sheila

To Joanne: I was wondering when you are going to London as I am also staying on Balcombe Street in one of Mr. Price's apts in June. His son is picking us up at Gatwick and there are four of us. If you are going sooner, please let me know how you liked the apt. when you get back.

Lori

Hi Joanne, <BR>If Nick can't arrange a pick up for you for some reason, there are several other companies that you can contact (www.chauffeur.co.uk for one). Let them know there are several of you and luggage as you might have to hire a minivan or station wagon (they call it an estate car) so you have room. It still comes out cheaper then the Gatwick Express train and then a cab. It's possible Nick's usual people (Michael & Warren) are busy that day with other pickups and can't make your scheduled arrival time. Are you renting one of the recently remodeled apartments or one of the older ones? Just curious!! The remodeled ones that we saw last yr looked good. The older ones are fairly basic in furnishings, etc. but for the price (and the fact you are not in the apartment all the time) they are a good deal. Post if you have any other questions, we've stayed there several times and are familiar with the neighborhood.

Bob

Just came back from England and took the Gatwick Express -- excellant service. <BR> <BR>One warning. There is also a commuter train (Connex) which uses the same track. At Gatwick, there are lots of ads for Connex offering 8.60 pounds to Victoria. It is NOT the same as the Gatwick Express, which costs 10.50 pounds. The express is non-stop and uses much better equipment than Connex.