Nikki

Easy Jet flies from Amsterdam to Gatwick and Luton. For some random dates I just checked in May and June, prices run from 26 euros to 41 euros one way. I don't see any budget flights to Heathrow.

I checked airlines at www.whichbudget.com.

tuscanlifeedit

I'm not sure if you already got this answer, but for train times and length of journey, you can check eurostar.com

Pricing can sometimes confuse me, but then I call Byron at budgeteuropeantravel.com and get good advice on trains and a prices. I buy the tickets from them.

courtneyclv

Hi Tuscan, I looked up the budget site you provided, but it wasn't working. Is it budgeteuropetravel.com (BET)instead?

So another question..I heard some trains are underground, some are above ground. I am all for saving time..but my husband thinks that a 5 hour train ride from Amsterdam to London sounds nice...i think an hour and a half flight sounds good. Will we miss amazing scenery if we fly from Amsterdam to London or Heathrow?

scotty09

Courtney, if you do not already know the layout of Heathrow airport you will soon find out the hard way. The 4 or 5 terminals are all spread out and it takes time to navigate between them. So I would suggest that if you know the terminal that you are leaving from on the final Saturday, you pick a connecting flight from Amsterdam-London that arrives at the same terminal at Heathrow as your translatlantic (?) flight. You won't believe what a hassle you will avoid doing it this way, plus it will give you more time in Amsterdam. I think laurie ann is giving you the same good advice.

charli

Is Eurostar back in operation after that accident in the Chunnel?

scotty09

Charli, there have been no recent "accidents", but plenty of snow disruptions in Dec. and Jan, then an interruption of London-Brussels service in Feb. that was to return to normal on March 1st........... otherwise all services to/from London are running normally today......and by the way Courtney, you have not indicated your dates of travel, so just be aware that there is a Paris city Marathon in April

courtneyclv

Hi Scotty,
The dates we will be there are April 21st (arriving 11pm at Heathrow) and departing at 4:30pm on Saturday the 1st of May.

I wanted to go to London right after our flight..but the Heathrow express and Picadilly do not run that late. And I heard a taxi is WAY to expensive.

Is there an economical way to get from Heathrow to London (maybe Bayswater..if near transporation, bars, etc) at 12-1:00am?

thanks!

tuscanlifeedit

courtney, yes, I was referring to BET. Byron is the fellow that runs it, I think, and he really knows all the ins and outs of train travel.

tuscanlifeedit

I want to add a recommendation for Heathrow transportation. I've used justairports.com for clients and they have been very satisfied.

scotty09

Courtney, the Heathrow express train runs until 11:42pm, but I don't think you can deplane that fast, even with carry on luggage. The o/w fare is 18 pounds each or 36 pounds for 2. I just tried out tuscan's justairports.com and they are offering a special Heathrow-London for 27 pounds in a chauffered car which sounds very competitive. I also discovered "Night Bus N9" which serves Terminals 1,3 & 5--it runs between 1am and 5am and costs 2 pounds for a ride into central London. You can browse all this at www.heathrowairport.com

scotty09

p.s. Courtney......I played around with transport from London to the continent and came up with a neat solution that lets you fly from London City Airport (much closer to downtown) to Paris, then return from AMS to LCY, for only $189 r/t, pp---using the dates 4/23 -4/30 on Air France....that really frees up more time on the ground in all your cities

spaarne

If you stay at LHR on your first night you will waste part of the next day moving to London. Traffic will be much lighter at midnight than in the morning.

April 30 is Queen's Day in Amsterdam. I suggest you fly AMS>LHR on May 1 so you can enjoy the party. See http://tinyurl.com/yln3hrp.

courtneyclv

Hi Scotty and Spaarne, Thank you for the links! Scotty, I will check that out..flying to London to Paris, then return to Amsterdam to London..I didn't know that would count as a round trip. I thought it would be like going 'one way' in two places.

My husband is all about wanting to take the train, but I believe that some of them are underground..he thinks he will miss a lot of countryside or something. I personally think it will be fun..but two train rides is enough! I dont want to spend my whole trip...

So now I will see about...going to

April 21st- Heathrow to London late on the when we arrive at 11pm...(i called a car service..very reasonable at 12am!)

23rd of 24th Leave Paris and fly to Paris

27th Train from Paris to Brussels for a night on Thalys

28th Then train from Brussels to Amsterdam on Thalys

Then fly from Amsterdam to London early on the 31st or a late late flight on the night of the 30th.

31st Depart from Heathrow at 4pm

Sound good?

courtneyclv

Whoops, I meant May 1st, not April 31st.

If I fly early Amsterdam to London, then a train to Heathrow..will that be difficult? Someone suggested that is a bad idea because what if, knock on wood, we are late and miss our flight back to the States. Flying to London from Amsterdam would be a much easier option than taking 4 trains on May 1st.

hmmm

Man_in_seat_61

"Flying to London from Amsterdam would be a much easier option than taking 4 trains".

Ironically, 'flying' actually means taking a train from Amsterdam centraal to Schiphol, then a long check-in process with lots of hassle, then a flight to Luton or Stanstead, then (in the case of Luton) a bus from the airport terminal to the Airport Parkway station, then a train into London. That's 4 legs, isn't it?

A train to Hoek vamn Holland, a night asleep in a private en suite cabin on the superferry, then a train into London migt be as simple, less stressful, cheaper, and saves ane xpensive hotel night in either Amsterdam or London.

Depart Amsterdam in the evening, arrive Lonodn next morning.

See www.seat61.com/Netherlands.htm

Kathdb

Hi we are planning a similar trip but for 4 weeks we are landing in London looking around for 4 days then heading to Ireland/Scotland -drive down through London eurostar to paris, However if you intersted I found the dutch flyer from Amsterdam to Harwich (London)rail sail rail you catch a train to ferry departs at night you get a cabin and sail overnight then train to centre of London. Only about 100pound transfers to ferry covered and good night sleep in own cabin. I haven't done but have booked it.

Cathinjoetown

I think you've eliminated the easiest and usually the fatest and cheapest way to get from central London to central Paris--Eurostar.

The scenery is pretty in England (through Kent) and fairly boring in France, but you can't see much anyway due to the speed. It's all above ground except 15-20 minutes under the Channel.

courtneyclv

Hi everyone,
I did some research and we have decided to do the Dutch ferry and transfers. It is cost efficient, is overnight, and looks like fun. I saw the types of cabins and costs/times on
http://www.seat61.com

We have also added two days to our trip, being that Queens Day is the 30th.

So we have decided to take the Eurostar to Paris, Thalys to Brussels, Thalys to Amsterdam, then the night before we leave, the Dutch Flyer (which is only about $150 for both of us, including all transfers.

Now I just have to find lodging..lol.