Tube versus private car ?
 

We will be in Hyde Park area and have a flight at 0600 on a Saturday morning to France via Gadwick. Reading what I can, I figure I will NOT be able to go via the subway, since it open at 0500. So, does anybody have any reccomendations for me via private services ? Why I picked this early of a flight, I have no idea now - but it is done ...

The tube does not go to Gatwick - so that would not be an option, no matter what time the flight was. And a car service doesn't make much sense since Gatwick is about 30 miles south of london.

You can take the Gatwick express train from Victoria station. But w/ that early a flight, I'd probably stay at a hotel right at Gatwick for that last night.

That's a long and expensive drive, and you'd have to get up very early indeed to make that flight even in the best of circumstances. Is it possible for you to take the Gatwick Express train the night before and spend the night at the new Yotel in Gatwick itself? At least you might be able to sleep in until almost dawn that way, and the Yotel is pretty cheap.

Staying overnight at or near Gatwick is the only practicable option. Plenty of people have to do this to be on time for a 4am check-in, and there are local airport pickup services geared to the trade.

Take a taxi to either Victoria or Blackfriars and a train from there to Gatwick.

At the time of day you'll need it, the Gatwick Express leaves at 03:30 and 04:30. The trip takes 30 minutes and costs £14.90.

Or take a Southern train. Leave Victoria at either 03:00 or 04:00. The trip takes 45 minutes and costs £8.90.

Or take a First Capital connect train from Blackfriars, leaving at either 03:34 or 04:04. The trip takes 50 minutes and costs £8.90.

I had a similar situation and took a car from www.justairports.com. There was little traffic at that hour, making the drive all right. Check the prices for cash.

TMS if they go at the time you state they have a very good chance of missing the check in for their flight. They will need to be there by 4:00.
I am not sure with all the extra security if they need to even think about getting there for 3:00

Boy, I may have gotten myself in a muddle. We got a "free" 2 night hotel stay in London, through B.A. and the hotel I picked, not knowing anything at all, is the Park Inn Hyde Park. I've tried to get an e mail address, so I could address this issue with the hotel, but can't seem to do it. Maybe B.A will let me switch hotels .. Thank you all for advice.

Southern Trains run throughout the night therefore you could stay near Victoria station

Given the train takes about 35 minutes it means you get about 20 minutes less sleep than you would staying near the airport and save the cost of a taxi

marcielee: I don't see much reason to switch your hotel if it is included in your package. My suggestion to stay near Gatwick was just to get you about 20-30 mins more sleep. But you can just as easily take a taxi from your hotel to Victoria station and then the train to LGW. Because of the time of day, I'd pre-book a cab.

as I said - the tube does not go to Gatwick, so any London hotel will have the same issues. Changing hotels won't fix that -- unless you stay down at the airport.

What is LGW ? Thank you !!!

<<< so any London hotel will have the same issues >>>

Unless you stay near Victoria, London Bridge, Thameslink - all of which have direct trains overnight to Gatwick

Thameslink = Kings Cross Thameslink (or KX for that matter)

I just checked the Gatwick Web site. For a flight to the continent, checking in two hours in advance is recommended. That would mean taking either the 03:00 Southern train or the 03:30 Gatwick Express from Victoria. The other departure times I listed are obviously too late.

LGW = London Gatwick

LGW = Gatwick, Marcielee.

&quot;<i>&lt;&lt;&lt; so any London hotel will have the same issues &gt;&gt;&gt;

Unless you stay near Victoria, London Bridge, Thameslink - all of which have direct trains overnight to Gatwick</i>&quot;

I meant any London hotel will mean getting up in the EARLY a.m. and that the tube doesn't go to LGW. Staying right at Victoria or London Bridge will save a bit of time, but a 3:00 a.m. cab ride from Hyde Park to Victoria will will just take minutes. So if the hotel is already booked (and probably paid for since it is a package) there isn't that much benefit from switching.

Would it be okay to just get tickets the moring of departue for train or do you reccomend doing it online ? This site is wonderful. So many responses in so little time ...

Doesn't make any difference to the cost so just buy them when you need them - you can't get them delivered outside the UK anyway so you'd have to collect them from a fasticket machine at a station

You don't even need to buy Gatwick Express tickets at the station. You can just board the train and then buy your tickets from the ticket checker who comes around before you arrive at the airport.