Coden

Hello! I'm back with another question!

I'm trying to make some arrangements for my son who is 24 and I need to know where he should stay for one night while he is in-between airports.

He is flying into either LHR or LGW and then transferring to STN. But, for his flight out of STN he only has two options...6:15 AM or 4:10 PM.

He can make the 4:10 flight out with no problem, but it puts him at his final destination pretty late.

To make the 6:15 flight, it looks to me like his best best is to fly in a day early, spend the night somewhere, and then leave out early the next a.m. So here is the question, where should he stay?

Also, how much for a taxi to the hotel, and then the hotel to STN. Approximately of course.

And, approx. how much for the hotel?

I really appreciate all of your help.

Take care!!

rkkwan

If he's going to Rome, as suggested by your other thread, then I strongly think he should just take the 4:10pm and get to Rome the night before.

Coden

rkkwan - you are correct and we've just found a flight that will allow him to do just that. I'm very thankful that this is all finally falling in place and I won't have to worry.

Thank you very much for responding.

OReilly

Before he decides to go to STN, are you aware that Easyjet offer flights to Rome (CIA - nearer the city than FCO) from LGW? The transfer from LHR to LGW is shorter if he flies into Heathrow.

OReilly

Sorry, that last line is confusing: If he decides to fly into LGW, then the transfer is very quick (he may have to travel between terminals on the train ( < 5 mins); If he transfers from LHR to LGW the transfer time is about 70 mins, much less than the transfer time between LHR and STN.

BA and AT both fly to Rome (FCO) from LHR, but the fares tend to be high - still worth checking if he is flying mid-week/off-peak time. Check both Expedia.com and the airlines own websites.

Regards Ger

Coden

Thanks OReilly - We've got him booked. He is going from here to LHR, then he has about 5 hours to get to STN and from there he actually goes straight to AHO.

And his reverse back is just as easy and he has plenty of time to make all of his flights without being rushed.

I thank everyone who helped me with this. I was afraid it was going to be a logistical nightmare, and it was for a bit, but we are happy and so is he.

Thanks again!!!

WillTravel

Five hours is not that long to get from LHR to STN. Tell him to be prepared to be in rush mode all the way and to plan everything in advance, particularly if he has the sort of delay experiences I've had coming into LHR.

Coden

WillTravel - I pulled the following info. off of the Heathrow website and based our decision on it. Is it incorrect? Thnx for your help. Coden

From Heathrow website: Travel In-between Airports

Heathrow – Stansted
National Express runs a coach every hour between Heathrow and Stansted, with a journey time of approxiamately 90 minutes. Services are less frequent in the evenings, early mornings and throughout the night. Return fares start from £26.

Heathrow – Stansted
Stansted Express trains depart every 15 or 30 minutes with an average journey time of 45 minutes. They run between London Liverpool Street station and Stansted Airport. The Heathrow Express departs from Paddington and the airport stations (Terminals 1, 2 and 3 and Terminal 4) every 15 minutes, with a journey time of 15 minutes. Heathrow Connect services operate between the same stations, but run half hourly and are a slower, stopping service. Passengers can also travel to and from Heathrow Airport and the centre of London on the Piccadilly line tube. Passengers can travel between Paddington and Liverpool Street stations by bus, tube or taxi.

janisj

Coden: Yes, we KNOW what the website says. But WillTRavel gave you good advice. W/ the traffic if one takes the coach, or possible train/tube delays, wait time for the next train, luggage, security, strict advance check in requirements at Stansted - w/ 5 hours he will need to rush.

And that is not even considering his plane having to wait for a gate at LHR or arriving a bit late. Touch down at LHR and when he actually is in the arrivals hall are not the same thing.

So - 5 hours will likely be OK - but he definitely can't dawdle.

Coden

janisj - Thank you for replying. What about a taxi to Stansted? Will that get him there any quicker?

I really appreciate everyones help. I guess I shouldn't have believed what I read!!

janisj

A taxi won't be much faster than the coach - it has to drive the same roads. But it might save 10 or 15 mins because he wouldn't have to wait for the next coach. HOWEVER, a taxi will cost a literal fortune. My guess is near 100GBP or possibly more.

5 Hours will likely be fine - but there is no room for error. The information such as it is on that website is correct. But you need to factor in how big/busy LHR is. The arrival time on the ticket is the touch down - the plane getting to the gate, deplaning a jumbo, the often looooooong walk to arrivals, immigration queue, etc can mean it is an hour before he even gets to the coach desk.

And at the Stansted end - check in requirements are strict. If yours says 45 mins, that means <u>checked in w/ boarding pass in hand</u> 45 mins ahead, not standing in line waiting to check in.

WillTravel

I've posted about this many times, but once it took well over two hours after touchdown for me to get out of LHR, because the plane took forever to get a gate and then there was a wait at immigration. At Stansted, things are very slow, both because Ryanair refuses to hire enough check-in staff and because security queues are very long, and even if you check in on time, you still have to get through the long security queues, which has resulted in people missing Ryanair flights because they weren't at the gate in time for Ryanair's strict timing standards.

Coden

Thanks again for all of your help. After looking at his schedule again I realized that he actually has 6 hours, not 5, so that is much better. I will still tell him to hoof it though.

But, I also realized that on his return he only has 4 hours, and it is a Friday, that he arrives back in Stansted. I doubt if he can make it to LHR. I'll have to see about changing the flight or if he tries to make it and misses the flight, he'll just have to go on standby. And if he is going to miss a flight it is better at the tailend of the trip than the beginning.

Thanks again!!

alanRow

&lt;&lt;&lt; he'll just have to go on standby. &gt;&gt;&gt;

Doesn't exist if the ticket is low cost - the odds are you'd have to pay FULL PRICE for a ticket.

I'd check the rules on the ticket

janisj

Yes - 6 hours should be fine.

But that 4 hours on the return - I'd think the chances are pretty slim and practically none on a friday afternoon. So forget about standby and change the tix now if you can.

WillTravel

Missing the flight back to the US (presumably that's where he is going from LHR) could be very costly, like thousands of dollars in costs (as someone reported recently). I'd suggest he arrive back in London the night before, even if it means eating the cost of the ticket you booked to STN.

Coden

All good advice - There is an 8 pm flight, I will see about changing him to that and eat the charges now, versus many more dollars, possibly, later.

I can't thank you all enough, I wish I had posted my question before booking. Hindsight!!

Thanks again!!

WillTravel

If it's Ryanair, you might be able to use the change feature to make the change to the earlier flight. There's a charge, but possibly not as much as a new ticket.

Coden

No, the 8 PM flight is from LHR to the States. It has a horrible layover once hitting the States, long enough to get a hotel. Ha!! But, this may be our best bet and we'll just pay a change fee.

The Ryan Air flight from AHO to STN, he would have to come back to London a day early, as he was already on the early flight. I don't know if that is an option. He will have to get with the Prof. and ask the question. I've put a call in to him to let him know that we have a little hiccup.

Thanks again!

It will all work out in the end. Dang, nothing is easy.