Getting to Gatwick

the 7 day count down to my flights to Orlando starts today!! I've finally worked out how to get to Gatwick. Living close to Heathrow makes Gatwick flights slightly frustrating, and i've tried various ways of gettign over to Chavwick for flights to MCO;

Coach from Heathrow - Always feels a bit of a grotty way to start your holiday

Car - Nice but an expensive route with a car costing 100+!!

Lift from friends - always good but can't be done this time

Tube then train - This time i'm doing the train route for the first time, I've got to put up with the District line which should be entertaining but once i've got to Victoria it's Gatwick Express first class all the way (finally have a use for my free upgrade vouchers!!).

Any other obscure routes for traversing London to the 'other' airport...?

Taxi? Local taxi firms will generally do a good price... (I wasn't sure if the car price you referred to was fuel and parking or if you've already looked into getting a taxi).

[Decker]

Living in Ealing I use Airport Cars for about £60....

I'm also in Ealing and they've quoted £46 to Gatwick, bargain!! Are they decent cars or more like minicabs?

[Decker]

Normally People Movers in good nick with polite well groomed drivers. Highly recommended. (Between Popes Lane and Ealing Broadway )

[Scrooge]

Normally I fly into LHR then seeing as the family lives around Crawley I take a coach, then pick up the rental car at LGW.

The last time though the M25 was closed due to an accident so we ended up taking trains, not the way to go.

Direct train from Reading, or from Kensington Olympia/Shepard's Bush (change Clapham Jn or East Croydon)

Might have a go with the airport cars service, I live in themiddle of Ealing Broadway so cars can never find the front door - simple solution, direct them to pub where I shall be waiting patiently..

quote:Originally posted by McMaddog
Direct train from Reading, or from Kensington Olympia/Shepard's Bush (change Clapham Jn or East Croydon)


Changing at Clapham Junction on that service is awful. Not to be recommended.

Personally Id drive then park at the airport,
I live in Crawley really near to Gtawick and I always find the easiest way of getting between Gatwick and Heathrow is in a car both ways.

I would'nt recomment travelling by train during the rush hour [n]

Current plan is to get the district line at about 9am from Ealing Broadway to Victoria - The way I see it the only pain is getting to the tube station and over to Victoria - Once i'm on the gatwick express i'll be happy!! Would drive and park but im flying back into Heathrow..

Either way, however much of a pain it is getting to Gatwick, it's nothing on the carnage that I would have had if i'd have flown from LHR to Miami - what a nightmare of an airport!!!

[buns]

quote:Originally posted by LiamRugby
Current plan is to get the district line at about 9am from Ealing Broadway to Victoria - The way I see it the only pain is getting to the tube station and over to Victoria - Once i'm on the gatwick express i'll be happy!! Would drive and park but im flying back into Heathrow..

Either way, however much of a pain it is getting to Gatwick, it's nothing on the carnage that I would have had if i'd have flown from LHR to Miami - what a nightmare of an airport!!!


9am[:0][:0][:0][:0] The Clubhouse would have been already open for 2 hours[}:)]

Seriously, I would have thought the District Line would be a good 45 minutes (even on a good day), then lugging up the stairs and across the concourse to get you ticket might be cutting it fine.

I agree travelling across London with luggage in the rush hour(s) is a nightmare and I know exactly your dilemma as I have to do it the reverse way, as I live close to Gatwick. Even if the M25 is clogged, most good drivers know how to get round the bottlenecks

Have a good flight

buns

At 9am, I am not sure how busy the trains are - but it would be easier to do

EALING to PADDINGTON on Worst Great Western
PADDINGTON to OXFORD CIRCUS on Bakerloo Line - then simply cross the plaform
OXFORD CIRCUS to VICTORIA on Victoria Line

But of course that's three modes of transport that are needed, rather than the admittedly flakey District Line...

Sealink's got it nailed... use the Ealing - Paddington service, then do the Tube. The Bakerloo / Victoria route is very much preferred.

The only problem with a time of 9am is that you will enter London before 10am, falling into the 'rush hour' timing, which means you don't get a saver ticket (bastards).

S.

quote:Originally posted by Sealink
[quote]Originally posted by McMaddog
Direct train from Reading, or from Kensington Olympia/Shepard's Bush (change Clapham Jn or East Croydon)


Changing at Clapham Junction on that service is awful. Not to be recommended.

Sorry I should've been more clear, some services end at Clapham Jn so you have no choice but to change there, I agree East Croydon is better suited.

For £46, I'd take the taxi. Less stress.

If your going from Paddington to Victoria then take the circle line rather than the bakerloo to Oxford Circus and changing to the victoria line.

Yes the circle line is less frequent but you avoid the grief of a change at Oxford Circus.

Oxford Circus is a cross platform change.
The Circle line is too slow to risk.

I usually get the Central Line to Oxford Circus, then 2 stops on Victoria Line

[preiffer]

COMPLETELY OT, but the Central line was shut down between Marble Arch and Liverpool Street last Thursday for an incident involving a 'person under the train'.


[:(] Guess it happens.

I would book a great value airport hotel with 14 days parking included, probably for less than £100. Travel down in the quieter afternoon, leave your bags at twilight checkin and have a lazy morning, arriving at the airport an hour before flight!

quote:Originally posted by preiffer
COMPLETELY OT, but the Central line was sh*t down between Marble Arch and Liverpool Street

Intentional typo? [;)]

Cheers
Michael

[preiffer]

Errr. Fixed now... [:I]

Guess what 'bias' my iPhone has for predictive text. I taught it everything it knows... [:w]

quote:Originally posted by preiffer
Errr. Fixed now... [:I]

Guess what 'bias' my iPhone has for predictive text. I taught it everything it knows... [:w]

LOL.
On the subject of 'one unders', my Brother had to deal with quite a few when he started with the BTP and was posted to Laaaaarndan - not nice at all [:(]

Cheers
Michael