fastest and most convenient way from London Heathrow to Gatwick

AJC wrote:

On 17 Oct 2003 19:02:03 -0700, (Lil) wrote:

I just bought some tickets, and when I checked for the change in plane
in London, I forgot to check whether the change in plane takes place
at the same airport.

Now that I've bought the tickets, and found that I arrive at Heathrow
and must depart at Gatwick, how do I get us (me and Mom) over from
Heathrow to Gatwick?

More details: the plane is supposed to arrive at Heathrow a little
before 11 a.m. GMT, and is supposed to depart Gatwick at 1:45 p.m.
GMT.


Who sold you this connection? Last year BA were quoting a minimum
connecting time of 3 hours via the inter-airport coach. It looks like
you will be using a very expensive taxi.
--==++AJC++==--

You will need to take a cab. I live close to Heathrow & know the airport
well. Baggage can take 20 mins to half an hour. M25 should be OK at those
times if there are no accidents etc - allow at least one hour journey time.
I would be worried about finding/using a bus adding extra time, plus the
fact that it may leave you in the wrong place at Gatwick.

A London taxi will add about a £40 surcharge on top of the standard rate
for leaving the M25 zone.
A (reliable) local firm of minicabs - Station Cars of Langley - 01753
545000. They will agree rates beforehand, have modern clean vehicles
(usually MPVs). I ring them as soon as I have cleared customs and am
usually picked up immediately I exit the terminal.
(May be harder for them to find a driver willing to do Gatwick at such
short notice. Try ringing them and provisionally booking before you set off
and tell them you'll ring them on clearing customs).
I'd guess about £60 compared to £100+ for a taxi from the rank.

Russell

Russell wrote in message ...
I would be worried about finding/using a bus adding extra time, plus the
fact that it may leave you in the wrong place at Gatwick.


Not really a problem. The bus station at T3 is right by the exit and
signposted.
There should be a bus every 15-20 minutes that time of day.
The buses call at both Gatwick terminals as noted above, BA is the North
terminal.

"Russell" wrote in message
...

You will need to take a cab. I live close to Heathrow & know the airport
well. Baggage can take 20 mins to half an hour. M25 should be OK at those
times if there are no accidents etc - allow at least one hour journey
time.
I would be worried about finding/using a bus adding extra time, plus the
fact that it may leave you in the wrong place at Gatwick.

Totally agree. Having seen this thread and having coincidentally to go to
Gatwick this morning, I took the opportunity to time the journey from the
M4/M25 junction. In ideal conditions (8.30 on a Sunday morning in a fast
car) it took 35 minutes. Add 5 to 10 minutes getting from Heathrow to the
M25, plus another 5 for a slower run (taxi drivers tend to value their
licences) and I'd say you're looking at 45 to 50 minutes minimum. So yes it
can be done, in the sense that you *ought* to be able to get to Gatwick
within 1 hr and 45 after touching down at Heathrow, thus giving you a 1 hr
check-in on the Gatwick flight.

But, as Russell says, you will only make it if you realise now that you are
going to have to get a cab and phone for one in advance.

Buses are fine if you have time, but with a 15 minute frequency you have to
add 14 minutes to your schedule, because sure as fate you will just miss the
previous one :-).

Forget lunch till you've checked in at Gatwick.

Jonathan

AJC wrote:
(Miguel Cruz) wrote:
Unlike the doomsayers, I personally wouldn't have any reservations about
the schedule you have. Then again I don't travel with checked baggage,
which usually saves 15 minutes or so.

But remember on BA economy that is just 6kgs.

Yeccch. Thankfully, unlike EasyJet, they don't seem very aggressive about
weighing it as long as it "looks" light.

miguel
--
Hit The Road! Photos and tales from around the world: http://travel.u.nu

Getting a bit confused here.

Is Speedlink and Narional Express coach the same?

Also, I can't seem to find airport maps at baa.com. Does anyone have
a link to a map of Heathrow and the outside where the buses are?

In light of the many inputs, I am very inclined to pack very light and
just have a carry-on. Would customs insist on going through our bags?

Still trying to decide whether I should try the coach service or the
cab....

Thanks in advance.


James Robinson wrote in message ...
freeda wrote:

Assuming we clear customs quickly, what is the fastest and most
convenient way to get to Gatwick and somehow manage to grab some
lunch? Is there a shuttle between airports? Will we have to cab it?
Whatever ideas come to mind, please do not forget to include
approximate cost for the transport.

The fastest would probably be to take the Heathrow Express to Paddington,
tube to Victoria, then Gatwick Express to atwick. This will also be very
expensive. o cut costs you could take the tube to London.

That is probably the slowest way. You also have to change twice - once
at Paddington, again at Victoria - which can be difficult with luggage.
It will take between 90 and 110 minutes to make that journey, depending
on connections. The cost is about 25 GBP.

Somewhat less expensive is the underground to Victoria, and the Gatwick
Express from there, at a cost of 15 GBP. It takes no longer than using
the Heathrow Express, but you still have to change twice.

The most cost-effective is the dedicated coach service between the two
airports. At that time of day, the trip should take 60 to 70 minutes,
and the price is 17 GBP. It runs every 15 minutes or so, and picks up at
each of the terminals at Heathrow.

An alternative is the National Express bus, which departs every half
hour from the central transportation terminal, with a fare of 14 GBP.

A taxi will be a bit faster than the bus, but not by much, since the bus
runs non-stop, and the taxi will cost substantially more.

Is Speedlink and Narional Express coach the same?

Also, I can't seem to find airport maps at baa.com. Does anyone have
a link to a map of Heathrow and the outside where the buses are?


I assume you will be flying into terminal 3?
Just follow the signs to 'Central Bus Station'. very easy to find.

freeda wrote in message ...
Is Speedlink and Narional Express coach the same?

Also, I can't seem to find airport maps at baa.com. Does anyone have
a link to a map of Heathrow and the outside where the buses are?


I assume you will be flying into terminal 3?
Just follow the signs to 'Central Bus Station'. very easy to find.


No, no, no. There is a coach station IN terminal 3, just by the exit from
the arrivals hall.
Buses to Gatwick leave from there.

Lil wrote:

Getting a bit confused here.

Is Speedlink and Narional Express coach the same?

Yes. National Express used to operate airport bus services under three
brand names:

Jetlink
Speedlink
Flightlink

They are now all being brought under the single name of National Express
Airport. The buses used for the Heathrow-Gatwick transfer might have any
of the four names on them, so don't just look for Speedlink. Your bus
ticket might still have the letters SL for the buses that pick up
passengers at each of the terminals, or JL for the buses that pick up at
the Central Bus Station.

Here is a link to their web site, where you can find additional
information, including schedules, fares, and maps of the airport
terminals:

http://www.nationalexpress.com

Select "Airports" in the menu at the left, then "Heathrow" and you will
see a link to the Heathrow - Gatwick transfer service. Map links are at
the bottom of each page.

Also, I can't seem to find airport maps at baa.com. Does anyone have
a link to a map of Heathrow and the outside where the buses are?

There are some general maps on the National Express site, plus a link
below.

In light of the many inputs, I am very inclined to pack very light and
just have a carry-on. Would customs insist on going through our bags?

Customs is on the honor system. You walk through doors that are green
for nothing to declare, or red when you want to declare something.
Normally, with nothing to declare, you just walk quickly through, but
they can still pull you aside if they want to for a closer look.

Still trying to decide whether I should try the coach service or the
cab....

You can make your choice at the airport, by judging your time. You will
be arriving at Terminal 3, and the coach runs every 15 minutes at that
time of day, on the even hour, and quarter and half hours, and is
scheduled to take 1 hour 20 minutes to the North Terminal at Gatwick.
The fare is 15 UKP per person, and there is a coach ticket/information
counter at the terminal. A taxi will be a bit faster, assuming there is
no queue, since it won't make any stops at the other terminals at the
airport, but it will obviously be more expensive.

You can also make your way to the Central Bus Station, where the buses
depart directly to Gatwick, and take about an hour, but it is a 5 or 10
minute walk from Terminal 3.

Here is a general map of the terminals, and the location of the bus
stations:

http://www.baa.com/pdf/hal_between_terminals.pdf

AJC wrote in message
...
On Sun, 19 Oct 2003 07:36:18 GMT, (Miguel Cruz) wrote:

Lil wrote:
The booking was made with Travelocity, and I just talked to
Continental and British Airways. Continental agrees it will be tight
but thinks I will probably make it--since most transatlantic flights
get to London early. The British Airways representative I talked to
assured me that they do inter-airport transfers via National Express
buses everyday and I should easily make the connection. They (and
Continental) also pointed out that if I missed the flight they could
put me on a later flight which leaves Gatwich around 7 p.m. GMT, which
means we will arrive at our destination hotel about 3-4 hours later.

Unlike the doomsayers, I personally wouldn't have any reservations about
the
schedule you have. Then again I don't travel with checked baggage, which
usually saves 15 minutes or so.

But remember on BA economy that is just 6kgs.

I have pushed the boundaries of BA economy by taking an 11kgs bag on board,
but that was with no checked-in luggage. BA is the only carrier I have used
that weighs carry-on luggage.
---
DFM

Your comments and links are very helpful. Thank you all!

Lil

James Robinson wrote in message ...
Lil wrote:

Getting a bit confused here.

Is Speedlink and Narional Express coach the same?

Yes. National Express used to operate airport bus services under three
brand names:

Jetlink
Speedlink
Flightlink

They are now all being brought under the single name of National Express
Airport. The buses used for the Heathrow-Gatwick transfer might have any
of the four names on them, so don't just look for Speedlink. Your bus
ticket might still have the letters SL for the buses that pick up
passengers at each of the terminals, or JL for the buses that pick up at
the Central Bus Station.

Here is a link to their web site, where you can find additional
information, including schedules, fares, and maps of the airport
terminals:

http://www.nationalexpress.com

Select "Airports" in the menu at the left, then "Heathrow" and you will
see a link to the Heathrow - Gatwick transfer service. Map links are at
the bottom of each page.

Also, I can't seem to find airport maps at baa.com. Does anyone have
a link to a map of Heathrow and the outside where the buses are?

There are some general maps on the National Express site, plus a link
below.

In light of the many inputs, I am very inclined to pack very light and
just have a carry-on. Would customs insist on going through our bags?

Customs is on the honor system. You walk through doors that are green
for nothing to declare, or red when you want to declare something.
Normally, with nothing to declare, you just walk quickly through, but
they can still pull you aside if they want to for a closer look.

Still trying to decide whether I should try the coach service or the
cab....

You can make your choice at the airport, by judging your time. You will
be arriving at Terminal 3, and the coach runs every 15 minutes at that
time of day, on the even hour, and quarter and half hours, and is
scheduled to take 1 hour 20 minutes to the North Terminal at Gatwick.
The fare is 15 UKP per person, and there is a coach ticket/information
counter at the terminal. A taxi will be a bit faster, assuming there is
no queue, since it won't make any stops at the other terminals at the
airport, but it will obviously be more expensive.

You can also make your way to the Central Bus Station, where the buses
depart directly to Gatwick, and take about an hour, but it is a 5 or 10
minute walk from Terminal 3.

Here is a general map of the terminals, and the location of the bus
stations:

http://www.baa.com/pdf/hal_between_terminals.pdf