Gatwick to Heathrow
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist




Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Biggleswade
Programs: SK Gold, AY Gold
Posts: 13,675
Agh, 2 1/2 hours to clear customs and immigration, wait for a bus, go round one of the busiest sections of road in the country at rush hour, check in, go through security and board?
That's seriously pushing it.
To be honest Speedlink (which I think has been integrated into National Express now) is as good a way as any - a taxi will not really be any faster, other than doing without the wait. But really, that is tight.
That's seriously pushing it.
To be honest Speedlink (which I think has been integrated into National Express now) is as good a way as any - a taxi will not really be any faster, other than doing without the wait. But really, that is tight.
#5
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend




Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: back to my roots in Scotland!
Programs: Tamsin - what else is there to say?
Posts: 47,843
Is it weekday or weekend? Weekend traffic would make this a lot more do-able - weekday traffic
I like to allowat least 2 hours by bus between the two, not allowing for getting on and off planes (usually I'm doing meetings anyway!).
(stut - it's 3.5 hrs...
)
I like to allowat least 2 hours by bus between the two, not allowing for getting on and off planes (usually I'm doing meetings anyway!). (stut - it's 3.5 hrs...
)
#6




Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: LAX
Programs: OW, *A, Bonvoy, WOH
Posts: 810
Originally Posted by marshr
Arriving Gatwick 8:00am from US. Departing Heathrow 11:30am. Must claim luggage and golf clubs, clear customs and get to Heathrow. Thinking of using Speedlink. Any comments or suggestions.
#7




Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: London, England.
Programs: BA
Posts: 8,777
Yes, tight but probably 90% chance of success. Trouble with Speedlink is they hippety-hoppity round the terminals at both ends and the time can fritter. Clearing customs at Gatwick is nothing, the delay if any is waiting for the bags to be delivered.
I've often checked in at Heathrow, with bags, only one hour before departure (less in Terminal 1) and not had a problem. Please post your in/out flights and day of week and we can comment more. If things get tight at Gatwick you can always get a taxi which may cut the timewasting bits of the Speedlink coach service out. Are you on one through ticket ? If 1130 is missed when is next flight.
I've often checked in at Heathrow, with bags, only one hour before departure (less in Terminal 1) and not had a problem. Please post your in/out flights and day of week and we can comment more. If things get tight at Gatwick you can always get a taxi which may cut the timewasting bits of the Speedlink coach service out. Are you on one through ticket ? If 1130 is missed when is next flight.
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist




Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: ORD/MDW
Programs: BA/AA/AS/B6/WN/ UA/HH/MR and more like 'em but most felicitously & importantly MUCCI
Posts: 19,811
I wouldn't do it if I had to wait for checked baggage -- it's not the immigration line at LGW that could kill you, it's the wait at the bag carousel -- and if I got out to the coach stand, scanned the schedule and found I'd just missed a Speedlink run, I would change plans quick and grab a cab.
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 12
Originally Posted by WHBM
Yes, tight but probably 90% chance of success. Trouble with Speedlink is they hippety-hoppity round the terminals at both ends and the time can fritter. Clearing customs at Gatwick is nothing, the delay if any is waiting for the bags to be delivered.
I've often checked in at Heathrow, with bags, only one hour before departure (less in Terminal 1) and not had a problem. Please post your in/out flights and day of week and we can comment more. If things get tight at Gatwick you can always get a taxi which may cut the timewasting bits of the Speedlink coach service out. Are you on one through ticket ? If 1130 is missed when is next flight.
I've often checked in at Heathrow, with bags, only one hour before departure (less in Terminal 1) and not had a problem. Please post your in/out flights and day of week and we can comment more. If things get tight at Gatwick you can always get a taxi which may cut the timewasting bits of the Speedlink coach service out. Are you on one through ticket ? If 1130 is missed when is next flight.
#10




Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: London, England.
Programs: BA
Posts: 8,777
That looks even better. Almost 4 hours. Departing flight from T1 domestic (the least check-in hassle). And connecting from one OneWorld flight to another should avoid any hassle if you do misconnect. Finally there's another Aberdeen flight an hour later, at 12.50.
Provided the M25 is not like the M4 was like past Heathrow this evening (!) I would be confident.
Provided the M25 is not like the M4 was like past Heathrow this evening (!) I would be confident.
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist


Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London
Programs: Mucci. Nothing else matters.
Posts: 38,752
Originally Posted by WHBM
Finally there's another Aberdeen flight an hour later, at 12.50.
#12




Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: London, England.
Programs: BA
Posts: 8,777
Originally Posted by Globaliser
Actually, the 1250 flight to ABZ is from LGW.
By way of partial explanation my nice Goldenware electronic timetable was on my other PC and I had been reduced to looking it up on ba.com.
And to have had to be corrected by Globaliser, of all members ..... !

