Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Travel&Dining > TravelBuzz
Reload this Page >

Gatwick to Heathrow

Community
Wiki Posts
Search

Gatwick to Heathrow

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Apr 20, 2005 | 1:43 pm
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 12
Question Gatwick to Heathrow

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.
marshr is offline  
Old Apr 20, 2005 | 1:46 pm
  #2  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
500k
50 Countries Visited
All eyes on you!
20 Years on Site
 
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.
stut is offline  
Old Apr 21, 2005 | 7:00 am
  #3  
10 Countries Visited
20 Countries Visited
30 Countries Visited
20 Years on Site
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: IAH
Programs: formerly UA GS, now lowly MM lifetime gold :(
Posts: 1,205
Agreed. This is Very tight! You might want to arrange a car service with a driver waiting for you.
osxanalyst is offline  
Old Apr 21, 2005 | 7:35 am
  #4  
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Toronto
Programs: AC, AA, DL, UA
Posts: 1,604
Change your flight, if possible. I wouldn't want to try to make this one.
grouse is offline  
Old Apr 21, 2005 | 7:55 am
  #5  
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
10 Countries Visited20 Countries Visited30 Countries Visited20 Years on Site
 
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...)
Jenbel is offline  
Old Apr 21, 2005 | 8:51 am
  #6  
10 Countries Visited20 Countries Visited30 Countries Visited20 Years on Site
 
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.
Agreed with the rest, you'll be cutting it very close. It's still doable though but definitely no dilly-dallying. M25 delays are common and I would second the suggestion of budgeting 2 hours for the bus transfer. That doesn't leave much time to get to LHR by the recommended 2hr check-in time. If you're in Business/First, I'd worry less
blueDC is offline  
Old Apr 21, 2005 | 8:59 am
  #7  
10 Countries Visited
20 Countries Visited
30 Countries Visited
20 Years on Site
 
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.
WHBM is offline  
Old Apr 21, 2005 | 9:40 am
  #8  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
20 Countries Visited
1M
All eyes on you!
25 Years on Site
 
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.
BearX220 is offline  
Old Apr 21, 2005 | 2:11 pm
  #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.
Arriving LGW 8:00 Thursday 11May 2005. Departing Heathrow for Aberdeen 11:50 am same morning. Flying in on American and out to Aberdeen on BA.
marshr is offline  
Old Apr 21, 2005 | 4:44 pm
  #10  
10 Countries Visited
20 Countries Visited
30 Countries Visited
20 Years on Site
 
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.
WHBM is offline  
Old Apr 21, 2005 | 5:52 pm
  #11  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
All eyes on you!
20 Years on Site
 
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.
Actually, the 1250 flight to ABZ is from LGW. So if the OP can stand the extra hour's wait (or, arrival at ABZ 70 minutes later), why not just remain at LGW, remain within the North Terminal, and cut out all the stress?
Globaliser is offline  
Old Apr 23, 2005 | 11:58 am
  #12  
10 Countries Visited
20 Countries Visited
30 Countries Visited
20 Years on Site
 
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.
Oh, marshr, I do apologise. Me, of all people, the board's self-appointed (not to mention self-opinionated) timetable expert. The one whose collection of airline timetables goes right back to the 1930s. The one who complains unmercifully at the office when my reservation for the 7 pm flight turns out when I get to the airport to have been made by our admin staff for the 7 am. And then I do this .....

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 ..... !
WHBM is offline  


Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2026 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.