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5 hrs at LHR between flights: What to do?

5 hrs at LHR between flights: What to do?

Old Dec 28, 2019, 6:01 am
  #16  
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Originally Posted by UKtravelbear
All this on the assumption the OP arrives at a tourist suitable time. If they land at 6AM then the airport is the best place to be!
Should have mentioned earlier: arrival is 10:00 (am).
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Old Dec 28, 2019, 12:09 pm
  #17  
 
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I cannot imagine arriving in London after an overnight flight and feeling like I want to race into the city and explore. I'm always exhausted and just want to sleep.
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Old Dec 28, 2019, 8:32 pm
  #18  
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There have been a number of threads here on the general topic of what to do with a layover of X hours at LHR. (Never been to LRH, but I suspect it's as lot quicker to get out of and back into, but not nearly as much to do in the area once you're out.) The consensus seems to be that 5 hours is about the minimum time for which it's worth going into London or somewhere else. I've done it with 4, and had plenty of time for lunch at a pub, but that was back when we didn't have to arrive as early for a flight as we should today.

I'd hold off on that decision until you see how long it takes you to get landside (should be quick, you should be eligible for FasTrack) and how energetic you both feel on the day (impossible for me to predict, perhaps also for you). It also depends on whether your luggage is checked through to Oslo. (It should be if both flights are on one ticket, might be even if they're not.) Other factors are whether you got your LHR-OSL boarding passes at EWR and how much time the two of you have already spent in London. If your flight is on time, you get into the UK fairly quickly, you're not too tired, you don't have to deal with luggage, you already have your boarding passes for the next flight, and London or one of the other places mentioned above is of interest, it's eminently do-able. If not, any lounge beats sitting at the gate, or go shopping and see what they're sampling at the World of Whisky shop in your terminal. I had a very pleasant chance to compare 12-, 15- and 21-year old Balvenie (if memory serves) once.
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Old Dec 29, 2019, 1:13 am
  #19  
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Originally Posted by Efrem
(Never been to LRH, but I suspect it's as lot quicker to get out of and back into, but not nearly as much to do in the area once you're out.)
I was there for my summer holidays last year, as it happens. Very quick getting in and out, though that was on a turboprop flight - I'm not sure it'd be that quick at the back of a 737. But it's tiny, although the car rental centre is a baffling distance away (by foot).

It's lovely round there. La Rochelle itself is pleasant, with a huge aquarium, and the Ile de R is just over the bridge from the airport. We were further south in Olron. Thoroughly recommend the region.

Very different to London, of course.

For the OP - personally, with a 5h layover, I'd be tempted to leave the airport, but that's just me - I've been into central Delhi on a 3h one before. An easy journey is to swallow the cost of the HEX, get to Paddington, hop out the back entrance and walk along the canal to Little Venice, or similar. Just watch your timings.
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Old Dec 29, 2019, 11:03 am
  #20  
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<ahem>
Since I committed the cardinal [Flyertalk] sin of getting an airport code wrong, it would be very kind and conciliating if a moderator could fix the title of this thread and correct LRH to LHR!


London ReathHow Airport
Yeah, okay!
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Old Dec 29, 2019, 12:57 pm
  #21  
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Duly done. Wasn't intending to rib you for it - brought back some genuinely lovely memories of our SOU-LRH flight (which my toddler absolutely loved) and our holiday down that way.

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Old Dec 29, 2019, 4:20 pm
  #22  
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Originally Posted by stut
Duly done. Wasn't intending to rib you for it - brought back some genuinely lovely memories of our SOU-LRH flight (which my toddler absolutely loved) and our holiday down that way.

stut
Hahaha, thanks!
To be honest, it piqued my interest so much that I now want to visit LRH!! ^
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Old Dec 29, 2019, 4:23 pm
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Originally Posted by narvik
Hahaha, thanks!
To be honest, it piqued my interest so much that I now want to visit LRH!! ^
If you had 5 hours there Id definitely recommend you went into town for some oysters!
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Old Dec 29, 2019, 4:26 pm
  #24  
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Originally Posted by Scots_Al
If you had 5 hours there I’d definitely recommend you went into town for some oysters!
Ohhhh, oysters. My favourite!!! ^^^

(This is turning out to be a combined LHR/LRH thread! Love it! )
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Old Dec 30, 2019, 7:23 pm
  #25  
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Originally Posted by Efrem
... or go shopping and see what they're sampling at the World of Whisky shop in your terminal. I had a very pleasant chance to compare 12-, 15- and 21-year old Balvenie (if memory serves) once.
Anyone know if Duty Free at LHR is a 'worthwhile' visit re: pricing when we fly back to the US?

dh
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Old Jan 2, 2020, 4:44 pm
  #26  
 
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Originally Posted by dhammer53
Anyone know if Duty Free at LHR is a 'worthwhile' visit re: pricing when we fly back to the US?dh
Sometimes, but not automatically. There's a fair bit of stuff sold at basically normal prices, and the odd bit that's more... However, you can get the odd bargain, and a fair amount of stuff where you get 1 litre for the price of 70cl normally.

Whisky wise, just be aware that they stock quite a lot of "exclusives" that make price comparison tricky. Often those are good, as it's the distillery getting rid of excess stock without dropping headline prices, but not always!
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Old Jan 8, 2020, 3:15 pm
  #27  
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One "fun" thing to do -- take the HEX (or Tube) to T5, and then ride the autonomous "pods" to the remote parking lot and back. Will probably kill an hour.

https://www.heathrow.com/transport-a...ing-terminal-5
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