ILuvParis

I just bought the 1-day travel card at Heathrow this morning - £6. I was able to travel from the airport to Central London, but you have to show the ticket to an agent, as opposed to putting it in the machine because the machine will reject it prior to 9:30 a.m.

Globaliser

If the machine would have rejected it before 0930, then it was probably a ticket which was not valid for travel until 0930.

And the ticket inspector probably shouldn't have let you through, and you were probably travelling illegally until 0930.

But, hey, people get away with much more all the time.

ILuvParis

I bought the ticket from a human being and told him I needed a 1 day travel card and needed to travel to Central London. Perhaps he misunderstood me and just sold me a travel card and thought I would be walking into the city. I noticed that when one departs from Heathrow, people show the ticket to a person, rather than put it into a machine. If what I was doing is illegal perhaps they should make people use the machines. Two humans looked at my ticket - one on either end, as well as the person who sold it to me.

stut

Oh, the people manning tube barriers really don't care in the slightest. At my local stations (Stockwell and Brixton), you regularly see people jumping the barriers, covering the sensors, going through two at a time... And they don't bat an eyelid.

Mind you, Stockwell also has a British Transport Police station inside, and if they happen to be on some kind of 'crackdown' that week, you'll see jumpers tackled to the floor.

A bunch of continental-style 'bendy' buses have been introduced to London recently, where pre-payment is required. They've done something like, what, 2 rounds of inspections since the scheme started. Even within TfL, these routes are known as 'the free bus'. Some say it's Ken Livingstone's grassroots attempt at redistribution...

Globaliser

Not suggesting any heinous moral turpitude on your part. This just explains why the machines would not have accepted the ticket, as you knew - and why the ticket inspectors didn't give a stuff.

The other week, I had to jump on the DLR for one stop in a bit of an emergency when the local traffic had seized solid. Not having seen the ticket machines on the way in to the station, but having seen the train that was already standing at the platform, I jumped on it. And was carried all the way to the next stop standing right next to the "train captain", as the DLR's ticket inspectors/door operators are grandly called. I got away with that one, too. It happens.

Alan Duchan

Has anyone used a van service called Hotelink?

Unless I missed it, it is not mentioned on this thread. It's a van service from Heathrow and Gatwick to Central London hotels. Cost is £16 pounds from Heathrow and £20 from Gatwick if you book online. This seems like a decent price for a person travelling alone.

I recall reading one comment on another thread (or maybe another forum). The conclusion was that the ride itself was pleasant if slow. But getting on the van at the airport was a bit of a hassle.

Comments?

Globaliser

I've never used it, but if you're thinking about doing it from Gatwick you should be aware that what they do is put you onto the Gatwick Express train to Victoria first, and then pick you up in the van there. So it's not quite the same service as the one from Heathrow.

Alan Duchan

Thanks for the information about Gatwick. That still might make it worthwhile depending on how far a trip from Victoria to one's hotel. If I do try it, I'll report back to this thread.

Globaliser

Yes, very true - although the fact that you're made to take two forms of transport and change between them means that Gatwick Express + cab under your own steam may turn out to be a pretty comparable journey - with the exclusivity (= speed) of a cab possibly outweighing any extra cost.

SptCA

Would this thread be the right place to ask about getting from LHR to Eurostar? We can get fares into London for about $250 less per person that where we want to go - AMS - so I'm looking at flying to London and taking the Chunnel onward. Would appreciate pointers on the simplest (fewest transfers) way to get to either Waterloo or Ashford with 2 suitcases, 2 carry-ons and 1 kid.

stut

It's as good a place as any

First off, I'd recommend checking bmi for fares to Amsterdam. Unless you especially do want to go via Eurostar (which will require a change at Brussels Midi/Zuid), they're probably going to be cheaper, and it's a lot easier to leave from LHR.

Your options to Waterloo, though, are:

1. Get the Heathrow Express, then a taxi to Waterloo.
2. Get the Heathrow Express, then a tube to Waterloo.
3. Pre-book a car all the way to Waterloo.
4. Get the Railair link to Feltham, then a train direct to Waterloo.

1. is the fastest, the most expensive and quite convenient.
2. is about as fast as 1. (faster at peak times), slightly cheaper, but a bit more hassle with luggage.
3. is really convenient, not too badly priced, but could take a couple of hours at peak times.
4. is somewhere in the middle, but a real pain with luggage.

SptCA

You're right that bmi would be easier, but not cheaper. For the two of us, it would still be cheaper to go by Eurostar to Brussels, and drive to our actual destination, Wassenaar (near Den Haag). Plus, my offspring is one of North America's biggest train fans, so the Chunnel would be a thrill for him.

As with so many air tickets these days, it's not the actual fare that costs much - it's the taxes that really push the cost up on bmi.

Globaliser

If you're flying in to LHR but wanting to go to AMS, I would have thought that your best bets would be BA, bmi or KLM. Eurostar is much more hassle and likely to be more expensive, overall. Eurostar will only take you as far as Brussels and you have to change there (I think) for Amsterdam, which is another 2½ hours away.

Strawb

Yes, it is more of a hassle than flying if you want to take the Eurostar on from LHR but IMO the simplest way would be to take a taxi to Feltham station (you would be nuts to take the bus) then jump on a train direct to Waterloo. The Heathrow Express is definitely not such a good idea because you have to take lifts and then walk quite some distance with all your baggage just to reach their platforms. As well as being a rip-off children under 16 no longer travel for free any more. You then have to contend with all the stairs and escalators at both ends of the tube and if you're travelling at the height of the morning rush, well, it can be a nightmare. A taxi from Paddington might not be any faster and if the traffic is bad it can be quite costly.

At Feltham station it is only a few yards from the taxi drop-off to the station platform. The platform for Waterloo bound trains is conveniently on the station entrance side. When you get to Waterloo it is a very short stroll from the domestic platforms to the Eurostar check-in on the lower level concourse. Some trains from Feltham arrive on platforms 18 or 19 which are practically adjacent to Waterloo International Terminal. Very handy indeed. Going this way from LHR is the easiest and most hassle-free way. It cuts out any need to negotiate stairs and escalators. The only problem I can think of is that trains may be busy during the morning rush as commuters cram in at stations prior to Feltham. Give yourself a minimum of 90 minutes.

Coach number 18 is at the very front of the Eurostar when travelling from London. This is the best bet for your circumstances if you're travelling Standard Class. This is a half-saloon with more space than the regular coaches and is popular with families. The majority of seats in this particular coach face each other instead of the usual airline-style seating in the other coaches. The real advantage of travelling in this coach is when you arrive in Brussels. The exit is at the front and you will be among the first to disembark. The lifts to the ground floor are straight ahead to your left. Coaches 7-12 are First Class and in the middle of the train. Coaches 1-5 are Standard Class to the rear of the train. I would advise you to reserve seats in coach 18.

Previously, passport control on arrival significantly delayed those with tight connections, especially if you were right at the back of the train in coaches 1-5 and the queues built up. The train is more than a quarter of a mile long and can carry more than 700 passengers, yet there are only 2 or 3 officials. On my last two visits recently passport control was not in operation. I think they've done away with this as passports are checked before you commence your journey.

jacob_m

I just passed London Bridge about an hour ago and noticed Thameslink now runs all the way from Brighton to Bedford again (meaning directly from Gatwick to Luton via central London).
So no need to change at King's cross/St Pancras anymore, the construction work seems to be over for now.