Not specifically motoring, but I hope the Mods will understand.
One of my colleagues is off to Sunny Tunisia next week for work. He flies in to Heathrow at 640 Monday, and then flies out from Gatwick at 1540 (I think). What's the best way for him to travel twixt airports? Is there still a coach service? How much does it cost? Or should he take a tube into London, and then a train south to gatwick? Again, what's the cost? Or is there a direct train service?
Given the poor lad hasn't been out of S Africa before, I want to give him foolproof advise. Can anybody help?
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Here you go Ian
National Express Coaches
tinyurl.com/ujdt
BAA coach transfer info
tinyurl.com/ujdx (follow the link on the left - travelling between airports)
There is also flightlink, speedlink and a host of others. Transfer time is about 70 minutes or so.
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Definitely the coach. I used it a few weeks ago, it's £17, leaves from Heathrow 1,2,3 Bus Station and takes about 90 minutes stopping at Gatwick North and South. I use it a lot and it's a very good service, staff are helpful and friendly, it's practically idiot-proof and as most of the flights I take are early morning, you get an extra hours kip on the coach.
As far as I'm aware, it runs fairly late into the night as well.
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Coach service info from www.gobycoach.com - it should be quicker than doing the trains, but remember the coach has to battle the M25 - took me three hours last year to go by car from M25 Heathrow jcn to Gatwick (only 40 miles - took me that long to do Leeds to Heathrow - 200 miles!). Why can't they bring back the Sikorsky helicopter shuttle!!
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Don't dare. We fine, normally law-abiding folk in Epsom under its noisy flight path) almost got to the stage of hiring a rocket launcher to bring it down.
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Oh, I used to enjoy seeing it chopping its way over my house in Ashtead. How anyone thought a coach round the M25 would be quicker I'll never understand.
Terry
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>>>>>Why can't they bring back the Sikorsky helicopter shuttle!!
I'm often struck how in a so-called developed country like Britain things seem to regress rather than progress. Ludicrous that a simple transfer between the country's two airports should be so slow and inefficient. Why isn't there a dedicated rail link for example.
I used to make that LGW-LHR transfer regularly in the British Caledonian helicopter coming in from the Gulf on Cathay and out to the US from LHR. Fifteen quid as I recall, and have another cup of coffee sir there'll be another one along in a minute. Used to bounce around a lot in bad weather, big fun.
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The funny thing is the people living under the helicopter flightpath used to call it the "Gatwick Growler" due to the noise!!!
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The coach it is!
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The coach it is!
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I agree it is the simplest way but just a thought.
A lot of time to kill so close to the sights of London.
There is an express train, 20 min into Paddington and an express train , 30 min?? from ??? to Gatwick. Depends if he is travelling light or else enjoy the airport expensive shops..
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Victoria to Gatwick, 30 minutes.
Quick waltz around the centre of London, nice spot of lunch, then off to Gatwick. The alternative is hours at Gatwick (grim) and £15 for burger and chips plus a beer (grimer).
If bags not checked through then should be possible to re-check bags at Heathrow for a Gatwick departure with most major airlines, certainly possible for BA. They (the airlines in general not specifically BA) will lose them in transit Heathrow/Gatwick but then they'll probably lose them anyway.
Only exception is if your flying Virgin Upper Class in which case get to Gatwick ASAP and get in the Clubhouse, could happily spend a week there...
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