 | London Trains Reviews | Tips 1 - 10 of 187 |  |
This is really a "tourist trap" tip but I imagine it will be easier to find under "transport" :-)
The Heathrow Express train from London's Heathrow Airport to London Paddington Station is, in my view, expensive and over-hyped. Yes, if you need to be in the centre very quickly (20 minutes) and you do not mind paying the £13 one-way fare, go for it!
But, if you are on a budget and don't mind taking a bit longer to travel, catch the London Underground Piccadilly Line to the centre of the city instead. The Underground ("Tube") trains depart every few minutes from Heathrow. Cost £3.80. They take 40-45 minutes to get to London's 'inner zone'. And you may need to interpret the London Underground and change trains/Lines at some point. Change at Earls Court for the 'Circle Line' to Paddington.
One word of advice would be to avoid the Tube during the 'rush-hour' when Londoners are going to/from work i.e. 8-9am, 5-6pm.
But the Tube is part of the London experience. Why not start it at the airport!? Leave a Comment
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If you want to do some sight-seeing in London, there is no need to worry about the hassles of driving your car in traffic and then finding a reasonably-priced parking spot - not to mention the daily traffic levy that you have to pay just for driving your car into the congested central part of the city. Cameras record all vehicle license plates and the mandatory fee must be paid within 24 hours to avoid a fine for daring to drive into the already crowded city.
I have always enjoyed sitting back in comfort and letting the trains and subways do the work for me when I visit London. We grabbed this modern South West train at Farnham station and sat back in comfort, watching the country roll past as we made the one hour trip to Waterloo Station on the banks of the Thames River. The trip reminded me of several that we took from Horley (beside Gatwick Airport) back in 1979 and, in fact, this ride ended up on the same railway tracks, as we went past the familiar old landmark of the impressive Battersea Power Station (declared a National Historic site in 1980 and retired from active service in 1983) as we neared our final destination beside the London Eye. Leave a Comment Theme: Train
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During WWII - 10,000 mostly Jewish children were sent out of Austria, Germany, Poland and Czechoslovakia by their parents to escape the Nazis and almost certain death. These children came by boat from Holland to London and arrived in Liverpool Street Station to be sent around the country - some to hostels but mostly to foster families.
This monument of a rather forlorn little girl is found just outside the main entrance to Liverpool Street Station. The glass case she is standing next to, usually houses other artefacts and memorabilia from that time but currently it's empty due to renovation. Leave a Comment
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Updated with fares from Jan 08
There are five main airports serving London. In order of distance from the city centre, they are:
London City (LCY) 7 miles east
London Heathrow (LHR) 15 miles west
London Gatwick (LGW) 25 miles south
Luton (LTN) 26 miles north west
London Stansted (STN) 30 miles north east
Heathrow is the main scheduled airline international and intercontinental "hub"; Gatwick serves similar routes; Stansted serves mainly European business and holiday traffic; Luton is mainly used for scheduled and charter services to European holiday destinations; and London City is for short-haul business services to Europe.
The map here shows all five airports in relation to each other, and the main transport links between them and with central London.
There are direct rail links between all of them and central London as follows (prices are for a single ticket, correct as at Jan 08):
Heathrow
LHR - Paddington: Heathrow Express (15 mins, £14.50 online, £15.50 from ticket office or machine, £17.50 if you buy on board the train)
LHR - Paddington: Heathrow Connect (25 mins, £6.90)
LHR - Central London: Piccadilly Line (55 mins, £4 cash, cheaper with Oyster card)
Gatwick
LGW - Victoria: Gatwick Express (30 mins, £16.90)
LGW - Victoria: Southern (30-40 mins, £8.90)
LGW - London Bridge/St Pancras International: First Capital Connect, 30 mins, £8.90)
Stansted
STN - Liverpool Street: Stansted Express (45 mins, £15 online, £16 from ticket office)
Luton
LTN - St Pancras International/London Bridge (32 mins, £10.40; free shuttle bus service from Luton Parkway station to the airport)
London City
LCY - Bank: DLR (22 mins £4 cash, cheaper with Oyster card)
There are also bus and coach links between all the airports and central London and other destinations. These are usually a bit cheaper than the rail fares, but take longer and are much less reliable. There are also regular coach services between the four main airports (www.nationalexpress.com). Leave a Comment Theme: Airplane
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You can get directly to the center of London by the Eurostar either coming from Paris, Brussels, Calais, Lilles, and even Avignon or the Alps now.
It is not cheap but it is convenient(check the website below for tarifs and timetable).
Once in Waterloo station, you have access to the tube: northen line, jubilee line, barkerloo line. Leave a Comment
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If you can't use the tubes or simply don't like them, why not use the Heathrow Express. The train departs from terminals 1, 2 & 3 and speeds you to Paddington Station in about 15 minutes non stop. If you are travelling from terminal 4 add a further 8 minutes onto your journey time. This is a modern, fast & efficient train but be aware it is expensive £27.00 return or £14.50 single. You can book tickets on your flight saving you the princely sum of £1.00 but what the heck = a penny saved is a penny gained & please remember MIND THE GAP!! Leave a Comment Theme: TrainPhone: 0845 600 1515Website: heathrowexpress.com
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The train to Cambridge takes just over an hour on the WAGN trains. There was no trolley service on this train. Deep disappointment. Remember to buy something at the station to take with you.
This is the station where you will find Harry Potters Platform 9 & 3/4. Thousands of Japanese tourists have also found this platform. Fight for a space to take a pic! :)) Leave a Comment
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Trains from Kent and Sussex come into (and obviously leave from )Charing Cross Station - (How many hours of my life have been spent waiting for a train here???)
Last train to the coast on a Friday night is 23.37 and on Saturday nights it's 23.30. If you don't think you can manage this early - book a hotel. Leave a Comment
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When travelling to Gatwick Airport you would need to catch a train from Victoria Station.
The Gatwick Express trains depart every 15 minutes and take just 30 mins to the airport and a single (one-way) adult fare is currently 14GBP.
Gatwick Express
You can also get other trains to Sussex and the Kent coast from this station. Leave a Comment
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Waterloo station has 4 Eurostar platforms.
It connects UK with the continent by the Cannel Tunnel.
I agree it is funny that the Station is named after Waterloo, the place nearby Brussels where Napoleon got defeated.
Nowadays it gives way to France!
I booked my traintickets online, giving me the possibility to travel from any station within Belgium to Brussels midi to connect with the Eurostar. Leave a Comment
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