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Popular Transportation | Other Transportation Tips | All Tips (323)
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London Gatwick International Airport
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  • Located about 28 miles (45 kilometers) south of central London, London Gatwick International Airport (LGW) is the second-largest airport in the United Kingdom, and is among the top ten of the busiest international airports in the world. Most airlines serving the airport are from the United Kingdom and European countries, although there are flights from Africa, the Middle East, and North America as well. The airport is also a major hub for many of the no-frills airlines that have proliferated in recent years.

    Airlines serving London Gatwick International Airport: American Airlines, Astraeus Airlines, Atlas Blue, Aurigny Air Services, Belavia Belarusian Airlines, British Airways, BritishJET, Bulgaria Air, Centralwings, Clickair, Continental Airlines, Croatia Airlines, Cubana Airlines, Daallo Airlines, Delta Air Lines, easyJet, Emirates, Estonian Air, Eurocypria Airlines, Flybe, FlyGlobespan, flyLAL Lithuanian Airlines, Flystar Astraeus, GB Airways, Germanwings, Ghana International Airlines, Jet2, KD Avia, Malev Hungarian Airlines, Meridiana, Monarch Airlines, MyTravel Airways, Nationwide Airlines, Northwest Airlines, Norwegian Air Shuttle, Olympic Airways, Oman Air, Qatar Airways, Rossiya Airlines, Ryanair, SAS-Scandinavian Airlines, SN Brussels Airlines, Sterling Airlines, TAAG Angola Airlines, TAP Air Portugal, Tarom Romanian Air Transport, Ukraine International Airlines, US Airways, Virgin Atlantic Airways, Virgin Nigeria, Wizz Air, XL Airways, and Zoom Airlines.

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  • Theme: Airplane
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    London cab
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  • A little bit of Gib in London! - United Kingdom
    A little bit of Gib in London!
    by sugarpuff
    Send Photo to a Friend
    Although by far the most expensive way to get around the capital, upon arriving in this incredible city, you really HAVE to take one of these taxis! The more traditional ones are of course the black ones, but I found this one amusing as it reminded me of home!

    Dont take a long ride in it as the fare will quickly add up!

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  • Theme: Car/Motor Home
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    Busses and Trains
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  • Renting a car is going to be pricey because the cost of the gas/petrol is not cheap. If you feel adventurous, get a BritRail train pass. There are lots of options and types and prices and you can get first class and regular coach.

    You can also get around by bus which may service areas that don't have train stations. Bus is often cheaper too but takes a bit longer sometimes.

    If you don't go for the rail pass, you can buy tickets for both bus or train online and pick them up at the station and terminals. If you get them in advance more than 7 days you will probably get a better price as well. It might even be cheaper to do that then buying a rail pass if you know where you want to go and when.

    Rail passes have to be bought outside the country so see your local travel agent of go online.

    Bus: http://www.nationalexpress.com/
    Bus: http://www.megabus.com
    Train: http://www.railtrack.co.uk
    Train: http://www.qjump.com
    train: http://www.thetrainline.com
    Train: http://www.networkrail.co.uk/

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  • Theme: Bus
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    The Tube
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  • The Tube in London is an old system and much of the network was designed and built over 100 years ago. This makes refurbishment and repair to modern standards slow and difficult. It creates congestion, overcrowding and breakdowns that cause delays. In the meantime, there are some tricks known to experienced Tube travellers which you can use to make your journey easier and faster. For example, don't travel during the rush-hour but within that period there are times when it is less crowded than others. Arriving at your local station ten minutes earlier or later than you usually do, might put you in that "down" time. It can make the difference between getting a seat or not.

    Tube maps, more tube tips and information can be found on the website listed below.

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  • Theme: Other
  • Website: http://www.tfl.gov.uk
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    National Express
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  • Since I don't like renting a car when I'm going on my own I've taken the National Express coaches a lot. They take longer than the train but they can take you to places without a rail station. They are also cheaper. A return ticket is just a bit more than a single. I've also booked an open jaw ticket a few times and found it a very good way to save money. This option is now hidden in the FAQ section, it used to be on the home page.
    Just a word of caution, however: Don't plan your schedule too tight, the coaches are never on time. If you have to make a connection, allow for at least one hour in between.Once a coach broke down completely, which caused a delay of almost two hours, while we were waiting for a substitute coach.

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    Rail Passes
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  • A very good way to save money are the rail passes and the point-to-point tickets which you can buy from outside the UK.
    I've done it very often through BritRail. They send the ticket to you, I usually got it within two or three days.Even with a fee of 5 Euro the tickets are still a lot cheaper than buying them at the train station in the UK.
    There is a cheaper rate available for young people, 25% off the regular price for people up to 25.

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  • Theme: Train
  • Website: http://www.britrail.net/
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    Point to Point tickets
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  • BritRail also sell point to point tickets, apart from their passes. They have some very good deals for trains out of London, the main touristy routes. However, when comparing prices I found out that their point to point tickets for routes off the beaten path tend to be really expensive! If you plan to use a train outside the main lines, buying your ticket through National rail or simply at the train station will save you lots of money.

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  • Theme: Train
  • Website: http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/
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    Megabus Fails To Show Up
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  • Looks good but Megabus is unreliable! - United Kingdom
    Looks good but Megabus is
    unreliable!
    by scotlandscotour
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    My wife and I were left stranded in Edinburgh on 31st December, when our bus failed to show up.

    We had paid in advance but this did not help us when left in the city at night, when all other buses and trains had stopped.

    With the following day being New Year, with all transport closed, and with all hotels full (Hogmanay celebrations in Edinburgh are massive), we were stuck.

    Finally, we were forced to pay double fare for a taxi all the way to Perth.

    This cost £90.

    We "welcomed in the New Year" in the back of a taxi, and were left broke.

    Megabus is run by Stagecoach. I have yet to receive an apology, let alone compensation.

    The moral is, like other budget transport - Megabus cannot be relied upon.

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  • Theme: Bus
  • Website: www.citylink.co.uk
  • Other Contact: www.megabus.com
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    Train travel
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  • The one thing that bothered me when planning my trip was how I was going to manage train travel. Piece of cake...even with three pieces of luggage! Tickets are easy enough to buy...mostly at train stations.
    Just know what platform you need to be on. If you aren't sure, ask anyone who looks like they work there!
    Each carriage has a storage area for luggage. Just keep an eye on it at each stop!
    There are always spare seats and you don't have to sit at your designated one. I always tried to sit as close to my luggage as possible.
    When booking your journey try to get a route that gives you time to change trains if you have to. Once again just ask someone where the next platform is and head straight for it.
    Sometimes you have to use lifts to get over to the other side. Can be a bit confusing the first or even maybe the fourth time but you'll get there. My theory was to always ask someone when in doubt...and it worked.
    One more thing. Get yourself some snacks and a bottle of water for the journey as the food on board is a bit expensive.

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  • Theme: Train
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    Motoring around the UK
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  • I am a Land Rover enthusiast. Amercians beware, Brits pay about 74p per liter (that's almost $6 per gallon for you Americans!) Roundabouts are great. Look out for the wild teenage driver obviously speeding along in someone else's car- wrecks do not have to be your fault. Motorcycles and bicycles weave in and out of traffic.

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  • Theme: Car/Motor Home
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