London for the first time!

[tlwmkw]

Depending on how many there are in your party you may find it cheaper (and more enjoyable) to travel into London by taxi- also if you have lots of cases this will save you from having to carry/pull them to the tube and then along the street to the final destination. It will also be much more pleasant than battling with the tube crowds after a long flight and they will drop you right at the door of the hotel. JMHO.

tlwmkw

 

[DeniseM]

I imagine it would cost a small fortune to take a cab from Heathrow to London!

 

[Pompey Family]

A taxi from Heathrow to Sloane Gardens should cost around £50 if you pick up one of the metered ones. You should be able to get one cheaper if you arrange with a local firm to collect you for a pre determined fee. The distance is only 16 miles and should take about 30 mins.

http://www.easyairportcars.com/ is one choice. A standard saloon with two passengers is £42 from Heathrow to SW1 and you can book online.

I would take this above the tube, public transport any day. The last thing you need after a long flight is the hassle of hauling your luggage around London and trying to get everything on the packed tube. Moving around London should only be done with the minimum amount of baggage, it's far too congested and I couldn't think of anything worse than lugging a suitcase around. I did that in New York, never again!

 

[mav]

I agree with the above post 100%. We have stayed at both Allen House and Sloane Gardens and it is so worth it to just take a taxi after a long flight! I would cut a corner somewhere else and perhaps eat in one night if money is a factor, to make up the difference for the cab. jmho

 

[zora]

Mav,
which did you prefer: sloane or Allen?
We're looking to go next year and I'm just starting to do my research.

 

[Liz Wolf-Spada]

Thanks, I am fighting flu and have been sick for 5 days. Hopefully, I will be well by Friday. How do I know what my drop off point is?
Thanks,
Liz

 

[jlwquilter]

Oh no! I sure hope you do feel better VERY soon so you can enjoy your trip!

We go toward the end of June. Also my first trip. DH was there a few years ago on business but didn't get a chance to see much. Probably won't this time either.

Anyway, feel better and post when you get back!

 

[Luanne]

I imagine it would cost a small fortune to take a cab from Heathrow to London!

We arranged ahead of time for a cab from Heathrow to our hotel. I don't remember the cost exactly, but it was under 50 pounds.

 

[DeniseM]

Thanks, I am fighting flu and have been sick for 5 days. Hopefully, I will be well by Friday. How do I know what my drop off point is?
Thanks,
Liz

If you are talking about the Tube Station, on their website, they have a trip planner that is very similar to BART's trip planner.

 

[Liz Wolf-Spada]

We have Airport Express Vouchers purchased with our London Plus Pass. Does that get us there without a tube change? I think we will skip that for our first day, even if we spend more money, I am still recovering from the flu and it will be a long day of plane waiting and then travel.
Liz

 

[Liz Wolf-Spada]

Pam said we can take that to Paddinton Station and then a black cab and it will be about 20L. It is not clear if we have to activate the Brit Rail Pass before we can use the Heathrow Connect. When I contacted them, they said yes, but in reading the pass, it just says the airport connect needs to be used in the 6 months of validity, not the 8 days of validation. We are going to use it on the second part of our trip to include our trip to Stonehenge.
Thanks,
Liz

 

[PStreet1]

Here's sending you good wishes for health and a wonderful trip!

 

[cap cunuk]

Enjoy

Liz, Hope you enjoy your trip to London My wife and i along with her mother and aunt are going over for the first time in May. We are not staying in a time share though(rented mine to pay part of this trip we are taking a 15 day bus tour. Hope you will write a report on your time in London and let us know prices for meals taxi's and such. Hope you are feeling better and enjoy.

 

[MaryH]

Was in Europe (Paris) a week ago and had dinner with a friend who commutes between London and Paris basically weekly. Apparently the tube has been a mess the last few months with the repairs in advance of the olympics. A lot of the stations have escalators, etc under repairs so it gets pretty bad.

Also they are being offered options to work from home during the Olympics since they expect it to be a mess.